Howard Brazee wrote: > > Stephen Shafer wrote: > > >> > >> So maybe Kragar is full Dragon, but so dangerous to a primarily military > >> house like the Dragons (given that he's good enough at getting things done > >> to be promoted, but absolutely horrible at being in charge), that he'd get > >> kicked out? > >> > >> Not to be contrary, but I doubt that Kragar's reason for being kicked out > >of the house has to do with his ability to command. Why wouldn't they just > >demote him? I would guess that he committed a crime or deed outside of > >battle (read assassination or some other improper Dragon act) that got him > >booted from the house. > > > > > What is a demoted Dragon Lord? A Dragon Commoner? Have we met such? What is an improper Dragon act, anyway? I kinda had the impression that a *proper* Dragon fights to win [1], and the honor of the House is that they win wars. Espionage just isn't much fun to a Dragon, because if done properly no one knows that you've won, right? (IANA CIA agent, but I assume that's correct)? And breaking your word is a good way to get people to distrust you, which leads to them preferring an enemy to you when it comes to alliance - and Dragons have noticed that it's much easier to win with a bigger army. Similarly, Dragons want to be Warlords because that's the best way to show that you can win wars publically. The e'Lanyas were Dragon Heirs because the e'Lanyas were notoriously good tacticians (or at least that's the thing Sethra finds worthy of mention regarding e'Lanyas, rather than that e'Lanyas are notoriously *honorable*). And at least one Dragon was willing to enlist a Jhereg in his army, and not for his skill in charging the enemy head-on. Similarly, Kieron was willing to use Dolivar's scum to do the scouting, etc. OTOH, Kieron got killed for his fight to get the Jhereg into the Cycle [2] - don't remember if itwas stated that the Dragons did it, or some other tribe. [1] As opposed the Dzur, who apparently fight because they want to be heroes, and dying in a good cause is as good as winning it. [2] I think the Jhereg being part of the Cycle would be an argument against the theory that the Jenoine created the Cycle when they created the Houses. - Or, hm, have we ever heard anything about Serioli gods? KAren