>> Any deterrence would seem to be more along the lines of the tacit >> deterrence against biological weapons during WWII. There were no >> official agreements to not use mustard gas made before or during WWII. >> However, all the great powers remembered how bad mustard gas >> was during WWI, and so they were content to forego the weapon as long as >> everyone else did the same. If one country had started using >> mustard gas, ALL the other countries would have begun to do so soon >> thereafter. Along the same lines, if one wizard started using pre- >> empire sorcery in battle, odds are good that every other wizard capable >> of doing so (probably a very short list) would soon be using >> pre-empire sorcery too. Individuals such as Aliera would probably still >> make it out of the battles alive, but the effects on the >> normal troops and on the landscape would be devastating. >Except that Hitler couldn't hole up in a bunker and threaten the world >with mustard gas if they didn't stop their attack. There are Dragaerans >who could make threats when cornered which could destroy the empire if >implemented. In my (admittedly limited) recollection, most dragaerans with that much power are posturing for status within the empire, not seeking to undermine or destroy it. Sethra the younger might disagree with the emporesses stance on invading the east, but SY would never destroy the orb over that disagreement (just try to change who becomes empress). When talking about tacit deterrence, I was thinking more along the lines of battles ala _Dragon_. But I am still having trouble seeing how your thoughts on the use of taboo/too dangerous magic relates to mutual assured destruction or deterrence. Your examples are akin to Russia using nukes to put down Chechen terrorists. No sane leader would ever do so because he'd be nuking his own territory (or what they claim to be their territory) and making it unlivable. I guess you just have to hope that no insane person gets nukes / a great weapon. I wonder what the great weapons would do if given the choice between destroying their world (and thus themselves) or turning against their owner.