Hey, you.

Yes, you. The fellow reading this book right now.

NO, not some random other wizard who read this in the past, I mean YOU, the smelly adventurer who decided to invade a long-abandoned wizard tower in hopes of robbing my grave, and then thought it would be a bright idea to open up a book as large as you are that seemed untouched by the ages!

"Turn back and keep reading, you dolt, it's confusing enough to write this book as it is without having you trying to skip ahead." - the next page

No, it's not trapped. If I wanted to trap you I'd have done it when you walked into the room without bothering to test the floor first.

Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Allow me to introduce myself:

I am, and will have been, Tanaos Ayumu, a powerful Diviner and Seer. I also will be murdered about three years and five months after I finish this work by a powerful dragon. If you're up for some gold (I won't have any use for it, I'll be dead), glory, or just want a favor from a Wizard, I would like to enlist your help in avenging my own death.

He'll still be around when you read this, don't worry. And I'll even help prepare you for the task: There's a secret compartment hidden under the rug you're standing on, you should find some items there that will help you. I even took the liberty to engrave your names.

(And no, it's NOT a good idea to start scouring for more hidden compartments, I already know all the places you'll look.)

I also included a cinnamon-raisin bread family recipe that the Baker family back in town will have lost from their family by now If you, give it to Sue, she'll tell you where to find her nephew Bordandinol. He knows the location of the lair of one of the more powerful underlings of the dragon, so you can slay it. No, I'm not just gonna tell you, because the act of asking will set things up in a cascade of apparent coincidences for your success in the future in ways you can't imagine. That or it's just my way of getting back at you for smashing my windows, but why not kill two birds with one stone, I say.

Oh, and tell her brother that his cat got itself locked in the attic somehow. It didn't, but I made a promise to their great-great-great-great-grandfather, and this will help king it to pass. (And try the buttermilk biscuits, they're delicious.)

Lastly, take a look in my desk,third drawer ilown on the left. Underneath the false bottom is a bag with some powder. Trust me, you'll find it quite useful later on. Now, close the book, grab two opposite corners of it, and press them towards each other while saying "Because Tanaos said so", to shrink this monstrosity down to travel-size.

Get going, chop-chop!