Summary: Dorian needs to know about space. Ray realizes that Dorian doesn't just need to know about "space", but about the whole concept of a heliocentric solar system. And indeed, the concept of a "solar system".
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The information contained within this log is to be considered information gained Out of Character (OOC).
This information may not be used as In Character (IC) knowledge or in roleplay unless it has been learned in-game or permission has been granted by the parties involved.
Questions should be directed to staff.
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Ray was standing behind the counter, leaning reading from a large book. From somewhere on the back of the bookshop played Robert Johnson's Crossroad Blues. Ray was mostly ignoring the few people in the bookshop outside of a random comment here or there. "Break it and you bought it." He didn't even look up when he said this.
The door dings again-- or rings, or pops, or whatever sound it usually makes when it opens. And of course it's Dorian. He does come to the shop quite often. Not only for the books, for the music. But yes. He's there. He generally doesn't bother to dress in anything but his usual type of outfit, thanks to the oddness of the place. If Twisted had been less 'everything throw into the same pot', Dorian might have bothered to fit in better. But he's just dressed in his light leather armor, with the white, asymmetrical cloak over it. He has a staff slung across his torso by a strap. His look just screams 'mage'.
He seems to pause a moment after he enters, and then he heads to the counter. "Excuse me," he began politely. His voice is a posh-sounding British, but.... not-British, if that makes sense. If Ray looks up he'll see a man with bronzed skin like an Italian, impeccably groomed hair and a mustache that he obviously takes very good care of. "I'm looking for a book on 'space', if you have it," he requests. He says the word 'space' as though it's rather a foreign concept to him.
Ray did look up at the sound of the voice addressing him. He closed the book he was reading and pushed his glasses up into his hair. "Space?" He asked as if skeptical. Only because of the tone it was used. "Aisle three is what we carry on science fiction. Now if your asking about Space like the space program, which I'm guessing not, that's over here against the wall." He motioned over to one of the walls. "Apollo 13, star charts, and even astrology if that catches your fancy."
Dorian pauses a moment, with a frown of thought. "Well, you see... I'm not quite sure exactly what it is I'm looking for." He seems not happy at having to admit that. "I am from a world that seems to have an archaic level of technology, possibly switched out for a higher level of magic, if what I've read thus far is correct. Someone mentioned the concept of 'space', and I'm trying to see if I can figure out more about it. Admittedly I rather have the feeling I'm approaching it the wrong way 'round."
Floating about the shop one of the employees of Ray's Occult Books is seen. It's none other than Flandre Scarlet! The vampire girl literally floats in the air waving her rainbow colored wings as she carries with her a bunch of books. As she approaches Ray and Dorian, she gives them both a quizzical look before wandering around the shop again putting books in order. She's pretty much imitating what Koakuma did in Patchouli's library.
Ray nodded at that. "Yeah, a lot of us magic's not really something people believe in. Obviously I'm not one. Having the bookstore specializing in the occult after all." He spoke as he motioned a hand around leaning more on the cabinet. "But, space is just a wide term." He pushed off the counter, lifting a hand to give an half wave to Flandre, and made his way around motioning for Dorian to follow him as he moved to the far wall. "Most of these books have to do with earth's views. At least a version of earth." He stood looking up at the shelf and pulled down of all things a book of starcharts and started to thumb through pages.
Dorian's attention is drawn to Flandre moving around. He has to look twice, but he doesn't quite completely double-take. It's a near thing, though. It's an odd thing to see a girl with rainbow crystal wings with a pile of books in arm. He does offer a wave in her direction, though. However, when Ray moves, Dorian looks back to him. He does follow when requested. Though he seems a little confused at the star charts. "Hm. Perhaps I should ask this, then. Conceptually, what is it? It was likened to the Void in Thedas, my world-- nothing can exist there, neither mortal nor god, except the evil gods that have supposedly been banished there according to elven myth."
Flandre cheerfully waves to Ray and continues stuffing the books back in shelves. As he and the customer moved out of the main counter to go further into the shop, Flandre flew over the top of them and took her place behind the counter to cover for Ray. As the two move back and Dorian gives her a semi double take, the vampire girl waves cheerfully back at Dorian too, her colorful wings flapping behind her, which manage to miraculously not to know anything.
Ray looks up from the charts a moment, weighing on the question. Moments like these he needed Egon. "Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space." He quoted a book at him, because while he could explain it, and god could he he knows he would lose the man and likely everyone else in the shop if he started to really go into the vast details of what Space was. After a second he closed the star charts. "Okay, if you want a real answer, you would need to understand the universe. Hey, Flandre, there's a globe in here somewhere, any chance you could find that for me real quick?" he asked looking over to the counter. As he put the starcharts up and motioned for Dorian to sit down in one of the chairs nearby.
Dorian looks at those wings. How are they keeping the girl aloft? It should be like flapping bare wires in one's hands while jumping off a cliff... Ray's words get his attention, though, and he looks back to the other man. "I got the feeling it was... rather large, yes. The sun apparently is just another star, but we're close enough to it to see it larger?" he confirms. "I've yet to see how this works." And then he's asked to sit in one of the chairs. He nods, and does so, unslinging the staff from his back so that he can place it on the ground next to him.
"Yep!" Flandre chirps back to Ray as he asks for the globe. Should be right here, she thinks to herself and quickly dives behind the counter to start rummaging through things. It doesn't take long and she manages to not blow up anything either! Soon, the figure of Flandre is seen peeking from behind the counter again and she flies over to the two men carrying the globe. "Here ya go, Ray!" She giggles handing it to the owner of the shop. Again, her crystal wings continue to flap about as if they are actually doing anything to keep her afloat. In truth, they aren't, but since she's now close to Dorian and the mage is keeping a close eye on her, he'll know how she's manage to fly. This tiny blond girl has a TREMENDOUS amount of magic in her, almost enough to give a severe headache to any magic users that are actively scanning her. Its quite possible that the only thing keeping this girl in check is city's barrier.
No big deal though, as soon as she's handing over the globe to Ray she flies back to the counter humming to herself. Even world destroying vampires need to get jobs in Twisted.
"Thanks." Ray responds once she gives him the globe. "And they say you can't find good help," he complimented as he held the globe before Dorian and spun it once. "You have the right idea. Yes, the sun is a star and we are close to it, Our sun's not to terribly old for a Star either, anyway so, the earth rotates on it's axis like so." He started to move the globe around in a wide circle. "It circles the sun, with the rest of the planets. And that's at least part of our galaxy, the Milky way. We are just one of a unprecedented number of galaxies. Space is beyond vast, now Twisted, that's something else entirely."
Ah. That would explain it. As Flandre nears, Dorian gets the magical equivalent of standing near a blast furnace. He doesn't even have to actively scan her; indeed he realizes that might be a very bad idea, in fact. Probably especially now.
Anyway. Ray's got the globe set up, and starts explaining how things worked. Dorian listens, a thoughtful expression on his face. "So... even we are in this void?" he inquires. "Rather... a normal world is?" This seems to be where he's hung up; he's not sure what the relation of the void is to the world in and of itself. He hasn't used the word 'planet', either. He's lacking the basics of the basics.
"Well, yeah, the ozone layer keeps the harmful stuff in space from doing the planet any harm. So even the great vaccume of space doesn't really hurt the world. This is elemen...oh yeah magic world." He snaps his fingers and with the globe under one hand looks over the shelf again. "What you need is a beginners book, it's may seem a little degrading but trust me. You may need to start with the basics."
"I'm beginning to think that, yes," Dorian replies. "You see, my world still believes that beyond the sky is where the gods live. Heaven, to make an analogy that might be easier to understand. The afterlife. The Fade. Nothing that can be proven with the eyes, but can only be told about in legends. I get the feeling the reality is far stranger than that."
"Yeah, even with all of our science we still have some people that believe that kind of stuff. Not that theirs not an afterlife, ghosts are real." There was no hesitation in his tone, as he held over a brightly colored kid's book on space and planets. "Reality is, so start small and dream big."
"Nothing wrong with that," Dorian replies. He accepts the book, tilting his head as he looks at the cover. It does feel a little odd to be looking at a children's book, but it's true, he needed the basics of the basics. And while Dorian might be an arrogant ass, he also knows when he doesn't know something and shouldn't pretend like he does. He opens the book, flips a page. "Hmm..." he notes thoughtfully. Flips a page. "Ah. Now this makes more sense," he notes. Pageflip. "A 'planet'. A round chunk of earth floating in this Void." When he says 'earth', it isn't the same way as someone from Earth would say it.
Ray nodded a bit as he pushed his glasses up a bit. "Well, simply put yes, but it's more complicated. The void as you call it, we all space if I am understanding your thoughts and how history viewed things. The 'void' would be filled with hundreds if not millions of galaxies. The earth, the planet I called home, is part of the Milky Way Galaxy." He sat the globe off on the shelf and started trying to figure out how would he explain to a child. Clearly the man wasn't a child but again, basics. "Your world has a sun right? Gravity?"
Dorian is flipping through that book as he listens to Ray. Make no mistake, he is definitely paying attention. This is clear when he emits a surprised sound, his brows raising, in response to 'millions of galaxies'. Still looking at the book, he asks, "Worlds within worlds, then. Definitely quite a bit more complicated than I thought. But then, that's what happens when you introduce new elements. They all have to fit together somewhere." He looks up when Ray asks about the sun, and nods. "It does, yes. Sun, moon, stars, land, and seas. It was what you might call 'normal'. Well, aside from the Fade."
Ray made a bit of a face that showed he wasn't sure where to move forward here. He moved to pull down a larger book, laying it on one of the smaller shelves. Ray was just at six one, so leaning on a little shelf was nothing. He flipped pages till he found a star chart and motioned Dorian over. "Lets just say you have the right idea. This wont be something you can learn and understand in just a day. Your basically haveing to rewrite everything you know to learn something new. Which might not work for you. Coming to twisted makes you see how different worlds can be." He explained. "Well, tell me about this Fade. And I'll see if I can't figure out what it would be in a scientific sense."
Dorian notices the movement, and nears where Ray has the book open to the star chart. None of the constellations pictured looked familiar, but that wasn't surprising. But he does nod to Ray's assessment of the situation. But he gives a reassuring smile. "All part of the scientific process, my good man. Conclusions are drawn from available facts. When those facts change, or more facts become available, the conclusion must be refined." Well, that might help a bit, if he understands the process he's going to be having to go through. As for the Fade? "A similar task, to explain the Fade. People tend to enter the Fade when they dream. Dwarves don't, because they don't dream. And I've heard the Qunari claim they don't, either. But Qunari are capable of magic, so I'm not sure. A mage, like myself, remembers their time in the Fade-- we're what you might call 'lucid dreamers'. Non-mages don't remember. The soul enters the Fade permanently upon death. I believe you might call it an astral plane?"
Ray nods back and smiles at that. "Exactly. I am glad to hear you agree." Ray nods again as he listened, reaching up to pull off his glasses a moment. "Yeah, that sounds like the Astral plane." He looked to Dorian a moment. "That's a beast we can talk about another day. I can give you a couple starter books to get you going but, again different realities may mean this information may not pretain to your world."
Dorian nods. "That's to be expected," he acknowledges, regarding some of the material not pertaining to his world. "Much like people, it's the differences between the worlds that make them interesting. But it's possible I could take away enough to have a... 'modern' understanding of this. Although..." He pauses, rubs his chin. "You said the ozone layer keeps the void... er, space from doing harm to a planet. Something like... say, putting a note into a bottle and closing it so the ocean won't ruin it while it travels across an ocean?"
"Yes, I could set you up with that easily." He looked back to the bookshelf already thinking of books to send with the man. "We'll treat this like a library, I dont usually loan out books but I'm going to loan you four to read over. It'll help. Just bring them back when your done." He turned to the shelf to look for the other three before looking back. "Yes, exactly like that actually. Just its an invisable layer instead of a bottle."
"Thank you," Dorian replies, with a respectful nod. "That would be very helpful. I'll bring them back when I'm finished with them," he promises. The thought of an 'invisible barrier' doesn't surprise him-- that's precisely what his barrier spell is, after all, an invisible barrier that protects a person from damage in battle. He can follow that to its natural conclusion pretty easily. "I see. That does make sense, if space is harmful." Also? A smirk. "It's a good thing I'm not as religious as most. If I was some Ferelden Chantry member, I might have lost my wits when I found out the Maker wasn't holding up the world." His tone indicates that yes, he thinks this concept is silly too.
He pulled down a few books, holding them over to Dorian. "Well, I gotta help out a guy willing to learn. And I'd love to learn more about your world another day to. So it works out." He replied in that easy tone, his glasses finally slipped back on for a moment. "Good to see you got that one, I expected to have to explain the invisable barrier more. Likely how my world is with God. Some people refuse to beleive in facts but that doesn't mean I cant respect relgious types." He was a bit relgious himself but he put science first.
Accepting the books, Dorian looks over the titles briefly, to get an idea of what subject the books are on in specifics. At the mention of the invisible barrier, though, he shakes his head. "Casting barriers is a rudimentary ability of a mage in my world," he explains. "Mine does precisely that, though it's more for keeping all your limbs and internal organs intact when someone's determined to maim and/or deprive you of either." The subject of a god draws a nod, though. "I have a few thoughts on that subject. But there are three things I never discuss with people on such short acquaintence. Religion and politics are two of them." He smirks.
The first book was on Space, the second on Earth, the third on the Milky Way, all Childrens books. "Well that explains that. Magic was always a little outside of my grasp, but I have to respect you fellas that can use it." He nods once more. "A smart plan there." he chuckled a bit. "I gotta start closing this place up for the night. So, come back some time and let me know if you hacve more questions okay?"
Once more, Dorian nods. "I'll do that, thank you for being so helpful. I realize I have comparatively a rather... archaic way of thinking, and it would be all too easy to dismiss me out of hand for that alone. Your patience was appreciated. Though I do apologize for keeping you so late."
"Its not a problem at all. Your welcome, Dorian was it? Have a good night and enjoy the reading." He turned to head towards the back.
"That's correct," Dorian confirms. "You as well. Do take care." With that, he leaves the bookstore with the books. He'll return them once he's done, not to worry. And with the rate he devours books (figuratively speaking, mind you), and the fact that these aren't quite so complicated, it's likely he'll be back soon with them!
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