Colloquial Idioms in Longbridge

“You can’t stand there” / “There’s no stones there”

To be talking nonsense, or making a flimsy argument. At the end of the day, the bridge holds you up - reality will ultimately be the cold stone that your ideas or plans will crash against.

• Full of hot air
• You’re dreaming
• You don’t have a leg to stand on

“It’s a day to the ground” / “A day is a long time to regret”

From the colloquial belief that it takes a full day to fall from the bridge to the ground. If you’re gonna spend that day falling, you might as well wait until tomorrow and make the better decision. Also that, hindsight will tell you exactly where you went wrong, but only too late.

• Don’t rush into things
• Stop and think about what you’re doing
• You’ll regret this later

“Yx moves”

The world carries on regardless of your current situation. Acceptance and resignation.

• Life goes on
• So it goes
• It is what it is

“In the eye of Gyl” / to do something “in the eye”

To act fearlessly and accept the consequences. Also, to convince someone to do the right thing by reminding them of the judgement of others.

• Dance like no-one’s watching
• Seize the day

“A long chapter” / “To make Orothas busy”

A period of time during which a lot of noteworthy or historical events are all happening at once. Refers to the book of Oro containing the most important events in history. Orothas has a lot to write about during these times.

• The curse of interesting times

“While Eloryn thinks it over” / “Let Eloryn think it over”

A reference to both the fact that it takes a famously long time to get a query answered at the Library of Eloryn, and that you can’t do anything to hurry it along. You might as well put it out of your mind and do something else.

• It’s in God’s hands now
• Take your mind off it

“Catching luminari”

To be engaged in a frivolous activity. With a positive connotation, to be present, to take time to appreciate the beauty of life. With a negative connotation, to be procrastinating, dawdling, or distracted by trivialities.

• Stopping to small the roses
• Appreciating the small things
• Having one’s head in the clouds
• Kicking rocks

“Chasing Veldor” / “Chasing Selindra”

To be out to meet romantic partners or trying to get laid. From the myth of Veldor and Selindra (the sun and moon) chasing each other eternally across the sky. In the duality of Veldor and Selindra, their desire is always frustrated, which gives this saying an ironic shade, especially when used to describe younger people by their elders.

• Out on the town
• Trying to get lucky
• Chasing skirt

“Returned to Nebura” / “Returned”

To be thrown or jump from the bridge to one’s death. This phrase is most often used in the context of capital punishment. It derives from early history, after The Exalted Order of Solus reinstated return as a form of punishment for dissident citizens.

“Earning one’s name”

The process of developing a day name amongst one’s peers. After spending some time in a certain peer group, the names they use to address you eventually stabilise, called ‘day names’.

“A straight stem”

Someone who is painfully law abiding. Refers to the (usually) curvy stems of the tall mushrooms in the Bridgehand.

• Uptight
• Goody-two-shoes
• A narc