Talk:Academy of Knowledge/Library/Restricted/Witchcraft

This is a verbatim of a very, very old version of my game SpellMaster. I wonder what purpose it serves here? --Tom 13:33, 1 November 2007 (CET)

I think the Academy of Knowledge wants to preserve all knowledge of the world, however old. This is a record of the ancient world, and provides a little glimpse (both IC and OOC) into how things once were... --Anaris 13:53, 1 November 2007 (CET)

You're right Tom, it is. Back in 2004 I looked up Spellmaster and found some info, copied it down, and have been toying with it in RP ever since. As far as Danaris's comment, he's right. All knowledge is preserved if we can find it, even if it's old. Not that all knowledge is readily available of course, but many will find their way in here over time. --Dalakar 14:59, 1 November 2007 (CET)

I think it's somewhat cute. In the manner that we these days look into old texts and read about 'aether' and 'unicorns' and the like. And we shake our heads and say "Ah, we were so ignorant back then. Aether was a subconscious rejection of vacuum and a unicorn was a rhinoceros. And we know so much more now! Like how quantum mechanics explains everything!"

(Cue a thousand years from now: "Ah, we were so ignorant back then. Believing in such things as consciousness and quantum mechanics...") - Baatarsaikhan 03:21, 2 November 2007 (CET)

• • • -chuckle- Cute was not the word I expected to hear, but I also didn't expect a huge discussion over this so surprises all around. :)

From the author's point of view, who was an evil bastard keep in mind, this was more like uncovering ancient lore from the days of Greece and Rome while he dwelt in the dark ages. Lost treasures that speak of a more civilized time, but with so much missing it is still mostly worthless.

As for your examples, they are classic ones, but I would point out that prespective is not something you can discount. The term aether isn't quite as incorrect as one might think, since the void of space is not infact completely empty; just almost completely empty. (numbers range from 1 atom/mL to 0.001 against the atmosphere of earth, back of the envalope calculation here, at 2.5*10^19 atom/mL) And really how do we know that there wasn't a creature with but one antler and vaguely horse-like? Not to mention quantum mechanics breaks down when you try to apply it to situations normally covered by general relativity. Curse you grand unified theory for your elusive nature! (-chuckle- This is what you get when a scientest studies mythology and history in his spare time, and has no one to discuss with. ;) )

As Baatarsaikhan said, what we 'know' right now, will probably be shown wrong in time, and then right again some time after. It would be rather amusing to think of the things we learn today being ancient wisdom in the future. I mean, think of how much time could have been saved if people read some of the ancient Egyptian records about astronomy explaining how the world was round sooner rather then later?

Still it's up to the reader to decide what the words here in mean. As Tom said, this book is taken directly from the first game Spellmaster, but the people who learn of it will put their own spin on things. The Fairytales are this very author's personal views based on what he learned, but that doesn't mean others will share them. It does make some nice food for thought though. --Dalakar 06:31, 2 November 2007 (CET)