[mrganondorf]

I have a question!  In book 1, Inrau's situation with leaving the Mandate/knowing a bit of the Gnosis seems ridiculous to me.  Is this a mistake on Bakker's part?  If his situation is plausible to me, tell me how please!  I'm thinking Inrau ought to be marked/damned/completely unable to work anywhere near Momen with its College of Luthymae.   

[Wilshire]

Spoilers for all books in Prince of Nothing.

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Think back to when Achamian talks to Kellhus during their initial phase of training. I believe it is around that time that Akka either explains, or has an inner monologue, regarding the process that initiates go through to learn the Gnosis. Typically students spend years first mastering the language before they learn any cants at all. Then, I think, they learn the words of the cants and start to memorize them without actually "casting" any magic, which limits their vulnerability to chorae. Inrau could have spent several years learning the Nonman tongue and some basic cants before Akka faked his death. He knew the words, but had yet to use them up until the moments before his death. Knowledge does not cause one to bear the mark.

[mrganondorf]

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Hmm...it just feels implausible to me.  Something something about denotaries somewhere later in the first trilogy?  Inrau comes off as pretty badass for still being a n00b.  Really like his one gnosis scene, Mr. Bakker, more of that please!

EDIT [Madness]: All responses in tags, MG .

[mrganondorf]

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Hmm...it just feels implausible to me.  Something something about denotaries somewhere later in the first trilogy?  Inrau comes off as pretty badass for still being a n00b.  Really like his one gnosis scene, Mr. Bakker, more of that please!

EDIT [Madness]: All responses in tags, MG .

Lol, this is going to be the most spoiler tagged place on tsa!

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[The Sharmat]

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Hmm...it just feels implausible to me.  Something something about denotaries somewhere later in the first trilogy?  Inrau comes off as pretty badass for still being a n00b.  Really like his one gnosis scene, Mr. Bakker, more of that please!

EDIT [Madness]: All responses in tags, MG .

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I think his badassness is just a mark of how powerful the Gnosis is compared to the other schools. Even a total neophyte is a killing machine compared to an Anagogic sorcerer.

[Cüréthañ]

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I think of it like learning mathematics.

Initiates have to learn a dead language - like learning the syntax and semantics of logic and equations.  They also learn the principles of channeling power through their souls.
Akka's training scenes with Kellhus lay this out pretty clearly.  Practical experience doesn't count for much of the learning process.

You can lay down all of the knowledge and practice solving equations, but until you actually apply the theory to an event, personally channel the power from the outside and manifest physical ontalogical change, you are unmarked.
Inrau understands the theory and mechanics of Gnostic metaphysics, he just hasn't employed the power until his final scene.

Lol, this is going to be the most spoiler tagged place on tsa!

It's pretty clearly stated that all replies must be spoiler tagged in this subforum.

[Cynical Cat]

Even an Anagogic novice is a killing machine.  Even a Tertiary can bear a lethal amount of Indra's Water.  Sorcery is powerful. 

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Inrau kills one dude at close range.  He's literally the weakest sorcerer depicted in the books.