I always assumed that Roald's choice of page to sponsor was political in a different way, since he sponsored Seaver, who is described as clearly having Bazhir ancestry. There's another Bazhir among the pages but from Wyldon's comments to Zahir it is clear that the cultures are still pretty divided and obviously the royal family wants/needs their kingdom to be united.

I'm actually quite curious how they are working on integrating the Bazhir into the knighthood rules, since knights have to be nobility and the Bazhir don't fall into the rest of Tortall's nobility system. Seaver from his "of blahblah" name and description sounds like he gets his nobility requirements met from his non-Bazhir side of family* but Zahir doesn't. Maybe he's the son of a headman or mage? Or maybe Jon made it so any Bazhir qualifies to try for knighthood? I haven't read most of the extra info given so I dunno if Tammy has said anything about this.

(Second book spoilers) Wba gbbx Mnuve ba nf n fdhver, gbb, fb V guvax Ebnyq gnxvat ba Frnire vf n cneg bs gur fnzr vqrn bs trggvat gur Onmuve zber npprcgrq nf xavtugf/xavtugf-va-genvavat.

*(Spoilers for extra info Tammy has given online about families, not spoiling for anything) Nppbeqvat gb gur jvxv, Frnire vf npghnyyl eryngrq gb Nynaan! Nynaan'f zbz jnf uvf terng-nhag. Gung'f cerggl arng naq V arire xarj vg orsber!

Hi guys :)

I started following Mark around the tail end of MRHP after a massive 48 hour archive crawl reading all his Twilight posts after a friend linked me. I was terrified to comment for ages because I am always terrified to comment on anything, but eventually I started to around the end of Doctor Who and the beginning of AtLA. Unfortunately, Real Life Events (oh no!) meant that I couldn't stay active in the community. But I've never stopped reading. Things have been kind of rough in the last few years and sometimes the brightest spot in my week is when I get to take a minute to read the latest AtLA posts, then Buffy, then Dollhouse, then Madoka, then Tutu, and now the Tamora Pierce books. Hopefully at some point I'll have time to look into some of the series being covered that I'm not already familiar with.

Signing on this week and seeing that Mark got nominated for a Hugo was a great moment. Good luck, Mark! And no matter what, I hope you know how much these sites and the community that you and your mods work so hard to create and maintain is truly wonderful. It's really one of a kind. There are plenty of fans who write brilliant, insightful meta, but there are so few places where those fans can gather to trade and debate ideas in such a respectful manner. Plus, Mark's endless enthusiasm for stories that shows through all his writing from the silliest, gif filled lists to the serious criticisms of difficult social topics reminds me why I love stories and being a fan of stories.

Hats off to all of you.

Lbh xabj, gurer jnf n zbzrag va “Fubjgvzr” jurer fur jnf gnyxvat gb Jvyybj va Jvyybj’f orqebbz, naq V nyzbfg gubhtug fur jnf uvggvat ba Jvyybj. V unq gb npghnyyl ghea bss zl tnl oenva naq gryy zlfrys, AB ZNEX. ABG NYY CRBCYR NER TNL

BU ZNEX LBH YRFOVNA FCBGGVAT ERIREFR CFLPUVP LBH

V whfg ybir gung ur'f abj qbar guvf gjvpr.

YESYES Such an awesome series, loaded with tropes and things! It would be a perfect first project in my opinion, since it has a huge fanbase, too.

PSYCHONAUTS!!! Love that game forever.

Odin Sphere!

Odin Sphere is a PS2 game about mythology, love, war, growing up, dying, living, fighting fate, family, love (again!), loneliness, and so much more. This game will punch you in the feels and then kiss it better and then punch you right in the same spot in the feels so much harder because this game is tragically beautiful and hates your feels. But then it turns around and is ADORABLE and amazing.

Odin Sphere has some of the most beautiful art. So much so that it might lag your system at times, but it is well worth it because every single setting and character is beautifully rendered and just so lovely to look at.

The story is also amazing, one of my favorites, as it slowly is revealed. You get to see how such different characters living in the same world struggle with and against each other, each trying to do the right thing. As you discover each character's journey, you uncover the secrets of the world they inhabit. Also, since the story is so complex, you can go back and rewatch all the cutscenes you've unlocked, as well as getting a full timeline of when the scenes took place relative to all the main character's stories!

Also, the music is awesome - here's the mostly nonspoiler-y (it has an image of several characters, but that's it) theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrWzkHxYB9o
Link because I can't figure out embeds.

Totally agreed!

Znlor Ebtre jnf qvssrerag ng gur gvzr ur qvq gur Beqrny. V nyjnlf tbg gur frafr gung ur orpnzr zber naq zber pbeehcg nf ur pbagvahrq uvf rkcrevzragf jvgu vapernfvatyl ivbyrag zntvp - yvxr gur fjbeq sebz obbx 3 - naq ernyvmrq gur rkgrag bs uvf bja cbjre zhpu yvxr Gubz qvq, whfg jvgubhg univat fbzrbar va uvf yvsr ur qvq gehyl ybir yvxr Gubz unq Nynaan.

V qbhog ur jbhyq unir fheivirq tbvat vagb gur Punzore sbe gur n frpbaq gvzr yvxr Wba qvq gb orpbzr Xvat. Ohg jub xabjf, znlor ur jbhyq unir be znlor ur jnfa'g cynaavat gb qb gung cneg bs gur prerzbal ng nyy.

Nygreangviryl (naq V svaq guvf zber yvxryl), znlor gur ernfba gurl snvyrq jnfa'g gung gur Punzore qvqa'g guvax gurl'q or tbbq xavtugf be jungrire, znlor gurl npghnyyl snvyrq ng gur bar guvat gung jr ner gbyq bire naq bire ntnva lbh unir gb qb va gur Punzore- erznva fvyrag. Gur Punzore vf nyy nobhg znxvat gur xavtugf pbasebag gurve jbefg srnef naq genvgf jvgubhg orvat noyr gb qrsraq gurzfryirf ireonyyl ng nyy. Ebtre frrzf gb unir n ybg fgebatre novyvgl gb haqrefgnaq uvf bja synjf guna W be I rire qvq, juvpu vf jul ur pbhyq trg fb zhpu snegure. Fb znlor ur jnf noyr gb fgnl fvyrag juvyr gurl pbhyq abg naq jrer snvyrq sbe vg.

Protector of the Small FOREVER

BEST CHARACTERS
BEST PLOT
BEST EVERYTHING

Well, this is only my opinion but:

V qba'g guvax lbh unir gb jbeel gbb zhpu! Va gur svefg gjb obbxf, gubhtu, Nynaan vf cerggl zhpu gur bayl srznyr punenpgre qhr gb cergraqvat gb or n obl va n fvghngvba jurer bayl oblf ner nyybjrq naq gurl nera'g fhccbfrq gb vagrenpg jvgu ynqvrf, ohg ure batbvat fgehttyr jvgu erpbapvyvat orvat srzvavar naq orvat fgebat vf n UHTR cneg bs ure fgbel- fur erwrpgf orvat ng nyy srzvavar ng svefg orpnhfr fur pna'g vzntvar gelvat gb or obgu, ohg gura fur ernyvmrf fur npghnyyl qbrf jnag gb or obgu naq tbrf nsgre gung fgnegvat va obbx 2. Naq nf zber srznyr punenpgref ner vagebqhprq, ng svefg fur fgehttyrf ng vagrenpgvat jvgu gurz orpnhfr fur vagrenpgrq jvgu bayl Znhqr nf n srznyr svther sbe ure svefg 10 lrnef naq gura bayl jvgu qhqrf sbe gur arkg 8, ohg fur pbzongf gung naq raqf ure frevrf jvgu srznyr sevraqf jub ner whfg nf xvpxnff nf fur vf naq nyy bire gur tveyl gb gbzobl enatr. Naq gur yngre frevrf va gur Gbegnyy havirefr znxr n ovt cbvag gb pbagvahr gung, rfcrpvnyyl nf gurve fbpvrgl punatrf naq tveyf trg gb svther bhg gur onynapr zber sbe gurzfryirf vafgrnq bs orvat pbasvarq gb bar be... jryy, gur bgure jnfa'g ernyyl n pubvpr!

Zber fcrpvsvp fcbvyref sbe Nynaan'f frevrf, ohg npghnyyl bar bs ure znwbe ybir vagrerfgf naq ure unir n ovt svtug orpnhfr ur jnf rkcrpgvat ure gb or gur Rkprcgvbany Jbzna jub arire qbrf tveyl fghss naq gura fur qrpvqrf gb jrne n qerff bar avtug naq ur syvcf bhg orpnhfr ur gubhtug fur jnf qvssrerag sebz gubfr funyybj tveyf naq jryy, boivbhfyl Nynaan qbrf abg gnxr gung yvar bs guvaxvat jryy ng nyy.