Sept. 5th: Anyone Home?

[Veronica Glarette]

Finding her way to the outside of Professor Sackville's office, she gives a couple knocks. Don't get too excited yet. He may not want to show them.

[Roland Sackville]

The door cracked open on the second knock--it apparently wasn't closed all the way.

Roland was in his office, sleeping at his desk.

[Veronica Glarette]

She smiles a bit, assuming he had overworked. It was something she had seen before of one of her high school teachers before. Not a big deal. Pulling out a piece of paper from her journal, she composes a note.

Professor Sackville,

My name is Veronica Glarette, a freshmen of the University. I was told that you are in possession of historical artifacts, and I am extremely interested in seeing them if this is at all possible. I am completely in understanding if this is out of line, as I know that things are very fragile. I would not wish to harm the history that lies within those items.

The reason I ask is due to the fact that I am psychometric. Items of history draw me due to the knowledge they keep that is unseen to most. As the man who defined the term said:

"The mental telescope is now discovered which may pierce the depths of the past and bring us in full view of the grand and tragic passages of ancient history."

I will stop by another time to speak with you personally on this.

Sincerely,

Veronica

After composing the note, she slips into the room and approaches the desk to set the note down- but not before clumsily bumping into a chair. Thunk.

[Roland Sackville]

Roland awakened with a jolt.

"Ποιος είναι εκεί!?"

[Veronica Glarette]

She basically jumps out of her skin, dropping the note. "Mon dieu, I did not mean to disturb you, I am so, so sorry." Her eyes are wide, worried she may have just seriously screwed up.

[Roland Sackville]

"Hrm? Wha? Oh," Roland said, blinking. "Must be getting senile, to be snuck up on like that.

It's...it's alright. It's alright.

...Who are you?"

[Veronica Glarette]

She kneels and picks up the note, putting it on his desk. "My name is Veronica. Just a freshman here. I...I was going to leave zis for you to read over later. I can come back at anoser time. I do not mean to disturb."

[Roland Sackville]

"No, no no. It's alright.

Freshman? Alright. What's...what can I do for you?" he said, gathering himself.

[Veronica Glarette]

"I was told zat you had historical artifacts. Will mentioned zat it was varied as to what it was you had in your possession. Zis may come as an odd question, but do you allow people to see zem? And eef so, may I?"

[Roland Sackville]

"Historical...um, I suppose I do, at that. I have a couple things here and there..." he said, cautiously. "What, in particular, were you thinking about?"

[Veronica Glarette]

"Anysing really...I uh..." She pauses. "Ees it true you have many years off life?" She tries to word it carefully so that it doesn't sound like she's calling him old. It's clear she's trying to do her best not to offend him and be polite.

[Roland Sackville]

"...yes, I suppose you could say that. Who told you that?"

[Veronica Glarette]

"Will." She answers. "I...assume you know him well considering how long he says he has been here."

[Roland Sackville]

"Oh, Mr. Stanton," Roland said drolly. "What, did he pop out as a particularly helpful wall tile or chocolate cake to share this information?"

It was clear Roland did not hold Will in the highest of esteem.

[Veronica Glarette]

"Pop out off...?" She doesn't seem to quite understand what he's saying. And for good reason, considering she didn't actually know he was able to do that. "Um..."

[Roland Sackville]

"Well, never mind how or what he was giving you the information, he is, more or less, accurate."

[Veronica Glarette]

"Zat is amazing." She kind of just blurts out. Well played, Veronica. You're on a roll. Please, continue. "I mean, to be able to be a part off history and actually haf been zere to experience up until now...eet is astounding."

[Roland Sackville]

"It's been overly-glamorized, I'm afraid to say."

[Veronica Glarette]

She nods a bit in understanding. Not that she would no, but she could understand somewhat how one could feel like that. "I would assume you haf collected many sings along zee way?"

[Roland Sackville]

"I've tried to keep a few important things. I normally don't let people paw at all of them, but if you had something in particular...?"

[Veronica Glarette]

"I have a very high interest in any sort off artifacts, older items, old buildings, sings zat can tell a tale. I haf zee capability off psychometry, so learning some off zee secrets history has to offer is very enticing to me. I know zere are sings zat should not be known, zat zere are some secrets zat should stay where zey lie. My interests are solely in zee missing puzzle pieces off history in general. Sings zat we will haf never known unless we were zere."

[Roland Sackville]

"Well, I suppose there wouldn't be any harm in letting you see, well, one or two things. Is there a particular time you're interested in?"

[Veronica Glarette]

"I am not picky, but I haf a few particular favorites. Zee Renaissance Era as well as zee Age of Enlightenment. I sink zere was a lot more zat was said and sought off back zen zan we believe. Records only go so far, non?"

[Roland Sackville]

"Age of Enlightenment, huh? You know, no one called it that, back then."

[Veronica Glarette]

"Non?" She tilts her head. "Age off Reason? Or somesing else?"

[Roland Sackville]

"Normally we called it 'another bloody day', but your mileage may vary."

"Wait here. I think I can get something for you to take a look at."

[Veronica Glarette]

She can't help but laugh, then nods and straightens the chair she bumped into, taking a seat.

[Roland Sackville]

A few minutes later--not nearly long enough for Roland to have gone anywhere significantly far away, he returned, and placed a covered glass goblet on the desk.

"That's the emblem of the King of Poland there on the side," Roland pointed out.

The entire goblet had decorations of men and animals, apparently depicting some kind of boar hunt.

[Veronica Glarette]

She stands as he enters again, pulling out her journal. Apparently she is writing the very minute features on the page, right down to the number of boars and stags. "Augustus zee sird, non?" She doesn't dare touch it yet, kind of tilting her head around as she takes notes on the details.

[Roland Sackville]

"Very good! I'm surprised you recognize it."

[Veronica Glarette]

"I may or may not haf a love off composers like Bach who made eet a point to create a beautiful piece due to zis King. Kyrie and Gloria off his Mass in B Minor. Honestly eet is zee only sing zat clued me to it."

[Roland Sackville]

"Ahh, well, that would explain it, then. I would be surprised to find a general expert on heraldry here. Honestly, I'd be surprised to find anyone who knew what 'heraldry' was."

[Veronica Glarette]

She stops for a moment and raises a brow. "Truly? It is a simple concept to understand. More difficult in practice and identification, mais I do not believe zat many people would be *too* unknowing off it. Zough, I suppose if zey are not from a country that conducts it zen I can see why zey would not know. I sink it also has to do wis zee fact many do not take zee time to learn zee past as zey should. Zey are too focused on zere own histories."

[Roland Sackville]

"It's...difficult...getting some people interested in the past. You have to...dangle a carrot."

[Veronica Glarette]

"A carrot?" She laughs. "Zese days I sink dangling a pastry would be more effective. No one eats zere vegetables anymore."

[Roland Sackville]

"And again we're back to Mr. Stanton," Roland muttered.

"But you're right. Habits have...changed, significantly. I wonder if half the students here could survive without a microwave."

[Veronica Glarette]

"Likely not. Zis day and age eet is all about time, and eef somesing can cut zat time, zey will use it as much as zey can. Eet is a busy." She seems to finish her notes on the goblet, then holds a hand towards it as if she would simply rest a few fingers on it, stopping and looking to him. "May I?"

[Roland Sackville]

"Just be careful."

[Veronica Glarette]

She rests her left fingers on the base of the goblet, not even picking it up. With her right hand, she keeps a pen at the ready with her journal open. Slowly, her eyes begin to glow a soft pale purple as she begins searching out, well, any sort of ancient memories that lie within the object.

[Narrator]

A huge banquet hall. A jaded servant girl, filling the goblet from a large bottle, and handing it to a clearly inebriated older man. The smell of various roast meats, and general drunkenness.