“Doktorandus Týg Krolpelsse is about to lecture us
on the negative effects of the newly popular Handapults
on youngsters, and how they are spoiling their appreciation
for the fine art of Archery.”
The professor knows best –
according to himself…
Inquisitive minds, sturdy habits
ALTHOUGH THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS is not known in Bos, there are those who try to better understand the world around them. These individuals are called Slimmeneeren*.
The biggest problem these professors face is their own complacency and haughtiness. They don’t approach problems with an open mind but rather start with answers, and find fitting questions to them. Many Slimmeneeren also have a hard time coming to terms with discoveries that do not agree with the stories they believe. When in doubt, they trust folkloric knowledge & tradition over novelty.
Leusgeen Zwetsteert,
inventor of the Handapult, in the process of summarily explaining why his new product is a handy tool in many scenarios ranging from personal defence to modern housekeeping.
STILL, SOME PROGRESS has been made over the years and Slimmeneeren all over Bos have taken steps to organize themselves in studygroups called Kamers.
Most prestigious among these is the Kamer of Vieroogen, a city that has always been keen on technological progress. This group has been succesful on several accounts: although gunpowder was probably invented multiple times, only a cautious approach by the Vieroogen Kamer resulted in survivors & a safe formula. Likewise, they perfected the process of lens-crafting, and spectacles have thus been dubbed ‘Vieroog‘, after their city of origin.
Notes
Handapult — A novelty ranged weapon that employs string & coils to propel ammunition (any object small enough to fit). Very popular among the sons & daughters of the upper classes. The coil is made from a branch of the Plooytekke tree.
Slimmeneer — ‘Smart-Sir’, collective term for those interested in the invention of gadgets and the hidden workings of the world.
Kamer — ‘Room’, a society of sorts, where likeminded inquisitive minds can meet, share information and help each-other with experiments.
Vieroogen — A city known as the centre of invention & science in Bos. Considered too progressive by many other cities, and often ridiculed among the peasantry of the land.
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