Languages

[offsides]

I know (since I asked previously ) that a songe requires both music and lyrics to trigger Doug's Metagift, but I just thought of a corollary question: does Doug have to understand the language the song is sung in, and by extension the word of the lyrics, or will his Metagift trigger even if Doug has no clue what the song is saying?
I ask because if he doesn't have to understand the language it opens up a whole can of worms for me (Hebrew ), and if it does matter then we need a list of what languages Doug understands to properly play this game...
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Bob Schroeck]

Doug has to understand the language that the song is in. His subconcious mind is interpreting the lyrics of the song and feeding that interpretation to his magegift as "instructions"; without the linguistic comprehension, there's nothing to give to the magegift.
Now, I'm sure someone will point out that it might be possible that if he memorized the meaning of a particular song in a language he didn't understand, he should be able to get a power via the association between the remembered lyrics and the actual song. Theoretically, it might work -- but for the purposes of the story (and for gaming him), I'd disallow that. It just starts getting too complicated.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[offsides]

Oh well, that probably scratches several ideas that were forming. However, you still haven't told us what languages Doug understands (at least not that I can remember).
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Bob Schroeck]

Actually, I think I mention them all at one point or another in DW2, plus they're listed on the Fuzion character sheet:
English
French
Japanese
Valdemaran

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[offsides]

OK, Thanks!
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Bob Schroeck]

No prob.
You realize now that you've forced me to pin down his known languages permanently. After making this public declaration, I can't add any more on the fly as I need'em for story purposes!
You evil man, you.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[offsides]

Hey, I like to have a solid framework to plan against - after all, if the rules can change arbitrarily at any time, planning does you almost no good...
And thanks for the compliment!
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Caligostro]

you mean, like in real life?
Anyway, if Doug drops into some country he doesn't know the local language of but has to stay for any length of time for whatever reason, he is bound to pick up some language skill there. So depending on where his future steps are going to take him he might get home as a perfect polyglot ;-)
-- Cal

[Bob Schroeck]

This is true. And I suppose I could justify him being a very fast learner with the intelligence level he has in the game...

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[jonathanlennox]

After all, he presumably didn't know Valdemaran before the first hop, so there's precedent.

[offsides]

Yeah - I have no problem with Doug picking up a new language if he's immersed in it for any given time. After all, I picked up a few words of Japanese just from watching Anime However, I'd say he would have to be truely immersed in the language (like in Valdemar) for at least 2-3 months to acquire bsaic proficiency. OTOH, spending a year immersed in a society will usually result in basic fluency that doesn't go away later...
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Bob Schroeck]

Unfortunately, Doug's fluency in Valdemaran is a fluke, caused by a number of things in close proximity time- and space-wise: Doug wanting to be able to talk to people without telepathy, a Herald-trainee "aide"/guide who wanted the same thing, said trainee semi-idly playing a song, the forgotten heartstone under the palace complex, and the tendency of the magical "network" connecting Heralds to do what needs being done. There was an "event" that Doug still doesn't understand, and the result was that Doug got complete fluency in Valdemaran, and Herald-Trainee Delandra vel'Devarn now speaks perfect late-20th-Century American English (Southern California sub-dialect).

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.