[Dragaera] Sethra's apprentices

[Howard Brazee]

On 10/14/2008 Alexx Kay wrote:
>  I'm rereading _Yendi_.  Sethra Lavode mentions that each of her
>  apprentices (except for StY) has tried to kill her.  Sethra's a pretty
>  smart cookie.  You'd think, over the millenia, that she would have
>  worked
>  out whatever it was about her selection or training methods that
>  encouraged such behavior, and put a stop to it.  If she *wanted* to
>  put a
>  stop to it...
>
>  What does she need an apprentice *for*, anyways?  The traditional
>  role of
>  an apprentice is to learn the master's skills, so that those skills
>  are
>  preserved once the master has passed on.  Sethra shows no signs of
>  'passing on' any time soon.
>
>  Maybe she's tired.  Maybe she would actually like to die.  But her
>  job is
>  of vital importance, and her sense of duty prevents her from leaving
>  it unfilled.  Maybe her habit of taking apprentices is in pursuit (so far
>  unsuccessful) of finding/molding someone who has the
>  skills/power/abilities to replace her.  And a big part of *proving*
>  that they have what it takes to do so, is to kill her.

Consider her *other* hobbies.    Not just the one which is a spoiler, 
but her well known part-time profession as a general.  

Why should take time off of her real job to be a general?
1.   To keep herself sharp/awake sort of adrenalin fix.
2.   To keep herself sharp/skilled.
3.   To have the skills/contacts she will need for the final conflict.
4.   To build up skills in associates - skills that might be needed in 
the future.
5.   To make sure she really knew those who acquired those skills.
6.   As an avatar, she is what she is.

Those reasons apply for her spoiler hobby, and for her apprentice 
relationships as well.   She can't just wait around until the gods need 
her, she needs grow and practice.