greatoldjohn | TLV Inbox

Ah- hello, my friend.

[A quick fuss to fix the mask in place, then--]

I hope you don't mind doing some writing for me. I've made some interesting headway with my inmate.

[ Hardly. ]

[ John wonders, absently, how Arthur feels about how he feels slipping back in to join Arthur. He can't deny he much prefers it, for all that freedom has its benefits. He doesn't think it's a point of contention; he hopes not. But he can't help that is a comfort and a joy to him. ]

[ I haven't met the man, though I understand he works in the library. Tell me about how it went? ]

Well, he's not a man, for one. Mandrake certainly can't be any more than fifteen or sixteen, and he sounds markedly younger. Help me find his page.

[The tone is more of an invitation, not a command, as he moves further into the room.]

[ Of course.]

[ And, without prompting.]

[ Before you is the warden conference room. There are a few round tables, clearly for small meetings, and a tiny kitchen area with a refridgerator, a sink, and what I have learned is called a microwave, used for reheating food which has already been cooked. Scattered along the side and front of the refridgerator are a number of 'humorous' magnets, though none seem to be doing anything but providing color. There is also a cork board, clearly for leaving notices to others, though none appear to have been left at the moment.

To our right is the Big Red Button. As I mentioned to you when I first went over the information I'd gathered, according to the plaque on the wall beside it, when pressed, it will immediately and completely remove the special abilities of every inmate on the ship for one hour, regardless of pairing status.

Our destination, however, is elsewhere, currently on the far side of the room, around ten feet away: a book sat atop a podium at a comfortable height to you, chained in place: the inmate ledger. It is currently closed.]

Edited (spacing) 2022-11-18 15:19 (UTC)

Right.

[It's only a few steps to the ledger then, he knows from experience now that his pace is a little over two feet, so he's mostly using the cane to make sure he doesn't crash into any tables on the way.]

About here-- ah. [He says, just as his cane taps the base, and a moment later his hand finds the ledger.] Wonderful. Now, Mandrake... [And he checks the pages with his fingers before he flips the book open, immediately to the midpoint.]

[ You actually landed on Natalie, strangely enough. I think we have to go back a few pages. ]

[ John will use his hand to do the flipping and it's probably more than Arthur will expecting; Arthur will hear him muttering a little about it. ]

[ It appears that they go by first name as opposed to last, given that many people here may not have a second name. I hadn't noticed as I was just going through the pages one by one.

His entry is largely empty, only containing the initial primary note:

"A devoted servant of the state." ]

Edited 2022-11-19 00:05 (UTC)

[That gets a soft scoff.]

Well, it's not wrong. Alright, let me think for a moment.

[There's a lot to say and he wants to make sure he says it correctly. And after a few long seconds, he clears his throat to start.]

'John Mandrake is from a version of England where the ministers of Parliament, as well as other high-ranking social standings, are all magicians - the term here meaning practitioners of magic who can summon demons from what he called the Other World - and use said demons as functional slaves and weapons of national defence. He also demonstrates a strong lack of humanity in regards to the treatment of these demons; I suggest monitoring his treatment of visibly non-human members of the Barge with some caution.'

[ There's a short pause. ]

[ ...seriously? ]

[ But after a moment, he's going to start writing. ]

[ I noted that the words were from you. ]

Thank you. But, uh, yes, unfortunately. Completely. He believes wholeheartedly in the superiority of magicians and the infallibility of their system, while deriding these demons as being hostile, manipulative and malicious when they are being actively summoned to perform menial or actively life-endangering labour.

[ I'm sure he was terribly pleased to have you assigned as his warden considering our very public announcement. ]

[That gets a soft snort.]

I think he also has a habit of outright dismissing anything that doesn't fit into his narrative. You didn't come up much, really, so I suppose he didn't have to really think about it.

[ That could be... difficult.

How was it otherwise? ]

[He hums as he considers the right word.]

...unobjectionable. Aside from his somewhat baffling views, he's a polite young man. I don't see him being too much of a little hellraiser, but I got the impression that's rather more because he's used to being punished rather than any maturity or magnanimity.

[ That, and the lack of entries on his ledger speaks to someone who either behaves well, or knows how to appear as if he does. ]

Precisely! [And he sounds quite proud of that note.] An excellent observation, John. Yes, Mandrake is very much someone who knows how and exactly where to toe the line before he becomes culpable, or heavens forbid responsible for an adverse event.

[ I do spend inordinate amounts of time with a private detective. ]

[ Very very dry. ]

[ Shall I add that as well, or hold off, as it's merely conjecture? ]

Let's phrase it a bit more diplomatically. Uhhm...

Ah- 'This version of England is also one that encourages systematic abuse of power, and Mandrake stated himself to be the victim of such on multiple occasions, and had implied he is acutely aware of where the limits lie on such abuse; I've no doubt he is able to apply this to his own actions, and on the chance he wants to act out will do so in a way that fully obeys any presented system of law and punishment, where he has, technically, done nothing wrong.'

Edited 2022-11-19 00:52 (UTC)

[ More scratching pen. ]

[ Anything else? ]

[He hums again as he gives it some thought.]

Let's leave it at that, for now. We've only had one conversation, I'm sure I'll have more to add once I can cross-reference what he's told me with something later on.

[Of course. What next?]

Did you have anything you wanted to add to Natalie's, while we're here? I don't see us coming by often.

Edited 2022-11-19 03:27 (UTC)

[I've been coming up to check the ledger every few days. Just in case.

But so far, Natalie's been-]

[ He pauses. ]

[Well, there is one thing...]

[ There is more scratching. ]

[Which reminds me of something I wanted to consult with you on.]

[The extra writing has his curiosity immediately.]

By all means. What's on your mind?

[I'm leaving a note that I'm her warden, that she has a temper at times, and...]

[ Mmm, how to put this? ]

[Do you know anything about 'substance abuse' or 'drugs'?]

...ah.

[Well there's a fact that possibly should have come out a different way.]

Yes, uh-- a 'substance' in this context, a drug, refers to, uh. A medication of some sort, often misused to achieve what's called a 'high', a-an altered state of mind, usually-- euphoria or bliss from its use, or simply intoxication. The most common form is- excessive consumption, but some drugs are deliberately created to achieve these altered states, uh. Opiates - laudanum and morphine, um, cocaine, cannabis - alcohol, particularly in excess, though in small amounts it's moderately harmless.

[Tobacco flies under his radar. It's totally fine!]

I don't doubt there's more from her time that I'm not aware of.

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