Matthew Hunter said: > On Sun, Aug 18, 2002 at 05:06:27PM -0400, Rick Castello > <rick at 404.978.org> wrote: >> Further consider: Noish-Pa told Vlad in _Jhereg_ that he could >> teach him nothing else of witchcraft, and to increase his >> abilities as a witch, Vlad would need to get a familiar. >> >> If we consider Noish-Pa to be an accomplished witch of great >> skill who has taught Vlad everything he can (and we take it as >> fact that Vlad has actually *learned* all that Noish-Pa has >> taught him of witchcraft), then I think it's fair to say that >> Vlad is an accomplished witch. > > While I agree that Vlad is an accomplished witch, we can't assume > that he is on an equal level with Noish-pa just because Noish-pa > says he can't teach him anything else. > > In effect, that statement means that Vlad has finished his > apprenticeship as a witch, and has to complete his initiation > (obtain a familiar) and go out on his own. There are two > ways to take this -- as a journeyman period, prior to > becoming a master witch, or as a graduation straight to > master witch. > > Since Vlad is offered a half-interest in Noish-pa's shop, I think > we can discard the journeyman possibility. > > However, being a "master witch" doesn't make him equal to > Noish-pa. Neither of them are students or children, and that is > most likely all that that comment refers to. Vlad needs to gain > experience on his own to mature in witchcraft. Note that at no time do I claim Vlad's talents at witchcraft are equal to or greater than those of Noish-Pa. In all else you state, we are in violent agreement. -Rick