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Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

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BoneyM said:
Cython is being spoken to in Khazalid, which does not have gendered pronouns. In-universe, Mathilde would refer to it using ek/af, the same way any human or Dwarf would be, whatever their gender. These are translated as 'it' because that is the closest translation English has, not because of any implications of non-personhood, nor because 'it' is Cython's preferred pronoun.
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Question, but why exactly does Khazalid lack gendered pronouns? Is there a particular reason, or did dwarves just never put a particular importance on the seperation between genders?
 
The most amazing thing about this entire thing is this.
BoneyM said:
It then cocks its head, considering you. "A gift for a welcome neighbour,"
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Cython doesn't just tolerate our presence, he actually welcomes it. It's shown even more clearly in this bit.
BoneyM said:
It nods firmly. "Will visit at dusk, when shadow is in primacy," it says.
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He could have chosen any time of the day, but no, he intentionally chooses the time where we, as a "shadow being", would be at our strongest. He's willing to visit our home at the time when we would be most capable of defending it.
Of course, he could blow us away along with the tower since he's an Emperor Dragon, but that's a bit beside the point.
 
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Ericwinter said:
Question, but why exactly does Khazalid lack gendered pronouns? Is there a particular reason, or did dwarves just never put a particular importance on the seperation between genders?
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It might be as simple as running out of space. Khazalid uses conjunctions heavily, 'A' and 'I' are the same letter and very similar sounds, there's only twelve individual consonants, two vowels can never go next to each other, and Dwarves really don't like having multiple meanings for the same word. With all that, there doesn't seem to be any possible single-syllable conjunctions left to add in gendered ones.
 
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Asheram said:
The most amazing thing about this entire thing is this.

Cython doesn't just tolerate our presence, he actually welcomes it. It's shown even more clearly in this bit.

He could have chosen any time of the day, but no, he intentionally chooses the time where we, as a "shadow being", would be at our strongest. He's willing to visit our home at the time when we would be most capable of defending it.
Of course, he could blow us away along with the tower since he's an Emperor Dragon, but that's a bit beside the point.
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Cython certainly is a gentle-being, isn't it? Shows a great amount of respect even if it could stomp us like a bug.
 
BurnNote said:
That would be an awesome sequel to the dark horse visual novel smash hit "Eight loves in the Eight peaks".
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I'd like to imagine that the game would begin in Stirland with only the province being open to the player. There they are sent on various missions, the first of which (such as the investigate the palace and the initial retrieval process for the tax documents) are the early game tutorial missions meant to teach the player the mechanics.

The game would use random bandits and beastmen as the main enemy to encounter between towns, probably scatter some side quests about the place such as Mathilde investigating minor cult activity or something.

Next big stage is the haunted hills stuff which opens up Sylvania to the mix that eventually culminates things in the area and acts as a good mid-point for the game.

The latter half of the game would be stuff at K8P with I'd say the final reclaiming of the Karak being a good end point for the game. Although more content will be added with an expansion and DLC obviously.
 
BoneyM said:
Cython is being spoken to in Khazalid, which does not have gendered pronouns. In-universe, Mathilde would refer to it using ek/af, the same way any human or Dwarf would be, whatever their gender. These are translated as 'it' because that is the closest translation English has, not because of any implications of non-personhood, nor because 'it' is Cython's preferred pronoun.
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Translation deals with meaning.

Khazalid pronoun might not have implications of 'not-person' baked in, but Engish 'it' does.

If there is an implication of 'non-person' in the Khazalid pronouns then "it" is in my eyes, a sufficiently accurate translations. If the pronoun in Khazalid is 'non-gendered singular', then "they" is a better term.

I'm not arguing about the meaning of Khazalid or this game. I'm arguing about the concepts and implications linked to the English word you are translating to.
 
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Karugus said:
Everyone is getting excited about how cool Cython is, but here I am gawking about what seems to be a casual reference to the doom of Kavzar and the creation of the Skaven. I can't think of any 'wrong beings' the ancient people of Tylos trucked with besides the stranger who gave them what's likely the first Screaming Bell.

There's just so much we could potentially learn here.
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I want to start an academic cooperation. Just peoples faces when we share a paper would be glorious. Also a great flex on Dragomas.

But I really want Mathilde to start writing lots of letters to Regimand about this great new academic partner, and all the fascinating theories. My headcanon is that nothing will make Mathilde act like a crushing schoolgirl as much as a insightful debate. And he's wondering if he should go have a talk with her about handling romantic feelings (not that he's an expert on that, but no Grey Wizard will admit to not being an expert). He wouldn't do the "threatening the suitor" bit, because that's gauche and she can do it herself, but he would investigate the suitor and make sure she's ok.

In the end, he turns up in K8P to see what's up, and discovers there's one big facet Mathilde neglected to mention (the running theory was "elf she met during the elfcation"). They still have a polite talk, and Regimand is reassured that the dragon also keeps gushing about all the novel insights Mathilde has produced. Regimand is glad to leave the details of their nerd romance to them, and goes drinking with Belegar, who's been feeling the Mathilde feeling especially hard recently.
 
BeepSmile said:
Translation deals with meaning.

Khazalid pronoun might not have implications of 'not-person' baked in, but Engish 'it' does.

If there is an implication of 'non-person' in the Khazalid pronouns then "it" is in my eyes, a sufficiently accurate translations. If the pronoun in Khazalid is 'non-gendered singular', then "they" is a better term.

I'm not arguing about the meaning of Khazalid or this game. I'm arguing about the concepts and implications linked to the English word you are translating to.
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Sorry, I'm not sure whether you're discussing how you choose to refer to Cython, or if you're discussing how you feel I should refer to Cython. Can you please specify which you mean? Because those are two very different conversations.
 
BeepSmile said:
Translation deals with meaning.

Khazalid pronoun might not have implications of 'not-person' baked in, but Engish 'it' does.

If there is an implication of 'non-person' in the Khazalid pronouns then "it" is in my eyes, a sufficiently accurate translations. If the pronoun in Khazalid is 'non-gendered singular', then "they" is a better term.

I'm not arguing about the meaning of Khazalid or this game. I'm arguing about the concepts and implications linked to the English word you are translating to.
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As someone who has used both it and they for non-gendered or gender unknown beings, 'they' has its own issues in the narrative, principally the fact that it's a plural pronoun so in a fantasy setting you could have this constant mental stutter going 'does that mean the person is more than a singular being?' I don't think there is a perfect solution.
 
Abby Normal said:
So yay for contribution recognition :)
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Apparently smilies shine through ispoilers.
Odd.

Anyone know what (S·T·T·L) means?

BurnNote said:
So if I'm reading it right, this is a reference to the people from Tilea and such. But who did they trust they shouldn't have?
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Tilea~ish. Same general geographical area but before there was such a thing as the 'Tilean people'. As to who they trusted? Horns, fur and a bell.

Wanna bet he'll flare his presence before coming in?
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Come to think of it,
Mathilde is magic 9. Cython is at least her equal and likely far stronger. Their flairs are probably detectable by everyone remotely magical in the entirety of Eight Peaks.

Kragg will grumble quietly. Max will grumble silently. Pan snark at us about it.
 
BoneyM said:
"A gift for a welcome neighbour," it says as it thrusts a taloned claw into the snow, then in an avalanche of snow it pulls out a massive, frosted-over figure. It takes you a moment to recognize the Orc you only ever saw at a distance: Warboss Birdmuncha.

"I'd wondered where he'd gotten to," you say faintly, as Cython props the figure upright. The Warboss is forever frozen in mid-charge, his arms still gripping his looted Dwarven bolt-thrower.

"He evaded the art of you and this Gazul, and then made his way to me. He believed he would feed on me. If the interlopers were not so displeasing to the stomach, it would have been quite pleasing for the opposite to become true." It exhales in a draconic chuckle that sends snowflakes whirling around the cavern.
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Well that's a disappointing end to Birdmuncha Quest. I can taste the salt from over here :p

Abby Normal said:
Oho, something that at least from a quick search doesn't seem to have been noticed in the char sheet in the Academic Discoveries spoiler. Spoiled just in case cause it presumably will be mentioned in one of the upcoming social updates:

So yay for contribution recognition :)
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Kasmir :D

He's back!
 
Ericwinter said:
How exactly would we credit Cython? By race? Just as a dragon in general? Maybe find out if he has a specific title he wants to use?
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I'd say "Non college caster of a wind". There might be a term for it, given elfs, damsels, and assorted others. It might just be "Hysh Magister", if that's not reserved for actual members.
Angelform said:
Anyone know what (S·T·T·L) means?
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That he's dead. Something like "May the earth rest lightly on him", but in latin.
Angelform said:
Kragg will grumble quietly. Max will grumble silently. Pan snark at us about it.
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I like the idea that everybody in the valley knows when they sneak out for a date.
 
Gap said:
OMG, we know a but about SKAVEN logistics but not Imperial. Now I have the image of Mathilde commanding an Imperial regiment.

What you mean they cant eat the bodies of fallen enemies? We didn't bought food with us. :V
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Mathilde, after a profound study of logistics using her library:


Someone add her picture over Mr Incredible's I can't into photoshop.
 
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Sinsystems said:
So a random though occurred to me, namely that Mathilde would probably make a pretty good protagonist for a Warhammer Stealth/Action game in a similar vein to something like Ghost of Tsushima.

After all you have plenty of cool stealth and combat tricks that can be made using her various magical abilities, plus the various cool magical equipment can be used as weapon upgrades.

Hell the Shadow Horse is even an easy justification for the common mechanic of being able to call upon a horse at any time. Even windsight can be translated into the detective vision style things that we see in a lot of stealth games.
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Someone get Games Workshop and Sucker Punch on the phone!
 
BurnNote said:
I'd say "Non college caster of a wind". There might be a term for it, given elfs, damsels, and assorted others. It might just be "Hysh Magister", if that's not reserved for actual members.
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Fair enough. It would be hilarious if we used something that doesn't explicitly say it's a dragon. Then again, it might be funnier to see their reactions to just casually crediting a dragon on one or more papers.
 
Well I suppose duckling club should start being held at dusk. :V Mathilde's gotta show off her new BFF to upstage these youths!

Johann is still my go to, but I'm not afraid to push Cython forward as a REAL ROMANCE vote next time too!
 
Ericwinter said:
Fair enough. It would be hilarious if we used something that doesn't explicitly say it's a dragon. Then again, it might be funnier to see their reactions to just casually crediting a dragon on one or more papers.
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No no, first we publish a bunch of great papers, then we get invited to give lectures. And then the dragon turns up. But we make absolute no mention of it, and just look at anyone questioning it like they're total idiots.
 
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