[open] september/october catchall

[techmaturgy]

Who: Viktor and special guests and YOU
When: Post-Nocwich, through September and early October
Where: Cadens, Libertas the Horizon
What: open stuff, closed stuff, Libertas stuff, horizon visits, whatever I WANT
Warnings: the usual references to terminal illness, will list additional warnings as needed.

[open and closed starters in comments! If you want a custom starter or something specific, just hit me up. full horizon details are here for any and all wildcarding needs. For everything else, I’m on plurk at whitticus and on discord at whitticus#8139.]

Comments

[catholica]

Yeah.

( he doesn't think he's specifically aggravated about it but it's...concerning. something he's trying not to think about since there's little to be done. )

I keep wondering maybe I can change things, make a difference in what happens even if I know that's probably impossible.

[techmaturgy]

Much of that depends on whether getting home at all is even a possibility.

[Viktor still thinks, occasionally, of trying to reverse-engineer the summoning ritual, even with the added complication of parallel universes and alternate timelines in the way. For now, however, he has other priorities.]

I'd thought, at the start, that I might be able to puzzle out the summoning ritual, but adding in various timelines complicates the situation somewhat, to the point where I'm not even sure it's worth worrying about.

[catholica]

( that's the question, isn't it? matt doesn't even know if he wants to go home because that means finding out if he died or...not.

he sighs and rubs a hand across his face. )

But you're gonna worry about it anyway?

[techmaturgy]

It's a puzzle to solve.

[Which, ordinarily, he likes, because he needs to keep his mind occupied. There are other reasons, too--Viktor hasn't quite given up on his pledge to help the Undercity. He certainly won't be able to do that if he remains in this place, as he is.]

There are some who might want to make a life here. [The corners of his mouth turn down a little, indicating that this might be slightly personal.] I'm not sure I can count myself among them.

[catholica]

I don't think I could.

( cadens isn't a terrible place to live from what he's known of it. it has its ups and downs just like new york but it's not really his city.

he thinks he'd be uncomfortable here long term. )

I've only lived in one place my entire life so to suddenly have it changed is jarring. I'm still getting used to things.

[techmaturgy]

If you're accustomed to a greater level of technology, this is an adjustment as well.

[Fishing a little, maybe, to see how far behind or ahead Matt might be. He figures he's further ahead, given various context clues--Viktor is often frustrated by the state of technology and can't imagine what it's like for people like Tony.]

And they weren't exactly accommodating of you when you arrived here. [He had to find a stick. A stick!!!!] I'm sure that didn't help.

[catholica]

No. I'm actually trying to figure out if braille is something that's even known here. I don't know if you have that where you come from —

( he pulls out a notebook and tips it towards viktor to show a series of raised bumps that he's made. it's very rudimentary but they're easy to see. )

It's how I read things. So, without that, I just have to rely on audio books and notes and such.

[techmaturgy]

Yes, a tactile alphabet.

[Piltover is many things, but medieval is not necessarily one of them. Viktor doesn't need Matt's particular accommodations, but generally speaking, he was able to get around just fine.]

Would it be worth having someone help translate relevant documents? Or read them aloud? I'd be willing to help, if it expedites the legal processes for you.

[catholica]

I couldn't ask you — or anyone, really — to do that. That's a lot of work.

( but viktor offering...that says a lot. )

I've been trying to figure out if there's a piece of technology that I could figure out that would translate it automatically so I wouldn't need to put anyone out.

[techmaturgy]

If it will help those displaced from Libertas, then the time and effort is worth it.

[But, a piece of technology to take care of it, well. Obviously that would be optimal, and possibly not out of the realm of his ability.]

How would such a device work, where you come from?

[catholica]

See, that's where I'm getting stuck. Because I think that's above my paygrade. Basically, it would have to be able to audibly translate braille.

( and he knows there are apps that do that but how to make one? that's not something he's very versed on. )

So, it would have to be something that understands both languages and then can speak it. Which...sounds like a lot.

[techmaturgy]

Well, audio is not necessarily the difficult part. We have phonographs, where I'm from. I'm building something like it for Jaskier, to play recorded music.

[The trick will be real-time translation, though he gets the sense that Mat already knows that. He already knows that the technology here isn't on that level, but there are other avenues to try.]

I've been told of a device called a computer--something that can be given instructions, and execute them in turn. In this case, the ability to read and translate the tactile alphabet. Such technology is likely beyond what's available here, but I wonder if magic can't make up the gaps.

[catholica]

Yeah, a computer would probably work but you have to write a program for it which I can't really do.

( of course, he's never really tried but he knows that programming language is way above his level of skill. )

I used to have an application on my phone where if I touched something, it would read out what it was. Or if someone sent a message to me, my phone would read it out loud.

[techmaturgy]

Well, I could take care of that part.

[Viktor has never seen a computer in his life. He barely understands what programming is, but he's fairly confident that his work on the Hexcore would directly apply to something like this.

Besides, he likes a project.]

A sort of...text to speech protocol. I understand. Whether we can make it happen given the level of technology here is questionable, but I don't see a reason not to try.

[catholica]

I'd be happy to help in anyway I can. My level of understanding with technology and computers isn't huge but I'm an expert at braille.

( kind of had to be and all. he tilts his head to one side to think about it, considers it. )

I'd probably have to create something that has the most commonly used braille words on it. And then maybe give it some kind of...option to expand the dictionary?

[techmaturgy]

Yes, I would need the translation from you, to start.

[If Matt is the one using it, then it follows he should tailor it to the specific tactile alphabet that he uses. From there, it's just figuring out...everything else.

Well. Viktor has done impossible things before.]

I have some ideas. Let's start with a basic translation of the alphabet, and go from there.

[catholica]

I can get that to you pretty quickly.

( he could write it right now but it would be better to create it correctly so it would be read by whatever program they could manage to make. )

Basic alphabet's easy. It's the different variations of raised dots that create words that can get a little more difficult.

[techmaturgy]

Yes, we can expand it later, but this will be to put the infrastructure in place.

[Once they have a system that works, then they can start teaching it more. Matt will have something to use in the interim.]

In the meantime, let me know if there's anything I can do to help in the short term. Jayce and I are always willing to assist.

[catholica]

Thank you. I'll get you the alphabet shortly and then —

( yeah, they could go from there. )

Appreciate the help.