Rachel S. (masamage) says:
Whee, that’s happy.
…Is he…sitting on something?
Brian Rogers (billionsix) says:
I assume he is squatting. I mean, dusty floor, white skirt. Do the math. 🙂
NigaiAmai Yume (nigaiamai_yume) says:
As Brian Rogers notes, he’s squatting. The center of gravity appears a bit off, but I blame the perspective.
And, of course, me being me, I can’t help but think such a performance would only rank somewhere in the top five “weirdest things I’ve been moved to tears by in my life”. There are SOME consequences to being a fantasy writer. ^-^
So It Begins (soitbegins) says:
Now suddenly I want to see that opera!
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says: OK, now my fevered brain is playing opera highlights, transposed up about three octaves a la “Alvin and the Chipmunks”. If the voices in my head start singing Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy”, I will be forced to set myself on fire. Tickets available at Karma Records and other Ticketmaster locations.
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says: P.S. Today’s band name: “Crushed by Roses”.
Martha Mintz (muffinthamighty) says: I don’t know, “Drain Hole and the Weirdest Tears” might be good…
Aaron Shades (prof_tinker) says:
I call dibs on seasonal passes! *gets opera glassess* Pity I’m to big to stand outside the sopranos door with a single rose. . . .
Jane Narbon (lady_madsci) says:
Yes, what was the part with the sal ammoniac solution?
—–
Basil Jelly (basil_jelly) says:
Suddenly I want to hear “The queen of the Night” sung by silverfishii.
John Vertical (tropylium) says:
Wouldn’t a standing ovation be less hazardous for them than a non-standing one?
Also, shall I be the first to say that this little RPG-battle-thing going on in here is starting to border on making it difficult to follo’ the actual comments? Yeah, I shall.
Mel Van Weelden (kessalia) says: OK, since John was first, I’ll be second. *waves*
Jeffrey Channing Wells (channing) says:
The part with the sal ammoniac solution is that the two star-crossed lovers wish to throw themselves into each others arms but are prevented from doing so by a quantity of sal ammoniac, a potent silverfish repellent.
Jane, Aaron, So It Begins — I’ve been loving seeing you guys at play and I’d hate to see it end. Maybe y’all could port MSW over to the Comics By Shaenon forum? It might be easier for y’all to follow anyway. I’d give you an imaginary present. It’s weasel-shaped.
Dave Van Domelen (dvandom) says: It is time for the mad scientists to learn about the birds and the weasels…. Currently pondering setting up a “racial package” for mutant silverfish in the Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition RPG….
So It Begins (soitbegins) says:
ATTENTION ALL: The Mad Scientist Wars is MOVING!
Specifically: The Mad Scientist Wars is moving to the Comics by Shaenon forum (see the link at the bottom of the page).
I’ll move all the old comments to the new forum topic, and provide a link to it.
Well, whenever the admins approve my forum account…
So It Begins (soitbegins) says:
Wait a sec: It is time for the mad scientists to learn about the birds and the weasels….
Read Girl Genius, do you?
bzzzzd (bzzzzd) says:
Ms. NigaiAmaisays: …he’s squatting. The center of gravity appears a bit off, but I blame the perspective.
Looking at the previous panels, esp Day 2 Panel 4, it seems clear Tip is indeed sitting, not squatting. Regardless of skirt-color protection, trying to hold a squat (esp. a closed-leg position) for an entire opera might be a bit beyond Tip’s abilities.
(RE: ATTENTION ALL: The Mad Scientist Wars is MOVING! Thank goodness. I was beginning to wonder if it was going to take a visit by a certain forensic linguist to stop the madness.)
Shaenon Garrity (shaenongarrity) says:
He’s squatting, at least in panel one.
Dov Mittelman (silentspeaker) says:
So It Begins: The madness cannot be stopped. You can only hope to contain it.
In fact, the madness cannot be contained either. You can only hope it shows mercy.
Dave Van Domelen (dvandom) says: Mutant Silverfish in M&M have 20 ranks of Shrinking (+Duration, -Permanent, Feat: Innate). This drops them to STR 1, which has a carrying capacity of a few pounds (to be real insects, they’d get the Drawback “Cannot carry more than a gram” or something, but these guys don’t). This costs 21 points.
Typical Mutant Silverfish
STR 1 (10) DEX 10 CON 10 INT 10 WIS 12 CHA 12 (4 points)
Skills: Language 1 (English, Italian Native), 3 ranks in Perform or Craft, Survival (Urban) 2, 6 ranks in other skills. (3 points)
Feats: Equipment 1 (variable gear) (1 point)
Powers; Shrinking 20 (+Continuous, -Permanent, Feat: Innate), Super-Movement 2 (Sure-Footed, Wall-Crawling), Super-Senses 5 (Radius Sight, Low-Light Vision, Danger Sense 1, Scent). (30 points)
Combat: Attack 12 (includes size bonus), Defense 12, Damage +0 (unarmed), +1 (teeny sword, if taken in Equipment).
Saving Throws: Toughness +0, Fortitude +0, Reflex +4, Will +1 (4 points)
Total Cost: 42
PL: 1
Exceptional ones like the Captain might have some more combat skills. But not much more.
Rachel S. (masamage) says:
Whee, that’s happy.
…Is he…sitting on something?
Brian Rogers (billionsix) says:
I assume he is squatting. I mean, dusty floor, white skirt. Do the math. 🙂
NigaiAmai Yume (nigaiamai_yume) says:
As Brian Rogers notes, he’s squatting. The center of gravity appears a bit off, but I blame the perspective.
And, of course, me being me, I can’t help but think such a performance would only rank somewhere in the top five “weirdest things I’ve been moved to tears by in my life”. There are SOME consequences to being a fantasy writer. ^-^
So It Begins (soitbegins) says:
Now suddenly I want to see that opera!
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says: OK, now my fevered brain is playing opera highlights, transposed up about three octaves a la “Alvin and the Chipmunks”. If the voices in my head start singing Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy”, I will be forced to set myself on fire. Tickets available at Karma Records and other Ticketmaster locations.
Ed Gedeon (eddurd) says: P.S. Today’s band name: “Crushed by Roses”.
Martha Mintz (muffinthamighty) says: I don’t know, “Drain Hole and the Weirdest Tears” might be good…
Aaron Shades (prof_tinker) says:
I call dibs on seasonal passes! *gets opera glassess* Pity I’m to big to stand outside the sopranos door with a single rose. . . .
Jane Narbon (lady_madsci) says:
Yes, what was the part with the sal ammoniac solution?
—–
Basil Jelly (basil_jelly) says:
Suddenly I want to hear “The queen of the Night” sung by silverfishii.
John Vertical (tropylium) says:
Wouldn’t a standing ovation be less hazardous for them than a non-standing one?
Also, shall I be the first to say that this little RPG-battle-thing going on in here is starting to border on making it difficult to follo’ the actual comments? Yeah, I shall.
Mel Van Weelden (kessalia) says: OK, since John was first, I’ll be second. *waves*
Jeffrey Channing Wells (channing) says:
The part with the sal ammoniac solution is that the two star-crossed lovers wish to throw themselves into each others arms but are prevented from doing so by a quantity of sal ammoniac, a potent silverfish repellent.
Jane, Aaron, So It Begins — I’ve been loving seeing you guys at play and I’d hate to see it end. Maybe y’all could port MSW over to the Comics By Shaenon forum? It might be easier for y’all to follow anyway. I’d give you an imaginary present. It’s weasel-shaped.
Jeffrey Channing Wells (channing) says:
On the topic of that last note from me, ahem:
http://nice.purrsia.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=001748
Dave Van Domelen (dvandom) says: It is time for the mad scientists to learn about the birds and the weasels…. Currently pondering setting up a “racial package” for mutant silverfish in the Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition RPG….
So It Begins (soitbegins) says:
ATTENTION ALL: The Mad Scientist Wars is MOVING!
Specifically: The Mad Scientist Wars is moving to the Comics by Shaenon forum (see the link at the bottom of the page).
I’ll move all the old comments to the new forum topic, and provide a link to it.
Well, whenever the admins approve my forum account…
So It Begins (soitbegins) says:
Wait a sec:
It is time for the mad scientists to learn about the birds and the weasels….
Read Girl Genius, do you?
bzzzzd (bzzzzd) says:
Ms. NigaiAmaisays: …he’s squatting. The center of gravity appears a bit off, but I blame the perspective.
Looking at the previous panels, esp Day 2 Panel 4, it seems clear Tip is indeed sitting, not squatting. Regardless of skirt-color protection, trying to hold a squat (esp. a closed-leg position) for an entire opera might be a bit beyond Tip’s abilities.
(RE: ATTENTION ALL: The Mad Scientist Wars is MOVING! Thank goodness. I was beginning to wonder if it was going to take a visit by a certain forensic linguist to stop the madness.)
Shaenon Garrity (shaenongarrity) says:
He’s squatting, at least in panel one.
Dov Mittelman (silentspeaker) says:
So It Begins: The madness cannot be stopped. You can only hope to contain it.
In fact, the madness cannot be contained either. You can only hope it shows mercy.
Dave Van Domelen (dvandom) says: Mutant Silverfish in M&M have 20 ranks of Shrinking (+Duration, -Permanent, Feat: Innate). This drops them to STR 1, which has a carrying capacity of a few pounds (to be real insects, they’d get the Drawback “Cannot carry more than a gram” or something, but these guys don’t). This costs 21 points.
Typical Mutant Silverfish
STR 1 (10) DEX 10 CON 10 INT 10 WIS 12 CHA 12 (4 points)
Skills: Language 1 (English, Italian Native), 3 ranks in Perform or Craft, Survival (Urban) 2, 6 ranks in other skills. (3 points)
Feats: Equipment 1 (variable gear) (1 point)
Powers; Shrinking 20 (+Continuous, -Permanent, Feat: Innate), Super-Movement 2 (Sure-Footed, Wall-Crawling), Super-Senses 5 (Radius Sight, Low-Light Vision, Danger Sense 1, Scent). (30 points)
Combat: Attack 12 (includes size bonus), Defense 12, Damage +0 (unarmed), +1 (teeny sword, if taken in Equipment).
Saving Throws: Toughness +0, Fortitude +0, Reflex +4, Will +1 (4 points)
Total Cost: 42
PL: 1
Exceptional ones like the Captain might have some more combat skills. But not much more.