SPOILER Space.... Why didn't Orlaan kill Piro when she had him & Kytraan alone in the woods? Is the similarity between the names of Orlan and Loraan coincidental? It seems that they are really close, and both were involved in the staff with Aliera's soul. However, Orlaan (aka Grita) is supposedly a half breed (Tsalmoth & Lyron?) whereas Loraan was an Athyra. Is Ibronka a significant name, or just a name Steve likes? Ibronka was, as I recall, Vlad's grandmother, the name of Brita's (?) mother, and a name of a person in a Hungarian folk tale. -- Jot Powers <books at bofh.com> http://www.bofh.com/books/ "I'm upping my standards, so up yours!" -Pat Paulsen (1927-1997), Presidential Campaign Slogan