aefenglom | [text]

Name: un: pxw (Dr. Pellinore Warthrop)
Date: 3/13
Format: Text

FOR THE ATTENTION OF LIKE-MINDED SCHOLARS, men of science, or students of so-called enchanted or monstrumological biology, a series of inquiries—

Who among you has conducted studies between the mutations found in Mirrorbounded and those of the local population? Have any notable discrepancies been recorded between the two?

What data have you recorded or observed with respect to the natural progression of the affliction - at which point does the local population begin to manifest their traits (from birth? with the beginning of puberty? in response to a natural environmental trigger?), versus the length of time it takes a non-native to begin to experience significant alteration to the self?

Has the presence or lack of a Bond been recorded to emphasize or slow the progression of relevant mutative factors? I do not speak of the frankly exhaustively documented question of the Bond's stabilizing properties, but rather as to whether individuals with inhuman traits or extranatural abilities find the progression of their affliction altered when compared to individuals with no long term Bond.

Is this so with the native population as well? At what age are native children to Bond? Refer to the second point, et cetera.

Copies of your notes, recommended reading, and so on may be submitted below.

WANTED, GENERALLY—

Individuals of sense and discretion for work relating to the collection of rare and unique samples. Compensation to be negotiated. Inquire below.

Individuals for study, all levels of mutation and Bond status welcome. No compensation. Inquire below.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Just so.

Interested parties may meet me at Diplomatea tomorrow between the hours of noon and 2 o'clock. You will be required to fill out a short questionnaire.

[But no waivers; those are for cowards concerned about the legal repercussions of scientific study and/or from a slightly more advanced age than this particular good doctor can claim.]

OH, I KNOW THAT SHOP. HOW CONVENIENT! MEETING IN A PUBLIC TEA HOUSE, SIPPING TEA OVER PAPERWORK... GREAT IDEA! I DON'T KNOW WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE IN SUCH A TIZZY.

SO. I KNOW THE TIME. I KNOW THE PLACE... DIPLOMATEA, ALWAYS A HAPPENING SPOT. BUT I DON'T KNOW THE PERSON. WHO SHOULD I LOOK FOR? (I WILL BE THE SKELETON).

[No waivers - it may not occur to Papyrus to ask for one - but he does need to avoid excessive injuries during the next couple weeks, or else face a time paradox in his later outings from the city. If more intrusive scientific study is down the road, next month would better suit.]

[Not to worry, intrusive experimentation on sentient skeletons seem like a whole different kettle of fish from his current endeavor, and therefore may or may not first require the passage of a small existential crisis to tackle.

That said: ......... 'skeleton'.]

I will make the service aware that I am expecting guests. Ask for Doctor Warthrop.

I SEE, I SEE... IN A BLIND STUDY, I CAN'T RISK RECOGNIZING YOU EARLY. I'LL DO THAT!

[It's a good thing they're having this conversation via watch text, rather than in person. Papyrus sometimes struggles with names, and there's every chance he would come up with nothing but 'Doctor Warthog'. At least he can go with 'the doctor' if the name slips his mind in the moment.]

BUT BEFORE WE PART WAYS, UNTIL MEETING TOMORROW... SHOULD I BRING ANYTHING WITH ME? A PEN, FOR THE PAPERWORK. CUNES, FOR THE TEA... ANYTHING ELSE?

[He never paid that much attention to his brother's science activities, but he's sure that preparation makes it better and easier.]

Cunes for whatever you require.

A pen will be provided.

OH NO! I NEARLY MADE A MISTAKE FROM THE START. FEAR NOT, I WON'T SNEAK IN A PEN.

BUT I WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW AT NOON, BRIGHT AND MIDDAY!

[As much as it ever gets bright in the evening-skied, typically cloudy Aefenglom.

But true to his word, Papyrus shows up to Diplomatea at 12:10pm (having been, briefly, distracted by a particularly chaseable small animal). Given public opinion on necromancy, he is the only skeleton in the building - and likely in the city.

His brief description didn't reflect his monstrous changes, though. The Papyrus heading to the counter is more like a particularly gaunt werewolf with some revealed bones, dressed in clothing typical of the city's turnskins. He glances around the room, then heads to the counter to order a tea - and ask for 'the doctor'.]

[The inquiry is met with a blank look from the staff, and then a slow dawning realization - if if perhaps when the man in question had insisted on making his presence known that they had thought he was somehow joking. 'I think that's him there in the corner,' says the Conveniently Placed NPC Whom We Shall Likely Never Refer to Again, indicating the occupant of one of the tea house's rearmost tables.

--The occupant in question is practically a bag of bones himself. The man sitting at the table, gazing blankly out the nearest window, is gaunt faced and grimly pale behind his scraggly beard. His clothes are clearly either borrowed or were acquired by necessity rather than having been made for him; the cuffs of his coat and shirt don't quite cover the doctor's wasted thin wrist as he slowly stirs the contents of the cup before him with a small spoon to the tune of Clink, clink, clink against the porcelain.

That said, Warthrop's attention is quite sharp indeed when he senses any approach toward his little corner of the shop, coming around as if on a swivel. And—

His hand abruptly stops stirring the tea. Warthrop stares without obvious comprehension as to what he's looking at.

??????? Skeleton ???????]

[Papyrus nods a thanks at Conveniently Placed NPC, paying for his drink and heading in the direction they indicate.

He comes to a halt a couple feet away from the table, looking for signs of science in this bag of bone-adjacent. Nothing jumps out - that's not a lab coat, there's no beakers or blueprints or bowls of ramen in sight.

In fact, if it weren't for the hair, and nose, and general skin coverage, Papyrus might briefly think he was looking at another skeleton. Humans don't usually come that gaunt, though maybe sometimes vampires do...? But the idea doesn't jump to mind, as he's not that used to being around other skeletons - besides his brother - anyway.]

Hello there! Sorry to interrupt.

[It's not the first time he's been the recipient of a stunned stare. But the mannerly thing, to his mind, is to ignore it and plow ahead as best he can, with only the brief stammer.]

Are you Doctor, uh, Warthrop? I'm Papyrus! The skeleton.

[Just in case it needs to be said. He did warn that he would be the skeleton.]

[A naturally polite, professional individual might at this point rely on their instincts - rein in their bafflement, set aside the confusion, and rise to his feet to welcome the subject to the table (literally speaking, in this case). Doctor Pellinore Warthrop does none of those things. Or rather, he does none of them well. In an effort to check his shock, he seems almost to shake himself. When he rises from his chair, it's with a sudden jerk and a screeching of the chair legs against the floor. And his greeting, when it comes, is almost bizarrely severe - as if he is speaking to chastise his own surprise, rather than the collection of bones before him.]

Yes, I can read. I believe that's what you implied in our earlier correspondence. [He motions to the second chair.] You may as well sit.

[Warthrop himself does no such thing. Sit, that is. Instead, still standing and with his attention almost entirely devoted to the study of the... person... across from him, he begins to gather a series of documents out of a leather bound folio.]

[It's true, it's not the smoothest introduction Papyrus has had with a human in Aefenglom. The sound of the chair screeching alone draws attention through the establishment, several of whom doubletake at the sight of the skeleton. But he takes the curt words as something close to what they are - someone trying to control his immediate reaction, and behave appropriately despite his nerves. To Papyrus, that's a mannerly kindness almost greater than someone who easily accepts him, because here he can see the work going into it.]

Oh, thank you, I will.

[He complies quickly enough, sitting in the opposite chair with just a short adjustment to accommodate his tail. But with the way the scientist remains standing, he starts to explain himself rather than wait for the scientist's instructions.]

Sometimes people think I'm joking... Or that they're seeing things. So I let them know again.

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irl laugh

he's fun to play for things like that

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text -> action?

action!

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