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Library Latest – August 10, 2021

Around here we know that a beach read is any book you want to bring to the beach. Check out some titles staff have been putting in their beach bags this year!

 

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Waiting for Tom Hanks: eBook | audiobook

Summer on the Bluffs: eBook | audiobook

People We Meet on Vacation: eBook | audiobook

You Never Forget Your First: eBook | audiobook

Beach Read: eBook | audiobook

Not Like the Movies: eBook

This Tender Land: eBook | audiobook

 

COVID-19 Update – Mask Requirement

Updated 8/7/21

Dear Belmont Public Library patrons,

We at the Library want to support our colleagues and counterparts in other town buildings, and have chosen to follow suit with the requests made by the Board of Health for public spaces. With regards to protocols specifically surrounding the wearing of masks, we will mirror the decisions made for other town buildings. Effective Monday, August 9, 2021, face coverings are required for all individuals aged two years and above in all indoor public spaces in Belmont, or private spaces open to the public except where an individual is unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition or disability. Please find the mandate below.

Kind regards,

Peter J. Struzziero
Library Director

Library Latest – August 3, 2021

YA – it’s not just for teens and offers more than just gorgeous covers, too! Check out these great reads that defy age restrictions 🙂

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Firekeeper’s Daughter: eBook | audiobook

The Inheritance Games: eBook | audiobook

I’ll Be the One: eBook | audiobook

Cemetery Boys: eBook | audiobook

Down Comes the Night: eBook | audiobook

Made in Korea: eBook | audiobook

The Ones We’re Meant to Find: eBook | audiobook

Ace of Spades: eBook | audiobook

These Violent Delights: eBook | audiobook

Gearbreakers: eBook | audiobook

 

Library Latest – July 27, 2021

Pick up one of these great reads in celebration of disability visibility and pride!

Memoir

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Nonfiction

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Fiction

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Prefer eBook and audio options? Find those here…

Sitting Pretty: eBook

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life: eBook | audiobook

Have Dog, Will Travel: audiobook

Disability Visibility: eBook

Disfigured: On Fairytales…: audiobook

Care Work: eBook | audiobook

A Kind of Mirraculas Paradise: eBook | audiobook

Get a Life, Chloe Brown: eBook | audiobook

When We Were Vikings: eBook | audiobook

Meet Me in Outer Space: eBook

Library Latest – July 20, 2021

Looking for some inspiration to join the Plastic Free July movement? We’ve got you covered!

 

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Prefer eBooks? Find those here…

Living Without Plastic: eBook

Quitting Plastic: eBook

Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too: eBook

Quest Logs: Erica’s Game

Erica’s Game meets every Tuesday from 5:00-7:30PM. Visit our information page to register your character, read the Player’s Guide and join our Discord!

Erica’s Game: Session 1

Date: 07/06/2021
Party Members: Reler, Asterion, Uustan
Location: Cretus, the West Reach

Summary:
Our party met with Peak that disgraced Tabaxi who inadvertently let in the being (who went by Varius) into the Minotaur city Knossos during the sacred Moon Festival, where he stole magic from the center of the sacred labyrinth. Peak confessed his memories were muddy and he remembered a name – Adonis. Our party explored Clawport, asking after a batlike creature who goes by the name of Varius (or possibly Adonis). What we found: A Minotaur youth sneaking into a pub hastily suggested that the Matriarchs of Knossos might know more than they’ve let on; after an altercation with a family of three Tabaxi smugglers, we learned that a batlike creature was seen slipping away on a dock headed north — either to the island of Praxlarr or Tulch depending on the schedule; a Kenku in a pub claimed that they too knew of a batlike creature who most certainly set sail off of a different dock, one usually reserved for Belreuit. The party decided to trust the Tabaxis’ word over the Kenku’s and Peak confirmed he had first met Varius in Praxlarr. They left off at a pub, deciding their next course of action – will the party visit Knossos first (where Peak isn’t allowed anymore) or will they head straight to Praxlarr or Tulch or take another course of action?

What Others Should Know:
This fun crew of adventurers has been hired by Peak, a disgraced Tabaxi of the Onyx Clan to help chase down the cause of missing magic from the source on Cretus – the center of the labyrinth in the heart of the Minotaur City, Knossos. The suspect is a batlike being who goes by the name of Varius and who had befriended Peak before disappearing. Peak’s memories are hazy (did Varius wipe them?) and all he can remember is a word – Adonis. Could it be Varius’s true name? After a full day chasing down answers in Clawport, the Tabaxi capital on the coast, they have a few leads to follow as Peak’s hazy memories grow stronger. The question remains, just who is Varius/Adonis and where are they? Will they fix the missing magic and restore Peak to good standing amongst his people?

Items Uncovered:
Nothing so far, but now that we have a strong starting point, we are on our way to uncovering magical objects and items specific to Adonis

Erica’s Game Session 2

Date: 7/13/2021
Party members: Klib, Sage, Uustan
Location: Cretus

Summary:
We gained some new players and narrowed down our lead for where to follow Varius – to New Keteratonik. In the process of getting information from a scruffy dock overseer, someone cast magic and rolled d30 – and a forest sprouted out, ripping up the nearby warehouses. Then a crowd of angry people came to see what was going on, when some errant bears ran out of one of the wrecked warehouses and began attacking – we still don’t know where they came from. Our team stopped the threat before all of the townspeople were eaten (one was mauled pretty badly). They are being put up by the Clawport Port Authority in appreciation for their services before they head out in pursuit of Varius.

What items of interest were brought back? 
In the wrecked warehouse, we found some cool magic items – boots of elvenkind, a coin of delving, and a pair of finder’s goggles – the latter which may be especially helpful.

Quest Logs: Jonah’s Game

Jonah’s Game

Date: 7/13/2021
Party Members: Eccu and Tamugum
Location: East Reach

Summary:
We started having just defeated a group of Kenku cultists worshipping a god named Confractus. They were trying to make a flying machine, and had almost succeeded. We interrogated them, but the lead of the project wasn’t willing to talk. We tried threats and a bit of “advanced interrogation techniques”, but none of it worked, so the next day, Eccu cast suggestion to make him talk and help work on the airship. We then discovered a cryptic letter telling us to go North East. We first went into the nearby town to get supplies and food for the captives. We also hired 2 people to watch over the captives. One person we met was very suspicious and had an odd smelling perfume. After re-casting suggestion on the lead person, we set off to the North East. We came across a large open field with a house in the middle. Tamugum stayed in the tree line while Eccu continued on. (This is when Tamugum left). Eccu snuck onto the roof of the house, drew the person inside the house out and away, then snuck inside. He looked around and found a hidden trapdoor under the bed. He snuck in just as the person was returning. The place he ended up was like a cellar.

Sneaking around, he found several magical items which he needed in order to unlock the door, but was only able to keep 1 in the end. The door opened and Eccu snuck in. Beyond it, he met a cultist in a cloak that hid their face. Confractus, the person the original cultists were worshipping, turned out to be a tortle man. Him and Eccu talked. Confractus knew immediately that Eccu wasn’t a disciple, but said that he would do anyways. After almost being stabbed by the cultist that led him into the room and smelling that same perfume from earlier, he was teleported to an unknown, yellow, sticky place to take care of some “pests”.

What Others Should Know:
There may me a once-thought dead of changing people living in the world. The Kenku have a god named Confractus. He wanted the Kenku to build a flying machine.

Items Uncovered:
Eccu got to keep a regenerating apple. An apple that heals whoever eats it, but regenerates every day.

Quest Logs: Eli’s Game

Eli’s Game: Session 1

Party Members: Dave and Tilly
Location: The Frozen Wastes

Summary:
After being sent to the Frozen Wastes by the Library of Jakardia to investigate some ruins, a Tortle was sent to let us know that the Library was being attacked on the orders of a new power in the North: a crazy dragon! After listening to his solilquoy about how underappreciated he was, we decided he (name: Larry) had to come with us to seek out the dragon (who we had to find in the next 60 minutes). After glancing around for goat bones, we found an annoying kobold who said we’d be eaten by his “”big powerful new god.”” Since he was annoying, we killed him and caused a bunch of kobolds to appear and be mad at us. They called the dragon down on us, but the dragon didn’t seem too interested in killing us right away because she had bugs in her teeth and the kobolds weren’t good at getting them out. After offering to give us a favor (not really promising to stop attacking the library with her armies, but close enough), we cleaned her teeth and chose to take the quest she was giving us, which coincidentally had something to do with the ruins. 

After burning a living sacrifice (goat, not Larry), we managed to get inside the ruins without dying. But there is some serious necromancy magic going on, with spells and traps and creepy magical beings and even a little old library older than the Laxavis Wars. Tilly wasn’t able to find out much, cuz she failed magic class and books are boring. So we left Larry in the library and went to explore the area “”Magical Storage: Do Not Enter”” only to find a dragonborn head on a door with a creepy dried out beating heat floating inside a room. The heart mesmerizes its victims and looks like it needs some blood to seem healthy again, so we closed the door on it and decided to take a short rest before dealing with it again.

Anything others should know:
The Library of Jakardia is being attacked by strange beasts and armies of kobolds. The dragon hates the Library of Jakardia because they were mean to her after her request to take their magic scroll. We chose to go on a quest to find a scroll that would make bugs really big so the dragon could remake it into something that would make her really big.

We learned that if someone eats part of the World Dragon, they might gain super powers, but with the World Dragon being dead, it might not work. Deluded by future glory, Tilly and Dave are on a quest to find the “get bigger” scroll so that the dragon might have a shot at replacing the old World Dragon and save the world.

Stuff we found:
The dragon has some shiny bags that make stuff, so we got 2 vials of venom, but not much other than that. We are still looking for the scroll.

Eli’s Game: Session 2

Date: 7/8/2021
Party Members: Gildrim, Kruchurk, Kaede
Location: Frozen Wastes

Summary:
We were brought in by the dragon to retrieve the enlarging scroll. We faced a beating heart that took one of our party members’ blood and after exiting the room briefly to try to perform a (failed) interrogation on the dragon, we found that it had retreated into a room with poisoned moss and a pillar. We broke the pillar to find the scroll and repurposed some of our belongings to get past the poison and the heart’s hypnotic beating a second time, where the dragon killed the heart and flew us to their lair to collect treasure. Currently at the lair, we’re being attacked by giant wasps and told to protect a scroll that, when consumed, makes the eater larger- but only if they’re insects – while the dragon is fending them off.

What Others Should Know:
There is a wasp swarm that also wants the enlarging scroll, and they’ve found us and are attacking us.

Items Uncovered:
We got to choose some of the dragon’s hoard, including a shiny sword, a bracelet-shield, and dirt armor that turned into a dirt bag.

Eli’s Game: Session 3

Date: 7/15/2021
Party Members: Berel, Dave, Kaede, Rhogar, Isma
Location: Frozen Wastes

Summary:
The wasp swarm attacked us at the dragon’s lair and managed to take the scroll. The dragon wants us to retrieve this scroll and bring it back, hoping that she can enlarge and retrieve the powers still left in the six and become the new world dragon. The swarm fled for the Library of Jakardia, and we boarded a boat to follow, accompanied by Larry the Tortle and several kobolds the dragon told us were of varying incompetence.

What Others Should Know:
The wasp swarm has the enlarging scroll and is at the Library of Jakardia.

Items Uncovered:
None yet, but the dragon will grant us each a favor if we succeed.

 

Quest Logs: Hannah’s Game

Hannah’s Game meets every Wednesday from 2:30-5:00PM. Visit our information page to register your character, read the Player’s Guide and join our Discord!

Hannah’s Game: Session 1

Date: 06/23/2021
Party Members: Wyvern, Asterion, Brainard, Duar Penrose, Fattus Cattus, Kovri of the Cinderrocks
Location: West Reach

Summary:
Our group went with Fignillius Applebaum to explore the supposed origin of all kobolds. On the way, we encountered a group of what appeared to be some sorts of fire elementals (fire chicken, fire snake, fire newt things, etc.) which according to the kobolds in the lava tubes, had begun to come through “door doors.” Inside of the warren, we found that “door doors” are created by some sort of rocks that kobolds can digest and use to form pretty powerful magical items. These door door jewels create a (you’ll never guess what) doorway to another part of the world. Fignillius took many of the door door jewels with us, but was stopped from taking kobolds as test subjects (mainly by the adventurers, because that’s kind of messed up).

What information might people on other adventures want to know?
Door door jewels allow for transportation across parts of the world (further investigation might need to be done to see their limits), and door door jewels seem to be the reason that kobolds have appeared on so many continents even without sea travel. It also appears that kobolds’ digestive systems create these jewels, and it might be worth it to look into how any genus could create such powerful magical items simply by eating rocks. Also, Fignillius Applebaum might need to be checked up on how ethical his practices are.

What items of interest were brought back?
Many door door jewels, which can be used to create portals by tapping on them a few times, and the adventurers each brought back a “feeling lucky” coin (https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/3355624-feeling-lucky) and a “g-fuel” potion (https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/3363330-g-fuel).

-report submitted by Kovri of the Cinderrocks

Hannah’s Game: Session 2

Date: 06/30/2021
Party Members: Dave, Dimensionjumper28, Wyvern, Destroyer10130 (Kevin), Sjette, and Forgoyten Link.
Location: West Reach

Summary:
We were sent by the Library of Jakardia to assist the goblins in creating a new defense system that could function without magic, and to bring back information about said system. The goblin developing the system, Brzzt Ingledot, gave us a list of items necessary to complete the defense system he said we should acquire. The list goes as follows:

4-5 tons of bauxite (from Hilder’s Mining Co)
Either dephlogisticated air (from Hpesoj Yeltseirp) or oxy genes (from Reisioval Tnerual-Enoitna)
Rod of Cooling — maybe in the attic?
Ring of Warmth — Lfideln’s Antiques
Popperthingamajig (from Kcid Rednaxela)
Bounceroos (from Elliaduoh Eciruam)
Alset coils (from Salochin)

We first followed the directions to retrieve the Rod of Cooling from Brzzt’s attic. We did not find the rod there, but we did find some blueprints for what looked like nautical mines, and a note that said “”18 inches long, but don’t touch the ends. Middle switch changes intensity,”” as well as another note directing us to look in the basement of the steel foundry we met Brzzt in, which was alarmed and marked “”Do Not Enter.”” Inside the basement, we found a lot of thick black smoke, and the Rod of Cooling, which was unstable due to tampering with its arcane glyphs. We then obtained the Ring of Warmth from Lfideln’s Antiques, with Kevin buying a chair from there. After that, we obtained the Bounceroos from Elliaduoh’s workshop, in exchange for Kevin’s chair. and the Alset (Tesla) coils. Then we acquired several Bouceroos, which we discovered were weaponizeable. Finaly, we procured the bauxite while resolving a miner’s strike, as well as purchasing the formulation for Oxy Gen (pure oxygen). We presented these items to Brzzt Ingledot, who assembled them into a spherical device, within which was a box with a switch on one side. Kevin stole that component, to present to the Library of Jakardia. 

What Others Should Know:
The defense system the goblins are making appears to be a nautical explosive device, and somebody deliberately tampered with the Rod of Cooling we found.

Items of Interest:
The box with the switch.

Hannah’s Game: Session 3

Date: 07/07/2021
Party Members: Firenze, Reler, Klag, Fattus Cattus, and Goldstar
Location: Bracorax, in the East Reach

Summary:
We looted a tree house which was owned by smugglers. Then we went onto a boat and saw that there were crates below deck that were silenced from the inside and could hold a large creature. Another ship came up ahead and we started fighting. To end, 3 creatures that were the cargo of our ship (the things in those soundproof crates) escaped and are now on deck.
(NOTE: The party also decided they hate the Head Librarian and decided to kill him if they ever see him. Because “he’s annoying.”)

What Others Should Know:
We met a little bird child that is with us now and he said his name was Punkiedory however we knew he didn’t tell us the truth. But he is traveling with us now.

Items Uncovered:
We have 5 potions of poison resistance and 5 potions of healing and a broom of flying activated by a command word:JINGLEBELLS. Someone also stole Scroll of Origami Armor.

Hannah’s Game: Session 4

Date: 07/14/2021
Party Members: Athaeos the Willbreaker, Eggsbenedictsociety, Fattus Cattus, Klib (Bo), Shadowhunter(eli)
Location: West Reach

Summary:
After containing the displacer beasts the party met with people from the library of jakardia and were sent to recover a unknown item from the dragonborn citadel. After sneaking in by hiding in the boxes that contained the displacer beasts, the party met with a dragonborn acolyte that helped them distract the guards and two party members started to scout ahead. They discovered a library full of religious texts. The kobold was offended by these texts and set the library on fire. meanwhile, the other party members released the displacer beasts and managed to sneak past while the guards fought them. They discovered a secret passage and entered it as thousands of years of history burned behind them.

What Others Should Know:
There is a small cult that rules dragonborn society and worships an unknown deity named Ouranos.

 

 

Quest Logs: Ella’s Game

To The Bottom of Things (Ella’s Game) Session 1

Date: 06/24/2021
Party Members: Asterion, Brainard, Sophos, Harbatos, Kaede
Location: Orosea Isles

Summary:
Our group went to the Orosea Isles to investigate a fish that had been attacking the locals. We located where the fish had been attacking and defeated it. One of the locals (the librarian) told us that the fish was of an ancient species that was supposed to be extinct and he wanted us to find out how the fish had survived.

Anything others should know:
Nothing in this adventure really effects other parts of the world.

Items of Interest:
There was a rapier that gives you extra move speed and makes enemies want to attack you instead of other people and a crossbow that acts as a grappling hook if you get a 10 or more on a d20 roll.

To The Bottom of Things (Ella’s Game) Session 2

Date: 06/30/2021
Party Members: Rhogar, Aughus, Harbatos, Kaede
Location: Orosea Isles (and the surrounding ocean)

Summary:
Our party talked to the librarian, who suggested we descend to the bottom of the ocean, and visit the goblins, who were pioneering the technology to do so. We spoke with an inventor who was prototyping a lobster-like submarine, and after descending through the ocean with it and defeating creatures, stumbled upon a grate guarded by a dragonborn. We defeated the dragonborn and descended through the tunnel below the grate and found the dead World Dragon in the cavern beneath.

Anything others should know:
At the bottom of the ocean, there’s a grate – possibly goblin built, and it opens to something like a mine shaft. At the very bottom of the shaft is an enormous cavern containing the World Dragon, who is dead. We found that there was a wound in its body, and it appears to be at least partially as the result of a bite.

Items of Interest:
A moon touched greatsword, a shield of warmth, a bag of holding, and many potions, including those allowing someone to remain under water with high pressures without taking damage.

A Growing Suspicion (Ella’s Game) Session 3

Date: 07/14/2021
Party Members: Asterion, Harbatos, Artemis, Sophos, Brainard, and Aughus
Location: Summalt

Summary:
Two representatives of the High Council appeared through a portal to bring us and the dragonborn we encountered to the High Council Island for further questioning. Once there, we were delivered a strange note from an anonymous “friend” by a kenku who claimed he had been approached by a tall figure and told to deliver it to us. According to the note, Saphara Clethinthiallor (the dragonborn representative on the High Council) has been hiding information from the council, and that she and the Dragonborn Priesthood have been conducting illegal investigations. We spoke to Drizzik Rezzenson, representative of the goblins and a close friend of Rep. Clethinthiallor, who knew little about the strange happenings but was interested in finding the truth. We agreed to relay any information we may find back to him, and later that day, during a High Council meeting, attempted to sneak into Rep. Clethinthiallor’s chambers. However, we were noticed by guards that Aughus fought off while the rest of us attempted to investigate the room. Inside, we were attacked by a powerful golem that we also had to defeat before searching (*cough* looting *cough*) for clues. Though we didn’t find much, we did discover notes she had been keeping on the adventurers traveling around Ritenus, as well as robes and a mace that indicated a much higher position in the Dragonborn Priesthood than we initially thought. We ended the session just as Rep. Clethinthiallor herself entered the room. Dun, dun duuuun!

What Others Should Know:
Supposedly, Rep. Clethinthiallor has been intentionally hiding information from the High Council, including information about a yuan-ti warlord. The Dragoborn Priesthood also seemingly has a big part in this cover-up.

Items Uncovered: We were able to loot a bunch of stuff from Rep. Clethinthiallor’s chambers, including a bracelet that transforms into a shield, a brooch that can sprout spider legs, and some sort of extendable arm device (all goblin-made), as well as several vials of poison, notes on the various quests happening around Ritenus, and a whole lot of money! We were also given two typewriters that can communicate magically with a third in possession of Rep. Rezzenson.

A Tangled Web (Ella’s Game) Session 4

Date: 07/08/2021
Party Members: Rhogar, Atemis, Harbatos, Kaede
Location: Summalt, the High Council Island

Summary:
After Breaking into Saphara Clethtinthiallor’s office, she arrived, Interrogating and semi-figuring out what they were doing there. While talking, the Party was able to persuade her into revealing the truth about the world Dragon. After talking with her, the party went down and talked to the Goblin High council Member. The party arrived at the staffroom, learning about where to check for the mysterious 8 foot tall being. After learning about bribes being taken at the dock/port, they discovered that Tibian Tidebreaker and Salan Terriex were giving out bribes. The Party proceed to find a secret passage, that lead them to a sentient owlbear named Airru. After meeting her, they learned that she was one of the six who injured the World Dragon, and by eating some of his flesh Airru gained bounds of Wisdom. Airru the explained that Tibian Tidebreaker was giving information to to her, and Salan Terriex was smuggling goods. They also learned of the deepest secret of the Dragonborn, that they have another World Dragon Egg. Airru also told of three others of the six, a swarm of wasps that became more Dexterous, A shapeshifter who has an increased Intelligence and is in the Library of Jakardia, and a Fallen God who is suspected to be Tt’ubokyul. After returning and Informing the Dragonborn High Council Member, she said that she may forgive Airru of causing the World Dragon to be dying, as she wishes to help him recover and heal.

What Others Should Know:
There are six beings who consumed Ouranos, A swarm of Dexterous Wasps, An Intelligent Shape Shifter, and that Tt’ubokyul is infact one of the seven. Airru is a sentient Owlbear that lives under Summalt, and gained wisdom, and it is unknown of the other two. The Dragonborn God is Ouranos, the World Dragon, and Salan Terriex is smuggling trade goods.

Items Uncovered: There was a poison made of distilled Greenroots that was recovered from Airru, who brewed some herself.

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