Author Topic: 30 Days of Synnibarr  (Read 48060 times)

Mckma

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #60 on: June 16, 2011, 11:18:05 PM »
Day 9: Pages 147-164

The infamous werestorm.  I knew this day was coming, but I had no idea it would come so soon.  While I cannot say with certainty, it is quite likely that the description of Terra, and the vicious werestorm that surrounds its entrance encapsulates and represents the ultimate "feel" of The World of Synnibarr.

It is somewhat glorious and completely frightening at the same time.  Something that has no logical flow to it, and yet seems to fit perfectly.  Why are powers cancelled in it?  Does it even matter?  What makes giants so determined and successful in sailing through absolutely everything?

With some effort I pull myself away from focusing solely on this fascinating idea and can recall the rest of my studies for the day.  I found I learned much of Synnibarr's geography.  The level of detail is fascinating, and quite varied.  Mr. McCracken has quite the ability to describe these landscapes and geographical areas in such a way that they seem plausible and real, despite the fact that they have absolutely no physical right to exist.  Canyons hundreds of miles wide, mushroom shaped landmasses that stand on pillars extend miles into the air, iron walls that extend beyond the atmosphere of Synnibarr guarded by Tree Demons.

What does it mean?  Is there a reason the avatar created such a diverse and possibly insane landscape?  Could he even comprehend what he was doing?  Is this just a reflection of the madness of the universe impinging on a world, threatening to overwhelm it with complexity?

Moondog

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #61 on: June 17, 2011, 07:50:22 PM »
Huzzah!
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clockworkjoe

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #62 on: June 18, 2011, 01:25:44 AM »
haha you're doing the (were)god's work.

Mckma

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #63 on: June 18, 2011, 02:28:08 AM »
Day 10: Pages 165-180

Today's study started innocently enough, reading the "Yellow Pages" as it were of Terra, the main adventurer's hub on Synnibarr.  As I explore the text further though, I begin to notice a strange undertone.  While it initially appears to be an innocently corny attempt at humor and wonder, I have begun to fear that perhaps Mr. McCracken is more devious and sinister in his writing than I first imagined.  Some samples:

"Map Shop Owner: Tomarr, a 50th level something. No one knows."

"Aladen can duplicate a B.S.C. at a cost of $181,667,112,566.23!"

"We also carry a brand of rope that is alive and will attach itself to objects, stretch double length, and then contract on command.  It can lift 1,000 pounds and its movement is similar to a snake's.  It feeds on small microorganisms.  It is in no way dangerous to its ownwer once it has been held for 5 continuous minutes.  It is thin and red."

However with each additional phrase or sentence I read along these lines, I cannot help but notice how potentially frightening the writing is.  Not one knows what he is?  Not even himself?  Was the knowledge of his class/race struck from existence as some form of punishment?  What could one possibly do that is that terrible?  Also, it may not be dangerous after 5 minutes, but I fear what could be done to one in the previous 4 minutes and 59 seconds by a rope that has the faculties to move on its own, stretch to double its length and has the strength to move 1,000 pounds.  It is easy to imagine the trouble that merely 1 foot of this could cause.

Despite these worries, I had to press on.  I soon found myself reading through what I could only imagine as Mr. McCracken's muddled take on multipe-dimension theories, curved space-time, and relativity of time.  Areas I have studied and consider myself fairly competent in understanding.  However his text has caused me to cast doubt on even things I thought I understood before.  His descriptions seemed to fit so well with other clearly mad ideas he presented.  What I thought seemed perfectly reasonable and understandable from my collegiate education seems to reside quite comfortably next to magical storms and creatures that can magically remove the oxygen from their victim's entire body.  Who is to say what I have learned is in fact not the imaginings of a raving lunatic?

Despite all this however, I must steel myself for tomorrow I begin Chapter 8, Combat...

I leave one last excerpt for posterity, from Mr. McCracken's description of the source of the original adventurers who were magically gifted with incredible abilities and then teleported to Terra, and underwater city:

"Now I don't know about you, but I would find this fairly unnerving.  One moment you're flossing your cat's teeth in good ole' suburban Katmandu, and the next you're a Ninja master on an artificial world, made from Mars, in a city under millions of gallons of water.  Granted you have had some hint as to what was going on, but gosh darn it, something like this is liable to put a crimp in your social calendar, even if you're a llama trainer."

Mckma

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #64 on: June 22, 2011, 02:48:36 AM »
Day 11: Pages 180-188

Odd...

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  The combat rules actually seem to flow and make some reasonable degree of sense.  I think that this is quite well within the realm of possibility of running.

In retrospect, it seems perfectly reasonable to have combat set up as Mr. McCracken has.  Three second turns are broken into 15 segments which can have actions occurring on them.  To attack one must roll to see if they would hit.  The target then has about five chances to avoid the damage (from dodging on their own to having their god intervene in their favor).  If all of these rolls succeed or fail accordingly, you can then roll damage and move onto the next person acting on that segment.  Repeat for each segment that has characters acting on it, and an hour later you finish the first three seconds of combat.

Oh dear...

I've just realized how ridiculous this actually is.  What is wrong with me...

Kelkesh123

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #65 on: July 06, 2011, 09:12:19 AM »
Day 11: Pages 180-188
Oh dear...

I've just realized how ridiculous this actually is.  What is wrong with me...

NO MCKMA!

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE PRESSURE

DON'T DO IT

Still not as bad as FATAL.

Try running a combat in that, when you have to recalculate all your stats because someone cast a spell that changes your height by a centimeter.
Fuck you FATAL.

Synibarr is just ridiculous in a fun way, FATAL is just ridiculous in a why am I bothering way.
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Moondog

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Re: 30 Days of Synnibarr
« Reply #66 on: January 15, 2012, 03:03:48 AM »
You know, you've still 19 days to go!
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