The Rules of Xenia

You are about to settle down to a banquet in your palace when your herald announces that there is a stranger at the door, dressed in rags and looking worse for wear. Do you...

Tell your herald to get rid of the filthy stranger and go back to your meal?

Let the stranger in, but show him straight to the spare room without any food or a bath?

Welcome the stranger in and immediately ask who he is and where he is from?

Welcome the stranger in and invite him to dine in the best seat in the house, next to you?

You have allowed the mysterious stranger to dine with you, but you are dying to know who he is, where he has come from and why he's in such a sorry state. Do you...

Question him while he is eating his dinner?

Wait until he has finished eating to ask your questions?

Secretly ask one of your stewards to question the stranger later?

Feel too awkward to ask any intrusive questions, so stay quiet?

The banquet is over, and the stranger has answered your questions honestly. Now, do you...

Order your bard to sing about epic tales from the legendary past?

Send the stranger to bed straight away?

Yawn exaggeratedly and hope that your guest takes the hint that it's time for him to go?

Send the stranger on his way, satisfied that you have followed the laws of xenia?

After your guest bursts into tears at the bard's song, remembering his own trials in war and at sea, you decide that it's time for bed. Do you...

Show the stranger to your very comfortable stables, where he can sleep for the night?

Allow your guest to bathe and give him some fresh clothes before showing him to his room?

Allow your guest to bathe and burn his old clothes?

Ask your guest if he can pay for his room in the palace?

It's morning, and your guest must continue with his journey. Do you...

Send him on his way with a packed lunch?

Curse him and his descendants for eating too much food at dinner?

Send him on his way with an extravagant gift and a promise to honour your new guest-friendship in future?

Sleep in and forget to say goodbye to him?

Wait! Your guest's ship was wrecked when he washed up on your island. Do you...

Shrug and leave him to figure it out - you have done enough for him?

Tell him about your neighbouring kingdom, where he might be able to find a ship?

Send several of your best sailors to man a ship for the stranger's onward journey?

Try to find the shipwreck and steal any plunder that is lying around?

Years later, a young man who looks eerily familiar arrives at your palace, claiming that you once hosted his father. Do you...

Honour your guest-friendship with the young man's father by showing him proper xenia?

Allow the young man in, but stay suspicious of him until he has proved his identity?

Send the young man away as you have no recollection of his father?

Honour your guest-friendship with his father by trying to get him to marry your daughter?

The Rules of Xenia

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