un: kantera, text

[happydreamed]

If this adventure with chain mail has taught me anything, 'tis that many of us here are having our first exposure to the internet, with all its amusements and pitfalls included. Thus, I thought it might be nice to introduce another 'getting to know each other' game that some of us might not know yet. This one won't involve pictures or ratings of attractiveness, not to worry.

This game is called 'two truths and a lie'. The premise is simple. You list three statements about yourself, two true and one false. Ideally they should all be similar levels of unbelievable. Then, other people respond to you to guess which one is the lie. We all learn a little about each other and have a bit of fun.

Comments

[tireurdelite]

That's so many! I'd definitely make some kind of shameful faux pas in front of other royalty if I had to learn the etiquette of a hundred different countries.

[inspiteful]

To be fair, I don't think even Dynasts usually have to deal with that many different etiquettes in their lifetime. Probably.

[ Though a part of him has to laugh a little that that's the first thing Alcryst worries about. ]

[tireurdelite]

[It is always a safe bet that he will mess something up and disappoint people, in Alcryst's opinion.]

I guess if there are so many countries, you wouldn't have diplomatic relations with the ones that weren't near you? Unless I'm wrong.

[inspiteful]

That depends. Have you ever heard of an empire?

[tireurdelite]

No, I haven't.

[When there's only a handful of countries, the concept of an empire doesn't seem like it would come up.]

[inspiteful]

[ Oh.

...Now that he thinks about it, it's the first time Skylark has ever had to actually explain what an empire is. Even back home, no one really explained the concept to him so much as he just picked it up over time, from the things he heard on the street and straight out of the mouths of Dynast patrons. Pay enough attention and think about it hard enough and the dots start connecting, which says a lot in itself.

It takes him a bit to try and figure out how to put it into words.]

How do I put it...It's when a group of countries are ruled by one country, which is the best way I can think of to explain it.

[tireurdelite]

Are they conquered countries?

[He's not unfamiliar with one country ruling over another after a war, though it's been a long time since that has happened in his world.]

[inspiteful]

A lot of them are, yeah. And some of them are really far off from the capital.

[tireurdelite]

It seems to me like that would make it difficult to manage them. Much less provide aid when they need it.

[He's starting to get a picture of empires being Bad.]

[inspiteful]

[ Alcryst would be correct, as far as Skylark is concerned. ]

There's some convoluted satrapy system and which Houses manage each one, and it works one way or another. Not without hiccups.

[tireurdelite]

I can imagine. Running just one country smoothly is difficult enough.

[inspiteful]

Shats the country you're from like?

[tireurdelite]

Brodia is a prosperous country known for its mining industry. The people are hard-working and loyal, and value strength and self-improvement.

[Maybe he can just leave out their reputation as warmongers... They're working on it, at least.]

[inspiteful]

Huh. I think I can imagine it.

[tireurdelite]

Here is nice, and has many amazing technologies Brodia doesn't have, but I do miss home.

[inspiteful]

Same. There's tons of stuff here that I don't think people back home could even really imagine, but I miss things like a real sea.

[tireurdelite]

Do you live near the coast?

[inspiteful]

I grew up by the waterfront back home, even.

[tireurdelite]

I'm sure it must be a beautiful place.

[inspiteful]

That's a first. Most people would say otherwise about the city.

But the view from the beach really is beautiful.

[tireurdelite]

Brodia has coastline, but the capital is in the heart of the mountains, so I don't get to see the ocean as much as I would like. I can't imagine it not being beautiful.

[inspiteful]

Well, the sea's definitely beautiful. As are the beaches.

[ The port city itself however, is...not, by most people's standards. ]

What's it like in the capital?

[tireurdelite]

Busy. There's always something happening in the city, and court is full of nobles from various houses lobbying for their own province to receive more benefits from the crown. I imagine it seems different to people living outside the castle.

[inspiteful]

[ He supposes some things apparently don't change no matter what world it is. ]

I can't say I've ever been in a castle.

[tireurdelite]

They're imposing on the inside too. Hard to relax in.