[Dragaera] _Iorich_ random brief comments (spoilers!)

[Damien Sullivan]

On Fri, Feb 05, 2010 at 11:10:54AM -0800, Philip Hart wrote:
> On Thu, 4 Feb 2010, Jerry Friedman wrote:
>
>> a
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>> Their replacements will just have more reason to kill Vlad?
>
>> It appears to take a /lot/ of killing to discourage the Jhereg--for  
>> instance, they're willing to start a Dragon-Jhereg war when they're at  
>> the bottom of the Cycle.

But see, there's a difference between normal 'war' -- lots of killing of
the underlings, occasional killing of leaders, new leaders may have
incentive to keep on fighting to punish the offender or avenge the dead
-- and reliable killing of leadership.  The world mostly hasn't seen
that so there's not much real analogy to point to.  Vlad and Aliera
working together could find anyone and punch through any sorcerous
defense and likely kill rather large degrees of mundane defense.

Replacement leaders: they could continue trying to kill Vlad, and have a
99% chance of getting killed in turn, or make peace and live.  Do they
really care about the "good of the Organization" against a nearly
certain chance of being killed and maybe having their soul destroyed?
Since when are Jhereg that self-sacrificing?  Ok, maybe since they're
basically criminal Dragons, per my genetics post, but otherwise...

Hmm, variant: hunt and kill them all -- but don't use Morganti powers,
or even make them un-revivifiable.  Like the 1500 gold "warning
killings" Vlad mentions in Jhereg.  "Not only can I kill you, but you're
not even worth killing permanently, even though I have a Great Weapon in
hand".  No idea what that would do, psychologically or to reputation.

> compared to the damage he can do them).  The next council formed after 
> Vlad dies peacefully in his bed at age three score and ten will just ____ 
> on the rep of the old council.

Of course, he's a witch and sorcerer and has a Great Weapon, and
Zerika's lover seems a few hundred years old already.  Radical life
extension is rare but possible.

-xx- Damien X-)