Talk:Book:Pyramids

Pyramids dates itself to the Century of the Cobra (i.e. well over a century before the present) and there isn't much to connect it to the Century of the Fruitbat. The point that Djelibeybi participated in the expedition to subdue Omnia suggests that the story probably predates Small Gods; under Dios they wouldn't likely have emerged from their private universe. However, the faculty of the College of Assassins contains members still found in the C. of the F. and even the Anchovy (e.g.Mericet and Cruces.)
Since the place had been re-cycling time for 7000 years, perhaps it has local anomalies in addition to the general problems of Discworld history, or maybe nobody really knows what time it is any more. Even Dios admitted he didn't remember events, just the rituals. --Old Dickens 15:52, 17 August 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm. On the other hand, though, the very first occassion where Teppic discovered he was superfluous to practical requirements was when the emissaries from Tsort and Ephebe were formally presented to him in the throne room. Here, he discovers that Dios has already dealt with whatever diplomatic negociations were needed, and all he's expected to do is be there and act as ceremonial figurehead. This would suggest that Dios actually does have some sort of practical grasp on the realities of the world outside Djelibeybi, even if it operates on a condescending "barbarian nations" level.

Dios, as keeper of the people of the Djel, might also have an awareness that, regrettably, at this time the Empire is weak and cannot prevent its two powerful neighbours from walking all over it if they fancy a nice little war on somebody else's turf. His priority might well be to accept this regrettable state of affairs - for now - until such a day as Djelibeybi is strong again and its armies can repay this moment's indignity with some righteous smiting and grinding underfoot of enemies underneath jewelled sandal and chariot wheel, et c.

If the events of Small Gods are several hundred years before the consensus "present", then Dios might well have had more substantial armed forces to deploy. Ther same survival tactic that leads him to negociate with armies he cannot beat might well have operated then, in the face of a barbarian enemy such as Omnia, which even he will have noticed has suddenly and catastrophically overthrown barbarian Ephebe and altered the whole balance of power. Hence Djelibeybi's participation in the alliance that sets out to destroy Omnia, lest Vorbis turn his eyes on destroying the Djel valley, its gods, and its priesthood, next. I vaguely recall from the text of Small Gods that the Djlibeybian admiral is aware of having not much of a fleet, though, and his feeling a bit dissappointed at this. (And when Om press-gangs the other Gods into sending a storm, the ships, of course, are first to suffer. Would Djelibeybi have been able to rebuild its Fleet, or would money for pyramids take first priority? Is the High Priest an Offlian?)

Also, I wouldn't mind betting that two dictatorially-minded High Priests like Vorbis and Dios, neither of whom would have brooked the other's way of worship for an instant, would have been very aware of each other's existance and sooner or later a conflict would have arisen. Think Hitler versus Stalin...)--AgProv 10:44, 18 August 2008 (UTC)

Another marketing tie-in

Ye great drats. The Dibbler in me has just stirred again. On the Exclusive Possession page I wondered what the Ankh-Morpork monopoly board would look like (I'd better get on with designing one, as I had the idea first).

Now another great Roundworld boardgame has just surfaced in my head with a Discworld twist... Diplomacy, the one where six players each take the par of one of the power-blocks of Europe in 1907, and by exploiting fast and easily broken alliances, seek to come out as unchallenged regional superpower. Circle Sea Diplomacy, anyone?

You may play as Klatch (Turkey?), Ankh-Morpork (Great Britain?), the Unholy Empire (Germany or Austria?), Quirm/Sto Plains States (France?) Omnia, Ephebe, Tsort, or Djelibeybi on a map of the Circle Sea region.... you saw the idea here first! --AgProv 14:21, 18 August 2008 (UTC)