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<DIV>>In a message dated 1/3/2005 7:22:55 AM Eastern Standard Time, </DIV>
<DIV>> abollen@internode.on.net writes:</DIV>
<DIV><BR>> When Able delivers the message to Arnthor, the first part is from the Aelf, <BR>> with rather naive and general adjurations towards justice and mercy. Then <BR>> Able, speaking for himself, gives practical examples of better rule - fair <BR>> taxation and self-determination. Well within the political background <BR>> knowledge of a modern American kid who listened in class!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Very nice point.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>> This might seem a bit hokey, but personally I didn't mind it. I was hoping <BR>> for more flashes of the story of the "real" Able, in our world.<BR><BR>> Questions Wizard left me with:<BR><BR>> - Who rules after Arnthor? My guess: Beel (or perhaps Idnn). There is <BR>> discussion towards the end of the book about why Gaynor, Morcaine and Marder <BR>> are all unsuitable. Beel & Idnn are close to the line of succession and it <BR>> would be a nice happy ending for Beel, to finally get what he has wanted for <BR>> so long.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Beel is only a baron, not even a duke. Wouldn't that make it hard for him to</DIV>
<DIV>claim the throne?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>How about Smiler? It seems that if he married Gaynor (or Morcaine), then he </DIV>
<DIV>would have a good claim to the throne, and his dragon soldiers would make it</DIV>
<DIV>difficult for any of the dukes to challenge him. <BR><BR>> - What did Able say to Lothur to change the "sons of the Dragon" enemies to <BR>> "Lothurling" allies? Presumably it had to do with a revelation of Able's slaying <BR>> of Grengarm (the "Dragon") and Lothur taking over the role of tutelary <BR>> deity.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I thought he rode down on Cloud, kidnapped Smiler, and threatened to kill </DIV>
<DIV>him if he didn't cooperate. There's a throwaway remark (I'd find it but I don't </DIV>
<DIV>have my copy at hand) later that made me assume this was the case. Able</DIV>
<DIV>might also have mentioned that the throne would be vacant soon, with no </DIV>
<DIV>reasonable claimants in sight, and that it might easily be gained by an</DIV>
<DIV>appropriate marriage. </DIV>
<DIV><BR>> - What did Kulili show to Able which he will only talk about with one <BR>> "greater than the Valfather"?<BR><BR>> - Like Able, I can't think of any reason why Berthold appeared as Ben when <BR>> Able wore the magic helm at the end of the story. The Valfather as bright <BR>> shadow seems more straightforward - there is one True God, and the powers <BR>> between us and Him protect us from the full glare of His love etc etc. When <BR>> Able breaks his oath and chooses Disiri over the Valfather, he is acting in <BR>> accordance with a higher will (as the Valfather recognizes).<BR><BR>> - The lowest God. Clearly he is the source of the theological inversion <BR>> poisoning the worlds, and presumably the "great secret" of the heresies is <BR>> the Highest = Lowest lie he tells Able, and the claim that God is <BR>> Janus-faced. But is he your normal fallen angel, or another kind of being; <BR>> and why does he have wounds on his back? Plucked wings?<BR><BR>> - We get creation stories down to Aelfrice, for worlds and inhabitants, but <BR>> not for Muspel and Niflheim, as I recall. Are we supposed to make up our <BR>> own? Perhaps the Dragons are discarded parts of Kulili, grown monstrous.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Good questions. I'll add one of my own. Able's mother and brother both show </DIV>
<DIV>up in Mythgarthr, but how about his father? Is there any mention of him? Has </DIV>
<DIV>he somehow been incorporated into the Valfather?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>- Stone Ox (Peter)</DIV>
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