On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 07:56:03 -0500, Ken Koester <kkoester at email.ers.usda.gov> wrote: > Since they've already gone after Morollan once, even though he's had > Blackwand for 200+ years or so, that argues that either they (House > Jhereg) don't really know what a GW is, or they discount what it can do > (ie, they do not excessively fear it), or that it is *not* easy to > recognize what is and what isn't a GW. Any of these mean that Lady T. > cannot be counted on to cause the Council to back off in the slightest. Aside: I believe that Vlad recognizes Morrolan's weapon as being more than Morganti, "one of the Seventeen," the first time Morrolan draws it in Taltos. Although that could be for plot convenience/exegesis. > As for assassination attempts, yeah, they'd have to be successful ones, > and that would be tough: Vlad is a former professional with quick > reflexes, and he has eyes in the back of his head, in effect, or > overhead if you want to be technical (-: An unsuccessful attempt will > not leave anyone in any condition to tell the Council about Lady T. Anyone can be assassinated. Melestav would have gotten him if not for Kragar's weird ability, and Quaysh might have gotten him if not for Ishtvan. Cawti *did* get him, even with Morrolan and Aliera screaming to the rescue. Loraan's people nearly got him a couple of times too. I don't think killing Vlad would be that impossible if he makes himself findable. > I do see an interesting situation if Vlad stays in Adrilankha or "goes > public" as it were: pressure on Kiera. ("You know that Easterner you > used to hang out with? Well, he's been spotted in Lower Kieron Street > last night. Sure you don't know anything about it? What can you tell > us, eh?") I haven't seen enough Council handiwork to know exacly what > they would do--I spell my name S-n-a-r-k-h-u-n-t-e-r, not S-t-e-v-e--but > I think it would make for an interesting storyline & even more > interesting choices for Kiera & her secrets. Hmmm. Maybe you'd better expound more on exactly what kind of pressure Kierra would be under--I'm not seeing her do anything but shrug and convey ignorance. No real moral dilemma here--it's not like she's an assassin they're trying to hire--except that she hates lying to friends. Max Wilson -- something funny