Of Fire and Ledgers

From the diary of Xislia Dith, 19th of Roarkian, year 649:

Knowing how much Chixesaka loves his coins, I figured I could really impress him with a nice ledger to keep track of all of his riches. So, not too long ago, I started studying how to bind books. Oddly though, every time I gave him one, he would be back to using his old ledger after not even a day. How much accounting does that old lizard need to do to use up a whole ledger that fast? No matter. I resolved to keep up with his voracious appetite for accounting books.

Today, for some inexplicable reason, he was in an especially foul mood, lashing out at me for sending him subpar ledgers. It wasn’t my fault he has such a fiery temper. In fact, I assure you the last book suffered because he set it on fire! Apparently, we were really loud as a whole host of adventurers stopped by to make sure everything was okay. Gaudiguch showing up was no surprise as we had been under their protection for years now. Jalraza and Beda were the first on the scene, with Eiselle and Ixchilgal of the Mes’ard family showing up shortly after. Serenwilders have also been a familiar sight, so it was reassuring to see Fair Galaphyrae, Xiran Stormcrow, and Huskii Myeras. Rounding out the onlookers was Uzriel d’Vanecu of Magnagora and Xenthos An’Ryshe of Glomdoring. Oh, was it embarrassing to have so many people watching. And it was even more embarrassing when Chixesaka lost his temper again and turned my latest ledger into ashes! Argh, he is so frustrating but I guess I just have to do better to meet his standards. I know I am relatively new to bookbinding so I asked the gathered adventurers for advice. Xenthos suggested that the hide of dashros could help block the flame and Eiselle even offered up her candle of the Forbidden Mysteries, which burns without ever seeming to consume the candle’s wax.

Xenthos and Galaphyrae returned with the dashro in no time at all. After I skinned a dashro corpse, I used the pelt to wrap an unbound ledger. I then finished it off with a layer of the fire-resistant wax, we tried giving the old lizard a new and improved ledger but it turns out we were going about it the wrong way! Just because he set my last two ledgers on fire didn’t mean he actually wanted a fireproof ledger–just a better quality one. He did mention liking silk so people were quick to ask Tloxenga for some of her prized silk. She was reluctant at first but was suspiciously agreeable after learning the silk was for me. Huskii eventually procured the silk, even braving attacks from the temperamental spiders.

After he came back with the silk, I quickly realized the silk would have to be taut to have the finished ledger look polished. Eiselle was the first person to try to help me, but ultimately Huskii took over and assisted with finishing off the ledger. Chixesaka didn’t seem too happy, but I guess I just have to do better next time. After all, he needs ledgers to keep track of all of his coins, right?