(urth) Agia/Hypogeon

[b sharp]

Thalassocrat writes:

>"Hypogeon" presumably means something like "the one under the earth", and 
>this neatly ties in to >the man-ape cave scene and the being the Claw 
>disturbs there - my guess is that Agia worships >this being, and knows 
>about the cave because of that.

>A suprising thing about Agia is that she cares about religion. She's the 
>one who tutors Sev in the >history of the Claw and the Pelerines; she 
>understands that the Conciliator is the "master of Power" and may transcend 
>time; she knows that a particular building is the "mensal of the >monachs"; 
>when Sev fils to die in the avern combat, she shouts, "Sacrilege!"  This 
>last reminds me >of Jonah's description of the notules; used on some far 
>distant world for ritual murders - perhaps >the averns have a similar 
>story, and Hethor is Agia's and Agilus' tutor in devil-thing-worship?

I really think you are onto something here.  I've always thought her yelling 
"Sacrilege!" was very meaningful.  As though death by avern was a holy 
(unholy) event. Her coin scratched devil symbol has been mentioned numerous 
times in the past.  Her use of a lucivee weapon, almost identical (I think 
it is in fact, identical and part of a Wolfe literary deception)  to the 
jungle sorcerers' claws, ties her to them.

Agia is familiar with the cave but also very familiar with the Botanic 
Gardens. Who built them and who planted the averns (to keep out 
manatees/undines...hmm..)?  Who put the treasure in the cave and set the 
man-apes to guard it?  Who is having these perversions of human+beasts guard 
the Nessus wall and the gold carriage at Orithyea? Who is this devilish 
leader who has inspired a cult to prevent the coming of the New Sun?

I cannot answer on the grounds that I am accused of obsession ;-).  And 
dammit, as I wrote this I realized Father Inire probably makes another 
appearance I hadn't thought of before.  This SUCKS!

-bsharp