It's also possible that considering Sethra's great age, she was born before the social stigma of being a half-breed were fully developed. So, by the time Dragons and Dzur were rejecting half-breeds, Sethra was already established as a member of both. Or, alternatively, she could have suffered from the stigma, but overcame it through accomplishments. Since apparently the gods are considered part of all Houses (see: Aliera's ancestry), perhaps being offered godhood means that people aren't going to object if you want to claim two Houses. Or perhaps both -- the stigma was lesser during the founding of the Empire, and Sethra was able to overcome it through her own accomplishments. Any discrimination based on half-breed status would add a new twist to Sethra's relationship with Dolivar and the founding of House Jhereg. -- Rebecca Harbison On Oct 19, 2005, at 10:06 AM, Jose Marquez wrote: > Matthew Walsh wrote: > > >> On Oct 17, 2005, at 7:12 AM, Steven Hall wrote: >> >> >>> "Consider those you know of who were once your family, and those >>> who mattered to you in a time too faded in the mist for you to >>> imagine, much less remember. Kieron is now, and remains in the >>> Paths of the Dead awaiting his moment. I, who had some importance >>> in the tribe, am here, watching the Great Weapons, observing the >>> Jenoine, listening to the gods, and trying to see that nothing >>> upsets the balance." >>> >>> It also seems that Sethra might have been in the Tribe of the >>> Dragon, even though in Taltos Morrolan says Sethra went over >>> Deathgate as a Dzur. *shrug* >>> >> >> >> Well, we do know that it's possible to join the House of the Dzur >> by defeating 17 heroes in single combat, right? So maybe Sethra's >> genetically a Dragon but chose Dzur-dom. (Hm. Is "dual >> citizenship" -- membership in multiple Houses -- possible? Mellar >> specifically renounced his membership in the Dzur when he returned >> to the Jhereg, IIRC, and the Jhereg are sort of a special case in >> any event. Vlad's reaction in Taltos -- "I thought she was a >> Dragon" -- suggests otherwise, but this could be one of those >> things that people don't talk about... at least, not to Vlad.) >> >> If there is no dual citizenship, why might Sethra have left the >> Dragons? The Lavodes' meeting in Chapter 30, FHYA might offer a >> clue to that; one of them (Roila?) mentioned that many of the >> corps chose to join the Lavodes as a way to avoid (or escape from) >> conflicts between duty and loyalty/friendship, right? Possibly >> that's a tradition that started with their Captain, who left her >> very House as the only escape from an unwelcome conflict...? >> > > Mellar may not be the best example for determining the existence of > dual citizenship; he specifically renounced his membership in the > Dzur to return to the Jhereg all as part of his plan to embarrass > the house. If he joins the Jhereg without renouncing citizenship, > they may or may not kick him out, but after he beats their 17 > heroes, it's like he's spitting in their face to say "I'm not a > Dzur, I'm a Jhereg". > > Sethra's been described as having physical characteristics of both > Dragons and Dzur, so she may be the exception, the half-breed that > is not only tolerated but welcomed (at least before her being > undead banned her from the court, before Zerika's reign). However, > her going over the Falls as a Dzur certainly suggests that as her > "final" citizenship... > > Jose >