14||0|3277|2|yes
0|0|0|||||Various Corwin-related questions|Blackbird||14:06:28|06/12/2013|%5Bi%5DOn Named Weaponry and the Importance Thereof%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AHaving started re-reading the Symphony%2C a line in %5Bi%5DA Rose for the New Year%5B%2Fi%5D struck me.  Corwin says %22Any weapon of any significance will have a name.%22  Obviously%2C %5Bi%5DStick%5B%2Fi%5D is named%2C and is of significance%2C but does his Mauser have a name%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bi%5DOn Corwin%27s Portfolio%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AIn %5Bi%5DCeremony and Celebration%5B%2Fi%5D%2C Odin announces the newly-ascended Corwin as %22Lord of the Great Machines%22. Elsewhere%2C he is commonly referred to as %22The Norse God of Mecha%22. Obviously%2C with his mother being who she is%2C and his conventional training%2C the waters are somewhat muddied%2C but he seems to be able to leverage his divinity over many things%2C outside of mecha%2C like the Valiant%27s engines and some other things I%27m forgetting.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo%2C what falls under the heading of %22mecha%22 and %22great machines%22%3F Would he%2C for instance%2C be able to cripple any class of Destroid with a thought%3F What about battlemovers%3F Veritech fighters%3F Cybertronians%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AMy apologies if I%27m examining too closely%2C I%27m one of those worldbuilding%2Fbackground types.%0D%0A%0D%0AThanks in advance.
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Gryphon||14:38:14|06/12/2013|%3EObviously%2C %5Bi%5DStick%5B%2Fi%5D is named%2C and is of %0D%0A%3Esignificance%2C but does his Mauser have a name%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ANo%2C there%27s nothing particularly special about it.  It%27s just a gun.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Ehe seems to be able to leverage his divinity %0D%0A%3Eover many things%2C outside of mecha%2C like the Valiant%27s engines and %0D%0A%3Esome other things I%27m forgetting. %0D%0A%0D%0AI suppose it depends what you mean by %22mecha%22%2C or%2C for that matter%2C %22great machine%22 - the actual Asgardian term on his divinity license%2C as it were%2C probably doesn%27t translate very precisely.  It%27s also worth pointing out that he doesn%27t customarily do anything outright paranormal when he%27s working in the %5Bi%5DValiant%5B%2Fi%5D%27s engine room.  He%27s not %22leverag%26l%3Bing%26r%3B his divinity%22 there so much as just generally being good with tools.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ESo%2C what falls under the heading of %22mecha%22 and %22great machines%22%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ASee the note about translation above.  This is a thing that I broadly prefer to determine when and if I need to%2C rather than making strict commitments out-of-story.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EWould he%2C for instance%2C be able to cripple any class of Destroid with %0D%0A%3Ea thought%3F%0D%0A%0D%0APossibly%2C but where%27s the sport in that%3F  %28Also%2C it might depend on whether his limiter was in place.  With it off%2C he could conceivably cripple %5Bi%5Dentire%5B%2Fi%5D classes of Destroids with a thought%2C as in %22no %5Bi%5DAtlas%5B%2Fi%5D will work%2C anywhere%2C today.%22%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ECybertronians%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ATransformers aren%27t equipment%2C they%27re people.  He knows a lot about how they work - probably more than any other organic being - but it%27s doubtful that he could %28and even more doubtful that he %5Bi%5Dwould%5B%2Fi%5D%29 indulge in wave-of-the-hand theatrics when dealing with them.%0D%0A%0D%0ALike all the gods who choose to live among mortals%2C Corwin can do a lot of things that he generally opts not to do%2C in the interest of not jostling people%27s worldviews too roughly.  For instance%2C he can fly%2C but hardly ever does so because he thinks it%27s ostentatious. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
2|2|1|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Blackbird||14:49:46|06/12/2013|Ah%2C I see. I suppose there is some distinction to be drawn between guns and swords%2C presumably the whole %22elegant weapon%22 bit%2C to one extent or another. Or%2C I%27m just over-thinking this.%0D%0A%0D%0AI completely understand keeping Corwin%27s powers in check%2C as well as somewhat nebulous. I was just curious about how broad his portfolio is%2C to wrap my head around his abilities.  That translation bit was really what I was wondering about%2C and how closely the official language corresponds to his actual portfolio.%0D%0A%0D%0AThank you for clarifying.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C since I%27m rather new here%2C thank you %28and the rest of the Suspects%2C Usual and otherwise%29 for creating this fascinating %28and thoroughly enjoyable%29 setting.
3|3|2|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Gryphon||15:06:09|06/12/2013|%3EAh%2C I see. I suppose there is some distinction to be drawn between %0D%0A%3Eguns and swords%2C presumably the whole %22elegant weapon%22 bit%2C to one %0D%0A%3Eextent or another.%0D%0A%0D%0ANah%2C there %5Bi%5Dare%5B%2Fi%5D guns with Names%2C that%27s just not one of them.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
4|2|1|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Mercutio||19:22:31|06/12/2013|%3ELike all the gods who choose to live among mortals%2C Corwin can do a %0D%0A%3Elot of things that he generally opts not to do%2C in the interest of not %0D%0A%3Ejostling people%27s worldviews too roughly. %0D%0A%0D%0AAs another worldbuilding nerd%2C I%27ve always also assumed that there are various metaphysical%2C practical%2C and political considerations keeping the divinities in check above and beyond not wanting to freak the mundanes.%0D%0A%0D%0AI invite Blackbird to consider %22Futureshock%2C%22 a short and sweet little story in Exile. Short version%3A Largo tries to move in on Tomodachi. Skuld decides%2C mmm%2C no that%27s not going to happen. She demonstrates that she can destroy his goons with simple command words%2C and then defaces his actual soul.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat she DOESN%27T do is kill him. Why%3F Because%2C metaphysically speaking %28and the story is pretty up-front about that%29 it isn%27t TIME for him to die yet. The universe has decided that Largo exists for a reason and Skuld doesn%27t have the authority to contravene that reason just because she feels like it. She can operate around the edges %28%22Get out of my house and never%2C ever come back%22%29 but can%27t do more than that.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo Corwin probably has metaphysical fetters on his power. But there are also likely practical and political ones as well.%0D%0A%0D%0AI sort of figure there are various extremely ancient pacts in place with the Pit that determine the extent to which both Gods and Demons can lay down incredibly ostentatious acts of divine or demonic intervention in Midgard%2C on the grounds that neither side would really like it to become simply another extended battlefield in their longstanding cold war%2Fhot war.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd even if there weren%27t... well%2C a lot of what Corwin does in Midgard isn%27t%2C in terms of practical impact%2C much beyond what various incredibly gifted mortals %28like%2C say%2C his Dad%29 can do. There%27s probably a decent understanding of magic and paranormal phenomenon among the major powers%2C both friendly and unfriendly. One imagines that both the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar have various psionics and mages on the payroll%2C for example%2C before you even get into groups like Big Fire. To the other great powers%2C Corwin is just another supremely gifted individual who is affiliated with his fathers cavalcade of elite intergalactic badasses. If he wants to call himself a god%2C well%2C go ahead. Plenty of people have made that claim.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat probably changes a little if he%2C or his mother%2C start doing things like declaring %22your entire battlefleet ceases to work%22 or %22that army you just landed that is mostly Destroids%3F Good luck with THAT%22 with a wave of their hand. At that point other great powers start thinking %22holy shit%2C we can%27t possibly stand against THAT. I guess it wasn%27t a joke%2C they ARE actual divinities. Fuck. How do we achieve force parity%3F%22%0D%0A%0D%0AAfter which very accommodating gentlemen from Muspelheim might knock on your door and offer you%2C ooo%2C all SORTS of interesting options for insulating yourself from divine retribution for sale at what are really very reasonable rates.%0D%0A%0D%0ABasically%2C to me as a reader%2C I%27ve always figured that a big part of the reason Corwin and Skuld and various Valkyries don%27t whip out their divine wangs on a regular basis is that it%27s a power escalation they%27d really rather NOT deal with.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
5|3|4|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Blackbird||20:56:10|06/12/2013|One wonders what precisely those agreements look like%2C especially after the Ragnarok.  Especially since Muspelheim seems like it%27s looking to forge alliances in Midgard. %0D%0A%0D%0AAt any rate%2C I was somewhat more concerned with the breadth of an Aes%27 power%2C rather than the depth. I%27ve always considered the UF-Aesir to have something of an unconscious rapport with their portfolio%2C over and above conscious command%2C with or without limiters. So instead of Corwin asking it to do something%2C the thing%2C on some ill-defined%2C metaphysical level%2C recognizes him%2C and does him a favor%2C so to speak.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor instance%2C somewhere%2C I can%27t remember where%2C some observer sees Corwin praying%2C and wonders whether it would actually help%2C or something to that effect.  How much of that is Corwin being a Aes in general%2C Corwin being his mother%27s son%2C or Corwin being the Aes of the Great Machines%3F Where does the Aes end and the engineer begin%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%28These are mostly rhetorical.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C Futureshock is one of my favorites%2C because of that %22coiled serpent%22 aspect%2C that Largo is so utterly outclassed.
6|4|5|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Gryphon||21:16:10|06/12/2013|%3EFor instance%2C somewhere%2C I can%27t remember where%2C some observer sees %0D%0A%3ECorwin praying%2C and wonders whether it would actually help%2C or %0D%0A%3Esomething to that effect.%0D%0A%0D%0AHeh%2C depends who he%27s praying to.  Usually when Corwin invokes one or more of his ancestors it%27s rhetorical%2C something he picked up more from his father than his mother.%0D%0A%0D%0AAs an aside%2C someone once noted in a discussion thread that any prayer %5Bi%5Dto%5B%2Fi%5D Corwin - particularly his equivalent of Shepard%27s Prayer%2A - ought to contain the assertion%2C %22I have done the math.%22   I could not argue with this. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22Lord%2C please don%27t let me fuck up.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
8|5|6|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Pasha||00:03:03|06/13/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-13-13 AT 00:03 AM (EDT)]%3EAs an aside%2C someone once noted in a discussion thread that any prayer %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Dto%5B%2Fi%5D Corwin - particularly his equivalent of Shepard%27s Prayer%2A - %0D%0A%3Eought to contain the assertion%2C %22I have done the math.%22   I could not %0D%0A%3Eargue with this. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AMinor quibble%3A It was %22My math is right%22%2C stolen from you%2C actually%2C in Sonata 1%3A %0D%0A%5Bpre%5DCorwin took a couple of deep breaths and steadied his mind.  The math was right.  The plan was going to work.%5B%2Fpre%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AWhich I converted to the First Prayer of the Book of Corwin%3A%0D%0A%22%5Bpre%5DLord Corwin%2C my cause is Just%2C my Math is Right.  Please don%27t let me fuck this up.%5B%2Fpre%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha%0D%0AWhat was that feeling again%3F%0D%0AOh yes.%0D%0A-Rage-
10|6|8|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Offsides||09:53:55|06/13/2013|%3EThe First Prayer of the Book of Corwin%3A %0D%0A%3E%5Bpre%5D%22Lord Corwin%2C my cause is Just%2C my Math is Right.  Please don%27t %0D%0A%3Elet me fuck this up.%22%5B%2Fpre%5D %0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s utterly brilliant.  I don%27t know how I missed it the first time.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow you%27ve got me thinking about what the other contents of the Book of Corwin would be%2C although I%27m coming up blank at the moment...%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A    -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A
11|7|10|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|jhosmer1||10:07:41|06/13/2013|%5Bi%5DI shall walk through the valley of being Lost in Cleveland and fear no evil...%5B%2Fi%5D
12|8|11|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|mdg1||11:35:15|06/13/2013|And the god called out%2C with a voice like unto thunder.  And there came a rumbling and rending of the earth%2C as the First Of Iron arose from his slumber%2C to smite the guilty.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe Time of Showing had arrived.
14|5|6|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|DocMui||21:50:13|06/13/2013|A prayer to Corwin%3F  Well%2C I offer the extended cut of one used by the first worshiper%2C Chip%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bi%5DO Mighty One%2C O Mecha Maestro%2C O Corwin of the Raven Hair%2C Ruler of All that Clanks and Kicks Ass%2C I could really use some help right now.  Actually%2C it%27s either you or my Dad%2C and Dad would crater the place in the process.  Anyway%2C if you could kindly come here in the next %28insert time here%29%2C I%27d really appreciate it.  And yes%2C I%27ve done the math twice.  Okay%2C three times%2C but it%27s amazing how fast the mind works when you%27re running for your life.  Sincerely%2C your first worshiper%2C Charles Philip Mui.%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%28I%27m sorry%2C I couldn%27t resist.%29  %3A-%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--Doc
9|3|4|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Meagen||03:56:11|06/13/2013|%3E So Corwin probably has metaphysical fetters on his power. But there are also likely practical and political ones as well.%0D%0A%0D%0AJust consider the agnostics%2Fatheists among the good guys. They regularly put their lives on the line%2C with the full belief that once they slip up%2C that%27s %2Ait%2A. EOF. Complete oblivion. That%27s worth %2Amajor%2A Valhalla points. Are you going to take that away from them by letting them know in no uncertain terms that yes%2C there is an afterlife%2C and actually%2C they%27re already on the fast track to the good place%3F
13|3|4|||1||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Peter Eng||16:18:39|06/13/2013|%3E%0D%0A%3EWhat she DOESN%27T do is kill %28Largo%29. Why%3F Because%2C metaphysically speaking %0D%0A%3E%28and the story is pretty up-front about that%29 it isn%27t TIME for him to %0D%0A%3Edie yet. The universe has decided that Largo exists for a reason and %0D%0A%3ESkuld doesn%27t have the authority to contravene that reason just %0D%0A%3Ebecause she feels like it. She can operate around the edges %28%22Get out %0D%0A%3Eof my house and never%2C ever come back%22%29 but can%27t do more than that. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AMy interpretation of the whole matter was that for Gryphon to be who he needs to be%2C he has to be the one to destroy Largo.  If he doesn%27t get that moment%2C there will be a weakness where he needs to have strength.  On both a personal level and a universal level%2C Skuld would be absolutely against that happening.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AThe universe doesn%27t revolve around him.  But he does have a large hand in building one of the major gears.
7|2|1|||||RE%3A Various Corwin-related questions|Polychrome||21:16:41|06/12/2013|%0D%0A%3EPossibly%2C but where%27s the sport in that%3F  %28Also%2C it might depend on %0D%0A%3Ewhether his limiter was in place.  With it off%2C he could conceivably %0D%0A%3Ecripple %5Bi%5Dentire%5B%2Fi%5D classes of Destroids with a thought%2C as in %22no %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5DAtlas%5B%2Fi%5D will work%2C anywhere%2C today.%22%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AI have a friend who played a D%26D character who claimed to be a god with this kind of power scale problem.%0D%0A%22Can you use your godly power to slay those orcs%3F%22%0D%0A%22Those orcs specifically%3F No. I can kill all orcs everywhere.%22%0D%0A%22Can you make a light%3F%22%0D%0A%22I can make a %2Asun%2A.%22%0D%0A%0D%0APolychrome%0D%0A