Between the Lines

Wednesdays 8PM - 10PM Central Time USAMateus - Shirogane - Ward 9 - Plot 46Teleport Anchors Available By Request

Are you in search of a rare tome or knowledge lost to the ages? Perhaps a relic of unknown properties has found its way into your possession, and you seek appraisal—or a buyer bold enough to claim it. Or maybe you crave an item of true antiquity. We also offer translation and restoration services for those who value discretion as much as discovery.Between the Lines is a library of rare (and not so rare) books, esoterica, and antiquities. The library opens its doors on Wednesday nights (Central Time, USA) or by private appointment for discerning individuals who can afford the wares.Dare to read between the lines…And remember—not all things may be bought with gil...

Feature Collection

The Stable of New Beginnings: Heavensturn Stories

Celebrate renewal at The Stable of New Beginnings: Heavensturn Stories. Wander through heartfelt tales, auspicious omens, and the quiet magic of starting over. Each story offers a moment of reflection—an invitation to lay down the weight of the old year and step forward with hope. Whether you seek inspiration, comfort, or a spark to begin anew, you'll find it here. Embrace the turning of the heavens and the promise it carries.

About

Between the Lines is a library role play venue open on Wednesday nights from 8-10 PM Central Time (USA) or by appointment! While there are multiple branches of the library, the main branch is on Mateus. Appointments might take place at other locations.Please understand that we run on a shoestring staff; it's literally myself and a couple of others when they are available. We cannot be everywhere all at once. Yes, I am usually dual boxing the proprietor and the doorman. If you wish to interact with the latter, please send that character a tell.Between the Lines may be a largely self-guided experience for visitors, but we will do our best to interact at least minimally with every patron who steps through our doors. If you have any questions about the layout of the venue (i.e., where the various genre sections are located), please reach out to the staff, and we're happy to give you directions so you can role play accordingly.Between the Lines is also a Free Company on the Mateus server of the Crystal Data Center (North America). Interested in joining a creepy occult "library" FC run by a suspicious figure with the tag <BOOKS>? Let me know, and I'm happy to give your character an IC interview.

Staff

The Majordomo

Sokhor, as most know him, serves as Qaelemont's Majordomo, managing the Elezen's estates and affairs with a quiet, authoritative presence whenever Qaelemont is otherwise occupied. This tall, enigmatic Xaela is the senior-most member of Qaelemont's staff, with all others deferring to his judgment in the absence of their Master. His age is indeterminate, though he appears to be in his thirties, yet there is something unsettling about him—particularly his eerie, glowing eyes with their thousand-malm gaze that seems to pierce through the veil of the mortal realm and into something far beyond. His presence is most often felt during the night, when he oversees the household in the hours of darkness.

Naohiro

The second in command among Qaelemont's staff is Naohiro, a Raen whose near-silent efficiency rivals that of Sokhor. Though he occasionally engages in conversation, it is always with measured brevity, revealing only what is essential to address a question or convey important information. While Naohiro may not exude the same unsettling aura as Sokhor, there is an unmistakable peculiarity about him that can be disconcerting. His watch is typically during the daylight hours, ensuring the smooth operation of the household under the sun's gaze.

Deryk

With a warm smile and a glint in his eyes, Deryk is often rushing to help anyone who seems in need. In the library, at least. With his youth and eagerness to learn about almost everything, he can be a wonderful asset to anyone wandering the stacks of Between the Lines. Whether one is looking for a painter, that perfect tome to curl up with, or maybe just some general advice, Deryk is happy to help. The aura around him feels calm... happy... and infectious. Though, take care, the emotions you feel around him... may not be your own.

Devin

Devin, a loyal servant and companion, is frequently seen bustling about the grounds, always eager to lend a hand. With a bright smile and an upbeat demeanor, he takes joy in assisting everyone, especially Qaelemont and Deryk. But don’t be deceived by his innocent appearance—Devin is well-versed in the arcane arts, and while he may blush easily, he’s a formidable protector of those he holds dear. A lover of romance novels, Devin enjoys spending time in the library, though his passion for helping often sees him taking on nearly every chore in the house.

Scarlett

Scarlett is a reserved Viera that doesn't necessarily seem eager to help anyone. However, she will reluctantly give out recommendations for spicy romances, if asked nicely. It is rumored and talked about in hushed tones that she knows her way around dark magics and rituals...

Mizuki

Mizuki is the newest librarian, and very enthusiastic about her position and wanting to help those find what they're looking for. She is a flourishing alchemist and creative thinker and problem solver. She is also the head of artifact procurement and is always looking for a lead for some rare item or trinket.

Tea and Tentacles

Welcome to our book club—yes, it’s that kind of book club.Between the Lines presents a one-of-a-kind experience: Tea and Tentacles, hosted by Scarlett Clover in the Book Club room.We showcase writers from all corners of Eorzea and beyond. Sip on Scarlett’s handpicked teas while enjoying an evening of poetry, short stories, skits, and more on our open stage. After the performances, there will be a brief Q&A session, followed by an informal "signing" of their works. (Tipping is encouraged but not required.)If you would like to be on stage, please contact Scarlett Clover to make arrangements.We can't wait to see you there!

Floor Plan

Between the Lines utilizes the Sharlayan Decimal System for the organization of its collection. The Reference Page mammet is always glad to assist patrons in finding the perfect book if they're unable to navigate the card catalogue at the center of the library by themselves.

Application

Interested in joining the Between the Lines staff? We invite you to step into our Discord server, where you can get to know our community, explore the atmosphere, and discover the various role play opportunities available. Within the server, you'll find the appointment desk, and please note that an in-character interview is required for all potential employees.Have caution; Void Hunter-type characters are generally not considered for employment. Lawfully aligned characters may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Between the Lines is managed by a villainous character and is a morally gray-evil aligned Free Company. It is an occult/dark/horror-themed RP community that maintains a facade of civility and normalcy. We expect all staff members to be at least 21+ and to conduct themselves in a mature, respectful, and adult manner.

Rules

1. You must be 21+ years of age or older to participate in this venue. While business hours are Safe For Work, there may be Mature IC themes (occult, horror, etc.) discussed during library hours pertinent to in game lore.2. Be polite and respectful. No attacking allowed. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Kindness costs nothing. Disagreements are allowed, but keep them civil or take them to private channels (party, tells, etc.). While intellectual debate is allowed and encouraged, hostilities are not permitted on the premises.3. No politics, no religion, and no conspiracy theories about real life subjects. Want to theory-craft and discuss in game politics, religion and conspiracies? Have at it. But leave real life issues at the door. Invoking Godwin's Law is instant cause for banning.4. No hate speech. This is a sex, kink, and equality positive space. Between the Lines is not an ERP venue, but we acknowledge that people are allowed, within reason, to be free to express themselves. No public nudity nor public ERP is permitted on the premises during venue hours.5. No trolls allowed.6. Nothing under-aged allowed in an NSFW form. This is to include loli and shota images/writings. Anything under 18 years old is considered under-aged. The caveat to this rule is that historical and factual art and literary movements may be discussed in philosophical terms and that ageplay can be discussed as long as it is abundantly clear that the participants are consenting adults. Characters which appear to be minors are not allowed. Lalafells are welcome to participate in the venue, but may not interact in an NSFW manner.7. No harassment will be tolerated. Treat the staff and fellow patrons with respect. Once again, kindness costs nothing.8. Do NOT request money, subscription time, in game gil, items, etc. from other people here. We are all adults and should be financially responsible for ourselves in and out of game. All transactions are strictly IC RP only. Nobody will ever ask you for money nor items, either in game nor real life. If this occurs, please immediately report it to a member of the staff.9. Consent is still vital, even in role play. While non-con RP scenes may take place, please be certain OOC that such a scene is welcome among all participants and witnesses. Understand that no means no and if someone does not want to participate in a role play with you, respect their no and move along.10. Please treat everyone with kindness and respect. This is a safe place for role play and for people to have fun. IC sassiness and villainy are fine, but expect IC consequences for your character's IC actions. "It's just RP" is not an excuse to trample on people's consent, and if it is brought up OOC that it isn't welcome, we ask you to please respect that. This venue is a place for FUN (evil) RP. If you wish to engage in conflict RP here, you MUST seek OOC consent of the staff and all participants and witnesses before doing so and, again, expect IC reactions to disruptive behavior.For any questions or concerns, please reach out to any staff member.

Kugane Night Market

05 Feb 2026 - 7:00pm CST - Coeurl - Kugane, Rakuza District

Between the Lines offers esoteric books, rare tomes, and enigmatic curios at the Kugane Night Market—literature, lore, and lost relics for seekers of the arcane, the obscure, and the forgotten. But beware... come prepared to barter with more than mere gil if you wish to read between the lines...

Books

If one is looking for the more mundane literature to be found at Between the Lines, one might be sadly disappointed. Only select esoteric volumes have been brought for sale for this night. One might find what they seek, be it fame, fortune, power, or glory, but there is always a price to pay...

1. The Petal That Drank My NameAppearance: Bound in layered Hingan funeral paper dyed soft ivory and rose, the cover bears a single lacquered camellia petal that never wilts. The pages are thin and slightly translucent, smelling faintly of rain and incense. When closed, the book is always warm.Description: This cursed love poem consumes memory as payment. As it is read, the margins slowly fill with the name of the reader’s first love, written in a hand not quite their own. Finishing the final verse erases that name forever—unless the poem is read aloud by two lovers together, binding their memories in its place.2. Ink Between Two HeartbeatsAppearance: A slim Sharlayan codex bound in pale marble-veined leather, cool and perfectly smooth. The pages appear blank at first glance, the paper pristine and untouched. A faint metallic scent lingers between the leaves.Description: The ink within reveals itself only when read beside someone the reader desires. Words bloom slowly across the page in time with two heartbeats, detailing a shared fate not yet lived. The final chapter can only be read as a vow spoken aloud; once spoken, the book permanently seals itself shut.3. The Bride of the Red Moon CanalAppearance: Wrapped in water-stained silk and sealed with a broken wax crest bearing an obsolete Kugane ward. The pages are warped, as though once submerged, and flecked with grains of black sand. Droplets of water occasionally bead on the cover despite it being dry.Description: This banned folktale recounts the marriage of a courtesan to a drowned spirit beneath the Red Moon. Readers dream of moonlit canals and feel salt on their lips upon waking. Those who finish the story may hear footsteps in water when thinking of someone they love and have lost.4. Seven Letters Never DeliveredAppearance: A narrow box-bound volume tied with blood-red thread, containing seven folded letters rather than pages. Each envelope is sealed with darkened wax impressed by different sigils. The paper is thick, rough, and warm to the touch.Description: Each letter is addressed to a lover who was never reached. Reading a letter summons the spirit of its intended recipient—whether dead, reborn, or still living. The spirits linger only long enough to read the reply written in the reader’s heart, then vanish, taking the letter with them.5. SOLD - When You Bled, I Bloomed - SOLDAppearance: A Mhachi fragment bound in cracked black leather, stitched with red thread that pulses faintly. The pages are uneven, some edged with dried blood. New text occasionally appears between readings.Description: This book teaches love as mutual sacrifice. It drinks a drop of blood from anyone who touches its pages, reshaping its contents to reflect that person’s deepest attachment. Over time, the book begins to describe acts the reader has not yet committed—but will.6. SOLD - The Chrysanthemum Oath - SOLDAppearance: Bound in deep indigo silk embroidered with a single chrysanthemum in silver thread. The pages are impossibly thin and emit a soft humming when held. A faint glow gathers at the spine during moments of strong emotion.Description: Once used in forbidden Hingan marriage rites, this text binds lovers across reincarnations. It awakens only for those who have loved and lost, revealing vows written in a past life’s hand. Those who complete the oath will recognize one another in every lifetime to come.7. Elegy for the One Who WaitedAppearance: A heavy Coerthan tome bound in pale grey leather, cold as stone even in warm air. Frost gathers along the edges of the pages when opened. The text is etched rather than inked.Description: Disguised as a romance, this Nightkin lament is a summoning in verse. Anyone who finishes the elegy causes someone, somewhere, who still loves them to dream vividly of their face. Repeated readings strengthen the dreams—until waking becomes optional.8. The Warmth That Should Not BeAppearance: A void-touched novella bound in black velvet, always warm to the touch. The pages are darkened at the edges as if singed, yet never burn. The book closes itself if handled too roughly.Description: This story chronicles love between a mortal and something eternal and cold. As the reader becomes emotionally invested, the book grows warmer, almost feverish. If fear overtakes affection, the text vanishes entirely, leaving only blank pages and regret.9. Threads of Silk and VeinsAppearance: A Kugane underground manual wrapped in layered silk bindings of crimson and pearl. A thin silk bookmark is threaded directly through the spine. The fabric tightens slightly when handled.Description: This text details blood-binding rituals performed through enchanted weaving. Lovers who follow its instructions find their pulses slowly synchronizing. The silk bookmark tightens around the finger of anyone already bound by love, marking them as claimed.10. I Loved You in Every EndingAppearance: A fractured time-magic codex bound in mirrored plates that reflect different faces depending on the angle. The pages rearrange themselves between readings. No two copies of this book are identical.Description: Each reading tells the same love story with a different ending—tragedy, escape, reunion, or loss. Only one truth remains constant: the lovers always recognize each other. Those who read it enough times begin to wonder which ending they are currently living.

Items

If one is seeking common trinkets or tchotchkes, look elsewhere. What is offered tonight are rare and dangerous relics—arcane, forbidden, or touched by shadow. Each piece holds a whisper of power, a flicker of memory, a debt yet unpaid. One may find what they desire… but nothing comes without a cost...

1. SOLD - Electrope Vow Rings - SOLDAppearance: Two seamless bands of mirror-bright electrope, cool at first touch before warming rapidly to skin temperature. Fine microglyphs line the inner circumference, visible only in angled light or reflected surfaces. When separated and brought near again, a faint harmonic vibration passes through bone and aether alike.Description: These rings establish a permanent aetheric circuit between two willing wearers, allowing emotions, pain, and dreams to bleed across the bond. A rare find from ancient Alexandria, across Etheirys, they are categorized as ceremonial relics with hazardous activation, making their trade common but their use quietly discouraged by every major authority. Archives in Solution Nine clarify that resonance alone is considered activation, intent notwithstanding. They are most often worn by those who have already decided consequences are secondary.2. Allagan Memory PrismAppearance: A six-faceted crystal hovering just above its cradle, refracting soft, unsettled light that shifts with nearby emotion. Its surface is painfully cold, numbing the fingertips after prolonged contact. Internal color changes occur even when the prism appears dormant.Description: Rather than storing sight or sound, the prism records emotional alignment—the precise instant two feelings synchronize. Ownership is tolerated across much of Etheirys as an academic artifact, but public activation is broadly discouraged after recorded cases of emotional bleed affecting bystanders. Scholarly errata define “private use” as unobserved, a condition difficult to guarantee. Many keep one not to study the past, but to justify it.3. Allagan Consent KeyAppearance: A slender rod of unknown alloy inscribed with ancient authorization glyphs that glow faintly when held by more than one person. The metal resists all marking and corrosion, and carries an unsettling weight for its size. It vibrates subtly in the presence of dormant Allagan systems.Description: The key overrides Allagan-era locks, wards, and constructs, but only responds to mutual intent among its holders. Most surviving authorities permit its circulation as a relic while quietly fearing its function. Errata preserved in multiple repositories emphasize that all participants share equal responsibility for any activation. It is often acquired by those who prefer their decisions to be undeniably shared.4. Magitek Heart-Sustainer, Model VIAppearance: A compact Garlean device of steel casing and red crystal tubing, ticking softly like a clock. Aether residue stains the vents, and the core pulses irregularly near strong emotion. It resists being shut down once active.Description: Originally designed to preserve soldiers long enough for extraction, this model instead anchors life to emotional attachment. Though formally prohibited as Garlean military technology, its use is quietly tolerated wherever compassion outweighs policy. Medical errata note that the device fails the moment attachment fades. Many who rely on it are sustained as much by memory as by love.5. Garlean Resonance CollarAppearance: A matte-black collar of articulated alloy of unknown origin, lined with a soft interior that reshapes itself to the wearer’s throat. A single crystal at the front pulses in time with the wearer’s heartbeat. The locking mechanism seals without sound.Description: This collar synchronizes the wearer’s aether to a bonded individual, turning distance into pain and proximity into relief. Universally condemned as coercive technology, it nonetheless persists wherever enforcement falters. Errata appended to recovered manuals note that absence of resistance is often misclassified as consent. It is sought by those who would rather suffer closeness than survive freedom alone.6. Magitek Echo LocketAppearance: A steel locket with a cracked crystal window, warm when opened and cool when shut. Inside floats a faint silhouette of condensed aether that subtly reacts to spoken words. The hinge never degrades.Description: The locket captures an emotional imprint at the moment of separation or death, answering questions only about love and attachment. Classified as prohibited memory-capture technology in many regions, its use is nonetheless tolerated in cases of mourning. Errata warn that repeated activation degrades the echo and delays emotional recovery. Most owners accept this, knowing exactly what they are choosing.7. The Ninth Pulse EngineAppearance: A palm-sized Allagan core suspended in shifting, quicksilver filigree, glowing violet with a slow, heartbeat-like pulse. Veins of light twist within it like muscle beneath skin. It trembles faintly when touched.Description: This engine converts emotional attachment into raw aetheric output, rendering it catastrophically unstable in bonded hands. Universally banned following multiple recorded catastrophes, it remains of immense interest to Allagan scholars. Archived errata state that academic intent is not considered mitigation. Those who seek it believe love can be measured safely, despite history.8. The Whispering AethercoilAppearance: A length of dark electrope wire capped with intricate connectors, faint sparks crawl along its surface. It hums just below the threshold of hearing, inducing headaches when nearby too long. The metal feels faintly alive.Description: Once part of Alexandrian soul-extraction arrays, the coil reacts violently to shared intent and affection. Classified across Etheirys as prohibited soul-manipulation technology, possession alone is often treated as evidence of intent. Errata appended after multiple trials remove the defense of inactivity. Those who keep it do so knowing the law—and choosing to ignore it.9. Allagan Bloom NodeAppearance: A strange metallic sphere that unfolds into glowing petal-like segments when activated, releasing condensed aether like dew. The surrounding air smells faintly of ozone and flowers. It slowly folds itself shut when unattended.Description: The node converts emotional energy into aetheric growth, frequently producing semi-sentient constructs shaped by affection. Sale is widely tolerated, but activation is tightly regulated. Scholarly errata note that constructs formed through love are classified as emergent life, complicating responsibility. Debates over whether abandonment constitutes mercy remain unresolved.10. Electrope Threader GauntletAppearance: An articulated gauntlet woven with glowing electrope filaments, sigils crawling across its surface like living embroidery. The fingertips remain warm even in cold air. The interior conforms perfectly to any hand.Description: This gauntlet allows direct stitching of aetheric bonds into flesh, objects, or living systems. Universally condemned as bodily alteration technology, its use is illegal regardless of consent. Errata preserved in multiple legal traditions state that permanence itself constitutes harm. Those who seek it tend to believe love should never be allowed to loosen.

Antiquities

These are the most extraordinary items offered at tonight's Night Market. Rare and powerful, they cannot be obtained easily. Mastering them will demand strength, determination, and dedication. Suggested quests for role-play flavor are included.

The Tear of the Hollow Moon

Description:A luminescent teardrop-shaped gem, cool to the touch and shimmering with the soft silver glow of moonlight. When held, its depths reveal fleeting images of lovers separated by fate—ghostly figures reaching for one another, their hands never quite meeting. The Tear pulses gently when it senses yearning, as though resonating with the unspoken emotions of its bearer.Features & Powers:- Echoes of the Heart: The Tear allows its bearer to hear the whispers of a lost love—words left unsaid, promises unfulfilled, or regrets buried in time.- Guiding Light: If carried with true intent, the Tear glows brighter in the presence of one's fated love, leading them together across time, distance, or even lifetimes.- The Last Embrace: In the hands of the brokenhearted, the Tear grants a fleeting vision of their beloved, offering a final moment to say what was never said, before fading into silver mist.- Bound by Love: If exchanged between lovers on Valentione’s Day, the Tear splits into two, each half glowing softly when the other is near—an eternal reminder that their souls are linked.Origin & History:The Tear is said to have formed from the sorrow of Menphina, the Lover, when she wept for two mortals whose love was torn asunder by war. Moved by their devotion, she captured a single tear in her hands and cast it into the heavens, where it fell to Eorzea as a crystal imbued with love’s undying promise. Those who find it are often souls searching for reunion, redemption, or the courage to love again.Limitations & Dangers:- Cannot Rewrite Fate: The Tear only reveals love’s path—it cannot force two hearts together if they are truly meant to part.- A Lover’s Lament: If used selfishly, the Tear darkens and cracks, burdened by the weight of falsehoods or manipulations.- The Hollow Curse: Those who hoard the Tear, refusing to let love go or move forward, may find their own heart growing cold and hollow, unable to love again.Suggested Quest: "The Moon’s Lament"To obtain the Tear of the Hollow Moon, one must complete the Trial of the Moonlit Promise at the lost shrine of Elpis Noctis. The seeker must navigate a mist-laden labyrinth of illusions, face memories of love lost or unspoken, and confess a truth of the heart before the Tear. Finally, they must offer a cherished token of love—something willingly sacrificed—to prove their understanding of love’s joy and sorrow. If their heart is true, the Tear will glow in acceptance. If they waver or deceive, the artifact remains dormant, and they must leave, burdened with the weight of their unspoken truths.

The Unmoored Diadem

Description:This is a delicate, openwork circlet forged of translucent auracite, inlaid with star-metal filaments and adorned with seven cracked crystal prisms arranged like flower petals. It is a crown of memory, a prison of light, and a gift not meant for mortals. The entire structure floats just above the brow when worn, never touching the skin. It emits a faint glow in moonlight, pulsing in time with nearby thoughts.The diadem is kept in a locked obsidian box lined with ceruleum-treated silk and sealed with sigils of psychic containment. It whispers softly when approached—often in a voice the listener recognizes as their own.Features and Powers:- Memory Resonance: Allows the wearer to experience ancient memories embedded in the auracite. These visions are fully immersive, with physical, emotional, and sensory detail indistinguishable from reality. The oldest echoes are believed to date back to the Third Astral Era.- Empathic Projection: The wearer may project emotional memories into another’s mind, creating an intense shared experience. Often used to build trust, extract secrets, or deliver intimate truths. This process can become addictive for both parties.- Aetherial Phasing: When overloaded with aether, the diadem shifts the user partially out of phase with the physical world for a few moments, allowing them to move unseen or untouched. This effect comes at the cost of slowly losing one's physical presence until they are completely out of phase with the physical realm and trapped in the aetherial.Origin and History:The diadem was crafted by Néren-Li, an exiled Allagan mnemonist, during an experiment known as The Silent Archive—a forbidden effort to preserve living histories through auracite. Intended for elite nobility, the Archive project was dismantled after a series of psychic breakdowns and suicides. The prototype vanished from official records. It resurfaced centuries later, sealed in a reliquary beneath the ruins of Mhach. How it passed from there into Qaelemont’s collection remains a subject of hushed speculation.Limitations and Dangers:- Memory Contamination: Continued use risks corrupting the user’s sense of self. Over time, the stored memories and identities may blend with the wearer’s own, leaving them uncertain of what thoughts are truly theirs.- Empathic Collapse: If used on a subject with suppressed trauma or volatile emotions, the diadem may trigger seizures, comas, or aetheric hemorrhaging in both individuals.- Phasing Trace: The diadem’s phasing ability leaves a distinct ripple in the aetherial plane. Certain entities, particularly Voidsent or those attuned to echoes, may detect and pursue the user.- Addictive Clarity: The heightened emotion and vividness of the memories can become a seduction. Some wearers isolate themselves, choosing to relive lost moments endlessly rather than face the present.Suggested Quest: The Memory That Wasn't MineA Sharlayan scholar is discreetly hiring adventurers to locate The Unmoored Diadem, a lost Allagan relic said to contain living memories. Its last known location points to a buried ruin in the Dravanian hinterlands: the Sanctuary of Drowned Echoes. As one nears the site, dreams not their own begin to haunt them, and echoes of forgotten lives bleed into their thoughts. The Diadem is still active, still aware—and it may not want to be found.

Starlight Market

18 Dec 2025 - 6 PM CST - Mateus - Coerthas Central Highlands -
First Dicasterial Observatorium

Rumors have reached you... it's a rare opportunity. A renowned dealer of esoteric books and antiquities is preparing to offer an exclusive selection of items for discerning collectors. But beware... come prepared to barter with more than mere gil... Dare to read between the lines...

Books

If one is looking for the more mundane literature to be found at Between the Lines, they might be sadly disappointed. Only select esoteric volumes have been brought for sale for this night. One might find what they seek, be it fame, fortune, power, or glory, but there is always a price to pay...

1. The Veins of Silver Truth – Anonymous (attributed to a defector of the Heavens’ Ward)Appearance: This slim volume is bound in silvery-red wyvern leather, the color tarnished as though intentionally dulled. Its pages shimmer faintly like dragon scales in moonlight, a quality alchemists cannot replicate. The script is written in tight, slanted penmanship, sometimes smudged as though penned in haste. A handetched symbol—half dragon eye, half Ishgardian winged crown—marks the final page.Description: The manuscript claims direct testimony from a former knight who witnessed the ambush that betrayed Ratatoskr. It details how the “power of the wyrm’s eyes” was not granted by the Fury but stolen through butchery. The author asserts that the Church knew the consequences of provoking Nidhogg and weaponized the conflict to solidify eternal zealotry. Several passages speak mournfully of comrades who repented too late, driven mad by wyrmblood consumption.2. The Hymn of Broken Wings – Sister Euphranie of the Violet CloisterAppearance: This is a soft leather book dyed deep violet, its cover carved with feather motifs scorched by fire. Several edges are charred from failed burnings before it was smuggled out of the Vault. Ink varies between violet and rust-red, suggesting the author wrote during fugitive flights. A pressed feather—too large to belong to any Ishgardian bird—is hidden between the final pages.Description: Written by a disgraced nun, the text weaves prayer-like verse with historical testimony. Euphranie argues that the Fury never sanctioned dragon-slaying, and that Ishgard turned from Her will centuries ago. She charts the systematic silencing of clergy who questioned the official teachings, naming several archbishops by coded monikers. Allegedly, she had visions of Ratatoskr’s agony that the Church deemed “wyrmsent delusion.”3. Drakesong Resplendent: The Last Words of Ratatoskr – Scholar Pelligrim de FaunesseAppearance: Bound in pale drake-hide and lacquered with iridescent pigment, this text seems to glow when exposed to firelight. The pages are resilient and oily, rumored to be water-proofed with tears harvested from the Churning Mists. The lettering alternates between elegant calligraphy and frantic marginal notes. A rough illustration of a majestic serpentine form adorns the frontispiece.Description: Faunesse claims to have deciphered “aural memories” embedded in Ratatoskr’s lingering aether. He presents full monologues attributed to the wyrm—empathetic, hopeful, and pleading for coexistence. The book condemns the Twelve Knights for mutilating her in ritual fashion, describing techniques too detailed to be fanciful. Many scholars call the work madness, yet several descriptions align with lost Allagan bio-arcane practices.4. The Frosted Mask of Saints – Maribelle HaurchontAppearance: The cover is a mosaic of cracked white lacquer over dark wood, resembling a shattered mask. Cold to the touch even indoors, the book is rumored to retain the chill of the Coerthan high snows. Inside, elegant spacing contrasts sharply with violently slashed-out passages. A broken rosary bead is glued to the inner cover.Description: This exposé dismantles the mythology surrounding the Knights Twelve, claiming they were not paragons but conspirators in a political coup. Maribelle traces the false sainthood bestowed upon them as a calculated tactic to rewrite Ishgardian succession. She provides heraldic diagrams linking noble houses to bloodlines that profited directly from the wyrm’s murder. The Church executed her within days of publication, but copies endure.5. White Hell, Crimson Truth – The “Azure Penitent"Appearance: This large, heavy tome is bound in bleached vellum stained with faint crimson splotches. Brass clasps shaped like snarling dragons attempt—and fail—to hide the cracks along the spine. The handwriting varies wildly, as though several people contributed while in hiding. Several pages have been replaced with new parchment patched over older text.Description: A collective work by anonymous dissidents fleeing from Temple Knights’ persecution. It chronicles the earliest years of Ishgard, painting a picture of desperation and opportunism rather than divine crusade. The authors argue that Thordan stole Ratatoskr’s power to unify the fracturing nobility under a single war banner. Its final section contains an unfinished call for reconciliation that abruptly ends midsentence.6. The Ravaged Pact – Magus Thoirel of the ObservatoriumAppearance: This book is bound in midnight-blue leather with constellations faintly embossed in silver, though many stars are scraped away as if censored. The parchment crackles like thin frost when turned. A long diagonal scorch mark mars the back cover. Scraps of astronomical charts are folded throughout as bookmarks.Description: Thoirel argues that the original pact between mortals and dragons was one of shared skyward dominion, not conflict. He presents celestial data suggesting that the dragons altered their migrations to avoid mortal settlements—contradicting Church propaganda. The text meticulously cross-references star charts with ancient Coerthan travel routes, implying cooperation long forgotten. Thoirel was declared a void-cultist for “star-warped heresy.”7. Twelve Spears Dripping – The Outcast of Falcon’s NestAppearance: This crude text is wrapped in stitched sheep hide and sealed with iron nails shaped like spearheads. Many pages are spattered with old ink that looks almost brown-black. Marginal illustrations depict knights with faces scratched out violently. The final pages are water-damaged, smelling faintly of cave moss.Description: It is a graphic, near-ballad recounting of Ratatoskr’s murder, described with brutal specificity. The anonymous author insists he found carvings—now destroyed—depicting the ritualized dismemberment. He denounces Thordan as a tyrant cloaking atrocity in sanctimony, claiming the war was engineered to mask internal purges among noble houses. The Church declared mere possession of the book a capital crime.8. The Dragon’s Lament in ThriceWoven Tongue – Quillmaster SelanneAppearance: A trifold codex bound along three spines, each segment opening in different directions. Ink colors shift depending on the angle of light, producing a prismatic sheen. The central section is written in an invented “draconic cipher.” A dragon-bone hairpin acts as a builtin clasp.Description: Selanne composes a syncretic text comparing mortal, draconic, and clerical accounts of the same events. Her work claims linguistic tampering by the Church erased subtleties in the dragons’ warnings and pleas. She includes speculative reconstructions of ancient wyrm dialects offering peaceful compromise. The Vault deemed the linguistic approach “depraved imitation of heretical tongues.”9. Ashes of the Skyborne Pact – Artoirel’s Lost Scholar (Pseudonym)Appearance: Wrapped in sky-blue silk embroidered with silver thread, the book feels fragile as though made for ceremony rather than use. Many pages are singed along the edges, as if the text barely survived a purge. Elegant diagrams of Ishgard’s founding towers are interspersed between chapters. A handwritten dedication simply reads: “For those with eyes unclouded.”Description: This text focuses on the original diplomatic attempts between Ishgard’s founders and Hraesvelgr’s brood. It depicts decades of cooperation, trade routes, and shared rites before Thordan’s faction seized power. The author accuses the Holy See of erasing multiple generations of peaceful coexistence to fabricate an eternal holy war. Scholars speculate the pseudonym hides a highborn defector.10. The Unblessed Chronicle – “The Last Scribe of the Forgotten Vault”Appearance: A heavy iron-bound manuscript sealed with a lock long since broken. The interior pages are made of thick, darkened parchment, some patched with scraps of cathedral hymnals. Its ink is faintly metallic, glittering like powdered dragon scale. The air around it smells faintly of ozone and incense.Description: This chronicle boldly asserts that Ishgard’s entire religious foundation is built on sacrilege. It lays out how Thordan’s regime rewrote doctrine, suppressed testimonies of Ratatoskr’s benevolence, and weaponized the Fury’s image. The scribe warns that the dragons’ rage was justified and that absolution lies only through truth, not bloodshed. Rumor claims the author died sealing the original Vault chamber where the text was penned.

Items

If one is seeking common trinkets or tchotchkes, look elsewhere. What is offered tonight are rare and dangerous relics—arcane, forbidden, or touched by shadow. Each piece holds a whisper of power, a flicker of memory, a debt yet unpaid. These strange relics hum, whisper, or breathe with forgotten power. One may find what they desire… but nothing comes without a cost...

1. Ratatoskr’s Whisper-stoneAppearance: A smooth, palmsized stone of pearlescent white that shimmers with faint pastel colors when warmed by touch. Runic script spirals around its surface in an ancient wyrm-tongue older than Ishgard itself. Frosted breath gathers on the stone even in warm rooms, and faint echoes of distant song sometimes seep from it.Description: The Whisper-stone holds fragments of Ratatoskr’s emotional aether—her curiosity, joy, and trust in mortals. When attuned, the bearer hears empathic impressions from dragons nearby and cannot bring themselves to strike a draconic being in anger. The Church considers it treasonous for undermining the Fury’s “holy mandate” of dragon-slaying. Possessing one is grounds for immediate execution.2. The Tears of the Forsworn WyrmlingAppearance: A crystalline vial containing three suspended droplets of shimmering aqua liquid. The vial’s stopper is carved like a dragon hatchling’s closed eyelid. When exposed to moonlight, the droplets pulse softly like beating hearts.Description: Said to be the crystallized tears of a wyrmling abandoned after the betrayal of Ratatoskr, these tears can heal wounds scarred by draconic fire. They also reveal illusions and false aetheric glamours—including those woven by the Church. Clerics condemn the item as “wyrm-sent deceit,” and any healer caught using it is branded a heretic.3. The Song-shard of HraesvelgrAppearance: A jagged shard of translucent sapphire aetherglass humming with a deep, harmonic resonance. Golden veins of aether pulse within it like a heartbeat. When held to the ear, it emits faint, mournful notes of a long-forgotten draconic hymn.Description: This relic amplifies the wielder’s magic through harmonization with draconic frequencies. It can calm beasts, dispel anger, and even suppress the effects of the wyrm’s eyes when near someone touched by them. The Church fears the shard because it promotes peace rather than holy war, contradicting centuries of dogma.4. The Unburnt Codex TabletAppearance: A flat stone tablet carved from a material resembling obsidian but faintly translucent. Draconic glyphs glow emberred across its surface, reforming themselves when not observed. It remains warm, as if resting on coals, yet never burns.Description: The tablet is said to hold a firsthand account of Ratatoskr’s final hours told in wyrm-tongue. Anyone who studies it long enough finds their perspective shifting toward empathy with dragonkind. The Church has tried—and failed—multiple times to destroy it, each attempt leaving only scorch marks on nearby walls.5. Thordan’s Betrayer BrandAppearance: A small iron brand shaped like a broken spear surrounded by feathered wings. The metal appears rusted, but flakes regenerate when removed. When heated, the brand glows sickly green instead of red.Description: Used by an unknown dissident sect, this brand reveals the “stain of treachery” on those who have consumed draconic aether. When pressed to flesh, it exposes scales beneath the skin for several breathless seconds. The Church bans it because it can reveal past wyrmblood corruption among the Heavens’ Ward and noble families.6. The Frost-vein ChaliceAppearance: A chalice sculpted from pure Dragonsong-ice—never melting, cold enough to frost breath at a distance. Tiny veins of azure run through the bowl like living arteries. When liquid is poured inside, it freezes in an intricate crystalline flower pattern.Description: This chalice was used in pre-war rites of communion between mortals and dragons. Anyone who drinks from it hears fleeting whispers of ancient wyrm-voices, often expressing confusion over Ishgardian hostility. The Church prohibits it, calling it a vessel of “soul corruption” meant to turn hearts away from the Fury.7. The Last Feather of Ser Haldrath, UnbrokenAppearance: A pristine white feather encased in a thin aetheric ward, its surface unaged despite centuries. Under certain lighting, the feather casts the shadow of a dragon’s wing rather than a bird’s. The feather vibrates softly when near draconic aether.Description: The feather is said to be from Ser Haldrath's helm before he slew Nidhogg’s broodkin in the company of his father, Thordan I, and the Knights Twelve—and before he was twisted by wyrm’s blood. It radiates gentle, reassuring aether that dispels fear and fanaticism. The Church suppresses it because it contradicts the legend of Haldrath’s unwavering zeal in serving as the first Azure Dragoon and fighting against the draconic horde.8. The Heart-string TorcAppearance: A torc of woven silver and blackened steel shaped like intertwined serpentine forms. Its surface is etched with runes that move like shifting scales. When worn, the metal warms to the pulse of the bearer.Description: A relic said to have been forged from the armor of a knight who publicly repented the wyrm-slaying and died defending a dragon clutch. When attuned, the torc lets the wearer share emotions with bonded companions, akin to draconic telepathy. The Church bans it because it represents the possibility of kinship between mortal and wyrm.9. The Censer of the Unending MistsAppearance: A brass censer shaped like a coiled dragon clasping a crystal sphere. When lit, it releases pale blue smoke that swirls in elegant, deliberate patterns. The smoke sometimes forms faces—usually sorrowful.Description: The censer burns a rare incense that induces visions of the true events of the Dragonsong War. Many who have inhaled it claim to witness Ratatoskr’s death firsthand, through her own perception. The Church declares these visions “false dreams sent by the great wyrm Nidhogg,” but inquisitors fear the device more than they admit.10. The Echo of the Dawn-mount AegisAppearance: A round hand-mirror forged from silvered steel, its back engraved with a dragon curled protectively around a spire. The glass is slightly iridescent and reflects beings not as they are, but as they truly are. Sometimes a faint draconic eye opens behind the reflection.Description: The Aegis reveals hidden aetheric influences, including tempering, wyrmblood taint, and lies woven into memory. It is said to be one of the last relics of a knightly order that sought peaceful coexistence and was erased from the records. The Church hunts down any copy because it exposes glamours the clergy themselves rely on to perpetuate the official narrative.

Antiquities

These are the most extraordinary items offered at tonight's Pearl Lane market. Rare and powerful, they cannot be obtained easily. Mastering them will demand strength, determination, and dedication. Suggested quests for role-play flavor are included.

The Lament of Ratatoskr—The Weeping Eye

Description:The Weeping Eye is a fist-sized, teardrop-shaped crystal with a pearlescent surface that shifts between soft rose, gold, and moonlit silver. Within its core floats a slow-spinning iris of shimmering sapphire light, gently pulsing like a heartbeat. When held, the crystal hums with a low, mournful resonance—almost like a child’s lullaby distorted by sorrow. Touching it with bare skin leaves faint trails of shimmering aether like drifting motes of stardust.More unsettlingly, the Eye “weeps”: small droplets of golden liquid form upon its surface, evaporating quickly into fragrant steam.Features & Powers:- Empathic Revelation:The Eye allows the bearer to experience emotions and fragmented memories of dragons within several yalms. These impressions are overwhelming at first—waves of joy, grief, ancient memories of flight, and bone-deep sorrow connected to Ratatoskr’s death.- TruthPiercing Sight:The Eye can reveal glamours, lies woven in aether, and even cracks in false histories. When fully awakened, it can show historical visions tied to locations where wyrms and mortals once met.- Dragonsong Resonance:When near those who have consumed dragon blood (willingly or unwillingly), the Eye resonates sharply, producing a keening cry that echoes for several seconds. To those attuned, it reveals the lingering dragon aether threads in their bodies.- Draconic Harmonization:In rare moments, the Eye allows the bearer to communicate basic thoughts or emotions to dragons, bypassing language entirely.Origin & History:The Lament of Ratatoskr is believed to be a crystallized fragment of Ratatoskr’s aether—formed during the exact moment her lifeforce was torn away by Thordan and his knights. As her essence scattered, part of her soul’s emotional core coalesced into this tear-shaped crystal, infused with her final thoughts of betrayal, fear, and desperate hope that mortals might someday understand the truth.Ancient heretical texts suggest that the Eye was originally recovered by a nameless Elezen scholar who attempted to document the wyrm’s last vision. The Church hunted him relentlessly, branding him a seditionist and burning his home. The Eye vanished into myth—spoken of only in secret gatherings and resistance circles.Rumors claim it last surfaced in a hidden shrine deep in the Dravanian Forelands, glimpsed by a group of students from the Studium who were later declared missing. Officially, the Church denies such a relic ever existed.Limitations & Dangers:- Emotional Overload: Using the Eye for prolonged periods can drive even the strongest minds into despair, as Ratatoskr’s grief is vast and unrelenting. Many who attempted deep communion fell into catatonia after experiencing the wyrm’s murder through her own senses.- Aetheric Drain: Attuning to the Eye consumes significant personal aether. Overuse leads to exhaustion, nosebleeds, and soul-sickness.- Dragon Attraction: Dragons are drawn to the Eye’s presence—some curious, some enraged by its echo of Ratatoskr’s demise. Keeping it hidden is vital.- Church Attention: Possession of the Eye is instant capital heresy. The Vault keeps secret inquisitors trained specifically to sense its resonance.- Unstable Memories: The visions are not always chronological nor coherent. Some are metaphorical, others literal. It becomes easy to lose the line between past and present.Suggested Quest: “The Tear Beyond Time”Act I – The Rumor in SnowcloakAn Ishgardian antiquarian, pale with fear, seeks help delivering a sealed journal to someone he trusts in Idyllshire. The journal contains coded descriptions of a “weeping crystal” he uncovered in the Forelands—a relic he fears the Church will execute him over. Before he can speak further, Temple Knights storm the tavern, and he begs the party to flee with the journal.The party must piece together the clues in the journal to discover a hidden shrine sacred to Ratatoskr where the Eye has been long hidden. Elite Church Inquisitors are hot on the heels of anyone possessing the journal. The party needs to learn how to "open" the eye and awaken its power.Then... what does one do with it? Hide the Eye in a place beyond Church reach? Bring it to a dragon—perhaps even Hraesvelgr—for safekeeping? Use it to expose the Church’s lies, igniting political upheaval? Or attune to it personally, accepting the burden of Ratatoskr’s Lament?

The Shattered Spear of Vengeance—The Broken Fang

Description:The Broken Fang is a jagged spearhead forged of a strange alloy: half Ishgardian steel, half draconic scale-metal fused by extreme heat. Its uneven surface glints with alternating streaks of silver and deep cobalt blue, like frozen lightning. A hairline fracture runs down its center, glowing faintly with red-orange embers whenever it senses a lie spoken nearby.Though no longer attached to a haft, the spearhead radiates a predatory presence—one that feels neither wholly draconic nor fully mortal.Features & Powers:- Aetheric Echo of Betrayal: The Fang can project short, violent visions of past betrayals. Those who touch it may witness flashes of Thordan’s ambush, dragon-fire, and the clash of steel against wyrm-scale.- Truth-Tearing Pulse: The relic emits a sharp resonant vibration when someone knowingly speaks falsehoods around it. The stronger the lie, the stronger the vibration—enough to knock armored knights off their feet.- Wyrmsteel Memory: When exposed to draconic blood or aether, the Fang awakens further, revealing fragments of the battlefields from Ishgard’s forgotten conquests—scenes erased from scripture.- Violent Communion: In rare moments of intense emotional focus, the bearer can channel the Fang’s wrath for a single devastating strike, capable of shattering aetheric wards or breaking enchantments woven by the Church.Origin & History:Legend claims the Broken Fang is the snapped tip of the spear used by one of the original Knights Twelve, during the murder of Ratatoskr. When her death-throes unleashed waves of corrupted light and searing aether, part of her exposed bone and scales melted and fused with the weapon. The blast shattered the spear, and its front section was torn away and launched deep into the Dravanian riverlands.The Church tried to retrieve the shard for centuries, fearing its hybrid nature. Every expedition sent after it was met with mysterious sabotage—dragons stirring storms, freak avalanches, or inquisitors turning on each other under the Fang’s influence.Whispers claim a monk of Saint Valeroyant’s Monastery smuggled the Fang into the vaults beneath the monastery shortly before his death, calling it “proof that the First Betrayal was not victory, but sin.”Limitations & Dangers:- Wrathful Aether: The Fang is steeped in draconic rage. Weak-willed bearers may succumb to violent impulses, especially against those bearing Ishgardian holy symbols.- Unstable Visions: Revelations granted by the Fang are chaotic and traumatic. Many who commune with it lose sleep or suffer waking nightmares of wings and steel.- Aether Burn: Repeated use of the Truth-Tearing Pulse or Violent Communion scorches the wielder’s arm with burning blue runes, which fade only after days of rest.- Dragon Hostility: Some dragons view the Fang as a desecration of their kin. Others recognize it as Ratatoskr’s remains and react with deep sorrow or reverence.- Church Reprisal: Simply possessing the Fang is considered a blasphemy punishable by death. The Vault’s agents have standing kill orders for anyone linked to it.Suggested Quest: “The Spear That Shouldn’t Be”An elderly monk at Saint Valeroyant’s Monastery summons the party to his deathbed. He speaks in riddles of “a spear shard infused with a dragon’s dying light” and begs them to find it before the Inquisition does. His last breath forms a cryptic warning: “Do not let the Church mend what they shattered.” Can the party recover the Fang from the sealed catacombs under the montastery? What guardians might they encounter? If they escape with the Fang, dragons and Inquisitors may hunt them—for good or ill. They must discover where and how to unlock the true power of the Fang but the price to pay is experiencing Ratatoskr's death through both the memories and emotions of the wrym herself and the knight who helped to destroy her.

Between the Lines ARPG

Between the Lines invites you into its year-long ARPG: a journey of mystery, eldritch scholarship, and hidden horrors beneath a veneer of civility. Earn rewards through storytelling, gposing, art, and investigation as you unravel the shadows that haunt the stacks.Join us in Discord for more information!