MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1974 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Why "witch"? by EarthSongW-+AT+-aol.com 2) Re: Ramblings, stray spaceships and yes, some misty content by EarthSongW-+AT+-aol.com 3) Characters in Velgarth by NightEagle-+AT+-gci-net.com 4) Re: Ramblings, stray spaceships and yes, some misty content by ladyember-+AT+-email.com 5) Re: Why "witch"? by Melvin Nevergold 6) Re: Gifts by "Jamie Jacobs" 7) Re: Heyla all! by Paige 8) Goodbye and unsub ? by Rachesqka-+AT+-aol.com 9) Re: hi all by "Sorana Stargem" 10) Re: Ramblings, stray spaceships and yes, some misty content by Liseth 11) Star wars/ WG by "You" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 09:38:29 EDT From: EarthSongW-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Why "witch"? Message-ID: <43e5e07d.24795ed5-+AT+-aol.com> In a message dated 5-23-99 7:56:14 AM Central Daylight Time, dennis-+AT+-jmf.org.ph writes: << The traditional use of the word depicts evil--someone who has sold their soul in exchange for illicit supernatural powers. Why would anyone want to apply to people with natural-born abilities and/or to practioners of a pagan religion >> Okay, this is going to be a long post, ignore if you will, its partly education and partly just explanation. I haven't read the Diana mysteries yet so i don't know. Anyway here is some background on the word witch. It literally means Wise person, Its derived from the word wick in Gaelic (there are other derivations but this is the most accurate.) Now to continue, The word Witch does Now have negative connotations, But This is the fault of society, and the words connotation is being turned back around. The problems with being a "witch" started during the inquisition, when people were killed for disagreements in relgious veiws, most of the "witches" killed were christians, people who didn't agree with the local church athorities, or protestants in catholic land or vice versa. however some of those killed were realy witches. Now Being a witch does not imply a pact with the devil, It means that you understand nature, and magical practices, and are able to perform them. Magic does not come from the devil. I should know, as I am a witch. A Witch is someone who Knows, and is able to, through natural ability or training, to manipulate the energies of the human body and nature, to acheive a desired effect. the effect is usually called magic or magick... the spelling is personal preference. Basically there is nothing supernatural about witchcraft, nor anything evil, Witches do not sacrafice people or animals, they do not drink their own blood or other stupid hollywood media ideas. Simply put witches (men and women are both witches, the term warlock is negative, it means literally, "oathbreaker" and was used by the druids to denote a traitor, or someone who turned their brothers into the christians) are people who are wise and know the ways of the earth. Witches often commune with nature, and feel that all life is sacred, both animal/human and plant. Witches often beleive in deity in nature, they see God in everything, and everywhere, from the sun to the moon to the earth beneath us, to the oak tree in the back yard. Everything is sacred, because everything is of god/ess. thats the gist of it. as for why misty would use the term witch, I don't really know but i have my suspicions, although she publicly denies it, she may very well be a witch herself. The Theories of magick, (most of them) in The Velgrath series at least, Are for the most part startlingly accurate for someone who is "not a practitioner of the occult." Just my thoughts.. pardon the rambling... ~~EarthSong~~ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 09:58:42 EDT From: EarthSongW-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Ramblings, stray spaceships and yes, some misty content Message-ID: In a message dated 5-23-99 8:46:45 AM Central Daylight Time, wookiee_girl-+AT+-hotmail.com writes: << Does anyone else think that people might go back to the dependence on mages that Vanyel was preventing when he put up the barrier now that it's down? People might see or hear that magic defeated Ancar's armies and think "Right, Herald-mages are powerful and new, so they must be more effective than just-plain-Heralds." >> Naww i don't think so, Remember The Heralds have been doing without mages for a long time now, The country knows what the other gifts can do, The magic is "new" and "new" things are "less reliable" especially after the shattering of magic, think about it until (i haven't finished owlflight yet, let alone owlsight) the new matrix is set up and established the herald-mages are going to have to rely mostly on their more mundane gifts anyway, I don't think valdemar has anything to worry about becoming dependent on mages, especially after the example of the empire.... :) ~~EarthSong~~ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 09:55:40 -0700 From: NightEagle-+AT+-gci-net.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Characters in Velgarth Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.19990523095540.007a07d0-+AT+-gci-net.com> NightEagle slowly crawls out from the pile of ashes after her last flaming and decides to try this again... **from the beach of San Carlos, Mexico*** Reaching for her 3rd Margarita and finishing a "famous" Guyamas shrimp dinner she stares at her laptop computer trying not to get the warm sand in the keyboard: (anyone jealous?) I would like to see Jennifer TallDeer in Velgarth.. or maybe another story about Jennifer that takes her on a vision quest to one of the Vales, or a visit from Firesong or Vanyel...I can think of hundreds of options- ok -maybe not hundreds... heheh hey it's only fiction! M A G E S T O R M S S P O I L E R I'd also like to see the story of Karal and Natoli go farther and see what comes of thier combination of vocations- engineering and a priest... *big smile* and learn more of the books from Ulrich too; not to mention more about our favorite vain peacock-Firesong with his beloved Silverfox. Just finished reading the storms series can ya tell??? E N D S P O I L E R Well listsibs- that is all I have to say for now- I send Shrimp and Margarita flavored sheep to all... mmmmm yummy... NightEagle "Where there is love, the form does not matter, and the gods are pleased. This I have observed: what occurs in nature comes by the hand of nature, and if the gods did not approve, it would not be there." Mercedes Lackey ..... The voice of the Great Spirit is heard in the twittering of birds, the rippling of mighty waters, and the sweet breathing of flowers. If this is Paganism, then at present, at least, I am a Pagan. (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Sa) (1876-1938): Dakota Sioux) http://www.gci-net.com/users/n/nighteagle ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 13:42:35 -0400 (EDT) From: ladyember-+AT+-email.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Ramblings, stray spaceships and yes, some misty content Message-ID: <990523134235IB.03784-+AT+-www5.iname.net> Heyla all! Shadowlight said... - i was mulling over the difference btwn > scifi and fantasy and i thought that although a sf book might ahve sort-of > magic _and_ technology, the "magic" is usually quantified and scientifically nearby table] This made me smile, because just yesterday, I was thinking of the same type of thing. Because I *love* Star Wars, but can just barely tolerate Star Trek. There are lots of people who think the two are the same thing. Probably the same people who think that Science Fiction and Fantasy are the same. But really, there is a big difference. Star Trek takes place in the future, Star Wars takes place just elsewhere, maybe even in the past. And, they have "magic", even if they call it "the force". So I would classify Star Wars as fantasy. Maybe technological fantasy, but still fantasy. Wow, I really got off topic there! Sorry :) My real comment was this. I *just* finished reading 'The White Gryphon'. [I know, I'm a little behind!] Was anyone else totally dissappointed with that book? I loved 'The Black Gryphon', but 'The White Gryphon' seemed rather...pointless? I have a hold at the library placed on 'The Silver Gryphon', but my question is this...is it worth it? Is it good? Oh, and thanks, Dax, about the kyree information. I didn't think it would be possible, but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask! :) Lady Ember Echosinger {Jedi Knight in training} ----------------------------------------------- FREE! The World's Best Email Address -+AT+-email.com Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 14:34:23 -0400 From: Melvin Nevergold To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Why "witch"? Message-ID: <0cbbb1031181759FE3-+AT+-mail3.carolina.rr.com> At 01:58 PM 5/23/99 +0100, you wrote: >Hi! Please forgive me if this has been discussed before (I'm new), >but why is term "witch" used in the Di Tregarde books? The >traditional use of the word depicts evil--someone who has sold their >soul in exchange for illicit supernatural powers. Why would anyone >want to apply to people with natural-born abilities and/or to >practioners of a pagan religion? Blame King James who saw fit to replace the word poisoner with the one witch ( in the bible ) to justify a few dozen hangings. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 18:47:46 GMT From: "Jamie Jacobs" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Gifts Message-ID: <19990523184747.38334.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> There are feline counterparts to the kryee, they are raffa or some such name, it's been a while, but they are mentioned in the mage storms series, i think anyway. Sheep flavoured poptarts to all >From: "Sharry Adams" >Reply-To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk >To: shadowcat19-+AT+-hotmail.com >Subject: Re: Gifts >Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 15:06:13 +0100 (BST) > >Shadowlight wrote: > > >i have a question about gifts - when Kethry and thalhkarsh's minion ahve > >swapped bodies and are fighting, the Unspellable One mentions in his > >gloating sppech that if Kethry was killed while wearing the worng body, > >then > >Thalhkarsh would ahve a mage-Talented body in his possession. Thus, >mage > >Talent seems to be attached to the body. Is it the same for Heraldic > >Gifts? > > and if mage-Talent is attached to the body, then how come Need was >still > >a > >mage when she was a sword? > >[and could gifts be surgically implanted if they're part of the physical > >brain?] >----------- > I think that mage gifts are part of the body in that a person has to be >born with the capabilities to be trained as a mage. Their bodies carry the >potential. If an untrained, untalented person were to be put inside a >Mage-talented body, I don't think they could preform magic; they'd have to >be re-trained. Perhaps they could do basic things, or maybe they'd have >problems with control or something. I think the reason why Need kept her >ablities when in the sword has something to do with the fact that the sword >was created of magic. It was a magic sword, and she used a spell to trap >herself in it also. >---------- >In response to Liss's question on other authors' characters in Velgarth: > I don't know about individual characters, but I'd like to see dragons. >You'd think that with all the stuff that turns up in the Pelagars that >there'd be a dragon or two hanging around somewhere. And what about some >feline-type critters. There's kyree, so why not a feline counterpart? > I just thought of something. I haven't read all of Misty's short >stories, >so if there is something written about this already, please let me know. >I'd like to read more about the "wizard lizard" (I forgot his name) that >founded the White Winds school. They talk about him in one of the Oath >books. I think it's when Tarma & Kethry go into the Pelagars, and they end >up with Waarl. I don't know if it would make a good novel, but at least a >short story. Ok, that's enough for now :) > >Wind to thy wings, >Lovesinger > >"Out flew the web and floated wide; >The mirror cracked from side to side; >'The curse is come upon me,' cried > The Lady of Shalott." > --Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" > > >_______________________________________________________________ >Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 19:03:45 -0400 From: Paige To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Heyla all! Message-ID: <37488951.DB4FA627-+AT+-sympatico.ca> Jamie Jacobs wrote: > > Okay, Darkwind and Lady Elspeth, Selenay and Daren, Nyara and Skif, The > gryphons, and (feeling so stupid for not being able to remember their names) > The couple from owlflight to name a few I think of the ones you mentioned only Selenay and Daren are bonded. Nyara and Skif were told by Stef that a lifebond was not the be-all-to-end-all and instead of wishing to be bonded they should concentrate on their love. Darkwind and Elspeth definitely do not seem to be bonded, they just don't act like it, and I don't think there has ever been any mention that they were has there? The same goes for the gryphons, not that I'm saying they definitely aren't, I've just never noticed it saying that they were, and they don't really act like a bonded couple. I think I've said it before but the bonded couples (in *present* Valdemar) are Sherril and Keren, Talia and Dirk and Selenay and Daren. I think that's it, isn't it? Any one else? > >The comment about lifebonds is very interesting, although I can't think of > >many lifebonded couples. Talia and Dirk, Van/'Lendel/Stef, > >Keren/Ylsa/Sherrill (sp?). Who else is there? [Forgive me for being a > >little dense, I do have a *lot* of re-reading to do. -- Paige GO LEAFS!!! Proud to be Outlandish Royal Defender of The Brat ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 19:26:08 EDT From: Rachesqka-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Goodbye and unsub ? Message-ID: <76703aab.2479e890-+AT+-aol.com> Hello listsibs, This is a question and a formal goodbye, or maybe see you later. I don't spend nearly as much of my time during the summer on the computer as I do while I'm at school so I shall be taking my leave of all my list-sibs. I must say that I enjoyed our conversations for the short while that I was here, especially since no one in my RL reads Misty but me. So, thank you for that. And I forgot how to unsubscribe, and as I don't have the Newbiefest or Auntie Mel's rules if thumb on hand, I can't go look it up, otherwise I would and wouldn't bother to ask you. So if someone could kindly e-mail me with it, preferabley off-list, and with it in the subject title so I don't accidentally delete it, it would be much appreciated. Sheep-shaped Imperial Walkers to all my list-sibs, Zhai'helleva, and May the Force be with you, Starshadow and Trin of the Clan K'Connecticut Royal Defender of the Brat ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 21:27:07 PDT From: "Sorana Stargem" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: hi all Message-ID: <19990524042709.83463.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> Heyla all! My goodness, I _have_ been posting a lot recently haven't I? Anyways. Farlie wrote: >I have a question. I want to become a Herald officially, but I don't know >how to do it. >I remember there was a list of stuff you had to do and turn in. two of the >things was write a persona and make (sew, draw what ever) a set of whites. >So what I want to know is Who has the info, and Who approves it. You have to join Queen's Own. Once you do that you send an SASE for the whatchamacallit-instruction sheet thingy. Uhhh...Helpful Handout for becoming a Herald. Then you just fulfill the requirements and send them in. As a result, you get a certificate signed by Misty and you get to call yourself a Herald. I'd give you the address for it, but I don't have it around at the moment. However, the dues are $8 for the U.S. and Canada and (I think) $10 everywhere else. I hope that helps. >also Does anybody have firebirds art and music's web page URL? It's http://www.firebirdarts.com Lady Ember Echosinger wrote: >I have a hold at the library placed on 'The Silver Gryphon', but my > >question is this...is it worth it? Is it good? It's good. All Misty's books are good. It _is_ very different though. It doesn't really have a Major Big Deal Plot going in it. It's a Coming of Age story more than anything else. Ummm...I don't know what else I can say and not give anything away. Stars light your path, Sorana S. Stargem Herald-trainee, %-+AT+-"So free for a moment High Priestess to the Goddess%-+AT+-Lost somewhere between the earth and of Unicorns, %-+AT+-the sky Goddess of Flions, %-+AT+-So free for a moment Knight of Amber and Marigold,%-+AT+-Lost because I want to be lost Knight of the OOUH %-+AT+-Don't try to find me" --The Martinis http://www.angelfire.com/wa/mylagoon/index.html _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 22:29:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Liseth To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Ramblings, stray spaceships and yes, some misty content Message-ID: Shadowlight wrote: > Another deep, meaningful i-don't-want-to-study thought: Does anyone else > think that people might go back to the dependence on mages that Vanyel was > preventing when he put up the barrier now that it's down? People might see > or hear that magic defeated Ancar's armies and think "Right, Herald-mages > are powerful and new, so they must be more effective than > just-plain-Heralds." Actually, this has been worrying me. Not because Herald-Mages are powerful and new, but because that "Mage" tacked on the end creates a _distinction_ between a Herald-Mage and other Heralds. I mean, you don't call Talia a Herald-Empath or Dirk a Herald-Fetcher or Selanay a Herald-Mindspeaker. That Heralds who happen to be Mages have their Gift specified in their title creates a distinction. A distinction implies a difference. A difference implies one is better than the other. I think this was the real problem when the Herald-Mages died out. The people of Valdemar felt that because of the distinction, the Herald-Mages were better. I can't see how this would change with the "modern" day. Did that make any sense or am I completely off my rocker? Liseth ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 16:54:03 -0000 From: "You" To: Subject: Star wars/ WG Message-ID: <003901bea612$d5edb4a0$87ab15a5-+AT+-knbwubxl> Heyla all! Lady Ember wrote: :So I would classify Star Wars as :fantasy. Maybe technological fantasy, but :still fantasy. actually Lady Ember, you'd be surprised (or maybe not) that George Lucas agrees with you! He doesn't call SW "Sci-fi" in anyway at all. It _was_ termed a "space fantasy", with a dashing young hero off to battle evil and save a young princess from an evil warlord. see? the Force reminds me of magic, yes, esp the lackey-interpretation. almost a psuedo-science. hmm, and sci-fi is really a kind of futuristic fantasy, with all the magic taken out of it. very frankenstein-ish. heh. Star Wars. I doubt the new prequels would live up to the hype, but that doesn't mean i'm gonna queue outside the local theatres... June 3rd... June 3rd. ohmmmmmmm :Wow, I really got off topic there! Sorry :) My real comment was this. I *just* finished reading 'The White Gryphon'. [I know, I'm a little behind!] Was anyone else totally dissappointed with that book? I loved 'The Black Gryphon', but 'The White Gryphon' seemed rather...pointless? I have a hold at the library placed on 'The Silver Gryphon', but my question is this...is it worth it? Is it good? haha, if you thought WG was worthless, you'd think SG was worse! I didn't think WG was too bad. in fact, I thought it was okay. but even SG got too bad for me... (ooh, LJ, I'll handle the nominations, and then I'll pass them to you by the end of June, okay? sorry, I lost your email) Confused blue sheep for the list! *baaaaa* ( ) Wind to thy Wings <==-+AT+-==> Shadowblade, mindmate to Raul | | Fairgove elven archer >>~~~> | | High Priestess of the Goddess of Elves and Unicorns and OOPS | | Singer of Fire, Member of the Mistic Circle \/ OOUH Advocate of the entire Urban Fantasy group! :) ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1974 **********************************