2008-02-13 Time ninja fails. Again!

[Graybeard]

I bet that 'friend' was Sarna. Is she a crossdresser or just finds male form more practical with human interaction? No doubt a fight broke out and my money would naturally be on the two elves. They're still around, no?

I'd been thinking the same thing. The use of male disguise is practical. In Sarna's first appearance, someone raised exactly your question on the old, primitive Forum. Poe replied that Sarna is 6'4", and a 6'4" man doesn't attract as much attention on the street as a 6'4" woman. I'd reference this in the Sarna article in the Heretic Knowledge Vault, but the link seems to have been dissolved. Poe, if you're reading this, suppose you could briefly confirm, so that there's something referenceable now that we've changed Forum providers?

Still, this should be interesting since they seem to be aware that they're being recorded and yet are giving out all this information. Now the the listeners know that the captives know, that might lead them to second guess whatever the captives previously said. A good move on Sarine's part.

Sarine was aware that they're being recorded. Jon may not have been, except in a general sense as a matter of tradecraft. Remember that he's from generally non-magical Farrel, and while there is undoubtedly eavesdropping magic in Veracia, it's probably not widely enough available for the Ensigerum to run into it very often. The possibility quite likely occurred to him, but Jon suspects; Sarine knows.

There may be repercussions to taking out the bugs and scrying devices. A funny story (with names omitted and a couple of minor details changed to protect the guilty) from real life: Following the fall of the Soviet Union, I got involved as a techno-weenie supporting diplomatic negotiations between the US and Russia (and other former Soviet countries) aimed at securing Soviet nukes that, it was feared, might be floating around owing to the period of comparative anarchy before the Russian and other governments stabilized. For me this entailed several trips to Kazakhstan (not a pleasure cruise, I assure you...) and Belarus on "official" parties. On one trip one of the guys I was traveling with made some comment about the possibility that our rooms were bugged, as they quite likely were. One of our State Department interpreters, however, stopped him from looking for the bug in his room by telling what had happened on a previous trip he'd been interpreting on. The guy had found a clumsily concealed bug, in a light fixture or telephone or whatever. He put it out of business before going off to the day's meetings, tidied up his room, and went out.

On his return, every pair of pants in his suitcase had had its crotch seam slit open with a razor blade.

[Pillaroforder]

Now that's a funny story. Creepy, but funny. Sore losers I guess.

[Slamlander]

I bet that 'friend' was Sarna. Is she a crossdresser or just finds male form more practical with human interaction? No doubt a fight broke out and my money would naturally be on the two elves. They're still around, no?

I'd been thinking the same thing. The use of male disguise is practical. In Sarna's first appearance, someone raised exactly your question on the old, primitive Forum. Poe replied that Sarna is 6'4", and a 6'4" man doesn't attract as much attention on the street as a 6'4" woman. I'd reference this in the Sarna article in the Heretic Knowledge Vault, but the link seems to have been dissolved. Poe, if you're reading this, suppose you could briefly confirm, so that there's something referenceable now that we've changed Forum providers?

Uh oh, does this mean that we have to check all previous links now? That's going to be a PITA.

[Michael Poe]

Yes, the general idea with the illusion spells that Sarna uses is to make the illusion as close to your general body size and shape as possible for the easiest, most effect results. Trying to make yourself look like someone smaller or taller takes a great deal of effort to coordinate and will often come out looking odd and unnatural when it moves around and would require a complicated juggling act if you had to actually physically interact with a object during that. So, since Sarna is around 6'4'' (Sarine is a very short 6' by elf standards) she chooses to look like a man as it would draw less attention than a 6'4'' woman would.

[mindstalk]

Very short 6'... is that primarily genetics, or better health and diet, or a combination where male elves don't look taller than a well-fed modern European (Americans are shorter these days) but the gods removed that aspect of sexual dimorphism from their pets so female elves are as tall and strong as the males?

[Viking-Sensei]

The male elves also have beautiful plumage.

[BloodHenge]

2. saying something is "way out of your berth" is really confusing. perhaps "out of your depth" but usually that is a comment made towards someone else? Anyway I had to read that one twice.

I figured it might be a nautical term, guessing that sailors are quartered at least partially according to rank and department, with your "berth" corresponding roughly to the variety and breadth of your responsibilities.

Well, it just goes to show once again that the time monks really don't have any idea what they're doing... training under a waterfall? That's classic, yes, however it's almost like a sensory deprivation tank once you're under one... believe me, I've actually done it a few times. It's best used to assist in shutting out the outside world by drowning out your senses in meaningless data... kind of like a white noise machine, but for all your senses at once.

Isn't that also the function of a zen koan? To empty your mind by focusing on a meaningless or impossible concept?

Panel Three Gramatical Nitpick in Sarine's textbubble: "Whatever we're saying is being recorded..."

Still, this should be interesting since they seem to be aware that they're being recorded and yet are giving out all this information. Now the the listeners know that the captives know, that might lead them to second guess whatever the captives previously said. A good move on Sarine's part.

Of course, since Sarine has served in at least two separate branches of the military, the Elves probably knew she suspected the place was bugged, even if they didn't think she knew for a fact that it was standard operating procedure. For all they know, she's just making an educated guess-- and for all Jon and Sara know, that could be what she's doing too.

I sincerely doubt that it is made of steel though. Too loud, too bulky, and doesn't offer much in the way of protection against the weapons they are likely to be facing. Or at least not enough protection to overcome the disadvantages that come with using like she is.

It's much more likely to be hardened leather. Less direct protection, but much more practical for what Sarine is using it for.
Unless of course it's "magic", then all my observations get thrown out the window.

I figured it was made out of the magical Elf material we had lovingly dubbed Keeblar.

[DarkIntruder]

I figured it was made out of the magical Elf material we had lovingly dubbed Keeblar.

Yeah, there they go, out the window.

Like I said, at least Poe's armour looks semi-plausible. I've given up trying to draw historical parralells to armour and weapons from other anime.

[Graybeard]

Yes, the general idea with the illusion spells that Sarna uses is to make the illusion as close to your general body size and shape as possible for the easiest, most effect results. Trying to make yourself look like someone smaller or taller takes a great deal of effort to coordinate and will often come out looking odd and unnatural when it moves around and would require a complicated juggling act if you had to actually physically interact with a object during that. So, since Sarna is around 6'4'' (Sarine is a very short 6' by elf standards) she chooses to look like a man as it would draw less attention than a 6'4'' woman would.

Now that was service.

Thanks.

[Boss Out of Town]

Very short 6'... is that primarily genetics, or better health and diet, or a combination where male elves don't look taller than a well-fed modern European (Americans are shorter these days) but the gods removed that aspect of sexual dimorphism from their pets so female elves are as tall and strong as the males?

Genetics, I'm betting. The Gawds tried various sizes for their pets and the Elves got picked for 6' plus. Trols are taller, dwarves shorter, Meji's short and annoying, etc.

The whole tall-is-grander thing is presumably a universal human trait. Human genetics allows for average tribal heights from 4'6" up to 6'6", but it takes an industrial-age economy to drive an entire ethnic group up the scale based on non-genetic causes.

An odd take on the topic: when Iron Crown Enterprises first sketched out its Middle-earth RPG world, the ethnic heights were roughly as Tolkien probably envisioned them: the Dunedain about 6'6", their Northman relations about 6', "common" folk ~5'8", Haradrim ~5'2" to ~5'4", with an exception for some Kenyans . . . er, Mumakanli/Far Haradrim . . . who were as tall as Northmen. However, they contracted with a dozen writers to do the rest of the continent east and south of Gondor, and none of them wanted to do the short people. Aside from some Wose clones, the various nations people came up with were all 5'8 to 5'10" or taller. Which, of course, neuters the distinction of being a Dunadan.