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nine-gear crow posted:Aww yiss. This is the big one, folks. Oh yeah.
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# ? Nov 29, 2023 21:58 |
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# ? May 16, 2024 18:44 |
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Aw yeah, it's arts and crafts time.
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# ? Nov 29, 2023 23:02 |
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BOOK 4: Taran Wanderer The fourth book in the series, published in 1967. As you might have gleaned from the title, Taran finally decides to abandon his title of Assistant Pig-Keeper, for reasons we'll soon find out. The favorite entry in the series amongst a majority of the fans, Taran Wanderer almost wasn't included in the series; the fifth and final book, the High King, was actually supposed to be the fourth. That said, I think we can all be glad that it was, in fact included. The book itself is much more personal and for that reason in my opinion all the more compelling. The actual coming-of-age story in the coming-of-age series, if you will; see Alexander's note. quote:For here, Taran comes to grips with a merciless opponent: the truth about himself. No longer as Taran Assistant Pig-Keeper but as Taran Wanderer, he learns to reshape his life out of his own inner resources; for there must not only be an end to childhood but also a beginning of manhood. This is meant to be a serious tale--- in the way that all humor is serious and all fantasy true--- and if there is no conventionally happy ending in fairy-tale terms, there is still a most hopeful ending in human terms. Well, without further ado. Chapter 1: Who Am I? quote:IT WAS FULL SPRINGTIME, with promise of the richest summer the farm had ever seen. The orchard was white with fragrant blossoms; the newly planted fields lay light as green mist. Yet the sights and scents gave Taran little joy. To him, Caer Dallben was empty. Though he helped Coll with the weeding and cultivating, and tended the white pig, Hen Wen, with as much care as ever, he went about his tasks distractedly. One thought alone was in his mind. Off we are on our adventure - straight to the Marshes we go! quote:Orddu was watching him with sharp, black eyes. If she was surprised, the enchantress gave no sign other than to bend forward a little and peer more closely at Taran. Her shapeless robe flapped about her knees; the jeweled clasps and pins glittered in her weedy tangle of disheveled hair as she nodded her head rapidly and with evident satisfaction. A good question, Taran. You'll see the price in time.
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# ? Dec 2, 2023 18:02 |
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Chapter 2: Cantrev Cadifforquote:THE TWO COMPANIONS LEFT the Marshes of Morva, pressing southeastward to the Valley Cantrevs along the Ystrad River, for Taran had decided to break his journey at Caer Cadarn, fortress of King Smoit, and ask the red-bearded King to refit them with gear sturdier than what they had brought from Caer Dallben. Our journey is off to a foul start. quote:"Hold, hold," the man said. "You'll not overtake them now. Your horse will come to no ill. The henchmen of Lord Goryon treat steeds better than strangers." He patted the oaken staff he carried. "Two of Goryon's border-band will have heads to mend. But so will you, from the look of you." He picked up a sack and slung it over his shoulder. "I am Aeddan Son of Aedd," he said. "Come, both of you. My farm is no distance." I especially like Alarca in this scene - Taran's quick to call Amren a hero, but he's reminded swiftly that hero or not, the boy is still dead.
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# ? Dec 6, 2023 15:38 |
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That exchange stuck out to me as well - Taran has spent three books fighting in this grand fantasy, thinking that he’s serving all of Prydain by working for abstract ideals like Honor but he’s never actually spent time with a common labourer that isn’t Gwydion in disguise. As soon as he does, they explain that their big problem with Arawn isn’t that he sits on the throne of the King of Don or whatever, it’s that he’s stolen and hidden the knowledge of how to do anything but subsist. You can go off and fight for whatever, but if you die in service of Honor it doesn’t help the people you’ve left behind. I don’t know if I’m getting more out of this chapter now that I’m older, but I’m definitely getting something different. What a good book this is. Edit: man, they’re even like “yeah arawn took the automatic rototiller 9000 and the john deer riding lawnmower with the 24 horsepower engine and a cupholder for my beer can but look, the important thing that we need is just the knowledge of how to farm better.” It’s not the tools, it’s the knowledge that’s the real treasure. I definitely did not pick up on that as a kid. Coca Koala fucked around with this message at 16:49 on Dec 6, 2023 |
# ? Dec 6, 2023 16:45 |
“The raiders fought because they were starving; we, because we had scarcely more than they. And at the end all had less than when they began” This is so good
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# ? Dec 6, 2023 20:55 |
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I don't think I particularly got it when I was a kid, I was more rooting for Taran to finally win a fight, but the book is full of the lesson that growing up isn't about being a hero, it's about learning to find your own way and develop some sort of skills and self-reliance. They really are very educational books.
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# ? Dec 6, 2023 22:58 |
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Chapter 3: Goryon and Gastquote:AEDDAN HAD POINT OUT the shortest path to Lord Goryon's stronghold, and the two wayfarers reached it by midafternoon. It was not a castle, Taran saw, but a large huddle of buildings circled by a barricade of wooden stakes lashed with osier and chinked up with hard-packed earth. The gate of heavy palings stood open, and there was much going and coming of horsemen, of warriors on foot, of herdsmen driving in their cows from pasture. Though Gurgi was far from eager, Taran led on, keeping as bold a face as he could, and amid the busy crowd the two entered the stronghold unnoticed and unchallenged. Well, they got Melynlas back. Pretty quick thinking on Taran's part. quote:"OH, WISDOM THAT WINS horses from prideful lord!" Gurgi cried, when they had ridden far enough to be safe from any change of heart on the part of Goryon. "Even Gurgi could not have been so clever. Oh, he wishes to be wise as kindly master, but his poor tender head has no skill in such thinkings!" Fflewddur's back! quote:"Well met, the two of you," cried the bard, pulling them to the high table. "I've missed you ever since we parted. Did you not stay at Caer Dallben? When we sailed from Mona," Fflewddur hurriedly explained, "I really meant to leave off wandering and settle down in my own realm. Then I said to myself, Fflewddur old fellow, spring's only once a year. And here it is. And here am I. But what of yourselves? First, food and drink, and your tidings later." Fflewddur had brought the companions to stand before Lord Gast, and Taran saw a heavyfeatured warrior with a beard the color of muddy flax. A handsome collarpiece dangled from his neck; rings glittered on fingers stout enough to crack walnuts; and bands of beaten silver circled his arms. The cantrev lord's raiment was costly and well-cut, but Taran saw it bore the spots and spatters not only of this feast but of many others long past. The bard, with a sweep of his harp, named the companions to Lord Gast. Fflewddur coming out with the life advice for this chapter.
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# ? Dec 9, 2023 18:36 |
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Seems like now that Taran is a bit wiser, Fflewddur can be a bit more of an adult himself.
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# ? Dec 10, 2023 10:08 |
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Wahad posted:Chapter 2: Cantrev Cadiffor And it's not just that he's dead and dead forever and has left grieving parents behind who'll always miss him: his death is also a catastrophic economic loss, with the aging parents struggling to make ends meet and the farm going to pieces for lack of hands to work it. We're suddenly being smacked in the face with the realisation that some npc getting a spear through them might only take up a line of narrative but has terrible and lasting consequences for the people depending on them.
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# ? Dec 10, 2023 20:43 |
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Thanks for sharing these, OP. I read them all as a kid, but I’d forgotten most of what happened in them, except for bits of the last book. It did have nice payoffs for the stuff in the previous books, like Fflewddur’s harp, Achren, and Prince Rhun. Gurgi is less annoying than I thought (I remembered him as being a Jar Jar Binks style character), while Eilonwy seems to be there mainly as a love interest for Taran/plot device (yes, I know it’s a 60 year old series, so her characterisation isn’t going to be up to modern standards)
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# ? Dec 12, 2023 14:24 |
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I do kind of like the way Fflewdur is all “yeah those guys do exactly the same poo poo I do except they don’t have a harp acting like a cop all the time”
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# ? Dec 12, 2023 15:56 |
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Hemp Knight posted:Thanks for sharing these, OP. I read them all as a kid, but I’d forgotten most of what happened in them, except for bits of the last book. It did have nice payoffs for the stuff in the previous books, like Fflewddur’s harp, Achren, and Prince Rhun. Gurgi is less annoying than I thought (I remembered him as being a Jar Jar Binks style character), while Eilonwy seems to be there mainly as a love interest for Taran/plot device (yes, I know it’s a 60 year old series, so her characterisation isn’t going to be up to modern standards) Yeah this has been great. I read these from the library as a kid and now I just remembered that they never had The High King. Welp, we're almost there!
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# ? Dec 13, 2023 05:00 |
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Chapter 4: A Matter of Cowsquote:LATE THAT AFTERNOON the companions sighted the crimson banner of the House of Smoit, its black bear emblem flying bravely above the towers of Caer Cadarn. Unlike the palisaded strongholds of the cantrev lords, Smoit's castle was a fortress with walls of hewn stone and ironstudded gates thick enough to withstand all attack; the chips in the stones and the dents in the portal told Taran the castle had indeed thrown back not a few assaults. For the three travelers, however, the gates were flung open willingly and an honor guard of spearmen hastened to escort the companions. The red-bearded King sat at the dining table in his Great Hall, and from the array of dishes, platters, and drinking horns both full and empty Taran judged Smoit could scarcely have left off eating since morning. Seeing the companions, the King leaped from his throne of oakwood, fashioned in the shape of a gigantic bear looking much like Smoit himself. Taran has a destination for his journey, now. Well, sort of. quote:Taran had only begun sorting through coils of rope, saddlebags, and harness leather when one of the castle guards burst into the storeroom, calling, "Sire! A horseman of Lord Gast is come. Raiders from Lord Goryon's stronghold have stolen Gast's prize cow and the rest of the herd with her!" If they ever made another movie or series out of these books, Smoit should definitely be played by BRIAN BLESSED. quote:THE RED-BEARDED KING set such a pace through the valleys that it put even Llyan on her mettle to keep up; while Gurgi, with most of the wind pounded out of him, clung to the neck of his frantically galloping pony. Smoit's war horse was in a lather, and so was Melynlas before the cantrev King signaled a halt. Even the mightiest king bows before nature is the lesson in this chapter, maybe?
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# ? Dec 13, 2023 14:18 |
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Great stuff; I really liked King Smoit when I read these as a child. As an adult I see the slightly performative nature of the cantrev lords' violence. We've just been introduced to the impact of casualties with Aeddan's son and how his death affected his parents. Yet now, we have Goryon and Gast 'fighting' but it clearly won't be resolved before Smoit gets there and there isn't much sense of the bloodshed. It's a bit hollywood, everyone clashes their swords together and a few men on each side roll dramatically on the ground to make it look good. But when the smoke clears everyone seems to be OK.
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# ? Dec 13, 2023 18:22 |
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Wahad posted:If they ever made another movie or series out of these books, Smoit should definitely be played by BRIAN BLESSED. Yeah, even as a kid that was exactly whose voice I heard saying Smoit's lines. Genghis Cohen posted:Great stuff; I really liked King Smoit when I read these as a child. As an adult I see the slightly performative nature of the cantrev lords' violence. We've just been introduced to the impact of casualties with Aeddan's son and how his death affected his parents. Yet now, we have Goryon and Gast 'fighting' but it clearly won't be resolved before Smoit gets there and there isn't much sense of the bloodshed. It's a bit hollywood, everyone clashes their swords together and a few men on each side roll dramatically on the ground to make it look good. But when the smoke clears everyone seems to be OK. At least the book is awesome at deconstructing it (honestly the whole series is extremely good at making the cost of violence, even in those cases when it's in a good cause, terrible to behold).
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# ? Dec 14, 2023 05:28 |
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I don't know if I pictured Brian Blessed explicitly, but it was definitely one of those folks who talks in ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME for Smoit.
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# ? Dec 14, 2023 10:16 |
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Chapter 5: A Judgmentquote:TARAN SCRAMBLED DOWN the rocks jutting beside the high cascade. In a pool hammered into white spray he could hardly make out Smoit's burly form spinning in the eddies. Heedless of the pounding water, Taran pitched through the falls and sprang into the pool. He groped for Smoit's belt and seized it at last. Battling the whirlpool and nearly drowning himself with his own efforts, Taran painfully strove to drag the half-conscious King into the shallows. Smoit was bleeding heavily from the forehead and his ruddy face had gone chalky pale. Taran tugged at the King's waterlogged bulk, hauling him safely from the rolling waters. In another moment Gurgi and Fflewddur were beside him, helping to drag the King ashore. Smoit, like a beached whale, collapsed on the bank. Gurgi, moaning anxiously, loosened the King's garments, while Taran and the bard hastily saw to Smoit's injuries. If Taran's the Assistant Pig-Keeper, I think we can bestow the title of Assistant Cow-Finder on Gurgi. quote:"My pulse!" bellowed Smoit, so loudly that a dozen horned heads turned and stared as alarmed as if some strange new kind of bull had burst into their quiet pasture. Taran showing a glimpse of some real wisdom here. As with when Goryon had his horse, he came to a quick solution - and a fair one, at that. quote:IT WAS LONG AFTER NIGHTFALL when the companions at last reached Caer Cadarn. Fflewddur and Gurgi were too exhausted to do more than fling themselves onto their couches. Taran would gladly have followed them, but Smoit took his arm and drew him to the Great Hall. I like Smoit's vulnerable moment here a lot.
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# ? Dec 16, 2023 15:27 |
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I like that closing scene a lot because it's such a good dilemma for Taran - he set out in the hopes that he would find he has noble blood, and here nobility is being directly offered to him. He could have exactly the thing he thinks he wants, and honestly nobody would say he didn't earn it; taking it and calling the quest done isn't a bad or wrong option, and neither is deciding to continue on. So Taran's got to think about what feels right to him and what he would feel good about, and it really highlights the growth he's gone through because Taran from the first or second book is absolutely taking Smoit's offer every time because it's a quick way to excise the "assistant pig-keeper" label. and yes, it's also a nice moment of vulnerability for Smoit - he's concerned about what he leaves behind after he's gone.
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# ? Dec 16, 2023 16:12 |
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I kind of hate the message that nobility by right of blood is a more valuable thing than becoming a ruler due to having the skill for it. Wanting to know your parents and heritage is all well and good but there's definitely some outdated British monarchy-worship in there.
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# ? Dec 16, 2023 17:32 |
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regulargonzalez posted:I kind of hate the message that nobility by right of blood is a more valuable thing than becoming a ruler due to having the skill for it. Wanting to know your parents and heritage is all well and good but there's definitely some outdated British monarchy-worship in there. Well I don't know about that, Smoit explicitly derides the idea - better a wise pig-keeper than a foolish prince of the blood - so I think the text is more saying that Taran does cling to that idea from his inferiority complex, but the important bit to him, as he gains wisdom, is finding out the truth and wondering whence he came. Of course what he's really doing is discovering his own nature via the journey.
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# ? Dec 19, 2023 03:15 |
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No chapter today, or saturday, owing to the holidays. Chapters resume Wednesday the 27th.
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# ? Dec 20, 2023 18:22 |
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Chapter 6: A Frog We're back! Hope everyone had a merry feast. quote:FROM CAER CADARN the companions made good progress and within a few days crossed the Ystrad River, where Fflewddur led them for a time along the farther bank before turning northeastward through the Hill Cantrevs. Unlike the Valley Cantrevs, these lands were grayish and flinty. What might once have been fair pasture-land Taran saw to be overlaid with brush, and the long reaches of forest were close-grown and darkly tangled. Fflewddur admitted his roving seldom brought him to these parts. Kaw's back! quote:"His eyes will help our search," Taran said to Fflewddur, who had left his harp to come and stroke the bird's sleek feathers. "Kaw can scout the land better than any of us." A strange little bit of bone, in a chest, in the hollow of a tree. Wonder who put it there. quote:THE COMPANIONS RETURNED to their steeds and prepared to mount. A...reunion?
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# ? Dec 27, 2023 18:02 |
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Doli seems like he's doing well.
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# ? Dec 27, 2023 18:26 |
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Good Old Doli!
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# ? Dec 27, 2023 18:58 |
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regulargonzalez posted:I kind of hate the message that nobility by right of blood is a more valuable thing than becoming a ruler due to having the skill for it. Wanting to know your parents and heritage is all well and good but there's definitely some outdated British monarchy-worship in there. I think Taran thinks so, but Smoit pretty clearly tells him to cut that poo poo out and reinforces that his offer to Taran stands regardless of the quests outcome. I think Taran is also conflating his desire to find his family and heritage with a desire to find that he is secretly a prince or whatever.
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# ? Dec 31, 2023 16:11 |
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Smatterings and patterings and clatterings and splatterings.
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# ? Jan 2, 2024 21:42 |
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Two chapters today, coz I missed saturday! Chapter 7: Friends in Danger quote:"DOLI!" ECHOED THE astonished bard, falling back a pace. His eyes bulged like the frog's and he clapped his hands to his head. "It can't be! Not Doli of the Fair Folk! Not good old Doli!" Gurgi had just then come up with a leather water flask and, hearing Fflewddur's words, beganyelping in terror and dismay. Taran took the flask from Gurgi's trembling hand, unstoppered it, and with all haste began drenching the frog. What are the good points of being a frog, I wonder? quote:THE COMPANIONS HURRIEDLY mounted. With Doli clinging to his saddle horn, Taran galloped where the dwarf commanded. But the forest thickened and slowed their pace, and often in the tangle of branches they were forced to dismount and go afoot. Doli had assured them the distance was not great, but his usually unfailing sense of direction had grown confused. At times the dwarf was uncertain which path to follow, and twice the companions reined up and retraced their steps. Not sure what Taran thinks he's gonna do against this Morda fellow, but he did always have more courage than sense. Chapter 8: The Walls of Thorns quote:HEARING THIS, DOLI KICKED weakly and croaked an incomprehensible protest, though nothing else could he do but agree to Taran's plan. With Kaw on his shoulder, Taran set off afoot through the woods. Behind him loped Gurgi, who had insisted on going with him. After a time Taran shortened his stride and finally halted to glance around him at the forest now thick with brambles. High thorn bushes rose amid the trees in a tangled, impassable screen. Taran realized he had found what he sought. The tall bushes were no haphazard growth, but had been craftily twined into a dense barrier, a living wall nearly twice his height, bristling with spines sharper than the talons of a gwythaint. Taran drew his sword and strove to cut an opening in the thicket. So what have we learned here? Don't mess with entire walls of brambles. Never works out. quote:A BONY HAND GRIPPED his throat. In his ears rasped a voice like a dagger drawn across a stone. "Who are you?" it repeated. "Who are you?" You may remember, all the way back in the first book, how Eilonwy said she was sent to live with Achren in order to study. Last book obviously dispelled that lie, but now we learned that Angharad never stopped looking for Eilonwy, and met a tragic end and Morda's hands. quote:"One of the Fair Folk watchers came upon me then. I dared not let him raise an alarm. Though none had ever stood against any of them, I did so!" cried Morda. "My jewel was more than a trinket to lighten a scullery maid's toil. I had grasped the heart of its power. At my command this Fair Folk spy turned to a sightless, creeping mole! Yes," Morda hissed, "I had gained power even beyond what I sought. Who now would disobey me when I held the means to make men into the weak, groveling creatures they truly are! Did I seek only a gem? The whole kingdom of the Fair Folk was within my grasp. And all of Prydain! It was then I understood my true destiny. The race of men at last had found its master." Looks like the end for our fair heroes, dear readers. No Gwydion to save them from this enchanter.
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# ? Jan 4, 2024 06:32 |
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Morda.. the most messed up motherfucker in this whole series short of, well... we'll get to him soon enough, I guess. But Morda is just an absolutely hateable douchebag top to bottom.
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# ? Jan 4, 2024 06:47 |
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Amen. And I thought Mordant was a knob!
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# ? Jan 4, 2024 14:43 |
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Chapter 9: The Hand of Mordaquote:"AND YOU," SAID MORDA, "your doom will not be to lose yourself in forest or burrow. My plan fail? Here shall you stay prisoner and see my triumph. But what shape shall I give you? A dog whining for scraps from my table? A caged eagle eating out his heart for the freedom of the skies?" H-uh. Drawn out your very life, and hidden it safely where none shall ever find it, you say, Morda? quote:"What blocks my spell?" cried Morda in a terrible voice. A shadow of fear crossed his face. "As if I struggled against myself." See, Taran, the problem is, phylacteries can't just be broken like that. Every D&D player knows that.
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# ? Jan 6, 2024 18:45 |
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Lich immortality fascinated me as a child. I wondered, what if Taran beheaded Morda? Or put him in a vat of acid? Or dropped a 10 ton boulder on him? What are the rules here.
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# ? Jan 6, 2024 19:22 |
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Seriously, Disney picked the wrong book(s) to adapt into a film. This one's got all their 80s animated horror tropes: evil wizards, unpredictable magic, body horror polymorphism, a charismatic villain, the works.
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# ? Jan 6, 2024 19:26 |
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What's odd to me is I'd have said this one was my favourite book in the series, and I certainly read it over and over again. Yet I didn't remember this Morda at all. I remember all the fable-type lessons Taran gets (e.g. Goryon and Gast) and my memory of the book's main antagonist is a character that hasn't appeared yet.
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# ? Jan 7, 2024 10:12 |
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quote:"At first I thought it was just a frog who happened to have the same name as Doli. "
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# ? Jan 8, 2024 14:02 |
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Chapter 10: The Broken Spell Missed last wednesday, but no two chapters today. Trying to just get back in the rhythm in the new year. quote:THE POLISHED SPLINTER WAS unyielding as iron. Teeth clenched and muscles trembling with his effort, Taran felt he struggled against the wizard himself. Llyan had dropped weakly to her haunches; Morda sprang free of the unconscious cat and set upon Taran once more, snatching at the fragment. The wizard's fingers locked on the middle of the shard, but Taran clung with all his strength to the ends of it. He felt the splinter bend as Morda strove to wrest it from his grasp. Suddenly the bone snapped in two. A sound sharper than a thunderclap split Taran's ears. With a horrible scream that stabbed through the chamber, Morda toppled backward, stiffened, clawed the air, then fell to the ground like a pile of broken twigs. That same instant the mouse vanished. Gurgi stood at Taran's side. All's well that ends well. Everybody's back to human-ish (or gurgi) shape. quote:Taran sat apart with Doli, for there was much he had to tell and much he wanted to ask. Though Doli had regained his long frown and short patience, the occasional flicker of a grin betrayed his delight at seeing the companions again. Yet, learning of Taran's quest, Doli scowled more deeply than usual. So the mysterious battle-horn from the last book (which you may or may not remember) is a horn of Fair-Folk-Calling! Also known as a Chekov's Horn.
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# ? Jan 13, 2024 19:05 |
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It would be funny if Taran just never, ever used it because he had a typical hoarding consumables syndrome.
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# ? Jan 15, 2024 07:13 |
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Ravenfood posted:It would be funny if Taran just never, ever used it because he had a typical hoarding consumables syndrome. Or because most people can't remember and perfectly reproduce 3 distinct notes on an instrument they were never taught how to play! Rather a difficult item to use IMO.
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# ? Jan 15, 2024 17:37 |
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Chapter 11: Dorathquote:AFTER EATING, the Companions stretched themselves on the turf and slept solidly the rest of the day and all that night. In the morning Doli took his leave of them. Kaw, at Doli's request, had already begun flying to the Fair Folk realm withtidings that all was well; from there, the crow would rejoin Taran. Well, we have met Dorath. He's...well, he's Dorath.
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# ? Jan 18, 2024 07:28 |
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# ? May 16, 2024 18:44 |
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And thus we cross the "Yeah, but nobody actually dies in these books" threshold...
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# ? Jan 18, 2024 08:26 |