Kingmaker

Game Master Rackal28

Yeah, it does seem to be a very ecumenical set of religious characters compared to most recruitments. There could be a lot of interesting conversations coming out of the party's various faiths.

Signy probably wouldn't play much of a part in that though. The Caydenite church isn't known for it's complicated theological stances on, well, anything at all. It's hard to pedantic about religion with Cayden Cailean as one's ethical compass. She'd mostly be amused by the lawful types, if they were hardcore she might stray over the line into snideness.

The Caydenite faith is easy to sum up. "Come on in and get comfortable. Have a drink, grab a cookie, and stay as long as you like. Abide by the house rules: 1. Don't make a mess or hassle other people so you're spoiling their good time. 2. Never punch down. 3. No slaves".

You can't expect much more nuance from a religion for which Tubthumping could serve perfectly well as liturgical music.

Cayden Cailean's entire holy text being a bar placard is so on-brand. My favorite rendition of it is: "Do good; live well; have a drink now and then; and stand up for what you believe in." He probably wouldn't scoff too hard at people who hang "Eat. Pray. Love." in their homes. Love me some Cayden.

It would also be nice to have some colonizers come in and basically be all "You do you" instead of a crusading "Convert or die" flex.

There's an awesome little guide to Chaotic Good that's been around for a while. If you've not seen it already, you can find it here: Rules Are For Jerks

It even has an answer for the 'good bandit' discussion here on the recruitment thread.

Remember: "The more that you read, the more things you will know." -Dr. Seuss

Signy checks evangelism off her daily list of things to do. (Joke! Signy doesn't make lists.)

Wisp respects gods sort of as saints or holy figures. After all, Erastil and Cayden were born of Golarion, so in a sense, they, too, exist through the Will of the World. On the other hand, she basically sees the Green Faith as a self-evidently correct religion by this same logic. More easy-going gods like Cayden and Erastil are generally fine, but she doesn't like them being worshiped to the exclusion of the "true" faith.

What's more, the Green Faith is a religion currently without a home, thanks to the incursion of the Worldwound. Wisp going to become really dedicated to giving it one, and might rather badly resent the building of churches and promotion of deism if it starts to compete with her efforts. Not enough to get in fights over it, obviously, but enough that it might affect her relationships with other PCs and need to be addressed.

I agree, there seem to be a lot of great submissions :) And Cayden Cailean certainly deserves some love! Raevis has him as a previous/secondary worshipped god. Wonder if he could resist the temptation of many good drinks and parties if the Kingdom ever got a Legit high society, or at the very least a few good taverns, haha.

I'll make Raevis into a proper alias somewhere tonight!

Signy says: "Wisp can still stop by anytime for a drink and a chat. You don't have to stay."

"Aside from the roots of his power*, Cayden's alright. He's one of the only gods who knows he's a fool, and... maybe that makes him one of the wisest gods of the bunch. Give me something foaming and toxic."

*Which are, obviously, a disgrace and affront; the Starstone ought to be launched back from whence it came, or through an aboleth's noggin, whichever's closest.

@Ventiine: I never said anything about Erastil's opinion on women. I said he is big on marriage, which he is. Women in Erastil's church may do any of the things men can do I just thought it was curious that you chose to go adventuring for the marriage god to get away from marriage. Not that it's wrong or it couldn't work, I simply found it peculiar.

And yeah I was thinking she could come across an amulet of Speak with Plants a book or two in so we could facilitate that part of your character's story.

Ok, cool. Thanks for the clarification. I imagine if Serena found the right individual (who perhaps shared a mutual love of plants or animals) she might see it as a sign that it's time. But, at the moment, I think she sees herself as capable of contributing more for her community. And her community would include any followers of her god.

I would love to roleplay the moment when Serena comes across a magical amulet, and then a whole new world she's been longing for opens up. She'd probably cry in gratitude and attribute it as a blessing. Serena grew up a "country bumpkin" of nobles but had a loving, pleasant childhood filled with tales of Old Deadeye. Her childhood absolutely shaped her outlook on life and passions.

Remember: "The more that you read, the more things you will know." -Dr. Seuss

Ayyyy yesterday was his birthday! Are you a teacher? ;)

I'm interested, but unfortunately my concept does overlap with the druid-types a little bit. Sorry about that!

Presenting Gardolf the Green, a mysterious and irritable "magic user" who inexplicably fights with quarterstaff and longsword more proficiently than he casts magic spells to aid the fellowship of hardy folks headed into the Stolen Lands.

Ah, hey there Erik! Nice to see you here too.

I finished turning Raevis into an Alias for ease of reference. Good luck on finishing the concepts/the selection process, all!

Ah, hey there Erik! Nice to see you here too.

I finished turning Raevis into an Alias for ease of reference. Good luck on finishing the concepts/the selection process, all!

Hey Trevor! Always nice to see Pathfinder friends in other games. :)

Gardolf seems really neat! I actually think he has some decent contrast—his dislike towards the fey goes even further than Wisp's wariness, so I expect the other naturey-themed PCs would have no problems being distinguished from him. Plus, Kingmaker is the sort of AP where being druid-like is to be expected.

I mean, even the paladin applicant is a worshiper of the hunting god.

Gardolf seems really neat!

Thanks KC! I was inspired by the strong desire to play a wizard who could physically stand up to a huge demon and shout "You! Shall not! Pass!" and actually be able to make it stick. ;)

Really good point about everyone being nature-oriented. There's always lots of competition for games, and it's really too bad that we can't all play together. So many good ideas and friendly attitudes here!

I love the whole idea of flavoring a bloodrager as a Gandalf-like "wise old wizard with a magic sword". Very Tenser-esque.

OK, so I may be a bit too fascinated by imaginary theologies…

You can't expect much more nuance from a religion for which Tubthumping could serve perfectly well as liturgical music.

Cayden Cailean's entire holy text being a bar placard is so on-brand. My favorite rendition of it is: "Do good; live well; have a drink now and then; and stand up for what you believe in." He probably wouldn't scoff too hard at people who hang "Eat. Pray. Love." in their homes. Love me some Cayden.

Lina holds probably the easiest-going elven goddess closest to her heart, but out of solidarity with her better half’s devotion to Findeladlara, I think she would pale at the thought. ;)

Calistria’s more her speed for a good time (whispers over tea in the private parlours of the temple and all that), but someone’s got to keep the rowdier folks happy, and Cayden does that very well indeed.

I agree! I actually think it would be interesting for Wisp to be in a party with all these Medvyed Erastil-lovers—Erastil and the Green Faith seem like they'd end up competing for the same base of worshipers, so that could lead to some interesting tensions if Wisp tries to turn the region into the new home for the Green Faith.

I wonder just how much of a competition it would be – aren’t a bunch of Erastil’s clergy druids? Maybe more of a denominational split? Or, folks go to church on Sunday to listen to the priest, and then on the dark of the moon gather to go all Wicker Man or whatever it is you druids do? :p

Yeeeaah. Lina would play nice, of course, but someone as stuffy as Erastil would really not be her thing, and the whole Sevenarches situation kind of rankles. But so long as we leave any ancient elven temples alone (mostly, she wouldn’t want to leave them for anyone else to rummage through), let folks build them, sustainably, if they feel so inclined, and make sure she has a temple to her pantheon in our eventual capital, she’d be happy no matter what other folks do. Live and let live, after all.

On an Erastilian note, though…

I would love to roleplay the moment when Serena comes across a magical amulet, and then a whole new world she's been longing for opens up. She'd probably cry in gratitude and attribute it as a blessing. Serena grew up a "country bumpkin" of nobles but had a loving, pleasant childhood filled with tales of Old Deadeye. Her childhood absolutely shaped her outlook on life and passions.

I adore the idea of Serena’s plantspeech! Subtle, subtle movements like branches reaching out or bending in the breeze? *Squee!* <3 <3 <3 !!! Lina would be fascinated, but a bit cool to the idea just on the principle of not naming and making friends with things one’s going to eat / grind into perfume / medicine and/or poison. o.O :'(

Maybe Arboreal (=Entish) could be a good starting point for a Plant Common too, a lingua franca so leafy lovelies don’t have to worry about whether folks in the next glade over speak Wildflower or Temperate Rainforest or Boreal or…? :)

Until she can get regular access to speak with plants, anyway. Which, depending on whether or not she and some crafty spellcasters end up in the same party could conceivably be sooner rather than later.

@Jovich: An interesting story to be sure. But the blade. Is it an intelligent weapon? If so that's a very expensive piece of equipment for a level 1 character. Maybe we could have it slowly awaken over time, several books perhaps?

Also if you could answer me what a short term goal of his is. What a long term goal of his is, and what reason would he have to establish his own kingdom if given the opportunity.

The voices in his head could be just his imagination or it could be his blade speaking to him by means of telepathy...who knows, he certainly does not know for certain.

The blade is intelligent but is dormant at this time. Will not "awaken" till 3rd level of Blade Bound Magus.

1. What is a short-term goal of your character?
This goal would most certainly be the awakening of his blade. The task of figuring out exactly what it is and how it came to be what it is. To truly bound with his chosen blade.

2. What is a long-term goal of your character?
This one also is an item and one he found on his adventure to the stolen lands. The cup felt as if it could see into his soul and he needs to figure that out at some point. Since this is a link to Cayden it would make sense that this goal would take a bit longer.

3. If your character was given the opportunity to found their own kingdom what would be their motivation to do so?

Now this is a bit more involved than a few sentences but I will try.

I can see this character not actively seeking to be a ruler as he thrives on his personal freedom to be who he is. The stolen lands are untamed and dangerous to those that can not defend themselves. Seeing that adventurers are actively seeking to change that would drive him to do as such. This region also houses a wide range of terrains for which he could see the potential for brewing purposes. Different regions for grains, barley, hops, grapes, honey, fruits, grasses, rye, etc...all of which could lead back to his cup and Cayden as a motivator. The river kingdoms thrive on freedom and the region teems with adventures. Maybe a tavern/brewery in each city called the Silver Cup. A place for adventuresses to relax and put their boots up for a bit. To maintain the freedom of all with very little government oversight. I hope this is understandable....

I wonder, just how much of a competition it would be – aren’t a bunch of Erastil’s clergy druids? Maybe more of a denominational split? Or, folks go to church on Sunday to listen to the priest, and then on the dark of the moon gather to go all Wicker Man or whatever it is you druids do? :p

Honestly, I have no idea. Erastil's a nature god, but he's also a Lawful Good god of tradition, so a lot depends on how his worshipers comport themselves. Wisp's ideal would probably be Erastil serving a secondary role to the Green Faith—a shrine here and there would be fine. Wisp prays to Pharasma, after all; she's not anti-god! However, if the clerics of Erastil start to wield more sway over communities than the druids of the Green Faith, Wisp will probably get crabby. If, mind you, people want to roleplay that kind of conflict at all. If not, I'd tone it down.

EDIT: Oh, Sevenarches, that's some neat lore! Wisp would definitely be, well, maybe a little bit defensive about that. But I can see elements of Lina's grievance that she would struggle to dismiss—especially since she doesn't know the full story.

I guess it would also depend if Wisp could eventually, over the course of the campaign, be tempted to the side of the azata. With cookies, like Signy said! And rainbow sprinkles!

At some point I should do more than skim Inner Sea Gods and the like when running into interfaith questions, and I am entirely too much of a fangirl of the Pathfinder Wiki for my own good. Apart from oddments of lore, I think it’s normally pretty good about marking spoilers and such? As much as I like seeing each GM put their own spin on things, I can feel a bit lost if I roll up a centenarian character and not imagine her having a sense of what the local towns are, for example.

But anyway. I gather Erastil’s a good sort, right? And his clergy and temples more people and places with the experience and the gumption to keep things going properly … ‘like they always have before, the way our parents and grandparents did.’ *Rolls eyes in chaotic. ;)* ISG suggests temples, in particular, tend to be multi-use spaces like community centres rather than fancy-dan cathedral-type things with priests doing mysterious things inside.

To be clear, I'm talking a lot about what a Neutral Evil jerk Wisp is, but she would likely not come across that way in play at first. She's actually really nice in most regards—when she's having a good day, she's downright Neutral Good. She does her best to help people out, she takes care of her friends, etc.

Her "evil" alignment mostly refers to where she draws the line, especially when it comes to the misdeeds of those she cares about. She's fiercely loyal to a fault, and I do mean to a fault. Aside from that, she might kick an enemy when they're down, or advocate less-than-Good solutions to major problems, but I prefer those kinds of actions to be a rarity. Wisp is more about the banality of wickedness. Honestly, I think the ideal evil PC is the sort that people are surprised when they see the alignment because it so rarely comes up.

(And obviously, I don't want her to stay evil. That's the Bad End—where Wisp never really learns, just finds a new, less-evil family to ruthlessly defend. It would make a good story, but a sad one for her. Probably a short one, too.)

As for Erastil's churches, yeah, I see his clergy as more the old-fashioned "we have [a priest] who comes out to bless the calvings and we ask him what [Erastil] would want us to do when there's a problem". To put it cynically, Wisp would just rather insert a druid and the Will of the World in there. ;)

Ayyyy yesterday was his birthday! Are you a teacher? ;)

Huh! I had no idea yesterday was his birthday. It's a coincidence. Or luck. :p

I used to be a teacher, but it was college and by then the students were beyond Dr. Seuss. Well, most of them.

I used to be a teacher, but it was college and by then the students were beyond Dr. Seuss. Well, most of them.

You are NEVER beyond Dr. Seuss. Well I mean, unless you are dead maybe?

There may come a day when I have lost all the rest of my sense, but if I ever say that I am too old for Dr. Seuss then bury me for I am well and truly dead.

EDIT: Also "Oh the Places You'll Go" is my default graduation gift.

We only have a couple new submissions since the last list, but we're on the next page, so:

Concepts:

Trakas Aeramirdal, NG male human swashbuckler/magus, by Jovish
Signy Birkirsdottir, CG female human Inquisitor of Cayden, by rdknight
Alice Redeyes, NG female human bloodrager, by katataban
Lorna Medvyed, NG female human spiritualist of Erastil, by Archlich
Natalia Aslanov, NG female human shaman, by DBH (question answers)
Thomas Leafbearer, LN male half-elf cleric/wizard of Iomedae, by Mokshai
Hyalinnea Kyrithra, CG female elf magus, by Qunnessaa
Margus Blackfeather, NG male tengu cavalier, by ArendK
Wylhia the Wisp, NE or CN gnome druid of Green Faith, by Kobold Cleaver
Kul'Theraka, NG male half-orc ranger (bow), by Ironperenti
Lethyr, CN male half-elf ranger (longbow), by ScorchedOne
Serena Beaumont, LG female human paladin of Erastil (melee), by Ventiine
Raevis Rogarvia, NG male human swashbuckler, by Trevor86
Morof Tarci, NG male half-elf wizard (illusionist), by Anthorg
Brental Fenson, LN male aasimar druid of Green Faith, by polyfrequencies
Gardolf the Green, LG male human bloodrager, by eriktd

Expressed Interest:
Assembler, archaeologist bard
GoblinFiddler
Camris

@polyfrequencies: My, my what a fascinating character we have here~

Could I just ask if Brental has any friends or relations you would like to expand upon beyond his animal companion?

@eriktd: XD always great to have a LotR reference character in the running!

Is he angry all the time? Or just when people pester him?

@Trevor86: Ohhh okay no problems with the intelligent sword then, it should be a lot of fun to roleplay!

@Kobold Cleaver: Well I'm GMT -7 but I keep a VERY odd schedule. You'll likely see me posting around this time and about ten or so hours from now and two hours before. Or to put it more bluntly... 10:30 PM to 10:30 AM Mountain Standard Time~

Is he angry all the time? Or just when people pester him?

Gardolf is grumpy whenever anyone meddles in his affairs, as he is subtle and quick to rage.

"Fool of a Took!" he fumes. "Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of your stupidity!"

Oh, I kid. No, Gardolf is all bluster and bushy eyebrows. When he isn't being poked and prodded into doing the bidding of the Brevic nobility, he smokes his pipe by the fire quite contentedly and thinks his deep arcane thoughts in an almost meditative state.

I think he just hates children. And halflings, can't stand them. And gnomes probably get on his last nerves too. But otherwise, he gets along with people fine, if he doesn't have to interact with them much. Actually, maybe it's best if everyone gives him a little space...

@Kobold Cleaver: Well I'm GMT -7 but I keep a VERY odd schedule. You'll likely see me posting around this time and about ten or so hours from now and two hours before. Or to put it more bluntly... 10:30 PM to 10:30 AM Mountain Standard Time~

Aaaaaaa! Quick, has anyone actually seen Rackal in daylight? *Tries to find a way to check for fangs discreetly, without staring.*

<.< >.> Look, it’s a completely different situation. I’m obviously a faerie! ;)

Which is not what I started out to say, but anyway.

I think he just hates children. And halflings, can't stand them. And gnomes probably get on his last nerves too. But otherwise, he gets along with people fine, if he doesn't have to interact with them much. Actually, maybe it's best if everyone gives him a little space...

"O! What are you doing,

And let me guess, excessively perky elves drive him absolutely up the wall?

What I actually meant to say, getting back to my droll (I hope) comments on how we lunatics might all fit together, I think I also saw a couple of references to A Song of Ice and Fire, both in connection with good characters? This amuses me immensely. “In the game of thrones, you win or you (in order) 1) pout, 2) take a breath, 3) compromise, and (most importantly) 4) be friends again.” :)

I think I need more tea this morning.

@Trevor86: Ohhh okay no problems with the intelligent sword then, it should be a lot of fun to roleplay!

To be fair, I think you mixed me up with another submission as Raevis currently doesn't have an intelligent sword. However, if you prefer, i could always add a snarky or megalomaniac rp sword to contrast him :) Actually roleplayed a spirit to my shaman, Movah, with a similar personality as one of my aliases. Good times!

Okay, I may as well throw my hat hood into the ring. Meneas the Cowl, human cavalier (hooded knight) , of the Order of the Blossom at your service. I mean, you could also technically call him Sir Meneas Surtova, but, well, bastard and all.

He needs equipment, but I'm still working on that.

Short-Term Goal Meneas would like to prove to himself that the ways of the Hooded Knights are just as potent as the Aldori dueling styles. He intends to do this by challenging and fighting foes that he feels the Aldori would struggle with.

Long-Term Goals Meneas ultimately would like to found an organization of Hooded Knights devoted to the harmony between fey and mortal, as well as keeping the roads safe and secure for the people who travel them.

Kingdom Interests Despite what he tells himself, Meneas is rather bitter about his status as a bastard of the Surtovas. In part, his reasoning for going to the Stolen Lands is to prove to them that he is a true noble. Mostly, though, he wants to make sure that the newly founded kingdoms don't intrude on the fey's influenced lands. He has no interest in being a ruler himself, but would serve a friend loyally as a martial officer of some sort - with the possibility of being an emissary to fey in the Stolen Lands.

@Trevor86: Aww shoot, sorry Mrs. Rackal did mix up your submissions as she read all the posts in a flurry to try and maintain her own "one post per day ruling" >.>'

A thousand apologies good sir~

@Qunnessaa: Oh don't be silly I wouldn't be caught dead in the daylight. :)

It's horrible for the complexion doncha know?

@Sensen: Wait, wasn't I just applying for your Jade Regent AP? XD Anyways hold tight, I'll have read your backstory and have some commentary on it all very soon :)

Shh. Yes, yes you were. I have one more slot open to play in, and I wanted to play with you somehow!

@Kobold Cleaver: Well I'm GMT -7 but I keep a VERY odd schedule. You'll likely see me posting around this time and about ten or so hours from now and two hours before. Or to put it more bluntly... 10:30 PM to 10:30 AM Mountain Standard Time~

Ah, yeah, I understand—I just woke up, greeted my girlfriend, and now she's going to bed at 7am. XD

It's good to know, because as someone who works from home, I basically wake up at 8am MST, spend all day online occasionally refreshing my game threads, and then go to bed at 10pm MST. Oh, and, uh, doing work during that time, obviously.

But yeah, knowing not to worry as much about refreshing in the afternoon is handy!

I think he just hates children. And halflings, can't stand them. And gnomes probably get on his last nerves too. But otherwise, he gets along with people fine, if he doesn't have to interact with them much. Actually, maybe it's best if everyone gives him a little space...

I think Wisp and Gardolf will either become close friends/frienemies or absolutely dislike each other. They have a lot in common (connections to the First World causing premature aging, keen interest in magic, unease around fey) and also a few major points that could cause them to clash. Wisp basically sees the fey as dangerous but intrinsically important, and she loves the chaos of the River Kingdoms. Meanwhile, Gardolf can't stand fey and wants to bring order to the place.

That said, Wisp is not a remotely childlike character—she's not that kind of gnome. :P

"O! What are you doing,
And where are you going?
Your pony needs shoeing!
The river is flowing!
O! tra-la-la-lally
here down in the valley!"

Oh, dear, now the Rankin-Bass version will be stuck in my head all day.

“In the game of thrones, you win or you (in order) 1) pout, 2) take a breath, 3) compromise, and (most importantly) 4) be friends again.”

Oh, totally. I'm looking forward to a bit of drama because, honestly, my style of gameplay really thrives on conflict as a mechanism for character development. I think the most natural way for a PC to grow and change is by putting them through the ringer. That said, I would only want to roleplay conflict between a bunch of PCs who are friends, with all players on good terms and enjoying watching things unfold. You don't come right out the gate and start summoning pugwampis into the Erastil shrine.

Oh, hey, Sensen! Good to see you again. It's funny how few people from the Jade Regent Recruitment thread are here—I figured everyone would just migrate from thread to thread, but this feels like a pretty different batch.

Also, very cool to see a fellow worshiper of the Eldest! I mean, Wisp doesn't exactly worship them so much as fear them and pray that they leave her alone, but still.

Still very much lurking here. I'm avoiding the "ping"-style posts in respect for the people who are still preparing their submissions as to not clog the thread :) And, as supposed, fingers crossed all this time and curious for the final selections.

Oh, hey, Sensen! Good to see you again. It's funny how few people from the Jade Regent Recruitment thread are here—I figured everyone would just migrate from thread to thread, but this feels like a pretty different batch.

Also, very cool to see a fellow worshiper of the Eldest! I mean, Wisp doesn't exactly worship them so much as fear them and pray that they leave her alone, but still.

To be fair, I think that's a sensible position to take on the Eldest. Though Meneas doesn't worship him/them/her/it, exactly, he does revere Ng. Ng, whose name no one can pronounce. xD

@Sensen: Awwwww how dare you say something so kind-hearted and flattering! Glad to know Riftun made an impression xD

As for Meneas, was his mother killed in the bandit attack as well then? And was the Nameless Knight slain by his father in a duel?

@Kobold Cleaver: Oh yeah, wellll about that. As I am proving right now, my sleep schedule is entirely made up, much to my wife's dismay, so good luck guessing when you should check for updates! 8D

@adsapiens: Your restraint is appreciated! Need to make sure everyone gets a fair shake at this. Even though my decision is already hella difficult >.>'

I shall reveal the final selection after you hav answered these riddles three!

1. What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the day, and three in the evening?

2. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

3. What does it have in its pocketsess?

Ooh, I know this one!

Riddle #1: The answer is that guy.

2. African or European?

3. A ring?

1: Don't know the exact reference, unless it's symbolic for on how many legs a human walks/crawls as he ages. That riddle has been used in a plethora of media, I.E. Devil May Cry 3, incidentally one of the best action games ever!

2: An African or a European? ;)

3: How many guesses does Gollum get?

@Rackal28 Why thank you! Brental has numerous other relations that I could expand upon. I can write further vignettes, but in brief:

---

Continuing the thread, the Eldest are so interesting (and sadly underdeveloped as far as I can tell). I recently built a gnome Sworn of the Eldest Inquisitor of Ng for a Reign of Winter campaign. Considering interactions between the Green Faith and the Eldest (and knowing that fey have some role to play in this campaign), I would love to participate in such themes!

1. Napoleon the pig in Orwell's Animal Farm. (For three, propped up by the blood, sweat, and tears of the proletariat.)
2. If European, about 11 meters/second.
3. Well there used to be a ring here, but now there's just lint and bits of string.

@Sensen: Awwwww how dare you say something so kind-hearted and flattering! Glad to know Riftun made an impression xD

As for Meneas, was his mother killed in the bandit attack as well then? And was the Nameless Knight slain by his father in a duel?

Yes, sorry if that was unclear. He thinks of himself as an orphan, more or less.

Got a dwarven ranger I'll be throwing into the ring, but I also wanted to say that the Hooded Knight is a really cool archetype and I'm stoked to see that it's getting some love with Meneas the Cowl!

I'll have a post with the alias coming along shortly.

"O! What are you doing,

And where are you going?
Your pony needs shoeing!
The river is flowing!
O! tra-la-la-lally
here down in the valley!"

And let me guess, excessively perky elves drive him absolutely up the wall?

"Ask not the elves for advice, for they will tell you both 'Tra-la-la' and 'Ah-ha' and neither answer makes any damn sense."

Yeah, he probably doesn't like elves either. Most of them. Maybe a few, the really old old old ones. Tired elves are more his speed. ;)

What I actually meant to say, getting back to my droll (I hope) comments on how we lunatics might all fit together, I think I also saw a couple of references to A Song of Ice and Fire, both in connection with good characters? This amuses me immensely. “In the game of thrones, you win or you (in order) 1) pout, 2) take a breath, 3) compromise, and (most importantly) 4) be friends again.” :)

I love Martin's text, and I will be so happy when he finishes another book or short story set in Westeros. Good things are worth waiting for! Until then, I reread all of the ones we have searching for more of his famous intertextuality and insights.

1 People
2 African or European swallow?
3 The one ring!

1. "If the answer is supposed to be man, mistress sphinx, your knowledge of humanoids is severely lacking. I am both day and evening, and while I do not require my staff to walk, I often lean upon it when contemplating bothersome creatures. Whatsoever poetic license the riddler must be allowed, a staff is not a leg, and three of them does not account for the sort of two- or four-legged contraptions upon which many aged men must lean, nor does the description apply those who, like the famous king, must be led by another across the heaths. And furthermore, I would take exception to describing the movement of a baby as 'walking' -- surely that is 'crawling'."

2. "Do you mean an Avistani or a Garundi swallow? Neither, alas, could carry a cocoanut without magic, but I should like very much to see them try!"

3. "Is it secret? Is it safe?"

1. Baby, adult, elderly person

2. African or European?

3. Nasty Hobitsess (ring)

1. Me. I tend to be crawling in the morning because I have imbibed too much. Then I walk through the day, then in the eve because of imbibing I need to lean on something.

2. A dead stop, if I have anything to say about it. Sparrow is a decent meal.

3. Why not reach your hand in and find out?

Gonna shamelessly steal Gardalf's and Lethyr's idea, actually, because answering it in-character seems fun.

A string or nothing!

I shall reveal the final selection after you hav answered these riddles three!

1. What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the day, and three in the evening?

2. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

3. What does it have in its pocketsess?

1. Man

2. African or European?

3. A ring

Maybe Arboreal (=Entish) could be a good starting point for a Plant Common too, a lingua franca so leafy lovelies don’t have to worry about whether folks in the next glade over speak Wildflower or Temperate Rainforest or Boreal or…? :)

Until she can get regular access to speak with plants, anyway. Which, depending on whether or not she and some crafty spellcasters end up in the same party could conceivably be sooner rather than later.

Ooo, thank you for the suggestions! I'll keep them in mind :)

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1. What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the day, and three in the evening?
Serena smiles at the question and confidently responds "three generations of family. The baby, the mother, and the grandmother. Any follower of Erastil could have told you that."

2. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
The paladin rests a hand on the hilt of her sword and answers humbly "I've been blessed in many ways, but intellect has not been one of them. I'm afraid I do not know the answer to your riddle." Whatever this "airspeed velocity" might be...

3. What does it have in its pocketsess?
Serena tries to identify the individual. "A bit of a personal question. Why do you wish to know?"

In character?

1. Me on a typical Sunday. It's a holy day of worship, that starts on Starday evening.

2. What does unladen mean?

3. You're just happy to see me.

If I could think of anything amusing... Ah, let's see.

1. A better riddle would be "In spring, I have four columns, reaching for the sky. In summer, I am an archway, upholding the firmament. Come autumn, my center falls, and in winter, only ruins remain."

2. Is there a reason to ask?

3. You should be asking "what does the hood hide?"