Spoiler Ridden HFQ guesses

McGuiness wrote:(SNIP)

If he has told her, then she's probably just noted they're never in the same place at the same time, and that Merlin is invariably absent when Ahbraim shows up, plus they have similar mannerisms in speech and body language that Merlin simply couldn't hide from a person well versed in spying.

When did Aivah meet Ahbraim?

And as to them being in the same place at the same time - remember that we are talking about a conflict spanning an entire world - the fact that two individuals have never been seen in the same room is NOT reason to say they are the same person.

For example, has Ehdwyrd Howsmyn ever been seen in the same location as Sir Rysel Gahrvai? Is that enough evidence to say that they are the same person???

Miscdebris wrote:On the first page of posts someone mentioned what the addition of Nimue could mean. I think it is setting up Merlin at some future time to be sacrificed in some coming battle.

Merlin is damaged by the things he has done to bring down the CoGA. His sacrifice would allow Nimue to act as the shepherd of humanity after the war without all the emotional baggage that the war caused. She is a purer form of Merlin.

Aivah in MTAT is revealed in her conversation with archbishop to be deeply bitter at temple. Further, she has been at least engineering assasinations. And her story on Safehold goes further back than Merlin's. As admirable as we miht find her she has lots of personal baggage of her own. She is not "purer" form of Merlin.

Don

Edit: I think I messed up an read this post. It's Nimue who is purer form of Merlin... That one is plausible... although it might be that Merlin's struggles are pushing him into some personal development. I think that he has more depth now than at the beginning of OAR. That would be normal. Nimue was only 27 at the time she uploaded PICA. I know I have been through my own share of struggle since age 27. Times of maximim stress can be times of maximim growth, especially with good support, which Merlin seems to have.

Don

As Ahbraim, Merlin took a trip to Zion (in A Mighty Fortress) and met with her (when she was Ahnzhelyk Phonda).

As for your idea that plenty of others "aren't in the same place at the same time", don't forget that we are thinking that she noticed strong similarities between Merlin and Ahbraim.

MWadwell wrote:

McGuiness wrote:(SNIP)

If he has told her, then she's probably just noted they're never in the same place at the same time, and that Merlin is invariably absent when Ahbraim shows up, plus they have similar mannerisms in speech and body language that Merlin simply couldn't hide from a person well versed in spying.

When did Aivah meet Ahbraim?

And as to them being in the same place at the same time - remember that we are talking about a conflict spanning an entire world - the fact that two individuals have never been seen in the same room is NOT reason to say they are the same person.

For example, has Ehdwyrd Howsmyn ever been seen in the same location as Sir Rysel Gahrvai? Is that enough evidence to say that they are the same person???

Merlin didn't stop her, Ahbraim did.

Seriously to add to this, it was notable that after her first conversation with Ahbraim, she was wearing her suicide necklace while still in her bed clothes the next morning which wasn't her usual practice.

While she was beginning to trust Ahbraim, the knowledge that Ahbraim knew her identity was troubling her.

isaac_newton wrote:

DrakBibliophile wrote:On the other hand, we have her thoughts about what would happen if Clyntahn caught her.

IE she feared the Punishment and thought about how long the pain would last.

If she was a PICA, she would have been able to escape.
SNIP

confirmed by ownership of suicide necklace. Didn't Merlin have to stop her using it - or was that in my imagination?

A PICA would just trigger self destruct sequence...

pokermind wrote:Hmm Aivah was raised in a nunnery, perhaps founded by the re-educated from the Alexandria Enclave? I can see the first line of the next book, Aivah, "Does the name Nimue mean anything to you, Merlin?"
Poker

It's probably been brought up before, but if there are any other secret societies with the same pedigree as the Brotherhood of St. Zherneau, their ears must have perked up when they heard Cayleb and Sharleyan, the leaders of the fight against the Church, had a kid named "Naimu." And very soon now the rumors are going to start going around that they have a Seijin in their service named "Nimue" (though it may take awhile for those rumors to reach the mainland.)

The inner circle has effectively put up a Bat-Signal for any other secret groups founded by Shan-wei.

Welcome aboard, Donaithnen. I hope to see more of your posts.

As I recall Jeremy Knowles overheard the name Nimue. This wasn't information Shan-wei provided her seedlings. Still, if one person found out Nimue's name, others might also.

Donaithnen wrote:

pokermind wrote:Hmm Aivah was raised in a nunnery, perhaps founded by the re-educated from the Alexandria Enclave? I can see the first line of the next book, Aivah, "Does the name Nimue mean anything to you, Merlin?"
Poker

It's probably been brought up before, but if there are any other secret societies with the same pedigree as the Brotherhood of St. Zherneau, their ears must have perked up when they heard Cayleb and Sharleyan, the leaders of the fight against the Church, had a kid named "Naimu." And very soon now the rumors are going to start going around that they have a Seijin in their service named "Nimue" (though it may take awhile for those rumors to reach the mainland.)

The inner circle has effectively put up a Bat-Signal for any other secret groups founded by Shan-wei.

=2014/03/07=

Welcome to the forums, Donaithnen

You said in part
"The inner circle has effectively put up a Bat-Signal for any other secret groups founded by Shan-wei."

I never thought of putting it that way, but, WELL SAID !!

R
.

Donaithnen wrote:

pokermind wrote:Hmm Aivah was raised in a nunnery, perhaps founded by the re-educated from the Alexandria Enclave? I can see the first line of the next book, Aivah, "Does the name Nimue mean anything to you, Merlin?"
Poker

It's probably been brought up before, but if there are any other secret societies with the same pedigree as the Brotherhood of St. Zherneau, their ears must have perked up when they heard Cayleb and Sharleyan, the leaders of the fight against the Church, had a kid named "Naimu." And very soon now the rumors are going to start going around that they have a Seijin in their service named "Nimue" (though it may take awhile for those rumors to reach the mainland.)

Sorry to burst your bubble, but according to Zherneau's letter, his knowledge of Nimue's existence was sketchy in the extreme and acquired essentially by fluke. We see the relevant bit of the text reproduced in Schism.

Will Zhaspahr tell the other Vicars of the Seijin's letter? I doubt it.

What will Duchairn and Magwair do once they hear about the letter to Zhaspahr? I assume that they do as all the Vicar's have their spies and the breakage in Zhaspahr's office will be the talk of the Temple along with the instructions to find Mab.

Will Magwair advise his generals, in private letters, of this news re: the inquisition? And how will they react to this news? How will Duchairn act on this news?

He may have to tell the Gof4 before copies of the letter start appearing though out Zion.

EPF99 wrote:Will Zhaspahr tell the other Vicars of the Seijin's letter? I doubt it.

What will Duchairn and Magwair do once they hear about the letter to Zhaspahr? I assume that they do as all the Vicar's have their spies and the breakage in Zhaspahr's office will be the talk of the Temple along with the instructions to find Mab.

Will Magwair advise his generals, in private letters, of this news re: the inquisition? And how will they react to this news? How will Duchairn act on this news?