(no subject)

[aceso]

Character(s): Christine
Status: Open
Location(s): In libraries in Krimnos and the City of Whatever it's Name is This Week
Date(s) April 1-17
About: Christine's idea led to a research compling mission, and a strange sight in Idan's libraries and bookstores.
Warnings: Only if you don't like reading about metal wasps.



The idea was one she thought probably wasn't feasible, else someone would have thought of it before. But it turns out the project is not only possible, but bigger than she could have imagined. Helping people in the future have access to more knowledge at their fingertips is a noble goal, but she has to admit that she's doing this for herself too. Not only will she hopefully get to use this book in her own lifetime, but she's getting paid for doing the legwork too.

{ krimnos }
She starts in the city of the Tinkers after they test their knowledge-gathering wasps on their own Academy's library first. Then she's set loose with a box containing the metal wasps and sent on her way. The project can be done at her own pace, but she's so excited that she heads to another library in Krimnos straight away.

She can be found sitting at a desk, thumbing through a book and giving someone a look, eyebrows raised. "Please don't swat at my wasps. They aren't going to sting you."


{ city of free peoples, aka freeps }
Her work in Krimnos is far from done. Gathering all the information in all the books will take time, but she wants to move on to other things. After a brief stop at home, she journeys southwest to the city of so much conflict recently, to see if King Ardis' soldiers have been in anymore scraps with werewolves, Defenders, or both and need her healing services. While in the area, she heads into the city to visit a library and sets a box on one of the tables. Opening the lid, the two metal wasps go flying out to scan as many books as they can. A patron looks at the wasps, looks at Christine, and looks at the falcon now sitting on the table before quickly clutching a book to their chest and scurrying to the front desk. Christine sighs and looks at her animas.

"I guess we'll have to get the information out of that particular book next time, hm?"

Comments

freeps

[kingsroads]

Moving was always a hassle. Having obtained a place in Didymos, Strange still found himself returning to the City of Free Peoples in order to check on everything and settle a few affairs. Of course, why not get some research done as well? He had been in the back of the library, studying, when he couldn't help but overhear someone gossiping about wasps and a falcon. Curiosity piqued, Strange decided to investigate.

He can't help but give Christine a wry smile as he spots her. "You know, normally I'm the one causing trouble and drawing attention. It's wonderful to be on the other side of that."

He's obviously teasing. And, as he does so, Strange walks over, peering into the metal box once he reaches the table.

[aceso]

Christine lifts her head from her book and returns the expression.

"It's such a popular pastime with you that I thought I would see what it's all about. As long as I don't end up blacklisted from any of Idan's libraries, I think I'll be successful."

The box on the table beside her is currently empty, but seeing how it's lined with velvet and has cut outs perfectly shaped to hold wasps, it requires some explanation.

"I've been set with a task," she begins, gesturing towards the box. "Its occupants are currently gathering information from books for me to take back to the Tinkers in Krimnos."

[kingsroads]

"You won't be blacklisted in Didymos. I've got access to their university libraries: I can put in a good word for you there." Which Strange is very pleased about, don't mind him being a little smug with regards to his status in the university libraries.

But the wasps are a mystery that he wants to figure out. So, Strange looks back at the box and continues his line of questioning.

"What sort of information do the wasps store? Can they store a full text in there or just some highlights?"

[aceso]

"I've been told they take the total contents of the book. Once entered into the source book, you can access it by selecting the book through the page of the source book where the other book's title is written."

It's amazing that the Tinkers were able to translate her idea so fluidly. She's very proud of their skill, as well as herself for having the idea.

[kingsroads]

He can't help but raise an eyebrow. That sounds absolutely amazing. The total contents? That means those wasps must carry a ton of information. Strange lets himself daydream for a moment before he goes right back to asking more questions.

"Do you have a specific criteria for the books read by the wasps or is it just as many of them as possible?"

Krimnos

[cryptsleeper]

Alucard's current life (slightly settled, renovating his home) meant that he traveled to Krimnos once every fortnight or so, picking up supplies and generally focusing less on the world and far more on himself and Trevor. They had earned selfishness at this point.

So arranging a meeting with Christine required a little finagling on Alucard's schedule, but here he was, entering the Academy's library with his winter coat still on, carefully removing his gloves. It wasn't a new space to him, he had done research before in such a place, but there were new details.

Like wasps.

He doesn't react to them with much more than a side eye at first, walking over to her table.

"They're yours?" he asks, curiosity clear in his voice.

[aceso]

"In a manner of speaking," she replies, looking up from her book. "They were put in my charge by the Tinkers. I told them my idea about the book and they were very excited about it. But all the information that goes into it has to be collected out of the original books so they gave me these wasps to do just that."

[cryptsleeper]

Very excited. The words roll over Alucard's mind, and there is a small smile when they are said. It was worthwhile going to the Tinkers then, and they hadn't thought of the idea before. That's something to be far too proud of, and Christine is playing it incredibly down low.

"So the wasps...absorb the information, transmit it to the book, and then...?"

Alucard's tone is a hushed, curious excitement, and he proceeds to lean over to try and get a look at the book.

[aceso]

"I think they have to extract it from the wasps somehow, because I'm meant to bring them back to transfer it to the source book." The book before her has already been scanned by one of the wasps, so both of the little golems are busy at the shelves, but it's open to a page about gardening.

"And once they make copies of the source book, they'll start distributing it among the libraries of the world and they should all update as the source book receives more information."

[cryptsleeper]

"So the wasps read the information, but there's an in between part of the information in the wasps and the information as it goes into the source book. That's interesting."

Alucard's certain that he'd hover over the book to watch that happen, if the opportunity ever presented itself.

"...Is there anything already stored in the source book to see how it works in practice?"

krimnos.

[swordproof]

Six is not naturally a bookish person - that was never her forte, and the world had known it - but after years of being dead and then being brought back... She thinks she ought to do something to try and see what she has missed. She wants to see if there are any mentions of temples for Seyra, somewhere she can go to pledge herself again, bending the knee to the God she had been so happy to cherish for her entire life.

She only pauses when she sees Christine, hesitating for a moment before she smiles softly.

"If I have your word then I will not feel threatened."

[aceso]

Christine returns the smile and closes the book in front of her.

"They're part of a research gathering project," she explains. "Metal golems that can absorb information and put it magically into a source book. I'm very excited about it." And it shows on her face.

"How have you been?"

[swordproof]

None of that seems to register on Six's face for a moment, but she nods her head anyway. Golems that can learn information and place them in a book... A magical marvel, surely, even if the mechanics of it are beyond her.

All the same, she moves closer and nods her head, awkwardly shaped with her height in the midst of a library. If she's not careful she might touch the roof.

"Well enough, thank you. And yourself?"

[aceso]

"I'm doing very well. These last few months I've been traveling between the major cities, but I've finally found a place to live." An unconventional house, to be sure, but one she feels suits her somehow.

The book lying before her is on the subject of gardening and she gestures to the cover. "I'm going to plant a garden soon. Mainly alchemy ingredients, but I may as well do food too."

[swordproof]

"I am glad for you. Having a place to return to must be a wonderful anchor to have." It's not something that Six has much experience with herself; she had never felt at home where she was born and since then travel had been more comfortable for her.

Leaning forward, Six glances at the book.

"Is there much that might work for healing? I may be able to help with that."

free peoples

[forswore]

Daud's also in the library, as it happens, having marked Christine's arrival but not drawing attention to himself yet -- though he may or may not stand out anyway, as this is an odd place to see a mercenary-looking tiefling, as it happens. At the small commotion, he'll actually look up from his book.

That doesn't mean he's greeting Christine just yet. He'll watch her for a few moments instead, waiting to see what she's up to.

[aceso]

The wasps busy themselves along the front and back of one tall bookcase, gently buzzing their wings as they hover over the spine of each book, taking in the information contained within.

Christine moves along the shelves, fingertips just brushing against the volumes before her as she does her own search. In doing so, she comes to the end of a row and turns, spotting Daud.

"Oh, hello."

[forswore]

When he's acknowledged, Daud nods to Christine. The wasps are peculiar things, no doubt, and he's clearly curious about them, unable to discern what they're for at a glance, only that they move with purpose.

"Did you make those? I didn't know you had a talent for alchemy," he comments, letting his gaze linger on the wasps a moment longer before turning his attention to Christine and raising his brows.

[aceso]

She raises her brows back, but it's because she realizes they haven't really gotten to know one another yet, despite their trip to Einjar.

"I once owned a shop where I sold my alchemical potions," she says with a bit of a smile. "But that was another life. As for these creatures: I didn't build them; the Tinkers in Krimnos did, based on an idea I had for an invention. They're gathering information for a source book."

[forswore]

"Gathering information for a book?" Daud echoes. It's easier to talk about the tinkering than any (literal) previous lives, so he'll focus his attention on the inventions instead.

"Sounds like quite the project. Is it anything in particular, or just any book?"

freeps

[exaomori]

What is Shura doing in a library?? It's probably something super shady, but that's not the point. The point is that someone is making trouble, and Shura wants to stick her nose into somebody else's business. It's a fun way to distract herself from all the werewolf nonsense going on, and she recognizes Christine's face.

"Nyaha, causing trouble, huh?"

Is the teasing purely for Shura's benefit or trying to test Christine's patience? The world may never know.

Re: freeps

[aceso]

Christine's face is all innocence. She's never caused trouble a day in her life. How dare.

"Certainly not. Some people just haven't seen metal golems before."

[exaomori]

Uh huh. Shura completely believes that innocent look. That's the face of someone who could cause all sorts of trouble if she weren't so tightly wound up.

"They aren't the friendliest lookin' things. They some new toy of yours?"

They're wasps, Christine, some people are going to be a little spooked.

[aceso]

"Not toys. Research tools," she says, eyes moving to watch the creatures for a moment. "They're collecting knowledge for me to take back to the Tinkers at the Academy in Krimnos."

[exaomori]

"Depending on who you ask, they could be one and the same," Shura replies cheerfully. She might be holding back the impulse to go poke at one of them. The only thing holding her back is the potential that they might actually have some kind of stinger built in as a defense mechanism. "Those guys seem like that type!"