The protagonists discus, that they could have solved the adventure while role playing, if their characters had flashlights with them. This brings to mind the infamous German translation of AD&D (the first edition, which did not yet have an edition number): Among other things, the word "torch" was translated as "Taschenlampe", which is German for "flashlight". So yes, if taken litterally, German players of this adventure would have some metal strips with them, if they packed a Taschenlampe or two :-)
Interestingly, it was not the translator who made this error, who very well new, that "torch" can mean "burning stick" or "battery operated, transportable light source" and was also aware, which meaning is more appropriate to the setting. It was ostensibly someone at TSR, who "proof read" the translation and consulted an English-German dictionary, using the first translation option and "correcting" all those errors.
I heard this story years and years ago in a talk of a German roleplayer, who wrote his thesis about the technical language of roleplaying games. Good times.
Interestingly, it was not the translator who made this error, who very well new, that "torch" can mean "burning stick" or "battery operated, transportable light source" and was also aware, which meaning is more appropriate to the setting. It was ostensibly someone at TSR, who "proof read" the translation and consulted an English-German dictionary, using the first translation option and "correcting" all those errors.
I heard this story years and years ago in a talk of a German roleplayer, who wrote his thesis about the technical language of roleplaying games. Good times.
Statistics: Posted by Mulmor — 22 Jan 2025 19:36