Acrophilia #18 - ... and the winner is ...

[Castellan]

More torture. 

[a free shadow]

9 hours ago, Castellan said:

More torture. 

Onwards, for House Other!  

[Castellan]

1 hour ago, a free shadow said:

Onwards, for House Other!  

you'd better change your representative

[a free shadow]

1 hour ago, Castellan said:

you'd better change your representative

But you already run the Others' House

And we are winning at the moment:

On 11/30/2017 at 0:30 AM, Julia H. said:

2. Castellan: 66

4. a free shadow: 57

66+57=123

[Julia H.]

I've received an extension request today, which I have just seen. It means I'll be back with the solution tomorrow night my time (in about 24 hours), as I'm going to have another long day at work tomorrow and afterwards I'm going to a concert. In the meantime, you can improve / complete your guesses or work on your next clue if necessary. 

 

[Dolorous Gabe]

7 hours ago, Castellan said:

you'd better change your representative

I think you will be doing better than me this round. I have had very little time and done no research. Plus my own clue is too easy.

[Castellan]

 

9 hours ago, Dolorous Gabe said:

I think you will be doing better than me this round. I have had very little time and done no research. Plus my own clue is too easy.

I am suffering theme blindness big time and with no excuse. Really no excuse. And my clues are always too easy. And next round's is not very good but I can't do better.

[Jez Bell]

9 hours ago, Dolorous Gabe said:

I think you will be doing better than me this round. I have had very little time and done no research. Plus my own clue is too easy.

 

3 minutes ago, Castellan said:

 

I am suffering theme blindness big time and with no excuse. Really no excuse. And my clues are always too easy. And next round's is not very good but I can't do better.

I'm sorry, I didn't see any easy clues this round. 

[Castellan]

18 hours ago, jezzie_bell said:

 

I'm sorry, I didn't see any easy clues this round. 

Hmm well I got some straight away. I don't know how you'd class mine.

I have come out of the doldrums now and managed to put in a theme guess. I can always see lots of possibilities which don't quite pan out, but I finally came up with a plausible one. 

[Ser Not Appearing]

I got three right away. The others? Let the Others take the others.

[Julia H.]

ROUND FIVE ANSWERS

1. Warrior incognito. Positively infected. Now dyed. Company man.

Answer: Jon Connington, who is still haunted by the memory of the bells ringing during the famous battle.

Other guesses: No other guesses.

Explanation: Seems unnecessary.

2. Wailed illustrations prompt insight: “Nephew’s dumbness caused misunderstanding!”

Answer: Tyrion Lannister, who, as a slave, wore tiny bells that tinkled with every step.

Other guesses: Brynden Tully, Kevan Lannister.

Explanation: Tyrion presented Joffrey with a rare and valuable book, but the brat brutally destroyed the book using Widow’s Wail, his new Valyrian steel sword. The scene led Tyrion to the realization that Joffrey had sent the assassin to Bran with the Valyrian steel dagger, for which Tyrion had later been captured by Catelyn Stark.

3. Watcher in principality: I'm nonnative, dutiful, capable, modest.

Answer: Areo Hotah, who still remembers the sound of the famous bells of Norvos, his native city.

Other guesses: Pyp.

Explanation: A watcher / guard in Dorne. Personality description.

4. Wise input pointedly ignored; no dinner call merited.

Answer: Maester Cressen, the wise man who wore a fool’s cap with bells in the last hour of his life.

Other guesses: Jorah Mormont, Masha Heddle, Arianne Martell, Aemon.

Explanation: Stannis did not heed Cressen’s advice, he didn’t even invite the old maester to the late night dinner and meeting.

5. Man unto egg fry.

Answer: Khal Drogo, who wore bells in his hair signifying his power as a warrior.

Other guesses: Quentyn Martell, Aegon Frey, Ser Duncan the Tall, Varys.

Explanation: Reference to Drogo’s pyre, in which the dragon eggs were “fried” so the dragons could hatch.

6. Woman's incidents prevaricated, intimidating neobatrachia desiring courtship. Mom?

Answer: Daenerys Targaryen, who also wore bells in her hair, imitating Drogo.

Other guesses: Lyanna.

Explanation: There were wild (false) stories told about Daenerys, giving second thoughts to Quentyn the Frog, whose intention was to marry her. The last word refers to Daenerys as a mother symbol, as Mother of the Dragons etc.

7. Witless iambic prose invokes necromantic dancing.  Curiously mantic.

Answer: Patchface, who, as a fool, wore bells on his hat.

Other guesses: No other guesses.

Explanation: Reference to Patchface’s song about the dancing shadows and to the fact that his songs seem to predict certain events.

8. Well, I'm penniless (ironically). Naive, deferential, credulous me.

Answer: Penny, the dwarf, who, as a slave, wore tiny bells that tinkled with every step.

Other guesses: Sansa,  Tyrion, Tycho.

Explanation: Although her name is Penny, she is penniless (irony). Personality description.

 

Theme / Key word: Bells.

Some of these characters (Jon Con and Areo) have important memories (good or bad) relating to bells. Others wore bells either as a sign of slavery (Penny and Tyrion) or as a sign of their power (Drogo and Danny) or in a "fool" status (Pathcface being a real fool, while Cressen, symbolically "the wise fool"). 

The theme hint: Somebody refusing an offer: Bella offered to ring Gendry's bells for him, but Gendry refused this offer. Another hint was the phrase "(the voice) somehow rings a bell with you". 

So as you are sitting in that tower, you look up and see this huge bell (yes, it's a bell tower) looming over your head. You know you should be quiet, but you are suddenly overcome by curiosity. Mesmerized, you slowly approach the bell, cautiously touch it at first, and then .... you ring it!

What will happen next? You will find out ... soon!

In the meantime, please, vote for your favourite clue. Do not be tempted to vote for clue #2 (Tyrion). If we can do the voting in about 8 or 9 hours, I can post the results and start the new round tonight (my time). If not, I will only be able to do it tomorrow night because I won't be at home on Saturday during the day. 

[Dolorous Gabe]

Well, I had the right answer to 5 in prelims and changed it because I was certain I had the right answer to 6, which clearly fits Lyanna. How on earth can Quentyn be described as intimidating?

Good theme, shame I had neither time nor desire to work it out.

[Julia H.]

1 hour ago, Dolorous Gabe said:

How on earth can Quentyn be described as intimidating?

Quentyn was intimidated by the stories about Dany (which distorted the truth). 

Lyanna wasn't courted by any frogs, as far as I can remember.

[rocksniffer]

man this really is a mystery to me how ignorant i can be...

even thought of bells but rejected it...

so this positively proves having all the correct answers does not help me get theme...

cheers to everyone who managed to figure it out...

[Raisin' Bran]

Bells. Yeah I was not even close. I was convinced #5 was Dunk and nothing was going to change my mind. And Cressen, I skimmed through the prologue of ACoK like 4 times trying to figure out a theme based on Patchface, did not even cross my mind. I was thinking Quentyn or Arianne.

[Dolorous Gabe]

11 hours ago, Julia H. said:

Quentyn was intimidated by the stories about Dany (which distorted the truth). 

Lyanna wasn't courted by any frogs, as far as I can remember.

Toad is a word with many meanings, at least one of which Robert B fits quite well.

However, I admit that in my haste in the small windows of opportunity I misread the intention behind the punctuation.

Cheers for the interesting game, everyone. These latter stages have come at an unfortunate time for me.

[Dolorous Gabe]

4 hours ago, Raisin' Bran said:

Bells. Yeah I was not even close. I was convinced #5 was Dunk and nothing was going to change my mind. And Cressen, I skimmed through the prologue of ACoK like 4 times trying to figure out a theme based on Patchface, did not even cross my mind. I was thinking Quentyn or Arianne.

Dunk was also a good answer to 5.

[Jez Bell]

2 hours ago, Dolorous Gabe said:

Dunk was also a good answer to 5.

Being the simpleton I am, I guessed Aegon Frey for #5  

[a free shadow]

I did get everything right, but quite without knowing why.

 

[Julia H.]

ROUND FOUR AUTHORS AND SCORES

1. In Round Four, Jon Connington formed a secret alliance with rocksniffer.

2. Tyrion Lannister received a clue from Julia H.

3. Areo Hotah loyally guarded Dolorous Gabe's safety and interests.

4. Maester Cressen's wisdom and knowledge served Castellan.

5. Khal Drogo and his mighty army rode with a free shadow.

6. Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons supported Raisin' Bran.

7. Patchface entertained jezzie_bell with his songs.

8. Penny befriended Ser Not Appearing.

Name / Score	Guessing points	Theme points	Bonus points	Favourite clue points	Total
rocksniffer	21				21+41=62
Dolorous Gabe	12			1	13+71 =84
Castellan	21	4		1	26+66=92
A Free Shadow	21	4	5	3	33+57=90
Raisin’ Bran	15				15+40=55
jezzie_bell	21	4		1	26+60=86
Ser Not Appearing	9			1	10+9=19

STANDINGS

1. Castellan: 92

2. a free shadow: 90

3. jezzie_bell: 86

4. Dolorous Gabe: 84

5. rocksniffer: 62

6. Raisin’ Bran: 55

7. Ser Not Appearing: 19

Round Four brought fierce competition between a free shadow, jezzie_bell, castellan and rocksniffer. The round was won by a free shadow, the first player to submit a perfect set of answers, who also secured three favourite vote points with her mysterious egg fry clue. With this, she jumped ahead to the second place in the race for the Book of Ancient Knowledge, while Castellan took the lead. Not far behind these two players, jezzie_bell is approaching with great determination (the first player to recognize the theme  this round); and all of us should keep an eye yet on Dolorous Gabe, the Father of Acrophilia.