[Davias]

I have a short question for you, guys.
I am currently rereading the White Luck Warrior and something about the assembling of the Ten-Yoke-Legion bothers me a little. Maybe I don't understand it right because I didn't read it in all detail the first time.
The consult uses the Erratic to assembling a great host, to battle the Ordeal. It seems, the sranc were driven against Kellhus army by the scent of humans, I understand that.
But why have the consult not thought of sending sranc this way into the Three Seas before?
Even a smaller horde would probably have been enough to overwhelm the Nansur and Galeoth, or other countrys.

[profgrape]

I think the biggest reason why they haven't done it before is that while it would do some damage, it would ultimately work against the Consult's goals.

First, it would be incredibly hard to get the legion to an area where it could really do some damage.  They'd have to sneak by Sakarpus.  And then get through the Kethol Pass.  Given that it's more-or-less the TS gateway to the North, I can't imagine that it isn't carefully watched if not well-defended.  It seems like a mass of frenzied Sranc in a confined space would be easy fodder, especially when you add sorcerors to the mix.

Supposing that even if they somehow manage to get past Sakarpus *and* get through the Kethol Pass,  it probably wouldn't happen so fast that the other countries couldn't mount a formidable defense.  In the long run, it would only serve to unite the disparate Three Seas nations against the Consult.   In the PON, the Consult's whole MO was to avoid a united resistance by Man and remaining in the shadows until the No-God could be resurrected. 

That all being said, with the majority of the TS military might in the field and chaos throughout the Empire, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if this sort of thing happened in TUC. :-)

[Wilshire]

I would say that we don't really know what the Inchoroi are trying to do at this point. For some reason they have left TS alone for some 300 years. They probably are just waiting to be 100% sure they can win, ie waiting for the No-God. They thought they could kill the Nonmen, and failed, thought they could destroy Man, and failed. There are apparently only 2 of the Inchoroi left, and they are entirely sick of losing.

Better to wait for attrition, like they did with Nonmen, than full out war, which has thus far failed every time on Earwa.

[Bolivar]

Using them as a buffer so they could keep doing whatever it is they've been doing for the last 2,000 years. It's probably just best to let them reproduce out of control rather than whittle them down through minor expeditions. It seems like the Inchoroi havr always drawn out their enemies to them before springing the howling multitudes of Sranc upon them.

[Davias]

Good points, Bolivar. It makes sense to use the sranc hordes as a "buffer". The last inchoroi may only have had one priority in the last centuries: The resurrecting of the no-god to gain their ultimate victory over Eärwa.

[SilentRoamer]

The first time the Inchoroi used the Sranc they used them as a surprise advantage against the Nonmen after having them tunnelled underground for miles. The Men of the Great Ordeal seem just as surprised by the sheer numbers of the Yoke, it's a similar sort of play by the Inchies.

I think ultimately the Inchoroi play the long game, no reason to unify the whole of the sane Three Seas before fruition of their long game plans.

[mrganondorf]

great question Davias!  i had never thought about it!  i guess there would be some concern about losing irreplaceable erratics meanwhile they still want to make Mog.  in their minds, their may be no moves worth making except those which bring back Mog.  1 No-God + 2000 year incubating sranc population means the world is screwed no matter wat (except for the meta-meta-meta-meta-gnosis).

[The Sharmat]

In the first trilogy, one of the common arguments employed by Mandate emissaries was "Before the First Apocalypse, Nonmen and Norsira had pressed Sranc to the furthest margins of the world, an the No-God could still summon untold numbers to him. Now, the Sranc have owned and bred across half the known world for two thousand years. If the No-God is reborn, and all the Sranc unite under a single will, we are absolutely fucked."

I think the Consult took exactly the right strategy, given their knowledge. It's not like they could have anticipated the Dunyain. You cannot raise walls against what has been forgotten.

That all being said, with the majority of the TS military might in the field and chaos throughout the Empire, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if this sort of thing happened in TUC. :-)

I think they'll take a different tack. After a year or two of suddenly greatly intensified activity on the borders of the Steppe, halfway through The White Luck Warrior, the Scylvendi tribes go completely quiet.

I expect to hear of a new King-of-Trbes and a united Horde exploding into the Nansurium to worship and rejoice at the immanent return of Lokung soon.

[Wilshire]

Scylvendi from the West, Sranc yoke legions from the east. The Ordeal will come home to a ruined wasteland.

[themerchant]

The ordeal isn't coming home (in my opinion of course) unless they get to the coffers and find an upturned truck of "three sea ruby slippers" to click 3 times.

[Garet Jax]

Enter Esmi, Meppa, Kel and Zeum to hold it all together for any of the Ordeal returning?

[The Sharmat]

I'd be surprised if anyone from the Ordeal made it back. I'm honestly skeptical that Kellhus even planned for a return trip. I could still be surprised though.

[Garet Jax]

I don't think Kellhus planned for the vehicle that is The Ordeal to make it back.  But he is much too self centered to, Zaudunyaini faith not included, at least plan for himself to return... In whatever form or function he might be fulfilling at that point.

[The Sharmat]

I dunno. Is Kellhus self-centered? I'm not sure how truly Dunyain he is any more. His talks with Proyas are quite weird.

I really have little idea what to think about his plans and goals at the moment.

[mrganondorf]

Scylvendi from the West, Sranc yoke legions from the east. The Ordeal will come home to a ruined wasteland.

don't forget the Eannorians!