Especially with various forces competing with each other in behalf of royal favor in what was quite frankly a very well to do economic period.
Upon Ranma's profession selection (Paladin/Monk) and completion of the initial training, several of the groups of Rangard had done quite well in the gift giving department.
He was a Paladin, therefore he should have a sword. Right? Well, maybe not. It was an unconventional prince of an unconventional magic kingdom. So unconventional weapons seemed practically mandated.
The dwarves had come up with something odd. They were fond of hammers and axes and crossbows. A prince who preferred his fists and feet as weapons? There weren't many dwarven monks, their bodies being stumpy and not really built for that sort of thing, but there were some. The psionicist/monks were reclusive but offered some advice. Most of the weapons that the monks used, on those occasions where weapons were used, were paired weapons.
So the dwarves had come up with what they thought of as an elegant solution, and a way to outdo the elves (always an important consideration) - which was to give him a single weapon that was more than one. Or at least could be used in a number of different ways.
The Rod Of Lordly Might had seemed entirely appropriate for a warrior-prince. At least as far as the dwarves were concerned. A single weapon that could take several forms and fulfill multiple functions.
Of course the elves had looked at that, looked at the painting one of them had done of Ranma's father, and had silently cursed the dwarves for making them look cheap and pathetic. Elven customs being entirely different from dwarven or human, and the subtle meaning of the painting (which among other things meant that elves could even make Genma look good) was likely to be lost amongst the oohs and aahs of the audience as Ranma had put the thing through each of the forms the mace could take.
Ranma held the heavy mace out. "Flame," he commanded. The silvery metal head of the mace shifted to a hilt while a blade wreathed in flames formed. The hilt extended so that it could be wielded more properly.
Goblins began falling to either side as the sword slashed easily through their thin leather armor.
Ukyo Kuonji leapt into battle, she wouldn't get any better chance than this.
Let the fools think that she was interested in being Ranma's fiancee! She was on a quest for vengeance! While he was fighting these whatever they were, she could strike and his two dragons were off fighting elsewhere. A human mage had been happy to "help love along" by teleporting her here. Now vengeance was at hand!
"Get out of my way!" Ukyo dodged around some tall critter, anxious to line up her shot. She wouldn't kill him but a severe beating was mandated!
The goblin shaman she'd dodged around reached out and touched the human. "Harm!"
There were many suitors for Magical Prince Ranma.
Some viewed him as a prince, others as a friend, some as his position, or his wealth, or his power. Some just plain liked him and knew darn well that they were a better choice than those other girls.
Tarre, at one end, was clueless about the whole thing but favored by many as a lifemate for Ranma. Admittedly, children were highly unlikely from that union - it was rare enough in those races of dragon who could assume human form through an innate ability. As Tarre used a magical item to give her the semblence of an elven form - it would take divine intervention. Not that this placed it completely out of the question with Ranma, but it did shove the odds up a good notch. So that even if she were favored by the dragons - it was unlikely that Tarre and Ranma would end up as beholden only to each other. A pity as Tarre's loyalty to Ranma was in no way dependent on his station. He accepted her as his friend and companion and even if she were inclined to be an evil dragon, she was a fiercely loyal and protective of her friends evil dragon. (In truth, magical scans tended to bear her out as Neutral.)
At the other end was a slightly crazy elven alchemist.
Most of them fell in between the two extremes.
Such as:
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(Posted Tue, 07 Jan 2003 12:25)
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