On Tue, 2002-12-10 at 05:14, Steven Brust wrote: > At 03:09 AM 12/10/2002 -0700, Jot Powers wrote: > >On Tue, Dec 10, 2002 at 01:19:46AM -0800, Steven Brust wrote: > > > At 04:56 PM 12/9/2002 -0700, Jot Powers wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > >Vlad: "Aren't you supposed to be here?" > > > >Devera: "Not really. I haven't really been born yet..." > > > > > > > >(pg 79) > > > > > > > >This supports the time travel theory, IMO. > > > > > > I can actually answer this, if people want to know my take on it. If the > > > consenses is that speculation is more fun, however, I can understand that. > > > >I vote for your view on it. Hell, there is enough you're intentionally > >vague or misleading on, I enjoy the occasional bone of clarification. :) > > > Okay.... > > > <spoiler space> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I see it like this: There is no time travel as it is usually understood by > us skiffy types. But time can do strange things, especially in the Paths > of the Dead, and Verra's Halls. Devera was conceived in the Paths of the > Dead and was born in Verra's Halls. > > Time doesn't work for her the way it does for others, and she can often > skip around in it. > > So, I guess, there is a limited sort quasi-time travel, in a way. > > I hope that cleared everything up. Looks like you just opened up a whole world of speculation. Including (again) who Devera's father is.[1] Then there's also the question of did this conception happen during the visit to the Paths that occured in Taltos, or some later time? Based on what Verra said about them leaving the Paths in Taltos, I think Aliera might be able to leave the Paths if she returned to them. Assuming it is the initial trip that we already know about, I see three possibilities: 1) Kieron - Vaguely incesty in a weird spiritual way, but not intirely impossible. And Devera would be quite kick-ass, Kieron's daughter, Verra's granddaughter, and Aliera's daughter. 2) Morrolan - Just way to incesty to really think about, but he was there, and is a dragon, so I'm mentioning it. 3) A God - kinda scary thought.. Devera would be only vaguely human[2], but she kinda seems that way anyways. I include in this one the possibility that when Verra brought Aliera back to life, she brought her back pregnant.[3] But then, if she did conceive in that trip, there is the whole issue of how long do dragaeran pregnancies last. Vlad has known Aliera for several years, and hasn't seen her get pregnant, but maybe she wouldn't know this soon.[4] However, there is Devera's weird time stuff.. so maybe she was conceived at one point, but Aliera won't show signs until much much later. [1] Unless this was already covered and I missed it, like I did with Devera being a dragon in Issola. [2] Dragaeran [3] Reminiscint of Cartman, whose father is really his mother [4] I'm sure Aliera has the spells to detect if she's prengant if she tries, that is assuming she wouldn't just know. Jag