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| Msg#: 1
Date: 02-25-96
From: The Sea-dragon Conqueror Subj: Topic post |
The Sea-Dragon Conqueror
| Msg#: 2
Date: 02-10-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: Arrivance... |
As he proceeds, the wearer catches sight of a rotund man wearing an Expansive Blank, and, recognizing him as the villain who dared to impugn his ability with the sword and cudgel seven years before, cuts him down with one blow.
Stepping over the bleeding and sightless corpse, he strides to the tender of liquors and indicates a wax-sealed shell of choicest Yirenthi spirits. The tender, eyeing the stiffening body, agrees to the selection. The Kwangpard wearer produces a glass straw, punctures the wax in two places, and sips deeply...
| Msg#: 3
Date: 02-18-96
From: The Frog King #15 Subj: [Enter: The Frog King] |
He wears the Frog King (*), a constantly shifting mask of loosely interlaced metallic scales with a subtle silver-blue sheen. As the scales slide about, an underlying layer of dark purple shows through. The mask has no stylized facial features, though as one gazes upon the mask, an eye, nostril, or mouth may seem to swim up fleetingly through the swirling pattern of blue and purple. When the Frog King sings, the sound resonates from the mask as a whole.
This man is not a native Sirenese, though he is quite competent at the conversative and orative musical instruments. Although he carries no overt weapon, when provoked he projects a heat upon his enemy, centering upon his antagonist's mask. Thus his martial style is to evade his opponent's attacks until the miscreant can stand the fiery pressure no longer and must either rip off his mask (sacrilege!) or hie away.
((*) The Frog King is not a classic Sirenese figure; indeed, on Sirene the animal which most closely resembles the Earth frog, at least in appearance, is a foot-long winged amphibian of the northern marsh-islands, known colloquially as the markhnoh. In the hot months, when the islands are flooded and covered by sea, the markhnoh gather in floating colonies to fight, mate, and breed. When the waters recede, the markhnoh resume their solitary existence. The Sirenese do have roughly the same associations in regard to the markhnoh as Earth humans do with the frog: that of harmless, slightly ridiculous creatures.
Some herpetologists claim that the markhnoh colonies display the same behavior as Earth bee hives or ant colonies, though actual research efforts are limited due to Sirenese interplanetary traffic strictures. Var Virosh of Earth goes so far as to write, in his "A Thousand Travels: the Vermiant Spiral Planets": "...the hive-mind [of the markhnoh colonies] goes far beyond that of ants in terms of complexity and directive purpose. During the plarwoy [summer] months we can observe individual colonies mark off territory, construct tools and weapons, and perhaps even communicate with other colonies or the bathic pelarousz [intelligent? deep-sea autochthons resembling giant squid]. Imagine this existence! Of coming into life, into sentience, for a few precious months before your personality melts away, with only memories of previous incarnations to guide you. What individual would develop if the qurmbars [marsh-islands] stayed submerged year-round?")
| Msg#: 4
Date: 02-19-96
From: Jaseroque #12 Subj: On the esplanade |
| Msg#: 5
Date: 02-19-96
From: The Sea-dragon Conqueror Subj: The Sea-Dragon Conqueror, |
Will these newcomers enhance or degrade the atmosphere of Sirene? He pauses momentarily, his mask tilted slightly downward as if lost in thought. Well, there is nothing for it, he decides. It is against Sirenese nature to turn them away or deny them their say. They must stand or fall on their own.
And the gods' assistance will be insufficient for those who truly deserve to fall, The Sea-Dragon Conqueror concludes, fingering his vasa rapier with evident satisfaction.
Thus reassured, he continues his walk by the sea, greeting old friends and anticipating what is to come.
The Sea-Dragon Conqueror
| Msg#: 6
Date: 02-20-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: Sighing Expansively... |
The Dolorous Folly finishes his shell of spirits, replaces his antique glass straw with care (an article of discourse on the importance attached to straws by the Sirenese, while entertaining and instructive, must abide). He grinds the shell beneath his heel, gauding the roadside dirt with pleasant colors, and addresses the Sea Dragon Conqueror on the subject of his earlier post:
"He to whom kind words are directed might better appreciate their value were he not bemused by incongruity. From the mask of a Sea Dragon Conqueror issues a `pathetic cry for help.' Might this be a wry jest on the part of one who professes bravery and self-reliance beyond all others? Is is a misdirective utterance designed to befuddle one's enemies? Nay, neither of these reasons sit well beneath a mask of such heroic stature.
"Knowing that the actual reason for the plaintive call is merely to command and guide collective effort, he who speaks chooses to take the Sea-Dragon's Conqueror's words as the hero doubtless intended them, without further quibble or remonstration, and claims the prestige that such words imply.
"The SDC's ad, portraying the dialogue of the Black Intricate and Earnest Enquirant, is sublime and full of erudite humor, deserving praise on all levels. The present speaker finds the second ad loquacious to a degree not perhaps intended by its illustrious author, but can detect no loss of strakh through dissemination in its current form.
"Much praise is given to the enormous success achieved by the SDC in his skilled trifling at the Maskmaker's craft. The Dolorous Folly must withhold comment on rumors of a Moon Moth devised by the Frog King, as diligent search has not revealed it to his eyes.
"The Dolorous Folly of Kwangpard concurs with all in their estimation of this board's quality and potential! He looks forward to immigrations of the intelligent and discerning, and trusts that the churlish and ignorant shall find their heels trapped in the morass of their own device! With dark japes and droll pantomimes, with festive demeanor tinged with veils of mortality, the Dolorous Folly awaits future events..."
| Msg#: 7
Date: 02-20-96
From: The Frog King #15 Subj: Booth is Trudy and Trudy, Booth... |
<Hmm... "dimicatory" <flip, flip>. Not there; better fall back
on Latin and
Greek roots. Clearly, "dimi" is a vulgarization of the name of actress
Demi
Moore, so Conq-dude must be a big Brat Pack fan. Since he implies that
his
writing follows upon his study of this movie star (his Demi-god?),
he must be
writing a screenplay. All right!>
The Frog King moves away, toward the heart of the city. It is a beautiful day, and he does so enjoy referring to himself in the third person. As he strolls through the bustling marketplaces and down quaint streets he idly muses aloud:
"Suppose a great and wise king were to set up, in his court, a place for travelers from far and wide to gather and discourse at length the deep issues and philosophical conundrums that affect humans and humanity. Suppose I had the king's ear. What would I suggest? Several ideas spring to mind. For one, in addition to the areas set aside for various conversational topics, I would recommend establishing an area for collecting proclamations dealing with the state of this center of erudition. I would also have an area for those unfamiliar with the social conventions and would like exercise their abilities. For want of better names, I might call these "system" and "test" areas.
"I might also venture to ask if it would be possible to follow conversations in an area based on particular topics, or "threads." In essence, then, one could listen to a person speak, then hear the replies, before listening to a different conversation.
"A third area that might be added would be for those who are so idle that they would willingly engage in effete and nonsensical story-telling. Indeed, one might even suppose that in this "story" area, these misguided jesters might assume other identities. They would describe their alter egos' personalities, actions, speech. They might go so far as to be self-referential!
"Ah, for now that is all that it occurs to me to suggest. An idle thought for an idle day."
TFK
| Msg#: 8
Date: 02-20-96
From: The Sea-dragon Conqueror Subj: The Sea-Dragon Conqueror |
...that a pathetic cry for help might more properly issue from behind the mask of a Dolorous Folly. The intent behind this jarring juxtaposition of mask and message was to call attention to the need for the assistance of all the users here.
It is a common assumption among the unheroic that a true hero can never even pretend to display weakness. The Sea-Dragon Conqueror hopes that KDF aspires to a deeper understanding of such matters. The truth is that a mask of sufficiently high strakh need not "put up a front" to the world. As KDF slowly earns his own strakh, he will eventually learn that those who most loudly trumpet their own bravery are often the greatest of cowards.
If the second ad needs shortening, KDF is welcome to edit it and post the results. The Sea-Dragon Conqueror appreciates the praise directed at his first effort; he comes only recently to the field of writing, having previously concentrated his efforts on learning the dimicatory arts and the sciences.
The Sea-Dragon Conqueror
| Msg#: 9
Date: 02-25-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: The Dolorous Folly... |
cocks his mask in an additude of amusement, and suggests that the SDC might care to continue the discussion on the Docks, where passerby stand in lesser danger...
| Msg#: 10
Date: 02-26-96
From: The Welcome Rain #18 Subj: Arrival of The Welcome Rain |
The apparent contradiction is resolved, however, when the owner turns toward the Esplanade, for they can see that it is The Welcome Rain, landing in the city again after a typically long absence.
His mask is a cascade of blue-green shimmering streamers depending from a grey construction at the top, obviously symbolizing a cloud. The mask is unique and its construction, while competent, is the work of no member of the guild of maskmakers. This is not wholly without precedent. A Sirenese who believes that his essence is not captured by any existing mask may make his own and labor to increase its associated strakh. Nine out of ten such masks come to nothing, but the tenth-ah, the tenth!
Will obscurity be The Welcome Rain's fate? It is uncertain. His reputation is that of a solitary and eccentric man. It is in his favor that his ferocity is unquestioned, but the mask itself causes others to wonder. Rain is never welcome to a sailor. Why, then, does The Welcome Rain make a contradiction of his mask? Nobody knows, but it is of a piece with his other behavior (for example, his refusal to keep slaves).
He receives few greetings and acknowledges none, intent upon exploring the recent changes to the city.
THE WELCOME RAIN
| Msg#: 11
Date: 02-28-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: The Dolorous Folly dryly observes... |
...That sailors are quite apt to welcome rain when water supplies are low and their course is uncertain...
| Msg#: 12
Date: 03-02-96
From: The Welcome Rain #18 Subj: The Welcome Rain makes the more salient observation... |
...that any properly-equipped boat can make fresh water from seawater. To a sailor, rain is something that should happen on land. Then the water can trickle decently out to sea and replenish it. Rain at sea is never pleasant, as it is inevitably briny (so you'd need your distillation apparatus anyway) and often brings variable winds.
THE WELCOME RAIN
| Msg#: 13
Date: 03-03-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: The Welcome Rain's remarks… |
are themselves saturated with moisture.
On modern ships, it is feasible to carry distilling apparatus sufficient to supply a large crew; it was not so of old. Most water then was shipped in casks, and, being stored near the bilge, was greatly subject to contamination and spoilage.
While many side effects of rain were indeed undesirable, the rain itself was welcomed for the washing of clothes, among other things. Clothes washed in sea water are almost unwearable, and fresh water could not be spared from the limited drinking supply. In extremis, of course, any source of water was to be welcomed for drinking, save the sea.
Briny rain might arise from waterspouts or spray in storm conditions, but if the clouds at sea are briny due to their having evaporated from sea water, then the distilling apparatus would produce the same. I must dispute your statement that rain at sea is inevitably briny - at least to a degree that limits its potability.
It is related that the late Isaac Asimov, while serving in the armed forces and shipping abroad, saw a storm, and was so struck by the absurdity of tons of water falling onto more water that he fell to the deck in spasms of hysterical laughter, screaming, when questioned, "It's raining on the ocean! It's raining on the ocean!" with the result that his previous acquaintances avoided him for the rest of the trip. The Dolorous Folly trusts that the Welcome Rain shall seek to disgorge his utterances upon the desert of inerudition, rather than add to the ocean of excess verbiage that threatens us on all sides.
The Dolorous Folly further asserts that the only proper place to break a soft-boiled egg is at the large end, for there it may more readily admit the spoon; further, that all who claim the reverse are dunces of rare description.
| Msg#: 14
Date: 03-03-96
From: The Welcome Rain #18 Subj: KDF writes of the need to avoid excess verbiage... |
...then treats us to a multipage post which asserts that:
1. Sailors used to lack desalinization apparatus-irrelevant to my point, which was that the Sirenese, who have such things, would not therefore welcome rain. Hence the contradiction inherent in my mask-to the *Sirenese*, not sailors of old.
2. Evaporation is just as effective as distillation in removing salt from water-untrue and irrelevant. Reverse osmosis and other filtration techniques are immensely more effective than simple evaporation. And if KDF thinks that evaporated seawater isn't remarkably salty, he needs to look at the rust-riddled wrecks of cars in seacoast towns, or drink some rainwater in a warm-water port city.
3. He knows an Isaac Asimov anecdote-thrice irrelevant.
4. He has the time to waste on this crap-terrific. I haven't.
THE WELCOME RAIN
| Msg#: 15
Date: 03-04-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: ...The Welcome Rain merely writes excess verbiage... |
1. I fear that you credit the Sirenese with possessing desalinization techniques more appropriately found on a 20th century Terran vessel of war.
2. I must still dispute you. I live not excessively far from the ocean, and have visited the coast on many occasions, under differing weather conditions; I have yet to taste salty rain. Carthaginia delendum est - let it rest...
3. The anecdote was not so irrelevant as all that - it aptly underscores your posting style...
4. A true Sirenese has all the time in the world to engage in intricacy.
Should the Welcome Rain desire to exclude himself from this group, he has but to shut his mouth, or doff his mask in public.
Shall we discourse of something else? This is boring in the extreme...
| Msg#: 16
Date: 03-12-96
From: Ost Von Eden #31 Subj: Suprise, Surpise, Suprise |
>indeed, now that Sirene has not yet seen its first wave of immigrants. Will these newcomers enhance or degrade the atmosphere of Sirene? He
<BURP>
Well, at least we got that question taken care of!
OVE, Cognito ergo ego eggo scrambulus
| Msg#: 17
Date: 03-13-96
From: Dirk Russell #29 Subj: >>> |
>Will these newcomers enhance or degrade the atmosphere of Sirene? He
As a Sysop in the past and as a Romote SysOp presently, I've always considered new users an enhancement to any BBS.
There are, of course, exceptions to any rule... except the rule, every rule has it's exception...
Later Daze
-=>Dirk<=-
| Msg#: 18
Date: 03-13-96
From: Clytemnestra #9 Subj: "burp"? |
Burp is not a response. If all you can do is belch and fart, please take your gassy windbag self elsewhere.
| Msg#: 19
Date: 03-14-96
From: Ost Von Eden #31 Subj: A poem |
>RE: Suprise, Surpise, Suprise!
>BY: Ost Von Eden #31
>Burp is not a response. If all you can do is belch and fart, please
take your
>gassy windbag self elsewhere.
I did the One, but NOT the Other
It must be YOURS, if not Your Mother's!
Or prehaps it's WELCOME WIND's?
it must pass if he unbends?
OVE, burp/bard in passing
| Msg#: 20
Date: 03-15-96
From: Darkwalker #38 Subj: Arrival |
After a moment of inspection of his surroundings, he speaks. The voice that rings through the air is a metallic, lifeless monotone, chilling those that hear it, to the bone.
"This one has been called." The head swivels from left to right as if looking for something. Or someone.
With that simple sentence, he moves down the path. The cloak parts slightly but only darkness is revealed. Some will swear he glided across the ground and others will say they only saw tips of black shiny boots. Those who witnessed the DarkWalker's arrival watch warily as he heads into the city, noting how a path clears for him. Many will feel the cold for hours and some will be plagued with dark dreams of hidden self.
| Msg#: 21
Date: 03-15-96
From: Dragon Sorceress #37 Subj: A motley <or is it motled?> form appears... |
>After a moment of inspection of his surroundings, he speaks. The voice
that
>rings through the air is a metallic, lifeless monotone, chilling those
that
>hear it, to the bone.
>"This one has been called." The head swivels from left to right as
if looking
>for something. Or someone.
>With that simple sentence, he moves down the path. The cloak parts
slightly
>but only darkness is revealed. Some will swear he glided across the
ground and
>others will say they only saw tips of black shiny boots.
She bows to the dark figure,then straightens,an aura of magic settling around her,glittering in the sunlight.Wondering why everyone has been talking about noxious gasses and bodily functions,she fingers the claw around her neck....
Dragon
Sorceress
| Msg#: 22
Date: 03-16-96
From: The Dog #39 Subj: Bark! |
The Dragon Sorceress.
He trots over to her. He sniffs her skirt, starting at the hem and moving
up to her crotch. He jumps up, wraps his forlegs around her waist, and
begins humping away on her leg, his short, stubby tail wagging with delight.
YIP! YIP! HHHHOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!
| Msg#: 23
Date: 03-16-96
From: Dragon Sorceress #37 Subj: SICKO!SOMEONE HEEEELLPPPP |
>The dog is large and of indeterminate breed. He trots along wearing
a furry
>mask his long red wet tongue lolling. Suddenly something catches his
>attention, his ears perk, he sniffs the air. He sees...
> The Dragon Sorceress.
>He trots over to her. He sniffs her skirt, starting at the hem and
moving up
>to her crotch. He jumps up, wraps his forlegs around her waist, and
begins
>humping away on her leg, his short, stubby tail wagging with delight.
The Dragon Sorceress laughs.The sound comes from behind the dog.He turns around.She pulls out her handy little claymore <ok,ok,NOT-SO-LITTLE> and slashes him to bits.Just before his head gets chopped off,he realizes that he was humping a manican<sp?>,a trap set to catch the blind&stupid.
Totally disgusted,she stomps on the creatures severed *ahems* until they are naught but bloody pulps.She stabs the stomach and disembowels the thing.Grinning,she snaps her fingers,and the interstines are turned into hotdogs."Hot dogs!Get your red,hot,hot dogs!Get 'em while they're fresh!"
EeeeewwwWWWWWwwwwww...
<Ove,if you could just write a nasty poem 'bout this,it might raise m'spirits><G>
Dragon Sorceress,never to be toyed with.....
| Msg#: 24
Date: 03-16-96
From: Ost Von Eden #31 Subj: No sooner said.... |
Don't toy with the DragonGal!!
[You'd regret it Quite a While!]
Sick-o's learn this the Hard Way
when -=lowtech=- comes to Play!!
We Love to Find a Lowly Cur
possessed of gutter habit
Before -=lowtech=- is done with HIM
He will be one Dead Rabbit!
For further information on this topic, see next post.
OVE, bard in passing
| Msg#: 25
Date: 03-17-96
From: The Dog #39 Subj: Bark! |
The bloddy sceen is revolting to the Sirenese who have witnessed it, and particularly disconcerting to the one who eat a hot dog.
The dog is feeling a bit peaked. He wanders over to the shade of a refuse container. He walks around in a circle three times, settles down and starts to lick his balls, which are very sore, as if someone has given special attention lately. He naps.
A short time later he awakes feeling refreshed, hops up, takes a drink from a puddle, and starts to trot away, his long red wet tongue lolling.
Suddenly his attention is diverted. His ears perk, he sniffs the air. He sees a human, its...
Ost Von Eden.
He rushes up to OVE, stands on his hind legs, plants a paw on each shoulder, and with great affection begins wildly licking OVE's face with his long red wet tongue, his short, stubby tail wagging in delight.
| Msg#: 26
Date: 03-18-96
From: The Welcome Rain #18 Subj: Some rebuttal. |
>slashes him to bits.Just before his head gets chopped off,he realizes
that he0
>was humping a manican<sp?>,a trap set to catch the blind&stupid.
Why didn't you just tell him he was dreaming? Or invoke an evil twin? A mannequin - how anticlimactic! (Pun most assuredly intended.)
Read some O. Henry if you want to learn how to do clever endings.
THE WELCOME RAIN
| Msg#: 27
Date: 03-24-96
From: Endless Questions #48 Subj: Endless Questions |
Endless Questions....
| Msg#: 28
Date: 04-21-96
From: Kwangpard's Dolorous Folly Subj: The Storyboard Awakes... |
The quality of the game depends on the maturity of the participants; if everyone acts like selfish little kids, the story will fall apart.
Obviously, imagination, clarity of thought, and some literary skill are desirable. If your posts lack all of these qualities, don't be surprised if they get ignored. (Lack of literary skill is excusable if the other qualities are present, though literary skill by itself is not enough.)
Those who have posted here already are considered participants. If you wish to join, you may do so at any point-merely make an introductory post for yourself, describing your character and how it might reasonably have entered the action. You may wish to e-mail a participant beforehand for advice on how to enter gracefully.
So much for the preface. The story now begins...
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.1