oo3 . video, backdated to early day 269

[watchher]

[ 'Sup, Asgard. You know who hasn't posted to the network in ages? Giles. ]

Rather recently, um, I've found employment as a librarian in Odin's library-- it's a truly marvelous place, for any newcomers who might not yet have visited. I do thoroughly recommend as a source of knowledge, and, well, hugely useful as a means of combating boredom.

[ Giles fidgets with his glasses, and looks, for a moment, a little wistful. ]

Before arriving in Asgard, my resume boasted a year as the proprietor of a magic shop, which seems... perhaps a field less in demand, here. I do find Asgard's system of alchemy and runes thoroughly fascinating, though certainly in need of further research. It does, um, prompt one particular line of curiosity-- I'm aware that asking broad questions of the masses has become a common network practice.

I'd certainly be interested to know-- how many among us come from a world wherein magic is commonplace? Whether in secret or as a matter of public knowledge. I'd fallen under the impression that it's a rather large proportion. Perhaps similarities of this nature will offer some insight as to why those who were chosen... were, more or less.

Beyond that, I'm aware that a number of Travellers do operate their own businesses -- though a majority seem to be restaurants. I did very much enjoy it, at home. [ He does love being a librarian, but he misses the Magic Box. ]

Comments

[averagemedium]

I'm not sure how commonplace it was, really, but. Mine at least had it? I mean, I was only sort of-- peripherally aware, I guess? Knew it was there, I just didn't have any real aptitude for it. All I really knew was just basic stuff, like-- like preventative measures and that kind of thing, but those didn't take any ability. Just had to know what to put where at what part of the moon cycle and that business. Sort of folksy stuff.

[He shrugs one shoulder, brushing some of his hair away from his face. Not that he'd ever put much stock in those measures, but one took the extra protection they could get in his line of work.]

That's, um. That's really the best I can do on that, all my study was more on the supernatural side rather than magical, but neither of those was really well-known outside its own circles, y'know?

[watchher]

I do. Um, know what you mean, that is. 'Supernatural rather than magical' describes my general area of expertise, as well, though the two have a habit of becoming intertwined with some regularity. Dealing with spirits often requires knowledge of some rituals, and so on.

video because I forgot to specify, oops.

[averagemedium]

[That perks his interest right up, and he leans forward a bit.]

Do you deal with them often? Well. Did, I guess I should say. That was sort of my job back where I'm from-- not officially or anything, but. Yeah.

video;

[pushesgently]

Where I come from, there were objects of power that seemed to be magic. Certainly some believed they were so. But things beyond our understanding may not remain so forever.

This library. Does it contain information solely from this world, or from the many from which we've been plucked?

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[watchher]

That seems... a practical view on it. Certainly, regarding something as magical doesn't mean we should abandon efforts to understand.

It contains rather little information from this world, as it happens. Most volumes come from our own worlds, and countless others, I expect -- if you value knowledge, it's certainly a place which ought to be seen. The diversity is... quite something. [ yes okay Giles, we know you want to marry the library. ]

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[pushesgently]

I'd care not for labels, but too often, men who called them magic did exactly that. [He gives Giles a sort of respectful nod.] That should only be the beginning.

I would like to see this library. In my own time, I sought out knowledge as much as I could, but my duties and the issue of travel presented difficulties. But there is much in any world worth knowing.

[Video]

[childofthewickedday]

A magic...shop?

[Frown of frowns. Fake!Uther why are you near a shop of...magic?]

[Video]

[watchher]

[ Giles still mostly regards Mordred as "the little boy who is unduly terrified of him," so this comes cautiously: ]

Yes. Um, a shop which sells ingredients for spells, minor charms, things of that nature. Magical items.

[scarygirl]

Do you mean humans with magic were commonplace, or others?

[watchher]

Um, either, I suppose. In my own world, humans with magic were decidedly common, but all manner of other beings were present.

video;

[firetothereign]

Magic was all over the place where I'm from. We just, uh, kind of kept a lid on it. Don't look behind the curtains kind of stuff. Governments knew-- at least parts of 'em-- but it wasn't exactly on CNN.

[Just Youtube.]

Me and Farrow are from the same place, but I was more on the magical side of things. Less ghosts, more witches.

[He looks wistful as he speaks. Someone get him a broomstick, stat.]

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[watchher]

Ah. It sounds remarkably like my own world, in that case.

[ Giles doesn't even know what youtube is-- which, to be fair, is because he's from 2001, not just because he's Giles. ]

I dealt rather frequently with both ghosts and witches -- though perhaps more often the latter, for me as well. [ The witches were more often friendly, anyway. ]

[video]

[dreamspinning]

[only half of ushahin's face is visible on the video, the other half cut off by the edge of the screen. behind him are bookshelves that appear to be both quite full and semi-organized at best]

It has been a pleasant enough diversion, thus far.

[video]

[watchher]

[ Somewhere deep in Giles' librarian soul, he notes the cluttered shelves and feels an aching need to organize. But, still; full bookshelves are a welcome sight, and he nods, something like approving. Having not spent much time in Loki district, he's not yet realized the presence of a Traveller-run bookshop. ]

Pardon-- you operate a business here? Truth be told, the wealth of knowledge available in Asgard has become... the only lasting diversion I've discovered so far.

[audio]

[bulletwithmyname]

We have magic. Talents, mostly--skills people are born with. There's a lot more than people think, but most of it's kept under wraps by the government.

[audio]

[watchher]

That does seem to be a common complaint -- the, ah, trouble of governments. What sort of skills, if I may ask?

Video ||

[44brains]

Unless you count Penn and Teller or Carrot Top, there's no such thing as magic. At least not in my world.

Video || 1/2

[watchher]

[ Giles... didn't register much of that, as he's too busy startling at the familiar face. Which is a shame, because the words she's saying make it very clear that this is not, say, an ex-rogue Slayer whom he'd thought was in prison.

Is this how the Camelot kids feel, he suddenly understands. ]

I, ah--

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[watchher]

[ Chill, Giles, either she's mastered new levels of disaffected sarcasm -- though he at least would've expected a smirk and a greeting -- or it's further facetwin trouble. Or amnesia. He's from Sunnydale, so magic amnesia seems like a perfectly valid option.

Regardless, he's really confused. ]

Yes, well. Um. Faith?

video;

[brokennotmad]

Where I come from there was no magic. [Though it would have been nice if there had been, maybe. Maybe things wouldn't have got so bad back home.] And we didn't have many books, at least not outside the schools. What kind of books do you have? I mean, any you would suggest we read?

video;

[watchher]

Oh-- the library holds all manner of things. Fiction and nonfiction from more worlds than one can count. I'm not certain where I would begin to make recommendations.

[ You can't ask a guy like Giles his favorite book-- you'd at least need to give him a genre to start with, to help narrow it down. ]

Um, is there any category you particularly enjoyed at home?

[wasthemaster]

[You had him at "magic", Giles.]

I'm a wizard. Where I'm from magic's incredibly common despite the fact we have to keep it hidden from muggles.

[watchher]

'Muggles' being those who aren't wizards, I assume? Out of curiosity-- does that include those with power who aren't aware of it, or simply those without inherent magical ability? What I'm accustomed to is more the former -- most individuals have at least some small measure of ability.

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[upholsteredvelvet]

Magic is commonplace though held secret from the general populace where I come from.

video

[watchher]

Much like my own world, then. It, ah, seems to be a common response.