rthstewart (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rthstewart) wrote2009-10-04 10:47 pm
rthstewart) wrote2009-10-04 10:47 pm
Entry tags:
The Palace Guard is DONE!
yipee!! This is very satisfying, to have a second story up and complete this year, even if the dangly bits I'm leaving unresolved are beginning to accumulate like dust bunnies under the bed.
But, a burning question. Several reviewers asked as to the species of the physician. I have three characters floating around in these stories, with actual name and species unidentified:
The General
Cook
The Physician
We now know that Cook can lob cabbages with fair accuracy. We know the Physician is old and had an unhealthy fascination with primate mating and bonding systems. So, what species is the Physician? I figure he needs to have paws for grasping and that immediately limits us pretty much to mustelids, rodents, and a few others. My two top contenders:
A raccoon
A porcupine
Admit it, a porcupine physician is pretty darn amusing, yeah?
But, a burning question. Several reviewers asked as to the species of the physician. I have three characters floating around in these stories, with actual name and species unidentified:
The General
Cook
The Physician
We now know that Cook can lob cabbages with fair accuracy. We know the Physician is old and had an unhealthy fascination with primate mating and bonding systems. So, what species is the Physician? I figure he needs to have paws for grasping and that immediately limits us pretty much to mustelids, rodents, and a few others. My two top contenders:
A raccoon
A porcupine
Admit it, a porcupine physician is pretty darn amusing, yeah?
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Cook is a strange one. I keep having the picture of a Dwarfess in mind for Cook. She has the hands to throw cabbages at those in the vegetable garden, and such a temper as to let you know when she is peeved (by her screaming and her displeasure in the food set in front of you).
As for the General... that is hardest of all! Centaurs always come to mind since the movies came out and most fanfics on FF.net use Oreius or some other Centaur OC. I feel the need to go and refresh my memory on mythological creatures.
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And I must admit, now that this story is done, I spent a good majority of my work hours today re-reading "By Royal Decree". You can get a deeper meaning to the relationship between Jalur and Edmund now, and I was struck by how accurate Mr. Hoberry's description was: the Tiger truly does "manage" Edmund!
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The idea of a Porcupine physician cracks me up. As did the dolls, good heavens, and Ed's inclination to have them manufactured just for giggles.
Here's a thought for your Cook: what about Apes? In canon we only ever see Shift, but he's hardly the only, and I'm tickled endlessly by the idea of a primate in charge of the kitchens.
(Nevermind that Shift and Puzzle are straight from Aesop -- I should scan those pages for you...)
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As for the General... I think you should go with something completely unexpected. Like a fox. I'm trying to think of an animal that is known for strategic planning and the like. Someone who rose through the ranks not necessarily because of physical prowess, but because of his skill as a tactician. Someone who can lead, someone who can plan battles, someone who can make the hard decisions to send his troops into tough situations. This is, perhaps, why a mythological creature would serve better instead of a Beast, because not many Beasts work in organized assaults (lions come to mind, but that one's out, though a wolf could also be an option--except for the bad taste left by the White Witch). I could certainly see a Gryphon, with some of that lion instinct (but in that case I would almost dare to suggest that the General was actually a female Gryphon, as it is the lionesses that lead hunting parties.)
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Thanks so much! And for the lovely review!
Untirely unrelated tangents coming up
(Anonymous) 2009-10-07 10:32 am (UTC)(link)Love TPG, another beautiful story. Re species unnamed, yes, the idea of a gryphon General and a porcupine Physician are cool. I also like the fox idea, although elecktrum's Sir Giles is a hard act to follow, too. Re Cook, I'm assuming that you need someone who can through. leaving out most four-leggers, and who can grasp the concept of preparing food for different species, thus, an omnivore of some sort. So what does that leave? Dwarf, Centaur (maybe), Faun?
On an (almost) entirely unrelated point, I was re-reading TPG, and I started to wonder about the Night Guard. Are they Palace Guard (and sworn), or something else again? Presumably, much of the business of state would be conducted in daytime, Peter's comments about night-time revels and treaties not withstanding, so presumably there wouldn't be the same need for a counsellor/manager. At the same time, as Ch. 1 pointed out, the Four are more vulnerable when at ease (ie. at night). So what's the deal here, because if Dalia becomes Night Guard, and the Night Guard is sworn, then she isn't forsworn at all (OK, enough swearing!)
On another tangent (wow, there's a lot of them over here), I know the assassination attempt is another plot device, but I was curious as to whether it's related the the troubles in Year 7, whether it's part of the business with the Lone Islands tax code, or something else entirely.
I'll stop asking questions now, so that you can think about TQSiT.
Cheers
Min
: )
Re: Untirely unrelated tangents coming up
As for the Night Guard, I'd assumed that they were sworn to the Guard itself, and not to a particular Monarch. I'd sort of hinted at that in BRD with Wrasse when Edmund reflects that the Night Guard takes a broader view of their protective duty. Dalia was sworn to Peter alone and that she gave up. In fact, in TPG, there are only 3 night guards on duty -- though I'm not sure if that's a temporary thing because Wrasse is filling in during the day and still working the night shift and so they are short staffed, or if, at this point, the feeling is that they don't really need a full 4 guards in the Monarchs' wing at night.
While in one sense, they are more vulnerable, unless there is a coordinated attack through the windows against all 4 at night, the Beasts know what's going on in the rooms, even with the doors shut. They can hear and smell, so they don't need to be physically in the rooms. I’ve also wondered if a few years in, the Monarchs start feeling safer again and pushback a bit on the Guard.
As for the different conflicts, the assassination attempts that get this rolling are not something I'd thought about much except as a device for getting the rest of the story moving. It was something coordinated, the 3 perpetrators all were killed (something they came to regret later) and maybe there's an investigation, but I've not thought of anything further than that. It could easily be tied, in some way to either of the two other plot lines -- the problems in Year 7 or the Lone Islands in year 10.
I have assumed that the year 7 and 10 events are unrelated. The problem in Year 7 is in the nature of a spies and agents -- what I really want to do there is explore the nature of torture, incarceration, justice, and capital punishment in Narnia. I've got some opinions on that and the subject matter was too intense and involved for a one shot.
The Lone Islands, well, that's the sort of thing where, when you are dealing with Jadis remnants, and Giants, and pirates, and suitors and tourneys, and visits to your Island nations and neighbors, are you really going to even delve into, WANT to delve into the tax code unless you can't avoid it? As I see it, the Lone Islanders have been paying, the Narnians have been receiving, and no one has wanted to upset the status quo. It's probably been on Ed's Brother Do list for a couple of years. Now, he finally has to deal with it and it's HARD and really complicated and they hadn't quite realized that there's a whole set of assumptions built into it that they had never examined before. For instance, the U.S. tax code favors married couples with children and homeowners, but if you didn't know that going in, it would be really hard to find and puzzle out that those values are built into it if all you have is a couple of books with the laws and regulations of the Internal Revenue Code of the US.
Ed's going to have to go to the Lone Islands to deal with it personally -- something stated in TSG Part 1. He'll be going with Morgan and he goes in undercover, as some other underling, with a reveal to come later. Sallowpad goes with them and Jina. So, maybe Ed is interning under Morgan in the House of Linch. oops. Did I just write that? She's very high up in her organization; and the worse manager ever.
So, does that help? Or just make you want to ask more questions of things that are still unformed in my brain?
Thanks again, Min.
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(Anonymous) 2009-10-08 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)Yes, that answers much. I had wondered why Harold was off without Jalur - now we know. And as for tax laws, yes, bleah! Edmund and Susan need a good law text with up-to-date commentary - maybe they can commission the evil bankers of Linch! I think I may have temporarily exhausted my supply of questions, but I'm sure I'll have some more after your next update : )
Cheers
Min
Re: the Physician