[Oh, of course: merely speaking with people. Well... that's probably a task best left to Alphinaud. Even were he not the more eloquent speaker and by far the more cunning interrogator, he's simply got so much more patience for it than she has. A book, however - well, its information is there for all who care to open its cover, and sit down and read.]

Thank you, that's very forthcoming of you. Not all the scholars I have met have been quite so willing to share their research...!

This tragedy they mention, though, the Tragedy of Greed. Did they say aught of how recent this was? Did the Power Holders witness it themselves - is it still in living memory? - or are the books the only sources that we have?