On 2/2/06, Scott Schultz <scott at cjhunter.com> wrote: > > > If Vlad had the vial with him at the time, or Verra had been speaking to > Vlad, I'd buy into that idea more easily. As it happens, it was Aliera who > demanded an explanation for why Morollan had to stay, and Verra's reaction > was "I don't owe you an explanation." It was only Aliera's status as her > daughter that caused her to reconsider and answer her. Verra's only words > addressed to Vlad were "Don't come back." I still think that a hint for Vlad's ears might have been a possible intention, although there the question arises, do the gods have any *control* over what their listeners hear? If they do, then why would Verra give away to Vlad something that might be considered a divine secret? > If that's a hint, it's a pretty round-about way to give one. Well, exactly. No-one is saying that it was a heavy-handed hint. > As far as Verra was concerned, Morollan was there for good. Not necessarily. Recall her words about Morrolan becoming an undead. If Vlad had not done the teleport trick, Morrolan might have been allowed to leave that way, perhaps after some more bickering and/or dickering with the gods > Rather than > supposing that Verra set Vlad up to rescue Morollan, I'd be more inclined to > believe that Vlad's rescue of him (combined with negotiating the Paths at > his side in the first place) was what brought him to her attention. Before > that he was just a member of a semi-devout family of her worshippers. After > that, he became "useful". And that, too, is a valid interpretation. After all, multiple possibilites for interpretation is why there is discussion in the first place.