Hrmmph. I ain't buyin' all of it, and some of it has been said before, but it's easily your most cogent post to date. Well done! What about Becan on the Rudesind/Fechin angle? And you do know that Dorcas' husband was present when Severian was saved from drowning at the beginning of SHADOW? I never did trust that girl. Am I helping, or giving you more rope? <g> -Roy