On Tue, 14 Jan 2003, Alexx S Kay wrote: > > > > PotD spoiler space: > > > > Don't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for > > being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John > > Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for beingbeautifulDon't > > hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being > > beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate JohnEdwards > > for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate > > John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards forbeing > > beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate JohnEdwards > > for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate > > John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being > > beautifulDon't hate John Edwards for being beautifulDon't hate John > > Edwards for being beautiful > > > > > > > > In PotD, the Lyorn representative at Kana's conclave says, re who's to be > > emperor, "we have no reason to believe the Cycle has turned". Note that > > the last Emperor has died, and I presume that death in office means the > > next house takes control. > > I think that's a poor assumption. The stated maximum for a House to hold > the Orb is 4,913 years, which I believe is significantly longer than the > Dragaeran lifespan (barring exceptions like Sethra and the SiG, of course). > > >Is this explicitly spelled out anywhere? I > > can't recall. As it happens, in FHYA the Orb certainly thinks that the > > Dragon Heir should be Emperor - isn't that an indication that the Cycle > > has turned? Certainly I can see this information not being widely > > disseminated, even though a Lyorn (Aerich) is aware of it, being present > > at Adron's abortive crowning. But a turning would seem to me to be the > > presumption (ok, great cycle ending, Phoenix exceptionalism, ... clouds > > the issue - but "no reason"?) But as we learn from the conclave of gods > > in PotD, the Cycle has not turned. Did it click forward for a second > > when the Orb chose Adron then click back? > > How certain is the info from FHYA (I'm AFB at work at the moment)? Might > it be a misinterpretation by Adron, Aerich (the only surviving witness) > or Paarfi? If the Orb really *did* think Adron should be emperor, that > would seem to indicate that the Cycle had turned, and then "backslid". > But there's no other indications that such retrograde motion of the Cycle > is even possible, so I'm reluctant to believe in it. Ok, here's FHYA, Paarfi speaking of course (based on Aerich, Sethra, Khaarven?) for what it's worth: Tazendra to Adron: "You are now the very Emperor that your spell is attempting to win control away from..." Adron: "I believe I shall be remembered as the Emperor with the shortest reign in history." Sethra to Adron: "... Your Highness". Adron and the musketeers: "Remember me, Duke." "I will not forget Your Highness." "And you others, do not fail to tell what happened to any who ask." "We shall not--Your Majesty." Split decision? There's more related info (Aliera claiming the Orb, the Orb interrogating the Cycle) but also ambiguous. Still, seems like there's more than the Lyorn rep's "no reason". - Philip