Dragaera

Morrolan: Just a Big Softy, Really?

David Silberstein davids at kithrup.com
Sun Nov 3 18:27:34 PST 2002

On Sun, 3 Nov 2002 FelixEisen at aol.com wrote:

>matthew at infodancer.org writes:
>
>>  Vlad may well be the only one of his compatriots to have actually 
>>  used a Morganti weapon to destroy someone's soul, and it will 
>>  probably have interesting effects on him when he realizes this.

>Oddly, I doubt this.  I -do- suspect that Sethra Lavode has destroyed
>her fair share of souls.  I can see her acting for the gods in the
>way Vlad is used for assassinating 'problems' in the Jhereg -- 'This
>guy has been a continuing problem for the last X lives.  Make it
>permanent.' And the Dzur hero comes up the mountain to find Sethra
>Lavode standing there, Iceflame alive in her hand ... 
>

In fact, I think destroying a soul is so drastic, so permanent, that
the gods may have requested that the bearers of Great Weapons *not*
implement that solution *unless* the gods directly request it.  After
all, judging souls for their use is the gods' *job* - and once a soul
is in the Paths of the Dead, they (the gods) seem to have almost
complete control over what happens to that soul.  If they want to
destroy a soul, I think they can do so themselves.  So Sethra has
probably taken that step a lot less frequently than you might imagine.

I can just see Verra telling this to Aliera after Aliera gets hold of
Pathfinder ... "Now, I know you want to try out your new toy right
away, dear, but there are some conditions you are going to have
follow..."  [Aliera rolls her eyes and says, in exasperated tones:]
"Fine, fine.  I won't destroy anyone's soul without your permission.
I promise, mother.  There, are you happy now?"