(urth) TWK: The Aelf dilemma

[transentient]

On Dec 6 2005, at 2:45 PM, Roy C. Lackey wrote:

> Chris wrote:
>> Something happened, though, when Able "promoted" Disiri. She  
>> attained a
> sort
>> of reality she did not have before. There is not direct statement  
>> along the
>> lines that she had gained a soul, but it isn't unreasonable to  
>> infer this,
>> especially since Michael does allow that Disiri can come with him  
>> on his
>> next assignment.
>
> I've said as much, twice, including the first post in this thread. But
> Disiri's lot is unique; the rest of the Aelf remain soulless. Her  
> uniqueness
> is furthered by the fact that Able was not simply a human god with  
> respect
> to an Aelf, as Toug was to Baki; he was two levels above her. It's  
> unclear
> how much or whether or not that was a determining factor. After  
> all, that
> was not the first time Able had given her his blood. But he had  
> been a mere
> human when he did it the first time, just as Toug was with Baki. On  
> neither
> of those occasions did the recipient gain a human soul.
>
> If it is objected that the *quantity* of blood given on those two  
> occasions
> was insufficient to confer humanity, then the entire concept begins to
> become absurd. Is a pint enough? A quart? Toug gave Baki a full  
> drinking
> cup. It healed her, but didn't give her a soul. Why not, if blood  
> is all it
> took?

Also, what are the implications of the "up-giving" of blood? It is  
clear that, for a human, the blood of an Aelf has terrific healing  
properties. But both Baki and Uri were so eager to have Able drink  
from them that it must confer some desirable benefit to the Aelf as  
well. My guess was that it served to bind the human to them somehow,  
but I don't think I saw any clear evidence that Able was compelled to  
do anything for Baki.