On Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Sean Whalen wrote: > > --- Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> wrote: > > > > > > On Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Sean Whalen wrote: > > > > > --- Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > We know from _FHYA_ that several courtiers ran > > the > > > > same risk successfully. > > > > > > Really? What did they get out of it? > > > > Jurabin may have gotten de facto control of the Empire. Shaltre > > probably got some influence. Adron got who-knows-what. Note that > > Cousin Allistar survived his brush with discovery - see pg 225 of > > _TPG_. > > Huh? Nothing was discovered. Tortaalik was suspicious when he saw > Allistar and Noima together (because of Garland's manipulations to > remove others with influence) but had no proof. Later he felt guilty > and thought he may have acted harshly for no reason. We know from > Illista's conversation with Allistar (overheard by Khaavren) that there > wasn't any affair and Noima hardly reacted to his attempts at all. If T wasn't an idiot this would have been discovery. Plus whatever Wellborn had going on (perhaps a dalliance himself) that led him to placify [coinage] T on this matter. > Jurabin got his power from being Prime Minister. I don't think any of > these people actually had affairs with Noima or tried to do so to gain > personal power. She might have flirted with them slightly to gain > attention and feel desired. There's no more proof Noima had affairs > with any of the people you name than there is that Allistar meant to > displace Tortaalik. That is, they're both speculation. I just like my > speculation better. Jurabin held the reins of power because T chose not to. Note from pg 36 of _FHYA_ (and somewhere in _TPG_) that Noima exerts a great deal of influence at court - Pel and Khaavren say she controlled it. Paarfi says that N didn't actually consummate the various affairs she was involved in. I can see him being biased, but I don't really see how it matters either way, nor do I care.