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Post by North Star on Jun 1, 2005 11:56:19 GMT
The Moonstone was just too nice. It created excellent weather, increased health in the peasants and livestock, extended lives and speeded up the birth rate. Such a boon was ultimately unbalancing and Ishir, being a good sport, was forced to ask the Shianti to take it back (Book 21). Also, Naar was using it in the later GM books to create Shadow Gates and abuse its power for evil. He was NOT being a good sport.
NS.
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Post by Lone Frog on Jul 11, 2005 23:15:27 GMT
The Durenese got the Sommerswerd because they already had one of everything else, and King Ulnar had to go to the bathroom - it was an interminable conference...
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Post by North Star on Jul 12, 2005 8:55:41 GMT
Huh? I have no idea what you just meant there, Lone Frog. But welcome anyway!
NS.
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Post by Dusk Fox on Jul 12, 2005 16:40:47 GMT
I imagine he means they were talking about what they could trade as tokens. Here... I'll give you my own dramatic interpretation.
Alin: We present to you, King Ulnar of Sommerlund... the Seal of Hammerdal! Ulnar: Beautiful! What does it do? Alin: Well, in times of trouble, it is useful for couriers and messengers to get to Hammerdal, as any Durenese citizen who sees it will know the cause is dire. Ulnar: So essentially it’s like a writ of passage, but with negative connotations? Alin: Except it’s a ring! Ulnar: Well… yes. Thank you, King Nameless of Durenor, for… for your ring. Alin: My name is Alin, Ulnar. Ulnar: Right… right. Alin. I shouldn’t have drunk so much Kourshah. Alin: We aren’t serving Kourshah, King Ulnar. Ulnar: *patting his hip flask* Maybe you’re not. At any rate… thank you so much for your ring. *examining the Seal* Your ring that says “Durenor High, Class of ’59.” Alin: That is the Durenese Coat of Arms. It is exquisite, don’t you think. Ulnar: Well… yes. Pardon me, but might I repair to the privy a moment? Too much…hospitality. Alin: No, I won’t hear of it until Sommerlund presents Durenor with their own gift of good faith. Ulnar: We were supposed to bring a gift? Alin: It’s in the Durenese bylaws. Ulnar: Right, right… bylaws. Well… *removing his glove* This is the Glove of Holmgard. It protects… our hands… from touching disgusting things. Alin: *unimpressed* I already have gloves. Ulnar: Oh. I see. Well… I have the Boot of Sommerlund, which is good for putting foot to ass for Kai…? Alin: I have boots, as well. Two pairs. Ulnar: *feeling the pressure of his bladder* Well, what don’t you already have, then? I need to tinkle! Alin: I don’t have a blazing golden blade of goodness and light. Ulnar: Well, I’ve only got one, and I need it for murdering the hell out of Darklords. Alin: Hey, I gave you the Seal of Hammerdal. I only have one of those, and I need it for sealing important letters with the royal crest of Durenor. Don’t you think I’ll have to explain why my correspondence is no longer sealed with “Class of ‘59”? Really, Ulnar, you’re not thinking. Ulnar: But it’s my favorite thing in the whole world… plus it can only be wielded by a Kai Lord, or apparently someone named Ulnar, because there are no Kai Lords yet, and the other King Ulnar wielded it against Darklord Vashna. Alin: What in the hell are you on about? Ulnar: Okay, okay, I know it makes no sense. Let me try again. So the Sommerswerd… it can only be used by this group of warrior monks who don’t exist, right? But they will. But by the time one of them has to use it, he’ll be the only one. He will, however, go on a genocidal rampage against the Darklords, so it will all be for the good. For the time being, however, the sword can apparently be used by people named Ulnar, because one of them already did, and he wasn’t a Kai Lord. Alin: Ulnar, my friend, you really need to lay off the kourshah. Ulnar: You’re telling me--I’m about to burst. Okay, okay… what if I give you Ulnar’s Gold Tooth? Then I would be missing a bicuspid. That’s a fair trade, isn’t it? Alin: No sword, no trade. I can’t believe you’re haggling over something as priceless and irreplaceable as the Seal of Hammerdal. Ulnar: Fine! Fine! Take the damn Sommerswerd! Take it! See if I care! Lord Kai and the Baby Alyss I have to go! *runs off in a hurry to find the lou*
What’s the moral of this story? The moral is that Ulnar is a silly name.
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Post by artichu on Jul 14, 2005 9:47:50 GMT
The Durenese just pulled the same trick with the Sommlending that everyone pulls on poor Altan - it's just like giving him your Ticket to Port Bax in trade for his horse! And here I am, always giving him a Diamond and a Lodestone like a sucker. Guess it's that misplaced sense of Kai honor, the same one that makes me start back at book 1, page 1 whenever I die.
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Post by artichu on Jul 14, 2005 9:50:52 GMT
Why does Gondor hand over the land that became Rohan to the unwashed barbarians from the north that saved them in the Battle of the Fields of Celebrant? Quite simply it is good diplomacy to give your ally goodies. The Sommerswerd also has the benefit of focusing minds in Hammerdal. No danger of forgetting about the shadow in the West with that big knife in the vicinity. Curious that Joe decided to place the bad guys in the west, contra to the usual Tolkienesque fashion. Deliberate or am I trying to see counter-imperialism where it's not? I think he was just trying to be different. He subverts tradition again when he makes evil Darklord magic be "left-handed" and good Brotherhood magic be "right-handed". Anyone wanna take bets on Joe Dever himself being a lefty?
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Post by artichu on Jul 14, 2005 9:52:41 GMT
But what about this: in book 8, TJOH where LW took out some Helghasts in one of the sections. Assuming LW either left all magical weapons (Sommerswerd, Dagger of Vashna, Magic Spear, Jewelled Mace, etc) or the player starts with book 8, could LW basically beat'em all? Actually, I think Book 8 deals with this without a loophole. IIRC, that's the adventure where Lord Paido accompanies you, and if you don't have the Sommerswerd, Paido's magical blue steel blade enables you to best the Helghast. And in Deathlord of Ixnia if you don't have the Sommerswerd Paido gives you a Dessi Stone that makes your ordinary weapon magical if you stick it on the handle.
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Post by outspaced on Jul 14, 2005 10:50:22 GMT
And in Deathlord of Ixnia if you don't have the Sommerswerd Paido gives you a Dessi Stone that makes your ordinary weapon magical if you stick it on the handle. Uh . . . you mean Rimoah, right?
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Post by North Star on Jul 14, 2005 11:41:44 GMT
Well, I am left-handed and I know that Joe Dever isn't However, Left-Handed Magic is Ishir's and Right-Handed Magic is Naar's! NS.
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Post by Runeheart on Jul 14, 2005 12:57:48 GMT
Actually it's Banedon who gives you the Dessi Stone ( and squishs it into the pommel of your weapon, does a quarterstaff have a pommel, sorry just being silly...), anyway, Banedon also offers a Platinum Amulet and a Korlinuim Scabbard if you don't have one already...he is such a giving guy, first a crystal star pendant, next anything you need, what an understanding fellow... Ohh, and Paido's sword is the article of choice in Book 8, (if you are Sommerswerd-less) it's blue so of cause it's magical...( but why do red ones go faster...) and blue bladed swords look cool. In fact I painted a mini with a mettallic blue sword after reading book 8. (Paido, he is such an inspiration..)
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Post by North Star on Jul 14, 2005 13:19:25 GMT
Red ones have "go-faster" stripes NS.
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Post by Runeheart on Jul 14, 2005 14:09:14 GMT
Or is that Go-Fasta stripes, (I think I am in danger of tangenting this thread, if I say Gorka or Morka...) anyway, Banedon provides these useful gifts ( or non-gifts if you already have them) while you fly to Ixia in the Cloudancer during the begining and formalities of Book 17... a bow doesn't have a pommel either does it? So where would you put a Dessi Stone? ( and no where the sun-shines bits from you Dusk Fox... I have provided plenty of leading lines for the 'Jester of Magnamund' in the past..and probably plenty more in the future ;D)
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Post by Dusk Fox on Jul 14, 2005 15:32:28 GMT
My suggestion is that you eat the Dessi Stone. That way, you'd just be magical, and you could lose your weapons without worry. Every tin pan, rolling pin, and dead chicken you pick up has the potential to be a deadly magical weapon of legend. Just imagine the fear in the hearts of evildoers when they witness the awesome might of... the Sommerfowl!
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Post by North Star on Jul 14, 2005 19:18:57 GMT
Just remember that if you've swallowed the Dessi Stone, your innate power only applies when fighting barehanded. That's usually a very bad move!
NS.
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Post by Dusk Fox on Jul 14, 2005 19:20:20 GMT
There's only one way to find out if that's true, or if my version is true, and that's to have someone eat a Dessi Stone. I volunteer.
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