Questioning The Glorious General

chirine ba kal · November 21, 2015, 11:43:44 AM

Quote from: Hrugga;865544It's so true. Since I've been here it's been a complete education. A whole "older" world has been opened up to me. Things that I would never have know about because I was born fifteen or so years too late. My father was never into Sci-fi or fantasy. He was more into Gangster and War movies. As he would say "real" things. I was left to discover fantasy and Sci-fi on my own. As a young person in the 80's, I look back and see that my younger days were dominated by Star Wars and Tolkien...

That's why for me, your stories and the General's are so great. Much thanks for both of your time. Excellent.

H :0)

I don't presume to speak for the Glorious General, but for my part you are most welcome. There are days when I think we lived in a very different world, with very different values and culture, and then I'm reminded that it was over thirty years ago. To borrow the famous quote:

"The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." - L. P. Hartley

I have no idea if any of our antics and high-jinks all those years ago will have any resonance or relevance to what you and other folks are doing in their games; if they do, then please; take our memories and have fun with them.

"The sand of the desert is sodden red,—
Red with the wreck of a square that broke;—
The Gatling's jammed and the Colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed his banks,
And England's far, and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks:
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"
-Sir Henry Newbolt

Gronan of Simmerya · November 21, 2015, 01:04:59 PM

Quote from: Greentongue;865535This is the latest update in my game by a character:
"Seems the only thing being validated here is slavery, poverty, and squalor. A man can not dream or become what he dreams of being, because his station will not allow it. Being a victim of circumstance is not a privilege."

"I am surprised that things continue to function in this city. The impoverished, destitute, distraught, and discarded, easily outnumber the opposition 10 to 1. Maybe I need a change of vocation."

"It is a heavy weight to bear the death of a friend, I could have lost you to the Chaskeri. More importantly, the deaths of those I didn't know. I mean the porters, did their jobs well, but seriously they risked their lives and for what, to set on the steps of a shrine and watch another man die? Our actions aren't enabling or empowering them, they are entitled. How can we continue to improve society, if that is the mentality we encourage?"

Have I portrayed the world correctly or am I doing it wrong?

Is this how you envisioned it and were able to overcome/thrive?
=

As I said in Chirine's thread, this reminds me of about the time I finally got pulled out of the Eastern Desert.

When you're lying there out on the Afghani plains,
And their women come out to carve up your remians,
Just roll on your rifle and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier.

-- Sir Rudyard Kipling

Gronan of Simmerya · November 21, 2015, 01:08:23 PM

Quote from: Hrugga;865544It's so true. Since I've been here it's been a complete education. A whole "older" world has been opened up to me. Things that I would never have know about because I was born fifteen or so years too late. My father was never into Sci-fi or fantasy. He was more into Gangster and War movies. As he would say "real" things. I was left to discover fantasy and Sci-fi on my own. As a young person in the 80's, I look back and see that my younger days were dominated by Star Wars and Tolkien...

That's why for me, your stories and the General's are so great. Much thanks for both of your time. Excellent.

H :0)

I'm delighted to hear it. My personal regret in that area is that I didn't discover Barsoom until I was in my 20s. My brothers had all the Tarzan books but I never read a single one; the idea never appealed to me.

If you haven't, go read Barsoom, and Conan, and Fafhrd and the Mouser, and Dying Earth.

THEN go run a game of D&D.

AsenRG · November 23, 2015, 09:37:22 AM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;865566I'm delighted to hear it. My personal regret in that area is that I didn't discover Barsoom until I was in my 20s. My brothers had all the Tarzan books but I never read a single one; the idea never appealed to me.

If you haven't, go read Barsoom, and Conan, and Fafhrd and the Mouser, and Dying Earth.

THEN go run a game of D&D.

Gronan, it is just funny how different your idea about D&D is from the one I was introduced to:D!

ligedog · November 23, 2015, 10:27:30 AM

Barsoom was a revelayion to me - I had read the others on your list long before the unfairly maligned John Carter caused me to start reading ERBs works and I don't think I've read anything thing that captures the feel of a D&D campaign better than these books - Burroughs seems just like a DM that is staying just steps ahead of his players while stitching together whatever new entertaining notions come to mind into a puported tour of the ancient reality of his created world.

chirine ba kal · December 03, 2015, 03:19:33 AM

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, Glorious General, but I thought you'd want to know.

Another one gone; Hy Berman passed away on Sunday; he was ninety. I just found out tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO8OwxSwHus

Wasn't his period, I know, but I think it conveys my mood tonight.

Will the General like the legion to form ranks and salute?

Gronan of Simmerya · December 03, 2015, 11:56:15 PM

It would please me well. My thanks.

Also, my compliments to the standard bearer and have him affix the Meshqu of Grievous Morning to the staff.

Greentongue · December 04, 2015, 06:58:01 PM

When you started playing in Jakalla, what let you know you were not just playing in "The City State of the Invincible Overlord" with a different name?
=

Gronan of Simmerya · December 04, 2015, 08:43:27 PM

Well, the fact that "City State of the Invincible Overlord" hadn't been published yet was a big FUCKING clue.

Bren · December 04, 2015, 08:57:25 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;867137Well, the fact that "City State of the Invincible Overlord" hadn't been published yet was a big FUCKING clue.

I doubt many of us know or remember when you entered Jakalla. I certainly didn't remember that it was before 1976.

Gronan of Simmerya · December 04, 2015, 09:04:37 PM

Sorry, I thought we'd talked about that in Chirine's thread. I started playing EPT in 1974.

Bren · December 04, 2015, 09:10:07 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;867143Sorry, I thought we'd talked about that in Chirine's thread. I started playing EPT in 1974.

You probably did say that. I probably read it more than once. Do you really expect all of us to remember that? Because it you do, prepare to be disappointed old man.

chirine ba kal · December 05, 2015, 01:58:10 AM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;866975It would please me well. My thanks.

Also, my compliments to the standard bearer and have him affix the Meshqu of Grievous Morning to the staff.

By your command; Sir!

Greentongue · December 05, 2015, 01:41:57 PM

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;867137Well, the fact that "City State of the Invincible Overlord" hadn't been published yet was a big FUCKING clue.

So, I am to assume that was the ONLY DIFFERENCE initially?

Seriously, how different did Jakalla feel from what you expected from an over populated fantasy city?
=

Gronan of Simmerya · December 05, 2015, 03:31:11 PM

Quote from: Greentongue;867271So, I am to assume that was the ONLY DIFFERENCE initially?

Seriously, how different did Jakalla feel from what you expected from an over populated fantasy city?
=

Okay, that question is a bit clearer. (I tend to be rather literal minded; when you asked about City State, that's what I focused on.)

From the moment Phil first appeared with his sets of green ditto copied booklets he talked incessantly about how different Tekumel was... "not just the usual pseudo medieval pastiche." We were savages who had nothing and did not speak the language, locked away in a slum of "untouchables." We couldn't even leave without a citizen escorting us.

It was obvious from the first moment that we weren't in Kansas anymore.