AcroPHILIA: (acrophobia's strange and incestuous twin) WINNER - Howlin' Howland

[DreamSongs]

I totally missed the clue about Lord Rickard. Luwin was easy since I had already decided on 'secondary characters to POVs that died'...which eliminated Ned.

At least now I know that I can't use character names which made my entry for Round 4 much easier.

[yomi]

I voted for #9 because I had to look up "ossa."

Yay! Thanks! I guess I should try to use more latin in future clues ;)

I'm anticipating, btw, that my clue was somewhat difficult. Hope I'm wrong... but I liked it too much to swap out for an easier (high point-getting) clue.

I still still don't understand how the clue points to Kevan Lannister :dunno:

I had Imry Florent as answer for this...

Anyone think I should add another point to the player with the most favourite clue votes?

I'm now thinking that way. Maybe even two extra. I'll throw that out there then run off. I'll see what is said on the morrow.

Hm, it seems fairest to me to give anyone as many favourite clue points as they got favourite clue votes. Or maybe two points for every vote, to make the incentive for beautiful clues bigger? But I wouldn't give extra points just because someone got one more vote than anyone else.

I'd like to deeply apologize for my earlier comment on the theme.

Namely "some of them are dead and some of them aren't."

At the time I had about 50/50 of them dead and alive - it really was meant as a joke.

Gonna seal my lips from here on in! Re themes, anyway.

Very, very sorry.

I thought it was funny because I was pretty sure of the theme at that point... and it was clear you weren't.

Yep, it was hilarious :P

Also I was convinced I had 16, naturally I ignored Cat as being Catelyn's nickname, I thought the first letter was capitalised simply because it was the start of the sentence. I ended up going for Joffrey because he dissected a pregnant cat and showed the kittens to Tywin...at least I got no. 17, although I was torn as to whether l

'links' was literal or figurative (proxy could have meant spy so links would then mean associates/connections).

I did think of Cat=Catelyn for a moment, but then decided I couldn't be as it was against the rules. I went for Joffrey, too, because he was the only one who I could think of who had anything to do with pregnant cats.

#17 on the other hand... cripple made think of Bran first, but I couldn't see how the older miller's boy whose corpse Theon used as proxy for Bran's corpse had any links and we don't even know the boy's name. So I thought of other cripples. Willas doesn't really have a proxy, but then I got it! The guy who crippled him served as proxy on the small Council for Doran Martell who is crippled by gout. And a quick search of Oberyn's wiki page for the word "link" reminded me that he forged six links of a maester's chain before he got bored. I almost voted favourite clue for this clever one which so clearly pointed to Oberyn Martell...

... but the overwhelming of orphan's hormones was simply funnier.

For #8 my prelim answer was Rickard Stark, but I had three wrong prelims and this was one of those I was least sure about, wondering wheather I should look for a concerned papa who was heated, or a concerned papa who heated someone else. In the end I went with Aerys II for my answer and an author guess for northernwarg who confused me with active and passive on the second round (someone who cultivated high north avatars instead of someone who was a cultivated high north avatar). Damn. :bang:

But I guess I don't really need to be disappointed with my results this round :D

[Emmit]

I thought cripple's proxy was going to be super easy... especially paired with the flawed clue with the same answer directly above it.

it was specifically a reference to Luwin (has links) running the day to day of Winterfell for Bran (cripple) in Robb's absence.

[Castellan]

It was easy once I focused on 'links' and realised =maester.

[Woofless]

"Willas doesn't really have a proxy, "

I went with Leyton Hightower because Willas was sending him messages at some point telling him what to do and because of the many titles (links) he has.

[Castellan]

Hmm I thought cripple=Bran and although I tried to think of other cripples never thought of Willas. Just as well.

[Dolorous Gabe]

Thank you all for the generous words. You're all awesome!

I've only myself to blame for the laborious score count, as I came up with the system.

It didn't help that I was actually tired last night when I got started. I think that's partially why it took longer and seemed even more draining. I'm usually a night owl, but yesterday not-so-much.

[Ser Not Appearing]

Without direct quotes on Kevan, here's a passage from the wiki that gets at the follower part:

"While it is said that Kevan never had a thought that Tywin did not have first, he is by no means stupid; he simply recognized the superiority of his brother at an early age. Kevan is comfortable doing his duty to realize his brother's wishes, though this means perpetually living in his shadow. Unlike his younger brothers, Tygett and Gerion, Kevan followed Tywin willingly and without frustration for being subservient."

He then came back to lead (pilot) the kingdom when Cersei (the other operator) was under religious arrest (held).

That was my thought process, whether good or bad. I will say that, while the clue doesn't call Kevan to mind very well, thus it's a bit obscure and more difficult, it also doesn't really work the other answers given. The two clues given, follower and leader in the absence of someone being held, do point to Kevan... but given that only a few got it, I probably should/could have been more direct.

[Ser Not Appearing]

I got stuck on Hodor as the cripple's proxy and gave up... but I was rushing.

[Emmit]

As complex as this game has become, I think each game should have only one round.

Thus a winner is declared, points are reset, and a new game begins. A short game would relieve the host and make the number of players flexible.

But that's just me.

[Castellan]

Thats not a bad idea.

[Woofless]

But takes away the fun of the 'race' and trying to catch up.

Put me down as a nay.

Sorry.

[Dolorous Gabe]

As complex as this game has become, I think each game should have only one round.

Thus a winner is declared, points are reset, and a new game begins. A short game would relieve the host and make the number of players flexible.

But that's just me.

I'm fairly receptive to that. I guess I was just trying to match Acrophobia and the whole 7 rounds thing, but it is a lengthy process. 1 round would mean greater likelihood of others being willing to host it too, but as Woofless points out you lose the 'chase' element. I've been imagining that question coming up at the end of the game - 'so who would like to host game 2?' - and all I hear is the gentle sound of tumbleweeds bouncing and rolling across the plain on the rural desert winds!

What about somewhere in the middle? If you like I could cut the next two rounds (they're not that interesting anyway, theme-wise) and make it a 5 round thing? That means we can cut to my two hardest themes! Yay!

Three rounds might not be a bad length to switch to.

Edit - sorry, can't go straight to round 6 as you've all got round 4 characters and clues coming up :dunce:

[Evermind]

But takes away the fun of the 'race' and trying to catch up.

Put me down as a nay.

Sorry.

I agree. No fun in one-round game for me.

My suggestion would be play this one as a seven-rounds game, because DG has kindly prepared all the themes for us and it would be a shame not to play them all, but for the next games stick with five-round approach.

[Dolorous Gabe]

Based on the last two rounds, you might all just be chasing shadows - well, a shadow at least - for the rest of the game.

Shows how tired I was last night that I didn't see that when typing up my round review!

Still, off-rounds can happen. The lead has switched in each round so far.

[yomi]

I thought cripple's proxy was going to be super easy... especially paired with the flawed clue with the same answer directly above it.

it was specifically a reference to Luwin (has links) running the day to day of Winterfell for Bran (cripple) in Robb's absence.

Well, my answer to 16 was Joffrey, and Luwin was nowhere on my list, so I didn't check if he fitted the new clue. Oberyn on the other hand was on my list of answers and he fits the clue perfectly: He has six links forged back during his time in the citadel and he was sent to KL as proxy for Doran who is crippled by gout. I see that the clue fits Luwin just as well, he just wasn't on my radar.

It didn't help that I was actually tired last night when I got started. I think that's partially why it took longer and seemed even more draining. I'm usually a night owl, but yesterday not-so-much.

Don't drain yourself! If you are tired, just go to bed. We can surely wait for the reveal until the next day :)

Without direct quotes on Kevan, here's a passage from the wiki that gets at the follower part:

"While it is said that Kevan never had a thought that Tywin did not have first, he is by no means stupid; he simply recognized the superiority of his brother at an early age. Kevan is comfortable doing his duty to realize his brother's wishes, though this means perpetually living in his shadow. Unlike his younger brothers, Tygett and Gerion, Kevan followed Tywin willingly and without frustration for being subservient."

He then came back to lead (pilot) the kingdom when Cersei (the other operator) was under religious arrest (held).

That was my thought process, whether good or bad. I will say that, while the clue doesn't call Kevan to mind very well, thus it's a bit obscure and more difficult, it also doesn't really work the other answers given. The two clues given, follower and leader in the absence of someone being held, do point to Kevan... but given that only a few got it, I probably should/could have been more direct.

Thanks, I get it now. With the explanation it's actually a quiet fine and elaborate clue, but if you don't have the right thought process it's extremly hard.

I agree. No fun in one-round game for me.

My suggestion would be play this one as a seven-rounds game, because DG has kindly prepared all the themes for us and it would be a shame not to play them all, but for the next games stick with five-round approach.

I would like to keep the seven-rounds game for this time, too.

How about we have a kind of auction for the next game? Whoever is willing to host the most rounds, shall be the next host and gets our heartfelt gratitude.

[rhymeswithleek]

I'm fairly receptive to that. I guess I was just trying to match Acrophobia and the whole 7 rounds thing, but it is a lengthy process. 1 round would mean greater likelihood of others being willing to host it too, but as Woofless points out you lose the 'chase' element. I've been imagining that question coming up at the end of the game - 'so who would like to host game 2?' - and all I hear is the gentle sound of tumbleweeds bouncing and rolling across the plain on the rural desert winds! What about somewhere in the middle? If you like I could cut the next two rounds (they're not that interesting anyway, theme-wise) and make it a 5 round thing? That means we can cut to my two hardest themes! Yay! Three rounds might not be a bad length to switch to. Edit - sorry, can't go straight to round 6 as you've all got round 4 characters and clues coming up :dunce:

7 is a lot of work for the host. I'd be happy with 3 or 4 rounds. Besides, the rounds themselves take several days to complete, this game alone will last for weeks.

EDIT: 5 rounds would be great if the host didn't mind :-)

[Ser Not Appearing]

I wouldn't cut it down to one round games but I could get behind something shorter than seven. No strong preference on the number. Five, suggested earlier, sounded good.

Alternatively, if everyone playing was willing to host a round... that'd be a long, long game but it would lessen the burden on individual people and would give everyone equal chances to score and play.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

I'm good with a three or five round game. For some reason the odd numbers appeal to me. I might be able to host after my kids get back in school.

[Dolorous Gabe]

Just pm'd 2 players who haven't sent me a clue for round 4 yet.

An hour and a half left.