[Dragaera] Loraan vs. Blackwand: Flawed Victory

[Scott Crain]

ND Montague <ndmontague at yahoo.com> wrote:
  > Next: There's the question Mr. Brust raised himself
> about why Darkwand, wielded by Morrolan, didn't
> obliterate Loraan in Taltos. Presumably that will be
> explained. The only 2 possible explanations, based on
> what we have been told about Morganti weapons - is
> that the sword wound in Loraan's body (spotted by Vlad
> when he regained consciousness) wasn't caused by
> Darkwand. Or, that the body was not in fact Loraan's
> -- twin or clone or simulcrum, perhaps - but one that
> came within a hair of defeating Morrolan in battle.
   
  My favorite theory remains that, well ... Loraan was a wizard.
   
  See, the description of a wizard (as put forth in Issola by Morrolan who, being a wizard, should know) seems to be that the chap takes all he knows of sorcery, necromancy, and a few other things ending in -y, binds them together with his (or her) soul, and sticks 'em in a staff, which becomes their badge of office.  ('I'm a wizard.  We have staffs, you know.')  A Morganti weapon devours souls, except it can't devour a soul that isn't bound into a body, which generally seems to be presumed to be a LIVING body.  ('Athyra' seems to prove that point wrong, note.)
   
  Therefore: since Loraan's soul wasn't in his body when Blackwand took a chunk out of him, Blackwand couldn't destroy his soul.  Walking out of the Paths of the Dead probably required his soul, naturally; I imagine that when a wizard is killed, his staff is sent over Deathsgate Falls with him, thus providing him with his soul back.  Which is, in part, why I theorize that that's why wizards become wizards in part -- to be able to protect their souls from being destroyed by Morganti weapons.
   
  Here's a question for the list, though.  The Undead are those who are still useful in some way, and who are sent right back out of the Paths -- not held for future use (as Kieron is) or allowed to be reborn (as, for example, both Aliera and Vlad were), but sent right back out, as Sethra was.  It is indicated that the Gods are the ones doing this traffic-cop bit with the Dead; therefore, a God or Gods must have felt that Loraan's use was not yet up, and so sent his sorry ass back into the world.  So which deity was it?
   
  I vote for Verra, myself; she knew/suspected that Loraan would want vengance on M. Taltos, and that M. Taltos would eventually run into him.  This makes the events of Athyra yet another 'training ground' set up by the lovely Demon Goddess.  Thoughts?
   
   
  

 


S. Thomas Crain
Author-in-Training
 		
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