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Blood and Shadows -- Chapter Five (Yes! I'm still alive!)


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#1 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 03:09 AM

Wow. How long has it been? Two months? Three?

You all have my profoundest apologies for disappearing like that. Besides my computer having managed to get two viruses, thus necessitating the total erasure of my hard drive and reinstalling of EVERYTHING, my cousin was in a really bad motorcycle accident at the beginning of July. He's out of the hospital now, but has been needing full-time care, thus I've not had a lot of time or inclination for anything else. However, he's finally starting to be able to look after himself again, so here I am, slinking back and hoping I haven't been totally forgotten.

Anyway, as an apology of sorts, I've managed to pop out the long-delayed fifth chapter while I was re-downloading all of my mods. It's almost freakishly short, but I have schoolwork that I've been putting off doing. I'll work on chapter six tomorrow. Hope you guys are still able to follow the storyline.

---

Blood and Shadows – Chapter Five



“Sure, kid, we’ll go get your mom.” Easily said. Less easily accomplished. The first obstacle had, of course, been the young guardsmen. He wasn’t all that intimidating, but what he lacked in competence he had more than made up for in fervor.

“You can’t go in there! The area is off limits to civilians!” he protested, holding his arms out wide to block their passage. “Only the agents of the city guard are permitted to enter this tent.”

“Then consider us agents of the guard,” Rinara replied, pushing past him. He made a few weak noises of protest, but allowed them to enter the tent without further contest.

***

The world spun. Shaking off a momentary sensation of dizziness, Rinara found herself in a cool, dim, space. It seemed much too large for the interior of the small, rather shabby-looking tent she had seen from the outside. After allowing her eyes a moment to adjust to the change, she examined her surroundings.

The first thing she noticed was that the entrance to the tent had disappeared. No quick escape that way. She stood not on hard-packed dirt, as she would have expected, but on a floor of cool, smooth marble. The “floor” was actually only a broad bridge spanning a seemingly bottomless void. At the end of the bridge was a multi-colored dome, made of some material she could not identify; it could have been stone, or very smoothly carved wood, or something else entirely. Between her and the arched entrance to the dome stood a Djinni.

Oh. Good. More obscure philosophical questions, I suppose?


“Aha! I see a wayfarer has come to amuse Kalah. You must answer a riddle, naturally, ere I allow you passage over this bridge. Will you hear it?”

“It would be unwise to refuse,” Jaheira murmured in her ear. “Djinn are easily offended and quick to anger.”

Rinara nodded. “Very well, I’ll hear your riddle.” After all, she thought, one of us is bound to be able to answer it correctly.

The Djinni grinned, a mildly frightening expression. “Excellent! Here is your riddle:

'A princess is as old as the prince will be when the princess is twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age. How old, then, are the prince and princess?'"

Rinara’s head spun. Just trying to make sense of the question she was being asked to answer was making her dizzy. She glanced over at Jaheira, who looked to be deep in thought; brow furrowed, she was mumbling and counting on her fingers.

“Minsc has the answer!” Three heads snapped around to regard the smiling berserker.

Unbelievable! Could he actually…?

“'The prince is thirty, and the princess is forty,' says Boo. Minsc has never been good with numbers, but Boo is adamant that this is the answer.”

The Djinni blinked. “That is…correct...mortal. The mighty Kalah respects those with a most agile and quick mind. You and your companions are free to cross, with my blessing.” Still looking bemused, the Djinni disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the smell of sulfur and two very surprised women.

---

Yeah, I know, I cheated with the riddle. However, while I was typing, somehow my PC decided on her own to give the wrong answer, so I didn't get the chance to copy the choices. Sorry.

#2 Guest_RickTaylor_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 03:28 AM

“You can’t go in there! The area is off limits to civilians!” he protested, holding his arms out wide to block their passage. “Only the agents of the city guard are permitted to enter this tent.”

“Then consider us agents of the guard,” Rinara replied, pushing past him. He made a few weak noises of protest, but allowed them to enter the tent without further contest.


I can't imagine the guard putting up much of a fight in a situation like this.




“Minsc has the answer!” Three heads snapped around to regard the smiling berserker.

Unbelievable! Could he actually…?

“'The prince is thirty, and the princess is forty,' says Boo. Minsc has never been good with numbers, but Boo is adamant that this is the answer.”


:twisted:




Yeah, I know, I cheated with the riddle. However, while I was typing, somehow my PC decided on her own to give the wrong answer, so I didn't get the chance to copy the choices. Sorry.


Cheated? I don't see how. (of course any answer where the princes is 4/3 as old as the prince could have been correct)

--Rick Taylor

#3 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 03:57 AM

I can't imagine the guard putting up much of a fight in a situation like this.


Would YOU attempt to keep a grumpy, blue-haired giant from her goal? I think not.


:twisted:


That scene was so much better in my head than on paper. Regardless, I'm glad it provoked a smile.

Cheated? I don't see how. (of course any answer where the princes is 4/3 as old as the prince could have been correct)

--Rick Taylor


Cheated by deliberately making the riddle vague, and hoping it would squeak by. Because I couldn't remember all the choices.

#4 Guest_AlphaMonkey_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 05:01 AM

Besides my computer having managed to get two viruses


Gotta watch what you download. :lol:

thus necessitating the total erasure of my hard drive and reinstalling of EVERYTHING


I actually try to do that once or twice a year. Keeps things tidy.

my cousin was in a really bad motorcycle accident at the beginning of July


Ouch. My sympathies. Good that he's recovering from that, though.

It's almost freakishly short, but I have schoolwork that I've been putting off doing.


Ha. I know -that- feeling. :)

He made a few weak noises of protest, but allowed them to enter the tent without further contest.


Well, gee... remind me never to go to the Athkatla guard for help if I'm getting mugged or something. I mean, really. Yeesh.

Oh. Good. More obscure philosophical questions, I suppose?


Game designers love that stuff. :twisted:

You must answer a riddle, naturally, ere I allow you passage over this bridge.


I like how he says "naturally"... let's not even try to HIDE how cliched this is... :lol: :)

She glanced over at Jaheira, who looked to be deep in thought; brow furrowed, she was mumbling and counting on her fingers.


Yeep. No offense, Jaheira, but when you're forced to resort to counting on your fingers (or worse, toes) you're kinda in some deep trouble, there.

Algebra just doesn't work well with finger-counting.

Minsc has never been good with numbers, but Boo is adamant that this is the answer.


That... is... frightening...

Very... frightening...

:)

#5 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 01:11 PM

Gotta watch what you download. :lol:


Gotta watch what pops up in my junkmail. I got one of those things that pretend to be from somebody in my address book.

I actually try to do that once or twice a year. Keeps things tidy.


Well, I'd been meaning to do it anyway, but it was still a big pain, especially finding out whcih files were infected and had to be got rid of. Like MSWord.

Ouch. My sympathies. Good that he's recovering from that, though.


Yes. He actually made unbelievable progress while in the hospital. It's just that when he got home, he sort of hit a plateau for awhile.

Ha. I know -that- feeling. :)


Yes. It's a familiar sensation of guilt for me. But reallly, why should I have to start school two weeks before my friends, just because I'm homeschooled?

Well, gee... remind me never to go to the Athkatla guard for help if I'm getting mugged or something. I mean, really. Yeesh.


I think they were banking on the fact that nobody would really want to go in there anyway.

Game designers love that stuff. :twisted:


Yeah, why is that? Every game I've ever played, it's riddles and trick questions up to the eyeballs.

I like how he says "naturally"... let's not even try to HIDE how cliched this is... :lol: :)


:)


Yeep. No offense, Jaheira, but when you're forced to resort to counting on your fingers (or worse, toes) you're kinda in some deep trouble, there.

Algebra just doesn't work well with finger-counting.


Nope. Jae has an INT of ten, which is average, but it's a pretty confusing little brain twister there. I just used the strategy guide to get that answer, because my brain can't perform the contortions nevessary to answer it on my own.

That... is... frightening...

Very... frightening...

:)

:D Well, Boo is supposed to be more intelligent than Minsc, right?

#6 Guest_RickTaylor_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 06:02 PM

'A princess is as old as the prince will be when the princess is twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age. How old, then, are the prince and princess?'"


;) Ok, I can’t resist. Perhaps there is another way to do it, but it seems natural to attack this problem using algebra and working from the inside out. To begin with Let

b=Current age of the prince (b stands for “boy”)
g=Current age of the princess (g stand for “girl”)

The first sentence of the puzzle ends “half the sum of their present age.
That would be (b+g)/2

when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age.”
How many years ago was this? Well since her current age is g, this would have been
g - (b+g)/2 years ago.

as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age.”
How old was the prince that many years ago? b - (g-(b+g)/2)

twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age.”
Ok. 2 * (b-(g-(b+g)/2))

when the princess is twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age.”
In how many years will the princess be that old? 2*(b-(g-(b+g)/2))g

as old as the prince will be when the princess is twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age.”
How old will the prince be in that many years? b + (2*(b-(g-(b+g)/2))–g)

A princess is as old as the prince will be when the princess is twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age.”
So the problem tells us the princess is as old as the age given above. In other words, we know that:

g = b+(2*(b-(g-(b+g)/2))–g)

Simplifying gives

g = (4/3) b

In other words, the princess must be 4/3 as old as the prince (so if the princess is 40 and the prince is 30, that works, though it’s not the only solution).

:D Boo is really very clever. I don’t think I could have done that without pencil and paper.

--Rick Taylor

#7 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 08:11 PM

...I couldn't have done that without pencil, paper, and my ninth-grade Algebra teacher. Now I feel really lazy for just using the answer given in the book... ;)

#8 Guest_RickTaylor_*

Posted 23 August 2004 - 08:48 PM

...I couldn't have done that without pencil, paper, and my ninth-grade Algebra teacher. Now I feel really lazy for just using the answer given in the book... :D


;) Don't feel bad; I teach math for a living.

--Rick Taylor

#9 Guest_Winter_Bloom_*

Posted 24 August 2004 - 05:35 PM

Wow. How long has it been? Two months? Three?


You all have my profoundest apologies for disappearing like that. Besides my computer having managed to get two viruses, thus necessitating the total erasure of my hard drive and reinstalling of EVERYTHING, my cousin was in a really bad motorcycle accident at the beginning of July. He's out of the hospital now, but has been needing full-time care, thus I've not had a lot of time or inclination for anything else. However, he's finally starting to be able to look after himself again, so here I am, slinking back and hoping I haven't been totally forgotten.


*hugs* Oh, you sound so caring and of course your family comes first. Glad to see he's mobile again. :)

The world spun. Shaking off a momentary sensation of dizziness, Rinara found herself in a cool, dim, space. It seemed much too large for the interior of the small, rather shabby-looking tent she had seen from the outside. After allowing her eyes a moment to adjust to the change, she examined her surroundings.


Good beginning, speaks to her confusion without going overboard.

“It would be unwise to refuse,” Jaheira murmured in her ear. “Djinn are easily offended and quick to anger.”


Rinara nodded. “Very well, I’ll hear your riddle.” After all, she thought, one of us is bound to be able to answer it correctly.


Good reasoning. :?

More story soon? :D

#10 Laufey

Posted 24 August 2004 - 07:28 PM

Wow. How long has it been? Two months? Three?


You all have my profoundest apologies for disappearing like that. Besides my computer having managed to get two viruses, thus necessitating the total erasure of my hard drive and reinstalling of EVERYTHING, my cousin was in a really bad motorcycle accident at the beginning of July. He's out of the hospital now, but has been needing full-time care, thus I've not had a lot of time or inclination for anything else. However, he's finally starting to be able to look after himself again, so here I am, slinking back and hoping I haven't been totally forgotten.


Oh dear...sounds like your RL has been really awful lately, I'm sorry to hear that. :)


The first thing she noticed was that the entrance to the tent had disappeared. No quick escape that way. She stood not on hard-packed dirt, as she would have expected, but on a floor of cool, smooth marble. The “floor” was actually only a broad bridge spanning a seemingly bottomless void. At the end of the bridge was a multi-colored dome, made of some material she could not identify; it could have been stone, or very smoothly carved wood, or something else entirely. Between her and the arched entrance to the dome stood a Djinni.

Oh. Good. More obscure philosophical questions, I suppose?


Naturally. :?

“Aha! I see a wayfarer has come to amuse Kalah. You must answer a riddle, naturally, ere I allow you passage over this bridge. Will you hear it?”


Rini: It's not like he'll give you much choice, anyway. Just watch out for the elf up ahead...


“Minsc has the answer!” Three heads snapped around to regard the smiling berserker.


Unbelievable! Could he actually…?


“'The prince is thirty, and the princess is forty,' says Boo. Minsc has never been good with numbers, but Boo is adamant that this is the answer.”


The Djinni blinked. “That is…correct...mortal. The mighty Kalah respects those with a most agile and quick mind. You and your companions are free to cross, with my blessing.” Still looking bemused, the Djinni disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the smell of sulfur and two very surprised women.


*grin* Like the touch of letting Minsc...or rather Boo...solve this.
Rogues do it from behind.

#11 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 24 August 2004 - 08:06 PM

*hugs* Oh, you sound so caring and of course your family comes first. Glad to see he's mobile again. :)


Yeah, he's doing a lot better. Still months of physical therapy ahead, but he's going back to work in mid-September; he just won't be out on his bike any time soon. If only they hadn't repealed the helmet law here... :wink:

Good reasoning. :?

More story soon? :D


Yep. I'm kind of getting back into the swing of things, but I'm working on the next few chapters now. They'll be posted probably by this weekend.

#12 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 24 August 2004 - 08:13 PM

Oh dear...sounds like your RL has been really awful lately, I'm sorry to hear that. :?


Nah, it hasn't been that bad. I'm lucky in that during crises, my family really comes together to deal with things.

Naturally. :D


:) Don't they have anything better to do?

*grin* Like the touch of letting Minsc...or rather Boo...solve this.


Hey, the maximum INT score in this party is a 10. I figured even the rodent had to be better at math than Rin.

Rinara: Hey! I'm not that bad! <---Blatant Lie.

#13 Weyoun

Posted 29 August 2004 - 10:47 PM

Wow. How long has it been? Two months? Three?


You all have my profoundest apologies for disappearing like that. Besides my computer having managed to get two viruses, thus necessitating the total erasure of my hard drive and reinstalling of EVERYTHING, my cousin was in a really bad motorcycle accident at the beginning of July. He's out of the hospital now, but has been needing full-time care, thus I've not had a lot of time or inclination for anything else. However, he's finally starting to be able to look after himself again, so here I am, slinking back and hoping I haven't been totally forgotten.


Sounds like you've had a run of bad luck. Glad to see you're back and up your feet again.

“You can’t go in there! The area is off limits to civilians!” he protested, holding his arms out wide to block their passage. “Only the agents of the city guard are permitted to enter this tent.”


“Then consider us agents of the guard,” Rinara replied, pushing past him. He made a few weak noises of protest, but allowed them to enter the tent without further contest.


:twisted: That always works, I suppose.

'A princess is as old as the prince will be when the princess is twice as old as the prince was when the princess’ age was half the sum of their present age. How old, then, are the prince and princess?'"


Erggg... Math sucks. :)

The Djinni blinked. “That is…correct...mortal. The mighty Kalah respects those with a most agile and quick mind. You and your companions are free to cross, with my blessing.” Still looking bemused, the Djinni disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the smell of sulfur and two very surprised women.


LOL! Cool Minsc. :lol:

---


Yeah, I know, I cheated with the riddle. However, while I was typing, somehow my PC decided on her own to give the wrong answer, so I didn't get the chance to copy the choices. Sorry.


Don't worry about it. Welcome back.

---Weyoun
TnT Enhanced Edition: http://www.fanfictio...rds-and-Tempers

---
Sith Warrior - Master, I can sense your anger.

Darth Baras - A blind, comotose lobotomy-patient could sense my anger!

---

"The New Age? It's just the old age stuck in a microwave oven for fifteen seconds" - James Randi

#14 Guest_Yunami_Silverblade_*

Posted 30 August 2004 - 03:47 PM

Sounds like you've had a run of bad luck. Glad to see you're back and up your feet again.


Aww, thanks. Yeah, things are fine...Except that now I have to go back to school! *Sniff* Well, okay, I don't have to actually *go* anywhere...I'm being homeschooled this year! But it's still school.

:twisted: That always works, I suppose.


Yes, well, would you want to try and stop the grumpy, blue-haired giant?

Erggg... Math sucks. :)


Yes! Yes it does! Finally, somebody normal! Everyone else I know loves math...It's really creepy.

LOL! Cool Minsc. :lol:


Hee hee. Truthfully, I've no idea where that came from; my fingers just decided that they wanted Minsc to solve the riddle, so he did.

Don't worry about it. Welcome back.

---Weyoun


Thanks. It's nice to be back.




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