The Pub Discussion Board

Fantastic chapter. Really liked the conversations Zyla had with David’s “associates†. Surprised at the species twist of the “zombie† guy.

Elessar wrote:

The bit I didn’t like most I think was when David was collecting the Wind Crystal thing, the area, location for the dragons was glossed over. As well as much more information about them. Personally I would have like any more information,

Have I given any huge amount of description to any one of the dragon locations for the primal aegis plotline?

I mentioned igloos, and several hours "north of Ramius", which has been mentioned as the pickup point for the ice dragons, so you should associate Ramius with "cold".  Given that, I figured you could figure out "snowy" all by yourself.

Chapter 9 is already over 22,000 words long.  I saw no reason to add detail that would never again be referenced.  I mean, really, what would you specifically have wanted to know about, that I could have easily integrated into the story, without just stopping narration to describe shit?

Eric Storm

Geez, give the dragons SOME credit...

It's a Playstation with a built-in Spyro ROM. 



Eric Storm

Um... yes?  I mean, given that I'm almost completely done writing the book...

Eric Storm

No, that won't be dealt with.  It just wasn't relevant to the story at all... and, really, no way for me to insert it into the story in any reasonable way, given that none of the main characters would be involved with the investigation.

Eric Storm

There will not be a chapter 22.

Eric Storm

Enlisted ranks:  Soldier (Yes, it's actually the name of the rank), Capadra, Liderra.
Officer ranks:  Bandador, Vigax, Vocator, Batalisto, Batalo, Commandant, Arkigo.

(Listed from junior to senior in rank)

Eric Storm

Rank insignias: KoC Army Rank Insignias

Commendation medals: KoC Army Commendations

Yes, they really should both be under the first link, but I forgot the first link existed when I posted the commendations image.

Eric Storm

Maybe.

Good last word.

(posted from Chapter 10: March)

Another throughly interesting chapter. Actually let out a little scream of frustration when I reached the end of the chapter as I didn’t want the chapter to be over yet. Hope David’s message ploy works and we get to see the results in next months chapter. Really envious of your reviewers now as they know how the story ends while we will have to wait til the start of the new year. At least those with PRM access. I second darthel message. Definitely was chuckling  at “Maybe�  until I realized that was the end of the chapter.

Last edited by thehilz (2020-08-01 14:26:31)

Loved the chapter, but damn, you added the flyer in way too late to do much good in the war.

Build those things with a proper rudder and elevation control surfaces so they are easier to control and maybe make it a two seat craft.  You have a pilot of course, and then you have a guy using a camera-wand to take photos or video from 1/2 mile to a mile above sea level.  You now have quick efficient and possibly safe front line surveillance depending on how high and fast the were-raptors or other were-flyers can fly.  Paint the bottom of the thing sky blue to make it harder to spot from the ground.  As far as I know, the skyriders don't make any sound, so little to no noise should be heard from the ground unless you come out with a model that breaks the sound barrier.  If you can automate the picture taking so the pilot can trigger photo/video on or off then you might not need a two seat craft.

Just a question, but how fast do those were-raptors and the new were-flyer actually fly?  Also, how high can they fly along with how high do they usually fly?   If it's way less then the 100 mph you mention for the skyrider then out running them is not a problem.  If they only fly a few hundred feet above the ground (say less then 400 feet), then flying over them might make them safer also.

I know, it ain't going to happen, I just like to opine on these things.  But if you ever come back to a dugerra and vrudenan story it could be a nice add in for future border security patrols.

Last edited by Barbarian3165 (2020-08-03 02:45:23)

Okay, so, let's talk about why this would not work like you think it would.

First: control surfaces:  These would NOT help.  Why?  Because the craft doesn't operate through the same principles an airplane does.  Normally, a SkyRider cannot fly at all.  It hovers.  David modified the shit out of his.  When he added wings and the vertical tail, that was done not for control surfaces, but for stability, because, as I said, the craft is not intended to fly.

SkyRiders are directed through magical intent; control surfaces wouldn't really aid in that.  What's needed is to rebuild the entire spell, to make a flying craft, instead of the cobbled-together vehicle that David made on the spot.  This could be done, but it would take some time.

But the point where your idea really runs into trouble is the imagery.  Basically, you're talking about adding a Rimohr's recorder to the craft, to make a record of what it sees.  This immediately encounters a problem:

Anti-recording hexes.

We know they exist; they were used in earlier books.  And, while the Rimohr recorder is able to burn through most of these, the recorders are only tamper-resistant, not tamper-proof.  If there are spells strong enough to knock out the entire mirror network for the course of the war, you can rest assured that, as soon as the weres realized the craft was being used this way - and that wouldn't take long - they would enact these hexes around every one of their units.

Thus, with imagery no longer available, you're left with eyeballing what you see, and reporting back verbally.  Now you're up against the limits of human visual acuity.  Fly too high, and you can't make out details.  Fly too low, and you pass by things too fast to really make them out.  Oh, you'd get a general sense of what was going on, and you could give locations of things, but you wouldn't really have the ability to relate details.  How much can you see through a window if you drive by someone's house or business at 60mph?

Of course, you could fly slower, but the slower and lower you fly, the more easily you can be picked off.  It's not a matter of, "Can you fly higher and faster than the were-raptors?"  It's a question of, "Can you do that, and be at all useful?"  And the answer is pretty much... no, you can't, because you won't see anything.

Would using binoculars help anything?  Yes, to a limited extent.  But remember, if you can see the guys on the ground, the guys on the ground can see you.  And every single soldier is an anti-aircraft weapon, because they can all fire energy balls.

So... would doing this be of use at all?  Probably, but it wouldn't be the huge impact you're expecting, because of the limitations that the enemy's immediate countermeasures would impose.  But the first thing that would have to be done would be to perfect a... CloudRider?  An actual flying vehicle, instead of a floating one.  David managed... "something"... in a few days, but David's craft was inherently unstable.  They'd want to make one that was inherently stable, to be used in wartime, and that might take some time to do.

Could the anti-recording hexes be overcome?  Highly unlikely.  We're once again talking about a form of divination, and it's already been established that impedivation is stronger than blockbusting.  So the ability to actually record images would probably never be achieved.  (After the weres realized what was being done.  This wouldn't take very long, because, while the were-raptors might not be able to catch the CloudRider, they would be able to see it.  And it wouldn't take much thought to realize what it was doing.)

I do find it amusing that you didn't suggest the one use to which a CloudRider could be put that would make a major difference.

Bombing.

Bombing only requires you to see the spot on the ground you want to hit, and can be done at speed and altitude.  This kind of tactic would be much harder to counter quickly.

So... such flying vehicles could certainly have a use in wartime, and could make a big difference... but not in the use you suggest, thanks to divination blocks.

Eric Storm