# Too Proud to Die - the Fighting Ignorants **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 19, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657 "2010-04-19T19:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/521 "2010-07-07T23:29:45Z")
“Sounds like a plan! Let’s do it.” Under my breath, I mutter “that poor, brave soul…” ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/522 "2010-07-07T23:38:42Z")
Deal! Strap him up, **Auto**! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/523 "2010-07-07T23:44:54Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > Deal! > Strap him up, **Auto**! “Man, that sounds so gay. But, ok.” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/524 "2010-07-08T05:45:48Z")
Just a minute, if this is to get at the canvas then you may have misunderstood me - it’s wound into the rope, between the strands, and hasn’t gone anywhere. You can see it quite clearly now; it doesn’t seem to be marked in any way, and it’s still twisted through the rope (which doesn’t interfere with the smooth working of the windlass). Do you still wish to lower **Melon** down the well? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/525 "2010-07-08T08:35:48Z")
Sure, why not? And I still want that canvas! He can be lowered down there, and then we lower the canvas-rope-section down. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/526 "2010-07-08T09:02:11Z")
“Why not? We’ve been in this cave for like a month and I’m getting stir crazy.” ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/527 "2010-07-08T13:45:22Z")
Is the canvas actually intwined with the rope or just wrapped up in it? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/528 "2010-07-08T14:30:36Z")
“So we’re officially going crazy then? 'Cause I’ve got this ax and the door is made of wood so if we’re going nuts I’ve always wanted to chop down a door.” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/529 "2010-07-08T15:42:13Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > Is the canvas actually intwined with the rope or just wrapped up in it? It’s like a piece of ribbon, only made of canvas, and it is intertwined with the rope. It was inconspicuous while the rope was wound on the windlass, but now it reminds you of something sailors do when they drop a weighted rope into the water to measure depth - they wind bits off odd stuff into the rope to tell them how much rope has been let out. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/530 "2010-07-08T20:34:25Z")
So what you’re saying is that if we leave **Melon** down in the well, he will drown to death? Score! ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/531 "2010-07-08T20:55:28Z")
With a little test-winding you can establish that the canvas strip appears before the bucket reaches any water. All this without having to use the noodle-botherer as ballast! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/532 "2010-07-08T21:02:51Z")
But, but, I think **Melon** wants to take a ride down into the scary and probably dangerous darkness! ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/533 "2010-07-08T21:23:11Z")
“Wait guys. So this canvas thing is used to mark a certain depth. Basically- at that marking point on the rope, there might be something of interest at THAT SPECIFIC point IN the well. So maybe we don’t want to send \*\*Melon \*\*to the BOTTOM of the well, but we want to send him to where that canvas point appears, and maybe check out the well’s sides or such with a light source. Basically the Rope is marked at a certain point in it, so someone’s taken the time to do that and probably not something done in the last few minuites. We oughta scope that out. And by we- I mean the crazy fool who volunteers to go down to that depth- but we shouldn’t cut the rope then. Perhaps you can try to straddle the bucket and see if we can lower you down to the marked depth, **Melon** , or maybe we should send a thief down there? :coughs:” ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/534 "2010-07-08T21:37:39Z")
“No, the last dark and scary hole I went into was my ex. I’m set. _prods **Melon** _.” ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/535 "2010-07-08T23:24:22Z")
**Melon** swings a leg over the lip of the well and nods to **Jam**. “Got it, check where the canvas marks the rope.” With that he swings his other leg over and lowers himself a few feet, getting good footing before reaching up to take a torch from someone. Careful not to light the rope on fire, he descends. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/536 "2010-07-09T00:43:05Z")
:hums the Raiders of the Lost Ark Theme: ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/537 "2010-07-09T01:12:42Z")
“Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes? I hate snakes.” ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/538 "2010-07-09T02:47:14Z")
“Make sure your torch doesn’t go out. Might be grues down there.” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/539 "2010-07-09T05:30:00Z")
The rope creaks alarmingly as \*\*Melon \*\*'s weight comes onto it. He’s many times heavier than a bucket of water. Lowering away? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657/540 "2010-07-09T05:31:33Z")
Ummm, no offense your GM-ness, but in what universe does a rope make a creaking sound? I get your point though. I vote lower away, although I wont force **Melon** if his courage goes as limp as his linguine. Worst comes to worst, we can have our healers jump down and patch everyone up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-proud-to-die-the-fighting-ignorants/536657.md?page=28)