HFQ Official Snippet #22

Ed130 The Vanguard wrote:

Damonby wrote:
Also, I find it interesting that the implication is that after some unspecified Adams were made aware of part of their real history, BOTH sides seem to have agreed to use archaic weapons in the War of the Fallen. Why else would Kohdy be armed with a sword and armored like a knight? Did both sides fight without using energy/kinetic weapons in the hope that the original mission could be preserved and that the majority of Safehold Adams and Eves could be kept ignorant of the truth?

Great series, can't wait for more.

From an earlier snippet (snippet 5) believe that Khody mainly faced other Adam's. I suspect he and the other sejins were auxiliary forces alongside the remaining lesser angels and whatever was mentioned in snippet 5. "The servitors who’d fought for the Archangels had largely withdrawn to the Dawn Star," I'm guessing UAV or some kind of tank drone?

Plus if you think back apart from the TFMS Hamilcar (the last remaining colony transport) where else could the fallen get advanced equipment? The Administration centre and the Alexandria Enclave were both destroyed and I doubt Langhorne would want any sort of manufacturing equipment where the new locals could get at it. History shows that Chihiro and Schueler managed to take or already controled the Hamilcar, forcing the fallen to make do with what they had.

Hi Ed,

Note that I'm too lazy to type in your full handle... But welcome to the forums anyway. Belly up to the bar and enjoy the simulated beverage of your choice... It's on the house.

I thought that the Dawn Star was Hamilcar. I think you're right about Kohdy facing other Adams.

Where this gets a bit murky is exactly who the fallen really were. The attack on Armageddon Reef wiped Pei Shanwei and her group out, although it is possible that not everybody was at home when the attack rolled in. Pei Kauyung died at the same time as Langhorne in the same blast. So who are the fallen? Khody thinks they are followers of Pei Kauyung in this last snippet. But everybody tends to label the other side according to convenience. They could just as easily been followers of Langhorne who factionalized in a power struggle. Of course, since the winners write the history, the losers get labeled the fallen, or the followers of Shan-wei When the losers might not have been followers of Kauyung or Shan-wei at all.

Don

Interesting snippet, RFC. Thanks for posting it.

This snippet is a truly marvelous piece of writing. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the Bedardist chapel and the room where the tomb is kept. I reread that several times just to savor the vividness of the word pictures created here. Especially I liked the description of the room where the tomb was kept and the sculpture.

As I reflected on it, I tried to imagine how tragic it would be if Michelangelo's work on the ceiling of the Cistine Chapel in the Vatican had been hidden, forever closed off for almost no one to be inspired by or appreciate. That seems to be what has happened here. In all of the time since it was created, only a few dozens of sisters, perhaps a couple hundred altogether, have beheld what Merlin is reflecting on in this snippet and it is some of the most beautiful artwork on Safehold. How tragic. Perhaps the day will come when that will change.

Sister Emylee seem to be adjusting nicely to the presence of a seijin, isn't she?

Don

THANK YOU RFC for the snippets

I love reading ya'll's ideas and comments too.

I don't know how to cut out the little boxes but this thread had to deal with the sword of Kody and Merlin. Both are Battle steal. If any of the sisters doubt merlin as a Seijin all he has to do is let them "play" with his sword and the granite slab holding Kody's sword. Only a seijin would have a sword that sharp.

Now I know he does not wish to lie to anyone or claim Seijin status, but he could prove to the sisters that he is telling the truth about who Kody was and what the Spanish portion of the book means. Merlin could even show the USB port that matches the one in Kody's body.

I think the sisters are about to get a crash course in the brotherhoods knowledge.

RFC Thanks for the Snippets!

Bluenoser,
I think that the reason the Seijins were awakened and use hand to hand weapons is because if they used the other weapons the orbital platform would target them too. Hand to hand weapons would be safe to use.

I also really enjoyed the snippet

As to going to BGV next, instead of more from the Journal... must say that I'm really torn now between:
- more Journal
- BGV
- Breakfast at the Temple

perhaps some statistical analysis of previous snippets to see how many consequetive snippets stay on one theme, before RFC switches topic, might give some idea of which is more likely.

Oh dear... getting sucked in again

isaac_newton wrote:I also really enjoyed the snippet

As to going to BGV next, instead of more from the Journal... must say that I'm really torn now between:
- more Journal
- BGV
- Breakfast at the Temple

perhaps some statistical analysis of previous snippets to see how many consequetive snippets stay on one theme, before RFC switches topic, might give some idea of which is more likely.

Oh dear... getting sucked in again

We are averaging ~3 snippets per chapter and my guess (looking at previous snippets) we will get another snippet with Merlin & Aivah with a break in the end of it to a new scene and possible new chapter.

It's possible the next chapter will deal with the continuation of the events on Seridahn river and Rychters retreat.

n7axw wrote:
Hi Ed,

Note that I'm too lazy to type in your full handle... But welcome to the forums anyway. Belly up to the bar and enjoy the simulated beverage of your choice... It's on the house.

I thought that the Dawn Star was Hamilcar. I think you're right about Kohdy facing other Adams.

Where this gets a bit murky is exactly who the fallen really were. The attack on Armageddon Reef wiped Pei Shanwei and her group out, although it is possible that not everybody was at home when the attack rolled in. Pei Kauyung died at the same time as Langhorne in the same blast. So who are the fallen? Khody thinks they are followers of Pei Kauyung in this last snippet. But everybody tends to label the other side according to convenience. They could just as easily been followers of Langhorne who factionalized in a power struggle. Of course, since the winners write the history, the losers get labeled the fallen, or the followers of Shan-wei When the losers might not have been followers of Kauyung or Shan-wei at all.

Don

Cheers! Good to be here after lurking for a few months.

So you are thinking The War against The Fallen was used as a cover for a purge? I don't doubt that several fallen were part of Langhorne's faction proper but were targeted due to suspected 'disloyalty' but the Fallen who altered Kohdy followed Kau-Yung's philosophy/distaste of mind control and only placed doubts in the sejins head rather than a total wipe and replace.

Of course there are other reasons for a partial implant job, ranging from lack of time to wanting to have a subtle corruption which would last and grow like a virus among the people of Safehold, which is exactly what happened. The second option also points towards a Kau-Yung follower and also explains the rather excessive destruction of the Order of Saint Kohdy

As for the Dawn Star = Hamilcar yes, that was a point I was trying to get across, sorry if I didn't make it clear.

Which raises another question, is the Hamilcar still up there in orbit around Kau-zhi?

Ed130 The Vanguard wrote:
Cheers! Good to be here after lurking for a few months.

So you are thinking The War against The Fallen was used as a cover for a purge? I don't doubt that several fallen were part of Langhorne's faction proper but were targeted due to suspected 'disloyalty' but the Fallen who altered Kohdy followed Kau-Yung's philosophy/distaste of mind control and only placed doubts in the sejins head rather than a total wipe and replace.

Of course there are other reasons for a partial implant job, ranging from lack of time to wanting to have a subtle corruption which would last and grow like a virus among the people of Safehold, which is exactly what happened. The second option also points towards a Kau-Yung follower and also explains the rather excessive destruction of the Order of Saint Kohdy

As for the Dawn Star = Hamilcar yes, that was a point I was trying to get across, sorry if I didn't make it clear.

Which raises another question, is the Hamilcar still up there in orbit around Kau-zhi?

E130tV,

I suspect that eventually one of two things happened; people lost faith in Chihiro and Schuler or Chihiro and Schuler got paranoid. Considering the treatment the SSK got I suspect more the former than the latter. Initially, however, I believe the antagonists did follow Kau-Yung.

A friend and I were discussing this earlier. Recall that he was estranged from his wife over her disagreement with Langehorn. Kau-Yung modeled himself a moderate in that disagreement. He lied through his teeth, but there were likely moderate individuals that were moved into action by the mass murder committed by Langehorn. Toss in the vacancies Kau_Yung's vengeance created in leadership and the results are a rat's nest of motives to support resistance to Langehorn's remaining successors.

After years of civil war, I wouldn't wonder that paranoia sets in with Schuler and Chihiro. Rather paranoia sets in with Chihiro and after Cody's murder a committed acceptance to his perceived duty for Schuler. That would explain the tone of message in Father Paityr's Key. I suspect paranoia in Chihiro because of the KEY strike on the SSK. I doubt that the person on the Key's message would have done that just because the SSK served Cody. Cody's death would have been enough.

PeterZ wrote:E130tV,

I suspect that eventually one of two things happened; people lost faith in Chihiro and Schuler or Chihiro and Schuler got paranoid. Considering the treatment the SSK got I suspect more the former than the latter. Initially, however, I believe the antagonists did follow Kau-Yung.

A friend and I were discussing this earlier. Recall that he was estranged from his wife over her disagreement with Langehorn. Kau-Yung modeled himself a moderate in that disagreement. He lied through his teeth, but there were likely moderate individuals that were moved into action by the mass murder committed by Langehorn. Toss in the vacancies Kau_Yung's vengeance created in leadership and the results are a rat's nest of motives to support resistance to Langehorn's remaining coterie.

After years of civil war, I wouldn't wonder that paranoia sets in with Schuler and Chihiro. Rather paranoia sets in with Chihiro and after Cody's murder a committed acceptance to his perceived duty for Schuler. That would explain the tone of message in Father Paityr's Key. I suspect paranoia in Chihiro because of the KEY strike on the SSK. I doubt that the person on the Key's message would have done that just because the SSK served Cody. Cody's death would have been enough.

Did you mean KEW strike, not KEY strike?

I'm still very curious why they initiated a KEW strike on Cody's apparent tomb and followers. Why not just let the sect die out? Why not send a Seijin or a force to kill the sisters? What justified the KEW strike?

I have to assume that something justified that. Was it concerns that Cody might have a journal? Something material that he had? I doubt the latter, because they returned his body. And why did they return his sword?

Something just isn't right about that.

On a slightly different subject, I am curious what would have happened if Merlin had woken up when the war started after Langhorne's death. Or even if there had been secret access to his cave. According to the book, the faithful were losing the war at one point. Would Merlin and/or access to his cave have made a significant difference? And what, if anything, would that have meant?

Yes, a KEW would have taken out Merlin. So maybe it would have been less significant. But access to the learning machines? Would that have made a difference?

For that matter, did the Archangels kill all the implanted troops after the war was over, to removing their memories of advanced technology?

Too many questions. We have to wait for Merlin to translate Cody's journal, and I'm sure David will cut off the snippet contained the translation just as we get to the good part

-- Bob G