On 6/22/06, Jon_Lincicum wrote: > "Davdi Silverrock" wrote: > > >On 6/22/06, Jon_Lincicum wrote: > > However, my case, really, is that Aliera's existence is likely to be > viewed as devine intervention, rather than as an "unfortunate who was > created due to an excess of passion or an inadequacy of protection" (to > paraphrase Paarfi regarding crossbreeds). Well, yes, that's my point. I'm not trying to say that it was asserted that Aliera was not legitimate, only that the whole business was sufficiently unusual that the Council elected to postpone *any* decision for a few centuries in order to see how Aliera turned out, and for the interim, changed who the Heir was so that there would be a clear succession to someone who was not in any way problematic. > > Also, given Verra's abilities, it's possible that Aliera's genes are, in > fact, 100% Dragon (or near enough that even the best Athyra sorcerers > cannot distinguish the difference). It occurs to me that part of her testimony might have been to mention that she assisted in the creation of Dragaerans and of the first of the House of the Dragon, in the first place. Heh. But still. Since not all of the Dragon Council would have the expertise to evaluate Verra's statements, there may well have been some who felt less than willing to commit themselves immediately. [ snip stuff about Tortaalik influencing the Dragon Council, about which I have strong doubts, but no further argument than what I have already made ] > > > However, I can't believe that there was really any other plan than > > to have Norathar's parents murdered, under cover of a battle with > > Sethra. Whatever "discrediting" was done was simply to rouse > > the e'Lanyas to get angry enough to attack Dzur Mountain. > > >Yet how could the conspirators have been certain that K'laiyer and > >Miera would declare war, rather than a personal duel with Sethra > >Lavode, or for that matter, keeping their cool and demanding a full > >investigation into the allegations? > > Because they are Dragonlords. Insufficient basis, I nearly think. As you mentioned, Norathar almost attacked Sethra Lavode immediately; why might not her parents have done the same? And arguing in the other direction: A Dragonlord who attacks recklessly will be drawn out by the first feint, and defeated. Dragons have to keep in mind tactics and strategy and goals, not to mention the feasibility of the goal. What did K'laiyer & Miera want to achieve? Well, the removal of the stain against their honor. Now, if Sethra had insulted them on her own, attacking her might have been the only option to achieve that goal. But Sethra conveyed a piece of intelligence *to* the Dragon Council *from* someone else. Even if they somehow had defeated Sethra, that still leaves the Council, who may well have thought that the problem of legitimacy needed to be investigated *anyway* (which would probably have had the effect of removing K'laiyer as the Heir), and more importantly, it leaves the one or ones who gave Sethra the information in the first place which she brought to the Council. Cooler-headed Dragons might have seen that they were being attacked *through* Sethra Lavode, not by Sethra Lavode, and worked to find out who the real enemy was, making the investigation into the truth, and the defense of the truth, their own personal war. > >I suspect that the SiG may have used her sneaky Yendi manipulation > >skills to goad and insult K'laiyer into intemperate action, perhaps by > >intercepting messengers and rewriting their messages. > > Possible, but I doubt it was needed. Remember how Norathar reacted when > she found out Sethra was the one who made the accusation? A Dragon to the > core. Yes - and recall that Norathar was talked out of seeking immediate revenge. Given time for the immediate rage to subside, the next step is to figure out what is really going on. Wars are won not just by attacking, but by figuring out who to attack, and how to attack them.