text; un: silverrose

[fionnuisce]

WHO: Waver | open
WHERE: Libra app
WHEN: August 8th, early evening
WHAT: A proper introduction + acclimation
WARNINGS: none

Let's try this again, now that the metaphorical fires appear to be out.

I'm known as Lord El-Melloi II--please just call me Professor, everyone does. To answer the incoming obvious question 'professor of what', the answer is 'alchemy, among other things'. Presumably we're a little beyond the need for secrecy as it pertains to magecraft.

Regardless, I arrived in this city with all the rest of that unmitigated chaos (apparently the term for one suffering such displacement is 'Isekai'?) and I am trying to gain a better understanding of the location and how it functions when not besieged by violent carnivores.

Sweeping generalizations, specific experiences, general common knowledge, anything one would be willing to share that might help. I'm afraid the workings of parallel universes and travel between them are a magic well above my pay grade.

Comments

[crystallinememories]

[he was so prepared for a 'not that kind of doctor' reference]

Hello, Professor. My name is Raha, and I am from this world, though that is slightly more complicated now which I'll make clear in part of the explanation. Just so I have a jumping off point, is there anything that seems familiar about this world to you? Technology, location names, so forth?

[fionnuisce]

[so close, and yet]

Pleasure to meet you. I believe a situation such as yours was described to me, in brief terms. Am I given to assume you are someone who might have originated elsewhere despite being native to this realm?

As to the familiarity, it’s difficult to pin down. This seems like a relatively ordinary Earth, and the city itself doesn’t look too out of place. The technology is slightly more advanced than I’m used to; this phone’s a hell of an upgrade compared to mine. So as far as displacement goes, I could be doing worse.

[crystallinememories]

'Originate' is a strong word considering we have no idea what the causal order is, but yes, I am someone who is from here while getting memories of a different world.

[Frankly at this point he wouldn't be surprised if this was some sort of nexus that some of them got sucked into, but there's really not enough information to make any sort of informed guesses.]

Right then. Assuming your version of Earth and this one are not monumentally different from each other, there's not likely much to update you on except the gap in history and technology- neither of which are likely your priority at the moment. More relevant is that here magic and alchemy and such is very decidedly underground, but does still exist, and I believe that community is a bit more aware of what's happening regarding the displacement so dealing with them is likely to be a bit easier.

This city in particular tends to be more of a magical center thanks to its relation to the Spirit Realm, which is likely how you got here in the first place, so while not normally this extreme odd happenings are becoming distressingly more commonplace. Otherwise it is a fairly normal American city.

[fionnuisce]

The practice of magecraft is incredibly underground and secretive where I come from, but a production such as this makes that priority seem a little more relaxed here. Which is almost a relief, honestly, it's not always an easy thing to conceal.

The concept of a Spirit Realm is also not fully unknown to me, though the concept is far less easily accessible. More metaphysical than an actual location to which one can travel.

So another world and halfway across the planet, yet things could stand to be worse, somehow.

[crystallinememories]

To be fair, the Spirit Realm is still part concept, part actual location. I wrote my thesis on it, more or less, if you want details, but it's enough to know that it can greatly influence things around here.

Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking?

[fionnuisce]

Actually, that sounds fascinating. The supernatural does have considerable influence upon the mundane in my own world, but not to nearly this extent.

I live in London. The headquarters of the Mage's Association is in part the equivalent of a university, where I'm a teacher.

[crystallinememories]

I'd be happy to discuss it with you at some point, then! There's a great deal we don't know about it still, but looking at folklore can give a number of insights into how it's manifested over time.

[He's trying so hard not to go full nerd right here and now.]

My family's in London, I actually just got back from seeing them, and I believe there are a few of us here who're from that part of the world. So there is definitely help to be had on the cultural front as well, if you need it.

How did your association/university operate? I imagine you were hidden from the public, but how did people become involved in spellcraft and find their way to your university?

[fionnuisce]

[there is a nerd singularity forming]

No kidding, small parallel worlds I guess. I've traveled out of the country once or twice, but this is technically the first I've been to America. Might not hurt to take a minute to adjust when I can.

There are twelve Lords, each of which presides over a specific department/field of study. Botany, Astromancy, Mineralogy, that kind of thing. We're not exactly in charge of the entire facility, but that is the very general shape of the Clock Tower's structure. As to the how, mages have a heavily insular culture. It's rare for someone to be able to use magecraft and not know that the Clock Tower is the central point of study. The ability is rooted in bloodlines, and more often than not one's strength is dependent on how many prior generations have been capable of magecraft themselves.

[crystallinememories]

[nerds band together.]

That's incredibly interesting. The knowledge is just that here, knowledge, so if you've family that know about it you are more likely to know about it yourself, but it's also possible for people to just stumble on something magical happening and just see it for what it is.

Which, I should say, many people don't. You'll see people on this network with all manner of magical tools or non-human appearances, and people who aren't magically inclined don't notice a thing.

[fionnuisce]

That struck me as incredibly strange, actually. The secrecy of magecraft is absolutely crucial, and a spectacle like that would have resulted in gruesome consequences back home. The lack of pressure on that front is a little new, but not unwelcome.

It’s odd that the inclination or lack thereof hinges on how aware they are, however. Ordinarily one can be hypnotized or their memory manipulated to overlook such things, but I suspect that isn’t the case—mot in the least because mass hypnosis seems highly unlikely.

[crystallinememories]

It's a bit more like they aren't able to comprehend it, and have it fit into their view of reality. I believe Lovecraft wrote on it, if his stories exist in your world. Essentially, it's taking advantage of the struggle of cognitive dissonance- people don't believe magic exists, so when they see it, they can't comprehend that what they're seeing is magic, so instead they see it as something that they can explain.

[fionnuisce]

‘We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.’

Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense when you put it like that. I wonder if it’s a quality of the location or the people that manages to uphold such an illusion.

[crystallinememories]

I'm not sure. Unfortunately I don't think there's a way to test it. Nor should we, most likely.

[fionnuisce]

Oh, hell no, that's wildly unsafe. My own skill in mental manipulation isn't nearly enough to pinpoint the source of something like that, much less determine anything else of use.

Text; un: antonio

[speaksanimal]

Hello, my name is Antonio and it's really nice to meet you! I just know that there is something where there can be a past life?

You can remember things when you don't remember them.

[fionnuisce]

I've heard something about that, a couple times now. Has this happened to you?

[speaksanimal]

It did whenever I met with my "stepfamily"? Or people from another world that are supposed to be my family.

It's a little odd, isn't it?

[fionnuisce]

Maybe not. Something such as that could easily set off a memory of some kind, or at least it would if this were some manner of hypnosis. Not that I think that's what happened, it's just an example.

[speaksanimal]

Did that happen to you too? Remembering something you don't remember?

[fionnuisce]

Not here, and not recently. Magic involving memories is kind of a touchy thing, and it's impossible to say what might set off such a recollection without more information.

[speaksanimal]

I'm not sure either but if you get memories? I hope they're happy ones and that you meet people who might be from their world!

You have more friends.

[fionnuisce]

A nice thought, even if I'm not much for having an abundance of friends.

People here aren't half bad, so far.

[speaksanimal]

Abundance? What does that mean?

But I'm glad you think so. There are a lot of nice people here and I hope you feel more comfortable here!

[fionnuisce]

A considerable amount, or otherwise just a lot.

It isn't all that terrible here yet, recent crisis aside.

[speaksanimal]

That means you don't want a lot of friends?

Then I guess I hope you make ones that are good?

[Can he even read the disappointment behind Antonio's texts?]

[fionnuisce]

[aw lil buddy ;;]

I'm fine with having a handful of very close friends than a lot of people I'm somewhat well acquainted with.

[speaksanimal]

I guess that is true.

It means that you can spend a lot more time with them. And I heard that when you grow up, there might be people who won't like you.

[He's trying to be optimistic here!]

[fionnuisce]

There sure are. Lots of them, but that's to be expected. Having any close friends at all makes that part easier.

[speaksanimal]

Then did you make any so far? I just don't want you to be alone when you're new here!

[And you know. Kind of somewhat trying to get to know Waver here.]

text; un: fern

[laminae]

dog your name is super fancy
this whole winding up in another universe is pretty normal biz
there's a bunch of universes out there, sometimes portals open up, either by someone making 'em or by accident, and then stuff and people fall through
if i had my Enchiridion with me i could just show you its recording it explains everything

[fionnuisce]

It's a title. I don't give out my name if I can help it.

Ordinarily, where I'm from travel between worlds requires what most people would call a 'miracle'. It's high-level magic the likes of which only one person is known to have truly mastered.

That said, it does stand to reason that such things would vary across realities. 'Impossible' for one may be 'simple' for another.

[laminae]

ok so it's a long title, are we supposed to use the whole thing?
or do you got a nickname
how about EM? Mells? Elms? Melli?

oh yeah back home it's not easy but i don't think it's miracle levels of hard
you just need the right stuff to do it and bam
the multiverse is you oyster

[fionnuisce]

Just 'Professor', please.

I think that stands to reason enough, difficult as it is to conceptualize.

[laminae]

P-Mels, got it

[RIP Waver.]

nah it's not that hard to think about! i guess you just need to be used to it like i am? i don't know

[fionnuisce]

[he already misses his most obnoxious students dearly]

Perhaps so. Adjusting is going to be troubling at best.

[laminae]

well, if you can't adapt you're gonna be in a ton of trouble
the city is pretty safe but those portals can be real dangerous

[fionnuisce]

I can adapt, it's just a moderate shock to be so far out of one's depth so suddenly.

That said, I would imagine dinosaur-spawning portals to be several worlds worth of trouble.

[laminae]

yeah it really is

oh uh
yeahhhh that isn't normal
we kind of donked up there

[fionnuisce]

Lighter wording than I would have used, but I can agree regardless.

Are incidents of this nature common?

[laminae]

they um
aren't usually this bad
portals will open up but stuff doesn't usually come through them

[fionnuisce]

I guess 'what's on the other side' is a stupid question, then. Could be anything or anywhere.

[laminae]

yup
don't think people have figured out how to open portals to specific places
and the ones that open naturally are random i guess

text, un: mangaka

[print]

You know what isekai is? Japanese then.

Nothing about this place is normal, from my observations.

[fionnuisce]

Not even close. I don't know quite enough of the language to recognize the word, someone just mentioned it to me after I got here.

All the same, I can say this is definitely beyond any boundary of 'normal' I can think of.

[print]

So have YOU been isekai?

And what do you perceive as normal? Because my normality has been completely messed up.

[fionnuisce]

Sure as hell seems like it.

I'm a mage who teaches a bunch of teenagers with a wide range of supernatural specialties. 'Normal' is already a gray area for me, but this? This is, in my professional opinion, 'fucking weird'.

[anewhero]

Here's one you haven'tconsidered.

Back home, time travel is considered real. Plus, things change every day due to time travel.