6 Jun 2019

The Elf's Prisoner - Commentary 32

Lessons in elven culture, in The Elf's Prisoner Chapter 32.

More emphasis on how Jyslyn is new to the surface world.  In her home, there's no need to block light.  She lived underground.  Windows are a security risk  It's too easy to shoot an arrow, a spell, or a venomous animal through one.  Jyslyn's windows were narrow slits that didn't have a great view; her sisters took the better rooms.  I didn't want to play up Jyslyn's fish-out-of-water too much, though.  She's smart and observant.  She should be able to pick up on things, though.

Kazi's personal philosophy isn't one that I share, but I understand it.  What looks like a choice might not be one, because of personal beliefs.  Jyslyn could have stayed in the Sundered Chasm.  According to Kazi, no, she didn't, because she felt the need to atone.  Likewise, her sister Valenza had many choices on what she could do instead of killing her mother and taking over the family, but she wouldn't be Valenza if she made any other decision.

The angry broom are a nod to "The Sorceror's Apprentice".  In the Sundered Chasm, the wizards tend to bind spirits to objects to force services out of them.  Wizards from more friendlier locales, like the Nicean Islands, might just animate the brooms, but the same problem exists.  At some point, the brooms will get out of hand.  With the bound spirits, they'll fight back anyway they can if they sense weakness.  Animated broom, on the other hand, just don't have the processing power to work out a new solution if they run into a problem.  The result is the same either way - the wizard gets smacked about by the broom.

Friday, the Nicean embassy, in The Elf's Prisoner Chapter 33.
Also Friday, over at Psycho Drive-In, The Renault Brazil D&D ad.
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, Murder on the Orient Express.

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