Riddle Me This!

[Venril]

Well, now that Venril has died, you know the drill.  Ask me any questions you want!  Like Damask, I'll probably reveal my identity fairly early on, because in my view these things are more fun when you can ask people questions both in and out of character.

[Damask the Minstrel]

Did you ever think you were gonna get the girl?

(Or, for that matter, did you ever figure out what Venny would've done if he -had- gotten her? He doesn't seem like he'd be too comfortable had he won her heart.)

[Suellyn]

there were a couple of things that you seemed to kind of leave hanging that i would love some more info on:

1. what was the deal with Revvie's kits smelling like Ven?

2. what was the Baron thinking making a clerk into a horde captain? I did like that he was finally coming into his own in a fight by the end and that you mentioned that it was the first blood he had shed in battle.

[Nallmian]

I was wondering about the scent thing too.  That never really got resolved in-story.

[Venril]

To Damask:  No, I didn't really think that Venril was ever going to win Liza, and if he had lived he would have realized this more and more.  I was thinking that if I got into the Top 3 they might have a big falling out at some point.  The other possibility I though of, and was leaning towards, is that if Venril survived, he and Liza would separate when they each went home.  Later, however, Venril, now an advisor to Lord Proklyan or otherwise of higher importance, would have gotten himself assigned to visit Liza's homeland.  He would have looked her up there, but would have found himself disillusioned with her.

You're right.  I don't think Venril would have ever felt secure at having "won" Liza, because it was basically an immature crush on the part of a stoat who never really got any female attention at home and was suddenly trapped in a finite area with a (despite the scars) fairly attractive female who was obliged to have regular social
contact with him.


Sue:
1.  I'm going to leave this alone for a moment to check and see if Revel wants me to sit on this so she can reveal it.  If Revel's writer doesn't care/isn't sure how to do it (it's something that Venril would have had an easier time revealing) then I'll tell you.

2.  Venril was Baron Proklyan's illegitimate son.  Baron Proklyan became a Baron because his three older brothers all killed each other off fighting for the position.  Proklyan and his brothers had been close until they started warring for status, and this was not what Proklyan wanted for his own kits, so he chose not to acknowledge any of them at first.  This was his way of testing Venril, throwing him into a very dangerous situation unprepared to see if he would sink or swim.  He almost swam.

[Sycamore]

Man, you should like, give us a day or a few hours at least before you come out and say you're dead.

[Venril]

Oh.  Umm, I just put up a post called KIA right around the deadline for death posts.  I didn't think that was subtle enough to warrant too much of a delay.

[Jarrtail]

If it's any consulation, I didn't vote for you.
Now for the questions...
1. Is there anything in the story that, given a second chance, you would write differently?
2. Have you ever coordinated/participated in a survivor contest before?
3. Are you on FF.net or the RFF?

[Rath the Whirlwind]

Some people (and by some people I mean Sycamore (I love you!)) do not get a chance to read the posts right away.  Also some people (and by some people I mean Revel (I only have enough love for one person in this post, sorry)) like to post before the death but after voting starts.

So it wasn't a given.

I HAVE QUESTIONS but they will come later.

[Sycamore]

Oh.  Umm, I just put up a post called KIA right around the deadline for death posts.  I didn't think that was subtle enough to warrant too much of a delay.

What does KIA mean, Killed In Action?

And what is this mystery deadline for death posts? I was never notified of such a thing.

[Venril]

Jarrtail:
1.  One thing that I've wondered about is having a "dark-side path" Venril.  Basically, in this version of events, Venril concludes that his number one mission is to get his hordebeasts home.  Consequently, despite his personal misgivings about the situation, he allies with Matukhana and goes along with enslaving the Fritterik to build a ship.  He is still unhappy with the situation but goes along with it for what he considers to be the greater good.  he does try to moderate things a little, but never really objects to the mistreatment of the Fritterik.  In this version, Venril would have gained combat experience and confidence fighting the woodlanders, and would have developed a much more antagonistic relationship with Bellona.

Another thing I considered was Venril finding out early that Liza approved of enslaving the Fritterik (assuming he was still opposed to this) and having a big falling out with Liza.

2.  This is not the first contest I have been involved with.

3.  My name is not on anything on FFN, but I did help to write part of a story series/anthology.


Sycamore:  Yes, it does.

[Opal]

And what is this mystery deadline for death posts? I was never notified of such a thing.

I never announced it to the audience, but each week I give the eliminated contestant 48 hours from the time I announce the voting results to them to get their death post up.

[Cairn Destop]

I never announced it to the audience, but each week I give the eliminated contestant 48 hours from the time I announce the voting results to them to get their death post up.

We had the same rule in QB-2.  We also had a deadline for finishing the story with the threat of the Admins doing it for us if we missed.

[Bellona Littlebrush]

Tara's threatened us into finishing the story before she'll reveal the Top 3 placing results.

[Venril]

Okay, Revel says she's okay with me explaining Venny smelling like the kits.  Basically, remember how I mentioned that Venny is Baron Proklyan's illegitimate son?  Well, another illegitimate son went off conquering for a while.  During this time, he ran into Revel.  They did boy and girl stoat stuff, and then went their separate ways.  Consequently, since this stoat was Venril's half brother, they have enough of a relation for their scents to be fairly similar.  I'm not sure whether or not this is scientifically sound mustelidology, but it's something we figured out fairly early on.