#uberwald

[somewhere-south-of-neutral]

You guys are all aware that Uberwald is Transylvania translated from Latin to German, right?

If not, this has been a Pratchett Pun PSA

[pratchettquotes]

"Let me see if I've got this right," said Vimes. "Uberwald is like this big suet pudding that everyone's suddenly noticed, and now with this coronation as an excuse we've all got to rush there with knife, fork and spoon to shovel as much on our plates as possible?"

"Your grasp of political reality is masterly, Vimes. You lack only the appropriate vocabulary."

Terry Pratchett, The Fifth Elephant

[vivid-and-void]

Refined an older work with colorpencils.

[valiantlyfuriousearthquake]

It's that time again! Another Discworld book finished. This time, it was "The Fifth Elegant".

I must admit, it was a different Guard book, that's for sure, and not only because it takes place outside of Ankh-Morpork, but because it seems to have a way different pace and setting. The Überwald underlying politics of the struggle for power between Werewolves and the Dwarves, with the Vampires watching over.

But it also speaks greatly of another thing. Breaking the tradition, be it one way or another. Take for instance Cheery. She broke dwarven tradition, by simply being herself, and we have on the opposite side of the coin Wolfgang, who also in its way broke the Tradition, while adhering to "it".

It's a struggle between the past and the future being caught up in the present's garden, and, of course, Vimes was caught in the middle of it all. Angua's conflict with her own family, for example.

I have to admit, I cried with Gavin's result, with Gaspode's words, and the howl he gave.

Dee, as well, broke my heart. To be able to commit what one thinks is a high treason because of Tradition, because some have the freedom or bravery that one hasn't... It's heartbreaking. To feel bottled up to the point in which one does t know what to do.

And in the end, Cheery is merely happy with knowing she can be herself if she so chooses.

Wolves only look for the future.

And now, off to read Night's Watch.

[tigergingicat]

Just found a thing in The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett that tickled me:

The news got back home: There’s money to be made in Ankh-Morpork, bring the kids. You don’t need to bring the garlic though, because all the vampires work down at the kosher butchers’.

Just, that's the perfect job for a vampire willing to subsist on ruminant blood rather than human.

[dimity-lawn]

—Terry Pratchett, Raising Steam

[miss-shotover]

Discworld hot (?) take:

Inigo Skimmer is kinda sexy. Rest in peace you spooky little ✨ scholarship boy. ✨

[chinesegal]

When I compared Discworld vampires to the ones in Vampire: the masquerade on reddit, I received the response that "Discworld's vampires wouldn't fit in VtmB, but the same is true the other way around (for one thing, Granny would hunt them down and obliviate them.)"

And while I agree, one part of me does wonder about what kind of potential there is in a crossover where a vtm vamp does enter the DW world and somehow finds a way to survive there, how they would interact with the inhabitants and how life in such a different place would change them.

Many vtm vampires aren't evil for no reason-there are many factions that have developed philosophies and moral systems which are very different from what normal humans consider to be "good" or "normal". For example, the Path of Metamorphosis forbids being concerned about mortals or heeding the needs of others, and commands you to alter your physical form.

The Kuei-Jin are Vtm's take on vampires from Asian folklore. mixed with horror films and anime. They are created created when the souls of people sent to hell escape into the mortal world and possess their own bodies, and now have to "redeem" themselves from their past sins in various ways, from refining their powers to following various philosophies called Dharma.

Uberwald is based off Hammer horror movies, and I thought it would've been wonderful if Pratchett was into Asian horror films too and chose to include asian-inspired vampires into his story.

If there is one person who could succesfully pull off a story which pokes fun at the "Asian vs the West" culture clash trope it would be the late pterry (GNU).

The Howl of the Devil-Tiger are Kuei-Jin whose ideology is inflicting pain for the greater good-they see pain as cleansing, and using the analogy of a doctor who removes necrotic tissue, they keep Creation healthy by acting as vigilantes who punish evil-doers, but are also sadomasochists who enjoy inflicting pain on themselves too.

[megapodius]

[pratchettquotes]

"But since you raise the subject, Moist, what were you doing with your life before the citizens of Ankh-Morpork greeted you with open palms?"

"Surviving," said Moist. "In Uberwald the old empire was breaking up. It was not unusual for a government to change twice over lunch. I worked at anything I could to make a living. By the way, I think you meant 'arms' back there."

"And when you got here you impressed the gods so much that they led you to a treasure trove so that you could rebuild our post office."

"I'm very humble about that," said Moist, trying to look it.

Terry Pratchett, Making Money

[the-witchhunter]

"This is Ankh-Morpork, you know. We've got extra pronouns here." from “Feet of Clay” is such a fucking baller line to drop

Angua Von Überwald really said trans rights and took her new bestie to a gay bar

[snippit-crickit]

colored sketch of angua from discworld,,, i love werewolves so much theyre awesome AWOOOOOOO

go girl,,,

[anthropomorphique]

the scone of stone is real???? hahaha

The Stone of Destiny being transported from Edinburgh Castle for the coronation of Charles III.

[wellplayed-tp]

Re-reading Jingo for the umpteenth time, I've always known the whole "second bowman" concept was a reference to the JFK assassination but I've never put two and two together on some of the other references, the two main ones being that Snowy Slopes fired from the back storage rooms of the UU library, a storage room filled with textbooks, a reference to the Texas school book depository.

And the second reference actually made me groan. Angua and Carrot meet up with a Gnoll named stoolie, a regular informant of the watch. I believe this is the first time we actually meet a gnoll in the discworld series, seems like a random inclusion in the story. Then i realised.

In the UK police informants are commonly known as a "Grass"

So stoolie... is a "Grassy Gnoll"

God damnit STP, still taking me to school.

[dimity-lawn]

[inquissien]

Angua with big hair and a little bonus Errol.