On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 15:07:56 -0700 (PDT), you wrote: >So the latest thing I don't understand about _TPotD_ is: what's Sethra's >reasoning behind her decisions? If I understand the timing, she sent >Sethra the Younger to pick up Zivra, then a few days later sent Kytraan to >pick up Piro - why not send one expedition, except to have the advantage >of a separation and a reunion scene? Could this be the heavy hand of >Paarfi? > >Then Sethra sends Zerika et al. off to get the Orb - but if we believe >Paarfi, the gods had at the time (whatever that means in this context) >hardly decided whether or not to relinquish it. In fact, they were >then supposedly calling up the Necromancer, who only appears several >months later. Is there any reason why Sethra picks this moment - Piro's >old enough? Tazendra has blown up her guest room again? - and why >she doesn't coordinate with the Gods? > > >As an aside, we get another typical Paarfian intro to Sennya's region - >settled in the 8th Cycle. We ought to be able to track Dragaeran >expansion - 100k years seems a long time to settle a continent... > It seems okay to me, for a couple of reasons. First, they have a much longer lifespan. While that may seem to indicate that they'll get a lot more done in one lifetime, note the surprise at how fast Vlad moves and accomplishes things. It's possible the Dragaerans slow down quite a bit, taking decade to our years, because they have so much time. So naturally, everything else would be slowed down as well. Let's not forget that the Cycle is involved, as well. We don't know how cultures would develop and grow and expand given the presence of the Cycle and magic. -- lazarus "Folly it may seem," said Haldir. "Indeed, in nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him." -- J.R.R. Tolkien