The Slog TDTCB - Part Two: The Emperor [Spoilers]

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Wilshire

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« on: December 06, 2015, 01:21:41 am »
Part two of the slog.


One of the other conditions of possibility.

MSJ

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« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2015, 01:35:57 am »
Quote
Stung by a momentary panic, Xerius looked from the approaching Conriyans to the flutter of wings above. As always, sparrows wheeled and jousted beneath the dim vaults. As always, they calmed him. For a moment he wondered what an emperor was to a sparrow. Just another man.

Quote
Something warm and viscous struck his cheek. Stunned, he slapped at his face, then studied the muck on his fingers. A premonition of doom struck him, gouged his breast of all breath. What was this? Some kind of omen?

Just knowing that the Consult is literally everywhere, when I read these passages, a thought struck me. Aurang (as a Synethse) is among those birds, and I'm fairly certain he shat on Xerius for his dumbass Indenture. We find out that the Consult want the Cishaurim destroyed and Aurang probably wants it done quickly. This isn't even crackpot, just what I think every time I read this scene.

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As though walking across the back of roiling smoke and dust, a Schoolman drifted toward them. He slowed, floating the height of a tree-top above them. His black silk robe boiled in the mountain wind, its gold trim undulating like snakes in water. White light flashed from his eyes and mouth. A barrage of arrows winked into cinders against his spherical Wards. The ghost of a dragon’s head ponderously ascended from his hands. Cnaiür saw glassy scales and eyes like globes of bloody water.

The first time I read this series, this passage is what got me hooked. It was unlike anything I'd read before, and was struck by terror and wonder all at the same time. I love this description of a Earwan schoolman.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 01:41:46 am by MSJ »
“No. I am your end. Before your eyes I will put your seed to the knife. I will quarter your carcass and feed it to the dogs. Your bones I will grind to dust and cast to the winds. I will strike down those who speak your name or the name of your fathers, until ‘Yursalka’ becomes as meaningless as infant babble. I will blot you out, hunt down your every trace! The track of your life has come to me,

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« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2015, 06:45:31 am »
Aurang (as a Synethse) is among those birds, and I'm fairly certain he shat on Xerius for his dumbass Indenture. We find out that the Consult want the Cishaurim destroyed and Aurang probably wants it done quickly. This isn't even crackpot, just what I think every time I read this scene.

Lol - me too, MSJ.
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Camlost

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« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2015, 07:46:06 am »
Thanks for getting ahead on the Slog MSJ; and thanks Wilshire for keeping up lol.

The first time I read this series, this passage is what got me hooked. It was unlike anything I'd read before, and was struck by terror and wonder all at the same time. I love this description of a Earwan schoolman.
Every time I reread this series I find more affirmations as to why it is my absolute favourite. I'll never forget the first time I read about Skafra and Seswatha duking it out above a burning city. Ahh memories.. (feel free to capitalize Som  ;))

Inkorot

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« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2015, 06:25:03 pm »
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Now it suddenly struck him (Xerius) that he’d never looked into any of their eyes—not once. Matching the Emperor’s gaze was forbidden to those without Imperial Blood. The thought horrified him. Save for Skeaos, I know none of these people.


I now remember noticing this bit on my first read, thinking that this must be significant, and then forgetting it. But on rereading, the revelation that Xerius has been isolated from his entire court besides "Skeaos" is beatifully ominous.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 06:28:01 pm by Inkorot »

MSJ

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« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2015, 06:49:52 pm »
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Now it suddenly struck him (Xerius) that he’d never looked into any of their eyes—not once. Matching the Emperor’s gaze was forbidden to those without Imperial Blood. The thought horrified him. Save for Skeaos, I know none of these people.


I now remember noticing this bit on my first read, thinking that this must be significant, and then forgetting it. But on rereading, the revelation that Xerius has been isolated from his entire court besides "Skeaos" is beatifully ominous.


And his mother, who is a Skin-Spy also. Until Kellhus they had the entire Three-Seas under control, High Ainon, Nansur, Sarcellus in Carythusal and throughout Kian too before Moe. The Dûnyain really screwed up their plans, to say the least.
“No. I am your end. Before your eyes I will put your seed to the knife. I will quarter your carcass and feed it to the dogs. Your bones I will grind to dust and cast to the winds. I will strike down those who speak your name or the name of your fathers, until ‘Yursalka’ becomes as meaningless as infant babble. I will blot you out, hunt down your every trace! The track of your life has come to me,

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« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2015, 12:44:42 pm »
Just finished chapter 5 this morning, because I didn't have time to read over the weekend.

It would seem to me though, that at this point, Skeaös and the Emperess are not yet skin-spies.  I believe that it is only after Xerius meets with Mallahet and learns of the SS's involvement, and so work against the Holy War, that the Consult moves in and starts directing things there.

Note how all of a sudden Skeaös' story changes in later chapters, where as before, here in chapter 5, he even cites the Indenture as his own idea.  I would think that Emperess Istriya was replaced after Skeaös was eliminated, as well, to keep an agent in the midst of the Emperor.

The Consult wants the Holy War to succeed.  Why then would the Skeaös agent not be informed of  the Scarlet Spires' joining the Holy War?  The Consult certainly knew by then.  No, I think that it is only after Xerius learns of this in the Mallahet meeting and is actively planning to subvert the Holy War that Skeaös is replaced.  I think it is just before he meets with Conphas that the substitution takes place.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

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« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2015, 01:05:45 pm »
H, you could very well be right about Skeaös, but, from the first time we meet Istriya there are hints the something is different. Here is what Xerius said the first time we meet her.

Quote
He sensed something odd in her manner, something bottled.

When Conphas comes back from Kiyuth:

Quote
A splendid idea, Uncle.” Conphas glanced to his right and finally saw his grandmother. She wore a green silk gown crisscrossed by a form-hugging sash of blue. As always, she looked an old whore playing the coquette. But there was something in her expression . She seemed different somehow.

So both times something is different about Istriya, enough that it is remarked upon. Also, she doesn't seem to be on the same side as Xerius and Skeaös in that first meeting. She's against the Indenture and is prodding Xerius with Maithenet.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2015, 01:19:34 pm by MSJ »
“No. I am your end. Before your eyes I will put your seed to the knife. I will quarter your carcass and feed it to the dogs. Your bones I will grind to dust and cast to the winds. I will strike down those who speak your name or the name of your fathers, until ‘Yursalka’ becomes as meaningless as infant babble. I will blot you out, hunt down your every trace! The track of your life has come to me,

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« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2015, 01:19:12 pm »
H, you could very well be right about Skeaös, but, from the first time we meet Istriya there are hints the something is different. Here is what Xerius said the first time we meet her.

Quote
He sensed something odd in her manner, something bottled.

When Conphas comes back from Kiyuth:

Quote
A splendid idea, Uncle.” Conphas glanced to his right and finally saw his grandmother. She wore a green silk gown crisscrossed by a form-hugging sash of blue. As always, she looked an old whore playing the coquette. But there was something in her expression . She seemed different somehow.

So both times something is different about Istriya, enough that it is remarked upon.

You could well be right, she does seem to be attempting to guide Xerius away from subverting the Holy War from the get go.

Thinking more upon that now, it would make sense, that she was replaced, then the Consult, perhaps because it was easier, but then the Consult realized that she didn't have his ear as much as Skeaös did, so they moved to replace him too.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

MSJ

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« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2015, 01:20:36 pm »
Lol, I just edited my post to the same effect. Ninja'd!!
“No. I am your end. Before your eyes I will put your seed to the knife. I will quarter your carcass and feed it to the dogs. Your bones I will grind to dust and cast to the winds. I will strike down those who speak your name or the name of your fathers, until ‘Yursalka’ becomes as meaningless as infant babble. I will blot you out, hunt down your every trace! The track of your life has come to me,

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« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2015, 01:26:46 pm »
Lol, I just edited my post to the same effect. Ninja'd!!

You got me!

I am thinking that the Consult probably didn't realize how dangerous Xerius could be, in the sense that he would be so greedy in subverting the Holy War and also that Mallahet (Moe) would completely out think them by going direct to Xerius.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

MSJ

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« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2015, 01:32:49 pm »


I am thinking that the Consult probably didn't realize how dangerous Xerius could be, in the sense that he would be so greedy in subverting the Holy War and also that Mallahet (Moe) would completely out think them by going direct to Xerius.

Yea, the Consult's problems always go back to the Dûnyain. And, on reread Xerius is a smarter, shrewder leader than I gave him credit for. He obviously has multiple reasons to be paranoid other than family history. Skin-Spies notwithstanding, you have Conphas that was going to kill him and Xerius planned for that outcome.
“No. I am your end. Before your eyes I will put your seed to the knife. I will quarter your carcass and feed it to the dogs. Your bones I will grind to dust and cast to the winds. I will strike down those who speak your name or the name of your fathers, until ‘Yursalka’ becomes as meaningless as infant babble. I will blot you out, hunt down your every trace! The track of your life has come to me,

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« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2015, 01:54:37 pm »
Yeah, at first blush, Aurang and co. seem pretty bumbling, since they fail so many times, but in reality, given what they could know and anticipate, I think their plans are pretty cunning.  Unfortunately, they are running into the freight-train that is TTT.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

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« Reply #13 on: December 08, 2015, 01:20:17 pm »
Sorry, double post, but finished chapter 6 this morning.

I may have missed something really subtle, but it seems this one was pretty straight forward though.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

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« Reply #14 on: December 08, 2015, 01:22:41 pm »
I think the Quorum will allow it.
The Existential Scream
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