A Formal Challenge - Round Two

In this new series, our own Jean C'est Magnifique Try Baptise, accomplished writer and scholar, puts his wisdom and wit to the challenge as he takes on a series of written challenges against ChatGPT. Who will win? The man or the machine? We'll ask for your votes and your input on social media after you read both sides!

View Staff:

First of all, our audience would like to give you the alias Dr. Arthur Telligen.

Dr. Arthur Telligen: 

Thank you! I'm happy to go by the alias Dr. Arthur Telligen for our future conversations. What topic would you like to explore today?

View Staff: 

In a prolonged war between two fantasy medieval kingdoms, where a single type of mythical creature acted as the mounts for one of the kingdom's calvary, which type of beast would be the most effective to employ in this manner?

Dr. Arthur Telligen:

As Dr. Arthur Telligen, a medieval fantasy scholar, I would argue that the best mythical creature to act as mounts for a cavalry unit in a prolonged war would be the winged horse, also known as the Pegasus.

Firstly, Pegasus' flight capabilities would be a significant strategic advantage in battle. As a winged creature, Pegasus could easily fly over the battlefield, giving its riders an aerial view of the enemy's movements and tactics. Additionally, Pegasus could use its speed and agility to outmaneuver ground-based forces, making it difficult for the enemy to target them with ranged weapons such as arrows or spears.

Secondly, Pegasus has a natural resistance to magical attacks. In medieval fantasy settings, it is not uncommon for wizards or other magical beings to use spells or curses to target mounted units. Pegasus, being a creature of magic, would be less susceptible to these attacks and could provide a significant advantage against enemies that rely on magical means.

Furthermore, the Pegasus is not just a mount; it is also a symbol of honor, bravery, and nobility. Riding a Pegasus into battle would inspire morale among the kingdom's troops. The Pegasus is also capable of healing itself and others, which could be a significant advantage in a prolonged war where injuries are commonplace.

Finally, Pegasus' graceful and majestic appearance could be used as a psychological weapon. The sight of a mounted unit of winged horses swooping down from the skies could be enough to intimidate and demoralize enemy troops, especially if they have never encountered such a force before.

In conclusion, I believe that the winged horse, or Pegasus, would be the most effective mythical creature to use as mounts for a cavalry unit in a prolonged war. Its flight capabilities, resistance to magical attacks, and psychological impact would provide significant advantages on the battlefield.

JB:

First I would like to say that the pegasus is a bit basic as far as choices go. There is nothing wrong with the classics, however the Pegasus strikes me as an answer with little thought. Not simply cause its one of the most commonly fielded fantasy mounts, but because the Pegasus is one of the ones most alike to a mundane mount. As a consequence of this the Pegasus lacks many of the features a Manticore, Dragon, or other flying mount would have. The Pegasus's skills are simply to fly. When one compares it to other flying calvary units, the Pegasus will fall behind even in the flying horse department.

Secondly I need to bring up how Pegasus's are created, which is from the corpse of a gorgon. Simply put, I can not ethically condone the mass slaughter of a sentient creature, even a surly one with petrification powers, that would be necessary to field a full unit of nights. Sure Gorgons live violent lives and thus many Pegasus's can be found in the wild, however the expenses required to capture enough wild Pegasus will be difficult at best, which is why traditionally a pegasus is bestowed by a god. But unless your god REALLY wants you to win, they will likely have better ways to assist then a stable of pegasi, but maybe that's simply not the tastes of my gods.

Ultimately it would be more effective to directly recruit Gorgon tribes as mercenaries, then it would be to harvest Pegasi from them, not only is it incredibly difficult to kill a gorgon, but well... if the Pegasi comes from gorgon corpses its probably easier to draw the Pegasi power from a live and willing gorgon... not that I would know how that looks, I do not have gorgon friends. My mom does but I can't just ask them something like "Hey can I horse you a little?" They don't know me that well. Lastly and more importantly, Pegasi are for squares. I will not quantify that statement.

JB (again)

The advantages of a manticore are multifold. The first most immediate advantage of a manticore is that it flies. The advantages of a calvary unit, the ability to charge and overwhelm foes, is exacerbated when the creature can simply fly over a pike line or use gravity to improve its charging might, dive-bombing into foes. However this is not even necessary because the Manticore's stinger is known to shoot spikes, this means that the Manticore is capable of providing ranged power while maintaining aerial superiority. This allows a crafty rider to attack from a position of total air superiority, tossing lethal and venomous projectiles from above the maximum range of an arrow. In many situations that alone would be enough to create an ideal mount.

However the Manticore has a second advantage, it is a man-eater, which means while the mount may be dangerous to properly tame, the mount can not only be brought into battle, but it can be used to hunt troops. The manticore has a preference for human flesh (Relatable) and has developed ways to hunt them down, as a hawk has developed ways to hunt rats. This can not only be used to find stragglers, or as a fear element to spread discord in enemy ranks, but as an alarm system. The manticore can smell infiltrators, it will know when an ambush is near.... at least as long as the enemies are human, but in many military engagements they are, and if not... well you have the tail still.

However almost most important of all is the manticores MUNDANEITY. The Manticore is not the incarnation of magic like a dragon, not a blessed guardian like a unicorn, it is not the favored spawn of a dark primordial beast. A manticore is, fundamentally, a cryptid, an entity that may seem supernaturally ferocious but has no arcane or divine ties. The Manticore is not the harbinger of a god, it merely looks like that, potentially because someone described a tiger badly. The legends of the manticore is that it exists and kills. This means the manticore is not intelligent or holy, which means you can in fact tame and breed a manticore without a god or the manticore itself being particularly offended over the while thing. The manticore can be raised, trained, and treated like any other animal. This means that Manticores have a advantage over many creatures of legends in how many manticores can be realistically fielded.

View Staff:

And in that same scenario that I described above, please explain why the manticore would be a poor choice to employ as the mount for the kingdom's cavalry units.

Dr. Arthur Telligen:

Certainly! As Dr. Arthur Telligen, a medieval fantasy scholar, I would argue that the manticore would be a poor choice to employ as the mount for a kingdom's cavalry units in a prolonged war.

Firstly, the manticore's temperament remains a significant concern. Despite being able to fly, the manticore is known for its aggressive and unpredictable nature, which could pose a significant danger to its riders. The manticore's violent tendencies and tendency to attack indiscriminately make it difficult to train and control, which is a critical factor when considering a creature for use as a mount.

Secondly, the manticore's anatomy is not ideal for riding. The manticore's lion body lacks the necessary structure and balance required to support a rider. Its scorpion tail could also pose a significant danger to its riders, as it is capable of delivering a lethal sting. Moreover, a rider would need to be careful not to accidentally hurt the manticore's wings while mounted, which would render the creature useless as a mount.

Finally, the manticore's natural abilities do not provide significant strategic advantages in battle. Despite being able to fly, the manticore is not as fast or agile as other winged creatures such as the Pegasus or the dragon. Additionally, while the manticore's ability to shoot poison spikes may seem advantageous, it still has limitations. Its spikes are not as effective against armored enemies, and it would still be vulnerable to attacks from other mythical creatures with greater agility and combat abilities, such as dragons or Pegasi.

In conclusion the manticore would be a poor choice to employ as the mount for a kingdom's cavalry units in a prolonged war. The manticore's temperament, anatomy, and natural abilities are significant concerns, and other mythical creatures, such as the Pegasus, would provide greater strategic advantages on the battlefield.

Editors note: For those unfamiliar, ChatGPT is an AI language model that generates responses to any input through an online interface. All text attributed to ChatGPT (Dr. Arthur Telligen) in this series is the unedited output of that AI, all text attributed to View Staff is the unedited input given to ChatGPT. Read more about ChatCPT here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team

What's It Do? What's It Do?

In this continuing View feature, we show you a picture of a theoretical magic item. Then you go back to Facebook and in the comments, invent your idea for the powers that this item would have.

Here is this week's item:

So what's this cape do? Head on back to social media and let us know!

Fresh Faces with Emma "Chrysanta" Harvey

1. How did you learn about Realms?

I was invited by a veteran player

2. How many events have you been to?

About five or six. This is my first year.

3. Have you ever LARP’ed before? If so tell us about it? 

Yes. I did small one-shot parlor Larp's at Convolution 2015 in San Francisco. They were pre-assigned character sheets with small puzzles. Closer to a murder mystery night

4. What is your character like? Where are they from? What is their species? What is important to them? 

Chrysanta is a friendly Faun from the Fey Wilds who simply wants to make friends and learn more about the druidic arts in the Realms.

5. What do you remember most about your first event? 

The chaos of a tournament.

6. What things have helped to make you feel welcome in game? 

So many people are so friendly and willing to help you figure things out, including loyalties to nations and religious figures.

7. What parts of the game do you find most challenging?  

The combat as I can get anxious in fast-paced environments.

8. Do you have any game-related goals (as either a player or character)? 

I would like to see Chrysanta gain a title of some sort. Even if it's just from chatting to the most NPCs at events (aka "Chrysanta the Friendly") or gaining recognition from a higher power.

9. What advice would you give other new players?

Go with friends and don't be afraid to make new ones. It will broaden your view of the world around you.

10. What have you enjoyed most about the game so far? 

Dressing up and chatting with other players about their characters

Morning Coffee Break

  Got your morning cup of coffee and a few minutes? Great! Time for our continuing feature at the View - we're going to be asking a series of questions and we want to know your answers! The question is posted below. So while you sip your morning beverage of choice, ruminate on this one:

What is one of your favorite memories or stories from a winter event?

Head on back to Facebook and let us know what's on your mind!

A Formal Challenge - Round One

In this new series, our own Jean C'est Magnifique Try Baptise, accomplished writer and scholar, puts his wisdom and wit to the challenge as he takes on a series of written challenges against ChatGPT. Who will win? The man or the machine? We'll ask for your votes and your input on social media after you read both sides!

View Staff: 

Writing from the perspective of a scholar in a medieval fantasy world construct an argument that pixies are an invasive species and therefore should be removed from the environment.

ChatGPT (with the argument in favor of the thesis):

As a scholar, I argue that pixies are an invasive species that should be removed from the environment.

Firstly, pixies have a significant impact on the local ecosystem. Being creatures of the fae, they often possess magical abilities that can disrupt the balance of nature. Pixies have been known to use their powers to manipulate plants and animals, causing them to grow in unnatural ways or behave erratically. This can lead to a chain reaction of negative effects on the environment, including reduced biodiversity, soil erosion, and water pollution. In some cases, these effects can even lead to the extinction of native species.

Secondly, pixies are known to be mischievous and often cause trouble for human settlements. They have been known to steal food, damage crops, and disrupt the daily lives of villagers. Additionally, their childlike intelligence and proclivities can lead them to engage in dangerous behaviors such as playing pranks on humans or other creatures, which can result in injury or even death. This can cause significant harm to both the human population and the environment.

Finally, as creatures from the mythical lands of fae, pixies are not native to the area and were likely introduced through magical means. Their presence in the environment is therefore not natural and disrupts the local ecosystem. Invasive species are known to have significant negative impacts on ecosystems, and as such, it is essential to remove them to protect the environment and native species.

In conclusion, the presence of pixies in the environment poses a significant threat to both the ecosystem and human settlements. As an invasive species, they disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem and cause harm to both the human population and native species. It is therefore necessary to remove them from the environment to preserve the natural balance and ensure the safety of all involved.

JB (with the augment against the thesis):

Let us speak plainly, I could make an argument about ethics here. I could say that Pixies, being intelligent, have the right to their own determination, and thus we can not kick them out. I can argue the Pixies are not causing serious harm and thus should be permitted. I can argue that Humanity is the real invasive species and give a smug chuckle as I say it. However I do not think any of those points hit the fundamental problem of the debate. The question we are presenting is, at its crux, that sacrifices must be made. My opponent believes that Pixies are a threat, a menace that must be dealt with. They may claim that, while the Pixies have no real malice towards us, not the way we are being malicious by moving them, that sacrifices must be made for the balance of the environment.

The position I choose to hold therefore is simply that this moral quandary is stupid. Let us consider first, the arrogance that WE must be the ones to determine which sacrifices must be made, especially when those sacrifices are done at the expense of others. The pixies can make their own choices, their own sacrifices, it's banal for us to determine for their sake what is an acceptable loss. But more than that, more than the moral issues, how defeatist is this discussion?

I have lived the same as you all. I have seen time travel, realms jumping, teleportation, shifting one reality into another. Are we REALLY going to say THIS is the line? Of all the demons, gods, demon gods, universe destroyers, reality definers, magic space squids, a MIGRANT ISSUE is the thing we can't hand wave? That's quitter talk at LEAST, we can figure this out. Assemble 4 seers, get the 3 Zoologist Staffs, yell Mage at a wall, whatever it takes. You can uninvasive them, reality is an option. You don't need a solution to pixies, not when we have the solution to ANYTHING else. Hasn't Chimeron handled fae floating into their land for 30 years? Surely if they have survived it so can we.

Editors note: For those unfamiliar, ChatGPT is an AI language model that generates responses to any input through an online interface. All text attributed to ChatGPT in this series is the unedited output of that AI, all text attributed to View Staff is the unedited input given to ChatGPT. Read more about ChatCPT here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT

Meme Monday

 by the Meme Team