MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1957 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Dated Braid. (If it stinks, please throw it out) by Yvonne 2) Re: Tornados (and other things) by Ailsa Reid 3) Oklahoma-n-braids by Jennifer Slusher 4) Blue-eyed clan/Vikteren by Paige 5) The Star-Eyed of Valdemar?? by Paige 6) Re: Karal, the Star-Eyed and tornadoes by Paige 7) Lurker braid: Eldan,velgarth governments and Skif by "True" 8) ADMIN: archives and a request by Melanie Dymond Harper 9) Re: The Star-Eyed of Valdemar?? by Abigail Laughlin 10) Braid of many colors by Alinea 11) Re: Lurker braid: Eldan,velgarth governments and Skif by "Tanya Evans" 12) Re: ADMIN: archives and a request by David John Curry 13) Re: Velgarth governments by David John Curry 14) a barrage of stuff by kalistia firemyst ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 18:56:18 -0700 From: Yvonne To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Dated Braid. (If it stinks, please throw it out) Message-ID: <3730F6C2.5ED-+AT+-planet.eon.net> Heyla! *Phew!* Got off my rear and waded through all the messages I had saved in the hopes of replying to later. ;P So yes, this braid is a bit long, and yes, quite a bit of material is dated ... forgive me!! *Passes out mango and papaya sheep as brib-uh, ~gifts~* He he he... Ardath Summerstorm wrote: > Maybe she's seen Twister. What a movie. Could be one of the greatest > comedies ever made. Or maybe it was supposed to be a parody of reality? > I can't believe the creators could have been *serious* about that > movie.. *LOL* Tell me about it! That, and Dante's Peak. I found that paticular movie to be one continouous truck commercial - as was Twister, to a limited extent. ;P But that truck in Dante's Peak went through everything - I can't exactly remember WHAT because I saw it only once and have to desire to spend money (or time) to see it again. Cennydd wrote AGES ago: > A palimpsest is a piece of velum or some other writing surface which > has been written on and from which the writing has been removed so that > it can be reused. Kind of like an etch-a-sketch, then? ;P (Sorry - I was just cleaning out my mail box and lo and behold, what do I find to make pointless and utterly irrelevant comments concerning?) P.S - it's great to see so many fellow Buffy fans out there!! I ~KNEW~ the listsibs had good taste. :) *Offers fishstick sheep to the fans out there* Just don't start playing with them now. And no toothpicks!! *G* Rhiannon Shadowsong wrote: > Asfor Monty Python and LHM, all I have to say is.... > "How con you not want to marry her? She's got huge...tracts of land!" WB Rhiannon! *G* I'd never noticed that similarity before ... well, it'll just confuse more ppl when I start laughing at odd moments in that movie. ;P Lets just hope that Valdemar doesn't starts a crusade for a cup, now, hmm? Betha'lis said: > something (a short story) about the blue-eyed clan (tarma's) There are a few stories about Tale'sedrin (?) in Oathblood, but mostly about T&K. The Clan *is* blue-eyed after all because of Kethry's genes - or at least the core group - her kids - are. :) Welcome back Lady Brynn too! :) Well, I guess that this wasn't as long as I thought it would be. :) After all, "I'm not dead yet!" *Ducks the Monty Python fan's groans and runs off giggling maniacly* *So I can't spell. Sue me.* Fare thee well!! Yvonne Goddess of Kelpies, Selkies, and the Water-Borne Bearer of the Enchanted Bucket (tm), Knight of Fluff, and Lady of the OoUH Head of the Albertan CfWD Hearquarters ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No Quote today - I have Officially Lost my Mind. Wanna see the certificate? ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 08:33:49 +0100 (BST) From: Ailsa Reid To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Tornados (and other things) Message-ID: <199905060733.IAA10794-+AT+-brookes.ac.uk> Ardath said: >Just a few very brief answers here... > >Absalon queried: ><this >year, some pretty close to Misty's home, is that correct?>> > >That's the essential truth to it, yep. REALLY nasty tornadoes.. and lots of >them. I heard that there were about 76 of them spawned by the storm cells >that passed through a couple days ago. And one of them was an F5 level with a >half-mile wide funnel cloud.. Entire neighborhoods were completely levelled >by that one. It was really awful to hear about that on the news. > Hmmm, I 'heard' on-list about something having happened, saw a few mentions of tornados, then when I got home around midnight on Tuesday realized what everyone had been on about when I read the paper! (Admittedly I spent most of the day in an office or a library with no radios...) Hadn't realized there was a half-mile wide tornado possible! >And about Valdemar and tornadoes.. I just figured it was supposed to be a >European-type place. A few here and there, maybe, but nothing really >noteworthy. Nothing noteworthy *looks shocked*. Oh, you mean no tornados :> No, instead we have snow stopping play on the first day of the cricket season (and once in June), predictable floods that still surprise people living on flood plains and droughts declared every other summer. (and that's just the UK) It has struck me that there's not that much _bad_ weather in Valdemar. All I can think of is the snowstorm trapping Talia and Kris in Sorrows, and the flooding in the last Arrows book. None of the other books have anything beyond "normal for the season" types of weather as far as I remember. (Unless you count the Mage Storms and their effects!) >L.J. Thompson also said: ><about Stefen's life after Vanyel died. But I'm a little nuts over anything >having to do with the LHM books, so maybe that's just me.>> > >I want to hear more about Stefen, too! Stefen is fantastic!! He's one of my >all-time favorite Misty characters. In case you couldn't tell. I want to hear more about Vikteren! She describes him so well in the first Gryphon book, and then he sinks into obscurity. I'd also like to see a story from _before_ the Mage Wars, maybe about Urtho's early work in gryphon-making. Better get to work... Ailsa, Member of the Council of Mist newbie fest at: http://www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/pers/misty/newbiefest.html ____________________________________________________________________________ | Ailsa Reid areid-+AT+-brookes.ac.uk | | "What a night though it's one of seven, | | What a night for the dancing dead," | | (_Les Morts Dansent_ by Magnum) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 09:00:24 -0400 From: Jennifer Slusher To: "'misty'" Subject: Oklahoma-n-braids Message-ID: <01BE97A0.B2B7BCE0-+AT+-CLARB.clark.net> Heyla everyone....Just thought I would poke my nose in again...I emailed a person in charge of the Salvation Army in the Oklahoma area for a more direct address if you want to help with donations. This is what she sent back (Auntie Mel approved this one with a bonk of her Fluff Wand) >The address I now have for donations is The Salvation Army 311 S.W. 5th St. >P.O. Box 25516, Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0516. However, they are trying to >locate a warehouse where items can be sent. Monetary donations can be sent >to this address marked for "Disaster". You can also contact the Tulsa >office at 918-587-7801 because they may also have a warehouse. Here's something else I have to comment on and I do so at risk of being flamed: The Tpyo Drsgon wrote : >Y'know, I >sometimes think the world is going quietly mad. I've wondered a lot >lately what a person has to have inside them (or what they must be >missing) that makes it okay to risk the lives of a bunch of *children In Costa Mesas, CA, yesterday some loon decided to plow his Cadillac into a playground at a day care. Two toddlers were killed (only 4 and 2, BABIES!!!!!), two more are in critical condition, and a teacher was also hurt. Why?? WHY?? When the police asked him this, here's what he said, "I killed those children because they were innocent." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This idiot had no connection with the day care, just the neighborhood, where he lived with his girlfriend FIVE years ago. He was eventually convicted of stalking her. Typo, I so agree with you. I'm not pacific, either, nor do I believe warm fuzzies will cure the world. My heart and soul scream for justice when I hear things like this. These people aren't human anymore, they can't be. I hope they fry that creature. By the way, I'm glad you're safe, Typo. Absalon ranted: >Well, here I rant again, but it is rather annoying when people talks a lot >about a subject, and you haven't heard about it. >I'm refering too the talk about tornadoes. I haven't heard anything about >the tornadoes here in Denmark, so please remember to include some facts when >you are refering to something that happende locally, and which probably >won't make the international news. >As far as I understod, there have been some particullar nasty tornadoes this >year, some pretty close to Misty's home, is that correct? I do apologize (as the bringer-upper of natural disasters on Velgarth). The thought did occur to me as I drove home that day. Sometimes it's hard for me to realized that people outside of the United States are actually seeing what I wrote. I will labor to remember for later posts. On the subject of natural disasters, I think I recall someone (maybe Kero) relaying a tale she heard about an earthquake in one of the books. This notion is very vague, though. I could be confusing it with Pern and Anne Maccaffrey. They had earthquakes alot. Anyway, I must join the RW at this time. Wind to thy wings, Listsibs...... Stormlight Mother of BrightFox, Diviner of Cheerios And All Things Nummy, Holder Of Nine Teeth ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 11:01:09 -0400 From: Paige To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Blue-eyed clan/Vikteren Message-ID: <372F0BB5.70EF0784-+AT+-sympatico.ca> Yvonne wrote: > Betha'lis said: > > something (a short story) about the blue-eyed clan (tarma's) > > There are a few stories about Tale'sedrin (?) in Oathblood, but > mostly about T&K. The Clan *is* blue-eyed after all because of Kethry's > genes - or at least the core group - her kids - are. :) > Actually, IIRC all of the Shin'a'in are blue eyed. So are the Tayledras. Tale'sedrin (sp) are green eyed and blond, thanks to Kethry. Ailsa Reid wrote > I want to hear more about Vikteren! She describes him so well in the first > Gryphon book, and then he sinks into obscurity. I'd also like to see a story > from _before_ the Mage Wars, maybe about Urtho's early work in gryphon-making. I would love to hear more about Vikteren. I was really disappointed when he didn't show up in the second Gryphon books. I'd also like to know more about how he and the other mages were effected by the mage storms. IIRC in Silver Gryphon there's some hint about some of the mages gaining or losing power when the storms end (Journeyman->Adept or vice versa) -- Paige GO LEAFS!!! proud to be Outlandish When you are finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 14:22:52 -0400 From: Paige To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: The Star-Eyed of Valdemar?? Message-ID: <372F3AFC.A16A7354-+AT+-sympatico.ca> Spoilers for Storms and Winds and Oaths S P O I L E R S P A C E Liss wrote: > the Sunlord as the one true deity, right? SO it would take a profound leap to > realize that HIS deity is the same as someone else's deity because he has been > raised that the other deity is evil> > > I wonder. Karal's mind gets _really_ open the by the end of the series. I > had to hold off finishing Storms (d**n library) and am just now reading > Breaking. After reading about Vkaendyis (sp?) it really makes me wonder if > she's not going to end up telling us that there's really only two > Gods/Goddesses in Velgarth. After all, in Oathbound doesn't the Star-Eyed > tell Kethry that of course She knows her, She's just another face of her > (Keth's) Windborn Soulshaper? In Breaking, Andesha wonders what the link > between Vkandis and the Shin'a'in goddess was. The Avatars seemed drawn to > Karal and he to them. I've often wondered the same thing. The biggest question I have about this is when Gwenna tells Elspeth that they don't know the Shin'a'in goddess. However, in Oathbreakers Kalenel calls Roald and his Companion "...children of my other self." making me think that the goddess of the plains and of Valdemar are the same. The only explanation I have come up with for this is Gwenna's stupid plan, saying she didn't trust the Star Eyed knowing it would make Elspeth go to the Shin'a'in. Anyone else -- Paige GO LEAFS!!! proud to be Outlandish When you are finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 14:27:45 -0400 From: Paige To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Karal, the Star-Eyed and tornadoes Message-ID: <372F3C21.9ABC6EEC-+AT+-sympatico.ca> Margaret Kavanaugh wrote: > > --------------7A86A9F4B3BF3338A525A58A > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > > > Paige wrote: > > > doesn't anything ever come out of that. It's not like Karal doesn't > > know both the names ie the Star-Eyed Kal'enel and the Consort Kalanel (I > > think those are the spellings). Do think Misty ever indend(s)(ed) to do > > anything with this?> > > > > Ahhh, but by the end of the series he has come to accept the Star-Eyed as another > > deity, right? So maybe Misty can do something about it now... After all, it's not > > as if she IS Vkandis, just his consort... > > True, but Karal is one person. It seems to me that the reason she left is because > Karse didn't _need_ her any more. They are more efficient and can take care of more > people as allies, rather than partners, with slightly different interests. The > Sunlord takes care of his followers, she takes care of hers. They keep in contact so > that if they need to team up they can. Both, accepting that they are no longer the > head honcho of some areas, rather silent observers/protectors > But Karal makes direct reference to the fact that Kanenal (I think that's how they spell it) left about the same time the corruption of the Karse religion began. As he said he statue disappeared around the same time as the Priests began selecting the Son of the Sun (as opposed to Vkandis selecting them). This makes me wonder if she left because Vkandis wouldn't do anything about the change. As Andesha later says (or rather thinks to himself, IIRC) the Star-Eyed is much more direct and a false prophet of Kelenel would be ashes long before he/she could turn the clans. JMO -- Paige GO LEAFS!!! proud to be Outlandish When you are finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 15:18:02 -0400 From: "True" To: "mercedes lackey mailing list" Subject: Lurker braid: Eldan,velgarth governments and Skif Message-ID: <005801be97f5$39f51fa0$97faf4d1-+AT+-jboynton> Hi all :) I believe I must have at least a foots worth of lurker dust on me it has been soooooooooo long since I lasted posted. Well, rl has actually gave me some time to breath so I thought I would drop my .02 in for what they are worth ;) Raven Darkblade wrote: >So how important is he? Is he just another Herald--which means that, after >his attempts to drag Kero into Valdemar (anyone else notice Ratha's musings >about what would happen if Kero *did* go to Valdemar? Hee) she outranks him >like anything. Or is he somethign really nifty that just never gets >mentioned 'onstage'? I thought the reason why Eldan was ransomed so quickly was b/c he was friends with Selaney. So it wasn't that he was an extra special Herald but rather had the ear/friendship of the Queen. As far as him getting sort of put off-stage I never liked that. It was sort of like he was forgotten...almost as an afterthought now that Kero was in Valdemar and as far as talent went she was more valuable so hence more focus was put on her. He becomes, what women usually become in many stories, "the really cool mate of so and so" and not a cool character on their own. My personal opinion is that I would have liked to see more of Eldan but that doesn't seem to be happening. Betha'lis wrote: >Do you think ML in her books (particularly her velgarth, but I don't want to >be exclusive here...) advocates a regency? what about rethwellan (sp?) and >Karse? it seems as though moral or religious beliefs (when "true" religious >beliefs) are used as a system of checks and balances - and the councils etc >don't have much power. The clans seem to be different, but still rely on one >figurehead (as I recall) ...so the evidence I can remember (alas and alck for >those meandering gray cells) seems to point to a preference for a single >leader rather than a cabal of some sorts... I would agree with that assessment and it seems to work for Valdemar fairly well b/c of the fact that the theory is that the Companions would not allow a corrupt King or Queen come into power. As far as Rethwellan is concerned I couldn't really say what their checks and balances are although it seems to be kept in the family like a typical monarchy would. A country could have problems depending on it's ruler. As far as Misty advocating one type of government over another I don't really think that is her intention. I think it could be very well possible that Rethwellan and others could evolve into a democratic form of government much as we have seen in parts of our own world. I think even Valdemar could do this except for the fact that there really isn't a need b/c of the Companions. Silverwing wrote: >I recently re-read AotQ, and it mentions the personality required to be a >Herald. Since Skif was a former thief, how could he have been chosen?(or was >he a guilty thief?)is it just me or is there a HUGE personality conflict >there?This might be a done-to-death subject-being a newbie, i wouldn't >know-sorry if it is! I think the basic thing to look at is the personality. I don't think Skif would have been chosen if he didn't have the personality to become a Herald. Meaning that the Companions looked beyond the surface of him to see what was really in his soul. As ppl have said already Skif was a thief b/c he didn't know anything else and he needed to survive but that wasn't who Skif really was. Cymry (sp?) obviously saw that and hence he was chosen :) Anyway enough of my ramblings ;) light, love and laughter Jess *Councilor of Mist* NewbieFest web page: http://www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/pers/misty/newbiefest.html ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 20:27:41 +0100 (BST) From: Melanie Dymond Harper To: mercedes-lackey Subject: ADMIN: archives and a request Message-ID: <199905061927.UAA26414-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> Hi folks, Yes, I know the "recent" page of the archives is looking a little empty at the moment. Rest assured that it is in my to-do queue. I'd like to make a request of those of you lucky enough to live in the US: PLEASE, PLEASE, IF YOU GET TO SEE STAR WARS EPISODE I, DO NOT POST ANY SPOILERS TO THE LIST. Some of us have to wait until July -- and don't think I didn't consider the flying-to-the-US option -- and I really don't want to be spoilt on this. I am looking forward to feeling like I'm nine years old all over again (that being how old I was when I saw Star Wars...) ;) Cheers Mel, a bit offtopic for a listmistress really. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 15:42:01 -0400 From: Abigail Laughlin To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: The Star-Eyed of Valdemar?? Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.19990506154201.007f39e0-+AT+-mail.montreat.edu> <> I don't know--recall that when the Star-Eyed appeared and addressed Roald and his Companion, She didn't seem overly familiar with the concept of Heralds. ("So, young princeling, your land forges white swords to fit the same sheath as My black, eh?) I think when She said 'children of my other self,' she meant that there were strong parallels between Herself and Her Sworn and the Heralds and their purpose--not that they were *actually* guided by another facet of Herself. I think Gwena really *didn't* want Elspeth to go to the Shin'a'in--why be so annoyed about it, if she'd been manipulating Elspeth in exactly that direction? I suppose it could have been an act--but it seems like it would have been easier for her to act sullen and quiet than actively give Elspeth a rough ride to make her pay for being so stubborn. Zha'hai'allav'a, Raven Darkblade, too tired to type out her sig. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 15:54:51 -0400 From: Alinea To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Braid of many colors Message-ID: <3731F38B.12B4B804-+AT+-geocities.com> Heyla, all! I *am* a newbie, but I sat down and read the newbiefest, and offer chocolate sheep to all! Ailsa Reid wrote: > Hadn't realized there was a half-mile wide tornado possible! Yep, sorry to say, although according to the news (I payed lots of attention, 'cause I've got relatives out there), it was actually a mile wide. > It has struck me that there's not that much _bad_ weather in Valdemar. All I > can think of is the snowstorm trapping Talia and Kris in Sorrows, and the > flooding in the last Arrows book. None of the other books have anything beyond > "normal for the season" types of weather as far as I remember. (Unless you > count the Mage Storms and their effects!) In MPrice, although Leareth *was* messing with the weather a little, the Guard Captain *did* say that a big snowstorm or two was normal for that part of Valdemar (Sorrows) > I want to hear more about Vikteren! She describes him so well in the first > Gryphon book, and then he sinks into obscurity. I'd also like to see a story > from _before_ the Mage Wars, maybe about Urtho's early work in gryphon-making. I feel so guilty! I can't remember Vikteren off the top of my head, and someone *borrowed* _The Black Gryphon_ and never returned it, so I can't look it up. :( Could someone refresh my memory? Thanx! Zhai'helleva! Alinea Songwind ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 17:05:37 -0400 From: "Tanya Evans" To: Subject: Re: Lurker braid: Eldan,velgarth governments and Skif Message-ID: <000f01be9804$308b9de0$23040618-+AT+-baycty1.mi.home.com> IIRC it was stated in one of the Tarma & Kethry books that 'The Singing Sword' is the final decision on who gets to be ruler there. Or something to that effect. Correct me if I'm wrong. => - Ellevaranachai Shay'Nara'Val Herald Trainee, but Bard wannabe => Rethwellan by Nature, Chosen by Virtue >True said this in part of her post: >...As far as Rethwellan is concerned > I couldn't really say what their checks and balances are although it seems > to be kept in the family like a typical monarchy would.... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 22:52:50 +0100 From: David John Curry To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ADMIN: archives and a request Message-ID: <37320F32.2C538C1-+AT+-exeter.ac.uk> Melanie Dymond Harper wrote: > Some of us have to wait until July -- and don't think I didn't > consider the flying-to-the-US option -- and I really don't want > to be spoilt on this. I am looking forward to feeling like I'm > nine years old all over again (that being how old I was when I > saw Star Wars...) ;) Three cheers for Melanie ... hip, hip, hooray ... and so on. Those lucky enough to be treated like second class citizens (or Europeans, as we are sometimes known), should we consider getting together IRL? David. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 23:09:44 +0100 From: David John Curry To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Velgarth governments Message-ID: <37321328.70455681-+AT+-exeter.ac.uk> True wrote: > I think it could be very well possible that Rethwellan and > others could evolve into a democratic form of government much as we have > seen in parts of our own world. I think even Valdemar could do this except > for the fact that there really isn't a need b/c of the Companions. I think that the concept that a democracy is something you evolve *into* could well be considered insulting -- it's just another form of government, after all, and one which seems to becoming irrelevant in the modern world -- look at the predicted rise of "corporate states" in most modern SF. Anyway, there are loads of types of democracy and, seeing as I'm probably going to be taken to account on the issue ... 1. Athenian democracy All citizens are required to take part directly in the administration of the state. Okay, the Athenian concept of citizen was restrictive (male, over the age of thirty (I think), land-owning), but it could well be applied to a technologically advanced society. 2. Representative democracy Citizens vote to send representatives to a parliment and give them the rights to administer on their behalf. There are loads of types of these (two tier houses, constitutional monarchies (UK) , president either divorced from government (Ireland) or not (US). And there are also type of democracy that haven't been tried ... 1. Randomised Athenian where a member of the public is randomly selected to represent an area - a bit like Jury services, but for a longer period of time. 2. Direct Representation where a representative who has (say) one hundred thousand peoples signatures talks for them. After all, ML is writing fantasy ... and Valdemar is more like a meritocracy ("the best people become Heralds") or a theocracy ("Companions represent a higher authority") in that anyone without a Companion, firecat or somesuch seems to be largely ignored. David. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 19:13:25 -0500 From: kalistia firemyst To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: a barrage of stuff Message-ID: <19990506.191437.3414.0.kalistia-+AT+-juno.com> ::kalistia settles her self in a rather un-comfy wooden ladder-back chair and brings her big ole bowl of macaroni and cheese close:: Mmmm! good, it's been so long since i've eaten this stuff...yummy... about comical movies based on weather phenomenons...try going to a geology/meteorology/oceanography class and forced to write down anywhere from 15-30 educational facts from movies like: twister, dante's peak, jurassic park, and armageddon, ect. it's hell, and i was so disappointed when i got into the class and found out that's all we'd be doing...and i can't get out, whaa. (sorry, had to rant) \~*~/~*~\~*~/ snip from david's message \~*~/~*~\~*~/ ~Valdemar is more like a meritocracy ("the best people become Heralds") or a theocracy ("Companions represent a higher authority") in that anyone without a Companion, firecat or somesuch seems to be largely ignored.~ i dunno that it's 'the best people' per se, but the more qualified, like someone could be a great historian but not be herald quality...and though the companions seem to be a higher authority, they seem like they don't like to meddle, keeping the good advice either to themselves or their (ack, can't think of the word) herald...and i kinda think the un-bonded seem to be ignored because the story and characters don't hold a large role in the main story at hand...if she wrote epics, i'm sure we'd see more of them...btw, this isn't trying to pick apart your idea or anything...just mvho, i could be wrong, i'm still trying to figure out how has absolute rule at school...:) well, i'm gonna totally devote myself to my mac and cheese and an english ap test study guide for the remainder of the evening...good luck seep to all who need it, plus a side of ginseng sheep.... zha'hai'allav'a kalistia firemyst tx spy for the CfWD completely and totally in awe of sean connery ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1957 **********************************