Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

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zachariah
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by zachariah »

Yes the library is self aware. But does it really care what is happening elsewhere? I doubt it. The library's function is to gather a copy of EVERYTHING written by humans. That is a pretty big task all by itself. It has to manage it's structure to handle the constant stream of new material, catalog it, index it, and store it. If it had beings doing that work it's staff would be huge and we've seen no signs of staff. Lots of visitors and researchers, but no staff. I think the library is just so busy doing what it is supposed to be doing it just doesn't pay attention.
It takes something major to even get it to speak. Like when Phix caught Nudge. Apparently the only time Phix had heard it speak in the 100K years she had been staying in the library. The Kathy - Sali hook up was set up by MIB, probably due to a data request by the library. There is no indication that the library is in control of MIB either. Just MIB does use the library and it's transport system.
This means the library is an information source in Wapsiverse, not a player. It is being used by the players not the reverse.
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Wildcat
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by Wildcat »

That's exactly what she needed to accidentally overhear. :D

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kingklash
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by kingklash »

Calista and Monica will now get together and sing,.... sing..... sing....
"Nobody like me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms!"
eee
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by eee »

RE is the Library manipulating events or not: I got the impression during Kath's Big Adventure that the Library and the MiB were working hand in glove, or maybe even closer. So there may be SEVERAL forces trying to make sure Monica succeeds, and the next Queen of the Fae is a wise, reasonable Cricket, and not a Wild Child under the control of her demons...
kingklash wrote:Calista and Monica will now get together and sing,.... sing..... sing....
"Nobody like me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms!"
Given that Calista likes giant fried spiders, worms may also be on the menu. :D
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Dave
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by Dave »

kingklash wrote:Calista and Monica will now get together and sing,.... sing..... sing....
"Nobody like me, everybody hates me, guess I'll go eat worms!"
Well, there is a historical precedent for that.
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GuySmiley
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by GuySmiley »

Atomic wrote:Coming up: Dietzel takes Calista by mouth straight to Monica and drops her at M's feet with his best "look what I found" smile and wag!
Or, alternatively: Dietzel goes and grabs Monica by the ankle and drags her over to where Calista is still hiding, then sits there as a moderator for the rest of the conversation. :geek:
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lake_wrangler
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by lake_wrangler »

Elvis wrote:Ah, Phix is playing her mind games again.

(pretty sure she did summon Dietzel so our little one can accidentally eavesdrop)
I'm more of the opinion that the Library was listening in on Phix' conversation with Monica, got so far as to hear how Calista was scared out of her wits and ran away crying, and figured out the best remedy. It is possible that some non-poiting persona asked the Library, but I don't think it is necessary...
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lake_wrangler
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by lake_wrangler »

zachariah wrote:Yes the library is self aware. But does it really care what is happening elsewhere? I doubt it. The library's function is to gather a copy of EVERYTHING written by humans. That is a pretty big task all by itself. It has to manage it's structure to handle the constant stream of new material, catalog it, index it, and store it. If it had beings doing that work it's staff would be huge and we've seen no signs of staff. Lots of visitors and researchers, but no staff.
I thougth that was part of the Head Librarians' job.

zachariah wrote:I think the library is just so busy doing what it is supposed to be doing it just doesn't pay attention.
It takes something major to even get it to speak. Like when Phix caught Nudge. Apparently the only time Phix had heard it speak in the 100K years she had been staying in the library.
The fact that it spoke at that moment proves that it was paying attention... It had simply chosen not to speak heretofore.
zachariah wrote:The Kathy - Sali hook up was set up by MIB, probably due to a data request by the library. There is no indication that the library is in control of MIB either. Just MIB does use the library and it's transport system.
This means the library is an information source in Wapsiverse, not a player. It is being used by the players not the reverse.
The Library, as a physical location, is indeed used by the other players. But the Library, as an entity, is definitely a player. It could not, I believe, have held Phix there all that time otherwise. I believe it is also that which makes books go "Paf!" into smoke. It keeps track of its books, and has to have some way of determining if the book's holder is worthy of holding the book.
Grantwhy
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by Grantwhy »

Elvis wrote:Ah, Phix is playing her mind games again.

(pretty sure she did summon Dietzel so our little one can accidentally eavesdrop)
actually, the 'oh what a coincidence of events' feeling I'm getting from these pages suggest Nudge's hand to me, not Phix.

Not saying Phix can't be subtle, but Nudge has has a lot more practice at it :)
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Grantwhy
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by Grantwhy »

shadowinthelight wrote:I'm looking at panel four and can't stop imagining Wapsi Square: The Puppet Show.
*looks at the panel again*

Hmmmm ... I'm seeing Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show :geek:

:?:
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meisdadoo
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by meisdadoo »

zachariah wrote:Yes the library is self aware. But does it really care what is happening elsewhere? I doubt it. The library's function is to gather a copy of EVERYTHING written by humans. That is a pretty big task all by itself. It has to manage it's structure to handle the constant stream of new material, catalog it, index it, and store it. If it had beings doing that work it's staff would be huge and we've seen no signs of staff. Lots of visitors and researchers, but no staff. I think the library is just so busy doing what it is supposed to be doing it just doesn't pay attention.
It takes something major to even get it to speak. Like when Phix caught Nudge. Apparently the only time Phix had heard it speak in the 100K years she had been staying in the library. The Kathy - Sali hook up was set up by MIB, probably due to a data request by the library. There is no indication that the library is in control of MIB either. Just MIB does use the library and it's transport system.
This means the library is an information source in Wapsiverse, not a player. It is being used by the players not the reverse.
The Library is neither player, nor played. It is for lack of a better analogy, the Dungeonmaster. It observes and tracks the players progress, provides information, enforces the rules of the game; but mostly allows the players to choose their own fate.

That being said, it did take an active role in fixing the calendar machine. Mostly I think because every time it reset the library would get yet another copy of every book ever written. After several thousand re-sets you would start to run out of room. . . LOL
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My2Cents
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by My2Cents »

Elvis wrote:Ah, Phix is playing her mind games again.

(pretty sure she did summon Dietzel so our little one can accidentally eavesdrop).
Sounds more like something Nudge would do.
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Timotheus
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by Timotheus »

meisdadoo wrote:The Library is neither player, nor played. It is for lack of a better analogy, the Dungeonmaster. It observes and tracks the players progress, provides information, enforces the rules of the game; but mostly allows the players to choose their own fate.

That being said, it did take an active role in fixing the calendar machine. Mostly I think because every time it reset the library would get yet another copy of every book ever written. After several thousand re-sets you would start to run out of room. . . LOL
I agree, but I will also add there has never been a Dungeon Master EVER who has not inserted their fingers into their game to fudge results in the direction they desired - mostly out of self interest. Gotta keep the players in the prepared areas, on the story track (such as it may be) and away from the dead end plot holes. I'm certain the Library has been moving pawns around in the background as well to achieve goals of its own, whatever they may be ( It's statement to Phix and Nudge fairly screamed this "You're both head librarians now! And you're both staying here! But you can have more freedom to spell each other! And that's that!).
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kingklash
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by kingklash »

Timotheus wrote:
meisdadoo wrote:The Library is neither player, nor played. It is for lack of a better analogy, the Dungeonmaster. It observes and tracks the players progress, provides information, enforces the rules of the game; but mostly allows the players to choose their own fate.

That being said, it did take an active role in fixing the calendar machine. Mostly I think because every time it reset the library would get yet another copy of every book ever written. After several thousand re-sets you would start to run out of room. . . LOL
I agree, but I will also add there has never been a Dungeon Master EVER who has not inserted their fingers into their game to fudge results in the direction they desired - mostly out of self interest. Gotta keep the players in the prepared areas, on the story track (such as it may be) and away from the dead end plot holes. I'm certain the Library has been moving pawns around in the background as well to achieve goals of its own, whatever they may be ( It's statement to Phix and Nudge fairly screamed this "You're both head librarians now! And you're both staying here! But you can have more freedom to spell each other! And that's that!).
In the "Tales From The Table" section of the Table Titans site, one person related how his group, fresh off a good quest, had a guest DM start them on a special adventure of his own secret design. The narrator was playing a not very smart brute, and throwing himself into character happily. The dockside town the group sailed into looked rather beat up, and they were soon harrassed by some crazy old coot who kept telling them they were doomed as soon as they stepped into the center of town. Well, this guy realized this nutbag might be someone who could make things difficult later in the adventure, so he said, "I strike him with my weapon!" The DM was surprised, but had to let the action play. A dice roll later, and a Critical Hit was acheived. The DM consulted every relevant chart. "You killed him you jerk!" The old loon was a powerful sorcerer that was plaguing the town with zombies, and after his sudden demise, the rest of the evening was spent cleaning out his castle of undead and loot. Sometimes even the craftiest DM has no chance against being caught flat-footed.
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JSStryker
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by JSStryker »

I'm beginning to believe that Dietzel is there for Monica as much as he is for Cricket.
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by ChattaStarhawk »

kingklash wrote:In the "Tales From The Table" section of the Table Titans site, one person related how his group, fresh off a good quest, had a guest DM start them on a special adventure of his own secret design. The narrator was playing a not very smart brute, and throwing himself into character happily. The dockside town the group sailed into looked rather beat up, and they were soon harrassed by some crazy old coot who kept telling them they were doomed as soon as they stepped into the center of town. Well, this guy realized this nutbag might be someone who could make things difficult later in the adventure, so he said, "I strike him with my weapon!" The DM was surprised, but had to let the action play. A dice roll later, and a Critical Hit was acheived. The DM consulted every relevant chart. "You killed him you jerk!" The old loon was a powerful sorcerer that was plaguing the town with zombies, and after his sudden demise, the rest of the evening was spent cleaning out his castle of undead and loot. Sometimes even the craftiest DM has no chance against being caught flat-footed.
Reminds me of a playtest group I was a part of a number of years ago... we kept pulling all kinds of tricks on our DM/author that had him hopping. I was playing a ranger character that had picked up a ring of flight/feather-fall (yes, I was the team's airborne ranger) and we were tasked to get an item from a wizard's tower. I flew our rogue up to the rooftop garden only find all the stone figures was a part of the security (golems). The golems chased him to the top of a skylight (where I grabbed him) which dropped all the golems straight down through the tower into the basement, hitting the wizard and his minions at the dinner table along the way. Mop up wasn't much of a problem after that, although there was a fun bit when we had a spell ping-ponging between our mage and the wizard.
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Dave
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by Dave »

ChattaStarhawk wrote:... which dropped all the golems straight down through the tower into the basement, hitting the wizard and his minions at the dinner table along the way.
You didn't happen to take a picture, to capture the look on the DM's face in that moment, did you? :lol: :lol: :lol:

There are moments when the Law of Chaos just jumps up and shouts "Here I am!!" and makes chutney out of the best-laid plans...
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by AnotherFairportfan »

Even when he's doing un-dog-like things, Dietzel is wonderfully dog like.

That head-cock with the ears going is just perfect.
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Re: Did You Hear Something 2014-09-18

Post by ChattaStarhawk »

Dave wrote:You didn't happen to take a picture, to capture the look on the DM's face in that moment, did you? :lol: :lol: :lol:

There are moments when the Law of Chaos just jumps up and shouts "Here I am!!" and makes chutney out of the best-laid plans...
By that time he was quite used to us throwing set-ups out the window. Earlier we had taken out an ambush and learned they were hired by a bandit gang; so we changed paths and our rogue (MVP of the group) spent a night taking the gang out (burning down the inn they were using as a base). None of us would do a "Leeroy Jenkins" though we did apply thinking that took different tangents.
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