[FND]Wall piece: 410 S. Craig St., Pittsburgh, Caliban Books

[WackyMeetsPractical]

Okay, so any idea how to figure out the author of the book? There are books on Amazon with the title Off the Top of My Head, but I'm pretty sure none of them are what we're after.

What would happen if we just gave her the name "Mr. Administrator"? I mean, it was him on the cover. Also, if the lady is in on the whole wall falling thing and keeping the pieces safe, that would cue her in that we are in on it too, and would be more trusting to allow us to find the piece.

[narrativedilettante]

Okay, so any idea how to figure out the author of the book? There are books on Amazon with the title Off the Top of My Head, but I'm pretty sure none of them are what we're after.

What would happen if we just gave her the name "Mr. Administrator"? I mean, it was him on the cover. Also, if the lady is in on the whole wall falling thing and keeping the pieces safe, that would cue her in that we are in on it too, and would be more trusting to allow us to find the piece.

Might be worth trying.

Also: I tried searching the Enoch Pratt Library's website, and they don't have any record of that book, which didn't surprise me but I figured it couldn't hurt to look.

[Qara-Xuan Zenith]

Maybe a couple of us should try emailing her on a couple more leads-- i.e., one person asking about Peter Pan, one person asking about Romeo and Juliet, etc. for anything else that might be likely.

[Dryunya]

My email:

Hi. I seem to be looking for an especially rare book. I think you know which one I'm talking about.

Hello!

I'm sorry, we've had so many rare books over the past twelve years that saying you are looking for "an especially rare book" doesn't narrow down my search enough for me to be of much help to you. Can you be more specific? A century, perhaps? A publisher? For example, we used to have a few very handsome 18th century hand-printed copies of the King James Bible.

Miranda Auspice
Flamingo Rare Books
flamingorarebooks.wordpress.com

So, as I said, either she's unaware, or she's waiting for a Trust Password.

[H22]

I would ADORE an 18thC KJB hand-printed. Do you think she could arrange it?

My email:

Hi. I seem to be looking for an especially rare book. I think you know which one I'm talking about.

Hello!

I'm sorry, we've had so many rare books over the past twelve years that saying you are looking for "an especially rare book" doesn't narrow down my search enough for me to be of much help to you. Can you be more specific? A century, perhaps? A publisher? For example, we used to have a few very handsome 18th century hand-printed copies of the King James Bible.

Miranda Auspice
Flamingo Rare Books
flamingorarebooks.wordpress.com

So, as I said, either she's unaware, or she's waiting for a Trust Password.

[H22]

Okay, I just emailed her.
That's not my name, incidentally, but my fake one.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: H D
Date: Sunday, 2 December 2012
Subject:
To: flamingorarebooks@gmail.com


Dear Ms. Auspice,
I am a collector of rare, 20th-Century children's books. I heard of your site from a friend and wanted to know whether you happened to have a rare edition of Peter Pan? It seems to be the only edition I have not got!
Yours sincerely, 
Niccolo.

PS My friend also told me you had some rare editions of the Bible - are they still in stock?

PPS I'm a bit worried one of my books might have been stolen. It had immense personal value and had a personal artefact inside. It was called 'Off The Top Of My Head', with a 'Mr. Administrator' on the cover. Has anyone showd odd interest in a book like that?
Sincerely,
Niccolo.

[Dryunya]

I took it up a notch, and asked her if anybody brought a book with a QR-code into her store.

[H22]

410 S. Craig St., Pittsburgh, Caliban Books.

[Qara-Xuan Zenith]

410 S. Craig St., Pittsburgh, Caliban Books.

Um... explanation, please? What is the backstory/significance for this address?

[H22]

Okay, big news. I got a response.

I believe we once had copies of both. Let me know which is more to your interest, and I'll let you know their locations.

Sadly, we do not have any stock of our own any more. We've been forced to sell our store and our wares due to lack of public interest. However, we did have several splendid issues of the Bible. I would be able to look up their current locations for you, if you'd like. What version are you looking for? What century? What publisher?

We tried very hard not to sell stolen books. The majority of our books came from public sources - libraries that needed to sell their rare book collections in order to make their own ends meet. And unless your book was stolen over three years ago, which was the last time we were able to afford books from private collectors, I can assure you that we would not have had a book stolen from a private collector in our possession.

The book you have mentioned - Off The Top Of My Head, by M. R. Administrator - was in fact in our possession at one point. I cannot speak as to whether any artifact was inside it, but there has been another collector who has shown interest. I believe there was only one edition ever published, as this is the only copy I have ever seen. It is currently located at Caliban Books at 410 S. Craig St. in Pittsburgh, information I have already disclosed to the other interested party.

Edited to look properly - hope no one minds. ~D
I have no problem with that, Tyrant Dryu.

[Dryunya]

Well, ninja'd. I asked her about her physical address just now.
When asked about the QR-code, she asked if it's a variation on the Vignere cipher. It's probably unrelated, but I'm posting it here in case it is.

"The other interested party" makes me think we should hurry.

UPD: Oh. Heh. Heh. I've just realized that "Off the top of my head" is a pun.

[dragonfly]

</lurk>

You don't think that would have referred to jacktheriffer's interest?

<lurk>

[Dryunya]

Perhaps, but you never know. Morgana may have lied about not getting the pieces personally.

[dragonfly]

You could ask? You're already in contact with her, why not send an email asking about the number of people who have contacted her about OtToMH?

[Victin]

Maybe Ed is the one.

[Dryunya]

You could ask? You're already in contact with her, why not send an email asking about the number of people who have contacted her about OtToMH?

Well, I didn't specifically ask about THAT book. But in the email that I've just received, she asked me for the title. Well, I'll try.

[Dryunya]

Hello!

I've had two people ask me about the M. R. Administrator book. Three, including yourself. Strangely enough, they have all asked about it in the past 24 hours. I don't believe it has garnered this much interest since we obtained this copy.

In any case, its current location is Caliban Books at 410 S. Craig St. in Pittsburgh. I am glad I could help.

So, that makes me, jacktheriffer, and H. I guess we're safe for now.
But of course, the Cabal is totally free to go there, now that they can read the address here. Violation Of Common Sense is driving me mad.

[Enlil]

Unfortunately I'm out today for all the hours Caliban Books is open, but I'll grab it tomorrow.

[Dryunya]

Just in case: don't scan the code.

[Qara-Xuan Zenith]

We've decided in the chatroom that this will be our test case: Enlil will pick it up, and not scan any codes. If A's reaction shows that the piece remains unintegrated, we can continue repossessing the other pieces and holding onto them for safekeeping.
If he freaks out and the Wall piece is reintegrated by being removed from the STORE, I move we call off all further attempts to pick up Wall pieces until all the characters have been refic'ed.

[Pixelmage]

Just note that if he flips in saying that the piece was reintegrated and we didn't scan the QR. I say we do it, I so want to know what it'll link to that I'd not trust myself to keep one of these trinkets. xD

[Qara-Xuan Zenith]

Just note that if he flips in saying that the piece was reintegrated and we didn't scan the QR. I say we do it, I so want to know what it'll link to that I'd not trust myself to keep one of these trinkets. xD

IF he says it was reintegrated anyway, I say fine. But otherwise nobody can even THINK of going NEAR those codes until all the refics are in. On pain of pain.

[Enlil]

So after A tweeted

SCANNING THE QR CODE WOULD ACCELERATE THE PROCESS, BUT REMOVING IT FROM OUR PROTECTIONS WOULD ALSO CAUSE REINTEGRATION.

I've decided to leave the piece where it is. I can get it at a moment's notice and I don't think there are any other tropers in Pittsburgh who are going to go rogue and grab it. It should be safe there.

[Dryunya]

Yeah, I'm having second thoughts about the plan, too.

[H22]

Hey, one piece an't hurt that much. I note hasty backtracking from A.