Nynian Rychtair or Nynian Rychtair ?

To answer another thread I went back to my files but also to the annex of characters by way of the search. So there is the usual Nynian Rychtair entry in the character list in LaMA, saying it is her birth name, with the added info that the Grand Vicar who was her illegitimate father was named Chihiro IX, which I had not read in the text.
But I was also led to an item which has been in the glossary since BSRA : "Nynian Rychtair - the Safeholdian equivalent of Helen of Troy, a woman of legendary beauty, born in Siddarmark, who eventually married the Emperor of Harchong."
What ?
Now if this is an old legend, it is a strange birth name to give one's child if you don't want to draw attention to her (which I suppose the Grand Vicar would not do on his illegitimate daughter).
And I usually only read in glossaries the items when I need them, but I was wondering if there was other "interesting" items...

Braudel26 wrote:To answer another thread I went back to my files but also to the annex of characters by way of the search. So there is the usual Nynian Rychtair entry in the character list in LaMA, saying it is her birth name, with the added info that the Grand Vicar who was her illegitimate father was named Chihiro IX, which I had not read in the text.
But I was also led to an item which has been in the glossary since BSRA : "Nynian Rychtair - the Safeholdian equivalent of Helen of Troy, a woman of legendary beauty, born in Siddarmark, who eventually married the Emperor of Harchong."
What ?
Now if this is an old legend, it is a strange birth name to give one's child if you don't want to draw attention to her (which I suppose the Grand Vicar would not do on his illegitimate daughter).
And I usually only read in glossaries the items when I need them, but I was wondering if there was other "interesting" items...

The story about the original Nynian Rychtair was actually mentioned in the text itself, as well as in the glossary. As for it being her birth name, it probably wasn't her (illegitimate) father who gave her the name at birth. After all, it isn't likely that he was present with the midwife at the time.

In addition, nobody today thinks anything "wrong" about a woman named Helen.

SWM wrote:

Braudel26 wrote:To answer another thread I went back to my files but also to the annex of characters by way of the search. So there is the usual Nynian Rychtair entry in the character list in LaMA, saying it is her birth name, with the added info that the Grand Vicar who was her illegitimate father was named Chihiro IX, which I had not read in the text.
But I was also led to an item which has been in the glossary since BSRA : "Nynian Rychtair - the Safeholdian equivalent of Helen of Troy, a woman of legendary beauty, born in Siddarmark, who eventually married the Emperor of Harchong."
What ?
Now if this is an old legend, it is a strange birth name to give one's child if you don't want to draw attention to her (which I suppose the Grand Vicar would not do on his illegitimate daughter).
And I usually only read in glossaries the items when I need them, but I was wondering if there was other "interesting" items...

The story about the original Nynian Rychtair was actually mentioned in the text itself, as well as in the glossary. As for it being her birth name, it probably wasn't her (illegitimate) father who gave her the name at birth. After all, it isn't likely that he was present with the midwife at the time.

SWM wrote:The story about the original Nynian Rychtair was actually mentioned in the text itself, as well as in the glossary. As for it being her birth name, it probably wasn't her (illegitimate) father who gave her the name at birth. After all, it isn't likely that he was present with the midwife at the time.

IIRC Nynian Rychtair was the name given her by her foster parents at the age of two. Because she was as beautiful as the original.
Contrary to popular belief, newly born babies are not beautiful. (Except mine of course )

Hi SWM,

Quite right.

But how?

Why were Harchong and Siddarmark about to go to war?

When has Siddarmark ever been a threat to Harchong?

Or vice versa?

Where geographically would they have been in conflict?

Neither could get at the other without marching thousands of miles through other large countries (who were probably hostile to any foreign army even passing through), Siddarmark has never had a naval tradition, and Harchong's has been more for show than any real naval war with an equal.

So while its been mentioned, we still don't know the details.

They might be part of whatever prequel RFC may have stored up to explain all the mysteries.

L

SWM wrote:

Braudel26 wrote:To answer another thread I went back to my files but also to the annex of characters by way of the search. So there is the usual Nynian Rychtair entry in the character list in LaMA, saying it is her birth name, with the added info that the Grand Vicar who was her illegitimate father was named Chihiro IX, which I had not read in the text.
But I was also led to an item which has been in the glossary since BSRA : "Nynian Rychtair - the Safeholdian equivalent of Helen of Troy, a woman of legendary beauty, born in Siddarmark, who eventually married the Emperor of Harchong."
What ?
Now if this is an old legend, it is a strange birth name to give one's child if you don't want to draw attention to her (which I suppose the Grand Vicar would not do on his illegitimate daughter).
And I usually only read in glossaries the items when I need them, but I was wondering if there was other "interesting" items...

The story about the original Nynian Rychtair was actually mentioned in the text itself, as well as in the glossary. As for it being her birth name, it probably wasn't her (illegitimate) father who gave her the name at birth. After all, it isn't likely that he was present with the midwife at the time.

lyonheart wrote:Hi SWM,

Quite right.

But how?

Why were Harchong and Siddarmark about to go to war?

When has Siddarmark ever been a threat to Harchong?

Or vice versa?

Where geographically would they have been in conflict?

Neither could get at the other without marching thousands of miles through other large countries (who were probably hostile to any foreign army even passing through), Siddarmark has never had a naval tradition, and Harchong's has been more for show than any real naval war with an equal.

So while its been mentioned, we still don't know the details.

They might be part of whatever prequel RFC may have stored up to explain all the mysteries.

L

Interesting questions. Perhaps the Border States were created after that incident, as a buffer between the antagonists? I don't recall the history well enough.

We may be reading more into Safehold's "Helen of Troy" than David Weber intended.

IE Nynian Rychtair was a woman of legendary beauty but not a woman who's beauty started a major war.

lyonheart wrote:Hi SWM,

Quite right.

But how?

Why were Harchong and Siddarmark about to go to war?

When has Siddarmark ever been a threat to Harchong?

Or vice versa?

Where geographically would they have been in conflict?

Neither could get at the other without marching thousands of miles through other large countries (who were probably hostile to any foreign army even passing through), Siddarmark has never had a naval tradition, and Harchong's has been more for show than any real naval war with an equal.

So while its been mentioned, we still don't know the details.

They might be part of whatever prequel RFC may have stored up to explain all the mysteries.

L

DrakBibliophile wrote
IE Nynian Rychtair was a woman of legendary beauty but not a woman who's beauty started a major war.
So "our" Nynian died as an adult and her identity has been hijacked.

(Well, it's no worse than some of my other theories)