The Space Opera Working Thread

reply to post by silo13


As I recall, during the Underground Dissolving Death Scene, it was fairly well established that the communications apparati didn't punch through the ground too well, and at the moment, I believe Starwolf and company are still in Bisley Deeps - underground. This may, of course, be used to advantage if Silo were to panic because she STILL can't get ahold of the Starwolf, even from the ground!

Originally posted by A boy in a dress
reply to post by wildtimes

 

Nice Avatar!

From the story:

(Margot had always meant to ask Neno about his friend's ability of sight)

Now, if BIAD can see avatars, he can probably see in some form - but, as an answer to this question, I'm sure story-neno would shrug and say "I dunno. He don' bump into walls, an' ah reckon that's good enough fer me!"

ETA:

Originally posted by A boy in a dress

You sneaky devil you! I recognize that - how could I forget? Had us going for better than a week! - and am pretty curious as to how that'll be worked into the story and what it's going to represent... and whether it's going to require another trip back to Earth. The original is in a rock, deep in the woods, only ever seen in person by three (maybe four) humans in the modern day that I know of, and... in the heart of Vandalia!

reply to post by nenothtu

You sneaky devil you! I recognize that - how could I forget?
Had us going for better than a week! - and am pretty curious as to how
that'll be worked into the story and what it's going to represent...
and whether it's going to require another trip back to Earth.

The original is in a rock, deep in the woods, only ever seen in person
by three (maybe four) humans in the modern day that I know of, and...
in the heart of Vandalia!

I have no idea what you mean...
Seriously, I was prowling around and came across the pic in your
first thread and found it interesting. I googled a Tar Kiln and though,
it seemed that this was what caused the strange emblem, I realised
that:
A -I didn't know what a Tar Kiln was and ergo, had no idea how
something so 'structured' could be made by accident.

reply to post by A boy in a dress


A "Tar kiln" is made for extracting "tar", or pitch, from chunks of pine. Am iron kettle is turned upside down over a pile of pine knots and chunks which is piled in the middle of the "symbol". The edge of the iron kettle sits in the circular groove around the outside of the symbol. A fire is then built over the outside of the iron kettle. The heat melts the pitch inside the pine, and forces it out of the wood. it runs into the channels that form the "tree", and is drained out through the bottom of the "trunk", into another kettle sitting beneath it.

You then wind up with a pot of pine pitch that can be used for glue, for medical applications, and for waterproofing. That one, which was discovered by my uncle on a foraging trip, is so old that all traces of any external fire have weathered away. There weren't any scorch marks on the stone, so we had no idea what it was - the technique has not been used in a very long time, since other substances to serve the same purpose can now be bought from several different sorts of stores. No one knows who made that one, but the land it sits on has been in my family for at least 160 years, and probably longer.

The only people in the modern day that have seen it in person that I know of are myself, my son, and the uncle who found it. Another uncle went to see it, but stood at the edge of the big dark, tangled woods and said "I ain't going in there. Take pictures" so I did!

Here is the thread with the whole story for everyone else.

reply to post by nenothtu


Ahhh.... now I see how it works.

It just shows how one's imagination can play tricks!
The 'branches' seem odd, that was all. I would have assumed
it would be just one gutter leading to the final kettle.

reply to post by nenothtu

As I recall, during the Underground Dissolving Death Scene, it was fairly well established that the communications apparati didn't punch through the ground too well, and at the moment, I believe Starwolf and company are still in Bisley Deeps - underground. This may, of course, be used to advantage if Silo were to panic because she STILL can't get ahold of the Starwolf, even from the ground!

Eggggzactly why Silo took the first opportunity to split to the surface. I mean call her an absentee mom (who still isn’t sure she is Neno’s mom amid mounting evidence she is) but yeah she still worries when she’s not heard from the ol’gunslinger in a while. And, she’s still hoping someday BIAD will teach her to do her nails - just so.

Though I’ll take this opportunity to admit - not that much time has passed? What, a week maybe since they were all together? What say you? Ten days tops in ‘their’ time?

But thanks - got it they’re still underground and the communication system is out. Though I would assume there would be splotchy moments of static or something?

For example if Silo and Newman are standing next to a... Air vent maybe? I would assume there are air ducts? Or, maybe I should ask before assuming - how do they get air down there?

I'd also assume there is a way in and out?

Beyond that? Has it ever been established WHY they're underground? I mean - what's ‘on’ the surface that would force them underground? Or so they just like it? I'm asking what the draw is to them going mole?

Originally posted by A boy in a dress
reply to post by nenothtu

 

Ahhh.... now I see how it works.

It just shows how one's imagination can play tricks!
The 'branches' seem odd, that was all. I would have assumed
it would be just one gutter leading to the final kettle.

Think of the branches in a river drainage system - there are branches all over the watershed for effective drainage. As a matter of fact, at one point we thought it might be an engraved map, since the "branches" on the "tree" effectively mimic the watershed drainage in that immediate area, leading to the river which is around 200 meters from that engraving. it seemed am awful lot of rock pecking to map out one square mile or so of area, however, so we scrapped that idea.

reply to post by silo13


They fell into Bisley Deeps when the building holding the tomb of the last humanoid surface dweller left after the zombie apocalypse of K-4 suddenly collapsed into the ground as a result of the ongoing mining operation beneath the surface, searching for that odd crystal thingy that they found. Evidently the miners cut the roof of the mine too thin, and down we went!

There would have to be air ducts, but if they aren't in a straight line ("line of sight") from transmitter to transmitter, you'd likely get patchy, crackly transmissions of every 5th word or so, if anything at all.

I'm guessing story time to have been anywhere from 4 to 7 days, 10 tops as you say.

reply to post by nenothtu

There would have to be air ducts, but if they aren't in a straight line ("line of sight") from transmitter to transmitter, you'd likely get patchy, crackly transmissions of every 5th word or so, if anything at all.

This is what I'm betting on too - good for the conformation - thanks.
So - they're off to try and find trouble. Errr, I mean Neno.

peace

Originally posted by silo13

So - they're off to try and find trouble. Errr, I mean Neno.

Same thing.

If things are going to slow down in here I'm going to go back and take out my last post and return to the 'story' storyline I had going before.

Please let me know if you all are going to be busy for the next week or so and I'll let the Argus/Flint line play out while waiting for you all.

peace

reply to post by silo13


Go for it.

Oh well - guess not - it seems Newman and Silo have broken their silence and now that they're alone planet side have decided to stay. Guess that means they're going to keep looking.

Wonder what they'll find?

peace

reply to post by silo13


The only thing rolling around in my head lately has been a series on the history of the Caliburn. Since it would involve long-ago in a strange land - well, strange to modern readers, anyhow - I've been hesitant to post it. The essence is that it would involve throwing neno into an ancient British landscape, and possibly a series of ancient British landscapes, with odd people and odd customs and odd names. Not, strictly speaking, the Arthurian history of the sword, but something bigger than that, something involving the actual history that the Arthurian legends came from.

Because of that, and the potential confusion it would cause - 'specially with the time displacements and twisted logic of trying to follow a time-line, it might be too confusing to post, so I've held back.

Hint: "Caladbolg" is a far cry from "Excalibur", but there's a logical progression to be followed, linking the same sword through a long Celtic history. Picts and Romans and Scotti - oh my!

reply to post by nenothtu

The only thing rolling around in my head lately has been a series on the history of the Caliburn. Since it would involve long-ago in a strange land - well, strange to modern readers, anyhow - I've been hesitant to post it. The essence is that it would involve throwing neno into an ancient British landscape, and possibly a series of ancient British landscapes, with odd people and odd customs and odd names. Not, strictly speaking, the Arthurian history of the sword, but something bigger than that, something involving the actual history that the Arthurian legends came from.

On the other hand - if you do this - and just happen to take the rest of us with you? There's no reason why we couldn't all go - it would just be trying to figure how to get back.

I'd be up for it - I have no reason to think all of Adam's 'stories' couldn't as easily 'come true' in that time frame - in fact it would actually make it easier. Just sayin'.

Happy 'V' Day!

What about the other planets in this system? I know there's no inhabitants,but maybe
a treasure...? something to pique our interests?

Just banging ideas about in my noggin!

reply to post by A boy in a dress

Silo's about to fall right ontop of you - if you're still underground that is.

I'll wait until you post again so I can get an idea where you are.

Originally posted by A boy in a dress
What about the other planets in this system? I know there's no inhabitants,but maybe
a treasure...? something to pique our interests?

Just banging ideas about in my noggin!

edit on 14-2-2013 by A boy in a dress because: (no reason given)

The next planet out (#5, the iceball) Is a near twin to Khalamzadar, except it's frozen, barren, and has an unbreathable atmosphere - still, it HAS an atmo. It's mostly hydrogen (that stuff is FLAMMABLE! It's why the Hindenberg went up like a Roman Candle) then helium, then nitrogen, and oxygen only comes in fourth in the listing. Might be some ice caves about, or deadly crevasses or something, but you'll need some means of breathing, like a space suit and compressed air tanks. I'm sure those could be found laying around on Khalamzadar somewhere.

Also, there's always the chance that one of the moons of the larger planets is inhabitable. The next one out from the iceball (the #6 planet) might be a prime candidate. I never got around to generating moons for the system, so that potential is wide open. the 6th planet might be close enough in that solar radiation in combination with tidal stress heating could make a moon warm enough to inhabit if the atmo is right - and that, too, is wide open.

One word of caution - tidal stress heating means the crust is constantly flexing, so it would be earthquake (moonquake?) prone!

reply to post by nenothtu





I understand!!

It will soon be coming up on the 4th yearly anniversary of the Space Opera thread being started.

Four years.

Over that time the cast has changed and rotated, but the story yet goes on, never-ending.

Masqua, I'd say the experiment has been a success so far!