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kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
This is not truly bizarre in that there is only the possible threat of blood or carnage as it were, but....
I was at our local reenactor feast, and was gifted with my shiny new Viking coins (just made for my EQ), when someone piped up and said, "Show me some magic!" My response was to "put away" my coins into their little pouch and turn to the person with a question. "I see you are a new comer to our lands, for you have not joined our feast before. What gift do you bring the chieftan to show your respect and friendship? (The Hird men tighten their grip upon their spears.) Ahhh, I see you are unsure of our customs. Let me see if you are open to my aid so that you may be known as a friend in our parts, and cause no offense that might result in your harm, or worse, for if you listen, surely you hear Loki's voice on the winds. Let us consider that you have a small treasure with you. Your viking has been a sucess this last summer and you hold in your posession three coins: a bronze coin, a silver coin and a gold one. Great treasure that is! In order to win favor with our chief, you must be sure that you present the correct coin as a gift, and in this I will help you, for clearly he does not want all three, but one must be chosen.... (Do your best EQ.) Well done. As you place your selection into my hand (open your hand to reveal their "choice") you have chosen well...for to have given the bronze would have been an insult from any but a thrall, and to have given the gold would have meant the chieftan was not a generous man. But the silver is fitting, and shows both your worth and our chief's! I shall see that the chieftan knows of your gift and good intentions! Welcome now, and enjoy our hospitality, for you have shown yourself to be a true friend. Have you tried the pork roasted in plums yet? Delicious!"
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-12-19 13:26, kaytracy wrote: Bizarre magic is NOT always gory. Blood and carnage are not a necessary requirement for something to be bizarre. This is a very popular misconception. The hint of gore is far more frightening and bizarre than the actual sight of it. This said, it is a nice routine. Remember--FIRST you rape. THEN you pillage. THEN you burn the village. (The oldest Viking joke in the world.)
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Crossroads Mystic Elite user Rapid City, SD 498 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-12-19 17:58, Bill Palmer wrote: Bill, that reminds me of the recipe for Gypsy Chicken. First you steal a chicken. kaytracy, very nice. |
Caleb Strange Special user Manchester UK 676 Posts |
Kay, that's inspired! I love the idea of applying the equivoque in this context. The idea of a querent/seeker having to make a choice of some kind to progress is a great theatrical setting--it gives meaning and emotional charge to the act of choosing. Think of Indiana Jones's choice of the 'cup of a carpenter' for a recent example.
One thought arises from this--maybe in this context, one could do away with the equivoque entirely, and simply interpret ANY choice as the 'right' one? (If you are defining the cultural boundaries and the 'rules' of the setting, then any of the three coins could be described as correct.) This is a bit unsubtle, I know, but if you were to dress it up.... 'Three Weirdings and a Funeral.' An Ancient Egypt presentation, and three shrivelled and mummified hearts are being judged. One of these hearts is purple-brown, one is lurid blue, and the other is red-black. (Makes a nice change from poker chips.) "It is said," you claim, "that one of these hearts was taken from the tomb of a fifth dynasty priest, a notoriously vicious man, who murdered his way to the top. Another heart was ripped, by part of a grisly execution, from the living chest of a condemned woman--this sorry creature poisoned her husband and family for a lover. And the final heart belonged to a infant child that was smothered in its cradle by a creeping and constricting snake." "Now, all three of these spirits are restless," you say, but you are determined to free the soul of the innocent child. So a ceremony of release will be performed. However, for this ancient ritual to work, it is vital that the goodness of the child be tangible enough to be recognised as such by another person. So you need one of your guests to use her intuition to select one of the hearts--'the one that feels good.' Intrepid Alice agrees to help you, and after some deliberation, she selects the blue heart--a lurid, twisted rag of dry flesh. You watch her make her choice, and betray no emotion. After a not inconsiderable pause, you bring out a pair of delicate scales, on one pan of which is a soft white feather. "You rejected the brown heart," you say, and you place this heart on the scales. The pan over-balances. "You have chosen well. For in Ancient Egypt, brown is the colour of gall and deceit, of bitter blood hardening in a bowl. This was the heart of the venal priest." Then you say, "You rejected also the black heart." This heart is weighed, and once more the scales overbalance. "Again you chose well. Black is the venom of the asp. The coruscating poison coursing through the veins. This is the heart of a poisoner." "But you WERE drawn to the blue heart." This heart is gently placed in the scales, and (surprise, surprise) they do not tip. "You chose well, Alice. For blue is the colour of the Nile--clear and full of life; pure and blessedly free. Truly this is the heart of that tiny child. Now, let us set this poor unfortunate free...." (Not so much an equivoque gaff, as more of an equilibrium gaff, if you see what I mean. The colour is made to seem important, but....) Urrgh!!! That routine's a bit grisly, reading it back (especially if you imagine the child's shrivelled heart becoming, for a moment, revitalised and resanguinated, in the instant before it explodes to the stars in a rush of releasing flame). But I hope that the routine illustrates what I mean by the 'culturally explained choice' principle. If nothing else, stuff like this illustrates just where the mind can wander at the end of a very long day. Regards, Caleb Strange.
-- QCiC --
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kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
Thanks guys. I try to remember to always burn last! (Tis on the inside my shield!)
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
To the tune of Supercalifragillisticexpealidocious
Pillage rape loot and burn, but all in moderation if you heed the words I say, you'll soon control the nation first kill all your enemies, then kill their relations! pillage rape loot and burn, but all in moderation! From an old SCA filk song. (And yes, I did spell filk correctly, it's a technical term!) Happy holidays! Lee Darrow, C.Ht. http://www.leedarrow.com
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
Reis O'Brien Inner circle Seattle, WA 2467 Posts |
Being an SCA member myself, let me just say that this post has warmed my heart! Ah, for the days of the cloven fruit!
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Tspall Regular user Lumberton, NC 147 Posts |
Kaytracy,
I love this routine! Bizarre is about the storytelling and you've got a great story to go with it. I love the way you include the spectator in it; excellent for faires. Great work. |
c_lamby2k New user Liverpool, UK 75 Posts |
I have been doing something similar to this for a while but I use coins from different countries:
Turkish English French (Francs, not Euros) And a prediction on the table. The story I use is one of a visiting king of unknown nationality and you are there to present a gift fom his country. The spectator then has to present the correct coin (equivoque) to the king. dare he stray he will be killed. Of course he chooses the correct coin because of the equivoque.
CRAIG(c_lamby2k)
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kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
I like that one too!
It seems even those who know this effect can be "caught" in your web if the story is spun correctly!
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-12-20 22:47, Firedice27 wrote: Being the guy who delivered Yang the Nauseating's resignation from the society and The Horde, at a tourney feast in Tree-Girt-See, I can agree with that, somewhat. Those were the days, Masklyn ye Mage (Tony Andruzzi) wandering about at select events scaring the chainmail off the Knights and charming the daylights out of the Ladies! And performing "Water From India" for the masses and hearing Tony's cackle from the back as he called out, "I'll get you for that!" Memories! Back to Pennsic War 2 and further...! Lee "Certified old fhardt filker and stick jock" Darrow http://www.leedarrow.com
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
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