Kevin's Watch

Im sure this has been commented on but apart from kevins wards no other writting is ever mentioned in the land! how would people read if the only written scroll is the first and second ward

Damn Jack - Thats a good question. Blessed if I can answer it (exept perhaps they had a stash of books in the Loreserat from a distant time past - perhaps even our own world; have we ever considered the idea that the Land may be our own world millions of years in the future and TC's 'translation' to the Land is in fact a time travel on our own world - from which they study the ancient and not very much used art of reading 'Watchmen' and 'Sin City' comics.)

Seriously though - it's a good point from the point of view of narrative consistency.

There doesn't seem to be a culture of "reading for enjoyment" in the Land. Most of the literacy in the Land is the ability to read Earthpower. This ability serves their purpose, but if they are in need of a good tale, than they have someone sing... kinda like an oral tradition of sorts.

I cant recall any persific description of the loresorat havin written records or scrolls other than the first ward! we assume it did for if not then what was it but SRD doesnt say so or does he

Do you know if the Hall of Gifts was ever mentioned in LFB? because the second ward was opening up hidden doors in Revelstone - that's how the lords found the krill of loric, i think!

the keys to these doors were magic words, spoken or maybe even sung.
the haruchai knew some of the words, of course, but their vow forbid the use or the knowledge of them to be known to the lords. Orders from the High Command, i guess...High Lord Kevin, that is!

Spoiler

Runnik + Tull = Tunnel

Well, just my opinion here, as little as it matters. SRD doesn't waste time putting stuff in his books that doesn't directly mean something to the story; if he was THAT detailed, he'd be writing libraries full to get it done and we'd all be bored and no one would want to read them. Apart from Lena's rape, sex is not mentioned. Neither is taking a dump, giving birth, sneezing, brushing teeth, doing laundry, killing animals for food, and a host of other things. Yet you know they were humans and did all those things. Their ability to read, if it exists, had no bearing on events, so he left it out. Also, stories are passed down from generation to generation by song and telling. Maybe it's like that planet in Stargate; Foul, while on the council, decreed that writing was forbidden, who knows? Interesting question, but I never thought of it before. Ironic; Covenant an author gets sent to a Land where no one reads. Hmmmmm......

Rocksister wrote:Ironic; Covenant an author gets sent to a Land where no one reads. Hmmmmm......

Don't touch me, I'm an author! Don't you know what that means?!

No wonder the lords couldn't make it past the first ward.

I can just see the new lords as they recived the first ward from the giants
Giant 'here is the first ward of high lord kevins lore, the knoledge of the old lords first instalment, this will make you wise and gifted in Earthpower as wielded from High lord Bereks time recive it with humility'
Lord 'Thankyou giant, now to look upon the knoledge of the old lords.........hang on what are all these squigerly lines?

TheWormoftheWorld'sEnd wrote:No wonder the lords couldn't make it past the first ward.

It was said that there was great difficulty translating the First Ward, and the second ward, thats why it was such a slow process. So it could have been almost like translating the Rosetta stone.

Although there was a brief mention, in LFB about writing. I can't recall who said it, but when asked to figure out how long it would take to make the Gildenlode rudders for the giant ships, someone figured it wout on a wax tablet with a stylus.

drew wrote:Although there was a brief mention, in LFB about writing. I can't recall who said it, but when asked to figure out how long it would take to make the Gildenlode rudders for the giant ships, someone figured it wout on a wax tablet with a stylus.

Good catch!

In [u]Lord Foul's Bane[/u] was wrote:The Hearthrall pulled a small tablet and stylus from his robe and began to calculate, muttering to himself. The scrape of his stylus could be heard throughout the Close until he raised his head and said stiffly, "The lore remains. But not easily. The best we can do. Of course. And time - it will need time. Bodach glas, it will need time."

Good job, Drew!

jackgiantkiller wrote:I can just see the new lords as they recived the first ward from the giants
Giant 'here is the first ward of high lord kevins lore, the knoledge of the old lords first instalment, this will make you wise and gifted in Earthpower as wielded from High lord Bereks time recive it with humility'
Lord 'Thankyou giant, now to look upon the knoledge of the old lords.........hang on what are all these squigerly lines?

No wonder the lords couldn't make it past the first ward.