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Post by The Wytch-King on May 23, 2004 12:02:23 GMT
I'm really sorry Wytch-King, but yes, Alyss is a shianti. I just knew I had a very good reason to go renegade ... And even worst, a renegade shianti who defy goddesss Ishir and ignore the promise made to her. Just like you. I got my eye on you as well, Hal ... With only one left, the choice's not so hard ... The Wytch-King, already preparing the Darkling room for a certain author ...
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Post by The Tagazin Poodle on May 24, 2004 14:08:24 GMT
This paragraph is from Legends of Lone Wolf: Eclipse of the Kai, page 65 of the PDF version, by John Grant.
Based on this, I'd say their skin was literally black, like obsidian, not figuratively, as with Quinefer.
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Hal
Kai Lord
Posts: 44
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Post by Hal on May 24, 2004 14:42:47 GMT
This paragraph is from Legends of Lone Wolf: Eclipse of the Kai, page 65 of the PDF version, by John Grant. <snip> Based on this, I'd say their skin was literally black, like obsidian, not figuratively, as with uinefer. "Essentially then, ignore any comments in the Legends that disagree (with the gamebooks). " - Outspaced. Yellow eyes. Bah ! Mirror-like eyes are an important detail in the Grey Star books (remember the enigma/poem of the kundi tribesmen at the end of book #1 and the beginning of book #2.) Ebony skin. Paul Bonner and Ian Page are our guides. (especially for me as Paul Bonner is by far my favourite illustrator.) Well, we just have to ask the Wytch-King : Do you have an ebony-black skin and yellow eyes ? Before answering, think that this would make look like Alyss. ;D
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Post by The Wytch-King on May 24, 2004 17:27:05 GMT
Okay, as Hal already revealed that, a ***Spoiler*** warning for The Forbidden Cityis probably no longer necessary ... But for those who don't know what I'm talking about and who are intending to play that game book: Do not read any further, on pain of one week's scrubbing of the Darkling Room!There, I've done it. Now for the post: Based on this, I'd say their skin was literally black, like obsidian, not figuratively, as with Quinefer. Based on this, you are correct, of course. Ebony is not brown. But naturally, there are a few words I have to say about that excerpt. (They are aimed at the Legends, not at our Master of Spatulas, so don't you get me wrong! *wink*)No one ever told me that! But then, the fools on the Isle of Lorn don't seem to know as well ... Have at least a few excerpt from the Magnamund Companion, thanks to a friend (though the book still doesn't grace my shelves ), and they concern the Grey Star setting. The description of the Isle of Lorn does say the following: " Resources: Self-supporting - agriculture, fish, timber" Why in Naar's name should the Shianti, when they don't need food, have any interest in agriculture and fishing?! (And why would I post here, BTW?) Say again? Wish I had known that earlier! That duel with that human boy and his Fool's Staff would have been rather ... boring, wouldn't it. Yes, the Shianti have Magicks that allow them to become invulnerable ... for a while! But maybe not even that without having access to the Moonstone ... Yellow eyes. Bah ! Mirror-like eyes are an important detail in the Grey Star books (remember the enigma/poem of the kundi tribesmen at the end of book #1 and the beginning of book #2.) Ebony skin. Paul Bonner and Ian Page are our guides. (especially for me as Paul Bonner is by far my favourite illustrator.) I concur completely and in every detail. Well, we just have to ask the Wytch-King : Do you have an ebony-black skin and yellow eyes ? Do I have to repeat myself? (q.v. my first post here.) Well, all right, you want a description of me, here you go: "[T]he figure of a man stands like a sinister vision. His face obscured by shadow. His grey robe is tattered and torn; his long bony claw-like fingers are covered by charred, black flesh. [...] The grim figure casts aside his hood and the shadow passes to a blood-red light, revealing a hideous face. Half of the face is missing and, in its place, a metal plate gives shape to the ruined visage of wasted flesh and scarred tissue. One eye is shrunken and sightless, while the other burns with the intensity of the sun." --The Forbidden City, paragraph 66Hmm, not that helpful as far as the appearance of a Shianti is concerned. But nevertheless, the description would not have the same effect if the Shianti were not pale-coloured creatures, hair, skin and eyes all! (Clothes, too, of course.) My appearance probably was intended to be a dark reflection of them, don't you think so? Considering all that, I don't really think that that excerpt from Eclipse of the Kai is very consistent with the setting as Joe Dever described it ... Before answering, think that this would make look like Alyss. ;D Hal, you really should start to tread very carefully there ... You're starting to look to me like a tree from the Forest of Lara ... BTW, I would very much like to see you prove that Alyss statement with a source ... The Wytch-King edit: Minor corrections, confused two wastelands (can happen after all these years), and forget to note the edits. And, of course: more minor corrections. Argh. Hate typos!
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Hal
Kai Lord
Posts: 44
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Post by Hal on May 24, 2004 17:51:24 GMT
You're not helping the environment. Well, I have to admit that I could hardly remember an exact quote (I will search for it however.) But in "The Dark door opens", The Grandmaster of the Toran's guild supposes that Alyss is a shianti. In the same book, there is a conversation between Alyss and goddess Ishir (rather ridiculous by the way) and IIRC it is clearly stated at this time the Alyss is a shianti. Anyway, I had thought of this possibility even before reading this. Following her description, she's obviously not a human and with her super-powers à la wonder-woman, what else could she be ? By the way, these powers seem to be very over-estimated : Alyss clearly states that she could kill Zagarna for instance (but not Vonotar...Try to understand and fail.) Perhaps. I can admit it if Joe Dever comes tell me that shiantis are more powerful than the darklords themselves (who can be only affected by weapons like the sommerswerd itself and with the godlike mode on.) The other explanation is that Alyss is just another John Grant's "Mary Sue". (even if she also appears in the last gamebooks.)
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Post by The Wytch-King on May 24, 2004 18:14:37 GMT
You're not helping the environment. Burntlands of Hal, eh? ;D Bah, the Grandfool of the Toran's guild may assume as much as he wants. An exact quote would indeed interest me. (Laughable ridiculous, or just painful?) That's easy: A female Legends character ... I suspect Joe Dever just intended that as a nod towards the novels ... A too long, too drawn out nod. The Wytch-King edit: Changed the technical side of the quotes, for ease of reading.
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Post by The Tagazin Poodle on May 24, 2004 18:49:53 GMT
I didn't say I liked the description, I just wanted to clarify it. The yellow eyes always bugged me, since I had read Grey Star the Wizard long beforehand.
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Post by The Wytch-King on May 24, 2004 19:13:44 GMT
Sorry, Reginald, I didn't want to insinuate that. It's appreciated, really, that you found and posted the source of that "ebony skin, yellow eyes" idea. Many things about the Legends just seem to hit a couple of sore spots here at the forum ... But who'm I telling that. The Wytch-King
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Hal
Kai Lord
Posts: 44
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Post by Hal on May 24, 2004 19:17:53 GMT
**** MEGA-SPOILER - DO NOT READ **** **** From "The Dark Door Opens" ****
Here is the conversation between Banedon and the Guildmaster :
As for the conversation between Wonder-Woman and Ishir, I was wrong : it is not said that she is a shianti. However, I cut-paste the text, just to let you make your own opinion on how much it is ridiculous :
Last point :
Yes. That's what I think too.
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Post by The Wytch-King on May 24, 2004 19:51:44 GMT
Thanks for the excerpts. Concerning the second one: Not laughable, not painful ... just perplexing, somehow ... Concerning Alyss' origins: That's only dim memories, mind you, but I start to remember something about her being a unique (of course ) byproduct of the creation of Aon ... Some shard that broke off when Ishir and Naar pooled their power or somesuch. Maybe I should go checking my copy of Claws of Helgedad ... Or does that already ring a bell with anyone? The Wytch-King, relieved to see that Alyss in all probability is not supposed to be a Shianti
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Post by outspaced on May 24, 2004 20:00:49 GMT
Concerning Alyss' origins: That's only dim memories, mind you, but I start to remember something about her being a unique (of course ) byproduct of the creation of Aon ... Some shard that broke off when Ishir and Naar pooled their power or somesuch. Uh, yeah . . . that does kind of ring a bell. So it's a case of the created telling her creator what to do in the case of the second excerpt Hal gave above. Yet AGAIN a non-Dever creation is shown as being superior to all of Dever's own creations--even the DEITIES he designed. Ho-hum.
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Hal
Kai Lord
Posts: 44
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Post by Hal on May 24, 2004 20:05:32 GMT
Concerning Alyss' origins: That's only dim memories, mind you, but I start to remember something about her being a unique (of course ) One is already too much.
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Post by The Wytch-King on May 24, 2004 20:11:49 GMT
;D Maybe that didn't quite work in English ... the German word I was trying to translate here can be interpreted as meaning not only "solely one", but "unequalled" and even "outstanding" as well ... BTW: Poor Sunwolf, we're starting to get quite off-topic here ... The Wytch-King edit: @ Outspaced: Ho-hum indeed!
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Hal
Kai Lord
Posts: 44
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Post by Hal on May 24, 2004 20:37:01 GMT
;D Maybe that didn't quite work in English ... the German word I was trying to translate here can be interpreted as meaning not only "solely one", but "unequalled" and even "outstanding" as well ... You mean... maybe... there... could be... others ? ... .... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH ! Naar, do something !
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Post by The Tagazin Poodle on May 25, 2004 12:16:29 GMT
Alyss started out as a portion of Aon that Ishir had set aside at the beginning of time (Ishir was sorta hedging her bets). In later books, she was described as an avatar (or avatars, as there was supposedly more than one) of a "god" of another universe.
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