Dragaera

Chronology comments on LoCB [SPOILERS]

Fri Aug 8 14:36:29 PDT 2003

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Well, I'm only up to chapter 42 in the timeline revisions, but have already
come across some interesting things.  Relevant excerpts from the current
draft below:

247 I
Summer

  Deathsgate Falls (PD 323-342).
  [Why I am putting this in early summer, when this is allegedly "nearly a 
full year after setting off" (PD 323)?  Because it solves a later problem 
with dating in LCB.  Piro clearly states that they pursued Grita for more 
than half a year, starting in the summer (LCB 97).  This pursuit seems to 
have begun no more than 4 days after the battle at Deathgate Falls (LCB 
50-60).  The pursuit clearly ends in the winter of 247 (LCB 109).  Occam's 
razor says that the "nearly a full year" reference must be wrong, especially
as Paarfi is deliberately obscure as to the events which took place during
that time.  The error may be due to the fact that Zerika *emerges* from the
Paths "nearly a full year after setting off".]
  [Why is Orlaan opposed to Zerika's mission?  She has desires for personal
revenge against Tazendra and Piro, but no obvious grudge against Zerika.]
  Zerika IV regains Orb from Paths of the Dead with Morrolan's help (J 79,
Ts 98).  "at the tender age of one hundred or thereabouts" (Y 64).
  [Well, Morrolan's involvement has now been cast in considerable doubt.  
Paarfi makes it quite clear in _The Paths of the Dead_ that Morrolan was 
nowhere near there at the time.  Morrolan's speech at the Falls (Ts 98) 
makes it quite clear that he *was* there, so either Vlad misremembers that 
speech, or Morrolan or Paarfi is lying.  Of course, Paarfi also goes out 
of his way to say that Morrolan is capable of lying (PD 45).  It's also 
worth noting that Morrolan's statements (Ts 98) are somewhat inconsistent 
with other well known facts; he claims that sorcery doesn't work as one 
approaches Greymist Valley, and that he knows this from personal experience 
while helping Zerika; but during this period, *no* sorcery could have 
worked, as the Orb was unavailable.  One possible explanation for this 
discrepancy is that the word "sorcery" here is a mistranslation, possibly 
for "wizardry".  We know that wizardry was possible without the Orb, and 
that wizardry was explicitly *not* used in the battle above Deathsgate 
Falls (PD 338).  Paarfi seems to think that this non-use was by choice 
rather than necessity, but he may be incorrect.  The reference in 
_Jhereg_ (J 79) refers to help Morrolan gives Zerika after retrieving the 
Orb, so may still be completely valid.  As to Zerika's alleged tender age 
(Y 64), Vlad is simply very mistaken.]

[snip]

Winter
LCB, day ~30
  Khaavren & company flee from Kana (LCB 91-95).
  Pel steals Grita's horse (LCB 192) and reports in (LCB 104-106).
  Piro and company discuss the hunt for Grita (LCB 96-100).  They have 
been in the mountains for "very nearly a year" (LCB 97); a slight 
exaggeration, as they reached the mountains in  the spring of this year.  
They have been chasing Grita for "All of summer, all of autumn, and much 
of this winter" (LCB 97).  
  Wadre meets Grita (LCB 100-104).  He has been seeking his band for 
"months" (LCB 100).
  Grita prepares to attack (LCB 107-109).
  Zerika emerges with the Orb (PD 392; LCB 21-22, 109).  This is "the 
thirteenth of the month of Jhegaala in the two hundred and forty-seventh 
year of the Interregnum" (LCB 109), a "winter's day" (LCB 112).


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
"Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as
 you were a year ago."      -- Bernard Berenson