At 11:29 PM 6/17/02 EDT, Starshadw at aol.com wrote: >In a message dated 6/17/2002 1:35:25 PM Mountain Daylight Time, dd-b at dd-b.net >writes: > > >> Khaavren is heading to Dragaera city to join the Phoenix guard, even >> though he's not a Phoenix (and he expects to find many Dragons in the >> guard, too). But there's a reference specifically to the *wizards* of >> the Athyra Guard, in the recent past. I note that doesn't say they're >> all *Athyra* wizards, though; I guess it's just noting the degree of >> stylistic differences imposed on various parts of the empire when the >> cycle turns. >> > >Actually, I think in this particular case, the reference may very well be to >only Athyra. I say that because the fist mention of them says they have >recently "retired" because of the Cycle change. Later on, Khaavren sees one >of these fellows in the inn, and then a little later we get a clue as to the >real reason he expected there will be open slots in the Guard - it's the >reign of the Phoenix. Since Phoenix is the smallest House, they do not have >enough of their own to burgeon the ranks of the Guard, so it is a perfect >opportunity for people to try and join up. > >I seem to remember a reference somewhere in books that states the Imperial >Guard majority belong to the House currently in power. Which may be why, >when the Cycle shifts to Phoenix, the Athyra wizards find themselves >"retired." Kinda makes sense - no Emperor or Empress would want to keep >guards from a reign they just toppled, no matter how "peaceful." I was unable to find the reference in TPG, but I was under the impression that during the reign of Athyra, the Guards were required to be trained in magic. This makes a certain amount of sense, since the House of Athyra seems to specialize in magic, and they would certainly favor guards with magical skill. I would guess the reigning house influences the composition and training of the Imperial Guards to a large extent. (We can all imagine what the guard would be like under a Jhereg emperor, for example....) When the dynasty changed over, the Phoenix Emperor wouldn't have as much need or interest in sorceror guards, so fallen nobles like Khaavren were full welcome to join. >I find the use of the word "wizard" interesting. We are told that bandits >and highwaymen sometimes "brave the wizards of the Athyra Guard, just lately >retired..." which indicates to me that they have become something akin to >bounty hunters? Did anyone else get that impression? Not so much bounty hunters... I got the impression the Athyra Guard was just enforcing the law along the roads, possibly the White Sash Battalion, as they were both more numerous and more geared toward policing duties. Maybe the Athyra Emperor wanted to keep the roads relatively safe for commerce etc. >And does this really tell us what the heck a "wizard" really is, or what >exactly the branch of magic called "wizardry" entails? Vlad famously says that wizards are "like sorcerors, only more so". Morollan is a wizard--according to _Issola_ he is the Court Wizard (an imperial office). Apparently, wizards have staffs, which are occasionally invisible. I vaguely recall something that stated wizards store their souls in their staves. At any rate, Morollan says he never goes anywhere without his stave. Or, I could just be experiencing a massive hallucination. > >Stacy > -- m e e r s a n - - -a t- - - a s t o u n d d o t - n e t