> > On Tue, 2003-01-14 at 14:54, 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 > > > > > > > The spell Adron was casting when his Disaster happened was a spell to > make the Orb think the Cycle had turned. Now, its possible that the > Disaster happened because he was using this spell while the Cycle was > changing, but at the same time, the Disaster itself could be looked upon > as keeping the Cycle from changing.[1] That phrasing "make the orb think" (as opposed to "turning the Cycle") makes me suspect that Adron's spell was not expected (in and of itself) to turn the Cycle. Presumably his actions immediately upon gaining (temporary) control of the Orb would have been intended to do that. > > > Also from the conclave: > > > Verra says that the House of the Phoenix is her watch. Doesn't she have > > > enough to do already? Later Barlen says that he trusts the Phoenix line, > > > and Verra says she trusts Kieron's line. What's Barlen's watch? Do the > > > Jhereg etc. each have a god looking after them? If so, are the gods > > > subject to the Cycle like their houses? > > > > Well, there are 17 Lords of Judgement, which would tend to support a > > possible mapping of LoJs to Houses. On the other hand, not *all* sets > > of 17 things on Dragaera map to each other (though many certainly do). > > Note that there are at least suggestions that there are more gods > > present in the Paths than just the 17 LsoJ, but that the LoJs have > > special status. > > Are there only 17? I didn't count, but I know there weren't many > mentioned in PotD, but I believe that in _Taltos_, it was indicated that > there were a lot more than 17. It has also been said that through the > years various people have become Gods and that Sethra was even offered > Godhood. This would imply that in order for there to be 17, that some > Gods had to die off in order for others to step up. I don't think that > happened. Instead I think there's just a large number of them, and > Paarfi only chose to include 17 of them because 17 is the mystical > number. My point is that the "Lords of Judgement" are (I think) a subset of the larger set of "gods". The terms are often used near-interchangeably, but I suspect that this is more sloppy speech, than an indication that they are the exact same thing. Under my interpretation Sethra may have been offered "godhood" without having been offered one of the 17 seats on the "LoJ Board of Directors". [Minor, but I think significant, typographical note: Dragaerans never seem to capitalize "gods" or its derivatives. A subtle reminder that they are not as "ineffable" as most modern earth religions tend to view the divine.] Alexx Alexx Kay Opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily those of my employers alexx at world.std.com http://world.std.com/~alexx 'Stifle' is the only word which is an anagram of itself. [Seen on a Nancy Button, nancy at genie.slhs.udel.edu]