1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

What does "speculum" mean in the game?

Discussion in 'Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor' started by SlickRCBD, Jun 22, 2014.

  1. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
    Latest gem: Glittering Beljuril


    Resourceful Adored Veteran

    Joined:
    May 7, 2005
    Messages:
    3,017
    Media:
    47
    Likes Received:
    173
    Gender:
    Male
    I've always wondered why that one area of the city heights is referred to in-game as the "speculum grounds".
    The only use of the word I'm familiar with is a gynecological instrument.

    The dictionary says it can also be a colorful spot on the wings of a bird. Neither seems relevant to what you find on those grounds.
     
  2. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,475
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/PoR2/adventure.php

    Speculum is the Hall of Wizards, though why exactly it's called that I'm not sure. Speculum means mirror in Latin, though today's dictionary definition is also "a mirror or reflector, especially one of polished metal, as on a reflecting telescope".
     
  3. Paracelsi

    Paracelsi Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,098
    Media:
    10
    Likes Received:
    104
    Gender:
    Male
    It likely has something to do with Tal's definition above.

    The only other game I've played that uses the word "speculum" is the Heroes of Might and Magic series. "The Speculum" is a recurring telescopic item that grants a bonus to the hero's sight radius.
     
  4. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
    Latest gem: Glittering Beljuril


    Resourceful Adored Veteran

    Joined:
    May 7, 2005
    Messages:
    3,017
    Media:
    47
    Likes Received:
    173
    Gender:
    Male
    I did some more digging in-depth this morning.
    Answers.com and Wikipedia had a couple more definitions:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculum
    Clicking on the "Prester John" link yields this
    So maybe the fact that you find diviners in the Hall of Wizards indicates that it is also called the speculum because of divination?
    Answers.com also gave some more definitions:

    could also be
    But I don't see any mirrors around there.


    My guess is the divination aspect, with an archaic use of the word given that you find the Hall of Wizards with diviners inside.
     
  5. ConjurerDragon

    ConjurerDragon Ich dien ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2010
    Messages:
    417
    Media:
    1
    Likes Received:
    31
    Gender:
    Male
    No mirrors? What about the huge mirror right in the Hall of Wizard below the stairs where the diviners are that grants you a vision of Pelandralaar?
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.