a couple of things that stuck out to me from the story:
- the physical description of Shinurta seemed decayed in a way similar to Shauriatus description in the TUC ch excerpt. chanv-consult link?
Not so sure about that. They are both to old for their bodies and kept alive by something, but I don't see much more there
- the combination of hints about the Scarlett Spires summoning demons and the presence of a character that allegedly becomes possessed by Gilgaol-- is the SS trying to trap Gilgaol?
I couldn't decide if that was just a turn of phrase, or if he was
actually being possessed.
The summoning of demons is a fairly recent construct isn't it? Maybe this was around the time where they first started delving into the forbidden art.
- the Sranc pits are where men fight men and sranc, no? if so, perhaps they are breeding extra-violent sranc for the games. this could lead to other stories where there is a sranc prison break and Carythusal is terrorized
No need for extra violent sranc
. Also, it doesn't seem like they breed them, they capture them and ship them in. Hundreds a week.
Still though, better keep those cages in good condition.
- all the pit, pit, pit stuff and the description of the SS towers as "The famed crimson gleamed black in the light of the Nail, HORNS soaring into the VOID" made me think that Bakker will be doing more parallels between the SS and the Consult. could Iyokus be capable of deceiving and betraying the Great Ordeal?
They are obviously working on a Topos. Given enough time...
Here there certainly seems to be imagery connect to the Consult. I wonder if Shae was at any point in contact with other schoolmen?
- the second hear thing is cool--who was the character of yore who had 2 hearts? plus this may have something to do with Kellhus ripping out one heart while still being animated by one? lol, if Seswatha had 2 hearts, he could leave one with the Mandate and then (using super chill longevity spells) hang out in the depths of Ishual and organize the Dunyain experiment from the shadows!
Wasn't it the alleged nonman-man hybrid, that Anasurimbor woman, who had two hearts?
Maybe the original 2 heart guy referred to in the story, (Wiggle? whatever..) was then an Anasurimbor, with the double-heart trait resurfaced, making all his children part of the line. Distant Kellhus cousins
.
- goddamn i love the construction of the sranc pits with viewers hanging over to see down!
Yeah, like a coliseum but with a semi spherical roof.
- so when the Hewer is knocked out--is that maybe the same poison used on Nau-Cayuti? does this imply that NC's wife may have been a witch? really would like to see her in TUC
Witches!
"hey despise my kind because we fit no hand save our own. Treachery is the very essence of Intellect–they know this the way cattle know wolves. The rapacious Intellect is the treacherous Intellect"
Since we also know that War is Intellect, therefore, Treachery is War.... Do they have a god of intellect? Ajokli is treachery, Gilgaol is war...
