Speculation on the next in the Safehold series

Now that a skimmer has been equipped with a gunpowder cannon, it can be used against the "Army of God" supply dumps and ammunition dumps, as well as supply caravans.
The "neutralization" of Earl Thirsk is an obvious progression; I wonder if Mr. Weber will have it carry some subordinates too.
It also appears that Mr.Weber does not intend to rehabilitate Schueler as the author of his "punishment". However, it is Mr. Weber's world, and he will decide the manner of progress. I do believe, however, that machine guns will make their appearance if he intends to have the "Mighty Host" attack Siddarmark defenders.
We all know how it will ultimately end; it is the description of that journey that I enjoy.

I'm wondering if Merlin will survive to the next series. Not that anything can hurt him. I wonder if he'll shut himself down and allow a fresh Nimue to take over for the next war.


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Annachie wrote:I'm wondering if Merlin will survive to the next series. Not that anything can hurt him. I wonder if he'll shut himself down and allow a fresh Nimue to take over for the next war.


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it's possible i suppose but i doubt it. Yes He's got Nimue he can hand it over to and i'm sure owl kept a copy when he uploaded her, so rebooting Merlin's Pica and putting in a "clean" Nimue is not undoable.

I just wonder if he'd feel like he's running away. He made a promise to the Admiral, no matter that he doesn't remember doing it, even though the burden is shared I can't see him willing to dump it and the guilt/blood debt on someone else.

not yet anyway. maybe in a century or 2 when he's lost so many friends to simple age, and he's gotten safehold industrialised to the point where it can stand off the Gabba.

more likely i think that after Merlin and Nimue have seen off the Gabba, THEN they will both shut down ala Avais in Anne MaCaffrey's Pern books

With improved mobile artillery , Merlin can now add that to his bag of tricks. Any attacks wil be blamed on charis backed traitors or spies. He will be able to comit such a great deal of violence in formerly secured enemy territory.
Also, I bet these weapons can cover up the usage of modern weaponries if need be.

He has been getting increasingly willing to tip his hand.

SciFi90 wrote:Now that a skimmer has been equipped with a gunpowder cannon, it can be used against the "Army of God" supply dumps and ammunition dumps, as well as supply caravans.

The "neutralization" of Earl Thirsk is an obvious progression; I wonder if Mr. Weber will have it carry some subordinates too.

It also appears that Mr.Weber does not intend to rehabilitate Schueler as the author of his "punishment". However, it is Mr. Weber's world, and he will decide the manner of progress. I do believe, however, that machine guns will make their appearance if he intends to have the "Mighty Host" attack Siddarmark defenders.

We all know how it will ultimately end; it is the description of that journey that I enjoy.

Like you said, it's DW's story. But it's always struck me as odd that Merlin (or now, Nimue) doesn't do more behind the lines sabotage of things like ammo dumps, or gun powder factories, or shipyards, or steel factories, etc. Gun powder factories or ammo dumps would seem particularly susceptible, given that one small explosion could have such catastrophic results. Maybe deliberately attack an ammo barge in a canal lock ... just like the earlier accidental incident. It's a two-for-the-price-of-one attack. Destroy a good deal of gunpowder, and take a canal lock out of action for a few weeks or more.

This sort of attack wouldn't even have to be aimed at the "thinkers" on the enemy side, which Merlin has wanted to cultivate. Just attack certain key areas that would have a major impact on the enemy's ability to support the war effort.

crucisnh wrote:

SciFi90 wrote:Now that a skimmer has been equipped with a gunpowder cannon, it can be used against the "Army of God" supply dumps and ammunition dumps, as well as supply caravans.

The "neutralization" of Earl Thirsk is an obvious progression; I wonder if Mr. Weber will have it carry some subordinates too.

It also appears that Mr.Weber does not intend to rehabilitate Schueler as the author of his "punishment". However, it is Mr. Weber's world, and he will decide the manner of progress. I do believe, however, that machine guns will make their appearance if he intends to have the "Mighty Host" attack Siddarmark defenders.

We all know how it will ultimately end; it is the description of that journey that I enjoy.

Like you said, it's DW's story. But it's always struck me as odd that Merlin (or now, Nimue) doesn't do more behind the lines sabotage of things like ammo dumps, or gun powder factories, or shipyards, or steel factories, etc. Gun powder factories or ammo dumps would seem particularly susceptible, given that one small explosion could have such catastrophic results. Maybe deliberately attack an ammo barge in a canal lock ... just like the earlier accidental incident. It's a two-for-the-price-of-one attack. Destroy a good deal of gunpowder, and take a canal lock out of action for a few weeks or more.

This sort of attack wouldn't even have to be aimed at the "thinkers" on the enemy side, which Merlin has wanted to cultivate. Just attack certain key areas that would have a major impact on the enemy's ability to support the war effort.

There are several problems with that approach. Merlin has always been reluctant to use Fed technology anymore than necessary for fear that it could increase the chances of, even if just slightly, the OBS detecting it. There is also the propaganda side of it. Any mysterious attacks like that could, and probably would, be used by Clyntahn as evidence of demonic assistance by the heretics. And of course if any town or village was nearby, they might get rounded up and put to the punishment.

It is possible we might see more, but I think it will still be used sparingly.

There's no "might" about it, it's a certainty proven by the event in Sarkyn.

Against a sane opponent, a covert campaign carefully disguised to look like bad luck would work. Clyntahn doesn't believe in bad luck. If an OWL remote makes a horseshoe nail disappear for a key courier carrying a decisive message, Clyntahn will torture someone innocent for it.

Expert snuggler wrote:There's no "might" about it, it's a certainty proven by the event in Sarkyn.

Against a sane opponent, a covert campaign carefully disguised to look like bad luck would work. Clyntahn doesn't believe in bad luck. If an OWL remote makes a horseshoe nail disappear for a key courier carrying a decisive message, Clyntahn will torture someone innocent for it.

But 'bad luck' already IS happening all the time... fires occur. Canon barrels burst. Ships sink. Details like that don't often make it directly into the narrative, but I can remember several mentions of them. One of the screw galleys I think suffered a burst cannon that took her out of the fight, and nobody was yelling about demons. How many thousands upon thousands of times do things like that happen when hundreds of thousands of men fight each other month after month?

You wouldn't blow EVERY ammo dump... burst every cannon barrel, or sink every ship. But even a 1% 'nudge' at the right time could dramatically swing a battle. The night action where shell-armed ships first fought is a good example: Merlin could have sank multiple additional vessels, and nobody would have been the wiser. In that fight it wouldn't have mattered to the outcome, but it might have kept (important character who's name I can't remember right now) alive.

Big battles are crazy, crazy places. Murphy is a FAR greater demon than Merlin has ever been, but just a nudge here and there could make a big difference, and unless it was way over the top it would never be noticed.

NervousEnergy wrote:

Expert snuggler wrote:There's no "might" about it, it's a certainty proven by the event in Sarkyn.

Against a sane opponent, a covert campaign carefully disguised to look like bad luck would work. Clyntahn doesn't believe in bad luck. If an OWL remote makes a horseshoe nail disappear for a key courier carrying a decisive message, Clyntahn will torture someone innocent for it.

But 'bad luck' already IS happening all the time... fires occur. Canon barrels burst. Ships sink. Details like that don't often make it directly into the narrative, but I can remember several mentions of them. One of the screw galleys I think suffered a burst cannon that took her out of the fight, and nobody was yelling about demons. How many thousands upon thousands of times do things like that happen when hundreds of thousands of men fight each other month after month?

You wouldn't blow EVERY ammo dump... burst every cannon barrel, or sink every ship. But even a 1% 'nudge' at the right time could dramatically swing a battle. The night action where shell-armed ships first fought is a good example: Merlin could have sank multiple additional vessels, and nobody would have been the wiser. In that fight it wouldn't have mattered to the outcome, but it might have kept (important character who's name I can't remember right now) alive.

Big battles are crazy, crazy places. Murphy is a FAR greater demon than Merlin has ever been, but just a nudge here and there could make a big difference, and unless it was way over the top it would never be noticed.

The question is, why bother? What Merlin is already doing seems to work just fine... That being said, there have been some rather discrete nudges along the way.

Don