Jul 26, 2017

The Silent City

The Silent City is named so because it is illegal to speak. Foreigners are kicked out, citizens exiled or executed on spot (in most cases exiled since executions are noisy).

Environmental sounds aren't forbidden, but frowned upon (e.g. the sound of the blacksmith working). You should keep such activities on a lower layer, or preferably outside the city.

Silent Language is the official language, a strict sign language restricted to one-hand motions, a leftover from the 37 year old war where you'd want the other hand to always wield a weapon.

The citizens of the Silent City are not deaf.

Mages raised in the Silent City cannot cast spells that requires a verbal component.

The Grand Ocularium serves as what other cities would call a library, only here the books are replaced by several silent tellers; sages who can recite information using Silent Language. Books are noisy, turning pages are noisy, climbing ladders retrieving books are noisy.

Built like a wedding cake, the laws of silence are loosen up the further away from the top you get, although the rulers have many spies and watchers.

The lowest layer of the city - where the main gate is located - is called Whisper. You may get away with whispering here. This layer is where most commoners are found, foreign travelling merchants and their ilk.

It's unclear what the real reason for all this is, although an old tale tells about a sage in the Grand Ocularium that revealed that the city acts as a blanket, covering a sleeping baby god. The baby is harmless, but if disturbed, the cry will anger and attract its parents - whatever they may be.


Jul 22, 2017

AD&D Monster Manual as haiku (part 2 - B)

Here's the next part. Ah B, I was looking forward to the beholder, but it was the baluchitherium that surprised me.

Yes, this series is probably mostly useless, but they are fun to write, although this entry took longer than I expected. WAY longer.

------------------------

BABOON

one half pacifist
one half indeterminism
red ass waves goodbye


BADGER

you dig like a sow
do you even work out, brock?
your pelt looks like felt


BALUCHITHERIUM

LOOKING FOR: LOST HORN
I WILL TRAMPLE YOU FOR IT
ASK FOR "NOT RHINO"


BARRACUDA

bowman not needed
undersea ferocity
salt water arrow


BASILISK

little dragon king
you shun your own reflection
no glasses for you


BEAR

boring encounter
forests, or a grizzly cave
give papa a hug


BEAVER, Giant

this entry feels like
a predictable scene from
National Lampoon


BEETLE, Giant

hungry moving house
elemental or common
we gather feces


BEHOLDER

polyphemus, lo!
here be your galatea
twelve pupils of death


BLACK PUDDING

foul crevice seeker
no paper could collect you
darkest giant snot


BLINK DOG

daddy the pup's gone!
no wait it came back, hey pup!
no wait! oh fuck this


BOAR

pig of the sounder
juvenile, only older
everyone knows pig


BRAIN MOLE

malignant nevus
of the poor psionics mind
unbiunium


BROWNIE

handy half halfling
how is your very short sword
not just a dagger?


BUFFALO

illustrated cow
body, sepia world map
head, dark thunderstorm


BUGBEAR

just a hairy man
it is, really: goblin men
wrong taxonomy


BULETTE

monster à la carte
worcestershire demon hot sauce
damn you mad wizard


BULL

they squeezed this one in
an entry worthy its name
beware page filler


Jul 9, 2017

AD&D Monster Manual as haiku (part 1 - A)

I got this idea after misreading a post of  the most excellent Luka Rejec, where his words describing his drawing almost felt haiku-like.

Alright, before we start, the haiku I'll try to write are going to be bastard versions of a real haiku: that is, I'll only count syllables. Haiku poets around the world be hating.

And I'll use the AD&D 1e monster manual, because that's the only monster manual I got.

Alright, let's start with the first part.

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AERIAL SERVANT

anger management
could save the both of us, dear
mage hand is better


ANHKHEG

dirt shark fights dirty
a secret crush on farmers
acidic love spit


ANT, Giant

off with her head man
why don't you remember my
name - I guess she does


APE, (Gorilla)

swedish pun, begone
silly walk as silly talk
seven sunclad days


APE, Carnivorous

human barbecue
larger stronger better me
sign language for all


AXE BEAK

my clean cuts, sleek kills
dust clouds shadows escape path
need to lay an egg