View source for 2024.03.05: Running into people at the library

{{Infobox Log
|name      = Running into people at the library
|summary   = Bob, Jai-Lin, and Tsura bump into each other in the library
|icdate    = March 5th, 2024
|ictime    = Evening
|players   = [[Bob]], [[Jai-Lin]], [[Tsura]]
|location  = [[Wyldman Library]]
|spheres   = [[Mage]]
}}

[[Category:Logs]][[Category:Mage]][[Category:Bob]] [[Category:Jai-Lin]] [[Category:Tsura]]


'''Wyldman Library - Circulation'''

Passing through the double sets of double, glass doors of the library's small foyer, you find yourself within the circulation area. From here you have the option of heading straight ahead to the elevator which leads up to the general stacks of books in the floors above, turn left to the cafe beyond a pair of double, glass doors or right, past a pair of double, wooden doors to the secluded reading room.


A tall man, 6' or so, is standing reading the bulletins. He is dressed casual, a black wool turtleneck and khaki slacks, over brown loafers. He has a old leather messenger bag slung over his left shoulder. His face is oval, with grey eyes above a light stubble. As he reads the bulletins he bites his lip for a moment, and looks around, taking a good look around. He leans on a thick oak shillelagh cane as he does this.


What is Jai-Lin doing in the library? Who knows, maybe only the Shadow. But she's here, a lanyard hanging from her neck but that twists and turns this way and that as she moves making it hard to read. Her heels click as she crosses the foyer of the library, and she has a bit of resting bitch face - looking on arrival as if she's already irritated about something even though nothing in particular has happened yet. She's heading generally in the direction of the circulation desk, and therefore past the bulletins, but without any particular urgency - also without paying much attention to where she's going.

Jai-Lin is a cute, gorgeous woman. Clearly of Japanese descent, and somewhat short, she seems almost like a porcelain doll given life. Her silky midnight colored hair is done up in a bun up and over behind her head. The color sets off against her luscious tanned olive skin and kind brown eyes. Her skin has an almost inner glow to it, whether from perfumes and makeup or just natural, kind mocha eyes set above thick and perfect bee stung lips. 
 	 
Jai-Lin is built like a dancer, except curves to die for and an athletic frame that looks like she can do just about anything. Her stomach is muscular and trim, with a gentle thickness of muscle about it. Built and proportioned like a dancer, Jai seems to have the physique of an athlete, or a goddess. That is, until one gets to her heavy curves. Such astounding chest padding ruins the innocent look, causing her silhouette to have the billowing curves of a centerfold. Despite her top-heavy nature, the girl is able to move comfortably and gracefully, without them seeming to get in the way other than perhaps the attention such head-turningly deep cleavage might attract. She's currently bundled up in a jade green blouse strained across her frame underneath a business suit coat cut to highlight her features. 

She has well-toned and smooth legs encased to just below mid-thigh in a pencil skirt, slit along one thigh to provide a bit more freedom of motion. Her heels are sensible but daring for an office, putting a click in her step and a light sway to her walk.
     

Walking out of the head Librarian's office is a young woman with a cart laden with books being pushed before her. She looks over her shoulder and calls out a farewell to the person in the office. Turning she pushes her cart towards the stacks but does off a cheery good morning to both people she spots. The books on the cart are very old in appearance, leather bound and thick.

Her body is lean and athletic, she stands around 5'6 and perhaps weighing around 110 lbs. Pleasing to look at there is a natural quality to her appearance, perhaps simply her lack of cosmetics. Her skin is a dusky bronze, her complexion clear. She has large blue eyes, heavily fringed with dark lashes. Her eyes seem to shift color with the woman's moods, going from pale blue to a blue so dark it appears black. Dark brown hair with soft burnished chestnut highlights is worn in a loose braid down her back. Her voice is warm and soft a good ear might detect a faint accent. She is all long lines with small curves, trim and lean. She does not possess the fashionable beach body seen in many ocean side communities.

She wears a cream colored sweater dress that hangs long on her body ending around her calves. Brown flat soled knee boots match the wide leather belt clasped around her waist.
    

The man in the turtleneck is lost in thought as he turns with speed from the bulletins and steps forward, a moment away from crashing into a cute and gorgeous woman of Japanese descent. Will the crash be avoided, or will this be an awkward meeting, in more ways than one?


Jai-Lin turns out to be a lot more graceful and athletic than she might look. She avoids the crash, deftly stepping to the side with a little spin at the last second as she realizes what's going to happen. Her heels click more staccato on the floor as she stutter-steps to the side. Glancing over at Tsura with the cart and the good morning, she nods but then turns back to Bob, "Why don't you watch where you're going?" What, but she's the one who didn't watch where she was going! The nerve!


Tsura brings the cart to a halt not to get caught in the near accident and seems a little amused. "Everyone okay?" she asks as she comes around the cart for a better look. "Who would think a library could be so dangerous." her tone clearly joking.


Bob holds up, looking startled and leaning on his cane. "Ah. My fault. I only recently am walking again, and don't quite have my coordination back." He smiles at Tsura, and at Jai-Lin. "I think everyone is fine. Yes?" He is trying to be charming.


Jai-Lin runs her hands over her blouse and skirt, smoothing both out and adjusting them. She then runs a hand back through her hair and says, "Yes I'm fine." There's still some huff in her tone, but at least it's softened a bit. She's not a /total/ bitch to strangers without reason, just kind of one. "You're only recently walking again?" She wonders of Bob, then looks at Tsura, as if she might have some kind of answer about that.


A look is given over toward Bob and then she smiles, "That is certainly wonderful news." She offers to the gentleman but there seems to be no recognition to who he might be. "Where are my manners, "I'm Tsura Korsov, I work over in Special Collections." She then leans and offers a hand to each in turn.


The man nods, and smiles in a self-deprecating way, "Yes. I was in an accident, and a wheelchair for a year after a coma. I recently finished physical therapy and was able to start walking again. Well, with a cane." He gestures at the shillelagh. "What do you say to my buying you both a coffee at the cafe in return for almost crashing into you?" He looks at Tsura. "That is if you can take a break for a bit. Ah, nice to meet you Tsura. I am Bob Huard." He turns back to the woman of Japanese descent and says, "And you are", he asks with a grin.


Jai-Lin, it seems, is susceptible to bribes. And while Japanese origin seems to make up the majority of her appearance, she must be at least a little mixed, because her name is Chinese (Cantonese specifically) in origin, "I am Jai-Lin Wah. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, certainly." Though her tone of voice makes it sound like she thinks it is /their/ pleasure to make /her/ acquaintance, "I was actually coming in to look at Special Collections, in fact."


Tsura offers a warm smile to Jai-Lin, "Always good to see the books used." She turns to Bob "Coffee sounds lovely it is close enough to break time." She pushes her cart back behind the big desk and leaves a note on it she quickly scribbles. "After you?"


Bob nods, and says "Outstanding!", then double checks where the cafe is and heads toward it. He walks at a slow but normal pace, not leaning on the cane much. "Ah, are you a student here then?" He seems to take note of the badge, and adds "Or a professor or grad student?"


'''Wyldman Library - Cafe'''

The cafe for the university, to the left of the circulation area, is a small area that could easily accommodate at least fifty people. Designed to give students a place to grab a beverage or possibly a muffin while they take a break from their research, the cafe is brightly lit with an obvious chess theme to its decoration. 

As you enter through the double, glass doors, a line of display cases stretch out to the counter to your right and are filled with various types of juices, muffins and boxed salads. To your left are a half-dozen clusters of tables and chairs, each one with a central, square table, with the silhouette of a chess figure on its top and on each of the four sides.


Jai-lin's badge, on closer inspection, appears to be an employee badge for Magadon Pharmaceuticals, whose most famous product line is probably the Siren line of cosmetics, "None of the above. Just someone who enjoys life-long learning." There's something far too glib about that, something that has the ring of a half-truth in it and she's not even trying to disguise it, "Tsura works here, what about you.. . . . was it Bob?"


Tsura follows along listening to the conversation as they walk. She turns to the right and begins looking over the cases, "Isn't that a cosmetics company?" She asks Jai-Lin. Though she doesn't seem to use them at work she does appear interested in the field of cosmetics, females go figure.


A warm smile decorates Bob's face, and he says "That's admirable. I'm a grad student here, in Computer Science." When Tsura asks about the company, Bob will say "Cosmetics, interesting. So what area of learning are you studying today? Oh, and what would you both like?"


"Magadon produces a lot of different products, from baby shampoo to weight loss drugs, but yes the main line here in Prospect is Siren Cosmetics." Ja-Lin shrugs her shoulder a little bit, then clarifies, "I'm not a scientist or anything, so I can't tell you too much about them. I'm really mostly a paper-pusher." At Bob's revelation that he's a CS grad student, "Aren't you a bit old for that? And a Miel would be great."


"Just a black coffee please." She looks over at Bob thoughtfully as he says he's a grad student. "What were you looking for in Specials collections?" SHe asks turning to face Jai-Lin, "We've quite a collection."


Bob turns to the counter and orders a Miel, and two black coffees. "Well, yes. I became a veterinarian to please my parents, then discovered what I really wanted was to be in computers." He shrugs. "So back to school for a B.S. in Computer Science." To Tsura he says "That's awesome. What would you say the newest collection is, and what would you think the most interesting was?"


"Yes, what is the newest collection, and what was the most interesting one?" Jai-Lin does not answer Tsura's question, but does echo Bob's, perhaps as a deflection point. But just then, the tell-tale beep of a message or text comes from her purse. Then another, then another, then 3 more in a rapid row. "Speaking of work." She says with a slight grimace, taking her Miel when it's delivered, "I think I'm gonna have to go outside and make a call to find out what that is."


We've just gotten a collection of magical theory from the middle ages. A breakdown of tribal and hearth magics. It's what is in my cart I haven't had time to actually go through it yet. But it is supposed to have been written by several Germanic monks."


Bob perks up at the collection description, "That's fascinating. I don't suppose I could read some of them while you are shelving? I have a fascination with mythology and folklore. I know how to handle old manuscripts."


Tsura smiles, "As long as you don't mind wearing gloves to proptect the pages. They have been through restoration already but I like to be on the safe side of things with them. I can't wait to delve into them myself it is the main perk of the department."


Bob grins, "Of course that's not a problem. So is folklore a hobby of yours as well?"


"Folk lore, hearth wisdom, mythology...I suppose magic of the ages in general. It is amazing to see the changes in beliefs over the centuries of man and how it has been influenced by religion." Tsura adds creamer to her coffee till it's almost white.


Bob leaves his coffee black, but adds much sugar to it. He then sips it, and savors the flavor. "That's not a common passion. How did you get interested in that, if I can ask?"


Tsura chuckles, "I blame it on my family most still practice the ancient magics that made us so unwelcome in the dark ages. Mysticism is very important to most Romani, the older generation teach the young. The evil eye, curses, healing all kinds of what most people would consider hearth knowledge."


Bob looks around to see if anyone is close, or paying attention to their conversation. "Hmm, ok. That is fascinating, though I am not sure I'd be so free with that info. There are people who have let's say intolerance for anything that smacks of the mystical."


Tsura chuckles again, ""You can find people who are not fond of anything. All I need to do is look back at the book burnings of the 1950's and 60's. Intolerance is something I am quite used to but if you can discuss esoteric subjects on a campus then where can you?"


Bob smiles, "True. I am sure there are safe places among those of like mind. But I can see what you mean." He sips his coffee.


She finishes her coffee and leans back, "One of the reason we keep these books under lock and key is to protect them. That and to protect impressionable students who think they can make what they read in a book reality. Don't need a bunch of frat boys getting drunk with a book on demonology and trying to summon one up."


Bob pauses, and says "Oh that reminds me." Taking out his phone, which looks like it is put together from a number of hardware modules, and enters some text. Well it looks like text, there are some symbols that look like scratches (Sumerian if you recognize it) and many parenthesis. He pressed a button on the screen marked 'Run'.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->

Bob rolls Arete(3) (3 dice) vs 3 for 1 successes.

1 +10 10

<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Bob does detect an avatar connected to Tsura.


She sets her cup down now that it is empty and glances down at her watch. "I should be getting back to work but if you want to join me you can look at the books. I'm located just on the other side of the stacks."


Bob looks at his screen and looks a little startled. "I'd be happy to join you, that would be great."

<OOC> Tsura rolls Perception + Awareness vs (10-rank) to detect magic

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->

Tsura rolls Awareness + Perception  vs 9 for 3 successes.

2 5 6 8 +9 +9 +10

<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->


She blinks a bit and looks at bob under her lashes for a moment. "Well then shall we I think you will like the collection it looks to be quite interesting."


Bob follows her into the stacks, and once they are alone he will say in a very quiet voice pitched just for the two of them to hear "I did not realize we were both of the Wise. If you hadn't guessed from the tech, I'm a Virtual Adept. Well, I gotta be weird I guess. Virtual Adept and Dreamspeaker."


She leads him through the stacks towards the heavy door marked special collections. "That explains the odd phone you have." she says with a smile, "i'm what you call an orphan." she murmurs to him.


Bob nods, "Cool. I don't think I have met an orphan before. I'm new to Prospect, have you been here long? Do you mind, if I can scan the books while we talk? Without touching them, so no need for gloves."


She pulls on a pair of latex gloves and nods to Bob. "Of course copying the text is encouraged as they can't be removed from the archives here. As to Prospect I've been here for several months just kept busy getting my area in order."


Bob takes out his phone again, and brings up what an app called Sordle, like a complex Wordle but in Sumerian. He extends the phone toward the books as they talk, and the puzzle on the screen starts solving itself, with a progress bar at the bottom.

<OOC> Bob will cast a coincidental Mind 1 rote Osmosis, to absorb the knowledge in the books. He will use his special focus of Sumerian to aid his mental thought forms. This Arete vs (1+3-2=3).

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->

Bob rolls Arete(3) (3 dice) vs 3 for 2 successes.

2 +4 +7

<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Tsura photographs each book she works on then copies its number on to a sheet of paper. Then settles the book on a shelf lining them up like soldiers. "It amazes me how much wisdom in these books are still in practice."


Bob nods, "I have a tech practice, but I recognize how much knowledge they knew in the old days, much of which we have forgot."


Tsura thinks for a moment "There are a few books in the main stacks on Shamanic magical practices of the Native Americans you might be interested in. There beliefs and practices in the modern age."


Bob nods, "Nice, that would be great! Hey, something else. You hear anything about that explosion in the Deepak Chopra library? It sounds strange."


"I did hear about the explosion but I haven't had time to look into anything. Being on one's own makes time management difficult. You want to do things but you never seem to have the time."She smiles then and sets the next book down.


Bob nods, "I hear that. I know a coffee shop you might like, Roasters? Have you been there?"


"I've been there a few times mostly to the patio. As I said i've been quite busy so I haven't had a change to meet the locals. I do plan to but something always seems to come up."


Bob smiles, "It is nice to have a place like that we can go to. So, I am new enough to not have much by way to depth of my magics yet, though I am working on being able to build items. What do you focus on, if I can ask?"


Tsura opens up the office and puts on a pot of coffee, "Spirit and elemental forces, with a smattering of the others. Save time and Corr which I have no knowledge of."


Bob nods, "I tried learning Time but just haven't gotten the knack yet. I am interest in learning more about Spirits, but there is much I need to learn about the proper protocols and such. I can't do much more than sense and analyze them yet."


Tsura nods, "I've been able to see them since I was a child but understanding them is far different. Perhaps we can study together some time."


Bob grins, "I'd like that, by all means. Maybe I could make you something in return for you teach me about spirits too." Bob gives her a card that says only "Sprite" and has two graphics on it. One is a QR code for a web address. "Sprite is my hacker handle, though most non-adepts call me Bob".