--- Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> wrote: > > > On Wed, 24 Mar 2004, Sean Whalen wrote: > > > --- Philip Hart <philiph at slac.stanford.edu> wrote: > > > > > > > > > On Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Sean Whalen wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > 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. > > > > 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. > > > Discover what? Noima hadn't done a single > thing to make Allistar > > think his gifts or charms had any effect on her. > The complete failure > > of their plans is why Illista decided to make use > of Khaavren to give > > Noima something they knew she wanted (Kathana's > safety). At this point > > Allistar is just continuing to try to stay near > her at every opportunity > > waiting for a chance to get noticed. > > Discover that Allistar was trying to gain influence > with Noima. And I > think you underestimate the possible significance of > N's accepting gifts > in private audiences as well. I'm sure Tortaalik knows some people will try to gain influence with her. He was worried that some were succeeding in too pleasant a way. Noima accepted flowers from Allistar, he came with her to the Palace Baths. This could be part of an attempted affair, but I don't think so. Allistar said the flowers had no affect on Noima. Anyone can enter the baths; all nobles at the Palace can bathe there. > > If Paarfi is concealing or changing information > to make it seem > > Noima's actual affairs never took place, why does > he have the > > conversation with Wellborn included? He could > just leave it out since > > talks between Emperor and Discrete seem unlikely > to be spread around. > > The conversation shows this is a significant issue - > that courtiers are > courting N, that she is considering those > attentions. Paarfi doesn't > dismiss the question of N's fidelity (as best I > recall) - he has an > opinion - but it hardly matters. Clearly Wellborn > is influencing T not > to become concerned about the swirl of intrigue > centered on N - advice > which _TPG_ and _FHYA_ seem almost designed to show > is extremely foolish. Wellborn realized Garland was trying to make Tortaalik think Noima was having or considering an affair (in order to remove possible threats to Seodra). Garland directed Tortaalik to see Noima with other men at times Garland calculated would appear inappropriate or make the men nervous. Since at least one man did want to have an affair with Noima and appeared nervous Tortaalik had some justification for worrying. When it kept happening and Tortaalik didn't realize he was being led to see this at appropriate times he got angry and punished Adron with no evidence. Wellborn carefully led Tortaalik to realize that being angry at the men he saw Noima with was not appropriate behavior for an Emperor to engage in with his advisors and allies. > He might be able to use that position because his > actions accord > with N's wishes. N/J may in the eyes of the court > be a mutually > supporting couple, their strengths merged. A > physical intimacy > would only serve to reinforce the dyad. Maybe. > > Illista and Allistar begin their plan before > Tortaalik even ends his > > celebration. How would they know how much power > Noima would have or > > keep for any time? I think the risk of > maintaining an affair is too > > great. Removing Tortaalik would be a logical next > step and they had the > > perfect time at the beginning of his reign. > > The new court doesn't arise full-grown from ashes. > A/I know T/N very > well. We see complex webs on intrigue well > underway, affairs of which T > seems uninformed, and he is happy in his ignorance. > I hardly think > that the situation is clear enough to undertake so > delicate an operation > as a coup, and I see no evidence that such an action > could succeed. A lot of the Court is new. New Emperor, Consort, Discrete, some advisors, favorite. Maybe even Warlord and Court Wizard were new. Illista doesn't need to plan a coup. Just a failure when Tortaalik is new to power could make him resign. Don't you think Tortaalik is foolish? He focuses on diamonds in Sandyhome (he's need to fight a war with EAsterners there to get them). He fails to appoint a Marquis of the Pepperfields when it's in danger of Eastern attack (and this does happen). He can't resolve the problems with Kathana's arrest. He apparently can't even stop his Consort from exerting huge influence over the Court. If she's so powerful and her lovers are never caught why wouldn't one of the lovers think she could get Tortaalik removed? Noima could know everything going on and tell Allistar just what to do to disrupt Tortaalik's plans enough to make his reign a disaster. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html