MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2519 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Alberich & Mandatory Retirement Laws (was: Re: hello??) by "Layla Voll" 2) Re: Alberich & Mandatory Retirement Laws (was: Re: hello??) by "Molly McAllister" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 23:35:01 From: "Layla Voll" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Alberich & Mandatory Retirement Laws (was: Re: hello??) Message-ID: Lightsong writes: > > While Talia and Kris are out on circut, they recieve news that > >Alberich has retired as weaponsmaster. In one of the Winds books > (Elspeth >says that the common consensus among the students is that > it is bad >enough that Alberich refuses to get old and retire, but > now he has cursed >them with a female counterpart, talking about > Kerowyn. Starshadow, >sonce you love me oh so much, you > > wanna look it up for me? > >Of course I am willing to look it up for you. Well, in AFlight, I remember >because I just finished re-reading it, it does say that Alberich retired >"from teaching all but the most advanced students" I would assume that >since Elspeth was doing so well in the training she would probably one of >these and thus still be under Alberichs tutledge. This is just pure >speculation of course. I don't know.... > >Starshadow I know this is from a while ago, but, hey, I had "Winds of Fate" out already... p. 25-6: [Elspeth's narrative] "Heraldic trainees used to complain of Alberich's lessons; now they moaned about Kerowyn's as well, and it was an open question as to which of the two was considered the worst. Elspeth had once heard a young girl complain that it was bad enough that the Weaponsmaster refused to grow old and retire, but now he'd cursed them with a female double and it wasn't *fair*!" I dunno, but this sounds to me as if Alberich is still teaching some basic classes, if a "young girl" is complaining about him some years after he was supposed to have retired. On the other hand, he seems to be spreading around the teaching duties: on the same page, Skif tells Elspeth that he has to get back to "drilling the little ones," and Kerowyn is obviously teaching some classes as well. Perhaps Alberich felt it was important to at least see the youngest trainees when they first got in, as the books frequently comment on the importance of getting good training first, when you're young, so as not to pick up bad habits. On the other hand, the scene above takes place while Skif is training Elspeth in dirty street fighting. She says that when Kerowyn came to the Collegium, she insisted that the royal family get training in street fighting: Alberich got the Queen, and Kero and Skif taught Elspeth. So it doesn't look as if Elspeth is actually taking lessons from Alberich any more. Interestingly, given the previous discussion about Dirk The Assassin, Elspeth also says that Dirk had taught her a thing or two between lessons. Oh, one more thing (yup, this message just keeps rambling on): Elspeth is later called before the Council, and lists off the members of the Council who are also in the Heraldic Circle: Teren, who had taken Elcarth's place as Dean of the Collegium; the Senechal's Herald, Kyril; the Lord Marshal's Herald, Griffon (yay, Griffon!); the Queen's Own Herald, Talia; Selanay; and Prince Daren. I thought Dirk was made Dean when Elcarth retired at the end of "Arrow's Fall." Did he decline the position? Layla _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 01:16:27 -0000 From: "Molly McAllister" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Alberich & Mandatory Retirement Laws (was: Re: hello??) Message-ID: Layla wrote: I thought Dirk was made Dean when Elcarth retired at the end >of "Arrow's Fall." Did he decline the position? > Okay, Dirk wasn't made Dean of the collegium. Teren was and Dirk was replacing Teren teaching the Orientation class. Remember, they said they were choosing him for the same reason that they chose Teren. Because he had the ability to put youngsters at ease in such a nerve racking situation as being freshly chosen. Okay I am so sorry that this post is so short, but I really must be going to do some *eek* homework. Sigh. WTTW Starshadow* Royal Defender of the Brat She'enedra to Lightsong _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2519 **********************************