Common Idioms

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Options may repeat as they have multiple themes.

Advice, Wisdom

• "(Don't) grab a dwarf by the beard." = (don't) start a fight
• "You’ll never know the length of a vein until you mine it." = you never know how good it is until you try
• "At night, be the shadows." = when in Rome...
• "A still forest means trouble." = if you sense it may be dangerous it probably is.
• "If you don’t have a dog, hunt with a cat." = make the best of your situation
• "Don’t praise the day before the evening." = don’t take things for granted too early.
• "Even squirrels fall from trees." = sometimes even experts are wrong/can fail
• "Don’t jump ditches the long way." = don’t do things the hard way
• "Don’t start the house with the roof." = you need to do things in the right order
• "Don't ask the bard for more than one song." = don’t push your luck
• "A bad situation is like a bad ale. Best to drink it fast and not taste it long in your night of regret. Next time, check the label."

Alcohol, Bar/Tavern

• "Tin-cupper." = a bar too rowdy to use glassware
• "Could wilt the ears off an elf." = very strong liquor
• "Can’t see the bottom of an empty mug." = drunk
• "Not here to drink dragon wine." = here to drink cheap, low quality liquor
• "A hall in Ysgard" = great food but in a wild, rowdy atmosphere

Compliment

• "Got the charm of a succubus/incubus." = charming or overtly sexy female/male
• "Could wield a dragon like a club." = very strong, usually foolhardy, too
• "Voice that could soothe a owlbear." = very beautiful singing voice
• "Brighter than Pelor's Cathedral." = cheery, warm personality
• "Like a giant's hug." = warm, comforting

Critical, Derogatory

• "Stinks enough to gag a goblin." = really stinks
• "Haven’t got the sense to tell a bishop from a bugbear." = very dumb
• "Piss'n a wicker basket." = impossible, useless
• "Kenku speech." = imitation without understanding
• "More brains than a troll." = backhanded compliment of intelligence.
• "Growing scales on his ass." = acting uncharacteristically strong or brave
• "Too many crowns for one head." = more money than sense
• "Can’t carry a tune in a minecart." = can't sing
• "Crown's on his seat shiner." = an idiotic authority figure
• "Hold your sword by the hilt." = keep it simple, stupid
• "You could sharpen an axe on his head." = when someone is really stubborn
• "Leave your temple in the village." = don’t grandstand
• "Flies can't enter a closed mouth." = stop talking
• "A splinter from a branch." = similar to "like father, like son" but derogatory
• "Met/meet in the crypt." = tenebrous, unlawful dealings

Exclamation, Interjection

• "By the Sun!" = generic exclamation.
• "Grain-mother..." = exclamation of surprise.
• "Hell's Hounds!" = exclamation of disapproval.
• "Flames take thee!" = exclamation of rage
• "(But) fie on _______" = interjection of disgust about something, usually a concept or idea. e.g. "but fie on cowardice/hope/death"
• "Ya talk to a brass dragon once..." = regret at speaking with an overly loquacious person

Food

• "Hungry enough to eat the north end of a south-bound stallion." = really hungry
• "Hot as a goblin ass in a pepper patch." = very spicy
• "Gutter-soup" = really bad food
• "A hall in Ysgard" = great food but in a wild, rowdy atmosphere
• "Stinks enough to gag a goblin." = really stinks

Money

• "Crown." = gold coin
• "Link." = silver coin
• "Button." = copper coin
• "More wool than a shepherd." = (someone) is wealthy
• "Pissin' pearls." = someone who is wealthy
• "Wheat and Barley." = gold and silver (money in a large sum)
• "Dusty coffers." = very poor, in debt
• "Melt some metal." = splurge or spend extravagantly
• "Too many crowns for one head." = more money than sense

Monsters, evil creatures

• "Crusties." = undead, especially those afflicted with disease
• "Scale-hearts" = dragons, dragon-like
• "Tuskie/Tusker" = orcs
• "Smilers" = cultists, who revel in killing
• "Sweep(s)" = robber, thief (they sweep building of items)
• "Brooder" = someone shady or untrustworthy