eachdraidh | [video; open to both courts]

Why... why would anyone do something like this?

[Someone has just found out about the library after returning to Caer Glaem, and judging from the stricken, teary state of her face and hushed voice, Grainne is pretty broken up about the attack. She honestly cannot understand why anyone would deliberately set fire to history.]

Why would you try to destroy something so valuable?

[She shakes her head. How could someone take something like books for granted, even so far as to burn them?]

So many things are lost to the ages that we will never retrieve, never regain, and that is with verbal history and story telling. We do not have "books" in our culture; over the years people have forgotten the histories we have passed down to our children because our history is only retained in memory. If someone is selfish or does not pass down what they know, it can be lost too easily! For everything that has been lost, we will never again know it!

[Don't mind the heartbroken, she just has Very Strong opinions on this.]

Do you not understand how wonderful such things are? How precious it is? Recording history in this way is almost a miracle! Can't you see why the loss of even one scroll is denying not just everyone living now, but those who come after us?

Why would anyone even attempt it...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Some people have absolutely no respect for others' property, I presume, even if it's something completely irreplaceable.

[He looks more vexed than anything, though at least that's in the ballpark of empathy...]

At least it's possible the books that were destroyed weren't one of a kind, though I wouldn't be surprised if they were, either. Perhaps I'll have to discuss it with the librarians...

[Perking up, Grainne takes a moment to process.]

The other man mentioned librarians, too.

[Sorry Waver, she's outing you.]

He also mentioned catalogs and publishers. You would know more about that sort of thing than I would, Lord Kayneth... it could not hurt to try?

Well, I'm sure someone else would, yes. Honestly, I'm not certain if they'd have exactly the same system here as we'd have back home, but I imagine it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to learn. Is there any particular time you'd be interested in starting...?

W-what?

[Grainne's startled expression perfectly matches her squeak.]

Me? But I do not know anything about books...

...well, if you're a total novice, it may be a bit difficult, but I can't say I mind a challenge. You've got to start somewhere, don't you?

Well, yes, that's true... do you think it will take long to learn how to read them?

Ah, well, it couldn't be that difficult. It's not too much difficult from reading anything else, after all.

[...you are literate right]

[Does Ogham count. She can read that...]

Then it should be not very different from Ogham? [A pause.} Everyone seems to speak the same language here, but I am certain that is the magic of this place. Would that work for books as well, I wonder...

I've read a few books thus far, and though I've never seen the script before, I seem to be able to read it. ...actually, I've had to make a concentrated effort to try and write in English.

Oh, magic... that would explain it. A translation spell or perhaps the script itself is magic.

[What? It isn't like they didn't use translation spells when trading with foreigners.]

What is English?

Something like that, yes. I'd imagine it's a spell --- or perhaps it's the shards themselves? I suppose it would be worth asking about.

...in any case, English... well, the island to the east of yours? It's the language of the native people of the southern end of it, give or take a few centuries' worth of development and an almost ludicrous amount of loanwords.

[Grainne stares for a moment, trying to figure out exactly who he is talking about.]

The Catuvellauni? Or the Dumnonnii?

[She might be about to get confused, here.]

There are several tribes on the southern end of Albu. It would be quite easy for me to understand them, though they would have their own dialect. The ones to the west have a... more odd way of speaking and it is very difficult to understand them.

[That would be Wales, Grainne.]

...ah, no, the Anglo-Saxons, actually. Believe me, Welsh is likely as absurd these days as it was back in your time, if not more so...

I... have never heard of those clans before.

[She is giving you the eye, Kayneth.]

...Ah.

[it's so weird talking to someone who hasn't been filled in on historical details through the holy grail...]

Well, maybe you will... eventually...?

[Grainne's stare intensifies.]

Did you forgot who my father is?

...well, no, of course not. Honestly, they're not that important, given that they're overtaken by a group across the channel to the south... eventually. The language does stick, though.

[A large group from the south?]

Are you referring to the Romans, Lord Kayneth? [That, honestly would set so much into place!]

Ah! Actually, no. This is after the fall of the Roman Empire. That does happen, and it was a bit foolish of me to assume that you'd already experienced that happening.

[A spark of joy crosses her face.]

Truly? They are fascinating people and strange to our ways, but they have been nothing but a burr in the side of those in the isles. If they are having problems so, they must leave at some point.

Well, I'm not so certain I'd say they ever leave, but I suspect that they'll just assimilate into the general population of where they're living after a time. The empire remains active in the east for several centuries thereafter, but the western half's administrative structure does collapse.

[Well, it's not as much as she hoped, but it's something...

For assimilating, she gives a small sigh. If they are cut off from their empire, it shouldn't be so hard to keep them in line, then...]

I suppose that is the way of it always after an invasion. They are not causing too many troubles right now, but my father always keeps an ear out for news. Tell me again how far into the future you are, Lord Kayneth?

Probably close to two thousand years, actually, give or take a century or so. I'm not really certain where, exactly, you two are placed in time, although this does help a bit.

...really, though, the Church is about as bothersome as the empire, if not more so...

Oh, hmm... ah... well...

...The Church?

[Oh no. Please. No. Kayneth. Please dear god no.]

Yes, watch out for imperialistic monotheistic religious sorts in the coming years. They're going to muck approximately everything up.

[KAYNETH YES]

[video; open to both courts]

[video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject