The Unread Book of Westmarch
by Stagnum Ranarum, filius Imber Ranæ, of House Lem
It is apparently incumbent upon any writer when commenting on this book to note that “lecto” is a Rhythnorian term for a wine-deep shade of red, particularly when imparted to leather; one may now consider it so noted in this instance. The manuscript’s completion date is difficult to ascertain. Copies of three different editions exist: editio altera, editio frugalior, and editio postrema. Frugalior dates to 387, and altera to 385 and 388. The lack of a princeps is intentional, as is the postrema notation, dated 391. Confusion further compounded because the only differences between editionis beyond glosses are found in the frontispieces. Most unattributed copies are noted as frugalior, considered the “definitive” editio. Total number of copies similarly difficult to ascertain. Liber nelectus is to be found at Argutator Purpureus, Annalum [5], Antrum [3], Bethelion [3], and in the private collections of Purpurean Lemmites. —Antrum holds frugalior and postrema, bound in lecto (or “lekto,” sic) leather, and a copy of altera prepared from written description. Both frugalior and postrema are the size of a Red Book of Lem; altera copied onto paper three spans across by two high, to accommodate “unbroken word” on page 94. Arguably the progenitor of a growing trend of libri nugarum that has spread well beyond the bounds of Lemmitism (see Jotham Sebasticook’s Rei nefabricati), though antecedents such as Lucerna et tintinnabulum are not hard to find. —notes compiled by Adrien filia Allisen of House Manere, Censor Antri
