deernet | Video: Open: (CW: possible discussion of a mass death event and/or domestic violence)

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Video: Open: (CW: possible discussion of a mass death event and/or domestic violence)

[much of Rose can be seen from the nose down where she's wrapped in a deep burgundy robe, a canary perched on her shoulder and singing sweetly to the audience]

This may sound terribly stupid, but let me preface that with the fact that I'm new. Still terribly new, despite all I have seen in the past several days.

What is the difference between an Arcane Scholar and simply a scholar? If I'm interested in the one, does it dictate that I be interested in the other? [a frustrated sigh] I realize this may all be rudimentary to those who have been here a while, but I'm still at less than a month, so please show me some measure of mercy?

Thank you.

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Just means you're a scholar of spooky magic stuff, I'm pretty sure. I'm not one, though, so grain of salt there.

[the canary sings particularly sweet at his response and Rose reaches up a hand to steady her]

So if I were to become a scholar of spooky, magic stuff which happened in the day to day here? Because I have seen the spooky day to day, sir. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. [Melody chirps in agreement]

Mmm. Well, I guess a lot of people are working on that, if you consider the beast stuff "day-to-day". Which...I mean, it happens a fair amount.

[Melody continues to sing sweetly which gave Rose the courage to keep asking. or maybe the courage was hers all along, Melody simply the outwards expression of it] Beast is both day-to-day and the extraordinary.

Here, because is does happen in the day to day. The extra because here and home are entirely different. Unless 1500 happen every day here.

The difference is in what they study. From what I have gathered those who are Arcane scholars here study scrolls of magic and such. A scholar would generally study something more along the lines of history or cultural traditions of a particular region.

But...what if my desire is to study both? I've barely begun to let myself explore what I can do, not without a---a test subject. As awful as that sounds. But thanks to events back home, I'm unwilling to let the experiences of the everyday worker escape my notice. [and Melody moves in to cuddle at Rose's cheek]

[Michael clicks his tongue thoughtfully.]

Noooo, no way. Average day back on Earth is about 150,000 or so, but of course that's accounting for the whole world, that's a much bigger population. The size of this place...all the violence would drive the numbers up, so maybe use the rates from a couple centuries back...nah, I'd still be surprised if we got into three digits on a normal day.

[There's reasons he's so readily able to pull out these statistics and estimates! He doesn't seem like he's about to provide them!]

All that's off during one of the bad months, of course.

There's nothing really saying that you can't. Other than the amount of time that you have in a day. I have met those who have been scholars of many different things in my travels.

...fifteen hundred...and ten thousand?

Even accounting for the entire world, that's horrifying. And no, no, no, I don't want to hear about death statistics I have no way of knowing about or influencing, no. [the idea of ten Titanics happening in a single day with or without their contribution was horrifying] All I want to know is what I can do here. It's a far smaller community, far fewer to keep track of.

[she has her hands bunched up in fists next to her ears]

I know and you know. But they? They seem to have a much more narrow of a focus on them. I don't necessarily want to be an Arcane Scholar, but if I want any answers, that seems to be the path I should take.

May I ask what you've discovered in your travels, sir?

...oh.

[Michael draws back from the camera a little, looking alarmed. Okay, he got too into shop talk there, that's his bad.]

Ah, that was...upsetting. I'm sorry. Uh, there's...alright, what - what do you already know how to do? What do you do at home?

I'm pretty sure there isn't one in this world. 'Arcane Scholar' is just what they call it under the presumption that you'll want to study something arcane.

[Rose was blinking back tears desperately as she reached her hands up to cover her face]

Yes. Upsetting. [she takes in ten long breaths along with ten long exhales. at least that's what the woman at the beach had advised. she's not so sure it works, but it did buy her some time]

I. I know how to read five languages: English, French, Spanish, German, and Latin. As for home...[a bitter laugh] I'm to be a trophy wife.

I mean -

[Humans die every day. Michael didn't have the tact not to launch into old intake stats, but he's on alert now and he figures out that he shouldn't say that!]

- they've got a lot of old Earth media here, there's probably still some Latin texts lying around. I mean, the Taylor Swift videos survived. [But uh, he's not sure trophy wife has any particular skillset associated? If there is, he doesn't know what that may be.] Anything you like doing? Doesn't have to be a job! Lots of people aren't in the same line of work anymore!

I've noticed the folks in Mutter tend to use the same term for everyone studying there, regardless of how magical it is or not. I prefer properly scientific learning over magic and they'll still call me an arcane scholar.

[Maybe that's because you're an alchemist, Varian, and it's kind of both.]

What are you looking to study?

Really? What I'd like to study most would be the gap between the world that was and here in the Trench. A current "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire," of sorts.

That would qualify, I imagine, and it's a worthwhile thing to study. I'd also suggest asking for some paleblood assistance, since I imagine all accounts of the world that was here will be a bit tainted by bias.

[yes, that would have been taken entirely poorly.

and she manages to pull herself together]

I like reading. Learning more about the world than what my world considered proper and correct. And I love art, although I have no talent at the skill itself.

Though, may I ask who Taylor Swift is? Is he a scholar?

Yes! So would I. Magic is very good and all, but it doesn't interest me as much as something like psychiatry would.

[guess who hasn't accepted her blood-given powers yet?]

I recently started reading Freud and his ideas are fascinating. And I did very well at anatomy and chemistry, so I'd be open to learning more about those subjects.

Ah. Some other century? That's too bad. [Michael's always considered that sort of thing odd; the humans are all the same when you open them up. (He doesn't say that either.)] But hey, you only get good at art if you practice! No one's just a genius immediately!

[They aren't, right?]

No, no, she's a singer. Friend of mine who used to be here was really into her...oh, this is the one. [he just links all too well because that's the song Eddie showed him] Modern pop songs aren't usually this long. I think it's an artistic thing.

They're the same thing.

They're both nerds.

I've--I've been told that I'm from as many as ninety years in the past. Women, especially women of my class, weren't expected to be educated. We were expected to smile prettily, never make waves, and give birth to sons. [(likely for the best)] Really? That I could take lessons? [a pause] Well. I suppose I don't see a reason why I can't?

[something Picasso seemed to be? but she still can't recall his first name.

and she listens, expression growing more and more pleased] I liked that! Do you have more?

Thank you, I think so, too. And, well. I suppose I am one? Paleblood? I've...noticed things about myself. That I feel stronger and more wide awake after dark. I've flipped how I sleep entirely, morning drains me of all of my energy. [a pause]
And I've heard things, things I was entirely sure wasn't me.

And I pricked my finger with a pin it started red, but as I bled it turned milky white. I'd say that was fairly decisive proof.

Oh! That's not so bad! Not even a full century! [Granted, Michael knows that his perception of "from a long time ago" is likely different than every human ever's.] Ah, my friend Tahani back home's a rich lady. By the time she was born, they were all expected to be well-educated - she went to Oxford. Ended up being a philanthropist, mostly, wrote a book. She never got...oh, no, she married Jason for a couple weeks there. That was a weird one.

[Ah, but he's rambling about people that nobody here knows! Let him just muck around a little more on Trenchtube instead.]

Sure, here's one. And I know everyone liked Beyonce too, this is her... [He likes current Earth music well enough, but he's never really had that much time to delve into it himself. A lot of these are just algorithm recs.] I don't know if anyone's offering art classes, but I'm sure there's something like that. I've been taking guitar lessons lately.

[with an arch smile] Really now, can't one be both tough and a nerd?

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