Re: Argrath of Pavis - nul points

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_...>
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 10:46:19 +1300


At 15:05 14/02/01 -0500, you wrote:

>Me> [Keith Nellist] only "learned something important about the men of
> > the Lunar Army" from it, what they were afraid of. There's no
> > evidence that he used the spell to make the lunars afraid for some
> > future battle, like when Jaldon Toothmaker was at the wall, that you
> > suggest is the useful value of the spell.

>But if the Magical Contest is one that lasts several days, months, years,
>then the spell is not of an extended duration it is just a long duration
>contest, like Kallai' s courting of Niquena.

I'm not familiar with the Kallai example, but Argrath of Pavis is clearly casting a spell. If the contest lasted for an extended period of time, then he would have to be singing all through that time.

>Argrath of Pavis seems to use his secret knowledge
>gained by singing to, if nothing else, gain an edge in a later contest.

But that's not what he does with it. What he gains is information and he passes that on to Orlanth in return for a promise to "help him some more" KoS p176. Once Argrath does so, he is "very glad to be rid of the burden" KoS p176. The information plays no part in Argrath's days with the New Teeth. What Argrath does gain for telling Orlanth his information is apparently the dream of Bostanios the Fang.

--Peter Metcalfe

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