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She's too gregarious at the moment, which isn't a bad thing (its possible that she's quite a likeable person), but we should try to teach her how to maintain an aura of unflappable mystery, especially if she's having difficult lying and deceiving. On the other hand, she'll likely be very good at understanding foreign cultures and possibly develop a variant of Mathilde's Xeno-Affinity skill.
It may be bad for a Grey Wizard, but well... If Eike, as future head of the EIC, can be half as successful as Anton, the Stirland diplomat, was with his charm, friendliness, and openness, that's not necessarily a terrible thing.
 
It may be bad for a Grey Wizard, but well... If Eike, as future head of the EIC, can be half as successful as Anton, the Stirland diplomat, was with his charm, friendliness, and openness, that's not necessarily a terrible thing.
We did kind of instill that in her by letting her meet with Belegar, Kazrik, and the local VAU/K8P Halflings.
Being open, friendly, and willing to listen opens all kinds of doors.
 
Eike's education

Dice 1: What is she best at?
Dice 2: What does she want to be best at?
Dice 3: What is she having trouble with?

1 - Diplomacy / 2 - Martial / 3 - Stewardship / 4 - Intrigue / 5 - Piety / 6 - Learning
Well, I wasn't going to vote for her because I feel we have hit the limit of direct personal connections I can care about per quest, but if she is gonna go ahead and just become the second coming of Mathilde then we may as well make it official.

Which means I'm also in favor of buying the parred down sword. Can't lend her our super sword everytime she needs to train.

[X] You
 
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I like the way Boney presents Sarvoi's character through word choice. He doesn't laugh or giggle or chuckle, he "titters", which is certainly a choice. Combine that with his "glee" and it gives me the mental image of a near-childlike wonder that seems almost out of place from this wise old professor, but perhaps that contrast is the intention here. He is not what you'd expect, exactly, and he is the sort of Academic who doesn't seem stuck on his ways. He is fully and completely willing to understand other perspectives, and that is greatly reassuring.

Like, Sarvoi could have been a condescending prick here, but he doesn't give me that energy. He doesn't give me the air of superiority that other depictions of Elves so often provide, and that's comforting. This is just a good skill for a teacher to have, because the last thing you want is for you to get the feeling that your teacher looks down on you. There is no way you'll listen to the words of an educator if you feel they don't respect you.

The Hoethian school seeks to understand magic, the Hekartian school seeks to enjoy magic. The Hoethian school is very prone to that sort of 'there's only one right answer and it's my one' attitude, wheras Hekartians are more 'YKINMKBYKIOK' about different approaches.

I think this is a very nice ending to this section. Mathilde likes being who she is, and that's what matters. Sarvoi perfectly understands that. It really brings to mind the kind of discussion I'd have with a teacher about a learning disability that I have (ADHD) and them being understanding, although I'm not entirely sure I feel comfortable comparing the human method of casting spells to ADHD. It's just the way I resonate with this conversation from personal experience, not an actual attempt at asserting allegory.

A related thought I had but wasn't able to work into the conversation is that of something like Buridan's Ass - I could very easily see someone paralysed by indecision if forced to choose one and only one Wind with which to permanently bind themselves and in doing cut themselves off from the other seven, and I think this is how the average Elven magic-user would react to a thought experiment where they, like humans, were forced to choose. (I suspect that this is what was up with Volans before Teclis came along and made the decision for him.) But to humans, the choice is simple: pick one or you get none. So they pick, often arbitrarily, and do their best with whatever they end up with, because even the worst choice is better than no choice.

It's easy to make parallels between this and coming to terms with a disability. Lingering on what life might have been like if one had been 'healthy' gets in the way of actually doing what you can with the options you have. It was a long road for me to get to the point where I focus on living the life that's available to me instead of being so preoccupied with what might have been that I ignored what could still be.

Also, I've noticed that Elves keep using this phrase: "There are those that could make that argument". First it was Galenstra now it's Sarvoi. I'm starting to believe it's standard Elf speech for "I may not believe this, or at least I want to make sure that you think I may not believe this, but other people could make this statement and it would harm the poltiical structure so it has to be taken into consideration". Dwarves could be opaque at times, but never like this. It will take some getting used to.

It's a symptom of the sort of postmodernist political climate where it is the norm for the beliefs that one claims to have to be adopted and discarded based on political expediency. Instead of knowing and being able to work around the beliefs of those around them, they need to be aware of all the beliefs that any of them could claim to have if it serves their purpose. The Dwarves reject it and humans have yet to reach it, but the Elves are a bit more politically 'advanced', and in this case there are those that could make the argument that it's to their detriment.

The Sea Hag comes to mind.

Does she?

I knew of the names Norvard and Dorogo but not Srebrograd, not that I know what that means.

'Silver City'. As far as I know Praag doesn't have a canonical pre-Kislevite name, or perhaps Praag is the original name, so I translated its nickname.

So I need some clarification here. Tato here is referring to a slavic word? Or a spanish one? Because I found one for each. Tato seems to be an informal version of Hermano, which means brother/sister. Tato also seems to mean mother in Ukrainian?

Google told me it's the equivalent of 'dad' in a few Slavic languages.

I've always wondered about the phrasing when we first met Zlata where her "clothing seemed to fit a Tilean summer more than a Kislevite Winter", and I was wondering if perhaps she might be Estalian/Tilean rather than Kislevite, but I'm really not sure if I'm just reading too much into this.

Many Ice Witches find it easy to shrug off the cold, and some of the younger ones use this to dress for summer in the middle of winter so they can show a bit of leg when all the other girls are wrapped up from head to toe.

Mathilde has been regularly doing this thing lately, where she tries to spin any incoming situation that might conflict a person or make them feel bad by presenting a scenario that would perhaps cheer up this specific person using logic and reason. It's kind of sweet that Mathilde takes the opportunity to try to cheer people up, but it doesn't always work that way. Particularly if she doesn't fully understand the source of a person's contemplations. At times, it just falls flat, like trying to present the realpolitiks of the Karagril situation to Belegar in a way that would sooth his ego and him refusing to bite. He didn't want to lie to himself, so her efforts kind of fell flat there.

It's a problem a lot of people with more book smarts than people smarts grapple with. "I have spotted a clever solution to a problem you are having!" is not always welcome when a situation calls for commiseration and maybe a hug instead, but the urge to share it can be powerful.

I never noticed that either. I think that might be a coincidence on Boney's part that he noticed and took the time to point out in-universe.

I think it is, but it's possible I named her that on purpose because I thought it was funny and then forgot I did it. My semantic memory is very good but my episodic memory is a shitshow.
 
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Mathilde's weaknesses are Stewardship and Diplomacy, but she could have worked harder on them: If she had put the effort she put into "Swording very good" into either of those, she could have gotten them up to hero levels.
Secondly, Wilhemina will still be giving Eike stewardship lessons, so it's not all on us.
Thirdly: Send her to Anton for charm lessons. He's earnest and forthright, and look what he accomplished. Combined with her intrigue, and Mathilde's touch, Eike could easily elicit the typical reaction people have to Mathilde: "You've got to be shitting me." "NoPe :V"
 
I mean he was also the reason why our first job out of apprenticeship was a Lahmian plot and Mathilde had already forgotten several of her spells. I think it is safe to say he was at most fair to middling as a master given where we were at quest start.

Here's Mathilde's thoughts on Regimand as her master:

"Was he a good Master?"

"Yes," you say automatically, then consider it. "Yes. Often busy, but... well, when my magic first manifested, he was working nearby. When he collected me, I kind of clung onto him. By the time he had wrapped things up and brought me to Altdorf, I'd decided I was going to go into the Grey College and he'd teach me and I'd be able to do all the wonderful things he could do. And once I'd finished my Junior Apprenticeship, he took me on."

I think the big issue with Regimand is that he is a secret agent, and was often throwing himself into situations he couldn't bring an apprentice into (such as infiltrating the Lahamian conspiracy), so he wasn't able to always be there to mentor Mathilde every step of the way, which is how her spellcraft and diplomacy slipped over time—which wouldn't have been a problem if she hadn't been pulled out of her apprenticeship a couple of years early.

Mathilde is also extremely busy, but it's not a busyness that excludes Eike from joining us, so we'll probably spend more time together than Mathilde and Regimand did.
 
Hagwitches do puzzle me. How does one go about binding spirits without magic of their own?
 
Hagwitches do puzzle me. How does one go about binding spirits without magic of their own?

Well I can think of two ways:
  1. By manipulating the magic of their environment, you do not need to touch the winds to lay down a circle with salt and silver and once you have one you can use it to help bind the other
  2. By using the magic of their soul without touching the winds
 
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wheras Hekartians are more 'YKINMKBYKIOK' about different approaches.
A related thought I had but wasn't able to work into the conversation is that of something like Buridan's Ass
I'm hanging out with my younger sibling, and I'll have you know the process of reading through this post was truly ridiculous for them as I had to explain these things to them. They say hi by the way.
Page 44 of Realm of the Ice Queen there's a section on the Sea Hag:

"History has forgotten the name of the witch now called the Sea Hag. Once she advised Khan Wieran's defence against the Gospodars when Erengrad was still the Ungol capital of Norvard. However, her curses were nothing to the freezing magics of the invading ice witches, and after a bitter war, her people were driven into the Sea of Claws and slaughtered. Legends claim she lives there still, under the waves, sending the spirits of her people to curse the Gospodars with undiminished rage. "

I assume that she is equally long lived since she advised the protection of Norvard agianst the Gospodar before the official formation of Kislev under Khan Queen Shoika.
It's easy to make parallels between this and coming to terms with a disability. Lingering on what life might have been like if one had been 'healthy' gets in the way of actually doing what you can with the options you have. It was a long road for me to get to the point where I focus on living the life that's available to me instead of being so preoccupied with what might have been that I ignored what could still be.
I would also like to mention that this part resonated with me quite a bit.

EDIT: Or maybe Niedzwenka is the Sea Hag. Took @DragonParadox to get me to catch on.
 
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It's a problem a lot of people with more book smarts than people smarts grapple with. "I have spotted a clever solution to a problem you are having!" is not always welcome when a situation calls for commiseration and maybe a hug instead, but the urge to share it can be powerful.

I once read a self help book on relationships (it was 10% good ideas, 90% the author clapping himself on the back for being a genius marriage counsellor) and one of the good ideas that I try to act on is that when people are struggling with something, they don't want solutions, they want empathy, because throwing an unasked for solution in their face can feel like you're trivialising their experience. I now try to hold myself back from "solving" things for people, although it's a hard instinct to suppress and I'm not always successful.
 
I'm hanging out with my younger sibling, and I'll have you know the process of reading through this post was truly ridiculous for them as I had to explain these things to them. They say hi by the way.

I'm having trouble deciding which rabbit hole would be harder to explain. Hi, Codex's sibling!

Page 44 of Realm of the Ice Queen there's a section on the Sea Hag:

"History has forgotten the name of the witch now called the Sea Hag. Once she advised Khan Wieran's defence against the Gospodars when Erengrad was still the Ungol capital of Norvard. However, her curses were nothing to the freezing magics of the invading ice witches, and after a bitter war, her people were driven into the Sea of Claws and slaughtered. Legends claim she lives there still, under the waves, sending the spirits of her people to curse the Gospodars with undiminished rage. "

I assume that she is equally long lived since she advised the protection of Norvard agianst the Gospodar before the official formation of Kislev under Khan Queen Shoika.

Mm. I suppose there's a parallel or two there.
 
It's a problem a lot of people with more book smarts than people smarts grapple with. "I have spotted a clever solution to a problem you are having!" is not always welcome when a situation calls for commiseration and maybe a hug instead, but the urge to share it can be powerful.
Do be reminding me of the Character Growth Hermione went through... No reason to mention it, just came to mind tbh.

Gonna throw these in the order I think fits best.

Wihelmine because shes involved alot with the economy, so it fits for Eike to train with her the most tbh

Regimand because I do think despite his... Troubled apprentice with Mathilde, hes a good all rounder sort of Master. WIth Mathilde, well, lemme go to;

Mathilde I feel is not hte sort of person best for Eike amongst the choices tbh. I do think She'd teach Eike as best she can and wouldn't have many problems doing it, Mathilde is kinda a problem solver. Shes really good at solving problems, and thinking up ways to stop problems from happening down the road, but she doesn't have a real specialty. Not a bad thing, but I think Regimand would be better for an all rounder sort of master than Mathilde in this case.

Course, that's just my opinion/view on the choices. Ain't plannin to argue em, just my thoughts.

[x] Wilhelmine
[x] Regimand
[x] You
 
At times, it just falls flat, like trying to present the realpolitiks of the Karagril situation to Belegar in a way that would sooth his ego and him refusing to bite. He didn't want to lie to himself, so her efforts kind of fell flat there.
Can you please link to this Karagril conversation? Sounds like an interesting thing to read in the context of your enjoyable and insightful post.
 
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Do be reminding me of the Character Growth Hermione went through... No reason to mention it, just came to mind tbh.

Gonna throw these in the order I think fits best.

Wihelmine because shes involved alot with the economy, so it fits for Eike to train with her the most tbh

Regimand because I do think despite his... Troubled apprentice with Mathilde, hes a good all rounder sort of Master. WIth Mathilde, well, lemme go to;

Mathilde I feel is not hte sort of person best for Eike amongst the choices tbh. I do think She'd teach Eike as best she can and wouldn't have many problems doing it, Mathilde is kinda a problem solver. Shes really good at solving problems, and thinking up ways to stop problems from happening down the road, but she doesn't have a real specialty. Not a bad thing, but I think Regimand would be better for an all rounder sort of master than Mathilde in this case.

Course, that's just my opinion/view on the choices. Ain't plannin to argue em, just my thoughts.

[x] Wilhelmine
[x] Regimand
[x] You

I would argue that Mathilde very much has a specialty, Dwarfs of which she knows more than any other Grey Wizard, Skaven likewise and more broadly xeno-affinity. She is the external diplomat, which is not a bad thing for the heir of a trader house to be.
 
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