Does weather normally do that for your magic or is that an unusual feature of the storm?

Unusual feature of the storm. It is rather extremely magical.

So is it just a consequence of magical interference from the storm's magic, or is it an intentional ward against scrying? Could you tell the difference?

Actually, wait, there are more immediate concerns than this. Like, do you have a better food source than raw squirrel, how did you get here, are you planning to return to civilization soon and if so can I accompany you?

I have a better food source than raw squirrel but I might need a new one for two, I got here by flying, I was not planning to return to civilisation soon but that plan can change and yes you're welcome to. And it's an intentional ward against scrying, or some completely unknown form of magic, one of those.

If you know how to safely start a fire I have heard it is theoretically possible to transmute raw squirrel to cooked squirrel. I don't know that that will be much of an improvement, but it's something.

Oh I don't mean I can't get you food that is not squirrel right now, it's just that that means I have half as much food as I'd expected and my plans need to change accordingly.

Right. I was thinking of ways to stretch food if needed. I'm not actually starving right at this moment but it was important to establish whether or not I need to leave and hunt down dinner soon or not.

Nah we have a coupla weeks—do you have weeks where you're froom?

Yes, we have weeks.

What is this place? Some kind of library? This - they gesture at the hologram - is not how I am used to books working, is this normal in this plane?

Some kind of library, yeah, and no this isn't normal nowadays. Ancient civilisations were very lavish and wasteful with their magic, though.

Well, at least some things are constant across planes. Mine also has its share of lavish and wasteful ancient civilizations. Also, I guess, more modern ones.

Modern ones don't have as much magic. They say it's because the gods no longer walk amongst us.

I don't think the gods take a very direct hand on my plane either, but they still bless their chosen followers. I'm guessing they don't do that here?

They're absent to the point that the existence of magic is about the only evidence of their existence.

We have magic that definitely does not come from the gods, so I wouldn't count that as evidence actually.

But, like, we've also talked to them - well, not me personally, but they sometimes talk to their most favored priests, and even less-favored clerics can summon up an angel and ask it questions.

None of that happens here, only some people are born with one of—four—kinds of magic and they're said to be chosen by the gods. And in the past everything was better and so the gods must've been around doing things.

...That does not seem to follow. The past could have been better for god-unrelated reasons - if it even was better, a lot of people thinking the past was better is just not having been around to see it. Adding active gods to a situation could wind up making it much worse, actually, depending on which gods.

I'm actually—extremely surprised to hear of somewhere with actual, active gods. It's somewhat indirect evidence that they're, you know, possible.

It's kind of surprising to find somewhere where that sort of skepticism is possible. 

Wait a second, what do you do for healthcare on this plane with the gods so absent?

...we have, like, doctors and barbers? Magic and gods have little to do with standard health anythings.

...What, exactly, do barbers have to do with keeping people healthy?

They, you know, pull teeth and perform surgery and stuff?

...

I guess if you don't have clerics that is maybe the best you can do, but why did it end up barbers instead of, like, assassins. Someone who knows something about anatomy. On my plane, barbers cut hair and that is it.

Barbers learn some anatomy from doctors, and most towns too small to have proper medics have a barber.

This is kind of disconcerting and I will try very hard not to get injured around here. Where I guess I will be stuck for probably a while, at least until we can figure out planar travel.

They gesture at the hologram again.

I should probably learn your language if I'm going to be here a while. Also whatever this one is, if it's different.