Geo's Bouncer

[jeffjerwin]

Wondering what we know, and what people think this thing is.

It carries an axe, which to me suggests an Earth connection, which also makes sense since cookery is an Earth aspected art, more or less. Another observation I'd make is that the Bouncer subsists off the blood of its bull, that drags it in a cart, which seems vaguely akin to the bulls and bullocks that the pull the carts of the Ernalda temple at Clearwine and at the Shaker Temple among the Exiles. 

 

Edit: I wonder it it could be connected to the Sanchali tribe wyter? It's definitely a wyter of some kind.

Edited February 9, 2018 by jeffjerwin

[soltakss]

Wind Voics used to have to own a cart pulled by oxen, I think, so maybe connected to Orlanth.

Geo's Bouncer is the only person the Lunars are afraid of, apparently, but I think that is hogwash, personally.

He may well have become the wyter of Geo's.

[jeffjerwin]

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

Wind Voics used to have to own a cart pulled by oxen, I think, so maybe connected to Orlanth.

Geo's Bouncer is the only person the Lunars are afraid of, apparently, but I think that is hogwash, personally.

Possibly, though the axe points elsewhere.

I wonder also about the story about the Bouncer - though "Home of the Bold" had it powerful enough to wipe out a column of Lunar soldiers. However, the rumour seems awfully convenient. It means the rebels think they're safe in Geo's, while making spying on their movements (at the very least) fairly simple, unless the participants are being really careful. Add one skilled Lunar spy with considerable skill in Illusion and you could listen in on all their planning. Thus there's a possibility the notion was spread by Lunar Intelligence itself.

[jajagappa]

13 hours ago, jeffjerwin said:

It carries an axe, which to me suggests an Earth connection, which also makes sense since cookery is an Earth aspected art, more or less.

It doesn't have to mean the Bouncer is an Earth spirit/deity, though.  Geo is the one doing the cooking, so he could acquire such ability in any number of ways.  Similarly, while the Bouncer might have Earth origins, it could have acquired the axe as a gift, as a quest object, as a found object, etc.  Could also come from some God-time Moon deity associated with the powers of the crescent or of blood or of balance.  And maybe that's why the Lunars fear him because he holds a power of the Moon? 

[Noita]

Geo's bouncer is a Lunar demon, who knows what's what.

[jeffjerwin]

2 minutes ago, Iskallor said:

Geo's bouncer is a Lunar demon, who knows what's what.

There's more than one Moon.

Hmmm.

There's this (false) rumor in the Sartar Companion: "The infamous bouncer of Geo’s is illuminated and recently joined the cult of Danfive Xaron." - there is, I'd admit, a certain similarity between the Bouncer and Danfive cultists.

The Bouncer in extant illustrations (see the Cult Compendium) is dressed like a executioner/leather fetishist, complete with a hood.

I'm thinking he's a male Babeester Gor cultist. After all, she does have a connection to beer. The axe in the CC art even matches.

[jeffjerwin]

That said, I think it would be pretty funny or interesting if Geo's Bouncer was an "urban legend", a role taken on by some patron or employee of the tavern; I mean, his face is covered by a mask, and the stories about him are a bit over the top.

Going back to my last post - "The only man man enough to initiate to Babeester Gor" sounds like a great way to pull someone's leg.

I'm about 90% sure I'm going to have the costume in a locked box in the cellar and the whole thing some sort of stunt that became a tradition in the cult.

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, jeffjerwin said:

That said, I think it would be pretty funny or interesting if Geo's Bouncer was an "urban legend", a role taken on by some patron or employee of the tavern

When my heroes visited Geo's Inn in Jonstown, they were stopped at the door by a large, burly man who served as the "bouncer". 

"Beside the man is an odd black statue. The statue is of a large man carrying an immense double-bitted axe and riding upon a two-wheeled oxcart drawn by a huge black ox. Upon the cart is a hanging gallows with several nooses, a beheading block and basket, and a box. The figure is bare-armed, but otherwise covered with garb like a redsmith. His unblinking eyes seem to stare right out of an executioner’s hood at Aren's face."

When Aren asked whether the statue was the bouncer, Antonor the proprietor replied, "Some might say that Kulbrast there," pointing to the man by the door, "is Geo's Bouncer. Some think it is the statue. Some think it is but a rumor. Those who've violated Geo's Hospitality have learned the Truth."

Whether truth or "urban legend" in my games remains to be seen in some future time.

[jeffjerwin]

2 hours ago, jajagappa said:

Whether truth or "urban legend" in my games remains to be seen in some future time.

All I'm saying is... heroforming.

[David Scott]

As the original write up of this stems from Tales of the Reaching Moon 3, the bouncer could well have been a Tales editorial addition. It was the start of the Aussie invasion of the fanzine so maybe @MOB can throw some light on this? The illustration on the cover of Tales 4 was done by Mark Baldwin another antipodean IIRC. Everything is the article looks okay up to just after the mention of the bouncer, then it goes OTT. David Hall then starts writing about his campaign set in 1611. I think the whole bouncer is a fiction to scare away lunar soldiers...

Edited February 10, 2018 by David Scott

[jeffjerwin]

Didn't Geo and his cult first appear in Different Worlds #1?

I can't locate that currently but my recollection was the bouncer was part of Greg's original article. Perhaps someone can track it down.

[David Scott]

8 hours ago, jeffjerwin said:

Didn't Geo and his cult first appear in Different Worlds #1?

I can't locate that currently but my recollection was the bouncer was part of Greg's original article. Perhaps someone can track it down.

Now you mention it - yes, but I can’t find my copy either.

[MOB]

9 hours ago, David Scott said:

As the original write up of this stems from Tales of the Reaching Moon 3, the bouncer could well have been a Tales editorial addition. It was the start of the Aussie invasion of the fanzine so maybe @MOB can throw some light on this? The illustration on the cover of Tales 4 was done by Mark Baldwin another antipodean IIRC. Everything is the article looks okay up to just after the mention of the bouncer, then it goes OTT. David Hall then starts writing about his campaign set in 1611. I think the whole bouncer is a fiction to scare away lunar soldiers...

I can confirm that's meant to be Geo's Bouncer on the front cover of issue #4, as capably drawn by fellow antipodean Mark Baldwin. It's based on David Hall's article in #3.

BTW, just before Christmas last year I had lunch with Mark, catching up after some twenty-five years. Back then he was a medical student, and contact was made again when I suddenly noticed that was his name on the shingle of the medical rooms I go past every time I walk to the local shops. Mark now gets to express his creative side through being a leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon, (though he told me he'd recently bought a copy of Khan of Khans to play with his kids).

[M Helsdon]

The Cult of Geo, with mention of his Bouncer, is included in the Encyclopedia Glorantha, one of the Kickstarter reward volumes, and so probably dates back to the 80s, if not before.

[soltakss]

Geo definitely had Geo's Bouncer, in Different Worlds. The illustration in ToTRM describes him perfectly, in my opinion.