[Dragaera] Orca Reconsideration 1

[Alexx Kay]

>>>   There are several facts from earlier books that give ideas about
>>> possible ways she could have done this:
>>>
>>> 1.   Sorcerous spell. 
>> ...
>>> 2.  Complex long-lasting illusion. 
>> ...
>>> 3.  In _Taltos_, Kragar says Sethra is a shape-shifter. 
>> ...
>>
>> You seem to have overlooked what, to me, is the most obvious explanation.
>>
>> 4.  A purely physical, mundane disguise, carried off extremely well.
>> Kiera taught Vlad the art of disguise, so he knows (and we know) that
>> she's good at it.  (I don't think that particular bit of their shared
>> background was talked about until _Dzur_, but we know it now.)
>
>   How would Sethra change her height, her eyes, conceal her fangs, arrange
> her hair beneath a wig in a suitable way, and change her face and voice
> enough to fool people who know both for extended periods of time?

I admit that I am poor at noticing details of physical description of
characters in books, so I may have missed some things.  But do we actually
have textev that they *are* different heights?  Or that their eyes and
hair are significantly different?  Or that Sethra has noticeable fangs?

As to 'people who know both' -- until the events of _Taltos_, that was an
empty set.  Even after that, the only person who knew them both with more
than a passing familiarity was Vlad -- who eventually *did* see through
the disguise.

>   In a world with magic, when the subject is so associated with magic, a
> magic explanation shouldn't be unusual, and there are too many problems
> with a mundane disguise to consider it seriously. 

I don't say that a magical answer is impossible, or even unreasonable.  I
just think that a mundane answer makes more sense.  Though, as I said, I
may be missing something, I don't see these problems of which you speak.

Alexx

"A system of which I am a noisesome supporter."    -- Tadhg
   "It is nice to see a word used correctly."    -- David/Cariadoc