[mudhawg]

Regarding the scene where they are riding hard into Letheras, is Balm under some sort of enchantment, or is this simply meant to provide some juvenile humor to the story? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the part, especially how SE talked about some of the moans and stuff, I just wonder if there is something more to Masan Gilani?

[Greymane]

I just thought it was part of the running joke about how hot Gilani was.

[Urizen]

I figured it was part hotness on Masan's part and that Pre-battle, Balm suffers from the Confusion, mistaking Leteras for Aren etc. It's shown from TBH and forward how Balm always has to be led to battle by his squad, rather than Balm as a sergant leading his squad.

[mudhawg]

 Urizen, on Oct 12 2008, 04:49 AM, said:

I figured it was part hotness on Masan's part and that Pre-battle, Balm suffers from the Confusion, mistaking Leteras for Aren etc. It's shown from TBH and forward how Balm always has to be led to battle by his squad, rather than Balm as a sergant leading his squad.

Ah, I had forgotten that part. Probably nothing going on then except that she's really hot.

[Jude]

I love Balm's prebattle state. I find it to be one of the better things about the 14th. And then when he actually gets into the action to be a really capable leader... awesome. Alot of people tend to miss that he has that though, I find. Also, no one has buns like Gilani.

[D'rek]

I found it so weird that Masan was portrayed as being so lust-worthy in RG, because in tBH she is just another heavy infantry, and that leads you to assuming she is a bit ginormous and dumb. Not that I'm complaining about the change, mind you!

[Jude]

was she a heavy? really?

[D'rek]

Exactly the part I was thinking of, Hetan (you're always so convenient like that!). Masan's fellow heavies at that part really make it seem like she is simple-minded at that part, but re-reading it, she herself doesn't really say anything dim-witted (it's page 648 of my mmpb tBH, chapter 13. Kinda long so I won`t type it all out for you). And then later there's Sinn cuddling up with Masan too...

[Jude]

 D'rek, on Oct 18 2008, 12:24 AM, said:

And then later there's Sinn cuddling up with Masan too...

Yeah THAT's a weird little scene, huh?

[Mentalist]

Not only does Masan not do anything dumb (as some heavy are prone to), she also proves quite skillfull--After all she takes on one of the throll'barah (sp?)'s forms and actually kills it.
in the early parts of RG when the badit king of the Second Maiden fort (I suck at naming names) lusts after her, she also doesn't act "dumb" in any way shape or form.

[D'rek]

 Mentalist, on Oct 20 2008, 10:54 PM, said:

Not only does Masan not do anything dumb (as some heavy are prone to), she also proves quite skillfull--After all she takes on one of the throll'barah (sp?)'s forms and actually kills it.
in the early parts of RG when the badit king of the Second Maiden fort (I suck at naming names) lusts after her, she also doesn't act "dumb" in any way shape or form.

Precisely, but because she's heavy infantry there's the tendency to assume that all the heavies are dull-witted like Uru Hela. That doesn't mean they can't be skillful enough with a knife to kill a T'rohlbarahl whilst naked or anything. It's just a pleasant revelation when you go back and check and realize Masan never actually did anything to make you assume she was a stereotypical heavy, you just sort of assumed it.

And I love after Y'Ghatan when Flashwit shows her clever pragmatic-philosophical side.

[Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas]

Maybe the only dimwitted heavies are Napan heavies?

[D'rek]

Well I figure she's just more like Tarr: Strings said at first Tarr should be a heavy because he's big and Bravent Tooth wailed on him for an hour without getting past the shield, it was only his crossbow skills that made him a marine. I suppose Masan would be pretty much the same thing: she's a big girl, but not bhederin-sized like some of the other heavies, and if she can wield a shield well and make a good phalanx or whatever, then heavy infantry is the right place for her.

(On a somewhat-related bit, aren't you glad that with RG SE started including females in the 14th who weren't heavy infantry? Throughout tBH you've got Hanno, Flashwit, Mayfly, Uru Hela, Masa Gilani in the heavies, and then in the marines you've got just Smiles and Hellian...)