The Lizard of Oz

From: Michael O'Brien <michael.obrien_at_actf.com.au>
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 14:05:09 +1000


G'day all,

The Lizard of Oz

Andrew Raphael writes of the Watchwere:

>It's in the Gloranthan Bestiary, lives in Pamaltela, I think.
>It looks strangely like a caricature of Paul Keating,
>the previous Australian Prime Minister.

Thanks to the tabloids better known in England as "Bleating Keating the Lizard of Oz" (after he dared touch Her Majesty). Quite appropriate really. Shame that the creature which comes to mind when I think of our current PM Little Johnny Howard is a snivelling trollkin.



Praxian Culture article (Codex #1)

Stephen "explains":
>As to why I put the word "article" in quotes, that is because I do not
>view this as a single article. It is not one article by two people, it
is
>two separate articles mashed together in a way I found confusing --
>the typefaces were not _that_ different from each other.

Amazing. At the top of the article in Real Big Letters it even explains that Sandy's stuff is in one typeface (serif font), Martin's in another (sans serif, and bleeding obviously different) - perhaps you'd better upgrade that 25 watt bulb in your study Steve?

>And the mixing of the two tended, I think, to give Martin Crim's views
>an implied validity by mixing them in with Sandy's.

Clearly separating and identifying the two authors as editor Mike Dawson did means that if (like Stephen presumably does) you think anything written by Martin Crim is unmitigated crap, you can cheerfully ignore it and focus on Sandy's pearls of wisdom instead. I find this far less confusing than, for example Drastic - Prax, where many articles appear to be an agglomeration of different writers and sources, meshed together under the (self-confessed heavy hand) of the editor.

In my opinion, Sandy and Martin's "Praxian Culture" article in Codex #1 is a damn fine one - as is Martin's article on Cam's Well Oasis in Tales #15 (which, curiously, Stephen omits in his otherwise comprehensive list of further materials about Prax on the back page of his zine).

Cheers

MOB
> ____________________________________________________________
> From the Notes from Nochet files:
>
> [XXIX.1345.Gerallon/p7*]
>
> The following morning Gerallon arose, dressed, and returned to the
> priest's chamber. The old man sat where he'd left him the night
> before,
> asleep, with the parchment of the story and his quill still in his
> hands.
> He roused at the sound of the cloven hoofs.
> They shared breakfast together, as humble a meal as the night
> before.
> Afterwards, Gerallon prepared to depart.
>
> "Goodbye", said Gerallon, wrapping his cloak around his face.
> "Just a moment son," said the blind man, fumbling in his robe, "Last
> night, after you retired - I found something to help you." He held
> out a
> slim book. "Here, take it."
> "I have very little money, old man."
> "Information is never free. I give you information for that which
> you
> gave me last night. And I want you to have it."
> Gerallon took the book and glanced at the cover, "The Language of
> the
> Broos" . Inside, he found a folded scrap of parchment.
> "I have written there a special ritual, Gerallon", the sage
> explained.
> "When you find your lost love, chant it and destroy her remains.
> Then, her
> spirit will be free. Learn the ritual Gerallon. Emblazon it in your
> heart."
>
> An hour later found Gerallon traipsing the lonely road. He held the
> parchment in his hand; he could feel Count Victor's sword at his side.
> Over and over again, he recited the ritual, committing it to memory:
>
> "In the name of Full Knowledge,
> I rip this tool from Thanatar,
> To confound his presence
> In the scheme of being
> And to hasten the end of chaos.
> Go, Darya, to the fate of your will!"
>
>
> *note: this is the seventh and final part of a story submitted to
> Tales so
> long ago I have lost the author's name. The english language version
> here
> was substantially polished from the original submission by me; I think
>
> the author might have been Finnish or Swedish. I've put it up here
> because
> it is unlikely it will ever be published in the zine but I think it is
> good 'un
> (and I spent quite a while working on it at the time). It would be
> great
> if I could get in touch with the author again.
> ____________________________________________________________


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