1226/Book Bindings

Book Bindings
Date of Scene:	30 June 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Athenaeum, 1017

---

Athenaeum has posed:
Like most of her homes, the small town house in Gotham was understated and seemed no different from the average from the outside. A two story stone clad affair, detached but only by two alleys that go either side (between hers and two other near identical houses) the small building's only real features are the bright royal purple door, and the well tended small garden that somehow seems to survive the city's pollution.

Inside, the magus herself waits in her small kitchen, a simple amber gown of silk covers her from neck to floor, leaving only her head and hands to the elements. Burnt umber lipstick and dusky brown eyeshadow complete her look... If you ignore the pice of carved amber that hangs from a golden chain twined into her hair, so that the stone rests against her forehead. It seems she's expecting company, with still warm sweet pastries on a silver stand on the table, and a copper kettle of water coming to the boil on the stove...

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal arrives at the front door of the cottage, wondering quite what's in store for her. Not that there's exactly a lot in this world of which the daughter of Vandal Savage is *afraid*, but exploring the mystical side of her heritage is not exactly the most comfortably familiar of routes for her. A couple of minutes before the appointed time, and dressed in tight black jeans and a smart leather jacket, she knocks politely.

Athenaeum has posed:
"Right on time." Ysabelle murmurs to herself with a knowing smile. As she moves to the front door, she passes an open doorway into a large library. A three floored library that's at least as long as it is tall. The magician pauses, contemplating closing the door, and then decides against it as she opens the portal to her home.

"Good evening Miss Savage, I'm glad you could make it. Would you like to come in? I promise that hospitality will be kept." A subtle pulse, a change to the resonance of the building, something accepting the new woman as the magician speaks her words of greeting.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal arches a brow, hesitating only an instant before nodding. "Thank you. Scandal Savage," she says, offering a hand as she displays sufficient trust to step inside. "I appreciate your agreeing to meet with me."

Athenaeum has posed:
Ysabelle takes the hand in her own, paper white one. Giving it a shake, she then steps aside, gesturing back towards the kitchen. "Ysabelle Orion, but I'm sure Mister Xander already told you all about that."

Once they make it to the kitchen, she gestures to a seat near the warm pastries. "Please, have a seat, help yourself to the food. Do you prefer tea or coffee? And I have a little wine here somewhere if that's your preference." A perfect hostess, the kettle boils just after she asks the question...

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal shoots an amused glance towards the perfectly-timed kettle, before refocusing upon Ysabelle as she settles onto the indicated chair. "Coffee would be very welcome, thank you. Though I don't want to be an imposition, as a guest. You are already doing me a favour by meeting a complete stranger."

Athenaeum has posed:
"It's no trouble at all." Some of the water goes into an old green teapot, it's glaze faded with age. And then she sets the kettle aside, taking a moment to get a small, old style espresso maker. Using her own hands, she goes about making /proper/ coffee. "Uh... What are the names now... Do you prefer your coffee as a latte?" Anything else will be made the same it seems. Or at least in her mind.

"As for agreeing to meet you. You're seeking knowledge, and that's something I wholeheartedly approve of." Those gemlike turqoise eyes look away from the drinks for a moment, to bless Scandal with a wide smile. "How can I help?"

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"Black or white will be fine," Scandal says with a wry smile. "Thank you. I'm quite a simple creature, when it comes to caffeine. As for what I'm seeking... hrmmmm. I've been investigating dreams, of late. Specifically lucid ones, and the potential for... interaction between them. Between one dreamer and another." She sounds a little diffident, evidently not on wholly-comfortable ground.

Athenaeum has posed:
"Dreamwalking... Yes it's quite an odd gift." Ysabelle answers distractedly. Using the now slightly cooled kettle to pour, in small portions, through the coffee grounds. Slowly, the coffee comes to pass. With some more hot water directly into a thick ceramic mug, and milk already on the table, the Magician places the drink in front of Scandal before taking a seat at the table herself.

"Were you trying to learn? Or is it the history of it you're looking for? I think I have a Treatise somewhere that has something about them..." Realising she's asking lots of questions at once, she stops, smiling sheepishly.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"About *them*?", Scandal asks, arching a brow... before smilingly picking up her coffee and taking a sip. "You have me intrigued. And please, do feel free to ask questions. I cannot promise to provide answers, but I am unlikely to be offended by curiosity. It is, after all, what has brought me here. But I am seeking to learn... though history would also be welcome."

Athenaeum has posed:
"I'm not an expert on dreamwalking I'm afraid, I've only ever done it the once, and even then it was through ritual magic, rather than the gift some seem born with." Ysabelle offers gently with a smile. "But yes, /them/. Regardless of what anyone might tell you, no gift is ever unique. Especially if it's one that humans can have born into them." She pauses, taking a sip of her tea, saucer in one hand, cup carefully held in the other.

"May I ask what led you to seek this knowledge?" It's the first actually probing question, requiring a specific answer.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"I was wondering if the 'them' in question were a specific group or organisation," Scandal says with a smile, before opting to take the risk of being honest. "And... direct experience. I have, more than once, had conversations with someone in my dreams. Not initiated by me, though my responses were my own to choose. A greater degree of control over such things would certainly be welcome."

Athenaeum has posed:
"To control one's dreams is to have power immesurable." The magus quotes with a smile. "Well then, for self defence I cannot deny you." She takes another sip of the tea, not moving from the chair despite her words.

"Did you know the person that invaded your rest? Did you think of having a warding in the mean time? Dreamwalking is still a sort of magic, or at least, the kind I know is. There's probably more... But the books will help." Placing her saucer and cup on the table, Ysabelle rests her hands into her lap. "As for /them/, I more meant Dreamwalkers in general. I'm sorry, I'm being rather broad in my terminology."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"My father." There's a sort of bleak amusement in Scandal's tone. "He has, in the past, referred to himself as having 'minor mystical abilities'. It would seem that he was not exaggerating. He could choose the forms - and scale - of what I saw, while talking with me, with both of us seemingly fully aware of what transpired, retaining memories of it upon waking."

Athenaeum has posed:
Ysabelle listens, nodding as if it were about as much as she'd expect. "Well, the good news is, these gifts are often genetic, so if he can do it... Well there's a good chance you might be able to do similiar. Or at least learn enough to hold him at bay."

"But we do have a slight issue... I am not in the habit of selling books, or letting them go to places I do not know. I am happy for you to study here however..."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal arches her brows, then chuckles. "Mmmmm. I confess that I am only very *mildly* surprised. I suppose that it does explain why the book-seller didn't try to set himself up as a go-between to arrange a sale for me. What would you wish in return for granting me access to the relevant books?"

Athenaeum has posed:
"For you to learn." Ysabelle offers with that same maternal smile. "I don't charge for access to the books I keep, I'm more a caretaker than an owner, but if I let them out of the library, well, let's just say I tried it early on, and it doesn't work."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"I'd imagine that they're prone to going astray...?", Scandal ventures. "But... thank you. I confess to being somewhat wary of unstated debts, especially where the topic in question is my own mind - but I think that I can understand the desire to see others become more capable of taking responsibility for themselves."

Athenaeum has posed:
Ysabelle nods and smiles, taking a sip of her tea before responding. "They do at that. Or someone takes a book that's beyond them and then bad things happen." Still her tone doesn't really change, talking about a car accident in some off town perhaps. That's the level of concern in her voice. Or lack thereof.

"But it isn't just about seeing others become more capable." She admits with as smile; "Ignorance is a curse. It breeds nothing but distrust and disharmony. So in helping you, I'm stamping out a small part of ignorance as a whole. So you're helping me, by letting me help you." As if that wasn't complicated at all.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal blinks, looking not so much disbelieving as mildly perplexed... before laughing quietly and inclining her head. "So, should I now start to haggle over who is more indebted to whom? In all honesty, I am glad that you are not inclined to chase me away."

Athenaeum has posed:
"I would gain nothing by chasing you away." Ysabelle laughs warmly. "And I gain some company and conversation if nothing else by letting you study. When you've finished your drink I'll show you the library here. If there's not something that you can get started on, then we'll try the Grand Library instead." Scandal can /hear/ the captial letters before the words. An added weight that's lacking in the rest of the scentence. "Tell me, do you have any aversions to travelling for your knowledge?"

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal arches a brow, accompanying the quizzical look with a wry smile. "That might depend upon quite where or when... but in principle, no. Even though I had not anticipated venturing farther afield than a library, I admit. Why do you ask?"

Athenaeum has posed:
"Well, mainly because the Grand Library is in Greece, and I'd need to take you there and back if you ended up needing it." Ysabelle smiles in reply as she gently sets her cup back on it's saucer, and thence back to the table.

"Really I'd be surprised if you didn't find /something/ here. You might find that you need to start on languages first of course, some of the older tomes aren't in English." An appologetic smile follows. "I'm starting to work through translating them, but some volumes do so fight being copied..."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal blinks again, then chuckles and nods. "Greece, I suspect I could cope with visiting. And I'm not entirely hopeless with languages. Though Ancient Greek is *not* one that I've acquired, I'm sorry to say. Nor is modern Greek, for that matter. But... they fight being translated? This sounds as if it might be quite a ferocious library you want to introduce me to."

Athenaeum has posed:
The magus giggles, the girlish noise making the woman seem younger. More approachable. "Nothing for you to be worried about. A certain level of magic will always lead to a certain level of... Mischievousness. Even in inanimate objects. Spell books have been known to offer more appropriate spells, or refuse to keep their letters in place for someone they don't approve of... Honestly it could be a life time of study all on it's own..." And one she really /would/ get around to spending a life time on at some point. Not /her/ life time of course, but an average persons. Only fifty, or maybe sixty years. One day she'd get to it. "But here I am offering you all these books and I barely know you! And I would dearly love to, could you tell me a little about yourself Miss Savage?"