And this is why Vlad speaks to philosophers and sometimes kills them (_Athyra_, when Vlad converses with Svan) ;o) **not meant to be an insult...I found it all very interesting** -C In a message dated 1/27/2005 7:07:46 AM Eastern Standard Time, "J C" <greyw01f at hotmail.com> writes: >With regards to keeping one's soul in a box, as per the Teckla: > >We know that in the field of necromancy, there is one demon who reigns above >them all. That would, of course, be, The Necromancer. And she is skilled >beyond belief because she has Mastered x of the y gates or planes (where x= >6 and y=7, I think). > >The point is, necromancy deals with more than death and the unliving, though >it's a major component. Necromancy is more a study of existence on other >planes. > >A necromancer's box, then, is likely a spell that transports the soul to a >different plane, but leaves a nice little doorway back to the one in which >the body exists. > >However, it won't help the body from being killed--but it will allow the >awareness from that body to traverse along the pathways between the planes >to get to where the soul is. Home is where the heart is, until it gets hit >with a broadsword. Then it's anybody's guess. > >Further proof for this theory is seen rather unequivocably in _Issola_ which >deals almost entirely with traversing the planes between the worlds. Note >how the Necromancer is the key player in the endgame scenario. > >So it's a question of how many gates Loraan has mastered. I would imagine >that it was just the one, or maybe even two. This is in itself a very >impressive feat. I don't know if even Sethra's done that, though she >probably has. At the very least, she has a working understanding of >necromancy. > >We know that one of these planes is where the soul goes after the body dies >(usually as a result of non-morganti, non-necromantically-protected deaths). > In fact, there could be many of these planes where the soul goes after >bodydeath. (side note: I love fantasy/science fiction because it allows for >such cool new terms as "bodydeath".) > >We know that Dragaeran souls are fettered to the Halls of Judgement, which >fettering grants the gods a good portion of their power. This may be a >direct or indirect result of the fact that these souls recycle to Dragaera >whereon lies a vast sea of Chaos, and thus grant the Lords of Judgement some >control (heh) over the Sea. Other power providers can be gotten from the >natives of the world; the Easterners and the Serioli. Well, we know the >Easterners aren't native, but I think they've been there long enough to have >their souls fettered to the planet itself, as opposed to the soul of >Judgement, assuming they're fettered at all. > >Sorry for using Wraith: The Oblivion terminology, but it seems to be fitting >here. > >However, we know the Serioli to be rather reluctant worshippers of the gods, >and one might call them the makers of the party jokes that go horribly >horribly wrong (though maybe not by accident). > >Serioli: Hey cool party! >Gods: Thanks! >Serioli Smith: Hey guys wanna see a cool trick? >Gods et al: Sure! >Dragaeran: This isn't another of the kill the Gods and watch them get back >up tricks, is it? >Serioli Smith: Damnit! Stop ruining my tricks! >Gods et al: (divinely bored) Show us anyway! >Serioli Smith: In my land, we call this a "Remover of the aspects of >Divinity" >God of Hard-hearing or God of Misfortune: What was that last >bi---ARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH >Serioli Smith: Oh my god I thought the name was a joke!! *chuckles inwardly* >Other Gods: Man, that was seriously not cool. Well, maybe a little.... > > >Anyway... > >So anyway, my point was somewhere back in the above letter. I think. But >in summary, the necromantic planes are alternative means of reality. Not >sources or places of reality, but means to reality. Some of them seem to >act rather like the fourth dimension might, for instance. > >But I'll leave you guys to read Stephen Hawking while you ponder replies to >this. > >Jon > > >