On Thu, 3 Jun 2004, trevor laughlin wrote: > > > has.. but he's not immune. And, if *I* were the > > Demon.. once I found out > > > he's immune to direct attacks, Noish-pa, Loiosh, > > Rocza and Cawti..among > > > others.. would become the new targets. They DON'T > > have GW's and the best > > > way to punish Vlad is to make him live with the > > knowledge that his beloveds > > > are gone.. > > > If I'm the Demon, my strategy for dealing with Vlad > > and LT is to leave him > > alone. I don't see that putting down a squealer is > > worth mixing it up > > with someone who has a Great Weapon, or worse, > > inspiring a white-hot rage > > of vengeance in someone who has a Great Weapon. > > Well, let's think of other things here though. Don't > forget this ain't about being the Demon, it's "the > Organization" we're dealing with now, not just an act > of vengeance. Right. If it was about the Demon, he'd have no reason to go after Vlad at all. Vlad took out someone who was quite possibly a rival and the Demon is plently smart enough to make sure Boralinoi was succeeded by someone who would fit the Demon's plans. > As much as the organization would like to supercede > its own authority, it has rules - like the not at home > and no family rules. Now,... I can't remember if it > broke the "not at home" rule BUT, I don't think it's > hit family side. I don't think there's an explicit rule for going after stool pigeons. Sure, it's good business, but that doesn't make it a rule. > IF the organization starts breaking it's own rules, > then you have a loosening of the command structure and > then everyone and their uncle will start breaking the > rules which will ultimately work against the house and > the head of the house and its structure. I don't see it. Generally, the rules and customs of the Jhereg are enforced very simply. You break a big one, you die. Yes, Vlad broke a big rule and he hasn't died yet, but I guarantee that knownig that if you manage to acquire a Great Weapon, you can go to the Empire and live isn't going to start a wave of people talking to the Empire. > We know the Demon has been willing to risk and > inter-house war before with Mellar. But even then that > was only with great reluctance. There is precedent > that states Vlad must be handled. I disagree. What Mellar did was different. The Demon said it was different. It was the one, specific thing that could cripple the House for all time. Let a House of crooks know that the House's Treasury can be had, and you're done. Forever. Let the same House that someone managed to survive after talking to the Empire and... nothing changes. After all, Jhereg squealed long before Vlad got away with it, and they'll do it long after he's dead and gone. Of course, the person who played the Demon just told us what he would do, which is a much more elegant solution anyway. -Dennis