Comments on: Faculties of Literature http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/164 The Insect Man / Empire Rising Thu, 17 May 2012 13:11:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Trey http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/164/comment-page-1#comment-377 Trey Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:20:28 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.com/?p=164#comment-377 Adrian, Thanks! As to Mantis-kinden, well, I suspect their idea of play is assault and homicide in most places. And their jokes, well, I suspect what they did to the Fourth is about as refined as their jokes get... FWIW, I was darkly amused. I swear in the books I'd be a grasshopper with a dollop of mantis blood. Adrian,
Thanks!
As to Mantis-kinden, well, I suspect their idea of play is assault and homicide in most places. And their jokes, well, I suspect what they did to the Fourth is about as refined as their jokes get…

FWIW, I was darkly amused. I swear in the books I'd be a grasshopper with a dollop of mantis blood.

]]> By: Adrian Tchaikovsky http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/164/comment-page-1#comment-373 Adrian Tchaikovsky Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:49:57 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.com/?p=164#comment-373 Now that's a big topic - one I'll probably approach in its own post. So far, the Collegium games are (obviously) modelled on the original Olympics, and include events such as poetry-reading and music as well as the physical pursuits (armour races are simply foot races in heavy armour). There are several chess variants mentioned in the books - chiefly a Lowlander version that we would recognise as a cousin to our own, and a Commonweal (and now imperial) version that would seem quite mad to us, as all the pieces can move through (or rather, over) other pieces, leading to a much more complex and chaotic game. There are also dice and card games (such as Gaff's game in Sarn in Dragonfly). Moth-kinden are fonder of riddles and other intangible intellectual pursuits. Spiders will play anything, for a short while at least. Mantis-kinden, between hunting, fighting and singing dirges, don't have much time for play. Now that's a big topic — one I'll probably approach in its own post. So far, the Collegium games are (obviously) modelled on the original Olympics, and include events such as poetry-reading and music as well as the physical pursuits (armour races are simply foot races in heavy armour).

There are several chess variants mentioned in the books — chiefly a Lowlander version that we would recognise as a cousin to our own, and a Commonweal (and now imperial) version that would seem quite mad to us, as all the pieces can move through (or rather, over) other pieces, leading to a much more complex and chaotic game. There are also dice and card games (such as Gaff's game in Sarn in Dragonfly). Moth-kinden are fonder of riddles and other intangible intellectual pursuits. Spiders will play anything, for a short while at least. Mantis-kinden, between hunting, fighting and singing dirges, don't have much time for play.

]]> By: Trey http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/164/comment-page-1#comment-367 Trey Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:41:46 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.com/?p=164#comment-367 So, what games do Kinden play? The Great Games in <i>Empire in Black and Gold</i> gave some hints. What we know: Races - foot, flying, long distance and short course Armor races - while its not clear these are obstacle course races, it seems the way to bet Wrestling - whether this is classic Greco-Roman style or Pancratium is undetermined Single combat Sharpshooting Poetry composition Acrobatics and gymnastics Some other likely ones are: Archery Javelin Combat shooting - something a beetle could get behind - if only for a steampunk Hogan's alley Skeet shooting, or the equivalent Discus throwing Pentahalon - riding, running, swimming, single combat, target shooting. Folks like the wasps and dragon flies would add flying for a hexathlon Swimming? Given the circumstances, and the author's mention of people carrying huge loads, I doubt powerlifting would be that interesting to most kinden, though I could be wrong. Something like strongman competitions might be all the rage among the Beetles and Ants to see how much a person can carry or pull. So, what does everyone else do? I imagine that spiders would love something like go and poker. Mantids something like chess, or abstract sword combat, fast and furious (hey the ones we've seen so far don't seem given to contemplation and deep thought). Moths strike me as the sort of folks that would <i>love</i> kriegspiel and similar chess variants. Mastery (found at http://www.io.com/~sjohn/mastery.htm ) would be something else I think that they'd enjoy. But what about the rest? What do kinden do for fun? Besides watch plays and go to the opera? So, what games do Kinden play?
The Great Games in Empire in Black and Gold gave some hints.
What we know:

Races — foot, flying, long distance and short course
Armor races — while its not clear these are obstacle course races, it seems the way to bet
Wrestling — whether this is classic Greco-Roman style or Pancratium is undetermined
Single combat
Sharpshooting
Poetry composition
Acrobatics and gymnastics

Some other likely ones are:

Archery
Javelin
Combat shooting — something a beetle could get behind — if only for a steampunk Hogan's alley
Skeet shooting, or the equivalent
Discus throwing
Pentahalon — riding, running, swimming, single combat, target shooting. Folks like the wasps and dragon flies would add flying for a hexathlon
Swimming?

Given the circumstances, and the author's mention of people carrying huge loads, I doubt powerlifting would be that interesting to most kinden, though I could be wrong. Something like strongman competitions might be all the rage among the Beetles and Ants to see how much a person can carry or pull.

So, what does everyone else do? I imagine that spiders would love something like go and poker. Mantids something like chess, or abstract sword combat, fast and furious (hey the ones we've seen so far don't seem given to contemplation and deep thought). Moths strike me as the sort of folks that would love kriegspiel and similar chess variants. Mastery (found at http://www.io.com/~sjohn/mastery.htm ) would be something else I think that they'd enjoy.

But what about the rest? What do kinden do for fun? Besides watch plays and go to the opera?

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