As far as Sorweel could tell, the single thing that distinguished their group from the other Scions was geography. Where the others hailed from recalcitrant tribes and nations within the New Empire, they represented the few lands that still exceeded its grasp—at least until recently. “Between us we have the Aspect-Emperor surrounded!”Zsoronga would sometimes cry in joking terms.
But it was no joke, Sorweel had come to realize. Zsoronga, who would one day be Satakhan of High Holy Zeüm, the only nation that could hope to rival the New Empire, was cultivating friendships according to the interests of his people. He avoided the others simply because the Aspect-Emperor was renowned for his devious subtlety. Because spies had almost certainly been planted among the Scions.
I can't recall if any of these kids die in this book but I wonder if Bakker is introducing the confederates who fight against Kellhus or his godhood in the third series.
Indeed, I think that it probable. What if Sorweel somehow becomes some sort of "resistance" fighter in the North, like Fanayal in the South? And surely Zeüm would be a big part of any resistance to a New New Empire, perhaps.
Fucking heartbreaking how Proyas and his piety have been played into a life of genocide and atrocity. It hits so hard because we saw his despair in the first trilogy to do the right thing in a world of compromise and how he kinda deserts in Shimeh at the end. Also like how the paragraph begins and ends, with his lack of understanding, cementing how he's been willingly deceived. And later in the book, Kellhus is revealing it to him, owning up to everything in the Compendium.
Indeed, just got to that part, Chapter 7.
The thing about the Dunyain is they almost always tell the truth, even when they have ulterior motives. He may very will defeat the Consult but I think there's something else he wants.
I don't recall if he actually thinks about saving the world, that's only what he and Moe say to eachother and we know everything they say is to gain advantage over another. And interspersed throughout this dialog, Achamian is explaining to Esmenet that everything Kellhus accomplished and that they've experienced is based on a lie. Kellhus does think a Dunyain would join the Consult before killing Moe, but he himself is already halfway down the path he envisioned there.
I also think that in the pursuit of the Absolute, the Dunyain will do anything to escape the machinations of others. When Kellhus is sent to kill Moenghus, he only resolves to dwell in his father's house. H had speculated that when he realizes how preconditioned his path has been, he then resolves to kill Moenghus. Now, the only intent remaining that holds any sway over him is the Thousandfold Thought. If it's truly a plan to save the world, what are the implications that he will try to subvert is influence in order to become a self-moving soul?
Tl;dr - everything Kellhus does is to control circumstance; how will he overcome the Thousandfold Thought, the last remaining circumstance that comes before him?
An interesting point. I think the divergence from what Kellhus thinks Moe would do (and he is probably right) and what he will do comes down to the domination and subjugation of the Outside. Where Moe believes that nothing violates the Principle of Before and After, therefor the Outside is irrelevant and the closing of the world to it is not of much consequence, Kellhus believes that the Outside can be dominated in the same way that the Inside has been.
This is why he tells Moe, "I am more." More what? More than just the sum total of the Dûnyainic principles. He believes he has transcended, or at least believes he can transcend the principles that bore him this far. In other words, he can dominate both the Inside and the Outside. The Thousandfold Thought is a lie, we are told this. But what Kellhus believes is he can make it the literal Truth.
Why? Consider, the whole reason why Kellhus succeeds is Moe's Thousandfold Thought. But he comes to his own Thousandfold Thought at the Circumfixion. The "madness" that Kellhus is afflicted with is
certainty. This certainty is born of Moe's Thousandfold Thought, that makes Kellhus believe in his rise is
ordained. Once he realizes that it was instead
conditioned, it's too late, he already is
certain that he can master both the Inside
and Outside. This is why he couldn't let Moe join the Consult, or wouldn't join them himself, because he
wants the world open to the Outside, because it will be the font of his
ultimate power, the Absolute.
Plausible?
