Books by Peter Tarkulich
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Buy it at
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Google Play
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The First Bardsworth Collection
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The Second Bardsworth Collection
PDF Download - $3.99
Comics from the future!
In other news, “Magic” the reason everything always speaks english.
“A wizard did it.”
I was almost hoping for something more “interesting”, but it makes a lot of sense story wise for that to be the case. He seems to be playing the role of bad guy in the story, but he doesn’t really seem all that evil
I don’t believe in “evil” bad guys. 😉
Wah? All that build up, and it’s just a helpful translation spell? Odd…
Honestly, I wasn’t going for build-up. Rayner just needed Prof. Merrit to be on the same page, and with the once-a-week update it made for unintentional build-up.
That’s a nice idea, and I’m happy that you didn’t left that language problem without an explanation. It only leaving a question about understanding between Mike’s parents and Fitzpot and others.. I’m sure you will explain that one too, though 🙂
actually, this explains how they were able to go to mike’s world and understand everything said there. the spell doesn’t have a time limit for when it runs out. and it just translates mike’s language, not Mike himself. Clever.
That explains how Fitzpot and others were able to understand Mike’s parents, but it does not explain how Mike’s parents were able to understand Fitzpot and others…
It’s also possible that puns may translate poorly. Words that sound similar or even identical in one language might not sound even remotely similar in another. Good thing Mike’s not much of a punster…
So it’s the Bardsworth equivalent of the TARDIS’s translation circuit, that somehow still works for the Doctor and the other characters no matter how far they are from the TARDIS but doesn’t help, say, miscellaneous Earthlings from different countries understand each other. Heh. Fair enough, Pete, fair enough. And it probably beats a fish in the ear.
NOTHING beats a fish in the ear. 😉
Great, you created a magical virus. A grimble is totally going to get a hold of that spell and use it to spread his magical curse to everyone, and they’ll have to go in with silence spells and nuke the whole area, Shuten Doji style…
So, how did Mike’s parents understand people from their world when they came to visit?
Because apparently it’s the magical plague, and it spreads to anyone Mike comes into contact with. Nothing wrong there, right?
I assume this must mean that Fitzpot should also be aware of this enchantment, as he should be clever enough to know that the languages of the worlds would not be the same. This would lead me to think that he would get curious and check Mike for enchantments of this nature.
Something tells me that while he is telling the truth… He isn’t telling the whole truth. And his answers are leading. He is quite good at bringing the conversation where he wants it. Bardic training for you I would guess.
Also how does that answer apply to written language? They probably don’t even use the same alphabet, or for all we know they don’t even USE a phonographic alphabet. (Pictography or Hieroglyphics instead for instance) So whatever he writes would be absolute gibberish once the spell wore off of the other person.
But does the spell ever wear off on the other person? Perhaps it’s transmitted by Mike’s writing as well…
It says in the comic that the copy is limited duration on the other person…
No, it just says “a limited duplicate”. He doesn’t specify what’s limited about it.
What’s in it for Rayner?
Being able to talk to Mike, for starters.
Rayner wanted Mike here, presumably because he is a tri-magus. He’s “quite possibly the key to [his] research.” Mike can’t really be that key if he doesn’t have the know how to actively or passively channel whatever magic Rayner needs him to perform. Which means Mike will need his magical education. Mike can’t GET that education if people can’t understand him or he understand them.
wait how could Mike’s family understand Fawn and Kris? meh…..i’ll just chalk it up to a plot hole…..every great story has a few!
So…the Babel fish virus! cool!
meanwhile, back in the 21st century, the demand for translation classes plummets…
I’m guessing by “limited duplicate” that means it functions the same except it doesn’t cast copies of itself.