In a message dated 2/23/2003 1:20:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, Mark A Mandel <mam at theworld.com> writes: [Blackwand as familiar] > In general, I'm sure it could, but there are differences: > - Whatever power is involved here, it's not Eastern > witchcraft. Perhaps, but that wouldn't stop M from using witchcraft in addition to whatever else. >From _Issola_, we know that Great Weapons are bound to their wielder's soul, and from _Taltos_ we know that Loiosh shares Vlad's fate (re leaving the Paths). > - Blackwand is not a biologically living creature, and so > the "long life" part of the bargain that V made with L's > mother doesn't apply. So he made a different bargain. > - B presumably has powers of looking after M's life -- as > Pathfinder did for Aliera -- that we have no evidence for > ascribing to Loiosh in his care of and for Vlad. Like watching Vlad's back? Or checking if his mind's been tampered with? Or warning him when he's overexerting himself? > Our disagreement may be simply that I want to apply a > stricter definition of "familiar" than you do, even if I > don't know its exact limits. >From _Jhereg_, page 235: "You're a witch, why don't you get a familiar?" "I already have one," he answered, dryly. He gently stroked the hilt of Blackwand, So M believes he has a familiar, and wants Vlad to think its B. --KG