MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2184 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by Rainwing-+AT+-aol.com 2) **gets tired of the lull on the MLML** by "Lindsay" 3) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by "Lindsay" 4) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by "David H. Tiffany" 5) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by Sonata627-+AT+-aol.com 6) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by IFJANS-+AT+-aol.com 7) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by "Li'nia Stormdancer" 8) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by Rainwing-+AT+-aol.com 9) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by =?iso-8859-1?q?Rainsong=20de=20Eilyr?= 10) Shin'a'in vs Tayledras (was Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180) by Kenneth Allen Hyde 11) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by Angela Markwalter 12) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 by dennis-+AT+-jmf.org.ph 13) Re: Shin'a'in vs Tayledras (was Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180) by Amy Trujillo ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 17:14:42 EST From: Rainwing-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: <31.311bfaf4.25aa6252-+AT+-aol.com> :::Rainwing blinks her eyes and begins to slowly wake up from her long hibernation. She looks around the Hall noting all the familiar, as well as new, faces and a huge grin spreads across her face. Hastily she gets up to go greet them, but as she walks, all the dust that she has been collecting while lurking in the corner begins to come off in sheets. Ashamed and pulling the cobwebs out of her hair, she heads for the hotsprings first. After a good long soak, she pulls on a comfortable Tayledras lounging robe and joyfully rejoins her listsibs::: Heyla and Bright Greetings listsibs, and a warm welcome to all the newbies! :::Gives each newbie a handkerchief embroidered with an array of different colored sheep (in case of an encounter with the Enchanted Bucket (tm), or for use when reading LHM)::: Well, it's good to be back! During my absence, I have been reading avidly and I have finally collected and completed all of Misty's Velgarth series... Commentary on Owl Series (No spoiler space needed, I hope!): I very much enjoyed Owlknight, although, IMHO, the first two books were equally enjoyable for different reasons. I found Owlsight to be very interesting and revealing into Tayledras culture, and even though the action was a little slow, I think she made up for that in Owlknight. I enjoyed Owlflight too, though not as much. On Owlknight, I think it had its strong and its weak points, as do most books. I did notice a few inconsistencies when it came to some of the characters. It is interesting to read Misty, or any author's work where the characters have depth and are well fleshed out, and to compare a character's certain action or behavior with what you know about their personality. Most of the time it fits. Occasionally it doesn't, but is needed for the storyline. Does anyone else notice that or am I crazy? Probably the latter. Oh well, now that I've ranted and probably made no sense at all... On Music... Milena Blair wrote: > This is regarding the man who portrays Dirk on the > CD based on the Arrows > saga. I love his voice. I do. I really do. He's > a great singer, yep > yep, and you really gotta listen to hear how great > his voice is, but it's > great. I enjoy his voice too. It really seems to fit for Dirk. On Lovers, Lore, and Loss another singer sings for Dirk. IMHO, he is equally talented and suited to Dirk's character. I personally like LL&L a little better than HH&H, though not much. There are several songs that I really like on LL&L, especially Battle Dawn and The Cost of the Crown. As you can probably deduce, I am a big Selenay fan. She is my favorite unsung hero. I love the voice of the singer, Shandeen, that portrays her on LL&L. I know Misty sings Selenay on HH&H, but um, (how do I put this tactfully?) Her singing leaves, ahem, something to be desired. Don't get me wrong, Misty is one of my heroes. But, I think she should stick to her day job. After all, her writing more than makes up for her singing. Besides, I think Misty sounds a little too old to be Selenay. I like Shandeen's younger, stronger, and more powerful voice. It is refreshing and seems to fit with the character. BTW, does anyone have or heard the CDs Oathbound and Oathbreakers? I was thinking of buying them, but I'd like to know if they are any good. If someone could give me a review I would really appreciate it! Thanks! And, surprisingly, I do have an obMisty: This is probably an old debate, but I have been considering it for a while now. Shin'a'in vs. Tayledras? If you could have your choice of being either one which would you be? At first I thought immediately Tayledras because of the Bondbirds and the Vale, but after considering it and rereading Oathblood, the Shin'a'in lifestyle does hold quite some appeal...the horses, the clan family, the Plains and the tradition. Although, if I had to choose I would still pick Tayledras. The Vale and all the non-humans slightly tip the scale. Hmmm, maybe Kaled'a'in would be nice too...all those Gryphons...arrrg this is getting too confusing. I think I've rambled long enough. Jellybean sheep to all! Stars light thy Path, Rainwing k'Colira Collector of all Sheep and Black sheep of the family Leader of the Cousin Family Singer of Illusions and Proud to be an Alto Follower of the Warrior Princess and Devoted Misty Disciple (hopeful) Knight of the OOUH, Champion of Selenay Member of the Great Spork Empire <3 "The worst prison would be a closed heart." - J.P.II <3 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 16:35:27 -0600 From: "Lindsay" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: **gets tired of the lull on the MLML** Message-ID: <287032000109223527940-+AT+-xfilesfan.com> **Emerges from behind her pile of books and dirty clothes which she laughingly calls her bed** So we're all alive? Good, good. Then I think I'll bring up a couple things (mainly nitpicking from Arrow's Fall, which I'm re-reading). PG 81 of Arrow's Fall: Gyrefalcon's Marches. What exactly are they? PG 104 of Arrow's Fall: Alberich calls Talia 'delinda' which I assume is something like "pupil-mine" or "child" or some other endearing phrase, but if anyone knows it would just be nice to find out. Darn, that's all I can think of. **pouts and looks less like 13 and more like 3** Oh well, this'll keep you all pretty busy, I think. Sincerely, Herald-Trainee Milena Blair of Valdemar Leilazel Samarah of Tortall Milena Blair of Tortall Lindsay Fundakowski Feldman of Maryland "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!" _____________________________________________ Free email with personality! Over 200 domains! http://www.MyOwnEmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 16:51:53 -0600 From: "Lindsay" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: <412000109225153727-+AT+-xfilesfan.com> OK, I know this is over my one-message-in-5-minutes limit, but we're so slow, what the hey? Selanay is cool. She's a very strong woman, and I too am a big fan of Shandeen's singing and Cost of the Crown despite the fact that I've only heard the previews off of Firebird Arts, but I'll be getting that soon. **is very happy to have gotten $200 for christmas** Does anyone else want to learn more about well, the time after King Randale, and it's quite obvious Randi did not live from 798 AF to 1270 AF (time of co-consorts Arden and Leesa}. I would like to see how the Empathic Jisa held up with the crown. Also, I'd like to know if Jisa was even Chosen as Monarchs Own after the death of her mother. In full, I would really like to know more about the reign of the two, I might even hope for a trilogy set in that era. But my hopes with end in vain, I'm sure. Sincerely, Herald-Trainee Milena Blair of Valdemar Leilazel Samarah of Tortall Milena Blair of Tortall Lindsay Fundakowski Feldman of Maryland "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!" _____________________________________________ Free email with personality! Over 200 domains! http://www.MyOwnEmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 18:02:07 -0800 (PST) From: "David H. Tiffany" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: On Sun, 9 Jan 2000 Rainwing-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > after considering it and rereading Oathblood, the Shin'a'in lifestyle does > hold quite some appeal...the horses, the clan family, the Plains and the > tradition. Hmmm. Try sleeping in a tent somewhere on the northern Great Plains (Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana, Eastern Wyoming or Southern Saskatchewan & Alberta) through January or February *and* caring for stock at the same time, without a barn. Then decide if it sounds appealing. Not to me. But then I grew up on the Plains (Iowa) and on a farm, so I find it a little hard to be romantic about it. sorry. David H Tiffany ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 21:22:09 EST From: Sonata627-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: FLUFF *A small dark haired figure emerges from behind her protective stacks of misty books, textbooks, and pillows, stretches, and decides that it is time to emerge for a little air and exercise before the looming clouds of finals threaten to banish her once more to the underground of pre-week cramming. Darn it I think I was about to set a lurking record! (Is there one by the way?)* END FLUFF Anyway, Milena Blair of Valdemar posted: "Does anyone else want to learn more about well, the time after King Randale, and it's quite obvious Randi did not live from 798 AF to 1270 AF (time of co-consorts Arden and Leesa}. I would like to see how the Empathic Jisa held up with the crown." Yes! That was what really bothered me! I read the whole thing in the wierdest order, but that had no effect whatsoever on my enjoyment of it, starting at the Winds books, then the Arrows, then I desprately needed a Elspeth, Darkwind,Firesong "fix" so I gave in and read the Storms, and THEN I finally got to LHM and I could finally understand why everyone loves Vanyel so much. He lived up to his reputation, I loved it. But afterward I had to go back and check the timeline in the books to make sure I wasn't nuts, I didn't get why there is nothing about the reign of Jisa and Treven. I really admired Jisa and I think the reign of the first monarchs to have no Herald Mages and during the time when the Bards had to convince everyone of the value of regular Heralds (Ooooh Ooooh! *excited waving hands* Possible Stef appearences!) would be a good basis for at least a stand alone book. But since the trilogies that I have read usually focous on some great outside threat to Vladermar (Ancar, Falconsbane, Ancar again...) I guess there probably isn't enough conflict to a whole series *pouts* Oh well, but I really would like to see something about that period in Valdemar history, and would be contented even with a short story. Awww, now you've got me all "Misty-fied" and I won't be able to study!!!!! (Twizzler sheep to everyone studying for mid-terms/finals!) Zhai'helluva! Herald Trainee Jordyn Ashgrove formerly of Tarterus (Hopefully) Patron Saint of Patron Saints ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 21:46:24 EST From: IFJANS-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: Heyla Listsibs I am but a newbie here but I have enjoyed the long hot soak and thanks for all the edible and inedible sheep. I finally feel the need to comment on something. I would very much like to be Taleydras because they are such a free people. They also have respect for all beings which is something that is sadly lacking in this world. I would love to have a bondbird and I suspect that Misty would like to be a Tayledras because of the bird connection. I also like the idea that they are so flamboyant. I wish I could be as free to dress and appear as I truly would like to. Of course I am a child of the sixties and that may just be my connection with hippies and all. It has been very nice to lurk in the corners and read all your perspectives on the books. I rename myself Cavesong K'Wylie Fuzzy Sheep To All ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 19:36:06 -0800 (PST) From: "Li'nia Stormdancer" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: <20000110033606.7774.qmail-+AT+-web1203.mail.yahoo.com> Heyla List-Sibs! Have to agree with David on this one! Now, I've never worked with stock before, but having slept in the woods and the tundra of Alaska for several weeks at a time, in the middle of winter.... brrr... the Shin'a'in can keep it! I like the traditions and the whole Clan concept, but somehow the knowledge that the Tale'edras can control the weather in the Vales is much more appealing to me.... Li'nia Stormdancer (sans sig.) (who is currently looking forward to a few weeks in the snow here in South Korea.... I just don't think so...) ===================================================== --- "David H. Tiffany" wrote: > > > On Sun, 9 Jan 2000 Rainwing-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > > > after considering it and rereading Oathblood, the > Shin'a'in lifestyle does hold quite some appeal...the horses, the clan family, the Plains and the tradition. > -------------------------------------------------- > Hmmm. Try sleeping in a tent somewhere on the > northern Great Plains (Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana, Eastern Wyoming or Southern > Saskatchewan & Alberta) through January or February > *and* caring for stock at the same time, without a barn. Then decide if it sounds appealing. > > Not to me. > But then I grew up on the Plains (Iowa) and on a > farm, so I find it a little hard to be rom antic about it. > sorry. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 22:48:25 EST From: Rainwing-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: <86.86f2e298.25aab089-+AT+-aol.com> << Hmmm. Try sleeping in a tent somewhere on the northern Great Plains (Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana, Eastern Wyoming or Southern Saskatchewan & Alberta) through January or February *and* caring for stock at the same time, without a barn. Then decide if it sounds appealing. >> Well, if you're gonna put it like that...;^) No, call me crazy, but it really sounds like something I'd at least like to try for a while. And I'd imagine that after one grew up with it it wouldn't seem like much fun. I am a native Californian and now a Coloradan so all I've ever known are beaches and mountains (lots of 'em). I think it would be a great experience to camp like the Shin'a'in on the Dhorisha Plains. Besides, the Shin'a'in are experts at tending livestock and such and I like their nomadic lifestyle. Of course it wouldn't be fun without your clan. But I can see your point, which is why I'm strictly Tayledras :::grin::: << I finally got to LHM and I could finally understand why everyone loves Vanyel so much. >> Then could you explain it to me? I guess I just don't take to Van like everyone else does. I have had my share of grief and sadness, but for some reason he just isn't appealing to me (Ducks flames and flying sheep. Hmmm, this should get discussion going :::grins wickedly:::). Those books were just agonizing to read. All throughout them Van is mistreated, abused mentally and physically, tortured, soul and heart-broken, overworked, lonely, and he always has the weight of his death and responsibility hanging over his head. Was there a time, besides when he was with 'Lendel, that he was truly happy or satisfied? Don't get me wrong, I know that in each good and interesting book there must be some sadness, grief, tragedy, and/or pain mixed in, by the end of LHM all I was thinking was, "Geez, Give the guy a break willya?" I do pity Van, and I empathize a little with him, but I guess he is not one of my favorite characters, and LHM is not one of my favorite series. I did enjoy it somewhat, though. I dunno, maybe I have no taste but if that were true I wouldn't like Misty. Personally, I am an Arrows and Oaths fan. Wow, two posts in one day! What could be happening?! Is Hell frozen over? Are fish flying? Passion Fruit sheep Lifesavers to all! Rainwing k'Colira Collector of all Sheep and Black sheep of the family Leader of the Cousin Family Singer of Illusions and proud to be an Alto Follower of the Warrior Princess and her Bard Devoted Misty Disciple (hopeful) Knight of the OOUH, Champion of Selenay Member of the Great Spork Empire <3 "The worst Prison would be a closed heart." - J.P.II <3 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 22:34:28 -0800 (PST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Rainsong=20de=20Eilyr?= To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: <20000110063428.8107.qmail-+AT+-web3001.mail.yahoo.com> is it possible to develop a Queen's Own Kaled'a'in persona? I am seriouly considering putting up a list of inconsistencies in Mist's books(not to diss ML but you would think she'd at least remember the colour of Firesong's eyes!)i finally found the paperback copy of Owlsight(i never buy hardbacks, which in addition to being to expensive for my limited allowance are also incovienient to lug around and read on the bus or in class). Really enjoyed it, but nearly threw a fit when Firesong's eyes were said to be silver. Did misty just plain forget that his eyes were blue in WOFate, or what? Firesong also states in Wfate that he was descended from Vanyel on both sides of his family. Would that mean that Starfall was Vanyel's descendant too, that there's Ashkevron blood in clans outside of K'Treva. Also: in Magic's Price, Medren says to Vanyel, "Stefen's got a way of suprising us once a week over at Bardic. Only eighteen, and he's about to make Full Bard. Just may beat me to it." At the end, when van discovers that Stefen is really'Lendel, the book says: Stefen when seventeen when he met vanyel.(forgive me if my qoutes aren't accurate.) I specialise in finding inconsistencies in books( having very little else to do and a rather good memory) about the holderkin goddess, I think you will find in Arrow's flight that Talia tells Kris about the Holderkin gods, and that the goddess is subject to the Lord or something. Can't be exact, only borrowed the book of the library once. To all Tamora Pierce fans on the list, is there a Tortall discussion list anywhere on the web? A harry Potter one? Will anyone kill me if i confess that i prefer the Circle of Magic to the Lioness. Or, to Misty fans, that i think Misty's writing has gotten better and not worst? Maybe you just happen to prefer shorter novels with more action, but i prefer the storms, starting with the fact that the characters aren't so cardboard anymore. (while you're at it, I wish that Misty would write a novel where there is more political intrigue, with more in-between characters, greys instead of black and white.) I love LHM though, with its dramatic, tragic scenes. Mpawn is probably the best, with Van actually behaving like a human being at the point. I didn't really like him in the next two (long suffering Heralds drive me insane) but it didn't matter because Stefen was there. He's human. Does it ever bother you that so many of ML's characters are perfect, with very little flaws? i dont' mean in the sense of nature(everyone knows heroes have to be perfectly good and motivated by the highest ideals) but they don't appear to have any bad habits.(eating fast, picking their nose, never keeping their whites clean, leaving all their things on the floor)Firesong is about the only exception. My e-mail is way too long by this point, and I hit the send button, leaving me with nothing to do but wait for the bookstore to order another batch of the Prisoner of Azkaban and wonder if Rowling remembered that sirius Black was mentioned at the beginning of the Philosphers Stone.......... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 09:35:55 -0500 (EST) From: Kenneth Allen Hyde To: Misty Lackey List Subject: Shin'a'in vs Tayledras (was Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180) Message-ID: First comment is on David's comments about plains living: "Oh, right! Bring reality into it! Next you'll mention that medieval and rennaissance life was not quite the year-long Renn Faire that many people seem to think it was." =P *giggle* On Mon, 10 Jan 2000 IFJANS-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > I would very much like to be Taleydras because they are such a free people. > They also have respect for all beings which is something that is sadly > lacking in this world. Hmmmm. Maybe Misty has changed them completely for the OwlEtc books, but in the other books, the Tayledras were neither free nor very open-minded or respectful. They were violently xenophobic isolationists. They didn't seem to have much respect for any humans, with a few individual exceptions (Savil, etc.). And based on Darkwind's life, I would say they were not free, either. They seem to be even more bound by custom, convention, and law than the Shin'a'in. Certainly, more than the Valdemarans. Still, I suppose that it is possible that Misty has completely redesigned the Tayledras for the OwlEtc books. Certainly, the end of the Mage Wars created enough changes in the world around them to justify some fairly major changes to Tayledras culture. > I also like the idea that they are so flamboyant. I wish I could be > as free to dress and appear as I truly would like to. Hmmmm. Move to a big city and become a club kid. You'd be amazed at what you can get away with in that venue. Or if you are into the more historical costuming, get into the Renn Faire circuit. I wouldn't recommend the SCA route, though, since they seem to have been getting more and more didactic and less and less interested in the "creative" part (can you say "costume police"?). But the Rennies tend to be very open to a wide variety of costumes (the last one I attended had everything from accurate Highland Scots costume to fetishist fantasy garb to movie pirates). May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit, Cennydd Councilor of Mist Kenneth Allen Hyde | No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife Univ. of Delaware | between the shoulder blades will seriously Dept. of Linguistics | cramp his style -- Old Jhereg proverb kenny-+AT+-Udel.Edu | A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me //www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/prof/ken.html ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 10:13:38 -0500 (EST) From: Angela Markwalter To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: Heyla listsibs! Another lurker emerges from the cobwebs..... This is starting to sound like a grade B horror flick! Anyway, getting to the point quickly due to the rampant destruction caused by my unsupervised three year old, Rainsong de Eilyr wrote: >Firesong's eyes were said to be silver. Did misty just >plain forget that his eyes were blue in WOFate, or >what? Perhaps you have forgotten that extended work with node magic causes a bleaching out of hair and eyes.... I suspect that after trying to control the energy of the Storm (Storm Breaking) that Firesong's eyes were bleached to silver, though I don't remember Misty specifically stating so. Actually, I had thought they always were silver and that he just wore blue because he looked so striking in it. But, from a more practical point of view, my daughter's incredible blue eyes have been gradually becomeing more and more grey and I have noticed that in my family, this seems to be a natural proggression due to age. My eyes used to be extremely green; however, they now have so much grey in them that no two people agree on what color they really are (my best friend argued for months with me last year telling me that my eyes are blue..... And I've known her for eight years!). And my father's hazel eyes are now totally grey with flecks of gold (making up for his lack of grey hair I suppose!). And a friend of mine's eyes changed from brown to green. So just from a practical point of view... it happens and I don't think it is neccessarily a major slip-up on Misty's part. Oh yeah, and (drawing her rusty blade with a dreadful rasp, ready to defend Misty) I too loved the Owl series and don't feel like Misty's work is degrading. Of course, I was a Robert Heinlein fan up to the bloody end.... Now, I need to go rescue the cat from the torment of my three year old.... (She slips back into lurkdom). Angela no titles, no vale just me ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 14:12:39 +0000 From: dennis-+AT+-jmf.org.ph To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180 Message-ID: > Hmmm. Try sleeping in a tent somewhere on the northern Great Plains > (Nebraska, the Dakotas, Montana, Eastern Wyoming or Southern > Saskatchewan & Alberta) through January or February *and* caring > for stock at the same time, without a barn. Then decide if it > sounds appealing. Hey! I grew up in Montana and the winters aren't that bad....Well, maybe sort of that bad. The thing is, you can't use the northern plains as a comparison. The Dhorisha Plain is considerably farther south than Valdemar, and Valdemar doesn't exactly have arctic winters. At the beginning of Oathbound Tarma was having trouble with what was probably fairly typical northern weather because she had never experienced anything like it before. As far as whether I'd rather be Shin'a'in or Tale'edras (is there more than one spelling for this word?) I can't say because the only Tale'edras I've seen is in Oathbound. Li'nia, by weather control do you mean they only choose mild weather? Because if that's the case I'd probably go with Shin'a'in. I love weather! Even cold, damp, gray weather. Fall and winter are my favorite seasons and I would hate to see them eliminated. Well, I've rambled on enough. And Songwind, thanks for the chocolate covered cherry sheep. Do they by any chance have liquid centers? Runewind ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 12:44:27 -0600 From: Amy Trujillo To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Shin'a'in vs Tayledras (was Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2180) Message-ID: <387A288B.FC851335-+AT+-southwind.net> Heyla listsibs, Cennydd posted! falls over and twitches in shock *grins* Sorry bout that but it seems that alot of people disappeared into deep lurkdom for awhile there! Glad to see everyone is dusting the cobwebs off and posting more. On the Shin's'in vs Tayledras debate: Hm I think I actually have to agree with whoever said the Kal'a'din were a good option. That way you would get both the horses, the bond birds AND the griffons on a very regular basis. They seem much more open to change, although I wonder if the Haighlei's fear of change might have rubbed off on them a bit after several thousand years. On top of this they get to live on the coast and White Gryphon seemed like an absolutely beautiful city. If being Kal'a'din (sp) wasn't an option I think I'd have to go with the Shin'a'in just because of the horses. My family raises horses and they have always been a big part of my life so the Shin'a'in's love for their horses is a big plus for me, and being a Kansas girl I'm used to Plains life and its not THAT bad. Plus now that the Storms are over more contact is being allowed and I'm sure you could visit the Vales if you wanted. Rainsong mentioned something about perfect characters..... Hmm I don't see them as being perfect in most of the stories. Vanyel was notorious for his whining and his refusal to let anyone close to him. Elspeth was headstrong and way too opinionated at times. Kiesha was full of self doubt convinced that somehow she would mess things up. Darien is really the only one who I would say Misty didn't give any big flaws. I could go on but this post would be way to long. I think with the Heralds they were trained to be neat and tidy. Its been awhile but I have a feeling if the house keeper (forgot her name) from arrows found the trainees slacking off on their chores there would have been hell to pay. Same thing with eating too fast or too sloppily with the cook. After awhile it would have just become habit. Mostly I think that the "perfection" can be explained by the training or the lifestyle of the people involved. Misty deals with peoples who lead fairly dangerous lives and have great responsiblities. They have helpers to look after the small things, hertasi in the Tayledras case servants with the Heralds. Being fairly neat and tidy would make their own lives easier. Chocolate chip cheesecake sheep to everyone Amy Ferret Friend Lady of All Things Missing, Especially Socks ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2184 **********************************