"Dean? Dean??!"

"Yes, Archchancellor?"

"Can you remember how The Librarian came by his, er... current form?"

"What - his unrivalled aptitude for books? I think he just shelved tomes until...."

"No, not that. I mean, how he came to be all *orange* and *leathery*."

"Oh, I see. Well it was a magical accident."

"Yes, I know that, but *exactly* what *kind* of magical accident?"

"I don't know, but the Burser might?"

"He's as much use as a chocolate teapot!"

"Quite. Why do you want to know anyway?"

"Someone's asked, one of those, what do you call them? *Authors*, writes on that AO3 thingy on line."

"Alchemy of our own? The ones who write varied, interesting and possibly slightly risque stories about magic, and hang them on washing lines for anybody who's passing to read?"

"That's the one!"

"Never heard of them."

"Well anyway, one of *those* people has asked, as they apparently want to put The Librarian in a story, and write, albeit briefly, a bit about how he came to be as he is now. Whilst I don't hold with this *authoring* malarkey, especially not after reading Mrs Oggs Cookbook, I do understand the author wanting to get it right. An unimpressed and angry Librarian is not to be encouraged."

"Quite. Good Gods, look at the time! I think we're late for second elevenses!"

"Doesn't that make it twelveses? Or possibly, lunch."

I believe Vitoller is named after a character from the -relatively- well-known book by Hector Malot, Sans famille. In it, an itinerant musician named Vitalis adopts a young boy, Remi... who, as will turn out, is not destitute as it was thought, but happens to have been separated from his very rich family.

Given this book was rather famous, I really believe this is what Pratchett had in mind.

I don't think it has been said earlier (I looked for it but didn't find it.)

I feel like it would be a very Wednesday kind of post. Like the dragon is a very pointed metaphor for a very specific type of governance, the kinds of petty tyrannical small-minded idiots that bring it about and then find themselves beholden to it, even as the scope of its cruelty, terror, and abhorrence, leaves them behind. Of how they and ordinary people and even brave people start accommodating and bargaining and appeasing and mitigating, dare I say, sanewashing, that which is inescapably and undeniably insane, trying to make sure someone else gets hurt. Of how some are even tempted to see the dragon as a vehicle to satisfy their own greed and powerlust, at the expense of others, and with the promise that they will be among the privileged few who will not be affected by the worst of the dragon's policies — 'fuck you, got mine".

It's all sounding extremely, horrifyingly familiar.

Just started it today. From the war for an island of strategic importance in case of a war, to the almost exasperated and tired vibes Vimes give.

I am loving every second of it.

GNU Eva, my grandma, who passed away today at 101 years and 77 days. In a world with more narrativum, she would have been a fine witch.

Long story short, buddies and I are possibly planning a game of the Discworld TTRPG where we will be playing a group of Urchins/heist crew in Ankh Morpork. Oldest of the character concepts is 13.

The possible GM has essentially set us up to perform a series of heists, including minor robberies from Guild halls or UU, all the way up to...

Well he's stated that the hardest option we could go for is trying to steal the golden throne of Ankh. I'm not sure if he's joking or not honestly because while robbing the Patrician is something one could definitely brag about...feels definitely like a more risk than reward scenario.

I’ve read The color of magic The light fantastic and Small Gods

What should i read next? Not rly interested in the industrial revolution or witches.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning which characters readers held up as heroes, and it got me thinking about how half the joy of Discworld is uncovering the references Sir Pterry planted throughout the books. Every time I either find a new one or get to share one with other readers it brings a new spark of happiness, and is as close as I can get to reading his books for the first time again.

So, what are your favorite references in the books, whether obvious or obscure, and how did you find them?

For me, it's Bloody Stupid Johnson. I grew up right by a park designed by Capability Brown and he designed many of the National Trust grounds I visited prior to emigrating from the UK. That one always tickled me, especially when Sir Pterry pushed it to the extremes.

I know this second one is fairly obvious, but the Seriph of Al-Yabi cursed by a badly-educated deity so that everything turns to a dwarf called Glod still makes me giggle 25 years after I first read it. I was recently listening to Stephen Fry narrating his book "Heroes" and the moment he reached King Midas I started sniggering and muttering "a small angry dwarf," out loud, much to the confusion of the people around me. I learned the Greek myth in primary school, but honestly Sir Pterry's version did a better job of teaching to be careful what you wish for than the original.

In terms of sheer cleverness, though, it has to be the war between the Selachiis and the Venturis - I would never in a million years got that it was a reference to West Side Story (Sharks and the Jets) if I hadn't learned that via this subreddit, so I was absolutely delighted to be told about this one!

I look forward to reading your displays of obscure knowledge that you shared with Sir Pterry, and educating me in the process :-)

Borrowed some word from “Lords and Ladies.” Channeling the spirit of Granny Weatherwax.

🧙🏻‍♀️

Anyone who watches Chicago Fire I’m not sure of a better fit for the barely restrained rage of old stoneface than Dermot Mulroney. He doesn’t really capture the deliberately rumpled aspect, but still…

Hey guys I just got here to ask y’all a question, How long did it take ya to finish hogfather? Do you think this is good first book to get into disk world?

Hadn't picked up the first time that Vimes was a late-stage alcoholic in a genuinely seriously catastrophic condition, both physically and mentally. He couldn't remember meeting and briefing Carrot for the first time. He drank to keep himself willing to live a few more hours. His honesty got him crushed down over and over and over again.

Hadn't picked up the first time around that Nobby wasn't a venal petty criminal with no notion of law or honor or pride just because he's "bad". Nobby's seen some shit. Nobby's been beaten down by life as hard as Vimes, or Rincewind, or Brick. Most importantly concerning Nobby's interactions with Carrot, Nobby's lost people, probably on battlefields, certainly on patrol in the Watch. His horror at Carrot's brazen antics is because he knows from experience what should happen.

Carrot entering the pub where dwarves were fighting was something else I reacted very differently to. First time around, I was like "what is Carrot even doing, how is this working". Now, my perspective on being far from home and missing my community has changed, and Carrot's shaming went right into my soul, and I could 100% see myself in the dwarves who cried into their beers and had a sudden need for a handkerchief, because, when their shame was added to Nobby's trauma and Vimes's shame and despair, I found myself needing a handkerchief too.

It's just such a powerful composition, casually dropping elements here and there that mark Ankh Morpork in general and the Watch in particular as a place of despair and terminal collapse. Morale would be at rock bottom, if Ankh Morpork weren't built on loam.

And Carrot comes in as a light in this dark pit of complacent misery. Which is fine and good because he gives you the means to find yourself and take stock of what's going on and even consider the possibility of cleaning up, but it's also horrific and miserable because he makes it evident how horrible and dirty and rotten the place is, how horrible you've let things get, and the sheer amount of work it will take to fix it all.

And he promises to come back every night! And flashes you a bright smile! Dear Gods somebody stop this Dwarf!

EDIT: Also I did not originally get why it was so impressive to people that Carrot was staying over at Mrs. Palm's every night. Now that I can appreciate every level of that many-tiered misunderstanding I'm finding the whole running gag funnier every time.

EDIT2: Two small observations.

• It's very funny on a second read, especially with later stories like Men-At-Arms, Thud, and Monstrous Regiment, and after having been through the 2010s online, to see everyone just ASSUMING THE DRAGON'S GENDER. "What do you mean 'he', Colon, how the Hell would you know? I know there ain't any obvious male voonerables for you to draw conclusions from, so why make that leap?" Note that even I back then should have known better, having watched Shrek. And if I had read some D&D I would probably also have known about lady dragons.
• Speaking of Dragon Ladies, it's amazing the first impression she made on Vimes, like he's utterly in awe of her. She's not just fit to be a Valkyrie, she's fit to carry away a batallion! The Venus of Willendorf is, against all logic and causality, a faithful depiction of her likeness! She speaks with absolute authority and perfect upperclass breeding, wot! She is the Absolute Wonder Woman in her middle age. She is a r/PrimarchGF. She is overwhelming glory, and she's into Vimes, and he doesn't know what to do with himself and all these emotions he's experiencing, and it's adorable.

I’m planning a tattoo based on this phrase, which pops up all over the place in Sir Terry’s books and speaks to me deeply. (‘All Things Strive’, if you can’t read my writing). I’ve settled on this egg-shaped-geode and banner motif, in reference to Thud!, both to the story of Tak (which makes me tear up every time) and to Mr Shine’s clandestine invitation. What do we think? Any suggestions?