HFQ Thoughts/reflections SPOILERS

Henry Brown wrote:

Expert snuggler wrote:It would be insane for the Inquisition to bump off the King of Dohlar.

Clyntahn might do it.

He proved with the attack on Charis that he doesn't understand that terrorizing secular rulers will backfire. Can't you just see him thinking that torturing Ranyld to death for lack of zeal would fire up others to greater efforts?

Yep.

Furthermore, he proved he did not learn from the attack on Charis when he launched the Sword of Scheuler against Siddarmark a few years later. Plus there were a few sections in HFQ where he is characterized as starting to feel frightened and desperate. Not good traits for rational decision making.

Toss in the fact that Clyntahn now sees reality as what he wants it to be, and there's a recipe for complete disaster. I can see him trying to purge the vicarate of anyone he sees as "defeatist," which includes Duchairn and Magwair.

That would seal the fate of the CoGA's armies, as the logistics that support them would completely fall apart, and they'd be torn by internal dissension between those who supported Magwair and are infuriated that their commander was murdered, and those who feel that their duty requires them to continue to fight for Mother Church regardless of who is running it.

So the question for those three members of the Go4 is "Who kills who first?"

Merlin may end up disappointed that he won't have the opportunity to pin Clyntahn to a handy wall with a sword. (Clyntahn is too fat for a midshipman's dirk to do the job.)

McGuiness wrote:Toss in the fact that Clyntahn now sees reality as what he wants it to be, and there's a recipe for complete disaster. I can see him trying to purge the vicarate of anyone he sees as "defeatist," which includes Duchairn and Magwair.

That would seal the fate of the CoGA's armies, as the logistics that support them would completely fall apart, and they'd be torn by internal dissension between those who supported Magwair and are infuriated that their commander was murdered, and those who feel that their duty requires them to continue to fight for Mother Church regardless of who is running it.

So the question for those three members of the Go4 is "Who kills who first?"

Merlin may end up disappointed that he won't have the opportunity to pin Clyntahn to a handy wall with a sword. (Clyntahn is too fat for a midshipman's dirk to do the job.)

Merlin might very well be disappointed. But I have Aivah/Helm Cleaver as the favorites to kill Clyntahn. We should start a pool.

McGuiness wrote:"(Clyntahn is too fat for a midshipman's dirk to do the job.)"

If at is sharp enough and "punched home" hard enough then a Midshipman's dirk should go through even Clyntahn's layers of fat and blubber.

THEN he will understand the power behind a "Demon"

chrisd wrote:If at is sharp enough and "punched home" hard enough then a Midshipman's dirk should go through even Clyntahn's layers of fat and blubber.

THEN he will understand the power behind a "Demon"

Do we really want him killed with a sharp instrument? I'm thinking of the 1990's Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie where the Sheriff of Nottingham threatens to "cut your heart out with a spoon." And when asked why a spoon, he responds "Because it's dull, you twit. It'll hurt more." Seems like a fitting end to Clyntahn to me.

They could pay for the war by auctioning off the chance to be Clyntahn's executioner.

PeterZ wrote:That's why they had to allude to the Inquisitor seijin Zhosua Murphai extracted as the guilty party. He disappears and all suspicion point there. Rayno survives as a mole for a little while longer.

They had to risk that assassination because Clyntahn would have gutted the Magwair's forces including those elements supporting Helm Cleaver.

Expert snuggler wrote:How did the good guys know about a secret meeting of Clyntahn goons? Since Merlin won't risk bugging the Temple, this implies some really good HUMINT.

If I can figure that out then so can the Grand Fornicator.

I am 99% certain that Rayno is not a mole. According to Word Of Weber, in the FAQ "How did the group of four come about",

[quote]What may not yet be fully evident in the books to date (but should be clear at least by the end of FOUNDATION) is that the votes were cooked when Clyntahn was selected as Grand Inquisitor, and the guy who handled the tactical details of the ballot box stuffiing was our good friend Rayno . . . which has something to do with his present position.[\quote]

I doubt any mole of Nynians would have stuffed the ballot...unless it was to make a Wylsyn win.

Granted, I'm just as guilty of wanting bad guys to turn out to be good guys...I'll spare you my internal fanfics about Schueler, for example. Or Hektor of Corisande.

Henry Brown wrote:

Expert snuggler wrote:It would be insane for the Inquisition to bump off the King of Dohlar.

Clyntahn might do it.

He proved with the attack on Charis that he doesn't understand that terrorizing secular rulers will backfire. Can't you just see him thinking that torturing Ranyld to death for lack of zeal would fire up others to greater efforts?

Yep.

Furthermore, he proved he did not learn from the attack on Charis when he launched the Sword of Scheuler against Siddarmark a few years later. Plus there were a few sections in HFQ where he is characterized as starting to feel frightened and desperate. Not good traits for rational decision making.

The rationality of his decision making has never been good and has going consistantly down hill...wonder if that has anything to do with his ability to believe that reality is what he wants it to be?

Don

[/quote]


I am 99% certain that Rayno is not a mole. According to Word Of Weber, in the FAQ "How did the group of four come about",

What may not yet be fully evident in the books to date (but should be clear at least by the end of FOUNDATION) is that the votes were cooked when Clyntahn was selected as Grand Inquisitor, and the guy who handled the tactical details of the ballot box stuffiing was our good friend Rayno . . . which has something to do with his present position.[\quote]

I doubt any mole of Nynians would have stuffed the ballot...unless it was to make a Wylsyn win.

Granted, I'm just as guilty of wanting bad guys to turn out to be good guys...I'll spare you my internal fanfics about Schueler, for example. Or Hektor of Corisande.

That's what I was telling Peter yesterday. Too many things that just don't add up if he was a mole.

Tararoys wrote:
I am 99% certain that Rayno is not a mole. According to Word Of Weber, in the FAQ "How did the group of four come about",

What may not yet be fully evident in the books to date (but should be clear at least by the end of FOUNDATION) is that the votes were cooked when Clyntahn was selected as Grand Inquisitor, and the guy who handled the tactical details of the ballot box stuffiing was our good friend Rayno . . . which has something to do with his present position.[\quote]

I doubt any mole of Nynians would have stuffed the ballot...unless it was to make a Wylsyn win.

Granted, I'm just as guilty of wanting bad guys to turn out to be good guys...I'll spare you my internal fanfics about Schueler, for example. Or Hektor of Corisande.

I agree that Clyntahn is no mole. But he is still a good candidate to be the one kills Clyntahn...out of sheer self defense.

Don

n7axw wrote:
I agree that Clyntahn is no mole. But he is still a good candidate to be the one kills Clyntahn...out of sheer self defense.

Don

I can see that as well. In fact that's my biggest problem with him being a mole. I just don't think they would have left Clyntahn alive this long if he was.