Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by AsenRG

Ah well, after I was told in another thread that Gary Gygax was also testing polearms, I can only conclude that I'm moving in the right direction, myself! Seems to be something of an unspoken tradition for Referees.
Gary and Phil were among the first Referees, right?

Yes, Gary was, and he was doing it with Gronan - the latter did this immense table that showed every known pole arm, and assigned it a value in "Chainmail". We used to make notes on just what weapon our figures had, so we could get the numbers right in games; he used to hang the poster-sized chart on the wall for games.

This sort of thing was pretty common, back then; Dave was a founding member of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, which set very high standards for ACW re-enactment. Everybody did a lot of 'practical experiments', like the ones that Phil did with 'flasks of oil' and 'torches' out in his yard, or we did in our suits of armor. We did a lot of research into primary sources, too.

Re 'first referees', depends on whose mythology you believe. I'd suggest "Playing at the World", myself...

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Yes, Gary was, and he was doing it with Gronan - the latter did this immense table that showed every known pole arm, and assigned it a value in "Chainmail". We used to make notes on just what weapon our figures had, so we could get the numbers right in games; he used to hang the poster-sized chart on the wall for games.

This sort of thing was pretty common, back then; Dave was a founding member of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, which set very high standards for ACW re-enactment. Everybody did a lot of 'practical experiments', like the ones that Phil did with 'flasks of oil' and 'torches' out in his yard, or we did in our suits of armor. We did a lot of research into primary sources, too.

Re 'first referees', depends on whose mythology you believe. I'd suggest "Playing at the World", myself...

Well, that's a good thing to know. I have been thinking lately that way too few RPG authors these days go to primary sources and make experiments. I guess that makes me a grognard who was born too late.

On a more practical matter, here are three incredibly arcane questions.

1. Do you have any idea who erected the last wall around Ksarul's prison?
2. What would happen if anyone was to tear a wall down?
3. It is known that the Priest-Kings of Engsvan hla Ganga have compiled tomes listing the flora and fauna of Tekumel. While the flora set is relatively preserved, there is a distinct lack of full copies of the one detailing the fauna of Tekumel.
   Can you make a guess where one should look if looking to find such a complete tome?

If it's a horizontal fan, it might well be a flying machine.

Originally Posted by AsenRG

Well, that's a good thing to know. I have been thinking lately that way too few RPG authors these days go to primary sources and make experiments. I guess that makes me a grognard who was born too late.

On a more practical matter, here are three incredibly arcane questions.

1. Do you have any idea who erected the last wall around Ksarul's prison?
2. What would happen if anyone was to tear a wall down?
3. It is known that the Priest-Kings of Engsvan hla Ganga have compiled tomes listing the flora and fauna of Tekumel. While the flora set is relatively preserved, there is a distinct lack of full copies of the one detailing the fauna of Tekumel.
   Can you make a guess where one should look if looking to find such a complete tome?

You're never to late to learn - I'm still learning, even at my advanced age!

1. The One Other. (I have the seating plan for the meeting of the gods.)
2. Really, really, really bad things; I'd expect the gods to show up and really do nasty things to you.
3. The Imperial Library in Bey Sy, or in the library in Prince Rereshquala's palace outside Jakalla. You might get lucky in a temple library in one of the big cities, too.

Originally Posted by Big Andy

AS the tree said to the lumberjack, I'm stumped.

More clues to follow...

Originally Posted by Hrugga

I've been thinking about it too...Uncle do you think you could describe it a little bit more? Which way is the "fan", vertical or horizontal? How big are the slots?Where is the tube connected on the cylinder, towards the top or the bottom?
I don't know if it will help, but maybe we can figure it out...What happens when my slave pushes the green button(don't worry, I'm a member of the Temple of Ksarul)...???

H;0)

The fan-shaped metal thing at the end of the flexible metal hose is 'horizontal', i.e., parallel to the ground when laid down. The slots are vertical, on the end face of the fan thing. The tube is attached to the cylindrical main body just below where the cylinder curves into the domed top. The whole thing is about knee-high to a normal human, with the metallic flexible tube being about the height of a normal human. The tube is not detachable.

Your slave asks you, quite politely, to simply slit his throat and have done with it. Several of your fellow squareheads (sorry, but they call us 'matchheads') suggest that as you are a noble person - and a player-character - it's your job to touch the jewels to see what they might do. They are more then willing to pick the pieces afterwards, of course, in the spirit of scientific inquiry.

[This actually did come up in Phil's campaign very early on. PCs would try to get NPCs to do really risky things, and the NPCs would comment quite adversely on the PCs' lack of nobility and courage.]

Originally Posted by AsenRG

If it's a horizontal fan, it might well be a flying machine.

There is no fan under the cylindrical main body, but when you tip the thing to one side you do feel a sort of 'push' downward on your hand from the base of the thing. When you put it back upright, it does seem to float a finger's breadth above the ground.