Welcome to the Saturday Munchkinry and Problem Solving Thread! This thread is designed to be a place for us to abuse fictional powers and to solve fictional puzzles. Feel free to bounce ideas off each other and to let out your inner evil mastermind!

Guidelines:

• Ideally any power to be munchkined should have consistent and clearly defined rules. It may be original or may be from an already realised story.
• The power to be munchkined can not be something "broken" like omniscience or absolute control over every living human.
• Reverse Munchkin scenarios: we find ways to beat someone or something powerful.
• We solve problems posed by other users. Use all your intelligence and creativity, and expect other users to do the same.

Note: All top level comments must be problems to solve and/or powers to munchkin/reverse munchkin.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Welcome to the Friday Open Thread! Is there something that you want to talk about with /r/rational, but which isn't rational fiction, or doesn't otherwise belong as a top-level post? This is the place to post it. The idea is that while reddit is a large place, with lots of special little niches, sometimes you just want to talk with a certain group of people about certain sorts of things that aren't related to why you're all here. It's totally understandable that you might want to talk about Japanese game shows with /r/rational instead of going over to /r/japanesegameshows, but it's hopefully also understandable that this isn't really the place for that sort of thing.

So do you want to talk about how your life has been going? Non-rational and/or non-fictional stuff you've been reading? The recent album from your favourite German pop singer? The politics of Southern India? Different ways to plot meteorological data? The cost of living in Portugal? Corner cases for siteswap notation? All these things and more could (possibly) be found in the comments below!

Please note that this thread has been merged with the Monday General Rationality Thread.

So I know that the more popular works of science fiction like Firefly, Star Wars, and Planetes feature salvaging and shipbreaking being done by private entities. But given how dangerous said salvage is to space travel and civilizations, wouldn't it make sense for a space-based civilization to create a government-sponsored entity designed to handle?

Why is space salvage so dangerous? Well for starters, in regard to derelict ships, it is probably not a good idea to leave derelict ships lying around because a hostile party may seek to exploit it. Here are the following scenarios where they may do so:

1. If its a warship that is largely intact then they may seek to make it fully operational and use it against their enemies (Foundation 2021).
2. Even if it isn't a warship, if the ship is equipped with an FTL drive that is fully operational than the hostile party may seek to use it to launch a devastating kamikaze strike that could destroy a planet.
3. And even it can't be made fully operational they could still salvage the nuclear or antimatter fuel to build a bomb.

And in Planetes, Earth suffers from an overaccumulation of space debris in orbit (better known as Kessler Syndrome), and this results in a civilian spaceflight being destroyed by a screw that was drifting in space at a high velocity. Not to mention the one time they have to deal with an orbital space mine, which in the wrong hands could have been used for less savory purposes.

Bottomline, given the dangers space debris poses to civilization and space travel it seems only reasonable that instead of leaving this matter to a private entity it should be handled by a public entity. Now the methods they will use varies depending on the level of technology they possess but I’m guessing it would be inefficient to just dump all of the debris and derelicts on another planet. A more effective way to do this is to set up the proper dismantling and smelting facilities either on a planet or in orbit to reuse and recycle all of the space junk they have collected. Or in some cases they just might use a laser broom to vaporize the debris.

Again it will vary from scenario to scenario.

Sources:

https://youtu.be/a2z44FW9dEQ?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/rSXBjhOtAmI?feature=shared

Space Derelicts & Trash Worlds (youtube.com)

Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem | Spacee

Welcome to the Monday request and recommendation thread. Are you looking something to scratch an itch? Post a comment stating your request! Did you just read something that really hit the spot, "rational" or otherwise? Post a comment recommending it! Note that you are welcome (and encouraged) to post recommendations directly to the subreddit, so long as you think they more or less fit the criteria on the sidebar or your understanding of this community, but this thread is much more loose about whether or not things "belong". Still, if you're looking for beginner recommendations, perhaps take a look at the wiki?

If you see someone making a top level post asking for recommendation, kindly direct them to the existence of these threads.

Previous automated recommendation threads
Other recommendation threads

I didn't like either the original book or the series (didn't finish the latter), partly because it felt so weird to me that the main character never questioned the obvious issues in the magical system presented or tried to exploit them.

Being a convicted robber, if memory serves me right, he should reasonably be more open to "gaming" systems and lateral thinking. The setting has some premises which I believe make it ripe for a rationalistic retelling.

As a side note, I enjoy some of Gaiman's other work.

Spoilers

The obvious one is that the main character aligns with the old gods: creatures explicitly powered by belief and also clearly capable of paranormal feats. Why don't they use said abilities in public to gather followers? People in the real world fake miracles for their religion all the time, such as faith healers, with great success.

A second issue: Odin is a conman often using mundane means to con people. Why isn't Odin tricking people into converting to paganism? Like some dishonest religious missionaries for Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and the like do constantly in the real world. Such people claim that the Quran contains miraculous scientific knowledge impossible for its time, that Darwinian evolution can't be true and Creationism therefore is true, that they've witnessed miracles, etc.

He could create historical forgeries "proving" that Odin worshipers in the past predicted future events taking place now. That they knew of DNA, or other impressive feats, converting gullible people on mass.

Instead, he exclusively tricks people for money, sex, and as tool in the power struggles between the gods. Even though belief is vital to him. If my memory is correct, he is implied to have brainwashed a woman to sleep with him but doesn't convert her to Odin worship.

They mention that modern pagan belief isn't powerful enough for some reason to fuel them, or that it lacks some other necessary aspect. So why not engineer the type of belief you need? Cult leaders don't have superpowers, yet they manage to find moldable people and change their minds in goal-oriented ways. For example, ensuring that cult member X thinks it's virtuous to let the cult leader sleep with his/her romantic partner. Entities that have lived for centuries and possess supernatural powers should be able to figure something out.

The absurdity of the setting could also, in a rationalist author's hands, be reflected upon. The main character might think that dualism could be true after all, despite the evidence available from brain damage. Or perhaps the "gods" are creations of mankind being slightly psychic and sharing a collective consciousness in a way that still doesn't entail a non-physical mind or afterlife.

The character doesn't seem to think about the possibility of mankind accidentally creating an S-risk scenario—by believing in a cruel deity with enough force to conjure him into existence. And said entity reshaping reality, making religious revenge fantasies and moralistic fables, such as hell or bad karma for sex outside marriage, into realities..

Neither does the character consider the potential for mankind to create utopian scenarios—by spreading belief in a benevolent deity that provides a fountain of youth, immense scientific knowledge, economic riches to all, and the like.

Voltaire's statement that if God didn't exist we would need to invent him, and Bakunin's inversion that if God existed we would need to abolish him -- would both be worth bringing up.

Voltaire's statement that "if God didn't exist, we would need to invent him," and Bakunin's inversion that "if God existed, we would need to abolish him," would both be worth bringing up.

As well as the idea presented by Richard Dawkins in later years. That even in case of empiracle miracles, aliens pretending to be God(s) would be more probable than actual divinity. I'm not saying Dawkins is correct or wrong on this point, but the main character could reflect on it. Are the supposed gods he meets just synthetic life forms made by hidden aliens to mess with humans? Perhaps with said life forms being implanted with false memories and convictions of godhood. Or programs in a simulation?

If human belief can create gods, what about other primates? Real life illusionists stun monkeys with card tricks. Could Odin travel around zoos to do the same, and feed of the monkeys fuzzy mental model of him as the man who does the impossible? It wouldn't hurt to have a main character who at least asks these questions.

Also, the main character does die at one point in the original book and reaches an afterlife. He ends up in a pagan afterlife. But this isn't stated to be the norm in a Christian nation like the U.S. Rather implied to be an exception due to him interacting with pagan gods directly. The Rationalistic potential here is obvious. For all we know, the Christian and Islamic hell both exists in the setting and people end up there all the time. The S-risk scenario I alluded to above. Which either doesn't occur to the main character or he doesn't care.

Welcome to the Saturday Munchkinry and Problem Solving Thread! This thread is designed to be a place for us to abuse fictional powers and to solve fictional puzzles. Feel free to bounce ideas off each other and to let out your inner evil mastermind!

Guidelines:

• Ideally any power to be munchkined should have consistent and clearly defined rules. It may be original or may be from an already realised story.
• The power to be munchkined can not be something "broken" like omniscience or absolute control over every living human.
• Reverse Munchkin scenarios: we find ways to beat someone or something powerful.
• We solve problems posed by other users. Use all your intelligence and creativity, and expect other users to do the same.

Note: All top level comments must be problems to solve and/or powers to munchkin/reverse munchkin.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Diary of Mael Rachav: On Plotting

When I was a child, I loved stories where intelligent adversaries faced off against one another. They wove intricate plots undecipherable to mortals not blessed with their talents.

"Plots within plots within plots" a saying goes. Our cunning hero knows the magic words to not just set a person upon a path, but to anticipate the second and third order consequences so precisely that a single word whispered may cascade into their overwhelming victory months down the line.

Villains who take gambits, giving up all advantage, perhaps their very memories, only to perfectly position themselves for a strike that will decimate their foes.

Detectives who can glance at a man and tell you about his years of service in so and so war, his inability to get over his first love and the underground dog fighting ring he operates every night.

Betrayals? The savant is aware, feeding the turncoats false information. Alas the enemy has anticipated this very action, and inverts the information brought by the spies. But perhaps it is a double fake? How deep does the deception go?

And when the genius goes up against the ordinary folk? Mere child's play. A shepherd herding sheep if I am to be trite.

But reality is not so. The best plots are not plots at all. Gambits usually result in defeat. And even the most intelligent sage in all the lands will fail to predict the next words to leave the village idiot's mouth.

Some scholars of war doubt intelligence plays any role at all in separating victors from their victims. Others turn to works of great renown such as general Sol's Art of Battle.

Looking at those in power, one has to favor the former.

Yet, perhaps I am still a child because I still believe. It could be a trick of light. I don't care to investigate. I see flashes of gold.

—

Mael I

Mael nursed his drink, watching another pile of copper jots disappear into Gormi's ever-growing pile. The tavern's smoky air did little to mask his grimace.

"Not my day. Not my day at all," he muttered.

"Thanks for the drinks, kid," Jeffi said gleefully.

Mael took a long swig from his mug and leaned back on the bench. "You lot always win. Something ain't right. Ain't this a game of chance?"

Gormi's wide grin threatened to dislocate his jaw, while Jeffi jumped at the opportunity to squeeze for more coin.

"Cambo is a game of deception and strategy. It may seem mere chance, but believe me, brother, it is anything but. I may be willing to give you a few lessons. Turn you into a shark and set you loose on the rest of these suckers." He gestured at the other patrons. "For a fee, of course. My lessons ain't cheap."

Mael paused to think about it. He burped, then fished out the last of his coin.

"Last round, triple stakes. If my mother finds out I've lost everything, she's going to unfasten the clothesline and fashion a whip."

Gormi's chubby face, already red from drink, turned purple as he battled to restrain his mirth.

"You two better tell your watch captain about me. I'm really gonna need that maintainer job."

"Of course, lad, but let me tell ya, if you are looking to earn coin you ought to learn Cambo proper-like from me. You nearly had us a couple times, just a few pointers and you're gonna be the one raking in the pots," Jeffi insisted.

"Yeah, yeah, but I'm gonna need that damn castle job. I tell you, I'm the best maintainer you will meet. And if that job's filled, I can garden, I can clean, I can even cook. I'm not the best at battle, but I make a damn fine raspberry pie."

"I'll put in a good word, lad. Like I already told you, we need your kind. Half the time my armor's mana battery's half full. The other half, it's completely empty," said Gormi good-naturedly.

"Do you think I can work my way up and become a castle guard like you?"

"Not a chance unless you go to the University. The Tyreshi only hire the very best."

"Oh, I thought I had a shot since they hired you two."

Gormi chuckled while Jeffi poked Mael's stomach.

"Haha, you can make it, lad. Work as an armorer for a couple of years, save your coin, enough for the tuition."

"It's not so easy," Jeffi piped up, "You need to graduate from at least class 12, can't waste away at class 13 and expect a decent job."

"Ha, you don't think Mael can do it? I reckon the kid has potential if he wises up a bit. I wager he could even make class 11. How old are you, lad?"

"I appreciate your confidence in me, mister. I am 17," Mael lied. He was 19 but could pass off as younger.

"Plenty of time, same age as my nephew. I'll put in a good word with Captain Almayeen first thing tomorrow morning, lad. Show up to the southwest gate at noon and ask for me."

"Thank you! I am curious, though. Are all the guards from class 12? How about you? How about the captain?"

"I graduated from class 11," said Jeffi proudly, "and the captain's from class 5."

"Wow, you were in class 11?"

Jeffi looked very pleased.

"Don't let Jeffi's attitude fool you, he's talented. I was in class 12 like most of the other guards."

"I can't believe Captain Almayeen was in class 5. He must be a master mage."

Gormi beamed. "That he is. I'll show you some of his practice bouts with the masters of the castle once you're hired. It's a sight to behold."

Jeffi grinned and laid down his hand containing three gold dragons. "Another win for me."

Mael groaned, getting up and pushing over his coppers. "I'm all out of coin. See you tomorrow Gormi, I'm counting on you."

Gormi patted him on the back reassuringly. Mael finished his mug of fake beer and stumbled out of the tavern.

—

His face dropped the vapid expression and hardened as the chilly breeze washed over him—a sign of the coming autumn. It was fun to play the fool. He had to bite his tongue to stop laughing when Gormi messed up and played cards that should only be in his hand. Hopefully they wouldn't try that on someone less amenable.

Ophis's letter had come a week ago. Unlike the previous missives, this one was short and vague: "Go to Cenapur. Find a way inside Tyreshi's castle. Wait on top of Miza Hill at midnight every day."

It grated against all Mael's instincts. Waiting at some specific spot every night? It was perfect for an ambush. But he knew absolutely nothing about Ophis and had proven his worth as a capable agent in dozens of prior jobs. He was fairly sure Ophis would have no reason to want him dead.

He arrived early at the now-deserted hill, selecting a spot near a grove of huge trees that would offer decent cover if attacked. He usually had Wys hide nearby, just in case, but tonight he was away gathering materials. Mael studied the city below.

Cenapur was a city of almost three million. Its streets were orderly lines forming concentric circles about the center, with evenly spaced straight lines running through all the layers. Most of the buildings were three stories tall and made of white stone and red bricks. The glass-fronted stores showcasing goods made clear the city's abundant prosperity.

The Tyreshi castle dominated the center. Thick gray stone formed the curtain walls and the imposing base of the massive castle. The inner towers were made of marble that shone white in the moonlight. It was as if the castle were floating in the sky, the stone base barely visible.

Mael sensed a mind approaching him, exerting its weight on the landscape and contesting him for control. He strengthened his hold of immediate surroundings. The opposing mind flexed its strength in a burst of force that battered against his circle of control before withdrawing in an instant.

He whirled around and waited for the attacker to come closer. A man in his early twenties broke out of the trees. He was of average build, with a distinct face wearing a peculiar expression—half amusement, half boredom, as if he was thinking of a tepid joke.

Ophis?
Definitely, he has the same body type, gait, and even the annoying play-attack is similar to his previous stunts.
Why isn't he wearing his mask?
He wants to progress our relationship maybe?
Is he about to ask for something I wouldn't agree to unless I trusted him more?
What would happen if I denied him after seeing his face?

Mael thought of how satisfying it would be to attack back and wipe that smug look off the bastard's face. Alas, rule #4: Weigh pros and cons before antagonizing powerful forces.

The stranger beckoned him to follow as he led him towards a bench.

"I told you to knock that off last time."

The stranger ignored the remark.

"So we finally meet, face to face." His voice was smooth with a subtle edge.

"Ophis? I see you got rid of that magic mask. I'll take it if you don't want it anymore."

"I'm afraid the Aspen Mask is known to burn the faces of those unworthy. I rather not risk yours."

"Haha good one."

The man gave a sincere bow. Mael sincerely hoped Ophis had not missed the sarcasm.

"I simply wished to become better acquainted. No masks anymore. My name is Damian Kraet."

Kraet? That was a great house, one that was nearly destroyed a few years ago by the Tyreshi, the stewards of this city. Mael's face darkened. He could only imagine what sort of revenge plot this noble was about to enact using him. Maybe he would end up attacking him after all.

Damian walked past the bench to the tree next to it. He effortlessly jumped and pulled himself up onto a thick branch, then gestured for Mael to climb up but Mael ignored him. The young noble looked genuinely disappointed.

The Kraet scion's movement exuded grace, but something in his bearing set off alarm bells in Mael's head. He realized what it was. The man was completely relaxed. He had no battle aura. His mind was calm and focused inward, not an ounce of tension. It was unnerving.

Mael stopped processing sensory inputs, save hearing and optical edge detection, and allocated more bandwidth to his shielding.

If Damian noticed, he didn't comment. Mael usually tried to maintain at least the facade of affability. But if you were going to wrangle an asp, you had better wear gloves.

From the remains of his vision Mael saw him reach out and grab a leaf and start folding it.

"You sure you don't want to come up here? The view is grand. I may want to skin the Tyreshi alive, but I concede their taste in architecture is impeccable."

He waved a leaf at Mael as if trying to attract a cat. "I can teach you how to make leaf origami."

Mael ignored him.

"I didn't expect Ophis was so...young," Mael said carefully. "The jobs and training you arranged over the years... aren't you just a student at the University?"

"Just a student?" His lips quirked up. "There's students, then there's students. You will see for yourself when you enroll."

His hand flicked forward, launching a leaf now folded into the shape of a bird. The "bird" flapped its wings and flew out of sight.

How the hell is he doing that? House Kraet's lore? Has to be that.

The bird had no mind, so Mael could not track it once it left his line of sight. He resisted the urge to turn his head. One never turns their back to a predator.

"Naturally I use agents to play at a few plots outside the walls of the University."

"Play? Is that what we were doing for the past three years?" Malice edged into Mael's tone. He thought of the mission where it had all gone wrong.

"What did you think it was if not play? But peace. First I must thank you for your service so far. It is hard finding capable agents amongst the rabble," Damian moved his hands as if to include everyone in that definition. "If it was not for—" He paused, smiling to himself, "a glowing recommendation for you, I fear I would have had to settle for less competent aid."

A recommendation? Who in seven hells?

"Who—"

Damian cut him off, grinning wide.

"Come now, it is rare for Prince Damian to praise one so profusely. Let me see a smile."

"Who told you about me and why we're here," Mael responded flatly.

"Nuh uh, where's the smile?"

Mael stared at his smiling face blankly for several seconds until he realized Damian was not going to move on.

I need to learn how to be as annoying as this guy for future negotiations.

Mael smiled showing his teeth.

"I will tell you the recommender— eventually. But first—I have done a lot for you, haven't I? Freedom from the drudgery at that horrid orphanage. Training from mages who do not take students. More coin than a veteran battle mage earns. Not to mention the invaluable field experience." He spoke theatrically.

Mael's jaw tightened. He hated people who made light of serious matters. Especially pampered nobles who had been brought up to think their lives were some grand epic. Their faces would be the picture of beatific serenity as they stepped over your body. But he hated being in their debt even more.

"By field experience do you mean the jobs I have done for you?"

"Gratitude is not your strong suit, eh? We both know which party benefited more. But fear not, my generosity knows no bounds. Greater reward waits at the University."

Mael opened his mouth to speak, but Damian again raised a hand in a quieting gesture. A leafy scorpion jumped off his other hand and skittered up the tree.

"Before we get ahead of ourselves, let us discuss the matter at hand. Your first real mission."

"Three years ago the Tyreshi attacked my family. They began with a decapitation strike that isolated and killed the most powerful Kraets. The rest of us tried to take shelter in our castle, but enemy mages were already inside. They slaughtered everyone. You should have seen it—it was masterful." Damian's voice carried an unsettling mix of admiration and hatred.

"How they coordinated such a massive operation in secret, I will one day learn."

"Anyhow, over the next few months they cleaned up any stragglers that they had missed. I was one of the few who escaped. My younger sister, Lyra, was not so fortunate. But luckily she remains alive."

He pointed at the castle.

"Living there. As an adopted Tyreshi."

"She betrayed your family?"

The question seemed to catch Damian off guard.

"What a cynical black heart you possess. No, Lyra was not behind the attack. We, er, I mean you, are actually here to break her out."

"If she's not the traitor, why is she living it up in the Tyreshi castle while the rest of your family is dead?"

"She is not 'living it up', she is their hostage."

"Hostage? What's the value of a hostage whose family is all dead?"

For the first time the young prince let mirth leave his tone. "I am still here, aren't I?"

Mael considered his next words carefully. "You plan to eventually destroy them?"

The joviality returned. "Who can say where life may lead us? Did you this morning imagine you would be tasked with rescuing a princess?"

"I can't say I did. Why not hire a professional?"

"Don't be so modest! You are a professional. The very best agent employed by the great house of Kraet."

"Probably the only agent," Mael muttered.

"Well there is Tsyran Re, if you believe you are not up for the challenge. I'm sure you two are familiar."

Damn it.

"If you know about Tsyran then why not use him instead. He's stronger."

"Considering you got his sister killed while working for me, I rather he not meet my mine and get ideas."

Damian jumped down without a sound. "Get Lyra out, then you both enroll in the University."

So that's how he plans to deal with the repercussions of the escape—use the University's immunity.

"Reward?"

"2000 gold crowns, and the most delightful artifact I find on my climb."

"You're climbing? Really? Leave the money to a banker before you go, I can't collect from a corpse."

"Worried about my wellbeing? I'm touched."

"How high are you going?"

"As high as I need to."

Mael laughed. "Well I'll give your sister the bad news once she's out." He shook Damian's hand. "Deal."

Of course Mael was going to agree to whatever Ophis/Damian asked for.

If you need to cut ties with someone dangerous, don't do it in front of them. Especially not someone who is desperate enough to go climbing.

Welcome to the Friday Open Thread! Is there something that you want to talk about with /r/rational, but which isn't rational fiction, or doesn't otherwise belong as a top-level post? This is the place to post it. The idea is that while reddit is a large place, with lots of special little niches, sometimes you just want to talk with a certain group of people about certain sorts of things that aren't related to why you're all here. It's totally understandable that you might want to talk about Japanese game shows with /r/rational instead of going over to /r/japanesegameshows, but it's hopefully also understandable that this isn't really the place for that sort of thing.

So do you want to talk about how your life has been going? Non-rational and/or non-fictional stuff you've been reading? The recent album from your favourite German pop singer? The politics of Southern India? Different ways to plot meteorological data? The cost of living in Portugal? Corner cases for siteswap notation? All these things and more could (possibly) be found in the comments below!

Please note that this thread has been merged with the Monday General Rationality Thread.

Welcome to the Monday request and recommendation thread. Are you looking something to scratch an itch? Post a comment stating your request! Did you just read something that really hit the spot, "rational" or otherwise? Post a comment recommending it! Note that you are welcome (and encouraged) to post recommendations directly to the subreddit, so long as you think they more or less fit the criteria on the sidebar or your understanding of this community, but this thread is much more loose about whether or not things "belong". Still, if you're looking for beginner recommendations, perhaps take a look at the wiki?

If you see someone making a top level post asking for recommendation, kindly direct them to the existence of these threads.

Previous automated recommendation threads
Other recommendation threads

Welcome to the Saturday Munchkinry and Problem Solving Thread! This thread is designed to be a place for us to abuse fictional powers and to solve fictional puzzles. Feel free to bounce ideas off each other and to let out your inner evil mastermind!

Guidelines:

• Ideally any power to be munchkined should have consistent and clearly defined rules. It may be original or may be from an already realised story.
• The power to be munchkined can not be something "broken" like omniscience or absolute control over every living human.
• Reverse Munchkin scenarios: we find ways to beat someone or something powerful.
• We solve problems posed by other users. Use all your intelligence and creativity, and expect other users to do the same.

Note: All top level comments must be problems to solve and/or powers to munchkin/reverse munchkin.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Welcome to the Friday Open Thread! Is there something that you want to talk about with /r/rational, but which isn't rational fiction, or doesn't otherwise belong as a top-level post? This is the place to post it. The idea is that while reddit is a large place, with lots of special little niches, sometimes you just want to talk with a certain group of people about certain sorts of things that aren't related to why you're all here. It's totally understandable that you might want to talk about Japanese game shows with /r/rational instead of going over to /r/japanesegameshows, but it's hopefully also understandable that this isn't really the place for that sort of thing.

So do you want to talk about how your life has been going? Non-rational and/or non-fictional stuff you've been reading? The recent album from your favourite German pop singer? The politics of Southern India? Different ways to plot meteorological data? The cost of living in Portugal? Corner cases for siteswap notation? All these things and more could (possibly) be found in the comments below!

Please note that this thread has been merged with the Monday General Rationality Thread.

hi, i want to introduce an awakening story, my first longform writing project. it's not fictional, but it is meant to be literary and narrative. i'm posting it here because i love this community and have gotten a lot out of it over the years. this is the way i can give back now, and i hope it's fun for some of you.

just posted chapter eleven, and we're only around 15k words in.

Recently i dived (or dumpster dived depending on your perspective) in Visual Novels, Adult Visual Novels, as well as Comics/Manga/Webtoon.

I mostly did it because everyone type of medium is supposed to have cream of the crop, best lf the best, here we are.

Would you mind recommending me rational works, that aren't traditional books? They can be anything really, for me "rational" is mark of quality and shows that the author (among others things) spend time thinking about the wider setting and the premise quite a bit before setting to create the story.

Welcome to the Monday request and recommendation thread. Are you looking something to scratch an itch? Post a comment stating your request! Did you just read something that really hit the spot, "rational" or otherwise? Post a comment recommending it! Note that you are welcome (and encouraged) to post recommendations directly to the subreddit, so long as you think they more or less fit the criteria on the sidebar or your understanding of this community, but this thread is much more loose about whether or not things "belong". Still, if you're looking for beginner recommendations, perhaps take a look at the wiki?

If you see someone making a top level post asking for recommendation, kindly direct them to the existence of these threads.

Previous automated recommendation threads
Other recommendation threads

Welcome to the Saturday Munchkinry and Problem Solving Thread! This thread is designed to be a place for us to abuse fictional powers and to solve fictional puzzles. Feel free to bounce ideas off each other and to let out your inner evil mastermind!

Guidelines:

• Ideally any power to be munchkined should have consistent and clearly defined rules. It may be original or may be from an already realised story.
• The power to be munchkined can not be something "broken" like omniscience or absolute control over every living human.
• Reverse Munchkin scenarios: we find ways to beat someone or something powerful.
• We solve problems posed by other users. Use all your intelligence and creativity, and expect other users to do the same.

Note: All top level comments must be problems to solve and/or powers to munchkin/reverse munchkin.

Good Luck and Have Fun!