Brygga Scissortongue

[Erol of Backford]

Feeling like this is a Family Feud question. Survey says:

Brygga Scissortongue - head of the Garhound Clan in New Pavis.

Why would the Black Fang assassins try to kill her? Of course money or some other payment but who's behind her assailants and why? Could it be a disgruntled relative as likely they would ascend with her being eliminated?

Would there be any reason trolls would want her dead? 

As befitting such a powerful clan leader, Brygga is guarded by as many as twenty mercenary huscarls recruited from the Sartarites of Pavis County. Twice in the past five years, they have stopped Black Fang assassins bent on killing her.

Also curious could it be that she has a forked tongue and has secretive dealings with dragon kind, possibly the name is fitting physically but is hidden somehow?

[Leingod]

1 hour ago, Erol of Backford said:

Feeling like this is a Family Feud question. Survey says:

Brygga Scissortongue - head of the Garhound Clan in New Pavis.

Why would the Black Fang assassins try to kill her? Of course money or some other payment but who's behind her assailants and why? Could it be a disgruntled relative as likely they would ascend with her being eliminated?

Would there be any reason trolls would want her dead? 

As befitting such a powerful clan leader, Brygga is guarded by as many as twenty mercenary huscarls recruited from the Sartarites of Pavis County. Twice in the past five years, they have stopped Black Fang assassins bent on killing her.

Also curious could it be that she has a forked tongue and has secretive dealings with dragon kind, possibly the name is fitting physically but is hidden somehow?

She's heavily involved in resistance against the Lunar Empire; that would probably be the go-to reason.

[svensson]

There are LOTS of power groups in Pavis that would love to do away with Brigga Scissorhands. From Governor Sor-Eel, Lunar interests outside the bureaucracy [the Temples, the Army, etc.], the Ingilli clan and Zola Fel river interests, the Sun Towners... Hell, even her fellow Sartarites of the Indagos clan would like to see her deposed if not actually dead.

[Note: Brigga is one of the leaders of the Garhound clan, a Sartarite clan that came to Prax with Duke Dorasor. She's the sister of clan head, Sir Daved Garhound and are about equal in political pull, though in different venues. They own the best farmlands and have the better relations with the nomads than Indagos, who came much later. They're both Orlanthi rival clans, but Indagos tends to focus more on freeing Sartar, where Garhound has made its bed in Prax and is content with that]

Edited November 24, 2022 by svensson

[Erol of Backford]

If all/nearly all the Sartar descendants were assassinated by the Lunars, some framer's sister in Prax would easily be bumped off no?

I assume if the Lunars wanted her dead she'd be. Others in Pavis, Prax or even possibly Sun County may have reasons to want her knocked off.

Could it be a Daughter of Pavis wants her eliminated? What differences would there be between persons wanting Pavis to rise again versus those wanting outlying farming areas to stay important? Would the Garhound Clan not lose power/influence if there were suddenly more farming conducted inside the Rubble walls or close to Pavis itself? Maybe Sun Dome irrigation techniques are being planned for the near future farming expansion near the ZR River and the Garhound Clan is using intrigue to prevent this from developing?

Wild guesses but she's a leader of Farmers, not openly resisting the Lunars. Who gains from her being killed besides someone else in her clan?

[JRE]

The Lunars are not a monolithic block, so someone with limited resources would use local talent. Maybe an Etyries trader wanting to get better prices and weaken the Orlanthi farmers negotiating position. And Orlanthi rebels are not beyond a false flag attack, specially it the target is one of the accomodating Orlanthi. Kill a collaborator and rile up all the Orlanthi. Win-win.

She is not really involved in the city, so I do not expect the city to be involved with her. Most murders are committed by family and friends, so that is where I would look first. Who wants to take her post?

 

[Leingod]

On 11/28/2022 at 12:31 AM, JRE said:

She is not really involved in the city

She was the city's mayor during the Lunar Occupation, she's the master of the Cloth & Leatherworkers Guild, and also leads the Free Pavisites faction within the city's political scene. How is that not involved in the city?

[JRE]

2 hours ago, Leingod said:

She was the city's mayor during the Lunar Occupation, she's the master of the Cloth & Leatherworkers Guild, and also leads the Free Pavisites faction within the city's political scene. How is that not involved in the city?

You are right, that was not well expressed. My point was that it would not be the Lunar establishment who openly kill someone that is willing to work with them, and whose power base is mostly outside the city. Like becoming a Mayor of a French city during WWII. You may be opposed to the Nazis, but you are also working with them. I would expect more risk from hotheaded resistants than the Occupation forces.

[Erol of Backford]

12 hours ago, JRE said:

You may be opposed to the Nazis, but you are also working with them. I would expect more risk from hotheaded resistants than the Occupation forces.

She'd surely get a head shaving in her underwear after the Lunars are gone if that is the case!? Might be better to not openly work for/with the Lunars especially if she is of Sartar decent?!

Edited November 30, 2022 by Erol of Backford

[Leingod]

8 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

She'd surely get a head shaving in her underwear after the Lunars are gone if that is the case!? Might be better to not openly work for/with the Lunars especially if she is of Sartar decent?!

Not really. Anyone in Pavis who didn't want to be branded an outlaw and forced into hiding had to play ball with the Lunars and at least nominally acknowledge them as the city's rulers. Brygga did a lot more to oppose the Lunars than most.

[Erol of Backford]

Thus when the Lunars were kicked out many of the residents were put to the sword... did I recall that correctly?

[svensson]

Well, as for the Lunars wanting Brygga dead, the Garhounds are wealthy enough to hire Black Fangs and the nastier, more violent types of Eurmals to protect her.

In addition, she helps keep control of the city with a minimum of fuss. 'Fuss' being defined as ALL the Sartar factions joining together to eff up the Lunar program in Prax. Think of her as a the mayor of Antwerp in 1941 during the Nazi occupation. Everybody knows the mayor is Free Netherlands in his personal beliefs, but he's a valuable figurehead and serves to keep the population under control in what really is a 'sideshow' theater. Getting rid of Mr. Mayor would entail having to keep top flight combat units in Holland, and a lot of them, when those units are desperately needed in Russia.

Such is how I see Brygga's position.

[svensson]

7 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Thus when the Lunars were kicked out many of the residents were put to the sword... did I recall that correctly?

Yep. It was 'death to collaborators' day in Pavis. Most of the converts and sympathizers were put to the sword. In the Guide to Glorantha [the two volume super books] there is a pic of Jotoran Bladesong, former Lunar Constable, as a ring-necked thrall to a Babeester Axe Woman.

[Darius West]

On 11/24/2022 at 2:08 PM, Erol of Backford said:

Also curious could it be that she has a forked tongue and has secretive dealings with dragon kind, possibly the name is fitting physically but is hidden somehow?

I think the Scissortongue epithet just means she can cut you to ribbons with her wit and quick retorts.

[Erol of Backford]

Understood that its not likely literal but why not, it might make her an ally of say a Kralori PC that is a follower of the Immanet Mastery? Maybe she hids the fact somehow or its hidden via illusion? So many options and plot hooks. There are some Dragonkin in the Rubble... maybe she has something to offer the Scholar Wyrm of Heortland or has some other Sartar link due to her nickname?

[Leingod]

On 12/1/2022 at 4:38 AM, Darius West said:

I think the Scissortongue epithet just means she can cut you to ribbons with her wit and quick retorts.

Also she runs a guild of people involved in making clothes.

[Eff]

On 11/23/2022 at 10:08 PM, Erol of Backford said:

Feeling like this is a Family Feud question. Survey says:

Brygga Scissortongue - head of the Garhound Clan in New Pavis.

Why would the Black Fang assassins try to kill her? Of course money or some other payment but who's behind her assailants and why? Could it be a disgruntled relative as likely they would ascend with her being eliminated?

Would there be any reason trolls would want her dead? 

As befitting such a powerful clan leader, Brygga is guarded by as many as twenty mercenary huscarls recruited from the Sartarites of Pavis County. Twice in the past five years, they have stopped Black Fang assassins bent on killing her.

Also curious could it be that she has a forked tongue and has secretive dealings with dragon kind, possibly the name is fitting physically but is hidden somehow?

Why would the Black Fang assassins try to kill her?

Lesbian drama.

Would there be any reason trolls would want her dead?

Sure, lesbian drama.

What's her name all about?

A certain act that involves the use of your mouth on lips that are not part of a mouth. Maybe her tongue really is forked, or maybe it's a metaphor, but I think it's very firmly a consequence of said act.

[Qizilbashwoman]

1 hour ago, Eff said:

Why would the Black Fang assassins try to kill her?

Lesbian drama.

Would there be any reason trolls would want her dead?

Sure, lesbian drama.

What's her name all about?

A certain act that involves the use of your mouth on lips that are not part of a mouth. Maybe her tongue really is forked, or maybe it's a metaphor, but I think it's very firmly a consequence of said act.

dyke drama is the finest kind of drama, have a +1 rose bride for your ideas

[Darius West]

13 hours ago, Leingod said:

Also she runs a guild of people involved in making clothes.

Hence why she isn't called sharp tongue or spear tongue or chisel tongue.

[Erol of Backford]

Golden Tongue?

[Darius West]

13 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Golden Tongue?

That implies Issaries and persuasiveness, not vicious criticism that cuts people and arguments to ribbons.

[mfbrandi]

6 hours ago, Darius West said:

That implies Issaries and persuasiveness, not vicious criticism that cuts people and arguments to ribbons.

But if Issaries has pretensions to being the clever, smooth-tongued “god of language and speech, of communication in general” (CoP, p. 59), then presumably the skills necessary are his. It is just a matter of when it is wise to use them.

If you need a political speech, jokes for a roast, or an advocate in court, who are you going to call? Sometimes, honey is better than vinegar, but not always.

[Erol of Backford]

LOL, the Golden Tongue comment was referencing earlier comments, was an innuendo as to her skill with her tongue not when speaking.

Related to Issaries though she could quite possibly be a member?

I'd suggest she had Speaking Wheel in her mouth as well but likely Speaking Wheel is in Orta's Other Cave...

[Darius West]

17 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

If you need a political speech, jokes for a roast, or an advocate in court, who are you going to call? Sometimes, honey is better than vinegar, but not always.

I get the feeling that anyone who casually asked Brygga Scissortongue for sexual favors may find themselves verbally emasculated, as an example of what her sword-name means.

[Erol of Backford]

There was a rumor that she favors equal opportunity/doesn't discriminate when it comes to partners and was seen with Griselda riding toward Troll Break... we all know she speaks Darktongue fluently.

[Ian A. Thomson]

On 12/1/2022 at 10:32 PM, svensson said:

Yep. It was 'death to collaborators' day in Pavis. Most of the converts and sympathizers were put to the sword. In the Guide to Glorantha [the two volume super books] there is a pic of Jotoran Bladesong, former Lunar Constable, as a ring-necked thrall to a Babeester Axe Woman.

You mean 'Jorjar the Quick' I imagine. I think Jarang Bladesong was a rebel with something to do with the Cradle defense.