I am nowhere close to be finished reading Thunder Rebels in detail
yet, but already I've hit a few details that have piqued my
curiousity. A glance in the index suggests that these aren't covered
in more detail later in the book, so I'll throw my queries onto the
list and see if anyone else knows more, or can at least speculate in
an elightened fashion.
- I've seen a couple of references to a hearth's "First Alynx," and
it is noted that this critter is the only one to challenge the hearth
mistress's authority. Having been partially raised by a tabby cat I
can understand how this relationship goes. My question is more one
of Alynx organization. Is the first Alynx male or female, or
either? Do Alynx really respect such an individual, or is this just
the one that gets to sleep closest to the fire most nights? Do the
other alynx come into the hall much, or mostly hang out in the barns
and around the store houses?
- "Alynx queens" are also mentioned. Is that a term for any female
alynx of kitten bearing age, or is this again a term for alynx of
some rank within the feline world?
- Not related to TR, but now that I'm thinking about it, do alynx go
into "heat" the way that terrestrial domestic cats do? And how long
do they go between litters? (I'd think they'd have litters less often
than domestic cats, being somewhat larger hence needing more
territory to support themselves).
4)One of the section heading bits of colour text was an admonishment
to a young boy to "stop harshaxing your brother." I'm sure every
other King of Sartar reader's attention was grabbed by that line
too. I was unaware that the term had currency as far back as the
hero wars, rather than being a new title coined hundreds of years
later. I presume it is used to mean something like "tyranize." Does
anyone know more about the word and where it comes from? It doesn't
sound like a native heortling word to my ear.
- The long-house is described in a fair degree of detail, except for
one thing: doors. How many and where? i.e. "One door in the middle
of each of the short ends." "A number, scattered fairly
randomly." "Three along the east wall (one in the middle and one at
each end)." Normally I wouls assume on the short walls, but with
shrines at each end I'm thinking maybe that isn't the case (besides
the simple layout issues, do you want your shrine right next to a
door where thieves or raiders can most easily get at it?
- I loved the bit about minor air daimones playing with the smoke,
and eventually making small balls out of the ash. But what do they
do with those balls? Drop them on peoples heads? Let them settle
slowly to the ground? Blow them out the smokehole? Herd them all
into one bucket?
Well, I think that is enough for today. No doubt more reading will
lead to more questions :)
--Bryan