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<blockquote data-quote="catastrophic" data-source="post: 5588077" data-attributes="member: 81381"><p><strong>DRAGONS</strong> : Dragons are not all that ignorant about the nature of the lesser races. . they just don't take them very seriously. They also don't tend to use idioms since they love the soung of their own voice, but some of them do.</p><p> </p><p>"Bargain"</p><p>The idea of 'bargaining' or striking deals here refers to that kind of carry-on tht leser races perform amongst themselves. When dragons use the term, it is in humor, stating their intention to either completly obliterate something, or siply control it utterly. More than one wyrm has made the error of thining they can 'bargain' in this way with a band of heroes (it's a common mistake amongst DMs, as well).</p><p> </p><p>"Mourning Mountains"</p><p>Mountains are large, impressive in a very limited kind of way, but ultimatly, they are worn down by time. The 'mountain' in this idiom could be a race, a city, a nation, a forest, or anything really. It's a relativly polite way for one dragon to say to another 'I get that you value this thing, but you must know that it is the nature of such things to pass."</p><p> </p><p>"Endless"</p><p>This doesn't actually mean without end- it's a wry comment that a dragon's lifespan is long, but whatever is being talked about is likely to be a problem for long enough to be really really annoying, but will eventually pass.</p><p> </p><p>"Era", "Man's Age"</p><p>The inverse of the above. A deliberate refrence to mortal ways of counting time, to represent a not particularly long period of time in the perspective of dragons. Example "They wil hunt for me in the mountains for a dwarf's age. . oh woe, what shall I do for that portion of my nap?"</p><p> </p><p>"Always"</p><p>An actual refrence to time in draconic terms, and time beyond anything the dragon in question can do about it. Often used as an expresison of frustration, or a grave insult, it's also usually taken to mean 'beyond death'. An example: "You can heap up coin for as long as you like, you'll always be less than your sire" (even if the sire in question is dead, and died relativly young)</p><p> </p><p>"Gnome"</p><p>Many more good humored dragons have an odd fondness for gnomes because they feel that they're the most genuine of the leser races- they don't take themselves too seriously, they know when to hide and when to give homage, and if there is a trait that the lesser races can claim as their own (as opposed to a pitiful shadow of draconic might, resilience, or intelect), then it is surely the cunning mischief-making that gnomes can excel at. More wrathful dragons react to such pranks with fury, which only makes their more mirthful peers respect the gnomes for their work- it helps that such dragons are far too clever for a gnome to <em>ever</em> fool them. Amongst such dragons, "gnome" becomes slang for any lesser race. </p><p> </p><p>"Gnomesong" </p><p>Leading on from the above, gnomesong or dance refers to the follies, dramas, events and outcomes of the lesser races, which appear so important to them, but are ultimatly trivial. Example: "They are running up against each other in that peculiar way. .. some gnomesong about needing a new leader since I killed the one they had? Apparently?"</p><p> </p><p>"Riversong"</p><p>Wise dragons make the distinction between gnomesong, which is trivial, and riversong, which is likely to have actual long-term effects. Example: "You might have ended that priest in a way which made them all cower, but the drama of it will only feed the river song about his life. You will have endless seasons of charity in your cities, and where will your guilds be then?"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="catastrophic, post: 5588077, member: 81381"] [B]DRAGONS[/B] : Dragons are not all that ignorant about the nature of the lesser races. . they just don't take them very seriously. They also don't tend to use idioms since they love the soung of their own voice, but some of them do. "Bargain" The idea of 'bargaining' or striking deals here refers to that kind of carry-on tht leser races perform amongst themselves. When dragons use the term, it is in humor, stating their intention to either completly obliterate something, or siply control it utterly. More than one wyrm has made the error of thining they can 'bargain' in this way with a band of heroes (it's a common mistake amongst DMs, as well). "Mourning Mountains" Mountains are large, impressive in a very limited kind of way, but ultimatly, they are worn down by time. The 'mountain' in this idiom could be a race, a city, a nation, a forest, or anything really. It's a relativly polite way for one dragon to say to another 'I get that you value this thing, but you must know that it is the nature of such things to pass." "Endless" This doesn't actually mean without end- it's a wry comment that a dragon's lifespan is long, but whatever is being talked about is likely to be a problem for long enough to be really really annoying, but will eventually pass. "Era", "Man's Age" The inverse of the above. A deliberate refrence to mortal ways of counting time, to represent a not particularly long period of time in the perspective of dragons. Example "They wil hunt for me in the mountains for a dwarf's age. . oh woe, what shall I do for that portion of my nap?" "Always" An actual refrence to time in draconic terms, and time beyond anything the dragon in question can do about it. Often used as an expresison of frustration, or a grave insult, it's also usually taken to mean 'beyond death'. An example: "You can heap up coin for as long as you like, you'll always be less than your sire" (even if the sire in question is dead, and died relativly young) "Gnome" Many more good humored dragons have an odd fondness for gnomes because they feel that they're the most genuine of the leser races- they don't take themselves too seriously, they know when to hide and when to give homage, and if there is a trait that the lesser races can claim as their own (as opposed to a pitiful shadow of draconic might, resilience, or intelect), then it is surely the cunning mischief-making that gnomes can excel at. More wrathful dragons react to such pranks with fury, which only makes their more mirthful peers respect the gnomes for their work- it helps that such dragons are far too clever for a gnome to [I]ever[/I] fool them. Amongst such dragons, "gnome" becomes slang for any lesser race. "Gnomesong" Leading on from the above, gnomesong or dance refers to the follies, dramas, events and outcomes of the lesser races, which appear so important to them, but are ultimatly trivial. Example: "They are running up against each other in that peculiar way. .. some gnomesong about needing a new leader since I killed the one they had? Apparently?" "Riversong" Wise dragons make the distinction between gnomesong, which is trivial, and riversong, which is likely to have actual long-term effects. Example: "You might have ended that priest in a way which made them all cower, but the drama of it will only feed the river song about his life. You will have endless seasons of charity in your cities, and where will your guilds be then?" [/QUOTE]
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