Adages from the desert dunes...

[Incognito]

Desert dwellers do not possess luxuries. They use tents of hair, or houses of wood or clay, unfurnished. They had shade and shelter, nothing else. Their food is either raw or little prepared, save that it may have been touched by fire.
- The Muqaddimah of IBN KHALDUN

Victories often have hidden causes. Muhammad said, "War is trickery." A proverb says, "A trick is worth more than a tribe."
- The Muqaddimah of IBN KHALDUN

The greatest number of marauders are found on the borders of the cultivated districts. The desert itself is safer.
- BAEDEKER'S Palestine and Syria

Since desert life is clearly the source of bravery, the more savage the group, the more brave, and the more able to defeat other peoples and take from them their possessions.
- The Muqaddimah of IBN KHALDUN

The bare necessities are basic; luxuries are secondary. Thus, Bedouins are basic, prior to cities and sedentary people.
Bedouins are clearly nearer to goodness than are sedentary people.
- The Muqaddimah of IBN KHALDUN

The arts are well established in a city only after sedentary culture has a long duration there.
- The Muqaddimah of IBN KHALDUN

The traveller should be on his guard against the thievish propensities of beggars.
BAEDEKER's Palestine and Syria

[Delirium]

Very awesome.

[sjanimal]

Very cool.

[DustMight]

May the fleas of a thousand kanks nestle in your armpit.
  - me

[DustMight]

Sand from the North, storm is short.
Sand from the South, stay in the house.

[a strange shadow]

Holy mon un nilaz dead thread, batman!

[Voular]

An opponent worthy of rising from the dead, my friends!

[Incognito]

Some more desert wisdom - anonymous bedouin sayings:

At the narrow passage, there is no brother and no friend.

He who shares my bread and salt is not my enemy.

I against my brother, I and my brother against our cousin, I, my brother and our cousin against the neighbours, all of us against the foreigner.

The lightly burdened will be saved.

When you sleep inside, your thoughts are as high as the ceiling, when you sleep outdoors, your thoughts are as high as the stars.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

"Keep red Fred in the shed."


Oh wait.

That's a compass.

[spicemustflow]

Some more desert wisdom - anonymous bedouin sayings:

At the narrow passage, there is no brother and no friend.

He who shares my bread and salt is not my enemy.

I against my brother, I and my brother against our cousin, I, my brother and our cousin against the neighbours, all of us against the foreigner.

The lightly burdened will be saved.

When you sleep inside, your thoughts are as high as the ceiling, when you sleep outdoors, your thoughts are as high as the stars.

These are so cool.

[musashi]

I agree!

[WarriorPoet]

The Sun!
Rays that have wander'd into darkness wide,
Return! And back into your sun subside.

From Omar Khayyam's Bird Parliament. Always reminded me of the Desert.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Zalanthanized ancient chinese proverb I once read and wrote down specifically for this very reason:

A hawk and a scorpion meet each other at the edge of a great ravine.

The scorpion asks, "Hawk, will you carry me on your back across this gap?" to which the hawk responds, "How do I know you won't sting me if I put you on my back?"

The scorpion thinks a moment, then says, "If I do, we'll both fall and die."

Seeming satisfied, the hawk loads the scorpion onto his back and together they soar over the canyon. Half way across the scorpion buries his stinger into the hawk's back.

As he begins to fall, the hawk asks, "Scorpion, but why?"  The scorpion responds, "Because it is my nature."


A proverb about self-destructive qualities, and self-sabotage.

[musashi]

The one I heard was a bit different ...

It was a scorpion and a horse and a river. And kind of the same story except the scorpion said because we'll both drown.

Then when the horse asked why, the scorpion said: Because ... I can swim.

Too much water for Zalanthas though.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Yeah, this one was a frog and a scorpion, and a river. As I said, I Zalanthanized it. Other than the frog and the river it's the same.

As far as "because I can swim?" That doesn't make any sense to me, cause I don't think scorpions can swim. Even so, that would be a good one to mold into a proverb about deception. As I've said, the above one was about self-sabotaging characteristics. Biting the hand that feeds, and so forth. I found it funny cause when I read it I wrote it down because I thought it would be awesome to say one day IG.

[musashi]

I had always thought it was about deception :-)

One of my favorites is an Africian one.

"When deeds speak, words are nothing."

Oh!!!! And I just remembered a SWEET phrase that would suit Zalanthas really well.

(adapted from an Italian proverb)

"Once the game is over ... the templar and the sand dune both go back in the same box."

[WarriorPoet]

Better to live one day as a Bynner, than a thousand years as a bard.

-WP bows.

[FantasyWriter]

Better to live one day as a Bynner, than a thousand years as a bard.

-WP bows.

em applauds even though he loves bards.

[Potaje]

running in circles, like a krath struck gortok chasing its tail.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove any doubt."

TWAIN BABY, TWAIN!


"The tallest tree attracts the axe."
~ Sounds like a northerner's way of saying, 'if you flaunt it, we'll cut it off.'

[Nile]

When walking the desert and confronted by another humanoid, first ask them to step aside, if not, destroy them.

Maybe I'm getting confused with something out of the Necronomicon :/

[Pale Horse]

Zalanthanized ancient chinese proverb I once read and wrote down specifically for this very reason:

A hawk and a scorpion meet each other at the edge of a great ravine.

The scorpion asks, "Hawk, will you carry me on your back across this gap?" to which the hawk responds, "How do I know you won't sting me if I put you on my back?"

The scorpion thinks a moment, then says, "If I do, we'll both fall and die."

Seeming satisfied, the hawk loads the scorpion onto his back and together they soar over the canyon. Half way across the scorpion buries his stinger into the hawk's back.

As he begins to fall, the hawk asks, "Scorpion, but why?"  The scorpion responds, "Because it is my nature."


A proverb about self-destructive qualities, and self-sabotage.

Heard something similar to this, only a Native American story.

Was a boy out hunting in a high mountain, when he came across a rattle snake in the snow.  The snake asks the boy to carry it down to the warm below and the boy replies that he will not, since the snake will bite him.  The snake says no, blah, blah, boy goes down, snake bites him, boy asks why and snake says "You knew my nature when you picked me up".

[evil_erdlu]

The scorpion and frog? "Kelile and Dimne" from Beydeba. The snake and the horse? "Mesnevi" from Mevlana..

[Kol]

I once read a really beautiful story from indian folklore (the country, not the peoples)

Kinda long to copy into here, but basic gist goes like this:

Prince in forest, meets amazingly beautiful woman;
Prince tells amazingly beautiful that she will become his wife, woman refuses;
Prince forces woman to become his wife;
Prince slowly falls in love with woman over the years, woman continues to hate prince, constantly asking to be set free;
Prince denys woman many times, woman suddenly turns nto geisha, one of the gods, and strips him of everything;
when asked why the god decived the prince, god replies "Not everything is at it seems, you took me for looks, and kept me because of pride and misplaced love, and because you thought you were above evryone" Prince lives as a beggar forever after.

Think the moral of that one is a resounding no-one is above the law.

[Jdr]

Except nobles.

[musashi]

Nobles aren't above the law ... templars are.

[Potaje]

I think not even Templars, though They would quietly deal with there own and none would be the wiser.


No One Is Above The Sun Kings Law

[musashi]

Tek is. 

[musashi]

Trust one who seeks the truth; not one who claims to have it.

[Potaje]

She is so turned on, she gushes like the floods of Tuluk, wet and smelly.

[Fool]

Yeah, this one was a frog and a scorpion, and a river. As I said, I Zalanthanized it. Other than the frog and the river it's the same.

As far as "because I can swim?" That doesn't make any sense to me, cause I don't think scorpions can swim. Even so, that would be a good one to mold into a proverb about deception. As I've said, the above one was about self-sabotaging characteristics. Biting the hand that feeds, and so forth. I found it funny cause when I read it I wrote it down because I thought it would be awesome to say one day IG.

Apparently some scorpions can (Some even can fly), and others can survive under water for days. I like the "Because I can swim" version. First came across in in the Legend of the 5 Rings RPG.

Altering for Zalanthis you could have it as... A Sorcerer comes to the edge of the Silt Sea and tries to hire a Silt Skimmer, the Captain laughs and says "No, you'll kill me" The Sorcerer replies "But I don't know how to pilot the Skimmer how would I ever get back to land?" the Captain thinks about this for a moment and decides this make sense, takes the Sorcerer's coin and they sail out. As soon as land dissappears over the horizon the Sorcerer begins draining the life from the Captain and his crew. As he is dying the Captain says "Why? You'll drift out here until you starve now!" to which the Sorcerer replies "Ah, but I can fly" and begins to cast.

Hmm not great. Could use some work probably.

Other Arabic proverbs slightly altered:

Death is the black kank (camel) that lies down before everyone, sooner or later we all must ride.

The prey does not leave one water hole until it is sure of another.

Call someone your lord and he will sell you at the slave market.

The wise man will counsel you beleive what you see not what you hear. The desert shows you that you cannot always beleive what you see.

Every sun has to set.

The gortok (dogs) may bark but the caravan moves on.

All sunshine makes a desert.

It is good to know the truth, but it is better to speak of Boabab (palm) trees.

Any water in the desert will do.

In the desert of life the wise person travels by caravan, while the fool prefers to travel alone.

If you are going to dream, dream of the moon but if you are going to steal, steal a kank (camel).

I used to feel sorry for myself becuase I had no shoes until I met a man who was dead (Heh. This ones Persian, the shoes reference makes it very Armageddon)

Do not drink from the water hole then throw a stone into it.

Trust in Tek (God) but tie your kank (camel).

Do not cut down the tree that gives you shade.

Your life is a tree, casting shade outwards (I have NFC what this one even means).

I am a prince, you are a prince. Who shall lead the kanks? (camels)

The best memory is one that forgets nothing but injuries, write of the good in stone, and the bad in the sand.

What is brought by Whira (the wind) shall be carried away by Whira (the wind).

The fool is thirsty in the midst of water.

A shelter can't be made for a Sandstorm that has passed.

The first kank (camel) in the train holds everyone up, but it is the last that gets the beating.

[Potaje]

Your life is a tree, casting shade outwards (I have NFC what this one even means).

This one refers to a persons life being an ever growing tree. A tree as it grows creates a larger shadow, the shadow a metaphor to experience, influence, history of ones life.

[Ghost]

I used to feel sorry for myself becuase I had no shoes until I met a man who  was dead had no feet (Heh. This ones Persian, the shoes reference makes it very Armageddon)

corrected

[musashi]

Good post Fool. I'm gonna a lot of those in game now.

EDIT to add: Also for the sorcerer and the silt skimmer captain I would change it to the sorcerer saying something like: Ah yes, but I can skim. - or something like that ... because a sorcerer who thinks they are going to fly out of the silt, is probably a dead sorcerer 

The silt does funny things to magick, it says so in the helpfiles.

[Kol]

The wise man eats no yellow sand. 


If Tek wont go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Tek. (or valcano, whichever floats your boat.)

Any friends your best friend when your standing in a storm. Provided they don't want your boots.

Everybody has friends, just make sure yours are bigger.

Assumption is the mother of all fuckups.

Sometimes, it's better to be a sheep than a wolf.

Well, pinky, like all true masters of deception, I keep something back to the last minute.

It's not an act of war if you don't get caught. It's a pre-emptive strike.

Lifes a bitch, either you become a bigger bitch or you roll over and die girl.

RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!

[kuhfelsen]

Give a man a tregil, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to hunt, and he will kill you for your boots.

[Potaje]

The wise man eats no yellow sand. 



Sometimes, it's better to be a sheep than a wolf.

Perhaps: Sometimes, it's better to be a tregil than a gortok.

[FantasyWriter]

The wise man eats no yellow sand. 



Sometimes, it's better to be a sheep than a wolf.

Perhaps: Sometimes, it's better to be a tregil than a gortok.

Noobs.... Sometimes, it's better to be an escru than a gortok.

[Winterless]

If Tek wont go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Tek. (or valcano, whichever floats your boat.)

Once, Tek wanted to climb a mountain, so he stared across the horizon into the face of the mountain and it screamed for mercy and sprouted up beneath his feet.

Edited to add:

Gurths were created when Muk stomped a Bahamet in its ass.

When Muk says the line "I'll be back" in the first Terminator movie it is implied that he is going to ask Tek for help.

If a tree falls in the forest, does anybody hear? Yes. Muk hears it. Muk can hear everything. Muk can hear the shrieking terror in your soul.

Tek doesn't believe in ravioli. He stuffs a live scrab with escru meat and smothers it in kryl's blood.

If you can see Muk, he can see you. If you can't see Muk you may be only seconds away from death.

Tek once created a flamethrower by urinating onto a torch.

The leading causes of death in the southern parts of the Known are: 1. Hunger code 2. Tek 3. Noobisms

When Muk gives you the finger, he's telling you how many seconds you have left to live.

Muk recently had the idea to sell his urine as a bottled beverage. We know this beverage as Flame.

Tek can create a rock so heavy that even he can't lift it. And then he lifts it.

[Winterless]

We all know the magick word is "Please" as in "Please! Don't kill me!" Muk doesn't believe in magick.



... I can't stop myself...

When Tek was born, the only person who cried was the midwife. Never slap Tek.

The dark-skinned, mo-hawked man pities the fool. Muk rips the fool's head off.

Guild_Assassin's want to grow up to be just like Muk. But usually they grow up just to be killed by Muk.

Q: How many Tek's does it take to change a light bulb? A: None, Tek prefers to kill in the dark.



And finally, before I have to get ready for work:

Rules of fighting: 1) Don't bring a knife to a magicker fight. 2) Don't bring a magicker to a Muk fight.

[spawnloser]

I think some of these are becoming silly jokes instead of serious adages that people could use in game.  I'd think that in "World Discussion" we could get away from the spammy jokes, guys and gals.

[Incognito]

Some more desert wisdom....


If you have much, give of your wealth, if you have little, give of your heart.
- Tribal saying

When you shoot an arrow of truth, dip it's point in honey.
- Arabic proverb

Insults should be written in sand, compliments should be carved in stone.
- Arabic proverb

Ask the experienced rather than the learned.
- Anonymous

One hand for oneself, and the other for the caravan.
- Anonymous

[Rhyden]

"Nothing is written." - T.E Lawrence

I think it applies well to history, the desert, fate, and ironically enough, text-based rp.

[Winterless]

I would use the ones I posted. I was being totally serious. This -is- Zalanthas. Adages don't have to be all serious. Who knows, maybe on Zalanthas a bit of humor shows wisdom. Kinda makes sense, actually, on such a harsh world for adages to have a bit of humor behind them.

[spawnloser]

Some of them are based on OOC jokes, though, not IC jokes.  I'm just saying.

Edit to add: I didn't think anything was worthy of getting a slapping.  I'm just asking everyone to roll it back a bit is all.

[Rhyden]

If you believe a post is unnecessarily off-topic, you can click 'report to moderator' followed with your reasoning. Otherwise, there's no point adding to the spam.

[kuhfelsen]

"Nothing is written." - T.E Lawrence

I think it applies well to history, the desert, fate, and ironically enough, text-based rp.

I think this would be found irrelevant in an almost completely illiterate world.

[Rhyden]

"Nothing is written." - T.E Lawrence

I think it applies well to history, the desert, fate, and ironically enough, text-based rp.

I think this would be found irrelevant in an almost completely illiterate world.

That's kind of the point.

[Sinna]

Never drink a dead man's water. 
Well, unless you killed him for it.

[Gagula]

Heh, heheheh.
Moded for Zalanthan usage: "You wanna live forever shit-cloaks?!"

[Ashes]

JIHAENS!  WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION!

I'm kidding:

Empty your mug that it may be filled.  As in:

The ragged, braid-bearded man exclaims, in sirihish:
        "Quit pretendin' y'know your ass from a hole in the ground, Runner, an' fuckin' listen!"

[Xagon]

Give a man a fire, and he'll stay warm for a few hours.
Set a man on fire, and he'll stay warm for the rest of his life.
---
Hunt for a man, he stays fed for a few hours.
Teach a man to hunt, he stays fed for the rest of his life.

[HaiWolfe]

It is wise to bring some water, when one goes out to look for water.
  - Arabic proverb

Life is unbearable, but death is not so pleasant either.
  - Assyrian proverb

[Devilb0y]

This Malay proverb seems kind of appropriate:

The language you speak would tell us your race.

Not entirely sure how that's a proverb, but it's certainly suitable.

I've always liked Zig Ziggler's one:

Where you start is not as important as where you finish.

And a cheeky Japanese one:

Not to know is to be a Buddha.

All about acknowledging one's own ignorance in order to gain clarity. Very applicable to newbies such as myself. Obviously needs a bit of Zalanthanisation.