[Well, even if he says that it goes against Ferdinand's nature and manners to just barge in unannounced. So once he finds the correct room, he knocks one lightly on the door before he calls out in a voice that's only slightly louder than conversational level,]
[Similarly, Ryan comes to the door to meet him even though he could easily just tell him to come in-- it's a habitual response, really, it'd just feel weird not to answer the door.]
Hey, thanks for coming. It's over here--
[He gives Ferdinand a small smile and steps back, gesturing for him to follow as Ryan heads toward his bunk. There are a few things spread out on it: an assortment of vegetables, for one; a pair of plaid shirts, upon which all the items but the veggies are carefully pillowed; a starter apothecarist's kit; and then the two things Ryan called him here to look at, a pocket mirror and an ancient-looking text.]
Figures that it didn't come with a translation guide or anything, right? And, uh- fair warning, the mirror definitely does not work like a normal one.
[The prompt ushering in is appreciated, as Ferdinand inclines his head a little once the door is opened.]
It's no problem, really. After your message, I can't help but but curious as to what this is about.
[But he'll get his answer--at least partially--as he follows the other to his bunk. He only briefly glances over it and notes the odd assortment of items there, before his eyes fall on the two in question.
The book does indeed look quite old, but it's the cover that gains his attention first. Squinting a bit at it, he steps closer before he looks to Ryan again.]
I appreciate the warning. May I take a look at the book, first?
[He perches on the end of the bed, carefully, so that he doesn't disturb anything else with the sudden weight.]
I'd just like to know what it is, to start with-- whatever language this is in, it isn't one I've picked up any words in over my research. Or maybe I just know the wrong words, I couldn't really say.
[But at least he knows better than to have tried reading them aloud.]
[Opening it, he is immediately struck by the strange language beneath the cover. As he isn't prolific in old Arabic, he doesn't recognize it until it comes to the diagrams of magic circles intended for conjuring.]
Impossible... [He murmurs it more to himself, hand reaching up to smooth over his nose and lower face.]
I'm sure any true copies of this were obliterated long before now.
[Ryan watches quietly, so as not to interrupt him-- but he can't help leaning forward when Ferdinand stops, too full of eager curiosity to stay still.]
Copies of what, what's impossible about it?
[He's trying not to be impatient, really trying, but it's a near miss.]
[He glances over at Ryan, and the expression in his eyes is a mix of surprise and just a hint of fear, before he carefully leafs through more of the pages. Handling them gingerly due to their age.]
It's a grimoire of magic. Very black magic, in fact. I can't be certain, but I believe it's a copy of what Lovecraft referred to as the Necronomicon.
[He shakes his head a bit.] There have been many fakes written after his stories gained popularity. Honestly, I've been inclined to write it's existence off as a mere hoax, myself.
[That only intensifies his interest. He's peering at the pages with wide eyes, letting that sink in for a moment... and then he beams.]
Oh my god, that's amazing. It's definitely not one of the fictionalized versions, either, I've seen those and they didn't have anything like this in them.
[Ryan gestures excitedly to one of those diagrammed circles along with the words, pausing only long enough for a breath before he adds--] Can you read any of it?
[It comes out a little more forcefully than he intended, and immediately Ferdinand's face flushes a bit in embarrassment. But the concern behind the reaction is real, as he places his hand beneath the book's cover and folds it closed with a faint plop of heavy pages.]
Nor do I want to. These magics are gone for a reason. Or, they were until now.
I'd burn it if it were mine. [Of course, it isn't and Ryan can do what he wants with it. But it is his honest opinion.]
I can't just burn it-- this is influential! Kafka, Lovecraft, all sorts of writers- hell, never mind the horror genre, d'you know how many people in supernatural circles would love to get their hands on this? See exactly what's in here?
[The light in his eyes and the interest in his voice make it clear that this is something he won't easily let go. It's too fascinating, there's too much he could learn from it.]
Look, I know better than to actually try any of this out, and I'm not showing it to anyone I don't trust to avoid the same. I just want to know.
[For a moment Ferdinand simply gazes at him quietly, before he breaks away with a small sigh. He knew how strong the fascination with the occult and the forbidden could be--hell, that was practically his calling card. Or had been, when he'd been a human.]
Yes, I know how valuable it is.
[He reaches up, pinching the bridge of his own nose as he thinks. On the one hand, he wanted nothing to do with the knowledge within those pages, if not only for Ryan's sake but his own. Some things really were best left unknown, and if the book's reputation was anything to go by it was incredibly dangerous.
Which meant that he was concerned for Ryan's safety in trying to translate it, or having someone else do it. Ugh.]
I'll help you translate what I can. But if we find anything that could potentially harm either of us, or the crew of this ship then you must agree to stopping immediately.
We're going to need to define 'potentially harmful', then.
[His way of saying 'thank you': diving right into the details.]
I don't doubt it has things that could potentially harm us or others, but do we still stop if it's, say-- [Ryan pauses a moment, considering examples.] Something like a spell, that's going to need active use? Or do we only stop if it would be something uncontrollable? Because the former's the type that's going to show up in a lot of places, not just in this.
Forgive me, I somewhat misspoke. I understand that danger is unavoidable--my major concern was the latter. Many different magics can be potentially harmful, it's true, not only ones dealing closely with death.
No forgiveness necessary, okay? I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page.
[Ryan offers him a small, hopefully-reassuring grin along with that, reaching up to adjust his glasses.]
We're agreed on that, though. Don't worry, I'm not so devoted to research that I'd screw all of us over. [After a moment's thought, he adds-] And the only stipulation on my part is that nobody knows unless they need to. You'd have burned it if it were yours, I'd rather not have anyone else actually trying to do that-- or anyone clueless getting their hands on it.
[He returns the smile with a small flicker of his own, though the situation makes it difficult to put much emotion behind it.]
I assure you, I have no intention of speaking of this with anyone. The fewer people who know about this, the better. [And he meant that, because his worries of someone finding it without knowing what it was were similar.]
But enough of that. We have a second item to investigate, right?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2015-01-11 06:27 am (UTC)I understand. I'll be there in a few moments.
[There's a few seconds delay between the next message.]
FROM: wurstel.ferdinand@cdc.org
Ah, which room are you in again?
no subject
Date: 2015-01-11 06:32 am (UTC)28. I'll make sure it's open and everything. :)
---> action?
Date: 2015-01-11 06:39 am (UTC)and mannersto just barge in unannounced. So once he finds the correct room, he knocks one lightly on the door before he calls out in a voice that's only slightly louder than conversational level,]Hello, Ryan?
to action!
Date: 2015-01-11 08:05 am (UTC)Hey, thanks for coming. It's over here--
[He gives Ferdinand a small smile and steps back, gesturing for him to follow as Ryan heads toward his bunk. There are a few things spread out on it: an assortment of vegetables, for one; a pair of plaid shirts, upon which all the items but the veggies are carefully pillowed; a starter apothecarist's kit; and then the two things Ryan called him here to look at, a pocket mirror and an ancient-looking text.]
Figures that it didn't come with a translation guide or anything, right? And, uh- fair warning, the mirror definitely does not work like a normal one.
Re: to action!
Date: 2015-01-11 08:11 am (UTC)It's no problem, really. After your message, I can't help but but curious as to what this is about.
[But he'll get his answer--at least partially--as he follows the other to his bunk. He only briefly glances over it and notes the odd assortment of items there, before his eyes fall on the two in question.
The book does indeed look quite old, but it's the cover that gains his attention first. Squinting a bit at it, he steps closer before he looks to Ryan again.]
I appreciate the warning. May I take a look at the book, first?
no subject
Date: 2015-01-11 08:47 am (UTC)[He perches on the end of the bed, carefully, so that he doesn't disturb anything else with the sudden weight.]
I'd just like to know what it is, to start with-- whatever language this is in, it isn't one I've picked up any words in over my research. Or maybe I just know the wrong words, I couldn't really say.
[But at least he knows better than to have tried reading them aloud.]
no subject
Date: 2015-01-11 09:01 am (UTC)[Opening it, he is immediately struck by the strange language beneath the cover. As he isn't prolific in old Arabic, he doesn't recognize it until it comes to the diagrams of magic circles intended for conjuring.]
Impossible... [He murmurs it more to himself, hand reaching up to smooth over his nose and lower face.]
I'm sure any true copies of this were obliterated long before now.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-11 09:13 am (UTC)Copies of what, what's impossible about it?
[He's trying not to be impatient, really trying, but it's a near miss.]
no subject
Date: 2015-01-11 03:54 pm (UTC)[He glances over at Ryan, and the expression in his eyes is a mix of surprise and just a hint of fear, before he carefully leafs through more of the pages. Handling them gingerly due to their age.]
It's a grimoire of magic. Very black magic, in fact. I can't be certain, but I believe it's a copy of what Lovecraft referred to as the Necronomicon.
[He shakes his head a bit.] There have been many fakes written after his stories gained popularity. Honestly, I've been inclined to write it's existence off as a mere hoax, myself.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-13 08:12 am (UTC)[That only intensifies his interest. He's peering at the pages with wide eyes, letting that sink in for a moment... and then he beams.]
Oh my god, that's amazing. It's definitely not one of the fictionalized versions, either, I've seen those and they didn't have anything like this in them.
[Ryan gestures excitedly to one of those diagrammed circles along with the words, pausing only long enough for a breath before he adds--] Can you read any of it?
no subject
Date: 2015-01-13 06:53 pm (UTC)[It comes out a little more forcefully than he intended, and immediately Ferdinand's face flushes a bit in embarrassment. But the concern behind the reaction is real, as he places his hand beneath the book's cover and folds it closed with a faint plop of heavy pages.]
Nor do I want to. These magics are gone for a reason. Or, they were until now.
I'd burn it if it were mine. [Of course, it isn't and Ryan can do what he wants with it. But it is his honest opinion.]
no subject
Date: 2015-01-14 09:30 am (UTC)[The light in his eyes and the interest in his voice make it clear that this is something he won't easily let go. It's too fascinating, there's too much he could learn from it.]
Look, I know better than to actually try any of this out, and I'm not showing it to anyone I don't trust to avoid the same. I just want to know.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-14 07:13 pm (UTC)Yes, I know how valuable it is.
[He reaches up, pinching the bridge of his own nose as he thinks. On the one hand, he wanted nothing to do with the knowledge within those pages, if not only for Ryan's sake but his own. Some things really were best left unknown, and if the book's reputation was anything to go by it was incredibly dangerous.
Which meant that he was concerned for Ryan's safety in trying to translate it, or having someone else do it. Ugh.]
I'll help you translate what I can. But if we find anything that could potentially harm either of us, or the crew of this ship then you must agree to stopping immediately.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-18 06:34 am (UTC)[His way of saying 'thank you': diving right into the details.]
I don't doubt it has things that could potentially harm us or others, but do we still stop if it's, say-- [Ryan pauses a moment, considering examples.] Something like a spell, that's going to need active use? Or do we only stop if it would be something uncontrollable? Because the former's the type that's going to show up in a lot of places, not just in this.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-18 06:56 pm (UTC)Forgive me, I somewhat misspoke. I understand that danger is unavoidable--my major concern was the latter. Many different magics can be potentially harmful, it's true, not only ones dealing closely with death.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-23 11:23 pm (UTC)[Ryan offers him a small, hopefully-reassuring grin along with that, reaching up to adjust his glasses.]
We're agreed on that, though. Don't worry, I'm not so devoted to research that I'd screw all of us over. [After a moment's thought, he adds-] And the only stipulation on my part is that nobody knows unless they need to. You'd have burned it if it were yours, I'd rather not have anyone else actually trying to do that-- or anyone clueless getting their hands on it.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-24 04:17 am (UTC)[He returns the smile with a small flicker of his own, though the situation makes it difficult to put much emotion behind it.]
I assure you, I have no intention of speaking of this with anyone. The fewer people who know about this, the better. [And he meant that, because his worries of someone finding it without knowing what it was were similar.]
But enough of that. We have a second item to investigate, right?