August 3rd

[Rokas]

You know... Quentyn's a little guy... In a red robe... Has lots of nifty gadgets...

Maybe they think he's a Jawa and are therefore running away?

^Random thought at work today.

[Celidah the Bardess]

This reminds me of a scene from one of the Stargates.

An ominous scene.

Because, like Star Trek, whenever Col.'s McNeil, Mitchell, or Shepard encounter an empty-looking village, it's very bad mojo.

[Tom Mazanec]

Sliders used that scene forewarning a few times.

[SolidusRaccoon]

This reminds me of a scene from one of the Stargates.

An ominous scene.

Because, like Star Trek, whenever Col.'s McNeil, Mitchell, or Shepard encounter an empty-looking village, it's very bad mojo.

Yup, those pesky aliens are always infecting helpless villages with real nasty stuff.

[Kerry Skydancer]

I'm rather more curious about the way he's narrating it. 'Even back then ... there were a lot stranger things than one little Rac Cona Daimh wandering the roads ...'

Is that preknowledge that the Mistwall comes down before the end of Quentyn's life?

[Squeaky Bunny]

This reminds me of a scene from one of the Stargates.

An ominous scene.

Because, like Star Trek, whenever Col.'s McNeil, Mitchell, or Shepard encounter an empty-looking village, it's very bad mojo.

Yup, those pesky aliens are always infecting helpless villages with real nasty stuff.

And who was it that thought it would be fun to feed some AC into Landru's circuits?

[EdBecerra]

This reminds me of a scene from one of the Stargates.

An ominous scene.

Because, like Star Trek, whenever Col.'s McNeil, Mitchell, or Shepard encounter an empty-looking village, it's very bad mojo.

Well, really, Celi, it's a function of human stubborness and stupidity, indirectly speaking. I mean, look at the recent volcanic eruptions in the area of Indonesia. Y'd think anyone with half a brain would have evacuated LONG ago, but no. People stay on these volcanic slopes, deluding themselves with the strength of desperation, telling themselves "No, no, it won't erupt, I CAN'T lose my home again!"

Therefore, since we all seem to instinctively understand this suicidal reluctance to leave our homes, that makes it all the more unsettling to see a town that's been abandoned - the unstated (but easily understood) implication is "If normal folks are willing to risk floods and volcanos, what the HELL could be so terrifying as to make an entire village bug out? There's something here I'm not seeing, and it's BAD!"

[Tom Mazanec]

Remember, AFAIK, the humans think Racconnans are extinct.

[Celidah the Bardess]

This reminds me of a scene from one of the Stargates.

An ominous scene.

Because, like Star Trek, whenever Col.'s McNeil, Mitchell, or Shepard encounter an empty-looking village, it's very bad mojo.

Well, really, Celi, it's a function of human stubborness and stupidity, indirectly speaking. I mean, look at the recent volcanic eruptions in the area of Indonesia. Y'd think anyone with half a brain would have evacuated LONG ago, but no. People stay on these volcanic slopes, deluding themselves with the strength of desperation, telling themselves "No, no, it won't erupt, I CAN'T lose my home again!"

Therefore, since we all seem to instinctively understand this suicidal reluctance to leave our homes, that makes it all the more unsettling to see a town that's been abandoned - the unstated (but easily understood) implication is "If normal folks are willing to risk floods and volcanos, what the HELL could be so terrifying as to make an entire village bug out? There's something here I'm not seeing, and it's BAD!"

A fascinating point to consider, Ed.

One of these days, I'm going to write in one of my stories a scene where the protagonist(s) encounter a completely empty village and become wary...

Only to discover everyone's at a party, or even that everyone's at a surprise party for THEM (because they want to welcome the heroes passing through, or one of them is from that village, etc.)!