--- Bryan Newell <bryann at bryann.net> wrote: > I'm game. > > But don't read this email unless you've read all the > Dragaeran novels, as > there are spoilers for most of them below. > > > > > > 1. Why hasn't any action been taken against Paarfi > by the Empire for > publishing to the masses how to defeat the Orb? Possibly the Lords of Judgement made some changes to the Orb when it was in the Paths of the Dead that make this option worthless now. Then again, maybe the Orb is at least partially sentient itself (similar to a Great Weapon but intended for a larger purpose) and can learn from its mistakes in the past. This would mean that Mario was the first person to think of doing this. However, probably not many people through the history of the Empire wanted to take a chance in harming the Orb (and their reasoning seems good). > > 2. Should Vlad be insulted that the Imperial Title > he was granted in > "Phoenix" was for Szurke, which means "commonplace" > or "drab" in > Hungar--err, I mean, Fenarian? > No, I'm sure he realizes it's just the name of the lake. Unless he finds the Empress renamed it for him... > > 3. Why does Noish-pa revere Verra, the goddess of > Elder Sorcery, instead of > her sister Moranthe, the goddess of Witchcraft? > Verra seems to take a greater interest in Fenario than her sisters, possibly from some events far in the past. Even people who don't use witchcraft or sorcery worship Verra (such as the former King of Fenario). I don't think there's a requirement to worship the god of what you do for a living. And when did he become a witch anyway? Maybe he was worshiping her for years before he could get a better deal from Moranthe. > > 4. When the Empire was founded, Kieron was, well, > Kieron, Vlad was Dolivar, > have had a sex change, so was Aliera Drien? > Maybe, but it seems pretty misleading to refer to Drien as a contemporary if gya was really a sibling. Then again, Vlad has heard plenty of misleading statements. In this case there shouldn't be any intention to mislead him since the information should be fairly easy to find. > > 5. Maybe you all can help me out with my mapping > project. On page 290 of > Teldra: Perhaps fifty leagues from Covered Springs, > in the southwest corner. > > In the southwest corner? What the heck does that > mean? Is this just Paarfi > not, then in the southwest corner of _what_? I think he means from the village at the southwest corner of Southmoor (the closest point to Adrilanka). > 6. Is Grita Ibronka's (much) older sister? Consider I think she definitely is. > > 8. On pages 141 and 142 of "Issola," Vlad turns to > take a step towards > Aliera and Morrolan, who have just appeared in his > Jenoine prison. As he > begins his step, he suddenly has a "mystical > experience". > > > Is that the same as "being in two places at the same > time," which Sethra > explained is what makes a god a god? Is Vlad a god, > or was he a god for > that single step? He appears to have had three > distinct experiences > simultaneously. Maybe this is a pre-Godslayer hint > at HOW Godslayer can > kill a god (by making its user a god, in at least > some sense). > I don't think he's even partially a god. I'm fairly sure that gods have to be able to control when they're in several places at once using their accumulated skills and abilities. He probably wasn't really in several places, either. I think that the Jenoine are psychically or technologically (or both) studying him and his abilities as a witch and sorceror are mixing with his bond to his familiar and his link to Spellbreaker. This causes him to notice their interest at the same time one link is suppressed (to Loiosh) and one is increased (to Spellbreaker). This causes him to have three chains of experience at once, most very confusing, and he loses consciousness. > > 9. During Teckla Reigns, the Empire is referred to > as a Republic (search for > Has she forgotten the Teckla Republics? Or is that > what she's referring to > by "another time and another place" "in ten thousand > years, or a hundred > thousand"? The "another place" makes me think she The Teckla Republic is just one reign in the cycle. It comes to an end within a preestablished framework. I agree that Kelly is hoping to end the cycle so no other House of nobles will ever gain control again and the populous masses (Teckla) will have control by reason of numbers and place in society. > > 11. Having recently watched the first four seasons > of "The Sopranos" > back-to-back-to-back-to-back, as it were, I find > myself wondering: Where > are the strip clubs in Adrilankha? Maybe strip > clubs only exist where > looking is legal, but touching is not, and in places > where touching is > legal, why would you pay just to look? > Well, this could very well be the reason. Then again, you could just as well say "where are the belly dancers, the snake charmers, the gladiatorial combat?" The entertainments favored by a culture can differ based on historical events. If no one thinks of doing something, it won't be around even if it would be popular. Just think about yo-yos. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Get better spam protection with Yahoo! 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