(722) Demiurge: So, our heroes have begun work on a boat-building project...
** (720) Imhotep oversees the construction of the first boat. **
** (727) Sarpedon is leery of any boat, but trusts Imhotep's skills as a designer. **
(722) Demiurge: Also, Sarpedon knows the bigger the boat, the less it will rock. ;)
(727) Sarpedon: (Until Martin made--and explained--his joke about the Titanic.)
(722) Demiurge: (hehe. It would be interesting explaining icebergs to you guys.)
** (720) Imhotep looks everything over carefully, checking for any flaws. **
(722) Demiurge: (Hmm. I left it on a sort of weird cliffhanger with Junko. I guess we should address basically what happened.)
(727) Sarpedon: (That depends on Sarpedon. Does he see her as a reward or a victim? Probably a victim.)
(722) Demiurge: (Well, she is a beautiful young woman. Albiet somewhat exotic, if he has never seen many asians. And being the King's woman would give her a sort of status in your kingdom.)
(727) Sarpedon: (If she wishes to be his consort, Sarpedon doesn't object. If he runs into his wife, SHE might object, but polygamy wasn't a crime back then.)
(722) Demiurge: Okay. It's months later. It's a few months after 2 A.R.
(720) Imhotep: (The boat should be coming along nicely...)
(722) Demiurge: Junko's english is coming along quickly, and she has become the project's messenger, since it lets her run everywhere.
(722) Demiurge: Sometimes, she still stares at her feet. Sometime, in private, she asks Sarpedon if he thinks her feet are too big and ugly. They seem normal enough size.
(727) Sarpedon: (Does Sarpedon ever figure out why she runs all the time?)
(727) Sarpedon: (Ah. Answer there.)
** (727) Sarpedon assures her that she has fine feet. **
(727) Sarpedon: "Compare them to Kazz."
** (722) Junko laughs. "At least mine aren't hairy like his." **
(722) Demiurge: You probably guessed. Junko in her last life had the foot-binding thing done.
(720) Imhotep: (Sad.)
(720) Imhotep: "Sarpedon, I must ask you a few things."
** (727) Sarpedon breaks away from his new consort. "Yes, Imhotep?" **
(722) Demiurge: There is a new guy who materialized recently. Some mexican guy named Jose. Martin likes him because he speaks Esperanto. They have both been teaching it to people. The Jose guy seems to be a missionary of some sort.
(720) Imhotep: "You are a man of war. How many ships should we build? I think at least two. But you know fighting, perhaps you can suggest a number?"
(722) Demiurge: (We can pick up on that after your conversation.)
(722) Demiurge: (There are enough eager people to build several ships.)
(722) Demiurge: (You even have several workers who migrated over on rafts from the other side of the lake. They are very dark-skinned people from central Africa.
(727) Sarpedon: "We should have at least two large ships as well as many smaller boats that could be towed."
** (720) Imhotep nods. **
(727) Sarpedon: "Perhaps three ships of good size would be best. Martin has told me the greatest explorer he knows set out in three tiny ships. Two sank."
(727) Sarpedon: "We do not have such worries here. We have only a river, not a vast sea to cross."
(720) Imhotep: "And how many should crew each boat? They can be crewed by five, but can hold 20."
(722) Demiurge: (It was probably a surprise to find out the earth was a globe.)
(720) Imhotep: (Imhotep thinks the idea of a round land is ridiculous.)
(722) Demiurge: (True, but you have had it on good authority that people have sailed around it.)
(722) Demiurge: (Also, you had the solar system explained. The engineer in you has to admit it makes an odd sense, even if it's wrong, you can see how people would believe it.)
(722) Demiurge: (Your Curious flaw compels you to keep listening to these bizarre theories. hehe.)
(720) Imhotep: (When I'm not getting the boat along...)
(727) Sarpedon: "Fifteen to eighteen crewmen per boat would be good."
(720) Imhotep: "Another thing, Sarpedon. It is important to impose order. Perhaps you should appoint some officers, lend some structure to those who will sail with us, as well as those who will stay behind."
(727) Sarpedon: "That would give us a decent fighting force--forty-five to just over fifty warriors would be excellent."
(722) Demiurge: (Want to hear another Riverworld Fun Fact?)
(720) Imhotep: (Sure!)
(727) Sarpedon: "We shall both do so. I find your wisdom invaluabe, Imhotep. I am accustomed to ruling as a king, not as an absentee."
(727) Sarpedon: (Yep. What's the news?)
(722) Demiurge: You met a woman from a place called New York, named Cookie Googleman. She speaks fluent english with a honking nasal accent.....
(727) Sarpedon: (*grins at the name.*)
(722) Demiurge: She mentioned that, in her life, she had surgery to improve her appearance. To shorten her nose, and make her boobs a little bigger. On the Riverworld, she has her new nose and boobs, but they are natural now.)
(722) Demiurge: (Women who have had boobs that were freakishly large or small are corrected to a more managable level. Same for penis size.)
** (722) Jose has been preaching his religion to people. This would not be a big deal, but it involves abandoning the ship building project in favor of spiritual development. **
** (722) Jose has not had a lot of success, since he is hindered by the fact that he speaks only spanish and esperanto. **
** (720) Imhotep dismisses the foolish newcomer and his nonsensical teachings. **
** (727) Sarpedon has to agree. Survival comes before spiritual development. **
** (722) Jose claims to be a member of a new Riverworld faith called The Church of the Second Chance. **
(722) Jose: He wears an odd spiral shaped thing on a string around his neck. It's from the spine of the hornfish, and is the symbol of the church.
(720) Imhotep: "We should begin by finding who will replace you as king when we leave. I think this decision should not be made hastily."
(722) Demiurge: A lot of the new african guys from across the lake said they were happy to move over here, to get away from "the screaming man" Some yellow haired guy dogpaddled to shore using his grail as a flotation device. He lives in the woods and only comes out to trade things for dreamgum.
(722) Demiurge: They hear him screaming through the night.
** (720) Imhotep grumbles about the impossibility of sleep with the screaming. **
(722) Demiurge: They left him on the other side of the lake.
(720) Imhotep: (Oh, heh.)
(722) Demiurge: (You can also guess who they are talking about.)
(727) Sarpedon: "King. Sigh. I did not ask yo become their king."
(720) Imhotep: "No. But destiny overtakes us all."
** (727) Sarpedon frowns at the mention of Goering's escape. **
(720) Imhotep: "It is no matter. He is his own punishment."
(727) Sarpedon: *to = yo
(727) Sarpedon: "We should have cut off his arms as well."
(722) Demiurge: (hehe. That should have taken a bit longer to heal. But he probably would have starved, and woken up whole and healthy the next day in a new place.)
** (722) Jose disappears after a while, presumable seeking new converts elsewhere. **
(720) Imhotep: "Any likely candidates?"
(720) Imhotep: "For your heir apparent, I mean."
(727) Sarpedon: "There are a few. I would prefer to leave it in the hands of a few of the wisest and most skilled."
(722) Demiurge: One of the people offers to sail a raft over to check on Goering to see what he is doing.
(727) Sarpedon: "Martin is the logical choice, but I think he wishes to come with us. Same with Loghu. She would make an excellent Amazon queen."
(720) Imhotep: "That would be unwise. His punishment is upon him, leave him to his exile."
(720) Imhotep: (That was to the request to check on Goering.)
** (727) Sarpedon sends four scouts instead of one. **
(722) Demiurge: (Scouts to see Goering?)
** (727) Sarpedon halts the scouts. "You wish to let him run free?" **
(727) Sarpedon: (That was the plan...)
(720) Imhotep: "He is not free. He is a slave to his torment. Exile is the worst punishment we can enforce. Should we kill him, to resurrect him later?"
(722) Demiurge: They come back later. They say that he saw them and talked to them. He seemed desperate and frantic. He claimed that he hadn't touched the gum in weeks, but the hallucinations wouldn't stop.
(727) Sarpedon: "I only thought to make certain he was not harming others."
** (727) Sarpedon , hearing that he's a pathetic wretch, is satisfied. **
(720) Imhotep: "Osiris has seen fit to curse his afterlife."
** (727) Sarpedon nods. **
(727) Sarpedon: "Do you have any suggestions concerning a leader?"
(727) Sarpedon: "Again, my choices would be Martin and Loghu, but I think both wish to follow our 'armada.'"
** (720) Imhotep smiles. "I am only a humble craftsman. I do not know that I may choose a good one." **
(727) Sarpedon: (Are there any other notables we've overlooked? Jose would be a bad choice. Alice has spirit, but zero skills. Kazz seems to want to tag along. That's it for my memory.)
(722) Demiurge: (Loghu doesn't want to watch her friends sail away forever, and she wants to travel and see the head of the River. Martin is more sedate, but doesn't want to leave Loghu.
** (727) Sarpedon can see why. **
(720) Imhotep: "Their status should be raised, perhaps as officers among our fleet?"
(722) Demiurge: (Junko is definately not the leader type. Even if someone surgically removed her lips from Sarpedon's feet. hehe)
(720) Imhotep: "We will keep eyes out for a good heir."
(727) Sarpedon: "Perhaps a series of tests of mind, body, and wisdom."
(720) Imhotep: "Ah, a notable suggestion. Spears first, perhaps?"
(727) Sarpedon: "And tactics, wisdom, mercy, and sense of justice. We do not want a bully for a leader."
(720) Imhotep: "That is true. It would only repeat what has passed already."
** (722) Bill seems to think that tactics and phyical abilities are secondary. That's why kings have generals and soldiers. **
(720) Imhotep: "A leader is someone who will be looked to in times of trouble, a strong fighter is easier to follow for most."
** (727) Sarpedon replies that in this world, you need to look after yourself. There is no room for weakness. Consider Goering's fate. **
(722) Bill: "That's good. In my time, power tended to go to people who were the best talkers. Probably not the best system."
(727) Sarpedon: But that doesn't mean physical strength is all that is necessary.
** (727) Sarpedon contains a sneer. "Talk? Hah. Talk is not sufficient to deflect the enemy's spear." **
(720) Imhotep: "No. Perfection may not be an option. Perhaps a candidate will become obvious."
** (727) Sarpedon sits down with Imhotep, Martin, and Loghu to formulate a proto-olympics. **
** (722) Bill likes the Olympics idea. Even if it doesn't work, it will be fun for the spectators. :) **
(727) Sarpedon: He also appoints Martin as chief of a boat, and Loghu as the boat's war leader. Kazz is chief scout to the armada.
(720) Imhotep: "Olympics? What is this?"
** (722) Bill explains it. :) **
(727) Sarpedon: "Something that the late-life people talked about. It was founded by the *spit* Greeks, but serves us as a model. It is a series of athletic tests. Ours shall have other aspects to test wisdom, courage, mercy, and justice."
(720) Imhotep: "Ah, I see."
(720) Imhotep: "And what sort of contests should we include?"
(727) Sarpedon: "Skill with weapons--target practice. Skill with tactics--how to deal with an enemy attack. Wisdom--how to deal with a disaster. Courage--how to deal with a defeat of some kind. Mercy--how to behave towards others. And justice--how to best administer this place and make certain all have their lives without causing harm to others."
(727) Sarpedon: "This should be a simple matter."
** (727) Sarpedon winks at Imhotep. **
(722) Demiurge: (Courage. hehe. A Kobeyashi Maru test.)
(727) Sarpedon: (Something like: Half of your force was captured or routed. Everyone is hungry and without their grails. You've been driven from your area by invaders. Now what?)
(720) Imhotep: "Hmmm. Well, let us begin to plan then. Archery will do for target practice. Group combat with staves might show us the tacticians."
(727) Sarpedon: "Agreed."
(720) Imhotep: "Those who fight with honor will be apparent, the merciless will be unmasked."
(720) Imhotep: "So, let us announce the contests, the Olympics, and see who would like to compete. I would not let our true intentions become known as of yet."
(722) Demiurge: (Let people think it's sort of an entertainment thing? A distraction from work?)
(720) Imhotep: "But what shall we name as prize?"
(722) Demiurge: (One of the free grails until the next contest?)
(722) Demiurge: (If they have a next one)
(727) Sarpedon: (Heh, that's a good prize.)
(720) Imhotep: (Yep, good idea.)
(722) Demiurge: (I have an interesting thought that was never addressed in the books. What if you die, and wake up with a new grail. Then you make your way back to where you died, and pick up your old grail.)
** (727) Sarpedon makes the announcement. Festivities (time off of work, too), entertainment, and the chance to have a free grail for a month. **
(727) Sarpedon: (I think the aliens might re-key you so you won't open your old grail.)
(722) Demiurge: (The population is growing. People are migrating here for the project. You get the impression that even after you leave, people might still keep making ships.)
(720) Imhotep: "It seems the community has something to draw it together. Perhaps after we leave they will succeed."
(722) Demiurge: (Or you could stay a while, and have a fleet. hehe)
(727) Sarpedon: "I hope they do. This is a strange world, but we can make it a less alien place if they settle and focus on something beyond enslaving their neighbors or chewing dreamgum all day."
(720) Imhotep: "I hope they do not forget the lessons they have learned, some harder than others."
(727) Sarpedon: "We can only hope. Let us prepare the tests."
** (720) Imhotep supervises the building of archery targets, staves, and marking a large area for a mock battle. **
** (727) Sarpedon seats himself and tries to figure out a few puzzles that will test the mental and emotional muscles of the contestants. **
(727) Sarpedon: (Whoa, do we have these tasks backwards or what?)
(720) Imhotep: (Heh!)
(722) Demiurge: Everyone seems rather pumped about the games. :)
** (720) Imhotep does his best to encourage more people to enter the games. **
(727) Sarpedon: (The winner of each event gets a prize of some kind, but only the person/people who do the best overall are in the running for king/queen.)
** (727) Sarpedon finishes and walks out to see how Imhotep's efforts are going. **
(720) Imhotep: "This should prove sufficient. What do you think, Sarpedon, big enough for battle?"
** (720) Imhotep points out the big area. **
(722) Demiurge: (Would Sarpedon compete?)
(727) Sarpedon: (No, he has to be a judge. He'll throw out the first spear!)
(727) Sarpedon: (The point is to evaluate the others, not grandstand.)
(722) Demiurge: (Ah, cool.)
(722) Demiurge: (Plus, if he loses, that doesn't make him look good.)
(727) Sarpedon: (Yeah, EXACTLY my thought. It's better to be thought of as a big gun than have yourself humbled, especially at this moment.)
(720) Imhotep: "Now, after the games, we should interview the top competitors, to find out how they might react in tough situations that a leader may face."
(727) Sarpedon: "Correct. Are the preparations complete?"
(720) Imhotep: "Yes, I think everything stands in readiness."
(720) Imhotep: "I think we should get the games started, then."
(720) Imhotep: (Or, as it's a bit late, we could do that next week.)
(722) Demiurge: Yeah. It'll give me a chance to think up some competitors. :)
(722) Demiurge: Plus, if you want you can think of some details. What kind of contests would you be having?
(720) Imhotep: Archery, a big mock battle with staves, two teams.
(720) Imhotep: And some other stuff, heh!
(727) Sarpedon: The two teams should be divided into squad (10-12 person) level units. The natural leaders will emerge within each squad.
(722) Demiurge: (Clever)
(727) Sarpedon: The other stuff, justice, courage, wisdom, and tactics will be mental.
(727) Sarpedon: I'll email you those, how's that?
(722) Demiurge: Sounds good. :)
(722) Demiurge: You have my email, I assume. :)
(727) Sarpedon: Yep.