Editing Tomes of the Touched (section)

=== Level One: The Touched and Their Tomes ===
The Touched is a peculiar character dwelling in a tomb hidden within the Steaming Lakes region of the Treaty Lands on the isle of Kaludor. By all accounts, he is quite insane. The ''Tomes of the Touched'' comprise a library found surrounding his sarcophagus. Whether the Touched is dead or alive depends on perspective—as far as he’s concerned, he’s very much alive, even if he occasionally appears as a well-dressed skeleton.

==== Names Earned and Unearned ====
The Touched delights in wordplay, particularly with Names Earned and Names Unearned, though their meanings are fluid. A Name Earned is a moniker bestowed by the Touched upon someone who has done something noteworthy to deserve it. A favorite example is "Almost," a name dripping with cryptic significance. Conversely, Unearned Names can mean:
# A name the Touched expects to bestow on a visitor in the future, which they have not yet earned.
# A refusal to reveal someone’s Earned Name to a listener who hasn’t earned the right to know it.
# A reference to someone’s real name, used when the listener already knows their Earned Name alias.

==== Earned Names Mentioned ====
Readers encounter more Earned Names than they might realize, scattered throughout the ''Tomes'' epigraphs and chapters involving the Touched. One of the most prominent is "Craven Raven," which recurs frequently, though only the most observant readers may deduce its true bearer. In the ''Tomes'', oddly capitalized words often signal Earned Names, so keep a sharp eye.