(IC) Lost in Dreams (Julian)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

I suppose my point is you are still a meal behind! (but just one)

I dunno, I rather eat when I have more time to haggle I guess. Maybe go back to get something to eat after everyone goes home.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Vasic Stone, much like here. That's what this place is all about. Mining Vasic stone.

Well I guess that tracks. "Do people mine Vasic anywhere else?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

And selling things to Hawkin.

Hm. Maybe they're rich, or maybe I just haven't seen them selling anything. Maybe they're indigenous. I seriously doubt all these different, um, types just naturally arose up here.
"Where do they get their money? I haven't seen any of them working..."

Originally Posted by ericthered

And something about a giant bug that digs.

"Wait, what? A giant bug? What does it look like? What does it eat?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Its how you get to the bottom of the waterfall.

I take a little time to process this. "But how? It's just a flash of light. I thought they were incinerated."

Originally Posted by ericthered

People at the bottom of the waterfall. Something about ships. But not the Hawkin.

"And they can see the sun down there? Does the sun, um, go away down there? How far down is the bottom?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Their "big people" got it for them. 25 Large coins, it seems.

Hm. I guess that makes sense. I bet if I snagged a second one in the mines I could get more 5L if I could find a buyer.

Originally Posted by ericthered

They happily show it to him. This is seemingly something they all practice and can do, drawing the lines fairly accurately.

"But how do you know those are the lines you need to draw to make light and not some other set of lines? Were you taught by someone else? How did they know?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yes, they know the heat pattern. Not as well though. Same stone.

"Would the pattern they drew on the big stone work on a little stone?"

Hawkin sounds suspiciously like a name that's been invented by the dominant group... Maybe that Lawin name has something to do with it. "Are they called Hawkin or Lawin?"

[ericthered]

Well I guess that tracks. "Do people mine Vasic anywhere else?"

Yes, they mine vasic some distance from the bottom of the waterfall.

"Where do they get their money? I haven't seen any of them working..."

They hunt. Some of them fight.

"Wait, what? A giant bug? What does it look like? What does it eat?"

Its big and round and black with six legs, two big mandibles, and two small mandibles. And a hard shell and wings. It also has a brown and green grub form with the mandibles but short legs with big hooked claws. They eat various plants that grow. The flying bugs are longer than an adult is tall. or maybe just two of Ump's arm-spans.

I take a little time to process this. "But how? It's just a flash of light. I thought they were incinerated."

No, No, they're still alive! How could he think such a silly thing! Everyone laughs. The stone moves them! That's what the stone does!

"And they can see the sun down there? Does the sun, um, go away down there? How far down is the bottom?"

No, the sun is all surrounded by cloud. They can't see it there either. The bottom would take at least a shift to fall all the way to. You would die. Somehow. burned or frozen, they say. Or get smashed at the bottom.

"But how do you know those are the lines you need to draw to make light and not some other set of lines? Were you taught by someone else? How did they know?"

They don't know. Its not important to them.

"Would the pattern they drew on the big stone work on a little stone?"

They think so. But it would only effect little things! and you'd have to write really really small!

Hawkin sounds suspiciously like a name that's been invented by the dominant group... Maybe that Lawin name has something to do with it. "Are they called Hawkin or Lawin?"

Lawin are Hawkin. And the small winged people are Hawkin. And the winged people with tails. They're all Hawkin.


And the GM totally isn't making up stuff to cover a slip-up!

Hm. I guess that makes sense. I bet if I snagged a second one in the mines I could get more 5L if I could find a buyer.

Now you bring up thievery! I expected it to come up a little sooner in this game!

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yes, they mine vasic some distance from the bottom of the waterfall.

"So why bother coming all the way up here?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

They hunt. Some of them fight.

"I suppose they hunt the bugs. Who do they fight? Is there a war going on?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Its big and round and black with six legs, two big mandibles, and two small mandibles. And a hard shell and wings. It also has a brown and green grub form with the mandibles but short legs with big hooked claws. They eat various plants that grow. The flying bugs are longer than an adult is tall. or maybe just two of Ump's arm-spans.

Well I guess something had to make all those tunnels. "Hm. Is it dangerous?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

No, No, they're still alive! How could he think such a silly thing!

"Vasic makes light, heat. It does not follow that it makes people appear somewhere else."

I suppose I'm going to be laughed at some more. I guess it makes some sense, but it sounds so unbelievable, like something out of science fiction... Or maybe a fantasy novel.

"What else can Vasic do?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

No, the sun is all surrounded by cloud. They can't see it there either. The bottom would take at least a shift to fall all the way to. You would die. Somehow. burned or frozen, they say. Or get smashed at the bottom.

"Well surely it can't be burnt or frozen, or nobody would have been able to get up here to setup up the big Vasic thing in the first place."

I try to back of the envelope how far there could be. 1 shift ~ 1 day, terminal velocity ~100 m/s, so 24*3600*100... 8,640 km... That's uh, wow. Maybe they'd suffocate on the way down.

Originally Posted by ericthered

They think so. But it would only effect little things! and you'd have to write really really small!

"Well, coins would be small enough, right? No need to be afraid of muggers."

I think briefly about the use of the word write. "So, do you know how to write in Riask?"

I glance at my legs briefly, "How often is someone injured working in the mine tunnels?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Now you bring up thievery! I expected it to come up a little sooner in this game!

Well there's two major reasons. The first is that Julian doesn't have any clothes and thus can't really vanish into a crowd in a pinch. The other is that he doesn't feel especially strained financially. After eating, he's clearing 2L a shift. The work seems boring, not life-threatening. If Julian had some kind of motivation beyond, "I'm being worked ragged every day", he probably would have tried something by now. At this point it's just idle thoughts, just like keeping a second Vasic light to turn in with a different shift to make twice the money.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"So why bother coming all the way up here?"

There is less rain, water and mud up here. Building dams is hard.

"I suppose they hunt the bugs. Who do they fight? Is there a war going on?"

They fight thieves. and sometimes each other. And sometimes they go a long ways away to fight.

Well I guess something had to make all those tunnels. "Hm. Is it dangerous?"

Yes. If you're dumb. Or not an awesome hunter.

"Vasic makes light, heat. It does not follow that it makes people appear somewhere else."


I suppose I'm going to be laughed at some more. I guess it makes some sense, but it sounds so unbelievable, like something out of science fiction... Or maybe a fantasy novel.

Vasic moves things. It moves the sun to make light and heat. He really thought vasic made the light and heat? They say he must be from far far away.

"What else can Vasic do?"

Vasic can move people. It can let people talk from a long ways away.

"Well surely it can't be burnt or frozen, or nobody would have been able to get up here to setup up the big Vasic thing in the first place."

No, they didn't fly it up. They sent it with vasic. There was vasic in the cliff and the vasic in the cliff and the branches caught the big vasic stone. The man who did this is named Pilagro. Very smart.

"Well, coins would be small enough, right? No need to be afraid of muggers."

Not muggers. But pickpockets would get them on the way! And you couldn't fend them off with a small vasic. With a big Vasic you can.

I think briefly about the use of the word write. "So, do you know how to write in Riask?"

Yes, yes! they all know how to write the patterns!
When they realize he means words, they say they know numbers. They don't know how to write words.

I glance at my legs briefly, "How often is someone injured working in the mine tunnels?"

Sometimes. He should really buy pants. The small tunnels are pretty safe. Vasic is solid. Not like other mines.

I try to back of the envelope how far there could be. 1 shift ~ 1 day, terminal velocity ~100 m/s, so 24*3600*100... 8,640 km... That's uh, wow. Maybe they'd suffocate on the way down.

Just remember that this world is being explained by poor kids in a mine who may have a skewed or incomplete understanding.



Actually, given how long I've had this world and how hard its been to explain, the perspective of street kids in a fairly exotic part of the world is a nice device for making it simple and understandable. I don't have to explain what's actually going on, just what they see.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

There is less rain, water and mud up here. Building dams is hard.

"Sounds like a mess down there."

Originally Posted by ericthered

They fight thieves. and sometimes each other. And sometimes they go a long ways away to fight.

"What do they do with thieves they catch?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Vasic moves things. It moves the sun to make light and heat. He really thought vasic made the light and heat? They say he must be from far far away.

"Yeah that sounds about right. Do lots of people from far away make that mistake? Where do they come from?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Vasic can move people. It can let people talk from a long ways away.

I wonder what other kinds of energy could be transported through Vasic.

Originally Posted by ericthered

No, they didn't fly it up. They sent it with vasic. There was vasic in the cliff and the vasic in the cliff and the branches caught the big vasic stone. The man who did this is named Pilagro. Very smart.

"I thought someone would have just found or made the stone all the way up here."

"By fly, you mean the Hawkin? Could they even move something that heavy while flying?"

"So you can move stuff anywhere with the vasic? You don't need something specific to target on?"

"Was it just the bugs up here before the stone?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Not muggers. But pickpockets would get them on the way! And you couldn't fend them off with a small vasic. With a big Vasic you can.

"Huh? Someone could take the coins transported by Vasic along the way?"

"So how can you fend people off with a big Vasic? Burn 'em?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yes, yes! they all know how to write the patterns!
When they realize he means words, they say they know numbers. They don't know how to write words.

"What do they do with thieves they catch?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Sometimes. He should really buy pants. The small tunnels are pretty safe. Vasic is solid. Not like other mines.

I count my coins again. I don't really need a shirt, do I? Guess I'll get on buying a pair of pants now. And eat until I'm full.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Just remember that this world is being explained by poor kids in a mine who may have a skewed or incomplete understanding.

Well, even a fraction of that distance would still be crazy high. An hour at half the speed would be way taller than Everest. And looking it at it from the other direction, it's also the wrong distance for a sun, just by a different order of magnitude.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Sounds like a mess down there."

Not bad. Just hard to dig.

"What do they do with thieves they catch?"

They beat them, and sometimes chop off their heads. Of course. What else do you do with thieves?

"Yeah that sounds about right. Do lots of people from far away make that mistake? Where do they come from?"

Yes. They come from... places. far far away. Not here. Not Riask. They're not sure how to confirm that Julian got the right concept.

"I thought someone would have just found or made the stone all the way up here."

Placing new stones is hard! But makes money! Not by accident.

"By fly, you mean the Hawkin? Could they even move something that heavy while flying?"

Or big bugs. Or other fliers. Not from here. From ... other places. far far way.

"So you can move stuff anywhere with the vasic? You don't need something specific to target on?"

Only if you're good. It takes practice and training. And you need some sort vasic that isn't a vasic stone. Like the cliff. The cliff is made of vasic, but not nice and polished.

"Was it just the bugs up here before the stone?"

And Hawkin. And other flyers. Birds. Birds with four legs.

"Huh? Someone could take the coins transported by Vasic along the way?"

Yes. Not usually used for money. Usually used for protection. Or to guide travelers.

"So how can you fend people off with a big Vasic? Burn 'em?"

The man stands on the vasic stone and pushes away people who try to come near it. They land at a nearby stone, not the one they try to land at.

"What do they do with thieves they catch?"

I think you wanted to ask a different question here.

I count my coins again. I don't really need a shirt, do I? Guess I'll get on buying a pair of pants now. And eat until I'm full.

Let me know what Julian does.

Well, even a fraction of that distance would still be crazy high. An hour at half the speed would be way taller than Everest. And looking it at it from the other direction, it's also the wrong distance for a sun, just by a different order of magnitude.

Indeed...

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Not bad. Just hard to dig.

I briefly recall the rainy seasons on Rattan. "Sound gloomy with all that rain though."

Originally Posted by ericthered

They beat them, and sometimes chop off their heads. Of course. What else do you do with thieves?

Well, don't think I want to steal anything now.
"Prison?" I answer, probably in English. I struggle to explain, "Be locked away, sometimes reeducate, mostly just lock away though."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yes. They come from... places. far far away. Not here. Not Riask. They're not sure how to confirm that Julian got the right concept.

"Like... Get on a boat and sail for many shifts far away? Further?"

Maybe I should get a better grasp on the geography before I ask how far away the far far away are. I'll try to explain a geographic hierarchy with that map I drew earlier. Point out/circle locations, draw a little tree: London -> Britain -> Europe -> Earth. Then start another tree: Bumundo -> ? And ask for help filling in the next steps up.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Placing new stones is hard! But makes money! Not by accident.

Or big bugs. Or other fliers. Not from here. From ... other places. far far way.

Only if you're good. It takes practice and training. And you need some sort vasic that isn't a vasic stone. Like the cliff. The cliff is made of vasic, but not nice and polished.

"So if it's rougher and less pure, the Vasic is more versatile?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

And Hawkin. And other flyers. Birds. Birds with four legs.

"Ah, so the Hawkin come from here. Do you know if they were happy about the stone?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yes. Not usually used for money. Usually used for protection. Or to guide travelers.

"What is?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

The man stands on the vasic stone and pushes away people who try to come near it. They land at a nearby stone, not the one they try to land at.

"You can push people away before they land on the stone?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

I think you wanted to ask a different question here.

Well this is what I get for using a template
I ask to see the numbers written out. I wonder if they're like Roman or Arabic numerals.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Let me know what Julian does.

OK, once I get this far far away thing sorted, I'll head out to go get some pants.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I briefly recall the rainy seasons on Rattan. "Sound gloomy with all that rain though."

Sad weather? yes, a little sad. happier weather up here.

"Prison?" I answer, probably in English. I struggle to explain, "Be locked away, sometimes reeducate, mostly just lock away though."

They wonder if they make the people locked away work.

"Like... Get on a boat and sail for many shifts far away? Further?"

No, boats won't work. walking won't work. flying won't work. Only Vasic.

Maybe I should get a better grasp on the geography before I ask how far away the far far away are. I'll try to explain a geographic hierarchy with that map I drew earlier. Point out/circle locations, draw a little tree: London -> Britain -> Europe -> Earth. Then start another tree: Bumundo -> ? And ask for help filling in the next steps up.

Bumundo -> The Top-> Riask -> Kiraskan.

"So if it's rougher and less pure, the Vasic is more versatile?"

No No No! The rough less pure Vasic is less versatile! the big stone does the work! it helps the rough Vasic! But the big stone can't help out if there is nothing to help.

"Ah, so the Hawkin come from here. Do you know if they were happy about the stone?"

They don't know. They like to go to market.

"What is?"

The technique for pushing around and directing objects sent through stones.

"You can push people away before they land on the stone?"

Yes. Not hand pushing. Vasic pushing. change which stone they come to.

I ask to see the numbers written out. I wonder if they're like Roman or Arabic numerals.

They act and sort of look like arabic numerals, but have more curls.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

They wonder if they make the people locked away work.

"Yes, and no. It's complicated. Not as punishment, but still required. They get paid, badly. Some people think it's wrong. Others don't care. Other places are simpler."

Originally Posted by ericthered

No, boats won't work. walking won't work. flying won't work. Only Vasic.

"So what's the obstacle? Distance? Unclear location?"

"I suppose the far far away places were discovered like The Top was; send a big Vasic stone and get it caught by the Vasic over there."

I think for a moment, "If they have Vasic in the far far away places, why would they think the Vasic makes the light or the heat?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

No No No! The rough less pure Vasic is less versatile! the big stone does the work! it helps the rough Vasic! But the big stone can't help out if there is nothing to help.

"So could a small Vasic help the big stone?"

"How does the chalk fit into this? Does it have to be that kind of chalk, or could something else that writes on Vasic work?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

They don't know. They like to go to market.

Do they mean "They like to go to market" as in "They don't know because they don't go where the Hawkin do." or as in "The Hawkin like to go to the market."?

Originally Posted by ericthered

The technique for pushing around and directing objects sent through stones.

Yes. Not hand pushing. Vasic pushing. change which stone they come to.

Hm. I see. "What do they do with the people they push away? Is it just to keep the big stone clear? How aware are they of who's coming through?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

They act and sort of look like arabic numerals, but have more curls.

Well that's an odd coincidence.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Yes, and no. It's complicated. Not as punishment, but still required. They get paid, badly. Some people think it's wrong. Others don't care. Other places are simpler."

Sounds tricky. That's different. The boys seem to think that they should work.

"So what's the obstacle? Distance? Unclear location?"

Unclear location, it seems.

"I suppose the far far away places were discovered like The Top was; send a big Vasic stone and get it caught by the Vasic over there."

Yes.

I think for a moment, "If they have Vasic in the far far away places, why would they think the Vasic makes the light or the heat?"

They don't have real vasic. They have bad vasic. pretend vasic. unusable vasic.

"So could a small Vasic help the big stone?"

Some of the boys think it could, some think it couldn't.

"How does the chalk fit into this? Does it have to be that kind of chalk, or could something else that writes on Vasic work?"

Chalk is convenient. You can see it. You can write with anything. But easier to make a mistake. Some expensive stones have guide-marks.

Do they mean "They like to go to market" as in "They don't know because they don't go where the Hawkin do." or as in "The Hawkin like to go to the market."?

The Hawkin like to go to the market

Hm. I see. "What do they do with the people they push away? Is it just to keep the big stone clear? How aware are they of who's coming through?"

They feel them. Vasic guides work hard. Study. feel people moving. Feel stones they can reach. Kind of mysterious. Keep stones clear. Keep bad guys and bad fighters out.

Well that's an odd coincidence.

They have a similar feel to them... the actual shapes are different though. its more that they have a combination of lines and curves, rather than the two looking like '2'.