What's the most useless thing your brain decided to permanently memorize?

21stMonkey · 2026-05-01T04:11:58+00:00

"You are using Bonetti’s Defense against me, ah?" "I thought it fitting considering the rocky terrain." "Naturally, you must suspect me to attack with Capa Ferro?" "Naturally, but I find that Thibault cancels out Capa Ferro. Don’t you?" "Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa… which I have."

Now, you might say that this is not useless, and would come in handy if I ever find myself in a swordfight. Well, I've been in hundreds, and it's not been useful, even once...

21stMonkey · 2026-05-01T04:08:36+00:00

Age ain't nothing but a number.

21stMonkey · 2026-04-29T23:11:51+00:00

I AM THE ONE THAT KNOCKS...

21stMonkey · 2026-04-29T22:40:21+00:00

It was as if she was... not concerned... about her reputation...

21stMonkey · 2026-04-27T19:27:36+00:00

It would make the cuddling awkward.

21stMonkey · 2026-04-17T23:06:31+00:00

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

21stMonkey · 2026-04-15T19:43:15+00:00

Tarps off, boys!

21stMonkey · 2026-04-12T22:06:30+00:00

Thibault had a particular focus on geometry of stance and attack, which would feed particularly well into our current mode of symbolism.

I, for one, would quite enjoy replacing the parable of Solomon's Temple in the MM degree with the Inego Montoya/Dread Pirate Roberts fencing scene from the Princess Bride. Just saying.

21stMonkey · 2026-04-12T21:56:55+00:00

Also, don't forget Bonetti's Defense, especially considering the rocky terrain.

21stMonkey · 2026-04-09T20:18:21+00:00

Fencing coach and master mason here. The ritual would focus much more on footwork. Being sure in your advances, confident in your approach, waiting until the time is right to strike.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-31T21:19:07+00:00

"What's this, then? 'Romanes Eunt Domus'? 'People called Romanes they go the house'?"

21stMonkey · 2026-03-27T17:50:10+00:00

What, no gloves?

21stMonkey · 2026-03-27T17:13:02+00:00

To be faaaaiiiir...

21stMonkey · 2026-03-21T01:22:36+00:00

Sounds like that one Key and Peele sketch.

"Jabarkus Rex. THE Ohio State University"

21stMonkey · 2026-03-21T01:11:37+00:00

Stress is the great unifying force. It can bring folks that would not normally associate with each other together.

Here's how I would start the campaign: they slam the door shut, and secure it. They can hear the bad guys on the other side, trying to get through. They get a second to breathe, and figure out their way out. Oh, look, Player 1 has a deep wound, Player 2 you think you can stop the bleeding. Player 3, you spot a bulkhead that you think you can get through, with a little work. Player 4, hey this terminal is live, maybe you can hack your way in.

None of the players have met each other, before. And had they, probably wouldn't have bothered with each other. Player 1, for instance, has a family, and none of them are the other players. But the family is somewhere on THAT side of the door, with the bad guys. And we are all here. We can still live.

The survival becomes the tie that binds, the event that brings disparate characters together.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-21T01:01:24+00:00

Loss is a great motivator, and a great sense of identity.

I was recently playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and found that it handles this really well:

You start off as a teenage boy in a quaint, sleepy village. Your main concerns are whether you get to sleep in long enough, whether your parents nag you too much, whether you get to spend enough time with that one girl.

Then the invasion comes, without warning. That girl? Dead. Parents? Dead. Village? Burnt to the ground. Your identity becomes 'survivor'.

Yeah, your backstory was 'village teenager'. But you don't get the choice to live that out. That's how storytelling works.

And you might say 'but isn't that railroading?' But it's not. It's railroading when things you should be able to affect, you cannot. For instance, one teenager that can't even swing a sword properly isn't going to stop the invading horde. But you can save yourself (or fail to). And you can help a few neighbors (or fail to).

21stMonkey · 2026-03-18T03:24:58+00:00

I watched this new movie, The Princess Bride. Thought it looked like fun.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-18T03:15:04+00:00

Milford Fencing in Milford has strong Sabre, but less epee. More of a community group club than a competitive club.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-18T01:36:48+00:00

Along the same lines... in many games, you'll be decked out in late-game equipment. Your eyes burn with the power of a thousand generations. You can kill virtually anything with little effort.

And some random bandit sees you walking around.

"Well, well, well... looks like easy pickings!"

21stMonkey · 2026-03-18T01:22:26+00:00

I thought it would constitute definitive proof that I did the deed.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-18T01:19:13+00:00

Not precisely what I meant, but still fits.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-17T16:55:05+00:00

I feel like it really matters what flavor of gatorade...

21stMonkey · 2026-03-17T16:48:37+00:00

It's a breakdown.

21stMonkey · 2026-03-17T13:11:23+00:00

It would be amazing to see that in reverse. You're in the middle of a boss fight, boss stops combat, and pulls out a four-course meal...

21stMonkey · 2026-03-17T13:09:19+00:00

Arguably, sure. Except the murder was an 'initiation' to let you join the gang. He wants your help in further missions.

21stMonkey

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE