[Dragaera] [Dzur Spoilers] On Name Cracks

[Davdi Silverrock]

On 10/5/06, Will Frank <wmfrank at stwing.org> wrote:
> Here's some spoiler space...
>
> Phoenix
>
> Dragon
>
> Lyorn
>
> Tiassa
>
> Hawk
>
> Dzur
>
> Issola
>
> Tsalmoth
>
> Vallista
>
> Jhereg
>
> Iorich
>
> Chreotha
>
> Yendi
>
> Orca
>
> Teckla
>
> Jhegaala
>
> Athyra
>
> Phoenix
>
> Okay. I've just finished _Dzur_--which I enjoyed, and I'd give a fortune to
> eat at Valabar's--and have been ruminating on the Crithnak/Triesco Crack
> regarding the commission Vlad gives Mario.
>
> First, it seems to me that fixing it, if that's the plan, may not be easy.
> It's not a one-line--the name assignment carries through for most of the
> conversation with Kragar.
>
> Second, I don't know that it /needs/ to be fixed. Yes, the conversation
> seems to be built on that approach, but...both times Crithnak is referred
> to as Terion's mistress, it's to or by Kragar.
>
> Has the thought occurred to anybody that Vlad's lying through his teeth--or,
> to be more polite, he's obscuring the truth to protect Kragar or possibly
> just not tell him he's (Vlad) made more enemies?

> Frankly, Terion will still be pissed--as a function of Triesco being pissed,
> and of losing now two of the sorceresses helping him--if Crithnak is
> killed. And Vlad would probably want Triesco to be alive, as likely higher
> up in the grand scheme of things, in order to force the deal down the Left
> Hand's throats, or Terion's, whoever he can leverage against the other.
>
> It's confusing, yes, but is it a Crack?
>

I think so.

The reason Vlad thinks that Crithnak needs to die is because she
thinks that he deliberately destroyed her sister's soul.  So what was
a dispassionate tactical hunt has now become a personal vendetta.  He
probably couldn't convince her that what happened to her sister was
unintentional, so he can't negotiate with her.

Triesco is important because she's Terion's mistress, she's a powerful
sorceress, she has status, and if Vlad can force through some sort of
deal that is in her own interest to adhere to, he'll succeed in what
he's trying to do.

As you say, she'll be angry about losing some of her subordinates, but
I guess Vlad is also counting on her fear and self-interest to make up
her mind.

Misleading Kragar about who is Terion's mistress doesn't really help
Kragar or Vlad, which is why it makes no sense.