ataraxion | ☂ two ; video

[England clears his throat. This is his first video broadcast across the network, and he wants to avoid an embarrassing situation like his mistaking the text function for a telegram the first time.]

Right. Yes. This feels oddly informal but if that's what's done--

--I'll be brief and to the point: I've got two questions.

First, could anyone from Earth who's lived through the twentieth century tell me of its history? Ah, the version of Earth where the British Empire exists. I would like to know how the world changes in the next hundred years. It doesn't matter when or where you're from, I'm just very interested.

My second question is addressed to the users of magic on board the Tranquility. Sorcerers, witches, wizards, healers, mages; whatever you are, how does magic work in your world? What sort of spells do you use? Runes? Talismans? Perhaps a proxy via a familiar or even technology? I've been practicing magic for as long as I've been alive--that's over fifteen hundred years--but one can never learn too much.

--Ah, I'm rambling. Excuse me... [He straightens his shoulders, tilting his nose up to be as dignified as possible.]

At any rate, I've one more announcement: I'm willing to trade tealeaves for sewing supplies, or anything else. Especially alcohol.

[Arthur pauses, not sure how to end the feed, but he just decides on something simple.]

Thank you.

[*edit/ooc: I'm aware of what he's asking. Bring on the temporal spoilers.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's surprised and blushes at the use of darling, but he gets a hold of himself by clearing his throat and adjusting his collar as distractions.] Er, oh--Hello! Yes, hello. Good day.

--Runes, arcanists, I see. And from within, gifted from elsewhere? Such as a divinity or something?

[ She chuckles, smiling at the reaction. Cute. ]

Well, science says it's some sort of energy from the planet itself. Science hasn't really caught up to where it should be. The real party responsible calls themselves 'guides'. They're not divine, but just from... another dimension, if you like.

They're our 'imaginary friends' when we're little. Most people forget about them.

Really... [This is... somewhat different from the other variants of magic he's heard about. Generally they're all the same, but this is a little different. He likes different.]

If only science and magic went side by side in my world... My sort of magic is similar, in that it comes from the Earth, ourselves, almost everything that's natural. Those 'guides' though... Do they offer passage to their dimension? Is it anything like the ah, 'multiverse' we seem to be experiencing here?

No, they like to call themselves guides because they think they make us better.

[ Is that true? Fortescue isn't sure. They've been friends of humanity ever since the treaty with the elves. It's hard to say, at this point, with how long ago that was. ]

Magi like myself can go to one of their realms, but that's not knowledge most know. Most people scoff at the idea of them. [ In time, they'll accept them, Fortescue is sure. But as for now... ] Shadow exists in all places. It exists here. But it's not the Shadow I know, so I think it's simply different in all universes.

I've been told of something called the Fade, though I don't think one would classify it as shadow, or evil in itself. Reality does like to contradict itself with opposites; ice and fire, light and dark.

What I'd like to know, along with everyone else I'm sure, is how to reverse what's been done to us. And of course to keep ourselves safe for starters, which means knowing what we're up against. [Arthur exhales softly and runs a hand through his hair.] When I first read War of the Worlds I didn't think I'd actually ever venture off the planet myself.

[ She chuckles dryly. ]

Reversing the process to get everyone home seems so simple, when you arrive here, and yet, it's one of the many things we don't know how to do. I've been to other universes before, but not out into space.

[ Though a friend of hers has been to space, but he was on a much nicer craft and loved it, apparently... ]

To be honest, it doesn't seem simple at all. Nothing is. And in my time we've not achieved space travel. We're making good use of steam engines and also internal combustion, but... [he shrugs.] Bit of a long way off. Still. If there is a process, then that process can be reversed. It's just... logic, I dunno.

[... wait, wait wait, back up--]

You've been to other universes?! Really? While you were here or at home?

Home. [ That's probably a large portion of why it seems simple to her, Fortescue reflects. ] We've been using the technology for a very long time, to advance ourselves. ...Well, it's part technology, part magic. We've worked together with the States to make it more and more efficient. It used to black out the city for a few minutes whenever we powered the Gate up to send someone through.

☂ two ; video

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]