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A turtle swims past. Not through water, but through the black ocean of
space, past reefs of stars and currents of gravity. This is A'Tuin, and
upon it's back stand four elephants, named (though who by is not known
by many) Berilia, Tubal, Great T'Phon and Jerakeen.This makes it seem
somewhat larger than most turtles. This is confirmed when, say as the
mind's eye swings round from beneath A'Tuin in a cinematic special effect
of the imagination, the elephants own burden becomes visible. It is a
world, a disc 10,000 miles across of soil, rock and bones of improbable
animals. Things live on it. Some of them call themselves people.....
The reason this kind of thing is allowed to exist is unknown, perhaps those
whose job it is to make sure the universe runs smoothly have got too much else
to do and are hoping that if they just ignore the Discworld and accompanying
phenomena it will just sort itself out. The denizens of the Disc however tend
to just get on with their lives and untill they are in danger of falling off
the Rim do not concider their worlds flatness. Sometimes they have stranger
things to deal with..
The Discs many peculiarities can be put down to the thinness of reality around
it. This leads to things to effects which can seem breathtaking from a distance
(often permenently so close to). Forces and energy which only exists extremely
faintly on less impressive worlds are facts of life on this flat one.
Thats not to say they are every day events.
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