Athenaeum needs your help, hero. Will you stand up to the bookwyrms? Complete your hero information to begin your quest.

Stop by the front desk at your local library to sign up to participate in Winter Reading! You'll be asked to include a photo of your hero, which can be whatever you want (a real picture, a drawing, a printed image that represents you) and a list of your real-life strengths. Don't forget, even small things (like being a good friend) can make you a hero!

Not every hero takes to their quest immediately. Not everyone even wants to be a hero. So what is it that's holding you back? Choose ONE of the following quest options.

• You want me to do what?! Oh. Oh, no. Thanks, but no thanks. That sounds like I'd need to put pants on. I'd rather just sit here and read my book.
  • To complete: Read for 2 hours
• Your guardian says, "Not on your life." I'd love to go. Really. But I can't argue with my guardian, who has vehemently told me no. Shucks. Guess I'll just have to stay home and read instead.
  • To complete: Read for 1 hour.
• I'm officially doomed. I know I'm going to end up going on this quest anyway. Why avoid the inevitable? Let me just find out how this book ends before I'm whisked away to my untimely death.
  • To complete: Read for 1 1/2 hours.

Fear not, Hero, you will be properly trained for the dangers ahead! This is not a decision to take lightly, for your mentor holds your future fate in their hands. Choose ONE mentor below.

• I want to fight from a distance. It's not that I can't get close to an enemy . . . but why would I? Can't I just throw pointy things from here? Where it's safe?
  • To complete: Read for 3 hours. Choose your favorite fictional character from a book and make a collage (a page filled with pictures and/or words) about what you've learned from that character.
• I'll take a shiny, pointy stick, please. Am I sure I'm qualified to use this? No. No, I'm not. But I'm pretty sure the pointy end goes towards the enemy and the holdy part is my end, and really, what more is there to know?
  • To complete: Read for 3 hours. Choose your favorite fictional character from a book and make a collage (a page filled with pictures and/or words) about what you've learned from that character.
• Fire, ice, and everything . . . magic! I don't NEED a weapon. I AM the weapon! If something doesn't explode at least once, does it even count as fighting?
  • To complete: Read for 3 hours. Choose your favorite fictional character from a book and make a collage (a page filled with pictures and/or words) about what you've learned from that character.

Congratulations, Hero, on obtaining your weapon. (You do know which end to point at enemies, right?!) Time to choose where you want to begin your adventure. Pick ONE location to visit.

• Gatherer's Grotto.Everyone knows the best taverns in all of the Athenaeum are in the Grotto. It's where all the greatest adventurers gather. Surely someone there will have some useful information that will help you on your quest.
  • To complete: Read for 3 hours. Tell the front desk staff some juicy gossip about one of the characters in the book you're reading.
• Truthseeker's Archives. The Archives house the majority of written knowledge about the land of Athenaeum. The stacks are a little intimidating, and likely full of dust, but they should have some helpful research that will aid you in your quest.
  • To complete: Read for 3 hours. Choose your favorite quote from the book, write it on an index card, decorate it, and turn it back in at the front desk.
• Whispering Woods. Just jumping into the fray, are we? That's . . . ill-advised. But hey, at least you've got a weapon. The world awaits, Hero.
  • To complete: Read for 1 1/2 hours. Win a game of rock-paper-scissors against someone at the front desk.

A hero's journey is not without its challenges. It’s time to prove your mettle and show Athenaeum that you’re dedicated to their cause. The people have asked you to take care of a beast that has been terrorizing nearby towns. What will you do, hero, to deal with whatever lurks in the darkness of the Beast's Lair?

• Tame the Beast. Oh, sure, it’s literally razed three towns and scared away every hero that’s ever set foot in its lair . . . but you’re different. Of course you are. You can definitely tame this thing, whatever it is. The bigger and badder, the better, because fierce things are cute things, and your sidekick should be as strong as you are.
  • To complete:
    • If you stopped at the Gatherer’s Grotto or Truthseeker Archives: Your research has come in handy! Taming this thing should be a snap. Read for 1 hour. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.
    • If you went to the Whispering Woods: Weird. Your weapons seem to have no effect on the beast. Looks like you get to do this the old-fashioned way. Read for 2 hours. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.
• Befriend the Beast. You don’t actually want to hurt anyone. Probably, this creature’s just been misunderstood and wants everyone to leave it alone in peace. Most likely to read. Who can blame them for that? Surely it doesn’t need anything more than a friend (and maybe another good book or two).
  • To complete:
    • If you're a mage: Your mentor taught you a charm spell that should come in handy. It won’t do all the work for you, but it’ll at least make the creature comfortable enough for you to get close to it. Read for 1 hour. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.
    • If you're an archer or warrior: The beast doesn’t like the look of your pointy weapons. Probably not the best way to start a friendship. Read for 2 hours. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.
• Slay the Beast. This creature obviously needs to be stopped before it hurts more people. Others have tried reasoning with it and failed. If you’re going to save Athenaeum, you’re going to do it properly: by eliminating the threat.
  • To complete:
    • If you went to the Whispering Woods: You’ve already proven your mettle once before. Now, you just need to prove that you can follow through on a promise. Read for 1 hour. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.
    • If you stopped at the Gatherer's Grotto: You’ve got a whole tavern full of heroes cheering you on. Unfortunately, they’re half a continent away. And probably drunk. So you’re still mostly on your own. Read for 1 1/2 hours. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.
    • If you stopped at the Truthseeker's Archive: All your knowledge-seeking has prepared you, but it hasn’t won any hearts. No, books don’t count—they don’t have hearts, either. You need to start winning the villagers' favor the old-fashioned way. Read for two hours. Then select a creature coloring sheet, color it in, and return it when you’ve finished your reading to complete this quest.

Now that you’ve proven yourself, it’s time to prepare for the real fight. Your next stop is the Alchemist’s Alcove, where you’ll gather everything you need to take on the Bookwyrms. Hero, how will you go about preparing for the fight ahead?

• Gather Medicine, Food, and Other Supplies. You can’t go on a trip across the country without supplies. Well, you could . . . but it probably wouldn’t end well. You spend your time trading with alchemists and shopping for what you need.
  • To complete:
    • Haggling takes a little time, but you’re ready to go before too long. Read for 2 hours. Look up one interesting fact related to the book you’re reading and write it on an index card. Decorate the index card and turn it back in.
      
• Rally villagers to join your quest. You shouldn’t have to do this on your own. The Bookwyrms have been terrorizing all of Athenaeum, and the alchemists are a crafty bunch, so surely you can convince some to lend a hand in your quest. It’s worth a try, at least, right?
  • To complete:
    • Talking to all those people and convincing them to help takes time. Read for 3 hours. Pick your favorite inspirational quote, write it on an index card, decorate the card, and turn it in.
      
• I'm ready to go. Bring on the Bookwyrms! You’ve already trained. You’ve already taken on a beast. You’re ready. How much more preparation could you possibly need? You just want to save the world already!
  • To complete:
    • People are in danger, and there’s no time to waste. Read for 1 hour. Pick your favorite wise quote or piece of advice, write it on an index card, decorate the card, and turn it back in.

Stories have been told about the Slumbering Hills. Within them lie monsters. You’ve trained so hard and come so far. Are you ready to face your worst nightmare? The fog shifts, and from the darkness steps your greatest fear.

• A Skeleton.At first, you think that rattling is just the chattering of your teeth. Seriously, the temperature must have dropped at least 20 degrees! It's not long until you realize it's the clinking of bone drawing nearer. Red eyes pierce through the fog and lock on you. What stands before you is definitely dead. Well, undead. And angry.
  • To complete:
    • • If you're a warrior: It takes a little effort, but your sword works just fine on the undead, too. Read for 2 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
      • If you're an archer: As it turns out, arrows don’t exactly shatter bones. Who knew? Read for 3 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
      • If you're a mage: If spirits can be raised using magic, they can be unraised using magic, too. Cast a spell to lay this poor creature to rest. Read for 1 hour. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
        
• A giant spider. You don’t actually want to hurt anyone. Probably, this creature’s just been misunderstood and wants everyone to leave it alone in peace. Most likely to read. Who can blame them for that? Surely it doesn’t need anything more than a friend (and maybe another good book or two).
  • To complete:
    • If you have a pet: While you stand rooted in fear, your beast sidekick comes to your rescue! Good thing you brought them with you. Read for 2 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
    • If you don’t have a pet but rallied villagers to support you: You’re frozen in fear, but not everyone has the same fear as you. Your allies rush forward to meet the monster. After all, there’s strength in numbers! Read for 1 1/2 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
    • If you have no pets and no villagers: You overcome your fears in the end, but it takes quite a bit of time to coax your legs to move and to stop your hands from shaking. Read for 3 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library. 
• It doesn't matter what it is. Let me at 'em. Nightmare shmightmare. You don't intend to let a little thing like fear stop you. After all, this is what you've been training so hard for. You steel yourself and face your doom.
  • To complete:
    • If you stopped to gather supplies: Turns out grabbing a little bit of everything came in handy when facing your worst nightmare. Read for 1 hour. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
    • If you've been to the Whispering Woods but not gathered supplies: You’re well-versed in fighting by now. You simply do what you do best: face the challenge head on and plunge onward. Read for 2 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.
    • If you have never been to the Whispering Woods and didn't gather supplies: While your courage is admirable, it was maybe a bit hasty. Sure, you know how to use your weapon, but that doesn’t mean you use it well. You would have benefitted from a little more practice before taking on your worst nightmare. Read for 3 hours. Choose a scary book. Pick a page at random. Fill out your scary story Mad Libs using words you find on that page, and turn your story back into the library.

You can see your reward all around you: stacks of books piled as high as mountains. But the Bookwyrms aren’t keen on letting their treasure go. Certainly not to the likes of you. How do you plan on securing access to these books for all of Athenaeum?

To complete the quest: Choose ONE option below to defeat the Bookwyrms. Follow the prompt to complete the reading for that choice and then do the following:

• If you have a rabbit's foot from slaying the beast: Finish the reading for the quest you selected. Then, roll a die. If it comes up a 1, 2, 3, or 4, you have completed the quest. If it’s a 5 or a 6, complete Quest 8.5: The Road Back.

• If you do not have a rabbit's foot: Finish the reading for the quest you selected. Then, roll a die. If it comes up a 2, 4, or 6, you have completed the quest. If it’s a 1, 3, or 5, complete Quest 8.5: The Road Back.

• Steal all the books back one by one.This is a rather ambitious, if not entirely ill-advised, course of action. Sure, no one gets hurt and you don’t have to fight, but . . . that’s A LOT of books. But okay, if you’re determined.
  • To complete:
    • If you rallied the villagers to join your quest: Lucky for you, you’ve got some extra hands (and arms and legs) to help you with this heist. Read for 3 hours.
    • If you didn't rally the villagers but have a pet: Well, four hands—or paws—are better than two, right? At least it’s something. Read for 5 hours.
    • If you didn't rally the villagers and have no pet: This was a very ambitious plan. Perhaps too ambitious for a single person. Good luck. Read for 7 hours.
• Persuade them everyone deserves to read. These books are every bit as precious as the Bookwyrms believe them to be, but they belong to ALL of Athenaeum, not just a select few. Propose that the Bookwyrms become the keepers of the tomes and preserve them rather than hoard them.
  • To complete:
    • If you visited the Truthseeker's Archives: After spending all the time around those books and the librarians, you’re well prepared to argue this case. Read for 2 hours.
    • If you're a mage but didn't visit the Archives: Sorcery requires books. Magic books, spell books, recipe books . . . sometimes living books. While the Bookwyrms aren’t thrilled with the idea of arming you, you wow them with your magic. Read for 3 hours.
    • If you didn't visit the Archives and you're not a mage: The Bookwyrms don’t exactly find your argument particularly moving. Eventually, they give you the benefit of the doubt. Just to get you to stop talking. Read for 4 hours.
      
• Rid the Slumbering Isles of the Bookwyrms. The Bookwyrms obviously won't respond to reason, so there's only one course of action: to force them off the Isles. It's what you've spent all this time training for.
  • To complete:
    • If you slayed the beast or eagerly took on your nightmare: You’ve spent the whole quest preparing for this moment, and the time has finally come. The Bookwyrms didn’t stand a chance against your expertise. Read for 3 hours.
    • If you didn't do either of the above but did visit the Whispering Woods: It’s been a while since you had a good challenge, and it takes some time to get back into the fighting groove. After a few minutes, it all comes rushing back. Read for 4 hours.
    • If none of the above apply: I’m not sure what fighting experience you were planning on falling back on here, but . . . it didn’t work. Even though you defeated the Bookwyrms, I’m pretty sure they’re the ones that can say, “Sure, I may look bad, but you should see the other guy.” Read for 5 hours.

**Please note: This quest is only available if you failed the die roll from the previous quest, Quest 8: The Reward. Otherwise, proceed to Quest 9. **

The Bookwyrms are no longer a threat to Athenaeum, but in their stead, another threat has risen: the Chimeras. They’ve grown rather fond of the towering skyscapes of books that make up the Slumbering Isles, and they’re not eager to part with them. Looks like you’ve got one more creature to convince before your quest is through. How will you persuade them?

• Offer them something in exchange.How about a good old-fashioned swap of some sort? Then nobody loses out and everyone walks away happy. Unfortunately, you don’t have a whole lot to bargain with.
  • To complete:
    • You offer up your rabbit's foot: The Chimeras are happy with this sign of your achievements. Read for 1 hour. Speak with someone at the front desk to swap your rabbit’s foot for a book of your choice from the free book cart.
    • You offer up your pet: It’s served you well, but it seems to have made friends among the Chimera. Perhaps it can convince them to loosen their grasp on the Slumbering Isles. Read for 1 hour. Speak with someone at the front desk to swap your pet token for a book of your choice from the free book cart.
    • You try to bribe them: Chimeras aren’t above bribery. Not very many creatures are. Read for 1 hour. Give someone at the front desk a piece of candy in exchange for a book of your choice from the free book cart.
      
• Explain why you need the books. You're a lover, not a fighter. So why not try talking it out? Surely the chimera will understand that you NEED these books for the citizens of Athenaeum. They don't seem unreasonable creatures. Well . . . not entirely, at least.
  • To complete:
    • If you persuaded the Bookwyrms: You already know what to say. The Chimeras have different concerns, so it takes a creative spin on your last spiel, but you’ve already got one successful speech under your belt. Read for 1 hour.
    • If you didn't persuade the Bookwyrms but have a pet with you: Your words fall flat, but lucky for you, you have a cute sidekick who’s able to win the crowds. Chimeras are half beast, after all. Your pet persuades the Chimeras on your behalf. Read for 1 1/2 hours.
    • If you didn't persuade the Bookwyrms and have no pet: Talking isn’t exactly your strong suit. You manage, but it takes considerable effort. Read for 2 hours.
      
• Scare them with a show of strength. Maybe you won't need to fight. Not that you're not willing. It's just . . . been a long journey. You'll just show them how strong you are and hope that scares them.
  • To complete:
    • If you rid the Slumbering Isles of all the Bookwyrms: The Chimera have already heard of your deeds and do not need further convincing. Threatening them is enough. Read for 1 hour.
    • If you have a rabbit's foot from slaying the beast: The Chimera accept this as proof of your valor and would like to keep their own feet right where they are. Read for 1 hour.
    • If none of the above apply: You’ll need to work hard to prove that you mean business. Read for 2 hours. Choose one of the strengths you listed on Quest 1: Call to Adventure and show the front desk staff that you are, in fact, good at it.

The Slumbering Isles are once more open to all the residents of Athenaeum. Everyone can come and go as they please and read all the tomes they had previously thought to be lost. Your journey isn't quite over yet, no, but the threat has mostly passed. The time has come to reflect on everything this journey has meant to you and what you have achieved.

To complete this quest:

Pick up an old, soon-to-be-recycled book from the library. Use the book and/or its pages to create some sort of bookish art.

BE CREATIVE! There are no limits on this except your own imagination. A few ideas to get you started if you're stuck:

• Book page sculpture
• Book page wreath
• Scrapbook/collage
• Blackout poetry
• Book page origami
• Folded page art
• Quote collage on book pages
• Drawing ink art over the pages
• Paper flowers
• Rolled paper monograms
• Anything else you can think of!

This quest will become available to you as soon as you turn in Quest 9!

Your hero's quest has reached its end. Well done, Hero. I always knew you had it in you. In order to receive your final reward, compliments of everyone in Athenaeum, please fill out the brief survey you can pick up at the front desk.