Andrew Moore's Blog, page 14

When to Ignore Anachronism

You may think of "ha-ha" as an early 18th-century term, but go ahead and use it no matter what time period your setting resembles.

Practical Kingseeking

Usually you can find out who the king is by being exiled for injuring him, but as reliable as that is, the time expended and the injuries required make this difficult without a large grant enabling a large staff.

Numismamonstra

When the leading men of Terschyria invited at public expense Gallos, a man renowned for his insight, it was not without hope of benefiting from the visit. They put to him the following question.
"The king's death has left us without any heir, even disputed. Neither does tradition present a clear procedure for this case. How ought we to decide who shall rule us? Tell us and be rewarded."
Gallos pondered the matter. He said this at last. "This is a simple matter, but as for the rewards, it must be in coins minted after the king's death. Show me those and you will have your answer."
The leading men relied on his reputation and had it done without demur. Soon they conveyed to Gallos a plate covered in new coins. He picked up one, satisfied himself with an inspection, and tossed it back.
"Turn over the coins and behold your new king!"
"What is this? Is this not a portrait of Lundaros the quarry owner?" The men looked through the coins and marveled. "And on each and every one. Certainly he is respected, able in his affairs, and unknown to scandal."
"It that is he, then go find him! I know nothing of it. But did you imagine that the god to whom the inscription on the obverse entrusts the kingdom's welfare is indifferent to you? That is impossible, and for my reward I will take a single coin as proof that the signs of beneficence are everywhere, when we remember to look at them!"
Finis

Addendum

I won't be participating. I need my characters to be always wanting more.

Sudden Writing Challenge!!!

Quick! Have a character slake something that isn't thirst! We've gotta get out of this rut!

The True Potential of Space Militarization

We finally have a chance to get rid of all the dumb ranks like colonel, major, general, and now that I think about it, what are the good ones? Sergeant and captain? Any others? Commodore is all right.

Addendum

If you reach the god retirement planet yourself, you can see a miracle. The miracle is that you are asked to leave rather than being killed right off the bat.

Speaking of Gods

Do you think gods use all those offerings they got to build a mansion on a way cooler planet? I bet that's true. It's why you don't see Zeus hanging out at the mall these days. Imagine that malls weren't dead for this thought experiment.

The Godless City

To remind all men that fortune is never constant, a storm afflicted the victors of the great naval battle so that within an hour they might have wished to have lost it instead that retreat could save them. Of one ship tossed far and then low, sinking, an officer and a portion of his soldiers made the shore.
The officer declared it a miracle and vowed to give offerings to the god who preserved them, and if there was no shrine for the purpose already, he would have one made, and the same for a temple when his means permitted. He encouraged his men to join him in that."Certainly, but what god is it?" they asked.
The plain and uninhabited shore gave no answer to that. Stymied, the officer led his men away from there and succeeded so well that not a single one of them died before seeing home or whatever other destination he liked.
That duty done, the officer turned to the other, and in furtherance of it he settled a colony where he washed up. It flourished, whereupon the founder attracted scholars and philosophers whom he tasked with determining the god in addition to their other studies.
It flourished still more and soon became prosperous enough that its founder had erected the grandest temple known, though he refused to have it consecrated before his rescuer was known. More than that, he forbade the building of any other temple within the city limits before then. The injunction is observed today. Therefore, stranger, to answer your question at last, your devotions must be done outside the walls.
Finis

The Curse of Traditional Knowledge

These days, if you ever say "larboard," people will presume you have a speech impediment. That can be handy sometimes, but be honest: You sometimes think those dullards need to be controlled by someone like you, don't you? Then, when you search for rebuttals, you realize there are none. Well, that's all true, but it's not as if you can do anything about it. Not till you level up a few times at least.