Boo does deserve contemplation. Sorry for the wall of text to follow.
I have always felt uncomfortable with Minsc as a companion. He is of good alignment, and he actively seeks to fight evil, yet by his intelligence and wisdom scores he is not only unable to recognize deceit, he is also unable to comprehend semi-complex matters when there is absolutely no subterfuge involved. He is therefore not a champion of justice. At best, he can further a just cause by coincidence (usually that coincidence is him following your command). He is a mass murder waiting to happen. And that is even without taking into account his condition whereby he can lose himself in violent rampages.
And yet, when out of the group as well as when part of the team, he never does err in his judgement on whose head to split. And the only possible reason for that is Boo.
I have often pondered whether the man projects his own cognitive functions onto his furry companion, and in this manner accesses parts of his brain that are consciously unavailable to him. But regardless of whether Boo is himself an independent sentient being that guides a loony swordsman on the straight and narrow path of "good" bloodshed, or just a thinking assistance for a mentally handicapped gore-enthusiast, the effect Boo has on Minsc is real and obvious.
And in that light it strikes me as strange when no one else takes the hamster seriously. People want Minsc to get rid of it. No one is actually trying to communicate with Boo.
And so to everybody Minsc is just the funny madman with a large sword who we are happy has not assaulted us during his night watch yet. This is creepy.
Astafas
Member Posts: 448
Comments
I have always felt uncomfortable with Minsc as a companion. He is of good alignment, and he actively seeks to fight evil, yet by his intelligence and wisdom scores he is not only unable to recognize deceit, he is also unable to comprehend semi-complex matters when there is absolutely no subterfuge involved. He is therefore not a champion of justice. At best, he can further a just cause by coincidence (usually that coincidence is him following your command). He is a mass murder waiting to happen. And that is even without taking into account his condition whereby he can lose himself in violent rampages.
And yet, when out of the group as well as when part of the team, he never does err in his judgement on whose head to split. And the only possible reason for that is Boo.
I have often pondered whether the man projects his own cognitive functions onto his furry companion, and in this manner accesses parts of his brain that are consciously unavailable to him. But regardless of whether Boo is himself an independent sentient being that guides a loony swordsman on the straight and narrow path of "good" bloodshed, or just a thinking assistance for a mentally handicapped gore-enthusiast, the effect Boo has on Minsc is real and obvious.
And in that light it strikes me as strange when no one else takes the hamster seriously. People want Minsc to get rid of it. No one is actually trying to communicate with Boo.
And so to everybody Minsc is just the funny madman with a large sword who we are happy has not assaulted us during his night watch yet. This is creepy.