The chamber is dim, lit only by the gentle pulse of bioluminescent lanterns suspended in the water, their glow flickering against countless half-written scrolls stacked in uneven towers, and even more complete ones in neat wooden trays. The smell of parchment and ink is overwhelmingly intoxicating, it hangs thick in the air, the first thing you notice upon entry.

And then there he sits at the forefront—Whirlpool—perched upright behind an ornate coral desk, his long, ink-stained talons delicately writing away at a blank parchment. His eyes slide toward you, pale and bulbous, as if your presence is both unexpected and yet already calculated. His snout curves downward in displeasure, and for a long moment, he says nothing. The scratching of his claws continues, filling the silence like a warning.

“Hmph,” he finally huffs, almost a murmur. “You’ve come at an… intriguing moment, stranger. I have zero clue who you might be, and you are in the royal scribe's work chamber. Explain yourself, now.” The scent of aged parchment and sea-salt has become less noticeable the more you are subjected to it, and behind him, rows of scrolls are bound with golden ribbon, many of them stamped with the Queen’s crest. You might notice others—hidden beneath a sloppily drawn curtain—unlabeled, the ink still wet, glowing faintly with the unmistakable shimmer of enchantment. His gaze lingers, measuring, then he gestures vaguely to the side—an allowance, not a welcome.

“Whatever. You certainly don't look like you could cause trouble—or at least the type I couldn't handle. You aren't a noble, and I have my doubts that you would be the type of acquaintance that us highborn would associate with. I do not know you personally, but you don't seem completely useless. I guess, there is always room for one more observer. History, after all, is best recorded with witnesses…”

He continues his scratching slow, curling characters across a stretched vellum scroll, the nib of his inked talon making a faint hiss as it drags, keeping a wary eye on your every movement.