Merlin's Upcoming Conversation with Thirsk

n7axw wrote:

PeterZ wrote:quote="n7axw"
Good speculation, I think. My point here originally was that although it is true that all of the inner circle had their own clash between their earnestly held belief and the truth, Thirsk's commitment is such that he may well not be able to handle the truth which puts him in the same category as Green Mountain and Gtay Harbor.

The point about not revealing the truth to someone still committed to an enemy country is a good one and is in addition to my point.

Don
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Yet, just like Gray Harbor Thirsk can be introduced to seijins. I for one would love to see Dialidd Mabb follow up on Merlin's visit. With Mabb as a conduit, Thirsk will think long and hard about doing anything that resembles betrayal.

I suspect that Mabb has built a reputation for visiting punishment on the Inquisition's excesses. He is also the one seijin that most Temple Loyalists would most easily believe is a true seijin. Merlin and all the others act to support the apostasy of the CoC. Mabb strikes at what is becoming a broadly held belief that the Inquisition is indulging in excess. He saves people from that excess. He visits punishment with a razor's precision as opposed to the Inquisitions uncaring sledge hammer.

No one would convey the seijins' understanding of the quandary Thirsk faces better than Mabb. Understanding of the quandary and determination to fix what needs fixing without tossing the baby out with the bathwater. Also, it is not good for Merlin to distill all his anger and desire for violence into one personality. That personality will be more and more defined by death and destruction. Tie Mabb to Thirsk and reconnect that personality to building positive relations with more people. /quote

I agree. The seijins have been active long enough that now that when a seijin does seijin sorts of things, nobody is surprised. Given what the Temple has been doing, its claim that the seijins are demons would ring hallow for Thirsk, especially once he knows his family is safe.

I don't see any need to introduce Mabb at this point. Due to the fact of his previous encounter with Merlin, Merlin has used his own persona to reintroduce himself to Thirsk, I suspect that he will continue to use the persona in upcoming encounters.

There has been speculation earlier in this thread that Thirsk will use his new freedom to protect the survivors aboard the Prodigal Lass. That does make sense and it will be interesting to see if that is how it goes and how it plays out.

Don

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lyonheart wrote:But such a letter is quite suspicious to anyone reading it, since Thirsk saw them off personally; so it doesn't make sense unless it was picked up at sea by the searchers, which of course it wasn't.

Thus for the inquisition the obvious question is where did it come from?

PeterZ wrote:Merlin can't visit Thirsk because Merlin has to stay near Sidar City. Ahbraim follows Eastshare. Mabb is the best known seijin in the TL nations. Having him contact Thirsk does at least two things:
1) It sends a dual edged message. Mabb will ruthlessly dispense justice but he will not do so indiscriminately. Merlin defends against injustice but Mabb attacks it.
2) it allows Merlin to rehabilitate that part of him that he has given most fully to death and dealing death. Yes, dealing death is necessary but the cost is very high. By helping an enemy who allowed good friends to be tortured in a persona he has poured most of his anger into, he can begin to forgive. In forgiveness Merlin through Mabb can let some of that bottomless anger go and cease to fester in his soul.

I see something similar in the works that allows Merlin a gesture of forgiveness.

n7axw wrote:
But Peter, Merlin is already visiting Thirsk. That's how HFQ ends. I suppose Mab could be brought into it, although I don't see it happening myself. I think it's more likely that the Merlin persona will continue to carry the ball here. It is by as though he has sent all his time in Sidar City as it is.

Don

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PeterZ wrote:

n7axw wrote:
But Peter, Merlin is already visiting Thirsk. That's how HFQ ends. I suppose Mab could be brought into it, although I don't see it happening myself. I think it's more likely that the Merlin persona will continue to carry the ball here. It is by as though he has sent all his time in Sidar City as it is.

Don

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Don,

Wouldn't be surprised if Mabb didn't visit Thirsk. I think it would make sense. Merlin isn't in Sidar City much, but his personality is also not visibly seen elsewhere either. Having him visibly in Dohlar will make Thirsk and anyone else that might be let into the charade suspect something demonic. Well, at least question to what degree of divine help the seijin receive.

So, Mabb would be another persona that distributes one body without letting others know he moves quite rapidly.

n7axw wrote:

PeterZ wrote:
Don,

Wouldn't be surprised if Mabb didn't visit Thirsk. I think it would make sense. Merlin isn't in Sidar City much, but his personality is also not visibly seen elsewhere either. Having him visibly in Dohlar will make Thirsk and anyone else that might be let into the charade suspect something demonic. Well, at least question to what degree of divine help the seijin receive.

So, Mabb would be another persona that distributes one body without letting others know he moves quite rapidly.

Well we know that during the War against the Fallen, seijins bopped around in their flying vehicles. That seems to be part of the legend, at least for Seijin Khody. I do understand why Merlin adopted all his persona. But is it still neccessary? The church has already declared him demonic. Anybody inclined to believe that aleady does. For everybody else, bopping around in a flying vehicle would just be a seijin thing.

I'm in devil's advocate mode here, but it's worth thinking about.

Don

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