(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.

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]

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."

[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?"

[aceso]

"Not yet. By the time I return, they should have the book ready to test. It's why I'm starting with the Academy library. It's close by and convenient. They can sort out any kinks to their system pretty quickly."

From close by comes a buzzing sound as one wasp flies by to a new shelf and starts taking in information as is slowly hovers in front of the books.

[cryptsleeper]

"...How long did they say it might take?"

Is that the sound of a wasp buzzing or a dhampir getting weirdly excited? Yes.

[aceso]

"To get the book made and ready to receive all this? Probably no more than a couple of days." Christine smiles, sensing his excitement.

"You'll want a front row seat to see it working, won't you?"

[cryptsleeper]

"If it's within the next day or so, yes, if you don't mind."

There's too much to do back home for Alucard to stay too long in the city, but this is important.

[aceso]

"I'm sure the inventors would love to show it off." They had been so genuinely excited when she proposed her idea that Christine had realized at that point she'd been worried over nothing. She thought maybe they would laugh at her idea or think her silly for coming up with fanciful things.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, but this could be huge moving forward, couldn't it?"

[cryptsleeper]

"I'm only here for one night," he admits. "Home is a little journey away, I'm afraid, and I'm due back to continue renovation work. Would you be willing to use the couriers if that deadline is unacceptable?"

Alucard knows that home is more important. It's putting back so many broken things, and making it all livable.

"Mm. The potential for everyone to have knowledge without having to be a student or apply for permission to the academies is massive. Have you named this invention yet?"

[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]

"Of course. Especially now that I better understand the feature to show our environments." She still prefers the audio feature, but the others have their uses.

"I've called it The Compendium of All Knowledge. I know it's not a flashy title, but it says what it is."

[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.

[cryptsleeper]

"Thank you." He has a rug to go pick up in an hour or two, and that's important. Silly as it sounds, of course, but important.

As for names though, there's a contemplation. Alucard hums, thoughtful. "It does seem a bit verbose."

[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.

[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]

"Well, most encyclopedias are," she replies with a shrug. "Better people know what it is than guess at it."

Off to the side, the wasp is slowly hovering up and down as it goes through the books. The buzz of its wings is becoming familiar to her now, and it's a reminder on how she's bringing a change to the world in her own small way. The second wasp is still busy with the stacks behind her, but she occasionally looks over to make sure no one is messing with her precious little knowledge-gatherers.

"I haven't had the opportunity to use metal golems in the past," she says thoughtfully, glancing at one. "It's incredible what they can do, isn't it?"

[aceso]

"It's as many as possible. Libraries are my main objective, but any books will do. It's going to be all subject matters."

As she speaks, a wasp flies by to the next shelf.

"Incredible, aren't they?"

[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?"

[cryptsleeper]

"Perhaps an acronym would be wise?"

It's only for the sake of quickly naming the thing in shorter conversations. Alucard's eyes go over to the nearby wasp though, and his gaze lingers as the little thing works away. All of this from one conversation. There's a faint smile on Alucard's face, and it makes him wonder if perhaps there's a way to have a version of his father's library again - just stored in one space. He remembers many of the titles, in no small part because he bought the books. It's possible.

"I've never known golems to be so widely used," Alucard offers softly. "It's amazing how far all of this has come since our time." A polite way to say since we died. "What might have happened if dragons endured? We wouldn't be so far advanced."

[kingsroads]

"They're amazing," Strange admits, with some awe in his voice. He looks over at the wasp before turning back to Christine. This could be useful to him as well as the general good.

"How do you search through the information the wasps have obtained? Can you find a specific subject like you could with a regular library?"