(no subject)

Yylhauntra to Dinner, part 2 [11 Lage 4261]

By which time, it was open season on first-generation Zi Ri.

Tethezai:"How long until people were transaffectionate? Or otherwise, well, not wholly bent on sex as a means of reproduction?"

Yylhauntra:"Transaffection, I do not know for sure. Karrakavva (Rassimel) married Barabrith (Gormoror) at one point, but they were born not created. Sex for fun, in ways that couldn't lead to children ... I can't say for sure. One day in the eighth year, I remember, all the Cani were lapping each other intimately in public. Though that might simply have been the invention of that particular modality -- or the first public demonstration of something that a few people had been doing for some time -- or if publicly doing that was the innovation -- or something else. It was so unlike what Zi Ri were doing that I wasn't very interested."

Havune:"How did clothing get invented?"

Yylhauntra's counterattack was devastating, though...

Yylhauntra:"Before my time!"

It is certainly preplexious when one of the first-created declares something "Before my time". Indeed, it can destroy many manners.

Havune:"Really?"

Yylhauntra:"Oh, yes. Not cloth, but leather and leaves. Everyone looked rather wild and Gormororly, by modern standards."

Narngi:"When did people start trying to look elegant?"

Yylhauntra:"By your standards, I should say that they have not yet done! By our standards, oh ... about twenty years in. About the time the first-born were starting to grow up a bit."

Mendrugai:"What did they wear, for elegance?"

Me:"Perhaps we could be a bit more like a group of friends and relatives gathered for dinner, and a bit less like a gathering of the Inquisitors' Club of Oorah Thrassen. "

Yylhauntra:"Thank you, Sythyry, but I don't mind: my powers as a conversational centerpiece are mighty! Mendrugai, we lacked many modern ornaments. Glirries and feathers, fur-dye and sparkling scapulae: these were popular, each in their turn."

And they continued to interrogate zir for the better part of an hour. Zie endured it with practiced grace.

* * *

Esory:"Are you a wizard, then?"

Yylhauntra:"Hardly! I'm reasonably skillful at magic, but I'm no Glikkonen or Llezcaryg or even Tabragore."

Esory:"Tabragore?"

Yylhauntra:"One of my great-grandchildren. Only a few centuries old, and quite impressively strong. No, I'm more of an architect than a mage of any kind."

Esory:"Architect?"

Yylhauntra:"Oh, certainly. I designed the previous Ducal Palace in Vheshrame, the one that got torn down three centuries ago and replaced by the current one."

Havune:"Were you angry about that?"

Yylhauntra:"Not particularly! It wasn't very good work. The then-Duke of Vheshrame wasn't willing to pay very much -- she wanted the cachet of a Yylhauntra design, but not any of the actual value of it -- so one of my assistants copied and adapted the palace of, as it happens, the Duke of Pelcour."

Me:"You designed the Viceroy's palace of Pelcour?"

Yylhauntra:"No, the Duke's, a good long time after I'd slaughtered the city and there wasn't a Viceroy any more, or a Calanchian Empire to be Viceroy of. I do have a house in Hrauminy, in Pelcour Mene."

Me:"Is that all you meant when you said you're still a Hrreptite?"

Yylhauntra:"No -- I still think Hrauminy and all should be their own city-states. It's ridiculous, having a single country two hundred miles long... but after Perfy won independence one century and rejoined Pelcour the next, it's distinctly a minority opinion."

* * *

And, over brandy, zie sprung zir trap. "You have asked me many questions about the first days! But now you must pay the price. I shall ask you many questions about the current days!"

All my friends had the good sense to look quite worried.

(no subject)

Yylhauntra to Dinner, part 2 [11 Lage 4261]

By which time, it was open season on first-generation Zi Ri.

Tethezai:"How long until people were transaffectionate? Or otherwise, well, not wholly bent on sex as a means of reproduction?"

Yylhauntra:"Transaffection, I do not know for sure. Karrakavva (Rassimel) married Barabrith (Gormoror) at one point, but they were born not created. Sex for fun, in ways that couldn't lead to children ... I can't say for sure. One day in the eighth year, I remember, all the Cani were lapping each other intimately in public. Though that might simply have been the invention of that particular modality -- or the first public demonstration of something that a few people had been doing for some time -- or if publicly doing that was the innovation -- or something else. It was so unlike what Zi Ri were doing that I wasn't very interested."

Havune:"How did clothing get invented?"

Yylhauntra's counterattack was devastating, though...

Yylhauntra:"Before my time!"

It is certainly preplexious when one of the first-created declares something "Before my time". Indeed, it can destroy many manners.

Havune:"Really?"

Yylhauntra:"Oh, yes. Not cloth, but leather and leaves. Everyone looked rather wild and Gormororly, by modern standards."

Narngi:"When did people start trying to look elegant?"

Yylhauntra:"By your standards, I should say that they have not yet done! By our standards, oh ... about twenty years in. About the time the first-born were starting to grow up a bit."

Mendrugai:"What did they wear, for elegance?"

Me:"Perhaps we could be a bit more like a group of friends and relatives gathered for dinner, and a bit less like a gathering of the Inquisitors' Club of Oorah Thrassen. "

Yylhauntra:"Thank you, Sythyry, but I don't mind: my powers as a conversational centerpiece are mighty! Mendrugai, we lacked many modern ornaments. Glirries and feathers, fur-dye and sparkling scapulae: these were popular, each in their turn."

And they continued to interrogate zir for the better part of an hour. Zie endured it with practiced grace.

* * *

Esory:"Are you a wizard, then?"

Yylhauntra:"Hardly! I'm reasonably skillful at magic, but I'm no Glikkonen or Llezcaryg or even Tabragore."

Esory:"Tabragore?"

Yylhauntra:"One of my great-grandchildren. Only a few centuries old, and quite impressively strong. No, I'm more of an architect than a mage of any kind."

Esory:"Architect?"

Yylhauntra:"Oh, certainly. I designed the previous Ducal Palace in Vheshrame, the one that got torn down three centuries ago and replaced by the current one."

Havune:"Were you angry about that?"

Yylhauntra:"Not particularly! It wasn't very good work. The then-Duke of Vheshrame wasn't willing to pay very much -- she wanted the cachet of a Yylhauntra design, but not any of the actual value of it -- so one of my assistants copied and adapted the palace of, as it happens, the Duke of Pelcour."

Me:"You designed the Viceroy's palace of Pelcour?"

Yylhauntra:"No, the Duke's, a good long time after I'd slaughtered the city and there wasn't a Viceroy any more, or a Calanchian Empire to be Viceroy of. I do have a house in Hrauminy, in Pelcour Mene."

Me:"Is that all you meant when you said you're still a Hrreptite?"

Yylhauntra:"No -- I still think Hrauminy and all should be their own city-states. It's ridiculous, having a single country two hundred miles long... but after Perfy won independence one century and rejoined Pelcour the next, it's distinctly a minority opinion."

* * *

And, over brandy, zie sprung zir trap. "You have asked me many questions about the first days! But now you must pay the price. I shall ask you many questions about the current days!"

All my friends had the good sense to look quite worried.

(no subject)

Originally published at Sythyry. Please leave any comments there.

Yylhauntra to Dinner, part 2 [11 Lage 4261]

By which time, it was open season on first-generation Zi Ri.

Tethezai:“How long until people were
transaffectionate? Or otherwise, well, not wholly bent on
sex as a means of reproduction?”

Yylhauntra:“Transaffection, I do not know for
sure. Karrakavva (Rassimel) married Barabrith (Gormoror) at
one point, but they were born not created. Sex for fun, in
ways that couldn’t lead to children … I can’t say for
sure. One day in the eighth year, I remember, all the Cani
were lapping each other intimately in public. Though that
might simply have been the invention of that particular
modality — or the first public demonstration of something
that a few people had been doing for some time — or if
publicly doing that was the innovation — or something else.
It was so unlike what Zi Ri were doing that I wasn’t very
interested.”

Havune:“How did clothing get invented?”

Yylhauntra’s counterattack was devastating, though…

Yylhauntra:“Before my time!”

It is certainly preplexious when one of the first-created
declares something “Before my time”. Indeed, it can destroy
many manners.

Havune:“Really?”

Yylhauntra:“Oh, yes. Not cloth, but leather
and leaves. Everyone looked rather wild and Gormororly,
by modern standards.”

Narngi:“When did people start trying to look
elegant?”

Yylhauntra:“By your standards, I should say
that they have not yet done! By our standards, oh … about
twenty years in. About the time the first-born were
starting to grow up a bit.”

Mendrugai:“What did they wear, for elegance?”

Me:“Perhaps we could be a bit more like a group
of friends and relatives gathered for dinner, and a bit less
like a gathering of the Inquisitors’ Club of Oorah Thrassen.
“

Yylhauntra:“Thank you, Sythyry, but I don’t
mind: my powers as a conversational centerpiece are mighty!
Mendrugai, we lacked many modern ornaments. Glirries and
feathers, fur-dye and sparkling scapulae: these were
popular, each in their turn.”

And they continued to interrogate zir for the better part of
an hour. Zie endured it with practiced grace.

* * *

Esory:“Are you a wizard, then?”

Yylhauntra:“Hardly! I’m reasonably skillful at
magic, but I’m no Glikkonen or Llezcaryg or even
Tabragore.”

Esory:“Tabragore?”

Yylhauntra:“One of my great-grandchildren.
Only a few centuries old, and quite impressively strong.
No, I’m more of an architect than a mage of any
kind.”

Esory:“Architect?”

Yylhauntra:“Oh, certainly. I designed the
previous Ducal Palace in Vheshrame, the one that got torn
down three centuries ago and replaced by the current
one.”

Havune:“Were you angry about that?”

Yylhauntra:“Not particularly! It wasn’t very
good work. The then-Duke of Vheshrame wasn’t willing to pay
very much — she wanted the cachet of a Yylhauntra design,
but not any of the actual value of it — so one of my
assistants copied and adapted the palace of, as it happens,
the Duke of Pelcour.”

Me:“You designed the Viceroy’s palace of
Pelcour?”

Yylhauntra:“No, the Duke’s, a good long time
after I’d slaughtered the city and there wasn’t a Viceroy
any more, or a Calanchian Empire to be Viceroy of. I
do have a house in Hrauminy, in Pelcour
Mene.”

Me:“Is that all you meant when you said you’re
still a Hrreptite?”

Yylhauntra:“No — I still think Hrauminy and
all should be their own city-states. It’s ridiculous,
having a single country two hundred miles long… but after
Perfy won independence one century and rejoined Pelcour the
next, it’s distinctly a minority opinion.”

* * *

And, over brandy, zie sprung zir trap. “You have asked me
many questions about the first days! But now you must pay
the price. I shall ask you many questions about the current
days!”

All my friends had the good sense to look quite worried.

(no subject)

Originally published at Sythyry. Please leave any comments there.

Yylhauntra to Dinner, part 2 [11 Lage 4261]

By which time, it was open season on first-generation Zi Ri.

Tethezai:“How long until people were
transaffectionate? Or otherwise, well, not wholly bent on
sex as a means of reproduction?”

Yylhauntra:“Transaffection, I do not know for
sure. Karrakavva (Rassimel) married Barabrith (Gormoror) at
one point, but they were born not created. Sex for fun, in
ways that couldn’t lead to children … I can’t say for
sure. One day in the eighth year, I remember, all the Cani
were lapping each other intimately in public. Though that
might simply have been the invention of that particular
modality — or the first public demonstration of something
that a few people had been doing for some time — or if
publicly doing that was the innovation — or something else.
It was so unlike what Zi Ri were doing that I wasn’t very
interested.”

Havune:“How did clothing get invented?”

Yylhauntra’s counterattack was devastating, though…

Yylhauntra:“Before my time!”

It is certainly preplexious when one of the first-created
declares something “Before my time”. Indeed, it can destroy
many manners.

Havune:“Really?”

Yylhauntra:“Oh, yes. Not cloth, but leather
and leaves. Everyone looked rather wild and Gormororly,
by modern standards.”

Narngi:“When did people start trying to look
elegant?”

Yylhauntra:“By your standards, I should say
that they have not yet done! By our standards, oh … about
twenty years in. About the time the first-born were
starting to grow up a bit.”

Mendrugai:“What did they wear, for elegance?”

Me:“Perhaps we could be a bit more like a group
of friends and relatives gathered for dinner, and a bit less
like a gathering of the Inquisitors’ Club of Oorah Thrassen.
“

Yylhauntra:“Thank you, Sythyry, but I don’t
mind: my powers as a conversational centerpiece are mighty!
Mendrugai, we lacked many modern ornaments. Glirries and
feathers, fur-dye and sparkling scapulae: these were
popular, each in their turn.”

And they continued to interrogate zir for the better part of
an hour. Zie endured it with practiced grace.

* * *

Esory:“Are you a wizard, then?”

Yylhauntra:“Hardly! I’m reasonably skillful at
magic, but I’m no Glikkonen or Llezcaryg or even
Tabragore.”

Esory:“Tabragore?”

Yylhauntra:“One of my great-grandchildren.
Only a few centuries old, and quite impressively strong.
No, I’m more of an architect than a mage of any
kind.”

Esory:“Architect?”

Yylhauntra:“Oh, certainly. I designed the
previous Ducal Palace in Vheshrame, the one that got torn
down three centuries ago and replaced by the current
one.”

Havune:“Were you angry about that?”

Yylhauntra:“Not particularly! It wasn’t very
good work. The then-Duke of Vheshrame wasn’t willing to pay
very much — she wanted the cachet of a Yylhauntra design,
but not any of the actual value of it — so one of my
assistants copied and adapted the palace of, as it happens,
the Duke of Pelcour.”

Me:“You designed the Viceroy’s palace of
Pelcour?”

Yylhauntra:“No, the Duke’s, a good long time
after I’d slaughtered the city and there wasn’t a Viceroy
any more, or a Calanchian Empire to be Viceroy of. I
do have a house in Hrauminy, in Pelcour
Mene.”

Me:“Is that all you meant when you said you’re
still a Hrreptite?”

Yylhauntra:“No — I still think Hrauminy and
all should be their own city-states. It’s ridiculous,
having a single country two hundred miles long… but after
Perfy won independence one century and rejoined Pelcour the
next, it’s distinctly a minority opinion.”

* * *

And, over brandy, zie sprung zir trap. “You have asked me
many questions about the first days! But now you must pay
the price. I shall ask you many questions about the current
days!”

All my friends had the good sense to look quite worried.

(no subject)

On Memory [11 Lage 4261]

(This was in the middle of the dinner, but some monsters asked about it, so here it is. *sigh*.)

Anoof:"Do you start losing track of memories after four thousand years? I know Glikkonen gave Sythyry an enchanted journal, and zie's very diligent about recording things in it."

Yylhauntra:"You're Glikkonen's child, Sythyry?"

Me:"Zir grandchild. Eitharheinen is my ~mother~."

Yylhauntra:"Ah!"

I don't know if that was real or feigned ignorance.

Yylhauntra:"In any case, I don't have any trouble with memories: I can remember the fifth century as easily as you can remember last year, and I can remember the first days a great deal more easily."

Anoof:"Because they were more memorable?"

Yylhauntra:"Perhaps, and perhaps because I am more often called upon to describe them than than the fifth century. Though the fifth century was far more interesting, really."

Havune asked "Why?". Yylhauntra ignored him.

Yylhauntra:"In any case, Glikkonen's journal is an excellent idea. I don't forget many facts about previous times. But later memories and thoughts certainly color the earlier ones -- it's hard to think about the Holocaust Wars without a great deal of hindsight, for example. I imagine Sythyry will read zir journal in ten thousand years and exclaim, 'My! How naive I was back then!'!"

Everyone but me:"Zie'll do that in about two weeks!"

I took this opportunity to die horribly.

Yylhauntra gave me a curious look, but didn't probe in public.

(no subject)

On Memory [11 Lage 4261]

(This was in the middle of the dinner, but some monsters asked about it, so here it is. *sigh*.)

Anoof:"Do you start losing track of memories after four thousand years? I know Glikkonen gave Sythyry an enchanted journal, and zie's very diligent about recording things in it."

Yylhauntra:"You're Glikkonen's child, Sythyry?"

Me:"Zir grandchild. Eitharheinen is my ~mother~."

Yylhauntra:"Ah!"

I don't know if that was real or feigned ignorance.

Yylhauntra:"In any case, I don't have any trouble with memories: I can remember the fifth century as easily as you can remember last year, and I can remember the first days a great deal more easily."

Anoof:"Because they were more memorable?"

Yylhauntra:"Perhaps, and perhaps because I am more often called upon to describe them than than the fifth century. Though the fifth century was far more interesting, really."

Havune asked "Why?". Yylhauntra ignored him.

Yylhauntra:"In any case, Glikkonen's journal is an excellent idea. I don't forget many facts about previous times. But later memories and thoughts certainly color the earlier ones -- it's hard to think about the Holocaust Wars without a great deal of hindsight, for example. I imagine Sythyry will read zir journal in ten thousand years and exclaim, 'My! How naive I was back then!'!"

Everyone but me:"Zie'll do that in about two weeks!"

I took this opportunity to die horribly.

Yylhauntra gave me a curious look, but didn't probe in public.

(no subject)

Originally published at Sythyry. Please leave any comments there.

On Memory [11 Lage 4261]

(This was in the middle of the dinner, but some monsters
asked about it, so here it is. *sigh*.)

Anoof:“Do you start losing track of memories
after four thousand years? I know Glikkonen gave Sythyry an
enchanted journal, and zie’s very diligent about recording
things in it.”

Yylhauntra:“You’re Glikkonen’s child,
Sythyry?”

Me:“Zir grandchild. Eitharheinen is my
~mother~.”

Yylhauntra:“Ah!”

I don’t know if that was real or feigned ignorance.

Yylhauntra:“In any case, I don’t have any
trouble with memories: I can remember the fifth century as
easily as you can remember last year, and I can remember the
first days a great deal more easily.”

Anoof:“Because they were more
memorable?”

Yylhauntra:“Perhaps, and perhaps because I am
more often called upon to describe them than than the fifth
century. Though the fifth century was far more interesting,
really.”

Havune asked “Why?”. Yylhauntra ignored him.

Yylhauntra:“In any case, Glikkonen’s journal is
an excellent idea. I don’t forget many facts about
previous times. But later memories and thoughts certainly
color the earlier ones — it’s hard to think about the
Holocaust Wars without a great deal of hindsight, for
example. I imagine Sythyry will read zir journal in ten
thousand years and exclaim, ‘My! How naive I was back
then!’!”

Everyone but me:“Zie’ll do that in about two
weeks!”

I took this opportunity to die horribly.

Yylhauntra gave me a curious look, but didn’t probe in
public.

(no subject)

Originally published at Sythyry. Please leave any comments there.

On Memory [11 Lage 4261]

(This was in the middle of the dinner, but some monsters
asked about it, so here it is. *sigh*.)

Anoof:“Do you start losing track of memories
after four thousand years? I know Glikkonen gave Sythyry an
enchanted journal, and zie’s very diligent about recording
things in it.”

Yylhauntra:“You’re Glikkonen’s child,
Sythyry?”

Me:“Zir grandchild. Eitharheinen is my
~mother~.”

Yylhauntra:“Ah!”

I don’t know if that was real or feigned ignorance.

Yylhauntra:“In any case, I don’t have any
trouble with memories: I can remember the fifth century as
easily as you can remember last year, and I can remember the
first days a great deal more easily.”

Anoof:“Because they were more
memorable?”

Yylhauntra:“Perhaps, and perhaps because I am
more often called upon to describe them than than the fifth
century. Though the fifth century was far more interesting,
really.”

Havune asked “Why?”. Yylhauntra ignored him.

Yylhauntra:“In any case, Glikkonen’s journal is
an excellent idea. I don’t forget many facts about
previous times. But later memories and thoughts certainly
color the earlier ones — it’s hard to think about the
Holocaust Wars without a great deal of hindsight, for
example. I imagine Sythyry will read zir journal in ten
thousand years and exclaim, ‘My! How naive I was back
then!’!”

Everyone but me:“Zie’ll do that in about two
weeks!”

I took this opportunity to die horribly.

Yylhauntra gave me a curious look, but didn’t probe in
public.