Secret of St Zhernau

One might imagine that it would could been effective to keep the secret, now, if new people brought into the inner circle were simply not told about St Zhernau. For example, when Merlin appeared in Irys's bedroom, he might have said 'I could say that I am from the company of the angels, and flew here by using the greater fire, but that would be imprecise, though not false. Perhaps I should save Hector's life, using what are angelic tools except I oversimplify, and then explain more."

The Brotherhood of St Zhernau then slowly fades from sight.

The people who knew about it must bite their tongue, but there are few links between it and Merlin.

=2014/07/04=

Hardly fair not to give proper credit (even though it is given secretly for now)to the members of an organization that preserved the true historical treasures of the human race for literally centuries.

Furthermore, I believe Merlin was personally involved in the "great reveal" to all (or most of) the members if the current Charisian "inner circle".

??Comments??

R
.

phillies wrote:One might imagine that it would could been effective to keep the secret, now, if new people brought into the inner circle were simply not told about St Zhernau. For example, when Merlin appeared in Irys's bedroom, he might have said 'I could say that I am from the company of the angels, and flew here by using the greater fire, but that would be imprecise, though not false. Perhaps I should save Hector's life, using what are angelic tools except I oversimplify, and then explain more."

The Brotherhood of St Zhernau then slowly fades from sight.

The people who knew about it must bite their tongue, but there are few links between it and Merlin.

It appears to me that we are still in the time domain in which operational security is central.

kbus888 wrote:=2014/07/04=

Hardly fair not to give proper credit (even though it is given secretly for now)to the members of an organization that preserved the true historical treasures of the human race for literally centuries.

Furthermore, I believe Merlin was personally involved in the "great reveal" to all (or most of) the members if the current Charisian "inner circle".

??Comments??

R
.

phillies wrote:One might imagine that it would could been effective to keep the secret, now, if new people brought into the inner circle were simply not told about St Zhernau. For example, when Merlin appeared in Irys's bedroom, he might have said 'I could say that I am from the company of the angels, and flew here by using the greater fire, but that would be imprecise, though not false. Perhaps I should save Hector's life, using what are angelic tools except I oversimplify, and then explain more."

The Brotherhood of St Zhernau then slowly fades from sight.

The people who knew about it must bite their tongue, but there are few links between it and Merlin.

phillies wrote:One might imagine that it would could been effective to keep the secret, now, if new people brought into the inner circle were simply not told about St Zhernau. For example, when Merlin appeared in Irys's bedroom, he might have said 'I could say that I am from the company of the angels, and flew here by using the greater fire, but that would be imprecise, though not false. Perhaps I should save Hector's life, using what are angelic tools except I oversimplify, and then explain more."

The Brotherhood of St Zhernau then slowly fades from sight.

The people who knew about it must bite their tongue, but there are few links between it and Merlin.

Why are you suggesting this? I'm not sure I understand the point. If Merlin is revealing the Truth to someone, there is no reason not to reveal St. Zhernau as well. Or are you suggesting that Merlin not reveal the Truth when he recruits people into the Inner Circle?

St Zhernau is a functioning backup organization to Merlin, and vice versa. Most people admitted to the inner circle do not have a need to know about St Zhernau, which might manage to survive if Merlin and Charis both manage to be destroyed. It is like having two international spy agencies. The operatives of each have no need to know anything about the other, so if one is compromised the other may remain functional.

SWM wrote:

phillies wrote:One might imagine that it would could been effective to keep the secret, now, if new people brought into the inner circle were simply not told about St Zhernau. For example, when Merlin appeared in Irys's bedroom, he might have said 'I could say that I am from the company of the angels, and flew here by using the greater fire, but that would be imprecise, though not false. Perhaps I should save Hector's life, using what are angelic tools except I oversimplify, and then explain more."

The Brotherhood of St Zhernau then slowly fades from sight.

The people who knew about it must bite their tongue, but there are few links between it and Merlin.

Why are you suggesting this? I'm not sure I understand the point. If Merlin is revealing the Truth to someone, there is no reason not to reveal St. Zhernau as well. Or are you suggesting that Merlin not reveal the Truth when he recruits people into the Inner Circle?

IMO it is too late to separate St. Zhernau and the "Inner Circle".

The leadership of St. Zhernau are part of the Inner Circle and interact with "secular" members of the Inner Circle.

What you talking about (IMO) is creating an "Outer Circle" of people who know the Truth about the Church and the Archangels but don't know about St. Zhernau.

It made sense earlier when the "Outer Circle" were people who knew only that "Merlin has visions and is a source of knowledge" but IMO trying to hide the existence of St. Zhernau from people who know the Truth isn't a good idea and isn't that workable.

Basically you're saying to the members of this new "Outer Circle" that we trust you with the Truth about the Archangels but we don't trust with knowledge about St. Zhernau.

At least, that's what people in this "Outer Circle" will think if by accident they find out about St. Zhernau.

Learning the Truth about the Archangels is going to be shocking to most Safeholdians and lying to them by omission falls into (IMO) Not A Good Idea.

What happens if somebody who is still struggling with the Truth if they learn that they've been lied to (which is how they'd likely view it).

David Weber has talked about the risk of letting people into the Truth. Letting them know about St. Zhernau is the least part of the risk.

phillies wrote:St Zhernau is a functioning backup organization to Merlin, and vice versa. Most people admitted to the inner circle do not have a need to know about St Zhernau, which might manage to survive if Merlin and Charis both manage to be destroyed. It is like having two international spy agencies. The operatives of each have no need to know anything about the other, so if one is compromised the other may remain functional.

SWM wrote:Why are you suggesting this? I'm not sure I understand the point. If Merlin is revealing the Truth to someone, there is no reason not to reveal St. Zhernau as well. Or are you suggesting that Merlin not reveal the Truth when he recruits people into the Inner Circle?

I personally think the brotherhood could come to play a much bigger and public role in Charisian society, even if it keeps it's secrets. Every theology needs a center for religious scholarship and somebody will eventually have to develop the academic theological foundations of what the Church of Charis now preaches, even while preserving the myth of the arch-angels for e time being. Some organization, with church and state backing, will have to guide the people toward the post-COGA world. St Zherneau can be this public face.. Even while keeping its secrets.

As for St. Zhernau being a backup for Merlin, I think it is the other way around. Merlin is far more likely to survive in some form than the Society of St. Zhernau. It would be incredibly difficult for anyone to kill Merlin. If Charis falls, St. Zhernau probably falls also, because Clyntahn would be certain to purge every church and monastery that supported the Church of Charis. But Merlin can change his appearance and come back later in a new form.

Merlin's Circle can be told that there are many Seijin, other arrows in Shan-Wei's quiver, and kthey are all secret from each other.

I agree that St Zhernau might want to relocate if it wants to stay hidden.

phillies wrote:Merlin's Circle can be told that there are many Seijin, other arrows in Shan-Wei's quiver, and kthey are all secret from each other.

I agree that St Zhernau might want to relocate if it wants to stay hidden.

Probably should get renamed too.