Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Part of the confusion!

Near as I remember, it tucks under your armpit! You fire the damn thing from the chest, not nestled up to the cheek.

Yeah, that just seems dumb. But I was watching a weapon countdown on the Military channel and some guy mentioned that musket's often had less recoil than a more modern military rifle. So maybe the camel gun musket didn't kick as much. Still seems like a good way to bruise a rib though.

Just as an aside, I'd like to point out that this has turned into pretty much one of the game sessions out at Phil's; lots of fun and interesting discussion, with dice being rolled very now and then...

And, I see we're up to 200 pages; astonishing! Who'd have thought it?

Originally Posted by Hrugga

I actually just came across to another reference to the tomb elsewhere. Something about it being located in the secret city of Schyak in far away Nluss. Any more information would be appreciated and welcome. Thanks again.

H:0)

Well, been there; it's no tourist spot, and the locals don't like visitors. The Tomb itself is crammed full of goodies looted by the Dragon Lords from their conquests, and which have been sitting for literally ages in the vaults due to the place being full of - you guessed it! - the really nasty 'black mold' of the title. This stuff isn't the usual 'black mold', familiar to OD&D players, but a semi-sentient lifeform; it's like a huge black carpet made up of fungus, and the spores are simply deadly - you inhale them, they grow, and you get eaten from the inside out, all in a matter of minutes. No revivify, either; your corpse gets absorbed by the parent being or the new 'offspring', and that's that. (Roll up new PC, please.)

Other then that, nice building / vaults, typical of the local pre-Nluss architecture, and a great place not to go to if you want to stay alive. May I suggest Phil's 1948 short story about the origins of the Petal Throne for more?

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Phil was at least two or three inches taller than me, with shoulders to match, and I'm a six-footer. By the time I met him he not only had the arthritis, but he told me early on he was nearly legally blind even WITH his glasses. I saw him walking across the University mall one day and as he approached a stair he slowed down and groped for the handrail.

IN his 20s I'd bet he was fairly a robust lad.

And I was too enamored of the ironmongery at the time to notice, but yeah, he handled his various artifacts like he was comfortable with them.

The one that goggled me was the damn flamberge. I was in my mid 20s, about 180 pounds, and definitely fit; not "Big 10 College All Star" level, perhaps, but pretty solid. The real one handed swords I've handled, both Phil's and others, are much easier to handle than an SCA rattan replica. Phil's flamberge, however, was quite simply a motherfucker. I'd have needed to spend some serious time doing weight work if I'd wanted to wield that thing for any amount of time. I can also see why they were called Dopplensoldaten and paid double; if you got that thing moving, it would be virtually impossible to stop.

Though I never DID figure out how to use that damn Balochustani camel rifle, and Phil never was able to explain. I conjecture -- and it is ONLY a conjecture -- that you pointed it rather than aimed it, a la some schools of "quick point" short range pistol combat shooting.

http://www.armscollectors.com/darra/afghanold.htm Two examples, bottom of page.

He was, Glorious General; have a look at the slide show we did for his memorial event that I have up on YouTube, and you can see him back in his prime. I can see why he was such a commanding presence!

The rifle was gone by 2011; no idea what happened to it, sad to say. I did get photos of everything else, though.

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Phil was at least two or three inches taller than me, with shoulders to match, and I'm a six-footer. By the time I met him he not only had the arthritis, but he told me early on he was nearly legally blind even WITH his glasses. I saw him walking across the University mall one day and as he approached a stair he slowed down and groped for the handrail.

IN his 20s I'd bet he was fairly a robust lad.

And I was too enamored of the ironmongery at the time to notice, but yeah, he handled his various artifacts like he was comfortable with them.

The one that goggled me was the damn flamberge. I was in my mid 20s, about 180 pounds, and definitely fit; not "Big 10 College All Star" level, perhaps, but pretty solid. The real one handed swords I've handled, both Phil's and others, are much easier to handle than an SCA rattan replica. Phil's flamberge, however, was quite simply a motherfucker. I'd have needed to spend some serious time doing weight work if I'd wanted to wield that thing for any amount of time. I can also see why they were called Dopplensoldaten and paid double; if you got that thing moving, it would be virtually impossible to stop.

Though I never DID figure out how to use that damn Balochustani camel rifle, and Phil never was able to explain. I conjecture -- and it is ONLY a conjecture -- that you pointed it rather than aimed it, a la some schools of "quick point" short range pistol combat shooting.

http://www.armscollectors.com/darra/afghanold.htm Two examples, bottom of page.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

In my experience with him, he was good at anything he wanted to be good at. He'd study something, and learn - and remember.

From some of the ways he handled his collection of Indo-Persian weapons, he'd gotten some sort of formal instruction in their use at some point in his life; I'd bet on his time as a Fulbright Scholar, studying there, and being out in rural South Asia.

None of us practiced with him, in any sort of formal sense, but he was very fond of us bringing our stuff over - like Gronan, in his armor - and going out onto the lawn (much to the amusement of the neighbors!) to fool around with various things to see how they worked. You could tell from how Phil moved that if hadn't been for the terrible vision and the arthritis, he would have given you a very rough time - and I dare say that he would have been able to give Gronan a run for his money, if he'd been younger and better health.

I do not say this lightly; Gronan, at time, was a pretty durn skilled man-at-arms, and was A Pretty Serious Contender. Phil also had a height and weight advantage, and only the gods know what kind of experience to call upon.

I took my set of shinai out to his house once, and we had lots and lots of fun sparring - his wife was away, so we got away with it. He knew all the basics, and was reasonably quick - not mobile, due to the arthritis, but quick. I made sure not to bring the bokken out there...

No, Phil had a fascinating life, and I am very glad that we got the chance to share part of it with him.

I'm not sure what they used to teach Fulbright scholars, but combining your accounts: if we remove his handicaps, that man would have felt secure flashing some bills in the bad parts of South Asia...

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Well, been there; it's no tourist spot, and the locals don't like visitors. The Tomb itself is crammed full of goodies looted by the Dragon Lords from their conquests, and which have been sitting for literally ages in the vaults due to the place being full of - you guessed it! - the really nasty 'black mold' of the title. This stuff isn't the usual 'black mold', familiar to OD&D players, but a semi-sentient lifeform; it's like a huge black carpet made up of fungus, and the spores are simply deadly - you inhale them, they grow, and you get eaten from the inside out, all in a matter of minutes. No revivify, either; your corpse gets absorbed by the parent being or the new 'offspring', and that's that. (Roll up new PC, please.)

Other then that, nice building / vaults, typical of the local pre-Nluss architecture, and a great place not to go to if you want to stay alive. May I suggest Phil's 1948 short story about the origins of the Petal Throne for more?

Note taken: I'm going to avoid that place.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

And, I see we're up to 200 pages; astonishing! Who'd have thought it?

Guess I've always been an optimist!

Originally Posted by Hrugga

Uncle do you speak of the tale of Kharsa of Tsamra-Laris perchance...?

Fantastic.

It reminds me that the moons often times bring doom to those who strive for power and ignore tradition!!!

H:0)

I do, indeed. I first read that story, in the original, on the original paper (!) out at Phil's while helping him sort his TSR paperwork. I can truly say that that was the moment when I realized that I was hooked...