Hmm... Could he have been hiding something under the mattress? It would be strange for a wizard to hold something hidden, rather than magically guarded, like in the chest.
"Stay away from the chest, it's probably trapped", Ransel steps toward the bed and says "Could someone help me to lift this mattress?"
OOC: While someone shuffels over to me, I'd like to check under the bed.

The matress is made of several woven straw mats over rope stretched over a wooden frame. Between the straw is a book, the cover is leather from the face of a human or humanoid stretched tight, lips sewn shut and with yellow quartz gems in the eyes. It is bound in silver and locked with a small intricate lock. It makes you uneasy to look at it.

Ransel kneels beside the bed and stares at the book for a long time. Hesitantly, he reaches for it, and finally touches it.
OOC: Unless the book has some effect on me touching it, I want to move it closer to me and study the lock.

Ikaruga took a step back, expecting just about anything to happen.

The book has no visible effect when touched, the lock, like most book locks is intricate but not overly strong or complex.

Ransel releases a breath and puts the book infront of him. He studies the lock for a moment, takes out his lock tools and starts clicking bolts into place in the lock.

You unlock the book

"There. My work with the book is done. If anyone wants to open it, be my guest." Ransel walks up to the chest and starts inspecting it for traps. "Don't come close to me, I think I see a splinter trap here!"
That'll keep them at bay he thinks.

The chest lock is pretty standard, it came with the room. You detect no traps.

Ransel starts his picking on the lock.

OOC: Aww, come on people! Where the heck is everybody!?