Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki - User contributions [en]

Sconner Nobbs

2010-12-18T17:28:09Z

82.71.1.109: typo

{{Character Data
|title= Sconner Nobbs
|photo= Sconner.jpg|Sconner Nobbs, as drawn by [[User:Knmatt|Matt Smith]]
|name= Sconner Nobbs
|age= middle-aged
|race= [[Human]]

|occupation=
|relatives= Son of [[Slope Nobbs]], married [[Maisie Nobbs]], fathered [[Nobby Nobbs|Cecil Wormsborough St John ('Nobby') Nobbs]] and [[Errol Nobbs]]
|residence= [[Ankh-Morpork]]

|books= mentioned occasionally
}}

Sconner Nobbs was the father of [[Nobby Nobbs]] and spent most of his time in the Tanty - the [[City Watch]] jail. A petty thief and looter, he was also a vicious drunkard who used to beat Nobby - and presumably Errol Nobbs and Mrs Maisie Nobbs too - exceedingly violently as a child. It is said that some of the beatings Nobby received actually broke bones. Nobby's elbow still twinges on cold days - a permanent reminder of his father.

Nobby's most pleasant memory of him is that once, when he was sober for two whole days, he made Nobby a set of wooden soldiers, whose boots came off and whose teeth could be pulled out; essential education for the young Nobbs. He also made the entire family hide in the cellar whenever the Watch came calling.

Considering his vague but unpleasant descriptions, it's little wonder Nobby Nobbs turned out the way he did.

He was known to those closest to him as Number One Suspect.

==Annotation==

The word "sconner" and its variants are not complimentary in [[Roundworld]] Scottish slang - indeed, the [[Nac Mac Feegle]] are on record as having employed this useful vocabulary item (albeit as "scunner"), to denote a rogue, a bully, a reprobate and a generally untrustworthy person.

[[Category:Discworld characters|Nobbs, Sconner]]
[[Category:Human characters|Nobbs, Sconner]]
[[de:Sconner Nobbs]]

Robert Selachii

2010-12-18T17:19:06Z

82.71.1.109: typo

A privileged young man and son of one of [[Ankh-Morpork]]'s most socially prominent [[Lord Selachii|families]]. He was educated at the [[Assassins' Guild]] school, although it is not known whether he is a practicing licenced Assassin.

He was arrested by [[Samuel Vimes]] and brought before the [[Patrician]] for "not knowing his right from his wrong. Or his left." The arrestable offence was apparently one of having inflicted GBH on his manservant for negligently setting out his boots the wrong way round, so that young Selachii got them on the wrong feet. This so enraged Robert that he took a whip to the hapless valet, something which would have gone unremarked in previous years as "a fella's right to beat his own servant for being bone idle, what". But these are newer times: Vimes seized the opportunity to make an arrest, no doubt to reinforce the new rule of law to slow learners, the one that says ''nobody'' is above the law and ''nobody'' is privileged. A point of view reinforced by [[Vetinari]] (a man who himself was twice formally arrested by Vimes.)
[[Category:Human characters|Selachii, Robert]]
[[Category:Discworld characters|Selachii, Robert]]
[[de:Robert Selachii]]

Thaumatological Park

2010-12-18T14:05:14Z

82.71.1.109: typo

A recent development of the [[Unreal Estate]] which serves to earn money for the [[Unseen University|University]] by selling commercially useful by-products of research magic. It is so new that the modern flat-roofed buildings, winners of several awards from the [[Guild of Architects]], haven't ''begun'' to let in water, nor shed window panes in a breeze. An attempt has been made to pretty the place up by landscaping and planting trees, but this is spoilt by the fact that many of the trees have walked away to find less magically-charged ground to plant their roots in, and in any case a lot of the grass is vividly coloured in any shade but green.

[[Archchancellor]] [[Ridcully]] formally opened the Park with a speech about ''the marriage between magic and modern business. After all, the modern world doesn't need many magic swords and magic rings, but it does need some way to keep its appointments in order. Lot of garbage, really, but I suppose it keeps everyone happy. Is it time for that lunch yet?''

It is possible that the University values the Park for more than just the money it undoubtedly earns. With an increasing number of graduate wizards having passed through the hands of [[Ponder Stibbons]] and the [[High Energy Magic Building]], this is a way of keeping the clever, keen, young buggers productively employed, and which diverts their attentions into something useful, rather than for instance harbouring thoughts that one day, a wizard of the Stibbons inclination might become Archchancellor...

Senior wizards call all this sort of thing ''technomancy'', and sleep better in their beds at night in the knowledge that Stibbons and the younger more energetic wizards are less likely to be sleeping in ''theirs''.

A major fruit of thaumatological business is the [[Dis-organiser]] in its various marks. A new concept is the technomantic shaving device, where all the user has to do is to hold it up to his chin, and a tiny demon inside will trim ''every'' hair at ''very'' high speed with an exceptionally small pair of scissors. [[Samuel Vimes]] does not like this idea and has flatly refused to let Sybil buy him one. The external observer can see a situation where the next development will have ''two'' imps inside the shaver and the advertising line will be "shaves faster and closer than one!"
[[Category:Locations]]
[[Category:Ankh-Morpork Businesses]]
[[de:Thaumatologischer Park]]

Five-and-Seven Yard

2010-12-18T13:23:17Z

82.71.1.109: typo

Written as '''[[57|Five & Seven Yard]]''' in the city [[Book:The Streets of Ankh-Morpork|mapp]], this is a square in the center of a small industrial area between the [[Isle of Gods]] and the residential area of [[Ankh (city)|Ankh]], next to the [[Apothecary Gardens]].

== Known Businessess ==

*[[Thomas Stronginthearm]]'s workshop
*A dwarf maker of shaving mirrors patronised by Commander Vimes
*Bob Hotley's paper re-cycling operation
*Seven Peccadilloes Pub
*Mr Fakenthorn's Flea Market

[[Category:Streets of Ankh-Morpork]]
[[de:Fünf-und-Sieben-Hof]]

Umnian Golems

2010-12-18T00:04:50Z

82.71.1.109: typo

The [[Golems]] of [[Umnia]] differ rather significantly from the usual, run-of-the-mill golems usually found in [[Ankh-Morpork]] and surrounding areas in that they are not baked from clay. They were discovered by [[Adora Belle Dearheart]] on one of the missions of the [[Golem Trust]] after a working golem heard the mind of one lifted in song far from Ankh-Morpork. Initially it was thought, due to a mistranslation that the golems were made out of gold, (The initial translation was ''"4 golden golems"'') however it was later revealed that there were actually ''4,000 golems''. She got them to come to Ankh-Morpork where no-one could get them to do anything until [[Moist von Lipwig]] prevailed upon the spirit of Professor [[Flead]] to translate for him, whereupon he marched them (and their marvellous [[Golem Horses]]) out of the city and got them to bury themselves again. He then proceeded to put Ankh-Morpork on the ''Golem Standard''.

The golems, originally brought to a "life" of servitude in Umnia thousands of years ago, were so efficient at doing ''everything'' that the Umnians never even invented the wheel. However as [[Hubert Turvy]] pointed out, getting them to do everything in Ankh-Morpork would put tens of thousands out of work, leading to no-one being able to buy anything, leading to shops going out of business, leading to irretrievable economic breakdown. This presumably is why [[Lord Vetinari]] lifted nary a finger to stop Moist's burial of them all. Besides, they're always there should the need arise...

[[Category:Discworld culture]]
[[de:Goldene Golems]]

Anoia

2010-12-18T00:03:58Z

82.71.1.109: typo

{{Character Data
|title= Anoia
|photo=
|name= Anoia
|age= Infinite
|race= [[The gods|Deity]]

|occupation= Goddess of Things That Get Stuck in Drawers
|appearance= Human woman smoking a cigarette

|residence=

|death=
|parents=
|relatives=
|children=
|marital status=

|books=
|cameos= ''[[Book:Going Postal|Going Postal]]'', ''[[Book:Making Money|Making Money]]'', ''[[Book:Wintersmith|Wintersmith]]''
}}
Goddess of Things That Get Stuck in Drawers, a minor [[the gods|goddess]] on the [[Discworld (world)|Discworld]]. When someone rattles a drawer and cries "How can it close on the damned thing but not open with it? Who bought this? Do we ever use it?", even though the person might be genuinely irritated or even exasperated, it is as praise unto Anoia. Faithful Anoians (worshippers of Anoia) purposefully rattle their drawers and complain every day. Anoia also finds objects that roll under other objects and things stuck in sofa cushions, and is considering handling stuck zippers. She eats corkscrews.

Anoia's following increased during the events of ''[[Book:Going Postal|Going Postal]]'', though few of them are likely to remain sincere. Since she draws belief from unintentional drawer-rattlers across the Disc, it is possible that Anoians are not her primary power base. Even so, in the soap-opera "Heat Magazine" world of the Gods, Anoia is tipped for stardom: the coveted position of Goddess of Lost Causes may soon be hers.

[[Moist von Lipwig]] sticks a ladle in a drawer in ''[[Book:Making Money|Making Money]]'' to appease Anoia and later expects political help from [[Extremelia Mume|the new high priestess of Anoia]]. In fact, Anoia herself provides practical help to Moist and [[Adora Belle Dearheart]], when they are menaced down a dark alley by Moist's former partner in crime [[Cribbins]]. With a liberal interpretation of her own remit, the Goddess evidently treats Cribbins' false teeth as though they are an item stuck in a drawer, and terminally releases their spring joints with such force that according to a doctor (Mossy Lawn?) one of the springs is found embedded in his sinuses and another penetrates his cheek. Moist resolves to hang a ladle in the temple as thanks to his patron Goddess.

Anoia later appeared in ''[[Book:Wintersmith|Wintersmith]]'', in which it was made evident that she was formerly the volcano goddess [[Lela]]. During that appearance she mentioned that she has not been in her current position long, but what constitutes a long time to a god is unclear.

Anoia appears as a thin woman, wrapped in a sheet, and smoking a cigarette that emits flame and sparks, possibly a holdover from her previous position as a volcano goddess. [[Anghammarad]] noted a similarity between Anoia (as Lela) and [[Adora Belle Dearheart]], and indeed both are slender, cynical women who smoke cigarettes while cupping one elbow in the free hand.

[[Category:Discworld characters]]
[[Category:Supernatural entities]]
[[de:Anoia]]

Thaumic Reactor

2010-12-17T23:57:46Z

82.71.1.109: typo

The '''Thaumic Reactor''' is a massive reacting engine designed by [[Ponder Stibbons]] to split the [[thaum]] and generate massive amounts of magical energy in the process of thaumic fission. It was built on [[Unseen University]]'s squash court, a place where the walls are designed to teleport incoming objects (such as squash balls) to other walls. Nothing excites a particle like meeting itself coming the other way, and this is something he should have taken into consideration...

It was mostly developed by Ponder, but he was inspired by the Scrolls of [[Loko]], where a previous attempt at thaumic fission created a very deep valley surrounded by a ring of mountains. A lot of curiously shaped magical creatures can be found there. And an expedition led by [[Stanmer Crustley]] contracted serious magical diseases a few months after returning (Crustley died of planets), but they ''did'' manage to recover the scrolls.

With this in mind, Stibbons built in some safety measures to the reactor. The fail-safe device is the [[Bursar]], who he got to stand with an axe next to a rope holding up a lead rod laminated with rowan wood over the center of the engine. If things get out of control, he would chop the rope and the rod would fall, and shut down the reactor- as rowan and lead naturally dampen magical reactions. Bearing in mind the Bursar's temperament, the ''back-up'' fail-safe device was [[Adrian Turnipseed]], who stood next to the Bursar and whose job it was to shout "For gods' sake cut the rope now!".

It took three years for the [[Faculty#University Council|University Council]] to approve Stibbons' request to build it. His suggestions that it would push back the boundaries of human knowledge or make people much more happier were ignored, but finally he suggested that it could be used to generate a lot of cheap heat, and they allowed him to spend AM$ 55,879.45p on it, since the [[dwarfs]] charge the University very high prices for coal and many of the senior Faculty have rooms on the colder side of the university.

Because of this desire for warm rooms, the wizards agree to activate it in {{SOD1}}, even though there is a slim possibility that it could blow up ''everything''- the entire [[Disc]] and everything within a radius of fifty thousand miles out into space. And despite the fact that the energy it could generate would be powerful enough to send the University to the moon.

Within a day of it being activated, the Bursar wanders off and the engine generates far too much magic, turning the university into "a baking desert under a flamethrower sky". The wizards desperately need something to do with all the excess magic (less it rip a hole into the [[Dungeon Dimensions]]), and [[Ridcully]] approves a plan to use the magic to create the [[Roundworld]] project. Despite the [[Dean]]'s protests that it would take months, [[Hex]] is able to create the project and use up most of the magic from the reactor in less than a minute.

When the time comes to deactivate the reactor, as all the magic has been used up, Ridcully tries to get [[Rincewind]] to do it (by redefining the danger of going inside the squash court as "not as dangerous as some other things"). But Rincewind is saved when the Bursar, whose mind has been destablilized by trying to understand a Hex readout about Roundworld physics, goes in and plays some squash. In the process he deactivates the reactor and catches Uncertainty. Uncertainty being a nasty thaumic disease that causes the brain to forget where it is whenever it remembers ''who'' it is.

Sometime after this, Ponder ties the reactor to Hex, allowing him to activate and deactivate it will, and turns it back on. However, Ridcully forbids Stibbons to run it at anything near full power. This means that the wizards have no way to physically enter Roundworld (outside of virtual suits operated by Hex), as it would require a massive amount of magic. So, when in {{SOD2}}, Stibbons, [[Rincewind]], and the [[Librarian]] need to get in to help fight the [[elves]], they need to use [[L-space]].

During {{SOD3}}, Ridcully demands a campaign map in the wizards' fight with the [[Auditors of Reality]]. So, Ponder gets Hex to "resolve a thaumatic glyph in conditional Darwin space". This basically means creating a three-dimensional map of where wizards need to be sent to put things right- where "nodalites" need to be resolved so that Darwin writes the ''Origin of Species'', not the ''Theology of Species''. To do this, he needs to run the reactor a "little higher" than normal- at about 200% percent.

==Annotation==

The obvious comparison to Roundworld here is nuclear fission, from the engine itself (which is, as the Dean points out, basically a big kettle) to the use of lead to help contain the reaction to the possible side effects if the reactor malfunctioned.

In fact, on December 2, 1942, a team of physicists under {{wp|Enrico Fermi|Enrico Fermi}} created the world's first self-sustaining nuclear reaction ''in a squash court'' in the basement of {{wp|Stagg Field|Stagg Field}} in the {{wp|University of Chicago|University of Chicago}}.

[[Category:Devices]]