Annoying Questions I'd Like Answered...

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu May 31, 2012 7:53 am

Actually, it hurts neutral people too, and I totally just realized that the Erinys should be at least partially immune to that particular spell...

Maj · Post by **Maj** » Thu May 31, 2012 9:24 pm

Fuchs wrote:I don't use voice mail at all. I will call back if I can't take a call.

Doesn't this presume caller ID?

Chamomile · Post by **Chamomile** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 5:15 am

Oh, right, "non-Good." Which means you're basically Mikami from Death Note, murdering people because they're not being good enough. So yeah, that's absurd and stupid, which is what I'd expect from the Book of Exalted Deeds, but the concept is still salvageable.

A question: I'm toying with a setting that may or may not end up combining with the setting I was previously toying with. Mostly I just like the idea of a continent-sized region that is entirely underground. Basically the Underdark except being a jerk is not the rule for its inhabitants. It's a cool concept with some interesting ideas, like underground cities and underground trade routes, but the problem I'm running into right now is how to make the Underdark visually interesting. When you go out into the wilds, it's a twisting series of caverns, which is interesting maybe the first or second time you do it, but then what? On the surface, you have forests, hills, rivers, valleys, mountains, shores, cities, castles, and all of this without leaving psuedo-France. In the Underdark, I'm basically seeing natural caverns, artificial stone structures, underground rivers, and fungal forests (both glowing and non). That's a decent start, I guess, but it's still nowhere near the level of variety I want out of a setting. Suggestions?

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 6:41 am

Okay, so my youngest sister gave me an awesome book as a gift (she likes giving gifts to people about as much as she likes receiving them. She's turned 12 and is still not a little shit). It's an Ideas book, which is kind of a creativity prompt. Every page has "My Bright idea for _____" (where _____ is "a new fashion trend" or "a new flavour of ice cream" or "world peace" or something), with space to write and draw your idea.

Obviously she wants to see my ideas so I can't put anything rude in. So for "a new school uniform", I can't draw my ideal adult school uniform*, and it's not really the place to go into a rant on why I think making children wear school uniforms is bad and results in more sexual assaults on children, so I just put "straight-jackets".

Now here we have my two questions.

1. "My idea to stop school bullying". I just wrote "Assault rifles". I'm pretty sure if used correctly (Just limit your murders to the actual bullies, rather than opening up on random targets and becoming an hero after), it could work. "Mandatory sterilisation of ginger kids" or whatever won't work - they'll just find new victims, the problem is with the bullies themselves. I'm interested in one government move being taken here, where basically schools have to disclose to employers if you were a bully, as a way of going "If you pick on kids, you'll only have shit jobs for the rest of your life".

But does anyone know of anything that has been shown to actually work?

2. For every flavour idea (slushies, ice cream, cupcakes, chocolate, cookies) I went "tea" (also with a perfume fragrance), mentioning a specific flavour of tea. Hey, I like my tea.

But crisps. Anyone know of a tea flavour that would go well on crisps? Presumably it'd be a smoky or spicy one, thoughts?

*It draws on curtains as inspiration.

Red_Rob · Post by **Red_Rob** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:26 am

Chamomile wrote:On the surface, you have forests, hills, rivers, valleys, mountains, shores, cities, castles, and all of this without leaving psuedo-France. In the Underdark, I'm basically seeing natural caverns, artificial stone structures, underground rivers, and fungal forests (both glowing and non). That's a decent start, I guess, but it's still nowhere near the level of variety I want out of a setting. Suggestions?

The Magma Vents are deep tunnels in which lava flows like a river, bubbling in pools and congealing as it makes its way to the center of the earth. If you can deal with the hostile Fire Snakes and Salamanders you might be able to reach the secretive Magmen that live in the largest Lava pools, using the intense heat to forge magical weapons of unquenchable flame.

Closer to the surface, the Unlit Sea is a vast underground cavern submerged since time immemorial. No lights disturb its inky black surface and its inhabitants have long ago adapted to this lightless environment. Even the Kuo Toa that reside in the ancient sunken city have become pale and blind, and relish the tasty morsels that occasionally venture into their city in search of lost artifacts rumoured to be located in their great temples.

The Verdant Caves are an unusual sight for travellers, being a series of caverns populated by lush greenery and giant insects located in the middle of a network of barren basalt tunnels. The reason for their existence is an ancient stone pyramid located at the center of the caves that, due to a complex network of magical runes, provides a constant link to the Positive Material plane. This link causes the spontaneous growth and generation of life within its immediate vicinity, creating a vibrant ecology almost out of nothing. Naturally, such a resource is incredbily valuable to the various underground civilizations, however this is tempered by its propensity to create giant monsters from the local fauna and flora.

The City of Sanctuary is located in a large natural opening with two easily defensible entrances - a natural location for a settlement. Once the city grew too large for the cavern, however, there was nowhere to expand but upwards. Now the city occupies several distinct layers, with the original "old town" on the cavern floor and progressively newer structures on platforms and stone outcroppings built higher and higher. Unfortunately, indoor plumbing not having been invented means that the cities waste tends to find its way downwards, making the lower levels an unhygenic slum inhabited only by the poor and desperate.

See also: underground stalagmite forests, chasms, waterfalls and lava tubes

Winnah · Post by **Winnah** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:49 am

Koumei wrote:
But crisps. Anyone know of a tea flavour that would go well on crisps? Presumably it'd be a smoky or spicy one, thoughts?

Some oolong teas have a smoky, mild fruity flavour. There are a few tisanes that are really sharp or hot, so may give you a few ideas there.

If you want to go overboard, don't use potatoes for the chips. Hemp achanes can be pressed and deep fried/baked, for a nutty, low cholesterol alternative. An oolong/rope hip blend would give it a sharp, sweet, smokey flavour. Or just use lime and chillies or something.

The hard part would be infusing the salt without killing the flavour. Though I have seen some matcha (Japanese green tea) salt around, I don't know how it tastes.

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:56 am

I'm not sure it needs salt - I mean, it's not like Australians have a problem where everyone has low blood pressure and insufficient cholesterol. Quite the opposite, actually.

That's a thought, though, non-potato crisps.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:42 am

Koumei wrote: That's a thought, though, non-potato crisps.

We've had them for some time, in America!

Seriously, we'll fry the crap out of anything.

-Username17

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:05 am

Yeah, we have sweet potato and beetroot chips in the health food section of the supermarket. Not too sure about the beetroot ones (and not entirely convinced they're THAT healthy, I mean, is "Better for you than your regular crisps and chocolate and coke and heroin" the bar?) but sweet potato ones are nice.

Winnah · Post by **Winnah** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:33 am

Beetroot has a very mild flavour. Why is why tinned beetroot is pickled with a shitload of sugar, vinegar and cloves.

Beetroot chips sound OK.

tussock · Post by **tussock** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 1:11 pm

Koumei wrote:1. "My idea to stop school bullying". I just wrote "Assault rifles".
...
But does anyone know of anything that has been shown to actually work?

The primary victim and lead bully get to spend every out of class moment together for a week or two, somewhere no one but teachers can see them, no cell phones or such. Bullies are nothing without an audience, and victims loose the cringe with a little calm exposure to the source of fear.

If they insist on trying to murder each other, sign them both up for wrestling classes. Knowing how to really hurt someone seems to discourage casual assaults.

Anyhoo, it's a natural part of the animal kingdom when adolescents are left without a dominant adult in sight, they start asserting, and in school there's nothing real you can assert other than pain and suffering. Everyone knows what bullshit the grades are. If you really want to stop bullying in the long term, patrol more, and give them all a variety of real jobs to do on occasion, basic maintenance and cleaning and shit like that, for pay.

Adolescent bull calves are surely why they call it bullying. Would you like some gang rape with that burger? Because you probably did already.

Anyone know of a tea flavour that would go well on crisps?

You, sir, disgust me.

Maj · Post by **Maj** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 5:13 pm

@Chamomile: Don't forget the crystal caverns that are like the inside of a geode.

@Koumei: Nobody Left to Hate {OK, Amazon, Reading}.

Fuchs · Post by **Fuchs** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:39 pm

Maj wrote:
Fuchs wrote:I don't use voice mail at all. I will call back if I can't take a call.
Doesn't this presume caller ID?

If you don't have caller ID and won't send me an SMS, or email me, then you can call again.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:59 pm

Yeah, it really just presumes cellphones.

Chamomile · Post by **Chamomile** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:38 am

I've run out of mythical metals. Is there any good and already at least slightly established fantasy material that can be used as "kills evil things particularly well?" I've already used up mithril, silver, and orichalcum.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:54 am

Cold iron.

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:15 pm

Stahlseele · Post by **Stahlseele** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:37 pm

Lead.

Jilocasin · Post by **Jilocasin** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:12 pm

Damascus.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:39 pm

Wiki always has the answer to things like fictional metals...

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 pm

Orichalcum, depleted uranium (DU rounds kill supernatural things good in Rifts, because it short circuits their regen)

Or make Beliefium or something, which is either belief coalesced into solid form, and can be mined from areas with lots of children/faithful people, or make it any material which has been suffused with such belief, so that you can have wrought iron fire pokers that kill evil things but pass through good things harmlessly.

koz · Post by **koz** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:18 pm

How do you pronounce an 'a' with a circle on it? Like the one in the LA nation 'Midgard' (which I obviously can't have my keyboard write).

angelfromanotherpin · Post by **angelfromanotherpin** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:28 pm

Mister_Sinister wrote:How do you pronounce an 'a' with a circle on it? Like the one in the LA nation 'Midgard' (which I obviously can't have my keyboard write).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85

I've heard it pronounced like 'awe' and like 'ow.'

hyzmarca · Post by **hyzmarca** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:09 pm

Chamomile wrote:I've run out of mythical metals. Is there any good and already at least slightly established fantasy material that can be used as "kills evil things particularly well?" I've already used up mithril, silver, and orichalcum.

There's always Soaked in the Blood of the Innocent. Innocent blood purifying, cleansing, washing away sin and destroying evil is a pretty big thing in Christian Lore, and is why the whole Jesus think worked.

It's also what they used in G vs E (which is an awesome show that was canceled way too early).

So when you forge the sword you ritually sacrifice an innocent victim (bonus points if it's a baby) and quench the hot blade in its blood, infusing the weapon with the power of the sacrifice's innocence and making it especially damaging to evil.

The fact that you're murdering innocent people (which is somewhat morally dubious) to make weapons that kill evil is a feature, not a bug.

koz · Post by **koz** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:57 pm

angelfromanotherpin wrote:
Mister_Sinister wrote:How do you pronounce an 'a' with a circle on it? Like the one in the LA nation 'Midgard' (which I obviously can't have my keyboard write).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85

I've heard it pronounced like 'awe' and like 'ow.'

So... the nation is called either 'Mid-gourd' or 'Mid-gaurd'? Nice to know.