Other Worlds Than These (Discussion Thread)

[Aikanáro]

If you're going to be away for a month, that sounds like a good idea. You can have her set off to track the dragon before you go, and leave it open so that when you come back to the thread you can decide what she'll do when she finds it.

ETA: I finished Out of the Silent Planet today. Loved it.

[Midge]

Awesome! I can't wait to hear what you think of Perelandra!

Hey, Varna, when are you planning on having Nightshade find the portal?

[Varnafindë]

Nightshade can find it in her next post - I suppose we needn't wait for anything else now before we get on with it? Anything other than the writer sitting down to write, that is ...

A question to the threadmaster: Does the portal lookthe same from the other side? Or does that differ from one world to another?

One person saw the portal and recognised it and chose to go through it. Others have stumbled through theirs. Didn't they see it?

Should Nightshade see it?

[Aikanáro]

Given that some people have managed to fall through by accident, I think it's fair to say that some portals are subtler than others.

As a general rule - the more portals that are appearing on a given world, the more obvious and visible they will be. It's up to you how affected Narnia is by the portal phenomenon, and depending on that Nightshade may see or not see the portal.

With this in mind, it's quite possible for one side to look very different to the other, too.

[feawen]

right im back im going to read up on the story and up date anahera, figure out where she is!

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Aikanáro

If you're going to be away for a month, that sounds like a good idea. You can have her set off to track the dragon before you go, and leave it open so that when you come back to the thread you can decide what she'll do when she finds it.

Excellent, I'll go with that then.

[feawen]

the dragon is from Anahera world isnt it. ill have to remember that for later.

[Midge]

Well, Aerin's eyes are currently peeled - not for portals, but that might well be what she ends up finding.

[Earniel]

Ah, it's obvious Beryn hasn't travelled all that far yet. The idea of people not wanting to exterminate dragons when they've got the chance is a strange one for her. Personally, I'm a bit of a fan, but Middle-earthern dragons just don't have such a good rep so I just can't justify Beryn not thinking that a good dragon is a dead one.

But it remains to be seen if she actually tries to kill it when she tracks it down. If I was the little dragon, I'd practise puppy-eyes real quick.

[Aikanáro]

Even where Rivailen comes from, most people's instincts would be a lot more like Beryn's than hers! Rivailen's a bit of an outlier. She has got the excuse, though, that she's still coming to terms with the fact that dragons actually exist and aren't just the talk of crazy people and old stories.

Besides, if it talks, that's different. She'd have an interesting time in in Narnia with all the talking animals.

[Midge]

Oh, yes, I was going to mention (and maybe you all have this worked out already) that the dragon doesn't have to actually be evil. In Perelandra, there are beasts which look like dragons but behave like dogs - following humans around like shadows, nuzzling legs and hands, and sleeping very heavily. They mean nobody any harm.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Also - if we're taking Narnia into account, we must be sure that it is not a human-turned-dragon!

Edit: That's what I get for skimming, instead of reading - you all were way ahead of me with that one.

[Aikanáro]

Well, I will say that both Rivailen and Beryn have made certain assumptions about the dragon which may turn out not to be true.

Earniel, it's up to you whether or not Beryn's close enough to hear Rivailen at this point, depending if there's anything you particularly want to respond to or not.

[Varnafindë]

I didn't plan to have Nightshade's post quite as long as that - but I guess it doesn't hurt either

It's more backstory for her, and it also shows that she is aware of there being more than one world ...

[Midge]

Oh, Varna! I loved the shout-out to Tumnus! The line I WISH made it into the movie - "Goodness gracious me!"

You're my hero.

[Varnafindë]

It was such a very Narnian shout of surprise. I just had to use it.

Glad you liked it.

[Aikanáro]

I love the Nightshade-Aerin strand of the story.

Although I can't help picturing this for after Nightshade has met a few more Middle-Earth folk and gotten used to their reactions.

- You're a badger!
- You people have no imagination.

As it's a possible link-up point for later, do we actually have any characters who can write in Westron?

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Midge

Oh, yes, I was going to mention (and maybe you all have this worked out already) that the dragon doesn't have to actually be evil. In Perelandra, there are beasts which look like dragons but behave like dogs - following humans around like shadows, nuzzling legs and hands, and sleeping very heavily. They mean nobody any harm.

I'm getting visions of Beryn sneaking up on the dragonlet, ready to kill it, only for it to turn around, lick her face with a big pink tongue excitably and wanting her to toss a stick to play fetch next.

Originally Posted by Aikanáro

Well, I will say that both Rivailen and Beryn have made certain assumptions about the dragon which may turn out not to be true.

Undoubtedly. But that's the fun of it when other worlds get tossed in the mix, what you think is true about your world, is not necessarily so, but often not at all applicable on other worlds.

I wonder if Beryn has taken into account that it even might be Anahera's pet.

Earniel, it's up to you whether or not Beryn's close enough to hear Rivailen at this point, depending if there's anything you particularly want to respond to or not.

Yeah, I was planning on one closing comment before sending her off. Will do that tonight. Planning and packing for the holidays is a bit hectic and I still have to find those dratted Entwives tonight too.

[feawen]

i was thinking of a connection with the dragon and anahera! i think she could do with a pet right now, she's a little in shock!

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Aikanáro

I love the Nightshade-Aerin strand of the story.

Although I can't help picturing this for after Nightshade has met a few more Middle-Earth folk and gotten used to their reactions.

- You're a badger!
- You people have no imagination.

I hope she finds something else to answer, too ...
What about "no, I'm actually a kitten ".

As it's a possible link-up point for later, do we actually have any characters who can write in Westron?

Baru is a scholar and can read and write in Quenya, Sindarin and Westron. She mostly uses Tengwar, but can do the Angerthas as well - and whatever script is more commonly used for other purposes.

[Aikanáro]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

I hope she finds something else to answer, too ...
What about "no, I'm actually a kitten ".

Brilliant.

Baru is a scholar and can read and write in Quenya, Sindarin and Westron. She mostly uses Tengwar, but can do the Angerthas as well - and whatever script is more commonly used for other purposes.

Heh, I should have known. Of course she can, she's a Noldo. It looks like Elspeth's already found a way to get her letter written, but that's good to know for later.

Poor Ashkaio would be horrified if he knew Elspeth just assumed he was illiterate.