Cam nods. "And I have other stuff I plan to do, but first, if I make an era-appropriate computer, can I use your Internet? ...You do have it, right, is this back too far for literally everyone to have it?"

"We have internet. You can use it."

"... Nnnno, but I can show you the cable."

"Okay, thanks."

Cable is shown! Look, there it is, a cable!

"Not that I know of. Why, want an outline of 'em?"

"Yes, please, that's one thing I know definitely differs."

"Okay. Well, there are critters. General rule, if it exists in mythology, just assume it exists in real life. They get medallions, to pretend to be human or actually be mostly human, some kind of weird mix of the two. Their kids get free hidden humanhood from the medallion, but they can't turn to natural form on their own. Another medallion of the same type snaps the spell and then they need to keep that medallion."

"About what fraction of the population is some thing?"

"That we know of, or what's actually there? We're all pretty sure it's a way higher number than what we think, basically."

"Ballpark."

"... Anywhere from an eighth of the world's population to half. Possibly more. I might be overestimating, but I seriously doubt it."

"And this manages to be a secret. Well, that's kind of dumb."

"Yup."

"Is there a particular reason? Evil critter shadow government threatens to send dragon assassins after you if you go on TV?"

"I think the general consensus is that it's too much trouble and no one wants to try it. Plus an incredibly large fraction of my ballpark has no idea that they're critters."

"Right. Hmm."

"Yeah. I mostly just get by. Human in on the weirdness. You want to change the world, talk to my son. Fifteen and determined to change the world." He sounds incredibly fond of him.

"I'm getting that." Cam is on Wikipedia and has conjured a second computer that is shaped like a stick and does very futuristic projecty things; he's comparing it to the laptop screen. "No major discrepancies so far..."

"Mm. Good to know. Do you need to eat?"

"No, and I can just make food if I feel like it. Why, are you about to cook something? I can save you the trouble if you like."

"I am about to cook something. But I am not turning down skipping straight to food."

"Cool, whaddaya want?"