The Number Three: An Obsession

[Aryeztur]

The Aryashti obsession with the number three leads to some strange legends and myths in their culture. They believe that all important things come in threes. This is quite contrary to the observed physical reality of many things coming in pairs, so this leads to some interesting ideas. For example, Aryashti group all people into three genders: male, female, and a thrid gender that comprises everything else. There are three eyes, the two visible ones and a third invisible "spiritual eye" that enable people to have dreams and see hidden supernatural things. Most strange is the theory that there are three legs: the two legs and the penis.

[Alicorn]

What would they make of Zaee, who have two legs and a locomoting tail?

[Aryeztur]

Perhaps then it would be said that they have three tails, since both tails and legs are locomoting.

[Alicorn]

Then what would the penis be on applicable persons, a third wing?

[Aryeztur]

Heh, that works. You can have ones of things. You can have threes of things. You just can't have twos.

[Alicorn]

How does the "third leg" concept work with females, anyway?

[Scott Alexander]

Reminds me of how Spock has three ears - a right ear, a left ear, and a final front ear.

EDIT: And how Eoin has three knees!

[Aryeztur]

Alicorn: the clitoris.

[Scott Alexander]

Then what's the third breast?

[Aryeztur]

Alas! I have not yet thought of that.

[Harvey]

*vague attempt to change the subject*

Does EVERYTHING have to come in threes if I buy into this obsession? If I want an apple for lunch, do I need to get three of them? Should I use three different knives to slice them? And carry them on three different plates?

[Aryeztur]

Not EVERYTHING. It need not dominate your life. Its more about important things coming in threes. If not in threes, then in ones. Since eating is a daily, mundane activity, I don't think it matters. However, for things like the number of worlds and sentinents beings, which are important to the universe itself, those things are said to come in threes.

[Aryeztur]

I won't deny though some crazy people try to do everything in threes.

[Scott Alexander]

/me plots a story with a crazy Aryashti character.

[Harvey]

Designing sentences around three's multiples can supply serious annoyance.

(every word in the preceding sentence has 3, 6, or 9 letters. Obessive win! http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus is gunna be vital for this one.)