> My other question pertains to a contradiction between > Taltos and Paths of the Dead (not about the actual > Paths, of course! I understand those change :) so I > will add the spoiler space in here: > > D > E > A > T > H > (S?) > G > A > T > E > > F > A > L > L > S > In rereading Taltos, I came across an interesting > glitch in Morrolan's history. On page 98 of the > paperback, he tells Vlad, "As you approach Greymist > Valley, sorcery becomes difficult. From the time you > reach Deathgate, it is impossible.... I was at the top > of the falls with Zerika, holding off some local > brigands while she made her descent. If I could have > used sorcery, I would have." > In the first place, she didn't so much "make her > descent" as take a flying leap > In the second place, Morrolan wasn't there. > Did Zerika, by any chance, descend the falls twice, > with brigands at her heels both times, and Morrolan > present on the second occasion? > In the third place, and perhaps this lends credence to > the idea that Morrolan was lying to Vlad to prove his > point, how would Morrolan have used sorcery against > the brigands even if he were at that battle? It was > the Interregnum. > ~Juliette I'd like to advance a Thought (tm). 1. The Zerika in the Paarfiad is Zerika the Fourth. Zerika the First was a contemporary of Kieron and Dolivar and Aliera's previous life as their sister, and was the first Empress, I believe, and was involved in the creation of the Orb. 2. Sethra was there with Zerika the First et al, as herself, so basically all the major players in Vlad's time existed and knew each other at the time the Empire was created, EXCEPT MORROLAN. 3. There is a conversation between the gods on pg 391 of LOCB where Keurana points out Morrolan does not have the proper bloodlines to wield Elder Sorcery (as you would expect, since he is not a descendant of Kieron). Verra responds with "As to that, we shall see." 4. We know from Jhereg that Vlad can conjure elder sorcery, even though he clearly does not have the proper bloodlines, and it is hinted that this ability is because he is the "soul brother" of Keiron. Which leads to the Thought (tm): Morrolan is the reincarnation of another contemporary of Zerika the First, a brother (or sister) to Keiron, and he helped Zerika the First get to the Paths of the Dead in this former life, and not Zerika the Fourth in his current life. Morrolan says "Zerika", Vlad assumes he is talking about Zerika IV, and we naturally agree with Vlad, thus leading to all the confusion. Anyone else think this is plausable, or have any other text references either way? Did Zerika the First ever go to the POD? In Taltos, Vlad says "no one except the Empress Zerika has emerged alive", and Sethra says "true".... that would seem to indicate I'm wrong, as my thought requires that two different Zerikas emerged alive. Or maybe Zerika the First did not return? Or Sethra forgot about one or the other? Or Zerika the Fourth _IS_ Zerika the First, and from Sethra's point of view they're one person? Anyway, just a thought. Bryan