HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: michael@stb.info.com (Michael Gersten)
Subject: Quantum leap
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 22:44:00 GMT

Rainmaker was not just a case of "I give up, God, You do it". You  
just had a case where the best that Sam could do only gave a one  
percent chance of rain, and he got lucky.

Sam is Lucky, with a capitol L. Give him 4 or 5 dice worth. After  
all, how often does he fail? Almost never.

Now, regarding Demons and Gaunts...

1. It's not that a DD cannot lend out its reality, its that it  
will not because once lent out, the DD is powerless unless/until  
it is given back. Heckton might decide to do it anyways (too much  
time has gone by, too much advancement by the stormers).
2. Reality storms and time:
One round of reality storming takes a few seconds. In that time,  
each person gets to make a reality total and attack. If the  
reality values are close enough, then both can get results each  
turn.

If you go for drain, you will lower your oppenent by (say) 5  
points. You have 5 points more than him, and the battle is closer  
to over. (less points for the two of you)
If you go for gain, you will raise yourself by (say) 5 points.  
You have 5 points more than him, and the battle is farther from  
over. (more points for the two of you)

If you have more PE than your opponent, you want the battle to  
end (faster it is over, the less chance your opponent will  
recover). You can destroy 2 PE per turn by spending/forcing a  
cancel. If the reality scores are equal, you can expect the two  
people to gain and destroy equal amounts (A gains from storm, B  
lowers A back to previous level), but you will still destroy a  
net of 2 points -- one each -- per round from spending/canceling.

Assuming the reality values are the same, and assuming 6,000 PE  
each (wow!), and assuming 10 second rounds, that is only 1000  
minutes, or 15.625 hours.

To get 2 years of battle, it must be the case that
A) Starting levels of PE are nearly meaningless -- most of the PE  
used will have been taken from the storm.
B) Neither player wanted to risk running the PE total low for the  
entire time (or at least until the last hour or so).

If you have more PE, and less reality, a long battle is bad for  
you, you want to finish it quickly.
If you have less PE, and a higher reality, a long battle is what  
you want.

For the 2 year case, both wanted a long battle, i.e., both  
thought that the other person had a lower reality. This doesn't  
seem likely; you'll know after about 20 rounds what your opponent  
is likely to have.
--
		Michael Gersten		michael@stb.info.com
HELLO! I'm a signature virus! Join in the fun and copy me into yours!
ex:.-1,. w $HOME/.signature
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: smooge@jupiter.nmt.edu (the Smooge)
Subject: Godnet stuff
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:31:34 GMT


Damn I just realized why I really wanted to learn how to program a MOO...
I just finished Dante's Inferno (am going to work on Purgatorio next..)
and found all these neat things to add to hell (with Baal's permission of
course). Plus if I were to read Paradisio I could get heaven worked on...
which if I remember was pretty unfinished...

the Smooge
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Joshua Henry Geurink)
Subject: My Tharkpost
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
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Organization: University of North Texas
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Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 17:55:22 GMT


Bravo, Clint.  Very good.  Stolen right out of Aliens, but very good
nonetheless...
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: "James H. Kiley" <jkiley@andy.bgsu.edu>
Subject: TorgMUSH's status
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:33:33 GMT



On Thu, 19 Nov 1992, the Smooge wrote:

> Ok so players exist on his most holiests site Godnet... Now what about
> TORGmush? Is that up for players yet?

	Nope.  Right now TorgMUSH is undergoing some restructuring, at
least in the minds of the wizards.  What does that mean?  It means that
it's the end of the semester and none of us have time to administrate a
bunch of builders, much less organize a full MUSH, plus we all have other
VR as well as RL responsibilities.
	So what am I saying?  Don't expect TorgMUSH to be completely open
to the public until at least May. :)

Jim/The.Gaunt.Man
	


Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu>
Subject: Re:  cyberpapacy
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
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Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 18:12:17 GMT

Anthony writes:

> Just a minor question about Cyberpapacy (if anyone out there still plays
> it...)--under the Drugs section, Stardust is said to decrease the Mind
> attribute of an addict by one point per week.  It's not quite clear, though.
> Does he lose the mind if he's an addict just using the drug, or is it
> just if an addict hasn't taken the drug once a day and is suffering from
> withdrawal.

You lose the Mind points while *addicted* to the drug - note that as
long as you remain unaddicted you won't lose any Mind points (though
of course the more you use it, the more likely you are to become
addicted) for using the drug.

> 	If it is the loss of Mind, are there any biochemical medications that
> can nullify/slow the process.  He's an incredible character idea, but
> one which I created fully accepting eventual death, so I wouldn't mind
> a very slow degeneration.

Not getting addicted is the best way to avoid the loss of Mind points;
save those cards and Possibilities for those Spirit rolls when you
come down!

I'm sure that it would be possible to find a drug that boost Mind to
make up for the lost Mind points due to addiction...of course, that
drug will have to have side effects too.  8-)

The Space Gods may be able to repair the brain damage caused by
Stardust addiction with some of their nifty biotech.  (Though just for
game balance it shouldn't be cheap or easy.)

Kansas Jim (jogle@aoc.nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: smooge@jupiter.nmt.edu (the Smooge)
Subject: Re:  Munchkin game
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 18:15:47 GMT


I wrote:

> I ended up with an elven mage who took all the state knowledges (which

KJ replied:

]Didn't have much left over for arcane knowledges and spells though I'd
]hope.  Of course, he probably selected the varmpiest spells he could
]get hold of though.

I disallowed him anything from pixauds spell book, he got everything
from the Aysle book... but still pulled out a few varmpi ones. However
he is known for playing munchkins and spent all morning trying to
figure out how to bend the magic rules in his favor.

> Baruuh Kaah, and the Sumo Wrestler did an anime leap-crush onto Baruuh
> Kaah... (which he then used all the drama cards he had been saving for
> the adventure plus several hero cards and a possibility.) From the
> setbacks and the fact that Rec Pakken is looking for a good excuse to
> get a new highlord (ie would not let BK negate), we had the end of BK

KJ says:

]What, Kaah was out of his own Possibilities, or was his Setback that
]he couldn't negate PPs spent against him?  (A bit extreme if that was
]the case.)

No he wasnt out (he still had 50 out of 65 possibilities. But the
party had gotten 4 setbacks on him that round (lots of tricks and
tests). Someone needs to update his writeup if they keep him in their
campaign. The infiniverse does not give him trick so he defends with a
13 which an elven mage with a 17 perception and a lot of willpower
cards makes players call really quickly.  With him snail-witted and
cloud-minded (psionic ability)... it got to be rather silly. If it
wasnt for the fact I wanted to see how out of control a munchkin game
could get (ie how do munchkins bend the rules too far, so that next
time I could bend them back.)


> It did teach me some lessons... spell manipulation can make impressed
> spells immeadiate (something I need to change)... and ravagons are NOT

]Only if the mage is willing to accept the points shoveled elsewhere;
]if the mage was moving that many points around he should have been
]messed up somewhere else in the spell....

He made the ranges all 0 (1 meter), and then varmped either the
casting time or the effect (bullet base 27 effect).

]Kansas Jim (jogle@aoc.nrao.edu)

As the case was I ended the game with such a bad taste in my mouth because
I allowed TOO much rules raping. I dont think I will ever let such rules
raping to occur again ( Sumo Wrestler Prodigies and such ). However my
game was the hit of the day at the con (It was also the only game that
ran... so I am not that proud either :).

the Smooge
From: oakes@jupiter.nmt.edu (David Oakes)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: Stupid questions
Date: 15 Nov 92 23:01:19 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b

ok, remmember to save this post for history, TORG fans -
dave "i scoff at the combined might of clint and KS Jim" oakes
is going to be humble, dare i say, magnanimous...

as soon as rick gets the cyber-cop online,
i will dig through my files and post clintons and my monsters
(throw anything away? even out of spite? everything is grist for the mill!)

the liquifier? i think i can live with that
(i mean if the tunneler had won...)
(phaser and pain sculpture were much more intriguing IM[inwsof]HO)

dave "mechandise - the big money is in merchandise! (to paraphrase)" oakes
From: jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Long reality storm battles...
Date: 22 Nov 92 01:15:40 GMT
Reply-To: jmkaraka@eos.ncsu.edu (JOHN MARTIN KARAKASH)
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Originator: jmkaraka@c00161-100lez.eos.ncsu.edu


|>For the 2 year case, both wanted a long battle, i.e., both  
|>thought that the other person had a lower reality. This doesn't  
|>seem likely; you'll know after about 20 rounds what your opponent  
|>is likely to have.
|>--

	Or perhaps reality got so warped that TIME CEASED TO HAVE ALL
MEANING! (sorry I'm stuck in Nile Empire mode and sometimes those
CAPITAL LETTERS just have to GET OUT!)  :)
	But seriously, at the levels they play with, there may be a
whole new set of rules.  Newtonian physics works fine, unless you are
going real fast, on a real dense object, etc.  Then you need to work
general relativity.  Or maybe they just didn't think of the rules when
they wrote that!  :)

	-john-
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: tbrowne@jarthur.claremont.edu (T. Erik Browne)
Subject: Re: NEWS FLASH
Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 03:51:56 GMT

Erik Browne, Prelate of California, Keeper of the Faith, Priest of the Kult
of Ks. Jim, is startled from his most holy work by a disturbing message
coming across his terminal screen.  He glances over it, his eyes widening
with disbelief:

In article <1992Nov21.162940.8959@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca> agreene@mta.ca writes:
>>a blinding flash of light and with the single belief of a mortal
>>the SMooGE rises into the heavens... he has transcended his mortal
>>frame and become a god. (He also takes the 5 possibilities from
>>Anthony Greene and gives him an add in Faith(Smooge).)
>>
>>the High Cardinal of the WHite Tower
>>the Living Dios of Tech
>>
>>the Smooge
>
>	So when do I get Focus?
>
>--Anthony Greene
>-Could green ketchup be the REAL DD of Core Earth?
>

"Oh, no," his most holiness says, "not that pea soup and llama person.  I
suppose he shall have to be dealt with."

He picks up a phone and dials a number that isn't listed in any of the three
dozen phone books serving the Greater Los Angeles Area.  After exactly two
rings, it is picked up.  His holiness speaks a short phrase, followed by a
name.  The line goes dead, and Prelate Browne puts the phone down, secure in
the knowledge that his wishes will be attended to, and the Kult will be
secure...

Several hours later, in New Brunswick, a man is exitedly putting together
his new shrine to the Smooge.  He has just finished the papier mache replica
of the Black Marble Wombat, when he hears a voice behind him say, "Are you
Anthony Greene?"

Anthony quickly turns around.  There was nobody there a minute ago, but now
a man dressed in black stands there, calmly looking over the shrine in front
of him.  He draws a gun from his jacket, and screws on a silencer as he
continues speaking.  "Anthony Greene, you have been found guilty of breaking
the faith, and of elevating another to the status of godhood.  I hereby
execute you in name of His Holiness, Kansas Jim."  Two shots are fired.  The
man returns the weapon to his jacket. He quickly exits, the body he leaves
behind crumpled over the crushed remains of the Wombat's effigy...

High above the world, the Smooge basks in the glory of his new-gained
godhood.  Suddenly, a feeling of loss wrenches his gut.  Even as he begins
his fall, he realizes his foolishness of ever trying to supplant the true
god...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T. Erik Browne                          | Harvey Mudd College
tbrowne@hmcvax.claremont.edu            | Claremont, CA  91711
tbrowne@jarthur.claremont.edu           | Best college west of Upland
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry.  No .sig today.
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Telestro ip Wandrun <"wesley: :baileyt"@kirk.msoe.edu>
Subject: Re: Archive and GodNet...Good News
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:51:12 GMT

Speaking of the GodNet and TorgMUSH, what is the difference?  I know MUD is 
Multi-User Dungeon, but what is MUSH?

|------------------------\ /-------------------\ /-------------------------|
| ___                    | |#include "voodoo.h"| | "Sufficiently advanced  |
|  | elestro ip Wandrun, | \-------------------/ |  technology is          |
| aka Tim Bailey         |      \|/     \|/      |  indistinguishable from |
| baileyt@kirk.msoe.edu  |      -O-     -O-      |  magic."  -Clarke's Law |
|------------------------/      /|\     /|\      \-------------------------|

Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu>
Subject: Re:  priests of pantheons
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 21:46:48 GMT

The manatee writes:

[specialization and/or narrowing of skills]

> Now, bringing this all back to the religeon thing,  I'd say in
> the Aysle pantheon a field might mean Honor, Corruption,
> and Balance.  The trademark might be one of the Gods. There
> are also miracles used by all (general type miracles) and
> they would be another field.  Thus a priest of Dunad would
> have trademark specialization in Dunad miracles getting
> a +3 bonus, primary field of honor getting a +1 (the +3
> earlier included this +1) and a secondary field of the 
> general miracles getting a -1.  The total cos of this is 3
> poss.
> 
> Or you might just have the character trademark specialize
> in Dunad giving a +2 to casting Dunad miracles with no 
> other bonuses or penalties.  The cost would then be 2 poss.

I guess with this approach you could group the Nile gods into Good or
Evil and do it that way, but most of the miracles are not very diety-
specific so it would be difficult to figure out what bonuses got used
with which miracles.

> I can forsee some problems with this though.  With normal 
> trademark specialization the character losses the plusses
> if he loses the item, and that isn't too likely with a God.
> I dunno, maybe make the TS worth only +1.  But I guess that's
> what this infiniverse thing is for.

If you wanted to be mean, whenever the priest loses his Focus due to
failing a miracle he could lose the plusses, same as losing a
specialized tool.  That could make specialization in dieties very
expensive though and you probably wouldn't see it very much (certainly
not among ord priests).

> On another previous note there was discussion about how
> to resolve faith(athiesm).  I once was playing a character
> with faith(athieism) and someone else joined the party who
> was playing a priest.  I made some general comments about
> how in order to be fair I should try to disbelieve *every*
> miracle arround me (not overlooking the ones beneficial to 
> me) and pretty much all of the other players and the gm
> criticized me for it and browbeated me into submission.  
> Chalk one up for good roleplaying 8(.

Tell 'em they'll all go to that special corner of Hell for people who
throw role-playing out the window when it isn't convenient for the
group/their character.... 8-)

> I'm sorry this post was so long

No prob - its been a slow day.  I like long posts!


Kansas Jim (jogle@aoc.nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: hudson@dragon.cpe.ulowell.edu (Kevin Maurice Hudson)
Subject:  GM vs Demon
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 19:58:02 GMT

==> On Sat, 21 Nov 92 15:45:14 CST, cpearce@nemesis.acs.unt.edu (Chris Pearce) said:

  CP> Hence, my idea of the ultimate DD slayer -- The Silver Tongue,
  CP> Nile pulp hero with Super Skill: Persuade bought up to
  CP> mind-boggling levels. "Hey, Mister DD, how about you lend me
  CP> your Reality skill for a moment..."

  CP>     1) Act of God (easily eliminated by having Focus boy become
  CP> his sidekick) 

	Or give him Super Skill: Faith (Atheism)

;-}

--
hudson@dragon.cpe.ulowell.edu		uhqfba@qentba.pcr.hybjryy.rqh
Kevin Hudson, Systems Manager		Xriva Uhqfba, Flfgrzf Znantre
Center for Productivity Enahncement	Pragre sbe Cebqhpgvivgl Ranuaprzrag
University of Massachusetts Lowell	Havirefvgl bs Znffnpuhfrggf Ybjryy
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: cwynne@liberty.uc.wlu.edu (Colin J. Wynne)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: Stupid questions
Date: 15 Nov 92 14:08:17 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
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On Sun, 15 Nov 1992, Clinton Richard Wolf wrote:

> -- Clint, so, cash or merchandise? I want feedback, darn it!

It all depends.  Will WEG publish another $300 worth of merchandise worth
buying, and how badly do you need cash right now?

CJW

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
  =====  Colin J. Wynne                     Washington & Lee University  =====
  =====  cwynne@liberty.uc.wlu.edu              Lexington, Virginia      =====
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: "Colin J. Wynne" <cwynne@liberty.uc.wlu.edu>
Subject: Re: Ravagons
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 07:06:28 GMT

On Mon, 16 Nov 1992, the Smooge wrote:

> ... and ravagons are NOT munchkin characters ...

I agree.  My last game featured a Ravagon SK and threem Ravagon bad guys. 
The SK was very useful (mostly because her player has a roll again
expectation of about 1/3), and the Rav bad guys (who were, of course,
nasty) were really potent.

One of the players told me afterward that he was convinced the whole party
was going to bite it fighting the Ravagons.  That made me feel all warm
and fuzzy inside.

CJW

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
  =====  Colin J. Wynne                     Washington & Lee University  =====
  =====  cwynne@liberty.uc.wlu.edu              Lexington, Virginia      =====
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Rick Jones <albert@crick.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu>
Subject: Re: You did WHAT to WHOM?!?
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 19:50:55 GMT

> I can't blame the poor guy... but he's gonna be REAL ticked come December...
> Who do you suppose he'll try to kill first: Thratchen, Mara, or Decker
> (he IS still alive.  I have not seen CONCLUSIVE proof of his death yet!)?

	"Mister Gaunt Man, you've just escaped a two year reality storm.
What are your going to do next?"
	"I'm going to Disneyland!"
	From the next pulse-pounding module from WEG: "It's a Small Cosm,
After All."

	Actually, I'd guess the GM is going to have enough to do with 
maintaining order among the Horrors and rooting out traitors in the Hellion
Count to deal with the stormers immediately.  But as soon as that
is done, I can see him finding those pesky stormers and doing WICKED things
to them. 

-- 
Rick Jones				Systems Support Center
albert@bcm.tmc.edu			Baylor College of Medicine
Voice: 713-798-7352			standard disclaimers apply
		Don't flame me because I'm beautiful.
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Robert Link <link@lcopt.physics.fsu.edu>
Subject: Flintlocks vs. bows
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 17:41:08 GMT

	
	I don't CARE if it can be set off by heat, or explosions, or saurkraut, 	or
	bango drums, or happy pogo sticks!  It's a USELESS weapon.  A bow has a
	lower tech axiom, does between (circa) 14 and 18 damage, and it can be 		used
	more than once without spending a round to reload!  A flintlock may not 	be
	widely used in Aysle, but it was supposed to have made armor useless 		(after the
	longbow did, of course).  I'd like to see a flintlock SCRATCH someone in 	plate
	mail (toughness between 13 and 18) without cards and possibilities being 	sunk
	into the action.  It's a WEAPON dammit, not just a minor inconvenience 		for
	those who are hit by it.
	     Of course, other pistols (until tech 24) are not much better, 		either.
	

  Bows are supposed to be more damaging than early firearms.  The primary
advantage of the firearms was that they required *much* less training to use
and were cheaper to maintain.  For a king raising an army, this was an 
important consideration; for a small group of highly skilled individuals (e.g.
party of Storm Knights (TM)) this is not really a factor (and thus, you should
see comparatively few Storm Knights toting flintlocks)

  Now, as for the fact that most pistols below tech 24 don't do anything 
approaching realistic damage, that is a uniform problem throughout Torg. 
Apparently, the designers had a very low opinion of both melee weapons (a 
two handed sword should do more damage than any except a fully automatic
firearm!) and small firearms (as you put it, they are, at most, inconvenient).

  My guess is that this was a deliberate move to make common weapons less 
deadly for the PC's.  Unfortunately, this results in many players falling into
the "Big Gun syndrome", where they feel that if they are using anything less
than a minigun, then they are underarmed.

	
	
	
-rpl

Internet:		link@lcopt.physics.fsu.edu
                                       
"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things:  Of shoes and
ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings, of why the sea is boiling hot 
and whether pigs have wings."

Newsgroups: alt.games.torg