Steingeweser (87876)

Discussion about The Never Ending Quest.

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Anableps
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Steingeweser (87876)

Post by Anableps »

In one set of episodes Astra has been turned into a creature known as a steingeweser. For anyone reading the episode, here is what is known.


1) She seems to be durable and very strong.
2) Resistant to cold.
3) Needs an undetermined level of light to stay awake, but it need not be direct. Limits where she can go.
4) Sees very well.
5) Cannot speak.
6) Unlike the traditional golem, she can move with the agility of a human - the skin is apparently more like a plastic or some hard but pliable substance.
7) Some form of telepathy - but cannot convey sound or express words through it. (I will make the assumption that unlike a "real" steingeweser, Astra's human memories allow her to understand language.)
8 Heavy.
9) Needs at least a little water.

And a few unanswered questions:

1) Does she need to eat?
2) If so, would it be ordinary food, or rock or sand?
3) Does she still need to breathe?
JH
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Post by JH »

Thanks for the useful summary. It's implied in 87862 that Astra needs to eat: "She would need a little bit of sand of satisfy a craving that she would also find up there."

For those like me whose German is a little shaky, it may be worth mentioning that steingeweser would literally translate to something like "stone being". When asleep, the steingeweser is almost indistinguishable from a statue, and even when awake the weight and durability are reminiscent of rock.

Legends have it that there is a whole race of steingeweser living somewhere far to the south,[87600] but it is not known if Astra is of the same "species" as them or merely similar.
JH
Anableps
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Post by Anableps »

I have posted the complete text of the steingeweser story, along with a glossary of character names and places, and the known characteristics of steingeweser as of episode 88754. I took the liberty of editing to clean up grammar and spelling.

http://www.carolinachickadee.org/anable ... weser2.htm

Here are a few statistics from Microsoft Word
98 episodes
75 pages.
31,203 words
10 authors (Anableps. JH, Sir Toby, Paulito, Eric Kantona, Lots42 , Won-Tolla, Ib , unsigned, and Josh Bieber)
JH
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Post by JH »

Thanks! That's very useful. It must have meant a lot of work.

A couple of minor glitches:
1. "King of Aqualaria introduced in the first episode, he sends Lord Fred on a quest to kill the dragon that has been harrowing Allaria."
Should presumanly read "King of Allaria".

2. "Thomas of Alkamore Leader of a band of refugees trapped in the Dragon's Park. Formerly a mercenary soldier who became an artillery engineer. Has unconventional ideas as to possible applications for catapults. Survived the Battle of the Dragon's Pond, but was transformed into a steingeweser."
The name is missing its bold type face. Also the item is slighly out of alphabetical order.
JH
Anableps
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Post by Anableps »

These errors have been fixed, and I also added a line of space before and after each paragraph in the story to make it easier to read. I added a new chapter break at chapter five due to the shift in point of view from Fred to Astra, and changed the title of Chapter Four.
Hi! My name is Ib!
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Post by Hi! My name is Ib! »

I had fun adding to this thread!

Probably will continue to, as well. I just bought a new computer and I'm having fun with it. As in, not writing but doing other stuff like homework and games and what have you.

My laptop was stolen last year and my other desktop (which I've owned for over ten years) FINALLY took a crap after I accidently (of course) downloaded a barrage of viruses.

I'm loving this new 23" LCD screen most of all.

Wow, I go off on tangents.
JH
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Post by JH »

Glad that you've been having fun, and I look forward to your future contributions to the thread (and other threads as well, of course).

I hope that you and your new computer have a long and happy association. :) What course is it that you're doing homework for?
JH
Hi! My name is Ib!
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Post by Hi! My name is Ib! »

Thanks!

What classes am I doing homework for? BORING classes.

:roll:

American government, among others. Pre-requisite courses with transferable credits. Bla bla bla. Boring. I hate school.

Not really. It's fun. Been awhile, but it's fun.

And now that we're completely off topic....

tee hee
Anableps
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89097

Post by Anableps »

This branch of the story is now over 100 episodes. There are a couple of points further back in the episode that may be of interest.

The caves are well-lit to a point. Episode 8 is part of the story, and Fred sneaks past a man that is concentrating on a very bright light. As Fred sneaks past the man, he is not identified as Belboz, and so he could be anybody. Fred also goes off the well-lit path. It only gets dark when he decides to go down the ladder inside the gold chest. Astra probably came in through a different path, and she might not remember how she got to the valley. Also note that in episode 451, someone has control over the cave lighting, as it dims suddenly.
JH
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Post by JH »

I've aded a little to my most recent episode to take this into account:

"Astra recalled that some parts of the cave system had been fairly well lit, but others had not. Also much of what lighting there was might have been provided by the dragon, by either mundane or magical means, and with his death might well have vanished or deteriorated."
JH
Anableps
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89274

Post by Anableps »

I enjoyed the twists that JH and Ib added.

In the latest episode, I am keeping the point of view as Balischo's, and not explaining everything that is going on. I am trying to give the "magic" some scientific basis, even though I made up the powder. You all can use or change it however it makes sense for the story.

I am assuming that the Aqualarians have Roman or early Middle Age technology, so while it is tempting to introduce a parabolic mirror to generate a searchlight, I doubt that they could make a true parabolic mirror. In real life, the theory was understood in Roman times, but the technology to make it did not exist until the late 1700s, I believe. An imperfect metal spherical mirror might be more realistic, and might be good enough to focus light in a way that can be used to send messages or make a simple search light. (In the searchlight scenario, Gloria will need a way to put the light source near the focus, but I assume that a stand that mounts inside the mirror would be on the coach somewhere, and would hold a vial of the glowing dirt.)

The "dirt" is some sort of triboluminescent powder - it starts to glow when stress is applied. The stick may be nothing more than an ordinary stick. I assume that glow persists for some time after the powder is stirred. I also assume that it has a broad spectrum that is closer to the light in from the sun than it would be to fire or a light bulb. In real life, that is hard to do.

Natuarally, Balischo does not understand much of anything. As far as he is concerned, the stick may be what is causing the glow, or Gloria put a spell on it, and it is not something that the powder just does. And Gloria would not understand much of the science behind it - she just knows that what works though trial and error.
Hi! My name is Ib!
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Post by Hi! My name is Ib! »

Speaking off the cuff:

I've always enjoyed the respect you've paid to the work of previous authors, Anableps.

Not only that, but the way you bring a sense of realism to this world we've created. The 'hills of Irysia' was a nod to your 'Irysopolis-on-the-Hill'.

I've always viewed Aqualaria as a sort of Romanesque culture. I haven't read your most recent episode, but I look forward to doing so.

:D
JH
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Post by JH »

"Me too" to all of what Ib has said.
JH
JH
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Post by JH »

Having now read Anableps' latest episode - excellent as usual - I have a couple of questions:

1. If the mirror is kettle-shaped, that makes it sound as though the reflective surface is convex. Wouldn't that mean that, if a light source was reflected in it, the light would be dispersed in all directions rather than in a tight beam, therefore making it too faint for signalling?

2. Why has Gloria had her items unshipped from the coach? Do you envisage their having to proceed on horseback because there is no good road beyond this point? (Preumably that will be the case sooner or later in any event, even if it's not now.)

One general remark, something I've been bearing in mind for several episodes. I imagine that for a nomadic people like the Dunchovians, their horses will be their most precious possessions.
JH
Anableps
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Post by Anableps »

1. Using the Wikipedia article on parabolic reflectors as a reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabolic_reflector .

I used Google to look for an image for kettle, and I think that I see the point of confusion. You are probably thinking of a tea kettle. I am thinking of a larger open kettle - a cauldron, if that helps.

This is a picture of what I was thinking about: http://www.zazzle.com.au/iron_kettle_ca ... 1690843089

The "kettle" in the story is actually much closer to looking like a shallow bowl or a saucer. And the "inside" would be a concave surface that would collect rather than scatter incoming light. The "outside" surface would be convex and would scatter. I tried to indicate that in the description of Balischo's image - it is "stretched" on the outer rim. A convex mirror would "squash" the image at the outer rim. The intent is that Gloria's mirror is either used for collecting light to a point, or takes a point source of light at its focus and forms a directed beam.

I used "kettle" because that would be the metallic saucer-shaped object most familiar to Balischo. The Dunchovians probably have clay bowls, too, but the size of the object, and the fact that it is metal and not clay, would lead Balischo to think "small kettle."

2. I think that I foreshadowed this problem earlier when Vedagaisic asked how Gloria could transport any magical material over the plains in a coach. At this point, I cannot think of any other way to do it other than on horseback or by porters. The pot and stick could be carried in a saddlebag. The shallow "kettle" may be small enough to strap on Balischo's back (or he could wear it as a helmet). If Gloria has any more magic items to transport, she is going to need more help. Perhaps someone else can come up with a suitable alternative.

I would think that the most valuable material thing for a Dunchovian would be his horse, followed by anything made of iron, as a group of nomads would find it easier to trade for iron objects rather than make them. I imagine that the Dunchovians would trade leather with the Aqualarians for things like iron arrowheads, knives, and cookery.
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