[Dragaera] Arguing with Verra (and PH)

[Alexx Kay]

I just finished re-reading _Dzur_.  There's a scene in it where Vlad
threatens Verra, and she responds with "I have said all I choose to say,
and threats will not compel me to say more. Attempt to carry out your
threat, and I will destroy you utterly."

One of the long-standing arguments I have with Philip Hart is over just
how important Vlad is, from the point of view of Destiny.  I've just had
an analogical insight which I think might prove fruitful.

On the one hand, prophecies exist in Dragaera, and seem to obey the
standard "All Prophecies Are True" trope.  On the other hand, they also
seem to obey the nearly-as-common trope of "most prophecies are vague
enough to only be clear after the fact."

I suspect that Destiny, if personified, would turn out to be a lot like
JMS, the creator of Babylon 5.  On the one hand, there's a clear overall
plan, and things are moving purposefully towards the destination of that
plan.  On the other hand, the *specifics* of *executing* that plan rely on
the capabilities of a lot of fallible mortals, so the large-scale plan has
to be quite flexible.

JMS is well-known for having what he called 'trap-doors' in his grand plot
for B5.  That is, he had contingency plans in place to replace any
character who, for whatever real-world reasons, ended up leaving the show.
 He ended up using at least two such trap-doors, and arguably more.

I believe that Vlad has a Destined Role in Important Events -- but that
that doesn't actually make him expendable.  If he ends up dying
prematurely, Destiny will promote some other pawn into his role, or
reshuffle responsibilities.  The plan can go on without him.  Destiny
would probably prefer to keep Vlad around, but isn't bound by it.

(That conversation with Verra also touches on another one of our arguments
-- that of how much power can be brought to bear against the Jhereg. 
Verra flat-out states "I can't interfere with internal matters of one of
the Great Houses... At least, not directly."  If a major goddess is so
constrained, how much more is the Empress?)

Alexx

Not only are people weirder than you think,
 people are weirder than you *can* think.
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