Matthew Hunter wrote: >On Thu, Aug 14, 2003 at 11:50:21PM -0400, Jose Marquez <jhereg69 at earthlink.net> wrote: > > >>lazarus wrote: >> >> >> >>>On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 21:11:55 -0400, you wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>>Alexx S Kay wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>>>Alexx S Kay wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>Spoiler space, so I can stop talking around possible future spoilers. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>>>Certain speculations that have passed over this list before involve >>>>>>>a=20 >>>>>>>death that would result neither in Deathgate nor in reincarnation. I >>>>>>>am being vague because I think that they're right, and that it's a huge >>>>>>>spoiler. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>Wouldn't these speculations be now moot, seeing as a certain Dragon >>>>>>has=20 >>>>>>already linked to the appropriate object? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>Morrolan has a big Morganti weapon he refers to as his "black wand" >>>>>(note the lack of capitalization), and which none of the better-informed >>>>>people in his retinue have yet referred to as a Great Weapon. >>>>> >>>>>Remember, in _Issola_, how a powerful Morganti blade only became a GW >>>>>when combined with a human soul? I believe that we'll be seeing a >>>>>similar scene at some point in _Sethra Lavode_. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>Hmm. When you put it that way, I'm almost convinced. Perhaps it was >>>>precipitous of me to assume that what Morrolan receives was an Official >>>>Great Weapon (tm). Still, I have a feeling that what happened with >>>>Godslayer was unique to that particular weapon. Great Weapons were meant >>>>to be used against the gods, apparently, but the gods have subverted >>>>this purpose and thus Great Weapons are used to defend against the >>>>Jenoine. With Godslayer being such an overt threat to them, however, it >>>>was disassembled. Anyway, when it was reborn, in addition to two souls >>>>being present, Spellbreaker was the most important component that was >>>>apparently missing. I would venture that Spellbreaker is/was the essence >>>>of Godslayer, and that practically any powerful Morganti weapon would do >>>>for putting it back together (not to mention just about any soul). From >>>>the descriptions of Morganti weapons Vlad has given us in the past, the >>>>sword Morrolan currently holds (as described by Paarfi) seems like more >>>>than just an extremely powerful, but still standard Morganti weapon. >>>>It's possible that Blackwand was also disassembled and requires a soul, >>>>but what is the missing component that contains the essence of what the >>>>weapon is designed to do? >>>> >>>>Jose >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>Possibly control? Morrolan has stated that Blackwand is his familiar, >>>and will also do what he wants with souls that it takes. A regular >>>Morganti, no matter how powerful, doesn't have the same ability to be >>>controlled that we know of. >>> >>> >>I was thinking more of a physical component, like Spellbreaker. >>Spellbreaker is good at negating magical energy, and when melded with a >>semi-sentient cutting tool and a pinch of soul added, you get a weapon >>that negates a god's (or a Jenoine's) magical protection and thus can >>easily kill said being. Spellbreaker also demonstrated semi-sentient >>properties, healing Vlad (protecting its owner) and coiling up and sorta >>threatening Verra (its Godslaying aspect). >> >> > >Granted. > > >>But so far, I haven't noticed >>any similar objects in Morrolan's possession. >> >> > >There's no need for such objects to apply to a Great Weapon that >hasn't been, like Godslayer, broken into pieces. We don't know >if Blackwand was broken as Godslayer was (certainly, by Vlad's >time it would be ancient history and Vlad would have no idea even >to ask about it). > >We do know, however, that Morrolan's acquisition of it has been >prophesied at least three times -- Morrolan's dreams and Sethra. >"Here's a sword" strikes me as a horribly offhand way to fulfill >such a heavily-prophesied event. Especially since the experience >was from a pseudo-Morrolan point of view, and he didn't mention >anything even remotely like what Vlad described. > > I don't know.... "Here's a sword" is infinitely more impressive when it comes from the Enchantress of Dzur Mountain. And I loved seeing Sethra trying to intimidate Morrolan and failing, all because he didn't know who she was. I think I just really enjoy the irony of the prophecies and dreams culminating in "Here's a sword." It makes me laugh. >>From what I could tell, although nobody said it was a Great >>Weapon or named it properly as Blackwand, it still seems the >>complete and fearsome artifact we see in the Vlad books. >> >> > >It hasn't shot bolts of sorcery at anybody. Morrolan hasn't >noted any special personality aspects. He calls it his "black >wand" -- note two words, no capitals. It's described properties >so far have been entirely consistent with a very strong Morganti >sword, nothing more. > >I will note for the record that despite a certain degree of >disappointment (and hopeful anticipation) concerning this aspect >of _Lord of Castle Black_, I did think the "everyone takes two >quick steps back" scene was Cool. > > > >>But >>as Alexx says, we'll (probably) find out in Sethra Lavode >>whether it is complete or is missing something. >> >> > >True. I personally support the oft-hinted-at speculation >relating to one of our intrepid companions. > >I think AT THE LEAST we'll see the sword "wake up" during that >last volume, as Sethra hinted to Vlad regarding his own new toy. > > I agree with you on seeing Blackwand wake up, although it's possible we won't get to see it if Paarfi doesn't know about it and Morrolan doesn't mention it to anyone. Jose -- Jose Marquez \ Cthulhu 2004 jhereg69 at earthlink.net \ Why vote for http://home.earthlink.net/~jhereg69 \ the lesser evil?