Guest Tek Chaos Posted November 2, 2001 Report Share Posted November 2, 2001 Tekkorin Chaos walks into the Cabaret Room, the absence of a cane in his hand. In its stead two things: a pen and a sword. The pen is of fine qualiltiy and craftmanship. A quill in all forms, its tip carved to a point precise for writing. The feather on the other end, white and pure, is well kept and even groomed. It shows no stain of ink upon its tip. The sword is equally impressive. Emeralds and rubies aligned along the golden hilt, the blade sharp and clean. It gleams in the light a perfect mirror of the sun's beams. It shows no stain of blood upon its edge. The hopeful visitor places these items lightly on a nearby table. Neither of the two tools are unaided. By the pen lies a small jar of a deep black ink. By the sword, its sheath, ready and willing to house the blade. Tek takes a step back, and finds himself a drink. Nothing alcoholic; a respectable study requires a respectable drink. Finding something, tea as it turns out, he returns his gaze to the items placed on the table. "What power unidentified brings the pen so much dominance over the sword? Granted, I am no scholor, nor warmonger. But enough of a man, and mage I suppose may matter, to know the even equallity of these things. "The pen brings order to chaos. A civilized, precise but complicated way to bring about a solution. It is the art of the educated man (and woman). "The sword brings chaos to order. A barbaric, but simplistic and broad way to bring about a solution. It is the art of the powerful man (and woman)." Tek walks over to his table of demonstration, and picks up the pen. In the air, he makes magnificant strokes; swiftly and easily. He is no stranger to it. "Words are infinately durable. With wit and thought, anything is possible in both expression and impression." After a careful gesture of signature, Tek delicately returns the pen to its restful state on the table. He takes a moment to stop all conscience thought and movement to take a drink from his tea and then proceeds to take up the blade in comparison. "Weapons are infinately durable. With fenese and foresight, anything is possible in both action and reaction." He places the blade down next to its sheath and takes another look at the two tools of war and art. "I must then draw the conclusion, unless otherwise corrected (though that I welcome and implore - if that be the right word), that it is in the wielding of the tool that makes it powerful. Nay... even better, it is the owner, not ability to own. "In making this comparison there is only one thing I can be completely sure of: the power of the pen over the sword. Nothing else can I be certain upon my own. My thoughts are to unharnessed. The words speak truth, but so may the blade. It is a paradox one may fall into if not carefull, and a risk I am willing to explore but not to adventure in, at least for now." Despite the former spiel, a smile comes to Tek's lips after taking a moment to finish his drink. "But I think, I am beginning to see why... The Pen is Mightier than the Sword." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peredhil Posted November 2, 2001 Report Share Posted November 2, 2001 Peredhil muses on the example given and nods thoughtfully. The Sword... In consideration, the Sword has a commanding presence in the immediate short-term reality, with obvious implications in the long-term such as maiming or death. To remain the beautiful and lethal weapon it is, it requires loving care and maintainance. Yet the Pen... When skillfully wielded, it can influence in the present and presence and also over thousands of miles, change hearts and minds, reveal or obfusicate reality, and endure untouched hundreds of years to eventually flower as fresh and applicable as when first written. There may be a time and a place for both. Many Scholars have also been Warriors as well. As in so many things, context is essential. Peredhil sips his Starvation Spring bottle of water and broods on the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwaihir Posted November 3, 2001 Report Share Posted November 3, 2001 I (Myth) have to comment: "the Sword has a commanding presence in the immediate short-term reality" Why can weapons not have a long term effect? One can read histories about the deeds of viking warriors, that's long term. Napoleon? I think he has had a long term presence on the western world. ~Myth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Minta Rose Posted November 4, 2001 Report Share Posted November 4, 2001 Swords decide who die; pens decide who live. The purest sword-user would be feral, attacking everyone weaker and surrendering to everyone stronger. Whoever doesn't has felt the influence of a pen. The purest pen-user would be indifferent, engaging opponents whether weaker or stronger. Whoever doesn't has felt the influence of a sword. --Tzimfemme, the Naked Mage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted November 14, 2001 Report Share Posted November 14, 2001 "...read histories..." Reading is key there. The violence the vikings' swords caused, the wounds made, has all passed and healed. The words the pen gave to that violence live on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myth Posted November 15, 2001 Report Share Posted November 15, 2001 But think off all the things about life that would have been different if that violence had not happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peredhil Posted November 15, 2001 Report Share Posted November 15, 2001 Perhaps violence is the stain in the water, with a drastic impact on color. But communication is the water itself. Writing and Oral communication spread the stain into uniform diffusion. The violences are forgotten unless recorded. And even so, over tens and hundreds, hundreds and thousands of years, what were tramatic violences become mere footnotes in history. If the tree falls without record, does it make a sound? If there were no violently falling tree to fall, there would be nothing to record. But wait - the Pen can record events that didn't happen, and do it so well that it comes alive in the mind of the reader. So the violence of the Pen has more flexibility than the violence of the Sword. Peredhil is so tired, his eyes are crossing. He stops while he still makes the shadow of sense - he hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jechum Posted November 16, 2001 Report Share Posted November 16, 2001 Jechum floats in… Jechum summons a sword to his left hand and a pen in his right. I ask but one simple question, “Why do men think they rule the world?” The sword is a tool that that even a primate understands. The pen is a tool that only the literate can comprehend. “Is the pen mightier than the sword?” is a question only intellects would debate. Jechum floats out… Jechum Newbie, Mage of Shadows the Pen is Mightier than the Sword - Lore Master Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myth Posted November 16, 2001 Report Share Posted November 16, 2001 If I kill someone you didn't know, they never lived for you. Although you can record things that never happened, I can kill things you never recorded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tek Chaos Posted November 18, 2001 Report Share Posted November 18, 2001 An interesting set of suggestions, comparisons, and dare I call them answers. I am glad to have asked the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Katiya Damodred Posted November 24, 2001 Report Share Posted November 24, 2001 The pen can create, whether it be imaginary worlds or true recordings of history, it is all about creation. Deaths may be created with the mighty pen, but it is still a creation. The weilder of the pen brings light with that creation, understanding. They may at times cause confusion, but what is creation without confusion? That is a natural part of existance, so it is to be expected. What does the sword bring? Not life, but death. A sword can only be used for killing. It only harms what the pen may have created; it cannot add to it. Many think to solve conflicts with the sword, and indeed they may partially solve one, but in the end, what does it really accomplish? Nothing. Supposing they kill an enemy; it only brings the killer the hatred of the friends of that enemy. Wars are always followed by peace talks, talks with the pen. It is the pen that ends the war, the pen that that truly finishes it. The pen creates life, and indeed some could say that's what it was made for. The sword brings death, which is clearly what it was made for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Haruchi Posted November 25, 2001 Report Share Posted November 25, 2001 One of the primary insights the Hindus had is embodied in their understanding of the powers and interplay of three deities; Bramha, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver and Shiva, the destroyer. My point? The subject is an interesting dichotomy, but that's all it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myth Posted November 25, 2001 Report Share Posted November 25, 2001 In Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder,and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had 500 years of democracy and peace -- and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock. -- from the movie "The Third Man" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted November 27, 2001 Report Share Posted November 27, 2001 Is there a problem with discussing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted November 28, 2001 Report Share Posted November 28, 2001 I think he meant from the vantage point of the two, actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Minta Rose Posted November 28, 2001 Report Share Posted November 28, 2001 The plane is no more stable than the line. Haruchi is working from three fixed points, the discussion from two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jechum Posted November 28, 2001 Report Share Posted November 28, 2001 I don't think so I am not. Jechum Newbie, Mage of Shadows the Pen is Mightier than the Sword - Lore Master Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SwordV Posted January 7, 2002 Report Share Posted January 7, 2002 They say those who can master the Sword shall become one... or one with it... Sword-V, Online Gamer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts