The Wendersnaven

[Rosbjerg]

After playing NWN 2 for a while, the Wendersnaven keeps being mentioned - and from it's desriction I couldn't help but to think of Lewis Carroll's The hunting of the Snark ..

 

The Snark is a creature that a group of "adventures" sets out to find - but no one has any clue how it looks, what it is, or even where it is... Everyone has an opinion on it though..

 

They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;

 

They pursued it with forks and hope;

 

They threatened its life with a railway-share;

 

They charmed it with smiles and soap.

 

 

It might just be me that sees a link where none is though (the above has obviously nothing to do with the Wendersnaven of NWN, but nonetheless it described much in the same manor - no one really knows anything)..

 

 

Edit: Random knowledge: Lewis Carroll uses the word "Vorpal" in his poem "Jabberwocky" as a decription of a deadly sharp weapon - which is the same in AD&D, which in turn let me to think that this Wendersnaven was a reference to his work as well..

Edited May 7, 2007 by Rosbjerg

[Enoch]

Edit: Random knowledge: Lewis Carroll uses the word "Vorpal" in his poem "Jabberwocky" as a decription of a deadly sharp weapon - which is the same in AD&D, which in turn let me to think that this Wendersnaven was a reference to his work as well..

I don't know anything about the Snark/Wendersnaven connection, but Carroll invented lots of words in his writing-- "vorpal" being one of them-- that have made their way into mainstream (and niche D&D nerd) use.

 

If you're interested, there is an excellent volume called The Annotated Alice that details the influences, references, and consequences of Carroll's most famous work. The same author has also done an Annotated Snark, which I have not read.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Enoch

[Rosbjerg]

Very interested! .. I hadn't heard about either of them! thanks for the info.. I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

[Tale]

I take it you've never heard of Snipe hunting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snipe_hunt

[taks]

snipes are actual creatures, however.

 

taks

[Walsingham]

I particularly like the way the Carroll satirises political leadership by having the Bellman respond to practically every crisis on the mission by standing around ringing a bell.

 

Anyway, just be glad NWN2 doesn't contain a wenderboojum. Then we should all softly and suddenly vanish away.