WOW! This thread is expanding exponentially! *G*

Hesperis,

Re my mage character. 'Twould be most appropriate for the owl not to be named at all (since MOST humanoid-type creatures [humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, etc] can't pronounce 'Owlish' very well). Doubly appropriate if the mage type person (I think you called him "The Hallmaster"?) ALSO is unnamed: i.e., no one knows what he calls himself and people in different places call him by their own local names.

Something like the way that Aragorn was called "Strider" in Bree, "Aragorn" by most of the elves, "The Dunedan" by Bilbo, and still another name -- an alias, to be blunt -- in Gondor (if I remember correctly Aragorn served as a captain in Gondor during his younger, roaming years ... quite a while before the adventure of The Lord of the Rings began; see the section on the history and the lords of Gondor in the Appendices of The Return of the King, toward the end)

So in the area of "The Hall" he is master of, he would be known as "The Hallmaster". In a different part of the country, he might be "The Owl Wizard". Elsewhere, he is known as "Grey Owl". Still other people in still other places where he tends to only appear at night might call him "The He-Owl", thinking him (how correctly?) to be a skin-changer. In yet another place he might be called "He Who Walks By Night". Translate one or two (last couple might be best for this) into whatever tongue you are giving the invaders as well, 'cause he's BOUND to be VERY widely traveled.

Regardless, he answers to whatever he's addressed by (sometimes) and is generally polite to even the most foolish of requests. However, while polite, he does NOT suffer fools gladly. He generally loves children, especially since children are very rarely fools.

Possible bit of business:

The Hallmaster enters an inn where he is not known. The innkeeper is uncomfortable at the wild animal on the mage's shoulder, and addresses the mage:

IK: Pardon me, yer lordship, I'm sure, but is that an owl?

HM (glances in astonishment at the bird on his shoulder): Why yes, it is. hmm, Great-horned owl, Bubo virginianus. (turns back to the innkeeper) Indeed sir, you are correct. It is an owl.

IK: 'E's not wild, is 'e?

HM: She's a female owl.

IK: Well, she's not goin' t' be attackin' anyone in the inn, will she?

HM: I don't know, just a moment. (He turns to the owl again and makes some odd chirrups and coughs. The owl ponders for a moment, looks around, and coughs and chirrups in reply.) She says not. Unless that rat that's on the floor next to the end of the bar gets any farther out in the open.

(At this there is a scurrying of people away from the end of the bar, with much brushing of skirts and pant legs.)

IK (starting to back toward the bar): Well, all right then. 'Cause I don't usually 'low pets in 'ere.

HM: Hmm, perhaps I had better go then. (Turning to speak to the owl again) My dear, he doesn't like pets in his establishment. I had better leave. I'll be just outside when you've finished your beer.

THAT'S the kind of guy he is.

Oh, and here's what the owl looks like: about two feet worth

BB,
NightWing

P.S. He's not really a skin-changer, is he? *EG*