MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2312 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: ML: genes and Burning Brightly spoiler by Liz Hoffman 2) Answer to the Talia as Sunpriest and BURNING SPOILERS by "Hill, Susan" 3) Companions to Choose and Not to Choose - BURNING SPOILERS by "Hill, Susan" 4) Re: Answer to the Talia as Sunpriest and BURNING SPOILERS by XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com 5) Re: Companions to Choose and Not to Choose - BURNING SPOILERS by XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com 6) Re: Genetics and Magic by winged_wolf-+AT+-juno.com 7) Re: Darkwind and Companions by Malkav18-+AT+-aol.com 8) Re: Genetics and Magic by Nicole Fletcher 9) RE: Companions to Choose and Not to Choose - BURNING SPOILERS by "L.E. Hales" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 16:03:02 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) From: Liz Hoffman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ML: genes and Burning Brightly spoiler Message-ID: 'scuse the long quote, just thought I'd clear up the recessive gene confusion in as few words as poss. > Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 16:19:50 EDT > From: PunkadeIik-+AT+-aol.com . This wouldn't be totally like a > recessive gene, however, because NonGifted parents can have > a Gifted child. Maybe the concept of MageGift follows the > idea of a sex-linked or multiple-allele trait? > "Tanya Evans" > Refering to the text evd below. > Brightstar and Featherfire also had mothers that were > Taleydras. Who probably had mage potential, if not their > own fairshare of mage gifts. Let's not forget that not all > a persons genes comes from one parent, its half and half, > so the mothers of Van's various children had something to do > with it to. And honestly it doesn't seem to me that Mage > gift is a dominant trait so both parents would have to > carry it for the child to even have a chance of having the > potential. That is how recessive genes work if I remember > my biology correct, but that was so long ago... who knows. > I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. => Excluding anything on the sex chromosomes, you inherit 2 copies of every gene, one coming from each parent. Lets say a gene that decides hair colour, for the sake of the ridiculous blue or green. If blue is dominant over green you can have blue hair if you get blue from both parents or if you have blue from one and green from the other. But if your a blue/green genes (blue hair) and you have a kid with someone with blue/green genes (blue hair) you've a 1 in 4 chance of having a kid with green hair. Of course in real life blue/blue could equal blue hair, yellow/yellow yellow hair and blue/yellow green hair. The real fun is that like IQ there'd be 50 or so genes all having a small effect on how much, what type etc, but what does everyone think of an ON/OFF gene that makes the channels open naturally but could be mimicked by environment like Vanyel getting blasted open or the Hardorn earth binding. SPOILER WARNING BRIGHTLY BURNING S P O I L E R Does anyone else think that BB was more young adult suitable than the owls series. I mean schools bullying, poor discipline, parents that don't listen, career decisions etc.? Had Misty been to England when she wrote it? Because the whole sixth form = 16 - 18 and all the rest is the senior school system I went through and the guild school system is how a lot of the older UK schools started. Must say my school was nicer than that, not difficult I guess. ---------------------- Liz Hoffman E.G.Hoffman-+AT+-soton.ac.uk ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 09:35:57 -0700 From: "Hill, Susan" To: "'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" Subject: Answer to the Talia as Sunpriest and BURNING SPOILERS Message-ID: <872A9D7CC09CD11188CE00805FBB042E05BFFC76-+AT+-emswwc7.weyer.com> > > Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Talia made > > a priestess of the Karsite religion? I'm sure that that > > She certainly was...however, I think it was more of a political move > than anything else. Just a kind of friendly public-relations type deal > to demonstrate the new 'spirit of cooperation'...heh. They didn't really > Actually, I disagree with this one - I think we ALL know now that Solaris is a real Son of the Sun, that the rites to make Talia a priest were not only Legit, but probably she had to pass some sort of "deity stamp o' approval." Which would indicate that at some point she would be asked (or was asked) to officiate in said role. No rubber stamping with an *active* deity. I think Talia was unique for this role (in the PR respects) because A: She was Queen's Own, the highest non-royal Herald in Valdemar, AND (most importantly!!!) she was Holderkin and therefore familiar with, if not raised practicing religion very similar to the Karsites. Yeah, she helped cement the public image in Karse of "white demons aren't demons, they are stamped approved by the Sun God." But I don't think they would have done it with any other Herald - it just happened that Talia was a perfect fit for the role because she was Holderkin and high ranking (and female to boot.) OKAY Now for Brightly Burning speculations - I just finished the book this weekend, and need to ask some of yall folk some ideas.... So without further ado, here's your spoiler space. Okay... The whole time I am reading this I am wondering - WHO are these two? There's a reference in the book (I'll go back and find it ) about unrealized potential or something like things left undone with reference to Lan and Companion. But knowing what we know about Misty's sense of reincarnation humor, I can't help wondering who these two are? A lifebonded couple that something awful happened to? If it hadn't been for Stef being reincarnated from 'Lendel, I would have SWORN that Lan and Companion (brain fart on the name) were Lendel and Gala. Especially with all the references about those two - first time we've seen Lendel's name in print as a Herald and not simply "Gala repudiated her chosen." And WOW Pol was holding Gala responsible for not intervening in Lendel's mental crisis. Talk about a turn there! Misty stunned me again. And WOW again - Rolan!!! So we see he's been around for like YEARS. Misty is so slick. Makes me wonder what happened to Taver - Van talked about Jisa likely being choosen by Taver after Sharvi dies. Interesting. And I liked the whole focus on lifebonding and unrequited love there. It really provides insight and I think it helped show Misty's broading the different types of love and maturing that really helped make this book different from the rest. Okay. 'Nough said for now. Warm fuzzy sheep free wool hugs to you all. Suzi ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 09:56:47 -0700 From: "Hill, Susan" To: "'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" Subject: Companions to Choose and Not to Choose - BURNING SPOILERS Message-ID: <872A9D7CC09CD11188CE00805FBB042E05BFFC77-+AT+-emswwc7.weyer.com> Okay, In BB, there is some significant discussion on the Companion's perspective of Choosing. SPOILERS for those who are paying attention to that kind of thing.... I need to reread the book, but basically its this: Companions get an "inkling" or a "calling" and show up at the barn to get tacked up and 'go a 'Choosing" - and yeah, they sometimes make a mistake - "false calls" or something, so they are definitely fallible. But they never know when its their time until its their time. But I thought it was interesting that when Pol talks about his gifts and how they call to one another, it seems that as soon as a gift starts to manifest, provided its not Healing, or Bardic, the companions show up. Okay, if you are going to respond to this email, make sure you cut everything BB related and just leave this question (to nix the spoiler warning need): So the question becomes - does having a non-Healing, non-Bardic gift in significant measure guarantee a Companion in one's future? Can any one provide text ev for this - namely of a Valdemarian with a gift (non weather witching or hedge wizard) that does NOT get chosen? And does this seem to conclude than non-heraldic people with gifts (other than Healers and Bards) don't live in Valdemar? -Suz ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 17:14:25 EDT From: XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Answer to the Talia as Sunpriest and BURNING SPOILERS Message-ID: <1e.5eac975.2666dab1-+AT+-aol.com> In a message dated 5/31/00 12:38:55 PM Central Daylight Time, susan.hill-+AT+-weyerhaeuser.com writes: << The whole time I am reading this I am wondering - WHO are these two? There's a reference in the book (I'll go back and find it ) about unrealized potential or something like things left undone with reference to Lan and Companion. But knowing what we know about Misty's sense of reincarnation humor, I can't help wondering who these two are? A lifebonded couple that something awful happened to? If it hadn't been for Stef being reincarnated from 'Lendel, I would have SWORN that Lan and Companion (brain fart on the name) were Lendel and Gala. Especially with all the references about those two - first time we've seen Lendel's name in print as a Herald and not simply "Gala repudiated her chosen." And WOW Pol was holding Gala responsible for not intervening in Lendel's mental crisis. Talk about a turn there! Misty stunned me again. And WOW again - Rolan!!! So we see he's been around for like YEARS. Misty is so slick. Makes me wonder what happened to Taver - Van talked about Jisa likely being choosen by Taver after Sharvi dies. Interesting. And I liked the whole focus on lifebonding and unrequited love there. It really provides insight and I think it helped show Misty's broading the different types of love and maturing that really helped make this book different from the rest. Okay. 'Nough said for now. Warm fuzzy sheep free wool hugs to you all. Suzi >> I just got done reading BB to. and will I loved it. IT was every good. It was almost like looking at Van again all but he was teasted at shcool instand of at home. Wicth I can relate to. IT was a every good peace of work as suzi has said I think everyone should read it ::Grins:: Shadow ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 17:21:04 EDT From: XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions to Choose and Not to Choose - BURNING SPOILERS Message-ID: <26.65bfa56.2666dc40-+AT+-aol.com> In a message dated 5/31/00 12:09:15 PM Central Daylight Time, susan.hill-+AT+-weyerhaeuser.com writes: << I need to reread the book, but basically its this: Companions get an "inkling" or a "calling" and show up at the barn to get tacked up and 'go a 'Choosing" - and yeah, they sometimes make a mistake - "false calls" or something, so they are definitely fallible. But they never know when its their time until its their time. >> I was thinking that the False calls where when something was about to happen to the choses to bring about the gifts on, other then definitely fallible. So the question becomes - does having a non-Healing, non-Bardic gift in significant measure guarantee a Companion in one's future? NO because in the book swords of ice there is a tail in it about vanyel and a lover. The lover had the gifts but he was only a groud in the army. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 14:12:57 -0600 From: winged_wolf-+AT+-juno.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Genetics and Magic Message-ID: <20000531.152517.-382035.10.Winged_Wolf-+AT+-juno.com> On Tue, 30 May 2000 19:46:45 +0100 (BST) kat1-+AT+-austin.rr.com writes: > > Hi... I just wanted to point out something that might be > obvious, > but I can't remember Van's lineage. > > Someone mentioned that Vanyel and his descendants were > prone to having Mage Gifts; and that his entire family are pretty > much the only ones who actually have the Gift in Valdemar. Does > this mean that Van could be a descendant of Urtho or even Ma'ar? > And if so, does that mean Urtho and Ma'ar were relations as well? > Perhaps only descendants of one person or family have the Mage > Gift. Maybe it's even just because of a certain gene pattern > appearing only in a certain.. erm.. subset? of the human race. There are zillions of mages outside of Valdemar, including in Rethwellen, The Empire, and various other outlying countries. --Winged Wolf http://www.crosswinds.net/~wingedwolf/index.html "Pardon me while I burst into flames...I've had enough of the world and its' peoples' mindless games. So pardon me while I burn, and rise above the flame, pardon me, pardon me...don't ever be the same..." --Incubus ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 20:07:40 EDT From: Malkav18-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Darkwind and Companions Message-ID: <3f.57d2f07.2667034c-+AT+-aol.com> I think taladreas (sp?) aren't chosen because they have bond birds... don't you think that two mindspeaking animals would be hard to keep up with? and anyway... heralds work for valdemar so being chosen would hinder his duties as a teladreas (sp?)... ~Blondie Ke'chara... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 21:21:17 -0600 From: Nicole Fletcher To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Genetics and Magic Message-ID: <3935D6AD.76D1FC76-+AT+-telusplanet.net> "Heyla Listsibs!"

"Um, just to clear this up about the whole Vanyel descending from Urtho or Ma'ar thing.  Didn't Skan say something about Ma'ar taking special joy in torturing and killing gryphons because Urtho thought of them as his children because he had none of his own?  If this is true and the theory of Vanyel descending from one of them is true wouldn't that make him one of  Ma'ar's decedents?!  Sorry, I just find it kind of hard to believe that  Vanyel could be one of Ma'ar's descendants.  Sorry it's just the whole 'The sins of the fathers will be taken up by their sons' thing that makes it kind of hard to believe.  Besides that, I think Vanyel was too just plain good to be descended from a scum bag like Ma'ar.  Besides, in the MWars books she says (in at least the last two) that there were other, lesser Mages involved in the Wars (ie. Snowstar), maybe he's decended from one of them."

"Oh well, here's where my mind  runs-out....."

~Nicole Chosen of Companion D'faindes   ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 23:14:59 -0700 From: "L.E. Hales" To: Subject: RE: Companions to Choose and Not to Choose - BURNING SPOILERS Message-ID: >>>>So the question becomes - does having a non-Healing, non-Bardic gift in significant measure guarantee a Companion in one's future? I would say no also. Heralds have other traits besides Gifts. I don't have text, but in the Arrows triology, personality traits such as 'heroic devotion to duty' are mentioned. There's also the matter of being "weighed and measured" by the Companions. This is obviously not only looking at Gifts, but the person themselves. If one is evil, but has a Gift, that person won't be Chosen. wintersong ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2312 **********************************