Al-Ybi: Difference between revisions
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'''Al-Ybi''' is a mostly unremarkable desert city in [[Klatch]]. Al-Ybi's reputation for boringness has entered it in folklore as the place where Klatchians invented the concept of zero. This makes sense to noted [[Fred Colon|Ankh-Morporkian scholars]], who reason that since empty desert is basically nothing, nothing is a ready natural resource to Klatchians. | '''Al-Ybi''' is a mostly unremarkable desert city in [[Klatch]]. Al-Ybi's reputation for boringness has entered it in folklore as the place where Klatchians invented the concept of zero. This makes sense to noted [[Fred Colon|Ankh-Morporkian scholars]], who reason that since empty desert is basically nothing, nothing is a ready natural resource to Klatchians. | ||
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Al-Ybi's name is a play on ''alibi'', a person's claim to have been elsewhere when a crime has taken place. This fits with Fred Colon's assertion that Klatchians invented everything with al- in the name, including al-gebra, al-cohol, and al-stronomy. | Al-Ybi's name is a play on ''alibi'', a person's claim to have been elsewhere when a crime has taken place. This fits with Fred Colon's assertion that Klatchians invented everything with al- in the name, including al-gebra, al-cohol, and al-stronomy. | ||
Needing a ready target to shift blame transcends cultures—see also the Dwarf entity [[Agi Hammerthief]] or the Ankh-Morporkian expression | Needing a ready target to shift blame transcends cultures—see also the Dwarf entity [[Agi Hammerthief]] or the Ankh-Morporkian expression {{wp|Fanny_Adams|"sweet Fanny Adams"}}. | ||
The cursed Seriph of Al-Ybi is a twist on the myth of | The cursed Seriph of Al-Ybi is a twist on the myth of {{wp|Midas|King Midas}}. Turning everything into gold is bad, but turning everything into a furious Dwarf is possibly even worse. | ||
[[Category:Discworld geography]] | [[Category:Discworld geography]] | ||
[[Category:Locations]] | [[Category:Locations]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:39, 18 October 2017
Al-Ybi is a mostly unremarkable desert city in Klatch. Al-Ybi's reputation for boringness has entered it in folklore as the place where Klatchians invented the concept of zero. This makes sense to noted Ankh-Morporkian scholars, who reason that since empty desert is basically nothing, nothing is a ready natural resource to Klatchians.
Since nothing happens in Al-Ybi, it is also a safe place for criminals to claim to have been whenever they stand accused of a crime.
The only excitement in Al-Ybi occurred when the greedy Seriph of the city was cursed by a dyslexic deity so that everything he touched turned into "glod". Glod was a blameless dwarf in a far off mountain community who found herself being dragged to Al-Ybi and relentlessly duplicated. Over two thousand Glods later, the curse wore off. To this day, the people of Al-Ybi have a reputation for being both bad-tempered and short in stature.
Annotation
Al-Ybi's name is a play on alibi, a person's claim to have been elsewhere when a crime has taken place. This fits with Fred Colon's assertion that Klatchians invented everything with al- in the name, including al-gebra, al-cohol, and al-stronomy.
Needing a ready target to shift blame transcends cultures—see also the Dwarf entity Agi Hammerthief or the Ankh-Morporkian expression "sweet Fanny Adams".
The cursed Seriph of Al-Ybi is a twist on the myth of King Midas. Turning everything into gold is bad, but turning everything into a furious Dwarf is possibly even worse.