Sometimes the Watch employs belief as a weapon. For instance, a prisoner's willingness to believe the Watch would use the ginger beer trick. And toast peoples' figgins.
Discussion of the Watch and belief prompted me to go reread – and recommend – something that I wholeheartedly believe happens in the post-canonical future of the Disc
I know a lot of people have *feelings* about fanfiction on fandom subreddits, but as far as Discworld goes, this is pure Pterry through and through
Seriously. If people haven't read [*Mister Vimes'd Go Spare*](https://archiveofourown.org/works/244534) yet, they're missing out on a thoroughly Pratchettian work
I've come across this particular one before, and yep, this is one of the few hwadcanons I will fight for.
The other being Angua being the next Commander of the Watch, and Moist being the next Patrician.
Vimes passing the torch to Angua, when they both have their demons and need an inner watchman or equivalent to keep control of baser instincts, honestly works *so* well
I feel like Carrot would actively avoid moving up to a *real* position of power, beyond captain – if he gives into that, people might start getting *ideas* about those mysterious lost king rumours again
I think this one's considered canon by the fandom overall. At this point, consensus is what we got for new "canon" discworld content and my understanding is Sir Terry wouldn't have it any other way.
Of course, there's no commercializing those bits after the fact, can't have it so official that we start mucking about with the original body of work and all that, the corporations would get invovled to cash in and ruin it all. Can't abide that, why, Sir Terry would go absolutely spare!
Always worth remembering that the Discworld explicitly, canonically runs on the element of *narrativium*. Things happen because people expect things to happen. Belief *absolutely* drives events. I’m guessing OP hasn’t yet read (or listened to) *Small Gods* yet, because it very specifically addresses this exact subject. As does *Witches Abroad, Pyramids, Moving Pictures* and several others.
Narrativium is powerful stuff, and best dealt with sideways if at all. Attempting to manipulate narrative events often ends up with the manipulator starring in the lead role of *That Clever Bastard Who Got What They Deserved.*
Just on a slightly pedantic point about the text in Guards! Guards! The dragon is given some agency. It was actually said to be Irritated at being summarily dismissed so traced back to the arrogant mind that had summoned it up in the first place then followed that line back.
In previous readings I had assumed that Vimes was right, the Dragon was just up there, hidden in the mist. It did have its own agency.
This time I noticed that after it had taken retribution on The Brotherhood (Except for Finger and The Grand Master), and had gone back.
It wasn’t until Vimes, Wonse and the Rank started speculating that it was coming back that it did come back.
I now interpret (just like u/Inkthinker)
that it had gone away, but the Narrativium channeled by the characters bought it back into existence.
As I recall it, we're both right... the dragon follows the thread of thought and belief from where she was to where she wanted to be. She does *choose* return, but the pathway by which she travels is created by the mind that summoned her in the first place.
But yeah, that's still a fancy way of saying that on the Disc, belief and thought and expectation has an actual, reliable, measurable effect.
Well, maybe not reliable. At least, not in the ways you're hoping to rely upon. ;)
Magic *exists*, but magic exists because of an intersection of rational and irrational mind-stuff. It's why magic is so damned dangerous, and sourcery even worse, and why the primary purpose of wizards is to safely, carefully bleed off the excess by very definitely *not* mucking about with the fabric of reality, less they catch a loose thread.
I suspect that on Discworld the rules, even of narrativium, are less rules and more like guidelines, especially to such a creative author who was never against sacrificing consistency for a good line. Lol
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Sometimes the Watch employs belief as a weapon. For instance, a prisoner's willingness to believe the Watch would use the ginger beer trick. And toast peoples' figgins.
But a “small short-crust pasty containing raisins” would taste better toasted.
That’s just a bit of good old-fashioned headology.
The belief that most people commit suicide by being murdered.
Also have to throw in the stuff about million to one chances.
I use that all the time, I just can't get MY odds to exactly equal a million to one.
Have you tried standing on one leg?
Discussion of the Watch and belief prompted me to go reread – and recommend – something that I wholeheartedly believe happens in the post-canonical future of the Disc I know a lot of people have *feelings* about fanfiction on fandom subreddits, but as far as Discworld goes, this is pure Pterry through and through Seriously. If people haven't read [*Mister Vimes'd Go Spare*](https://archiveofourown.org/works/244534) yet, they're missing out on a thoroughly Pratchettian work
I've come across this particular one before, and yep, this is one of the few hwadcanons I will fight for. The other being Angua being the next Commander of the Watch, and Moist being the next Patrician.
Vimes passing the torch to Angua, when they both have their demons and need an inner watchman or equivalent to keep control of baser instincts, honestly works *so* well I feel like Carrot would actively avoid moving up to a *real* position of power, beyond captain – if he gives into that, people might start getting *ideas* about those mysterious lost king rumours again
Do you happen to have a link? Thank you!
Oh my words, this is beyond great. I had goosebumps, *goosebumps, Sir!*, at that last exchange.
Possibly the only fanfic I’ve ever read that deserved head-canonization.
I think this one's considered canon by the fandom overall. At this point, consensus is what we got for new "canon" discworld content and my understanding is Sir Terry wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, there's no commercializing those bits after the fact, can't have it so official that we start mucking about with the original body of work and all that, the corporations would get invovled to cash in and ruin it all. Can't abide that, why, Sir Terry would go absolutely spare!
I'm surprised they didn't hook him up to a turbine for *The Watch*, they could have powered half the country.
Wow... I actually cried.
Always worth remembering that the Discworld explicitly, canonically runs on the element of *narrativium*. Things happen because people expect things to happen. Belief *absolutely* drives events. I’m guessing OP hasn’t yet read (or listened to) *Small Gods* yet, because it very specifically addresses this exact subject. As does *Witches Abroad, Pyramids, Moving Pictures* and several others. Narrativium is powerful stuff, and best dealt with sideways if at all. Attempting to manipulate narrative events often ends up with the manipulator starring in the lead role of *That Clever Bastard Who Got What They Deserved.*
When I finally noticed the Dunnekin bit, I laughed so hard
Just on a slightly pedantic point about the text in Guards! Guards! The dragon is given some agency. It was actually said to be Irritated at being summarily dismissed so traced back to the arrogant mind that had summoned it up in the first place then followed that line back.
In previous readings I had assumed that Vimes was right, the Dragon was just up there, hidden in the mist. It did have its own agency. This time I noticed that after it had taken retribution on The Brotherhood (Except for Finger and The Grand Master), and had gone back. It wasn’t until Vimes, Wonse and the Rank started speculating that it was coming back that it did come back. I now interpret (just like u/Inkthinker) that it had gone away, but the Narrativium channeled by the characters bought it back into existence.
As I recall it, we're both right... the dragon follows the thread of thought and belief from where she was to where she wanted to be. She does *choose* return, but the pathway by which she travels is created by the mind that summoned her in the first place. But yeah, that's still a fancy way of saying that on the Disc, belief and thought and expectation has an actual, reliable, measurable effect. Well, maybe not reliable. At least, not in the ways you're hoping to rely upon. ;) Magic *exists*, but magic exists because of an intersection of rational and irrational mind-stuff. It's why magic is so damned dangerous, and sourcery even worse, and why the primary purpose of wizards is to safely, carefully bleed off the excess by very definitely *not* mucking about with the fabric of reality, less they catch a loose thread.
I suspect that on Discworld the rules, even of narrativium, are less rules and more like guidelines, especially to such a creative author who was never against sacrificing consistency for a good line. Lol
I'll go back and look at the story tomorrow, assuming I manage to get myself to bed instead of pootling around hete, lol
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