(urth) Dr. Talos

[b sharp]

Dan'l says:

>Occurs to me: are Vodalus and the Doctor the only people in the Book with 
>cane-swords? And >does this imply a connection I'm not seeing?

A cane-sword seems like a unique enough item to merit some sort of 
connection but I don't see it either.  Talos acquires his gold headed cane 
as a "dropsie" after one of Baldanders' scary rampages during the play.  A 
nervous exultant in the audience?  Hard to believe it is Vodalus.

Also, Talos loves whacking the heads off flowers with his cane.  What's up 
with that?  And what's up with him in general?  A homunculus?  Name from a 
mythical bronze man?  Hot dry skin.  No sex, sleep or food needed?  He seems 
to understand Urth to Ushas better than anyone else.  How does he know about 
the woman on the Path of Air?  Why do F, B and O befuddle and anger him?  Is 
he (as I see the 5 coffin mausoleum) a literary insertion (fun with 
Frankenstein) not an integral part of the plot?
Anyone have any insight here?

-bsharp