Greetings, friend!

What brings you to these parts? (Inspired by @asktheritochampion)

[askaritobard]

I'm adding this here for visibility, but I should note that my wife is screening my mail, since at least one of my daughters is apparently on this platform—Sorry, what? Ah, just a moment...here.

Thank you dear—Hello, this is Kass's wife, Amali. If anyone else sends anything too...forward...to my husband, I will find you and shoot you with an arrow. In the face. ✨ Thank you! ✨

———

Hello!

I've received word that the Rito are using this portal for correspondence, and since my Sheikah communication device mysteriously vanished, I've needed a way to keep in touch with family and the rest of the village.

It may be some time before I'm back in Hyrule (my maps have disappeared with the device they were on), but I'll do my best to keep up with any inquiries in the meantime.

Hmm, it's like a reimagining of our ancient vocation, carrying the mail...I wonder if I have a song somewhere on that.

———

For a directory of friends, foes, and various other persons to send mail to, Chief Urbosa manages a very useful dramatis personae!

[askaritobard]

A...B...C...D...E...F...G... Gummy bears are chasing me... 1 is red... 1 is blue... the Green one is taking my shoes...

As a bard, I'm all too aware of the classroom chants you youngsters are into these days. I'm not sure what a "gummy" bear is, though. Do bears ever lose all their teeth?

[askaritobard]

What is yours and Amali's sexual orientation?

Hm, I'm afraid I'm a bit out of my depth with this question. I know the younger folk have figured out very sophisticated and detailed systems for self-identification, but traditional Rito gender is complex enough that the language never settled on anything resembling the Hylian terms for sexual orientation.

You see, there are multiple Rito words that have been translated as "man" and "woman" by Hylians, so if we consider all of them to be aspects of the Rito experience of gender, it ends up looking sort of three-fold (like a Triforce!):

Reproductively, there are "cocks" (non-egg-layers) and "hens" (egg-layers). When pairing up (and it is usually pairs; partnerships of three or more are rare), there is the "dancer" (the one who advances) and the "sitter" (the one who chooses). Community roles are roughly split between "archers" (providers) and "singers" (teachers), and this is where Rito pronouns and many gendered terms originate (hence the old saying about men being fine archers and women better singers). "Cock", "dancer", and "archer" are perceived as more masculine; "hen", "sitter", and "singer" as more feminine.

Note that these are all characteristics of adult Rito. Chicks and fledglings inherit pronouns and gendered terms from the parent they most resemble at one year old. As they mature, they are free to change the terms they use and adopt clothing to reflect the community role they take, but it is just as common to stick with what they are accustomed to out of comfort or convenience. Amali took after her mother, a female singer. She became an archer but chooses to continue using feminine terms and dress. I inherited my teacher's masculine identity despite us both being singers.

All this to say, with Rito gender being so assertively nuanced, sexual orientation becomes a very hard thing to nail down.

I personally don't have any strong preferences; I suppose I just enjoy company generally. It took a great many run-ins with Amali to develop the bond we have now!

[askaritobard]

the scariest and the best question... any kids your favorite?

Ohoho, Genli, is that you? Well, whoever you are, keep in mind that the best questions don't always have simple answers!

A good parent's love isn't something that can be counted like fish in a pond or measured like water in a cup. It's more like music, something magical shared between people. If I play a song to five listeners, it isn't split up between them, with each getting only a fifth. All five get the whole song! Likewise, when Amali and I love our children, all five get all of our love.

So no, I really don't have a favorite. That, or all of them are my favorite, depending on how you look at it!

[askaritobard]

Is there anything you're insecure about as a Rito, that Hylian's might not relate to? For example, you're very tall for a Rito, but one of the most renown Rito warriors was very short, so short Rito's might be more popular than tall ones. While Hylian's prefer taller warriors. Or, how you have the flattest butt out of any of the Rito villagers.

Hello there, I'm sorry I don't have a proper response. I've been forbidden from reading your ask.

Whatever you wrote, I think it broke my wife.

[askaritobard]

Hi Kass, is anyone of your family members birthdays coming up (yours included)?

In a way, yes...all of them!

Though I should note that birthdays (hatchdays) aren't as significant an occasion for Rito as they seem to be for your folk. Procreation in Rito is seasonal, so whole clutches of chicks hatch very close to each other. It would be quite a lot to celebrate so many individual birthdays all at once like that! So the festivities are more general and communal, with the stars of the show being the yearlings. I don't remember my exact hatch day, for example, though I do recall it was later in the season, and I started out as a bit of a runt!

[askaritobard]

Is there anything you find strange about Hylian anatomy, as a Rito?

Not particularly, but then again, I'm more accustomed to all of you than most; my teacher was Sheikah, after all! Perhaps fingernails? No, I suppose they're similar to talons... Oh, this isn't exclusive to Hylians, but teeth are an odd one! Ugh, imagine a Rito with a big toothy grin—terrifying.

[askaritobard]

*sends fish tacos!*

Mmn! Why thank you, these are delicious! Is that porgy?

[askaritobard]

any songs you like playing?

Too many to count! Some of my favorites are our very traditional hymns. While they aren't exactly kept secret, few Hylians have ever heard them.

Here, I'll include a short except of one. Apologies for the rough playing; it's been quite a while since I worked on this tune!

Visit Original Link

[askaritobard]

How’s the kids you gotta be busy with 5 kids and being a traveling bard ,do you visit them often?

Ever since getting back from abroad after the end of the Upheaval, I've done very little traveling! Amali and the girls have done a fantastic job supporting each other in my absence, but they all deserve a break, don't you think?

[askaritobard]

Have you considered mentoring a student like how your teacher mentored you?

I've actually taught several students in my time as a bard, but I must say my arrangement with my teacher was a rather unique one. In many ways it went beyond full-time apprenticeship.

You see, his whole life's work following the Calamity was to prepare the way for the coming Hero, and he passed that mission down to me as a sort of inheritance. I am very blessed to have met Link and completed the work, so there is little need for me to find an apprentice of my own.

Of course, there is still the Rito oral tradition to teach to all the chicks, and many musical curiosities outside of Hyrule. The Princess has hired me to research the discovery and preservation of musical artifacts, so perhaps I will take on academic students as well. But between that and my duties as a father it is unlikely that I will be able to take on a mentee to the special degree that my teacher took on me.

[askaritobard]

Random question I wish to ask, how do you plan on fitting 5 adult size hammocks in your house when the time comes to get bigger hammocks for your daughters? Because the homes here in the village are much smaller than those of the Hylians for example

Perhaps I'm in denial, but the girls aren't quite that old yet! They're still growing in their tail feathers!

Anyway, it's unlikely we'll have to fit seven adult hammocks in one roost. You see, what typically happens with young Rito is once they are fully fledged, they venture out into the world to do some exploring. Some seek their fortune, such as Fyson, who I hear has quite the thriving business abroad. Others find a cause to dedicate themselves to, like Mimo and his flight research. And then there's always the possibility of stumbling into love—Frita and Billson seem quite set on staying in Lurelin, hmhmhm!

Of course, the village is always open for those who wish to return! Family businesses need running and many a chick aspires to join the warriors. My daughters will always be welcome in our roost, but if they decide to start families of their own here or simply need the space, we will hold a roost-raising and build new homes.

So while it's a bit bittersweet to ponder, it's entirely possible Amali and I will have an empty nest within the next five years. How time does fly!

[askaritobard]

How do you play an Ocarina, a wind instrument, when you don't have lips

Aha, a very good question! Every one of my Hylian students have asked me this at some point, so you're in good company.

The answer is simple: You Hylians place the mouthpiece of the instrument in front of or between your teeth and wrap your lips around it to seal. We Rito don't have teeth in the way, so we can place the mouthpiece right up against the roof of the mouth and wrap the tongue around it instead. The cutaway diagram here isn't the best at showing this; we curl the tongue into a channel shape and press it upward to fully seal around the mouthpiece.

And while you mostly articulate notes with the free tip of your tongue (like tuh-tuh-tuh), we use more of the back of the tongue or the base of the throat to articulate (like kuh-kuh-kuh or guh-guh-guh), since we have a great deal more control over our vocal tracts.

I hope that helps! You can even give the technique a try yourself. Just note that you'll likely leak a lot of air with your teeth being in the way and all.

[askaritobard]

Visit Original Link

Why thank you, Penn! Here's a little Stormwind Ark with my daughter and the Village flutist; it's recently become a bit of a holiday carol due to its newfound association with icy weather. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all of Hyrule from Rito Village!

[askaritobard]

also btw i found a blue ocarina with a silver ring on the mouth piece with a trị force on it

it’s probably an ordinary instrument but can you tell me it’s cost

Chào em! Good to hear from you again.

Many, many copies of the original Ocarina of Time have been made, and often they are not of a very high quality. I generally don't recommend beginners learn on them unless I can check the instrument myself. If you bring it around, I can certainly take a better look at it, but if you have more than, say, twenty rupees, there are several Hylian artisans making good quality ocarinas you might prefer.

[askaritobard]

I heard that you had gloom on you so I got you a sundelion cooked for you to help

Why, thank you! The Gloom mysteriously left the Village after the end of the trick-or-treating festivities, so I ended up being fine. But I'm always appreciative of a good porridge! Did you know that sundelion roots make a delicious beverage when roasted? A wonderful plant!

[askaritobard]

Ah... Ta...ka...ya...

Good of you to...stop by...

Have a...wildberry bar...

Hm hm hmm...