The Reliquary of Tomes is a gypsy wagon (vardo) owned by Novia Greco and acts as a rolling library. With approximately 900 books on board, Novia travels back and forth between Orsholon City and Lawcrane. It takes about 4-5 days to make the trip in each direction.

Along the way, Novia makes a variety of stops, with a lengthier stop in Tremer. Denizens throughout the region know the basic schedule, and make their way to the Orsholon/Lawcrane Road to meet the wagon each time it passes.

Onboard, the books are free to borrow, with one requirement: To borrow a book, you must lend a book. Books can also be purchased from the Bookwagon, as it is affectionately called, and in some cases it is the only way to obtain some of the rarer books. But the pricing may be substantial.

Novia does have a soft spot for anyone who wants to read but has no book to give. She will “sell” them a book, sometimes for an egg, or a shiny stone, or for a bit of work on her wagon. She will barter to get them a book in their hands, as she believes all should have the chance to read.

Those who meet the wagon are welcomed inside. The interior of the wagon is lined with bookcases and opulent materials. At the front end is a small space that Novia uses as her sleeping quarters.

She also has a unique way of making sure she gets her books back. Always riding with her is a pseudodragon, Balon whom she affectionately calls BookWyrm. The two of them bonded when she found it injured in the Zeremel Forest. Balon’s appreciation for her help led him to bond with her and develop a telepathic line of communication between them.

When a book has gone too long from her possession, Balon goes out to find it. And while the children love him (he is generally quite friendly and used to having children around), the adults know that if they see him, they had better be ready to turn the book over. Balon can communicate the location of the book back to Novia, and she can come to collect. And quite often, she will bring help, such as members of the Royal Guard Of Orsholon.

Seeing the wagon brings joy to those in the kingdom, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn’t fond of Novia and her wagon.