Log:Grand Tour of the Great Library

2020/06/17 	 Amelia Radical|Connor Eleanora Grimm Cartesian|Randal

1

Built on a long ridge rising slowly to Colonial Heights to the south, this is the oldest part of town. Narrow, often cobbled streets with cast iron streetlights still in the shape of the ancient gas lamps predominate, some residential, some commercial - even down side alleys delightful old shops can be found. Main Street runs its cobbled shop-lined length straight as an arrow from Colonial Heights to City Center, and feels to this day the heart of the city, for all that it plays to the tourists. Many of the buildings are old as the streets but as well maintained; others, like the main library, stand in contrast. The Main Street MagLev line runs the whole length of the road and farther, but parallel a bit to the east, to avoid disrupting its historic beauty.

Connor sets up a time to meet with Eleanora to get access to the library. He figures it might be better to accss it the normal way rather than just...blipping there like he can on his own. It's more official that way.

Eleanora has "parked" the Great Library in her usual position for the convenience of her visitors: a relatively quiet street on the university side of Old Town.

Amelia has also contacted Eleanora asking for research access to the great library.

Connor has his gear in a bag just in case it'll be needed...and he shows up with his uncle Randal, the former Cartesian, as well as Grimm. "Ah hah. Right here." He motions to the door.

Eleanora opens the Library door at the appointed time. "Good afternoon, Dr Duran! What a pleasure to see you again."

Grimm is keeping pace with Randal while Connor finds the door, conversing in warm, friendly tones. "Okay, okay, so how about a jazz cover of Hurt?" she suggests as she tries to expand Randal's musical tastes a little, not realizing the reverse is happening. She's wearing a desaturated purple off-the-shoulder band t-shirt and black torn up jeans with fishnets revealed underneath, and a pair of black Doc Martens. She has her usual piercings and leather wrist cuffs on, and a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She looks as Connor spots the door. "Nice," she smiles.

Connor waves to Eleanora, "Thanks for meeting us. I just felt like I should come through the official way. I was hoping you could give Gabrielle and my uncle Randal a brief tour."

Amelia steps out of a dimensional portal. Facing the opposite direction at first. She turns and sees the four gathered at the door of the great library. "Conner, hi. Dr Duran. Ms Grimm. Eleanora. Am I interupting?"

Connor smile and waves to Amelia as well, "Good to see you again. I was just telling Eleanora that I wanted to show Gabrielle and Randal the library."

Grimm gives a wave to Amelia. "Hey."

Eleanora smiles, "Good afternoon" to all, even though the introductions were rather lacking to her mind. "Miss Steinberg, not at all: please, come in!"

Connor smiles. "This is the Honourable Eleanora Montagu, the librarian of the Great Library. Eleanora, this is Miss Gabrielle Grimm. And this is my uncle, Dr. Randal Duran, the former Cartesian prior to myself." Yes, this means that Eleanora knows about Connor's past.

Eleanora says, "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Grimm, Dr Duran."

Amelia smiles, "Please, it's Amelia, Eleanora. Miss Steinberg makes me sound like an old spinster. While I guess I am an old spinster I'd prefer Amelia."

Eleanora smiles, "Then you must call me Eleanora. I'm well aware that I am rather behind the fashion!"

"Oh, are we doing titles?" Gabrielle asks, momentarily surprised the open mention of Randal's past. She gets over it quick. "Pleased to meet you, Eleanora."

Eleanora says, "Please, do come in."

Great Library

Books. There are books on shelves as far as the eye can see - forwards and backwards, left and right, and up to endless tiers of balconies - till the haze of distance thwarts the eye. Staircases spiral up between levels.

At the heart of the library is a door, standing free in space: the main entrance. Surrounding it four features have pride of place. Facing the entrance the office and residence of the librarian, a mansion dwarfed by the library that houses it. To the right is the Atlas of All Worlds: row upon row of folio volumes. One volume lies open on a lectern by the door, showing a map of the world the door currently leads to. To the left is the Maximegalon Dictionary of Every Language Ever. To the rear of the door is the card catalogue.

At times one can see people among the stacks: library users and library workers. Many aren't human.

Randal looks a little surprised at the frank introduction as well, but he's come to trust Connor in regards to these things. Even if it meant that he back of his house needed repairs recently. That's the danger of working with someone who is a current 'superhero'. He walks along with a cane to aid himself, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of difficulty walking.

Grimm keeps pace alongside Randal as they enter, noting his reaction. Though what she's looking for his his reaction when he sets eyes on the library, smiling a secret smile of excitement to herself.

Eleanora allows those unfamiliar with the Library to take in the change of scenery. "Welcome to the Great Library." Her voice is hushed, as a matter of practice.

Amelia is frowning slightly at Connor.

Randal looks around in all directions. "Wow. This is amazing."

Randal Duran

An older man, most likely in his 50s or 60s. His goatee is grey, and his head is completely bald. There's a pair of round-lensed glasses on his face, and he's wearing a nice blue button-down dress shirt with black slacks.

Connor looks over toward Amelia, noticing her look, "What is it?"

Amelia nods towards Randal, "You never mentioned your uncle needed a stick to walk, Connor. I am a witch you know." Her voice is also lowered in the library.

Grimm's shadow sight extends to sense just how far the library extends. It may even go beyond her range of sensing. "And this is just what you can see. It goes way beyond," Gabrielle whispers excitedly to Randal. It's like the Beast getting to see Belle's reaction to his library.

Eleanora says, "Indeed - after all this time, sometimes I still wonder at it myself! The work of many, over many lifetimes! Our purpose is the preservation of knowledge, of all worlds, against war, disaster and disinformation."

Connor furrows his brow and says quietly to Amelia, "It's a recent thing, only in the last few months. And I have no idea what being a witch would have to do with it. Clearly I'm missing something."

Randal smiles and nods to Gabrielle, "I...really would have no idea where to start." He sighs contently. He looks to Eleanora, "Does time move in the Library at the asme rate it does back on Earth?"

Amelia lowers her voice further, "I have healing magic, Connor. I cannot return your uncle's youth but aches and pains and disabilities I can cure."

Connor nods to Amelia, keeping his voice low, "I...would appreciate that. We can ask him later. "

Amelia nods, and turns to watch Randal, recalling her awe the first time she came to the great library.

Grimm is utterly delighted at Randal's contented sigh. She can't stop herself from smiling. She looks around as well. "Heh, me neither. But we have time," she comments quietly, respecting the library.

Eleanora says, "No, time moves faster here - though not always at the same speed, at least perceptually, even for those here at the same time. For instance," she indicates the card catalogue, "I prefer to search the catalogue in a form I am accustomed to. Other people may prefer a computorial interface. But a search takes no longer one way than the other."

Eleanora naturally assumes the company is familiar enough with magical weirdness for this not to seem all that hard to imagine.

Randal smiles, "And there are...all the various versions of books here? For example, could I find the original version of The Three Musketeers? Or are they copies of the originals? I'm not exactly sure how the storage works, but I'm fascinated to find out."

Connor smiles and finds himself wishing he had done this previously. He's been too caught up in his own concerns.

Amelia listens with interest. Each time she's been here it's been to research some urgent need. This time it's a personal matter with no real deadline. She can take her time rather than rushing.

Grimm hangs back as Randal gets to nerd out in his own way. She glances to the search catalogue curiously, then steps over to Connor as she catches him smiling. She whispers over to him, "See? Knew he'd love this place. It seems pretty safe. Er, is it? All this knowledge in one place and all."

Connor nods to Grimm, "I've never really asked, honestly."

Eleanora says, "Yes - we certainly have many versions of The Three Musketeers, from many worlds. We may even have autograph manuscripts, though I don't rightly recall. I'm afraid the collection is, despite our best efforts, highly uneven. We rely on our users to bring books from their own worlds in exchange for access to the Library, but not all users are as diligent - or as perceptive about what is unique to their worlds and so most needs preserving - as others."

Grimm nods and looks to Eleanora. "How safe are the books here? I can imagine there could be knowledge preserved here that some people would kill to get their hands on."

Randal nods, "I see. So, books are literally brought here. You don't magically get copies of everything written. Interesting."

Eleanora says, "We librarians also go out and seek rare works to preserve them ourselves, if we are aware of them."

Amelia smiles, moving a little closer to the others, "I fear I may have been a bit derelict in my additions to the library, Eleanora. I promise I'll try to do better."

[To Grimm] Eleanora says, "Certainly we have restricted book sections, to which only our most trusted users are allowed access. Policing is also, in practice, provided by other library users, as part of their responsibilities."

Eleanora says to Randal, "Some books here are magical and updated so automatically - most notably the Atlas. Some, like the Maximegalon Dictionary, are updated regularly via some external interface I don't pretend to understand. But yes, most of the library has been collected the old-fashioned way."

Grimm nods thoughtfully at Eleanora's answer. Now she's more alert for trouble. Just in case.

Connor nods, "Have you had any attempts to break into the restricted areas?"

Eleanora says, "Trouble is rare, in practice. Most users wouldn't want to risk losing access to all of the Library in order to get into the restricted areas. And similarly, other users are motivated to stop them lest they lose their own privileges. But yes, inevitably, there have been attempts, though none successful since I have been here."

Randal smiles, "So, I don't have the means to come here on my own except with help. How does one get access? Get a library card?"

Amelia looks around, "My first thoughts were it would be very foolish to risk access to all this," She frowns, "But then I think what, say, my demonic alter would be like if she succeeded." A slight shudder runs down her spine.

Eleanora says, "You need a library card to get through the defences even if you can travel here yourself - many of our users can. But yes, a library card can be used to enter the Library."

"Oh? How do we get a library card?" Gabrielle smiles to Randal. "Connor probably has one already, but if we both have one, any one of us can get you here when you feel like it."

Randal smiles. "I would very much like to get one, if possible, Honourable Librarian.

Eleanora says, "It's simple enough - you have to sign some paperwork saying you'll abide by the rules of the Library, including the requirements of contribution and defence, and then I can issue the card - after a background check. Which I'm sure you appreciate is a necessary precaution."

Grimm gazes around in interest as she listens, though her expression goes gradually from pleasant to disturbed by some thought. She then looks to Eleanora as she explains the rules. "Background check...?"

Randal thinks about it. "I'm willing to do that. Thank you. I likely have some personal writing I can include, unless my nephew has already brought it in?" He gives Connor a look.

Connor shakes his head, "I've only brought in things that I wrote myself."

Amelia nods as she listens.

[To Grimm] Eleanora says, "Will that be a problem? On the whole the idea is to stop metavillains - no, that's not the term used on your world, is it? hypervillains? - from joining."

Connor smiles. "Supervillains on our world. Same idea, though."

"Well. It might? How do you tell me from my other selves? I'm no saint, but there's other versions of me out there in the multiverse who are so much worse," Gabrielle murmurs.

Eleanora says, "Supervillains, dark lords... forgive me. It's hard to distinguish all the different Englishes!"

Connor nods. "That's a good question. How do you tell dimensional versions apart. Grimm from her say...other dimensional evil selves. Or Amelia from Amelia Half-Demon?

This is a question Amelia is very interested in hearing the answer to.

Eleanora says, "The cards are keyed to their owners, of course. The trouble is thus at the time of issue of the card. That's part of the background check."

Randal nods, "So how do you tell at the time of the background check?"

Amelia butts in with a question, "Yes. But how? Magpie, remember her, walked into the Tower without triggering the best security Will talked me into installing."

Eleanora says, "Forgive me, but to tell you that would be a brach of security. But of course, ultimately no security is infallible."

Grimm shrugs at Amelia's comment about security. "Did those systems include any way to check dimensional signatures? I mean, when I look at Connor, I can tell he's -my- Connor," she comments.

Eleanora smiles. "Of course! But I'll say no more."

Connor smiles, "Okay. As long as there's a way to tell."

Amelia says, "Not at the time, Ms Grimm. But as Will said, anything that can be sensed can be spoofed. That why I haven't applied for a library card. That way Eleanora can confirm it's me each time I visit."

Randal nods, "I'll go ahad and apply then. Thank you."

Grimm tries to follow that logic of not getting a card. "I guess I'll apply for one. Just in case."

[To Amelia] Eleanora says, "Since the card is keyed to you, having one can only provide more security. I can still check each time if you wish!"

Amelia shakes her head. "It's a weakness, Eleanora. I'm sure I can change my dimensional signature if I wanted to research a spell to do it. If I can, so can my Alts. And, sad to admit, most of my Alts seem to be jerks at best, villains on average, and horrific monsters at worst."

Grimm comments under her breath in commiseration, "Hashtag relatable."

Eleanora says, "But not all. Some are members of the Library, in fact." She adds, "Though admittedly, all of them seem to be equally concerned about security."

Grimm folds her arms in thought, tapping her finger along her bicep. "Are we able to use the catalog to check for books before we get our background check done?" she asks, suddenly impatient about something.

Eleanora says, "But maybe I should think about some extra security for - difficult cases, let us say. It's probably possible to arrange for a card that would only allow access to a security station where further check can be done each time, for instance."

[To Grimm] Eleanora says, "You may - but you'll find that any restricted books aren't in the catalogue for you."

Amelia looks at Eleanora when told some of her Alts are card carrying members of the library, "Just tell me none of them have half their face demonic?"

"Oh," Gabrielle says in disappointment. "So I wouldn't even be able to check if they were here?"

Eleanora says, "Not yourself. But I'd be glad to check for you."

Connor says, "I thnk the restricted books require an additional level of access?"

Grimm looks to Connor and nods, then looks back to Eleanora. "Just a long shot, but I wanted to make sure there weren't any books by David Flyte in here. They could be dangerous, but they may not seem like it or be catalogued as such."

[To Connor] Eleanora says, "You have catalogue clearance for most restricted books. But not all."

Grimm leans over to Randal and whispers with a grin, "You were right. He does shmooze well."

Eleanora frowns, trying to place the name.

Amelia says, "Ms Grimm, if you look in the catalog and don't find any book by him, then either the library doesn't have them, or they are already in a restricted section. Either would ease your concern wouldn't it?"

Eleanora says, "I'm sure we have books by *some* David Flytes. Are you concerned about all of them, or one in particular?"

Grimm looks to Connor nervously at Eleanora's comments.

Amelia adds her voice to Grimm's warning, "At least one David Flyte. I'm very much against book burning. I restored and transcribed a book for Connor by him. And burned the book to ash afterward."

Eleanora goes to the card catalogue to check. "Yes, here we are - from the David Flyte of this world - a trilogy, recently donated. Hm, lots by the children's author of Earth 459/45/103...." The index cards flip through her fingers so fast they can't be individually perceived.

Connor nods in agreement with Amelia, "That wasn't one of his novels. That was a book of magic. But his novesl seem to have...corrupting abilities. The readers get changed into...creatures.

Connor says, "That book you looked at was something he found while he was researching his novels."

Amelia tells Connor, "I tried very hard not to read it. Just image each page and flip to the next one."

Eleanora says, "Hm. I'm surprised we didn't notice if it's magical, since that wouldn't be expected in such books. But perhaps we haven't got as far as shelving it yet?"

Eleanora checks on the status.

Eleanora says, "No, it's shelved. Maybe be a magic-insensitive staff member. I'm assuming the problem is a magical one?"

Grimm shakes her head. "It's not exactly magical. It's something else."

Grimm's brow furrows as she tries to explain it. "Part supernatural...with some sort of...psychic signature? Something like that."

Connor nods. "All I know is...a lot of the man's fans...seem to get corrupted and turned into hulking creatures with claws. I'm not entirely sure how it happens. It does seem to corrolate with reading his novels. But there might be another element I'm not familiar with."

Eleanora says, "Hm.. A River Runs Through time... Beyond the Far Realms... Darkness Between the Stars. If what you say is true, I'd best get them off the shelves. Are any special precautions necessary, or is the trouble only with the reading?"

Randal nods. "Connor was able to heal the fans after the fact. In general, they didn't remember what they did while they were transformed."

Eleanora says, "At least the books haven't been here long - with any luck, no one will have read them."

"I think just reading them," Gabrielle says, not fully certain though.

Randal leans on his cane and nods again. "That would probably be safest, Honourable Librarian."

Eleanora says, "I'll go and get them. Would you like to come, for the walk?"

Randal nods, "Thank you. I would." He smiles, "I could spend...forever in here."

Connor smiles again and pats Randal on the shoulder.

Eleanora says, "There are those that do. A lot of the staff here are people that chose to stay - or their descendants."

Eleanora says, "Please, this way."

Grimm smiles as well. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of time. Heck, with magic, maybe you could get that chance." She suddenly looks worried as they start walking. "Just don't stay too long without coming out to see us. I don't want to find out a week from now that you've turned into an old man from spending decades in here when only a little time's passed by in our world," she winks to Randal.

Randal chuckles. "I'm exaggerating. I couldn't do that. But I definitely would want to do some research while I have the opportunity."

Time and space do weird things in the library. The trip to the staircase seems faster than it should be, though without ever having the sense one is doing more than walking. The climb up however many flights of stairs seems like only one or two flights - and not tiring at that. But once you've climbed that it's a *long* way down to the floor.

Grimm lets out a sigh of relief at Randal. "Well. Again, you never know with magic. Or Timewarp. Maybe they can turn back the clock to give you all the time in the world." That's a big change from Miss 'Magic is bad and corrupt'.

The sensation is rather like find you've walked much further than you thought while your mind was wandering, but on the grand scale.

Randal looks around at the stairs and down. The heights don't seem to bother him. He remarks, "This reminds me of the Anarch. He's a fan of Escher. When I fought him, I'd end up walking on the ceiling sometimes."

"I bet Lazare loves the Winchester house," Gabrielle comments dryly.

Eleanora says, "At least here down is always down!"

Eleanora leads the group through miles-but-not-miles of shelving, then stops and peers at the numbers on the spines of the books.

Connor thinks about it. "How does one become a librarian here? I know that libraries back on Earth have a special degree for it."

Eleanora says, "Many are trusted long-term users of the Library who apply. Ultimately, it's like most jobs - put in a job application." She smiles, a bit naughtily. "For myself, I eloped with the previous Chief Librarian."

Connor blinks. "Not the answer I was expecting." He chuckles.

Randal smiles. "Well, if you take part time workers, I could see doing this to keep busy."

"Scandalous!" Gabrielle teases, then looks to Randal. "Maybe you could apply to be a part-time librarian for extra access? It might be a nice way to get you out of the house, too."

Randal gives Grimm a wink, "On the same wavelength."

Grimm chuckles.

Eleanora says, "Please, feel free to apply - assuming you pass your security check, of course."

Eleanora says, "Here we are..."

Eleanora pulls the three books off the shelf.

Amelia looks carefully, using all senses, at the books.

Eleanora avoids looking at the books more than she's had to, just in case.

Grimm looks at them, curious about the colors. Darkness Between the Stars, the last in the trilogy, has an illustrated cover of a young woman who looks very much like Gabrielle.

[To Amelia] Eleanora says, "Can you see anything?"

Connor also uses his magic sight to look at the books, but that's all he has access to right now.

Amelia shakes her head, "No. I'm getting nothing from them. But Ms Grimm is actually more sensitive to the darker side of the supernatural than I am. All I needed to do was tell, yes or no, do I fight it?"

Eleanora says, "I fear I lack such talents, too."

"I can sense...something. But it's not a magic spell, or the supernatural like I thought it'd be. They have a psychic signature," Gabrielle says as she squints at the book. Her eyes widen at the other feature of the Darkness Between the Stars cover. It's in the background, obscured by nebulous clouds, but there's some many-tentacled massive creature shrouded in red eyes. "Holy shick, is -that- what you saw, Connor?" The illustration doesn't quite capture its true horror.

Connor lookes at the book. "I think that's a drawing of it, yes." He says to Amelia and Eleanora, "With my gear, I can see across dimensions. This...creature was watching Grimm from another dimension, and I could see it doing so."

Eleanora looks at the drawing, and shivers.

Randal furrows his brow, "We'd likely need some kind of mental power specialist to look at it to be sure about the effects."

Grimm smiles a bit at Randal. "I'm not all that known in the psionic world, but I do have mental powers. There's definitely something there. But I'd have to probably open the book to know more about how it does what it does."

Amelia looks at Connor and Grimm, "Was watching? Issue resolved?"

Connor nods to Amelia and smiles, "Was watching. The rift has been closed."

Eleanora says, "Well, kindly don't do that in the Library. I can't chance anyone falling under evil influences in here!"

Connor nods. "If we want to test it, we can do so with another copy of the book back on Earth."

Amelia turns to Grimm, "Then please do not open that book. You and I haven't seen eye to eye all that often but I'd hate to have to join Charity in dealing with an - issue."

Grimm nods to Amelia, then casts a smile at Connor. "Yeah. Connor took care of it and saved me. And stopped that thing from coming into this world through me," she says in appreciation. She looks back at Amelia and raises a brow. "Join Charity? What do you ...?" she starts to ask, and then she realizes what Amelia is implying. Her eyes shift to Amelia's new weaponry.

Grimm cracks a nervous smile. "You wouldn't..."

Amelia says, "No. I wouldn't. Charity would. I might be able to convince her to do it my way."

Eleanora frowns. "This presents a problem. Should this book be preserved at all? If it is merely the tool or some evil force, then not. But if it has some value as a work in itself...."

Connor shrugs, "That I can't say for sure."

Amelia also shrugs, "Neither can I."

Randal frowns. "I think the writer is a hack. Destroying them would be fine, in my opinion."

Eleanora says, "I think it best that you should remove it from the Library, at least for the present: it may be it poses a danger simply by being here! Perhaps it can be brought back once you know more of its nature."

Eleanora says to Randal, "I fear there are many books that have been donated to the Library that, in my opinion, the worlds would be better without. But we have a sacred trust to preserve then, nonetheless."

Randal smiles and nods. "I realize that. But I still had an opinion." He chuckles quietly.

Amelia says, "There's a bigger issue than this one copy, Connor. This," she points to the book, "is just one of a print run of how many?"

Connor nods. "I have no idea. Large enough. I don't know if the electronic version has the same issue, or if it's just in print."

"I don't know. It might be an issue with digital versions? I haven't looked at them," Gabrielle says.

Connor looks to Grimm, "We should check."

Grimm grins at Randal. "A good opinion. And one I value."

Eleanora says, "If you'll excuse me, I have some duties to attend to now - but please, do take those books with you."

Grimm nods to Connor. "Yeah, we should probably check and hunt down the remaining books if we need to."

Amelia says, "I'll walk back with you, Eleanora. I want to check the index. Connor, Dr Duran, Ms Grimm, see you back there?"

Grimm nods to Amelia. "Sure."