[Dragaera] Liberals

[Scott Schultz via Dragaera]

> As opposed to the Cycle being a result of the stability?  I suspect they
work
> together to some extent, but I like the idea that the stability might have
> come first.
> 
> Jerry Friedman

When Vlad visits the Halls of Judgement in _Taltos_, he introduces The Cycle
(meaning the big stone wheel) by explaining to the reader that it is
considered to be *THE* Cycle in every meaningful way. To a Dragaeran,
there's no difference between speaking about the physical manifestation of
The Cycle in the Halls of Judgement and talking about the socio-economic
manifestation of the Cycle in the progression of Houses passing the Orb from
one to another. So much so, that there is a belief that if a person had the
strength and will  to physically take hold of the stone wheel and move it,
that the Empirical Cycle would immediately turn as well.

Remember that to most educated Dragaerans, the Gods are more like supermen
than like awe-inspiring omnipotent forces. There is little reason for belief
in superstitious folderol when the proper study of sorcery and communication
with the Lords of Judgement themselves can tell you exactly what makes those
entities "divine" and even how to go about making oneself "divine". If we
assume that educated Dragaerans believe the things that Vlad is telling us
that they believe, then there's little reason to doubt that the physical
Cycle in the Halls of Judgement is, indeed, the "master" of the
socio-economic Cycle that drives events in the Empire.

This shouldn't be that surprising, given that Verra (I think) has referred
to the Empire itself as a metaphysical entity that is somehow part of the
defense against incursions by the Jenoine. The Lords of Judgement have a
vested interest in keeping the Empire running according to the Cycle.