--- M J <saint_erythros at lameassbitch.com> wrote: > > ---------- Original Message > ---------------------------------- > From: Mark A Mandel <mam at theworld.com> > Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 22:50:43 -0500 > > > [Philip Hart:] > >#>While people are discussing Dragon swordfighting, > perhaps someone could > >#>explain something from _TPG_. When we first meet > Uttrik, Tazendra > >#>describes him (as he warms up for his duel with > Khaavren) as striking > >#>at the air and missing with every third blow. > What does that mean? > > >#I always thought it meant that Uttrik was > shadowfighting against an > >#imaginary opponent. You know, like a practice > dummy that happened to be > >#invisible. You _know_ he's not that good if he's > missing every third strike > >#against an invisible practice dummy. > > > I'd interpreted the whole scene as > Tazendra and Pel denigrating Uttrik's abilities to > Khaavren, a la high school buddies roaring each > other up before a fight in the parking lot. "You > can totally take him, dude, he jabbed at that shadow > and MISSED!" or the like. I agree. It's just a creative way of saying that he's practicing and doing badly. If he had been more skilled and crafty he might have done the same thing intentionally to appear less skilled. Even though he didn't do this, Khaavren still had to be aware of the possibility. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html