eachdraidh | second jive ⚛ video ⚛ open to both courts (backdated to approx Feb 20)

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second jive ⚛ video ⚛ open to both courts (backdated to approx Feb 20)

(Howard hadn’t been much use during the battle, and that was something he wasn’t particularly proud of. But then again, he had only just arrived when it suddenly came down on them, and he’d never been much of a fighter. Because of this he had stayed behind to assist with the evacuation of Caer Scima, choosing to help with the library, trying to save as much of the knowledge from there as possible. He remembered similar work being done during the war, the Nazis had tried to destroy so much so that the world could be shaped in their own image. Stealing art from museums and homes and those they didn’t think worthy of them, destroying books and art by artists so called “unpure” races. To this day they were still working to uncover art and relics that had been hidden away in homes of Nazi generals, or in underground or mountainous locations. And then of course there was the historical part, the burning of the great Library in Alexandria that he remembered reading about when he was a boy. How much knowledge of the world had been lost during that, and how many centuries had it set humankind back?

He didn’t know how much of the information that was found in the library would be available anywhere else. He’d only gotten to just touch the surface of what could exist within it, and already he’d found dozens of books that looked to be hand penned. Those were likely unique, and so they needed to be taken somewhere safe. So it was in the library he was when the walls started to come down. He’d been organising manageable stacks to be carried, others to be loaded onto horse drawn carts. Then there was a crash, and he remembers seeing fire begin to take a bookcase, and that he was moving to try to put it out, and blackness. The next thing he remembers is waking up with a freezing arm, it had burned and they were using some sort of cooling magic to heal it, and being told that he was in Spire 3, having been set on one of the carts he’d helped load on top of the books.

Shame wasn’t something most people thought of when they thought of Howard Stark, but for this he was ashamed that he hadn’t been able to do more. He’d try to tell them that he was in good enough shape to go out and fight, when he learned of the Jabberwock attack, he wanted to help, but they had forced him to stay put against his will. Of course, he won’t admit to any sense of shame, but it’d be noticeable around those who had fought, a reluctance to talk about what he had done, and what had happened. But he had survived, he’d saved some books, so at least he had that.

But he needed to get out of there, too. He needed some time to himself. He wanted to see if there was any way to recover some of the information that had been lost. Some sort of backup system in place, and the most likely place for that seemed to be this Station that he’d heard mentions of, which was where he had now decided to head. If nothing else, at least he’s been promised that it’s the sole place where technology works, and he wants to see what the future of it all holds.

He’s still unsure about the fairy rings, and whether or not he should trust them. He’s looked at the one here at the spire, walked around it, tried to see if there was anything secretly powering other than magic, but there doesn’t seem to be anything that he can see. So he wants to find out about other methods of transportation, if there are any. Walking would just take too long, but he’s not sure he trusts horses either.

Before he goes, however, he has some information he wants to ask about, maybe it’ll cut out some of the work for him.)

(The video feed clicks on, and while Howard looks tired and worn out, it could be a lot worse. There’s a bruise healing on his forehead, a cut on his cheek that’s almost disappeared thanks to a salve he was given to put on it, but in the right light you can see the light pink tightness of new skin. The smile that had been so easy going the first time he had come across the screen seems tighter now, more forced, but he’s always been one to try to maintain the façade of cool, calm and collected. He’s going to do that, now too.)

I have a couple of questions.

(He feels like maybe he should say more. Comment on the battles that occurred, that he hopes no one lost anyone close to them, but so much has already been said, and he still feels shame. He doesn’t want to be questioned of where he was and what he did.)

First of all: these fairy rings. How much is actually known about how they work? Have there ever been any ill effects caused by them? (Namely death, but he won’t say that out loud. Onto the next topic.) I want to go to the Station, and horseback just isn’t my style.

(Onto the next topic.)

I know that there are blacksmiths responsible for forging the weaponry here, and from what I understand, the metal they use comes from the dwarves. Is there any type of order form that’s used? Maybe a list of what kind of metals they have in their mines, and the corresponding prices? Or maybe in general just a list of what’s been found naturally in this place, I’ve been looking for information, but it’s been a bit of a struggle.

Lastly, to end on a high note: what do people do for fun around here? Does this place have a Vegas or Monaco or Riviera?

[private to Steve Rogers & James Barnes]

You guys make it through?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's kind of what I figured. So far most people I've encountered seem to just take the magic tale without really questioning it, but I'm not sure. I just don't fully trust what can't be explained, but if there haven't been any reports, I'll test it out. No one has disappeared in them, either?

So I've heard, but it seems a lot in general has been destroyed, and I need to get some information.

Someone should look into that. A nice town on the coast with good docking for sailing yachts. Mair sounds like a start, I see it on the map. I can stop by when I come back from the Station.

I think that because magic is an omnipresent thing here, people tend to accept it as a natural thing like sunlight or water. Sure, you can break those things down to better understand them, but for most, that's not so necessary. And no, no recorded disappearances.

Well, all I can say on that topic is travel safely, and trust your gut. In this place, it'll help a lot.

The south's an expensive area to buy property, and there's a lot of anti-shardbearer sentiment stirring up in the area. You'd need to move carefully with an idea like that.

But even people from, not here, seem to trust it, and just go with it. I think there has to be a better explanation about it than "it's magic". Why does it? How? Even if it is magic, how does the magic work? I want to break it down.

My gut doesn't always do right by me.

Realestate has never been my forte, really. I own a lot of properties back home, but they're just for my own, personal use. But I'd visit if someone set it up.

Learning to trust some aspect of magic is a huge part of adapting to the place - for better or for worse. But I'm not disagreeing with the desire to break it down into processes that can be understood. If you do that, then you can make massive improvements. Just like any piece of technology.

...Okay, find someone to go with you who does have a good gut.

The only thing I can offer for now is a coffee shop in the area.

I'm sure I'll come to trust it somewhat, I'm very interested to see if I can learn to wield it in some way. I just think there's more to it than it's that way because it is. Exactly. The more you know about something, the better you can make it.

Maybe.

A coffee shop? How normal.

The thing is that I have to wonder who else has had the same thought as you on this matter. Surely other shardbearers that are scientifically minded must have done similar research, and therefore records of that work must be out there somewhere. No point in reinventing the wheel if you can find those notes and then go off them.

A little bit of normal is nice, I think. Acts as a getaway from the craziness of the past ten months.

Maybe, but I don't want to poke a sleeping bear when it comes to it. I ended up in pretty bad shape after Caer Scima collapsed, and now I'm right as rain, practically, apparently thanks to magical salves and potions. I'm grateful to have them, and that they worked, so I don't want them turning against me just because I'm asking questions. But it's part of why I want to go to the Station.

Maybe I'll stop by if I come down that way. I could use a good old cup of joe.

Honestly, my suggestion was going to be to check the library to see if there's any older texts about this, but I've heard reports on how fucked the library was. I hope the Station yields something useful for you.

You're more than welcome. We try and have books on offer too.

Yeah, there isn't a lot that survived. I managed to help get a couple hundred out, a cartful, and then maybe other people took their own favourites too, but everything else was lost. I tried to grab everything that seemed irreplaceable.

I'll definitely try to stop by, then. If anything useful bookwise comes your way, let me know.

That's a lot more than what survived the last library fire in the Drabwurld, so thank you for that. Not being sarcastic at all, since tone sometimes get lost over text.

I tend to curate popular literature for the most part. But there's some useful atlases.

I still don't feel like it was nearly enough. And then they wouldn't let me out to go partake in the battle. I could, and should have done more.

It's good to have some material to relax with, too. I'm sure there'll be something that will peak my interests.

The Drabkeeper's library was destroyed in August. That place had records of the entire Drabwurld, and if any pieces of it have survived, no one knows. You did the most work you could with as many resources as you had available. Take pride in being able to save as much as you did.

Also, bluntly, better to not leap headfirst into a war you've been called into without understanding the stakes of it.

Hope you like mysteries. Curator bias.

Who was the Drabkeeper? That sounds terrible. Has anyone gone out searching for them? People usually don't keep their most valuable items with the rest, so even if the library was destroyed, there might be important works somewhere else. Well - thanks.

Maybe.

I've been known to pick up a good detective novel now and then. They make good movies, too.

From what I've heard, he was a former shardbearer. But that's actually a really good point about keeping valuable items with the rest. That'd....that's something to follow up on, actually.

God, we're lucky to have theatre here. I'd kill for being able to watch movies somewhere outside the Station.

Does anyone else remember him? Who might have more information? Huh, well thanks. I learned the hard way that you shouldn't keep all your favourite things in one place, it makes it a lot easier for someone to clean you out all at once. Yeah? I don't have anything better to do.

They have those at the Station, too? I'm definitely going to have to go there now.

Not that I've met, but it never hurts to open up a line of inquiry. Goodness knows what might come out of the woodwork with what's happened this past month.

Definitely, although depending on when you're from, expect a lot of unfamiliar titles.

I'll be sure to ask around. Anywhere I can reach you if I find anything interesting?

1946?

The Barrel, Aghmhor.

--Ah, you've got a lot of catching up to do then. I'm from 2014 London, and I'd say things are roughly contemporary.

I'll make a note of it.

It just means I won't have to read anything twice.

True enough and then some. Although you could probably spend an entire life at the Station, and still not have gone through everything.

I worry there's going to be technology there beyond even the furthest reaches of my imagination. I might never leave.

Pft, if you did never leave, you'd be able to avoid all the horseshit of this place.

Based on what I've seen so far, that's appealing.

Believe me, I had that temptation when I first arrived.

it didn't work out for you?

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