I work for a special collection. Old books and valuable tomes that are not accessible to the public. And I'm not a writer, I'm not going to publish the Norfinbury Secrets 101 to the public when I'm back. I like not being in the psych ward.
I see what you're getting at but once we make this information publicly available, isn't that the same potential threat for, or rather from everyone? I won't know more than the people reading the stories just because I do the administrative part, do I?
No... you don't see what I'm getting it. You're thinking of keeping it out of the wrong hands. I'm thinking of getting it into the right ones.
[And you've done a piss-poor job of explaining as much, Beckett. Out with it already.]
I am... something of an archivist myself. A record-keeper, rather. I have a great many stories that no one else remembers. That deserves respect. I'd like to know that they end up with the people, the place that will give them that respect. Not just by hiding or guarding them, but by keeping them alive, as it were. As much as stories of a dead breed can be.
[Okay, that is a turn that Flynn didn't expect. And now that Beckett mentions it he wonders why the thought never crossed his mind - preseving stories of other worlds they otherwise might never touch upon.]
I'd be honored.
And I don't know a place in my world that would take better care of them.
[At last, they're starting to understand each other. Beckett relaxes a bit, moved by how Flynn doesn't challenge him on the importance of the stories, and their keeping.]
They are not necessarily pleasant stories, you have to understand. We were - we made many mistakes. Some falling to our nature, but some willful, wasteful. But it is history. It's the truth. Even if it condemns us, it has worth for that.
Well, history shouldn't just be about preserving the facts that you like. ... Though yes, more often than not that's exactly what happens.
[He hums, thinking back to the conversation they shared in their dream meeting. He... wasn't going to bring that up but it seems like there's no way around it now.]
With "we" you mean your secret society of exploration vampires?
[All vampires. So they're doing this then. The vampire talk.]
Right. So what did you guys--
Wait, "Noddists"? What is that, does that go back to the land of Nod? [Vampires in his world are connected to the story of Cain and Abel so it doesn't seem like much of a stretch.]
Yes, in a sense. [Well-observed on Flynn's part, and a question Beckett finds easier to answer than what was otherwise probably coming.]
Noddism refers to scholarship of the Book of Nod - I've shared it on the network, you may have seen. A collection of foundational texts of vampire history and lore. The name derives from the purported - well. The now established origin of my kind with the Biblical Cain.
[Though it's an obvious misunderstanding. Beckett sighs.]
No. The opposite. It's - I have - just tell me. Please. Your world has vampires. They are descended from Cain. There was... Dracula? Am I remembering right?
[Another pause. Should he try to backpedal? That's a very tough choice to make here and he remains vague for now, trying to gauge more of his reaction.]
You mean in the dream? Yes, you remember that right. There was Dracula.
And he was your enemy. I understand why you're worried. You needn't be, Mr. Carsen, none of my kind are going to hunt you down for your knowledge. You see, they're all gone.
That's what I'm trying to understand. How much the vampires in your world are - whether they are like my kind. I've heard of a number of versions by now, which is curious in itself. But none of them are my Kindred.
[The capital K is all but audible. He has never felt as close to his fellow vampires as he does now they're all dead.]
... It wasn't Cain. In my story. The first vampire, cursed to wander to world forever? In the version I was told it's Judas. The Chalice is regarded as the Holy Grail for vampires in my world.
That's how the story goes but I couldn't help but notice the parallels in what you mentioned. My version could be incomplete.
It could be. [Beckett doesn't sound convinced, but he also sounds like he's struggling. How much is he willing to stake on the remote possibility? How much does he let himself be drawn in by hope?]
The Chalice is used for - what? Create new vampires? Restore the undead to life?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
I work for a special collection. Old books and valuable tomes that are not accessible to the public. And I'm not a writer, I'm not going to publish the Norfinbury Secrets 101 to the public when I'm back. I like not being in the psych ward.
I see what you're getting at but once we make this information publicly available, isn't that the same potential threat for, or rather from everyone? I won't know more than the people reading the stories just because I do the administrative part, do I?
no subject
[And you've done a piss-poor job of explaining as much, Beckett. Out with it already.]
I am... something of an archivist myself. A record-keeper, rather. I have a great many stories that no one else remembers. That deserves respect. I'd like to know that they end up with the people, the place that will give them that respect. Not just by hiding or guarding them, but by keeping them alive, as it were. As much as stories of a dead breed can be.
no subject
I'd be honored.
And I don't know a place in my world that would take better care of them.
no subject
They are not necessarily pleasant stories, you have to understand. We were - we made many mistakes. Some falling to our nature, but some willful, wasteful. But it is history. It's the truth. Even if it condemns us, it has worth for that.
no subject
[He hums, thinking back to the conversation they shared in their dream meeting. He... wasn't going to bring that up but it seems like there's no way around it now.]
With "we" you mean your secret society of exploration vampires?
no subject
We Noddists would like to believe we did better. But no... I mean all of us. All vampires.
no subject
Right. So what did you guys--
Wait, "Noddists"? What is that, does that go back to the land of Nod? [Vampires in his world are connected to the story of Cain and Abel so it doesn't seem like much of a stretch.]
no subject
Noddism refers to scholarship of the Book of Nod - I've shared it on the network, you may have seen. A collection of foundational texts of vampire history and lore. The name derives from the purported - well. The now established origin of my kind with the Biblical Cain.
no subject
I must have missed that. I'll definitely go back and check.
no subject
You've heard the story before.
no subject
... I have. A colleague told me about it.
no subject
[He says that as a fact. A rattling, frightening fact.]
no subject
You don't sound too happy about it.
no subject
no subject
Why, am I in trouble here?
no subject
[Though it's an obvious misunderstanding. Beckett sighs.]
No. The opposite. It's - I have - just tell me. Please. Your world has vampires. They are descended from Cain. There was... Dracula? Am I remembering right?
no subject
You mean in the dream? Yes, you remember that right. There was Dracula.
no subject
[And that's out.]
no subject
[That... moves him. It reminds him of Simone and sitting in the sun and watching her fade away and he can feel his heart grow heavy at the memory.]
... They're not. Not in my world. At least I don't think they are.
no subject
[The capital K is all but audible. He has never felt as close to his fellow vampires as he does now they're all dead.]
no subject
Alright. I haven't met too many and I only recently learned of their existence before coming here but alright.
The Judas Chalice... does that mean anything to you?
no subject
[Which doesn't bode well... but he is listening.]
no subject
That's how the story goes but I couldn't help but notice the parallels in what you mentioned. My version could be incomplete.
no subject
The Chalice is used for - what? Create new vampires? Restore the undead to life?
no subject
[There's an uncomfortable pause in which he clears his throat.]
"I will summon my children and they will drink and we will plunge your world into darkness."
[The details weren't all that clear-cut.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)