MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2449 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Returning from a long absence by "mark the tax zombie" 2) Re: Picking and Choosing by Yvonne 3) Re: Important Non-Heralds by "Li'nia Stormdancer" 4) Re: Important Non-Heralds by HCTrek-+AT+-aol.com 5) Hello - is anyone here?? by "mark the tax zombie" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 19:50:26 -0800 From: "mark the tax zombie" To: Subject: Returning from a long absence Message-ID: <001901c04ac9$6fa462e0$7ac6e4d8-+AT+-eonet.com> Deep in a dark forgotten cobwebbed section of the library the sounds of footsteps accompanied by a low muttering can be heard. Slowly approaching the light. Finally a rather large (as in round) gray haired man can be seen shading his eyes as he once again returns to halls. The muttering finally reaches the point were it is understandable. "Dang knotheads, I wish they had come to see me before they tried that stunt! I could have told them not to do it. Would have saved them a lot of grief and they wouldn't have been audited." He wanders towards a desk in need of dusting. Mumbling to himself he grabs a tankard sitting there and goes about filling it with ice cold water. "Time to get back to work. I wonder what's been going on." And with that I do ask the question. What's going on of late? mttz ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2000 21:17:49 -0700 From: Yvonne To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Picking and Choosing Message-ID: <3A0B76ED.550D92C4-+AT+-planet.eon.net> Heya all, Layla asked: > that Healers are actually needed more than Heralds (or that the Gift is > rarer), so that someone capable of being both a Healer and a Herald would be > pushed towards being a Herald.> I would say Healer, actually. It's been a while for me but IIRC the Healers can benefit the country more as a Healer than as a Herald because their Gift is specialized. A person with telepathy or fetching could be used to send messages over a long distance, for example, but only a Healer can Heal the way they do. Many of the Herald's Gifts have a certain ammount of overlap (Mindspeach, Fetching, and Empathy could all be used for sending messages, and FarSight, and Mindspeach can be used for spying purposes) but the Healer's feild is a more specific skill, so I think if there was a person with a Healer's Gift that had the makings of a Herald, they'd become Healers because they'd be better utilized. Raven then noted: > Incidentally, ever notice that, thus far, no Tayledras or Shin'a'in has ever > been Chosen? Not even Darkwind, who's in Valdemar for the duration. I have a > couple of theories on this, the first of which being that until recently > both cultures had prior commitments to their Goddess and to the land. A second reason why no Hawkbrothers or Shin'a'in are not Chosen, is because they are already highly loyal to their own clans. They might not have, or develop, the sense of patriotic duty that the Heralds require, whereas someone from Rethwellan, or even Karse, could more easily adjust to the Valdemarian way of life, and in turn, develop that essential loyalty to the Crown. I think if a Hawkbro was Chosen, then he or she would do their duty to the best of their ability, but I think that their Clans and Goddess would always come first. Raven then added: > The second theory is that, quite simply, being both Tayledras and a Herald > would be more coolth than any one person can support. Either one's quite > sufficient. :) I agree. Too much cool and a person's head will explode. And we all know how messy that could be .... (sheesh, try getting THAT out of your Whites!) Yvonne Councilor of Mist, etc, etc, etc. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 20:38:14 -0800 (PST) From: "Li'nia Stormdancer" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Important Non-Heralds Message-ID: <20001110043814.29333.qmail-+AT+-web1205.mail.yahoo.com> Heyla List-Sibs! ========================== --- Layla Voll wrote: > I'm just curious: what important positions in > Valdemar are *not* held by > Heralds? Partly, I'm curious: if you're not > hereditary nobility, and don't > have a Healer's Gift, what options other than Herald > are open to you? As you mentioned later, the Seneschal and Lord Marshal are not Heralds, yet they are two of the most important people on the Council. Most people take what talents or interests they have, and run with it. Maybe that's why the Blues attract so many people; they want to make a difference, but really don't want to be a Herald, either. Oh, they may suffer a little from "Herald-envy", but when you get right down to it, they really want to devote their lives to their studies and/or inventions. THAT's how THEY can make people's lives better. ========================== > I guess what I've also been wondering is this: is > there a stigma about not > being Chosen? Would there still > always be a question in > the back of your mind of why you hadn't been Chosen? I think most people wonder that, although it's probably mostly people that actually know someone (friend or family member). That question may never go away, since the Companions don't say what it is they're looking for in someone, just that that person will make a good Herald. Many people know that being a Herald isn't all glory and songs; they understand that there aren't many old Heralds around for a very good reason. It was explained in one of the books (sorry, I forgot which one!) that Companions tend to Choose people who are essentially good, but are lacking something to go out and actually make a difference. For some it may be confidence, for other shyness, for others humility... who knows? These Chosen need a balance in their lives, and it's provided through their Companions. Together, they can make a difference. Other "good" people are pretty much stable, and can make a difference on their own with whatever Gifts or talents they possess. They already have what it takes to go out and help others. Am I making any sense?!? lol Death-by-chocolate sheep to all! ===== ---<---<---<----+AT+- Li'nia Stormdancer -+AT+---->--->--->--- Peon to the Powers That Be, Goddess of All Things Possessed, & Caretaker of the Arena of Discussion and Dissention __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2000 09:41:37 EST From: HCTrek-+AT+-aol.com To: Subject: Re: Important Non-Heralds Message-ID: ok.. I tried whatever someone sent before.. and the mail got returned... how do I get off this list? =/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2000 19:58:16 -0800 From: "mark the tax zombie" To: Subject: Hello - is anyone here?? Message-ID: <000d01c04b93$b4aebc80$26c6e4d8-+AT+-eonet.com> When I left this list it was a heck of a lot more active. Now I'm starting to wonder if I didn't walk into an abandoned hall. No sheep, no friendship ring, no nothing. I was wondering if the books after Owlflight were any better. Frankly I wasn't able to bring myself to finish the thing. I couldn't stand the "hero". mttz ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2449 **********************************