Latest Wizards Cover Botch

[Richards]

I like "Maelstrom" much better than "Stormwrack." When you say "Stormwrack" out loud, it sounds like you're discussing the breasts of one of the X-Men....

"Hey, check out that Storm rack!"

Johnathan

 

[Turjan]

I just used the word "maelstrom" at lunch a couple days ago, and only the German guy didn't recognize it. I guess it's most familiar in "maelstrom of controversy," a favorite turn of phrase among journalists. I have noticed that many people incorrectly take it as a synonym for "storm" though.

But it's also a german word, written 'Malstrom', or 'Mahlstrom' (which means exactly "grinding stream", without any guessing involved ).

 

[Verequus]

That's just because you're French.

You'd obviously prefer the Dutch extraction "maelstrom" to the German "storm" and "wrack."

Having an informed sourde (myself ), I know, that "storm" isn't German, but "Sturm". Yes, someone in Dragonlance has this name - I was initially confused, because the translators didn't change the name (in opposite to the kender).

 

[tarchon]

Having an informed sourde (myself ), I know, that "storm" isn't German, but "Sturm". Yes, someone in Dragonlance has this name - I was initially confused, because the translators didn't change the name (in opposite to the kender).

The "-strom" in "maelstrom" isn't related to "storm"/"Sturm" but rather "stream"/"Strom".

 

[Verequus]

The "-strom" in "maelstrom" isn't related to "storm"/"Sturm" but rather "stream"/"Strom".

Ah, one typo sent me on the wrong track. Patryn, please check your posts for them, then I do the same with mine.

 

[WingOver]

I live about 300 miles away from the largest whirlpool in the Northern Hemisphere - The Old Sow, just off of Eastport Maine. It is amazing how many people, even here in the state of Maine, have never heard of it. She is a known ship eater, but there are a lot of people who 'ride' her, using the currents at her edge to get a little bit of extra speed and a bit of a thrill, there is even a survivor's club.

Little off topic but I wanted to thank you for that link! This has given me a ton of ideas for this week's adventure and helped me add more detail to the port city the PCs are about too reach. I've already decided that my version of Old Sow sometimes reaches the sea floor where an ancient sunken city is rumored to exist. Fishermen brave the edges of the whirlpool because it yields the best catch, and on occasion ancient treasures are hooked on the traps and brought to the surface.

I searched for "Old Sow" and came up with a ton of ocean phenomenon info and seacharts. Cool stuff.

 

[Turjan]

I've already decided that my version of Old Sow sometimes reaches the sea floor where an ancient sunken city is rumored to exist. Fishermen brave the edges of the whirlpool because it yields the best catch, and on occasion ancient treasures are hooked on the traps and brought to the surface.

That reminds me of a d20 book by Pinnacle entertainment, 'The Depths of Despair', where they describe a city at the bottom of a giant ocean whirlpool .

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Little off topic but I wanted to thank you for that link! This has given me a ton of ideas for this week's adventure and helped me add more detail to the port city the PCs are about too reach. I've already decided that my version of Old Sow sometimes reaches the sea floor where an ancient sunken city is rumored to exist. Fishermen brave the edges of the whirlpool because it yields the best catch, and on occasion ancient treasures are hooked on the traps and brought to the surface.

I searched for "Old Sow" and came up with a ton of ocean phenomenon info and seacharts. Cool stuff.

Your welcome! Part of the reason the Old Sow is called that is that she spawns 'piglets', smaller whirlpools that nestle around her like piglets at a sow's teats. She has a lot of potential.

As to port cities - Eastport has some... interesting history. There were people who made their livings during the time between the Revolution and the War of 1812 by having their ships confiscated.

American ships were not permitted to trade with British ports, including Canadian, so the captains would load up their ships with goods, and go sailing in British waters off the coast of Canada. Eventually a British Naval vessel would show up and 'force' them into a Canadian port, where they would be 'forced' to sell their cargoes. They would then pay off the fine, get their ship out of impound, head back to Eastport, load up with goods, and do it all over again. In the War of 1812 Eastport became the only U.S. city to ever be held by a hostile foreign power, the British took the city without a shot fired. Mind you the British attacked with overwhelming force, Maine being one of two places that they thought were worth fighting over, the other being Virginia. Virginia had tobbaco, while Maine had the tall timber needed for masts.

One of these days I want to do a 'Blackwater' campaign using Skull & Bones - set in New England, as opposed to the 'Bluewater' pirates of the Carribean.

The Auld Grump, for I must down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky...

*EDIT* Changed American to the much more accurate U.S.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Man, I much preferred Maelstrom and Codex Anathema. The new titles just seem so blah to me. I really don't get the Lords of Madness reference. How is that representative of aberrations?!?! Sounds like another mind flayer sourcebook to me...

 

[Goblyn]

Wow...

It almost seems that any name WotC gives books will be complained over. They should just name their books after Simpsons' characters and be done with it ... and let everyone know ahead of time, just to circumvent the conspiracy theories of 'dumbing down' and such.

Disclaimer: I thought I should put one, as I've had about as many beers as there are words in this post. Not including this discalimer. So, here it is: this post is intentionally lighthearted. Those who are willing to accept its joviality in stride will not be bothered; the rest will be taunted and d until my throught is hoarse.