Closed; Scriptoriums and Libraries

[horsepowered]

WHO? Dorian and Chiron
WHAT? Library things at Abbey of Saint-Victor, Paris
WHEN? A day after This
What? Way too many books

It had been a pleasure to learn of the Abbey of Saint-Victor, and more specifically that it held a library that was open to the public. While picking up jobs and keeping income rolling in was one of the key things to focus on beyond intrigues and spying, the pleasure of looking at books and the contents therein.

Chiron's own interest, beyond being able to see if he could interpret the material that Dorian could not, was in reviewing what medical texts were available. It was always a pleasure to see a period's development on the matter, and to see what could and could not be traced back to the bright minds that Chiron himself had instructed all of those millenia ago.

What Chiron had not been aware of was that it was possible to take some of the books with oneself, if the arrangements had been made with the library before hand. It was something that he learned about while waiting at the entrance, and asking the librarian about the books that he himself was interested in.

It was excellent information to have. But it was also hardly a priority. Translation was the important thing now.

Comments

[excelsus]

"Well, hopefully you can make time for indulgences, talk to me of what you know about medicinal practices as we drink wine. Or if you don't drink I'll gladly do so for the both of us," because it's good to know someone who has experience in the healing arts, as versatile and powerful as Dorian's magic was he certainly wasn't a healer, anything more than a surface wound and he would require a potion or a Spirit Healer...and he's certain that none were present in this world.

Fortunately Dorian had a gift for drawing the indulgences out in other people, stick around long enough and he might have you playing chess and cards with him in no time. Of course he's famous for cheating at both.

"You are asking me to pluck a star right from the heavens, aren't you? Math, science, history, the arcane...naturally as I am a mage, but nothing screams magic to me unfortunately."

This world was, surprisingly, not very magical, even though they preached of things such as witches.

"Mmm...I've heard mention of it, I was asked about a Holy Grail and responded that I knew nothing of it. We have an Urn of Saced Ashes in my world, probably not the same thing."

[horsepowered]

"Only since you insist." It would, naturally, come with preface about who Chiron was in life and who his most remarkable student was in that particular art, but there was little reason not to indulge curiosity. A curious mind was a thing to treasure, and clearly, Dorian had that.

"I believe that if it is magic that you're seeking, you'd need to approach it with a different vocabulary," he said, nearly to himself. Alchemy was as much a part of magecraft as science, and that must exist somewhere within the library. "What was once magic becomes the domain of science for most."

For most is the crux of the matter, especially as Dorian's response leads to the most natural of segues.

"Most likely not, given the premise is that the Holy Grail is an omnipotent wishing device, and the ritual centers around seven mages summoning seven different spirits of heroes of legend to do combat against each other to win this particular prize."