![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
masterghandalf posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
antishurtugal_rebornWarning: These chapters contain a brief recap of the attack on Tammerland from Fifth Sorceress, with all that entails, along with discussion of abuse, torture and violence.
Note: For anyone who’s not seen it yet, I have also made an announcement of a personal nature here on my own journal. I would appreciate if people take the time to read it. Thank you for being supportive and understanding!
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Robert Newcomb’s The Scrolls of the Ancients! Last time, Celeste and Shailiha hung out, Tristan learned about Tyranny’s evil pirate ex-boyfriend, and, oh yes, Krassus dumped a lot of exposition on us (while somehow managing to leave out a lot of the actually important parts of his plan) while some of the revelations about what’s really going on with him and why just make no sense at all. Today, we’re doing four chapters, so we can wrap up Part Three, but the good news is that, once again, they’re mostly fairly short. And we’re going to cover a fair bit of ground in them… but to start off, Wigg is finally going to face his greatest regret, and we’ll see how Newcomb handles that (spoilers: better than I feared he might, but worse than I’d hoped). Joining us today – since poor Tahiri deserves a break after three straight posts of this – will be Ash and Irinali!
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Irinali: At least we’re making progress here – very, very slowly – and today at least has some possibility for schadenfreude? And so we open with Wigg following the watchwoman down a corridor, and to my great delight, he’s already growing nervous. Though he still can’t resist tooting his own horn – stopping to think that his power and knowledge are second only to Faegan’s *rolls her eyes* - the prospect of facing his coming trial alone still has him breaking out in a cold sweat, and he’s not sure which will be worse – passing the trial and having to bear the scars of whatever it will be for the rest of his life, or failing and dying alone here. *beat* Either. I think I’m quite fine with either. Finally, the watchwoman stops by a faintly glowing staircase leading to a plain chamber below. She leads Wigg down the stairs, which move under their own power in a corkscrew fashion, and when they reach the bottom they find the chamber is full of skeletons (what I would give to study this place!):
They lay everywhere, in no particular order. All human, of different sizes, and probably genders. And he saw as he looked closer, they all shared one strange characteristic; every single sternum bone had been completely destroyed, as if it had been forcefully blown apart from within. In many cases the ribs had also been rent asunder, even scattered about the room, leaving gaping holes.
Ash: Goddess, I can’t believe I’m relieved Newcomb doesn’t try to convince us that Wigg can tell the gender of the skeletons just by looking at them… and it sounds like reliving their past traumas really did make these people’s literal hearts explode! Does… does Newcomb know that when people talk about “the heart” as the source of emotions, they’re being metaphorical? Wigg, the idiot, asks what happened to them (what do you think?) and the watchwoman tells him they failed; he demands to know if this means they weren’t strong enough to endure their regrets (that’s… what failing this test entails, isn’t it?) and the watchwoman reminds him she didn’t force them to endure anything, they came here seeking knowledge or rare herbs of their own free will and some of them failed and died. She adds that chaos is the natural order of the universe (is… is the watchwoman secretly a priestess of Lolth, by chance?) and this is the principle that undergirds the Vagaries; in their case, chaos prevailed. You are all alike. Those of you who come here always believe that what you are about to endure is a test of the strength of your hearts. It isn’t. Well, that’s… kind of creepy, and Wigg is understandably confused. She claims that the real test is of the inherent goodness of your endowed blood and confirms that Wigg’s blood was verified as right-leaning before he entered.
*sighs slowly, rubs her forehead* Gods damn you, Newcomb. And Wigg and the watchwoman too, for good measure. This test just goes to show all the more that the thing you value most is the inherent property of a person’s blood, for good or ill. And let me tell you, that is pure iblith. Look; my father was drow, and I’ve spent half my life raised by and living with drow. I know a bit about this sort of thing. There are those – mostly surface elves, but many humans too – who would say that my heritage means I was born damned because my ancestors, some of them, contracted with evil forces and I still carry that taint. On the other hand, the followers of Lolth would say my drow blood makes me superior and that drow are destined to rule the world. Either way, that’s nonsense. My goddess teaches that a person’s worth isn’t determined by who, or what, they’re born as or by the quality of their blood, but by what that person does with their life and the good they do for others, and sometimes that follows a long and twisted road that you can’t predict. *she smiles wistfully* I certainly don’t think anyone would look at my child self and predict the person I’ve grown to be. But to bring this back to Wigg, I don’t care about the “inherent goodness of his blood,” I care that, by his arrogance, his stubbornness, and his stupidity, he’s been a negative effect on every person he’s ever encountered and while Eilistraee would not want me to wish a death such as this upon any living creature… I’m finding it really, really hard to do anything but hope he fails.
Blood Matters: 146
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 66 (for Wigg seeming to blank on why he’s here and what the consequences of failure are)
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 62
Irinali: *applauds politely* Well said. Not that I suspect your goddess would approve of my life choices, so I’d rather move on from this topic, hmmm? The watchwoman conjures a glowing cube in the air and asks what Wigg regrets the most. He considers a long moment – and admits that he has many regrets, which genuinely shocks me, because he’s not shown much of a sign of regretting anything – and finally, in extremely longwinded fashion, admits that his greatest regret is sparing the Coven’s lives, when they eventually returned and laid waste to Eutracia. He thinks that if he’d violated his vows by executing them, the rest of the Directorate would have doubtless removed him from his position as Lead Wizard and exiled him, but it would have been a small price to pay. Now, on the one hand, this mistake did cost Eutracia dearly, so I can certainly see why Wigg regrets it, and I’m pleased and surprised that Newcomb acknowledges it. But… I have a few questions. First off, does anyone else notice that Wigg’s regret specifically involves the fact that he could have killed a group of women and didn’t? Because I do. In another book I might have let it slide, but in this one, with its take on gender… well, it is certainly noticeable, is it not? Also, I have to note that Wigg does not seem to think at all about how he, for poorly explained reasons, left Eutracia completely open to attack, directly resulting in that slaughter coming to pass – while having his own order safely spirited away, but leaving the common people to suffer! My, my. What an oversight. And what of his marriage to Failee, and how it ended? His daughter spending centuries in Ragnar’s tender care? His complete failure to train Tristan properly in the use of his gifts? His banning the training of all women, and all partial adepts, for reasons that appear to be nothing but pure sexism and elitism? Accidentally creating the berserkers in Shadowood? And many more! Wigg has been more a hindrance than a help to his own side in his entire life, but apparently not killing the Coven is the one regret that stands above all the others! Color me quite unimpressed.
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 63
Ash: And so, after Wigg stops speaking, the watchwoman tells him that the greatest tragedy is not what he did or did not do (really?) but the aftermath of his regret, which has remained with him through the centuries and influenced everything he’s done and felt since. So, excuse me, but are we supposed to believe that the real problem with Wigg’s regrets is that they make him sad and not the actual consequences for other people? I think that can’t be right – but it’s what the writing seems to imply! In any case, the watchwoman says she will show Wigg not the initial act he regrets, but its ultimate fulfilment – the attack on Tammerland. So, now the consequences are what matters? I’m very confused by all this, and I suspect Newcomb was, too. And may your endowed blood and your wizard’s soul possess enough inherent goodness to survive what you shall witness, for it is only that same goodness, as it struggles within you against the aftermath of your error, that can keep you alive. *rubs her forehead* Gods damn it. Can you please stop going on about the inherent goodness of Wigg’s blood? She gestures towards the cube and has Wigg look in it, and he sees visions forming inside it. As he watches, he’s suddenly overcome with agony…
MG: Which Newcomb specifies is coming through his nervous system, something I don’t think this culture ought to be aware of… maybe it was in the Tome?
Ash: …and collapses, screaming. I’m… going to skim this, because Wigg’s vision is just a recap of the attack on Tammerland in the first book. Tristan’s coronation, the Minions breaking in, slaughtering, raping and dismembering everyone, and then we cut outside the palace to see them doing the same to the people of the city. We even get a lovely description of the Minions literally using severed limbs as paintbrushes to write their symbols on the walls in blood! *beat* Newcomb, when Lolthite priestesses would tell your characters they should probably tone it down a bit, you have a problem. And it occurs to me that many of these same Minions are on our side now, for no other reason than because our “hero” is their new master, and I don’t believe they’ve ever actually expressed any regret for taking part in these… atrocities. We’re told that, just as he was when he actually lived this, Wigg is struck feeling helpless to stop any of it (that he could have stopped it and chose not to is… not addressed, at all). And then Wigg starts literally feeling the death agonies of everyone the Minions kill in the vision. He collapses, writhing and crying, but is still forced to watch the vision, taking in the horrifying carnival of blood, gore, rape and death. Oh, so he’s been given the experience of reading these books, then? I guess that makes me feel sorry for Wigg if anything does… He can feel his heart beat faster in all of this, knowing it will soon kill him if it’s not stopped, then suddenly it was too much for even the endowed blood and the inherent goodness of the lead wizard to bear. Newcomb. Stop. It. But the good news is, Wigg collapses and blacks out with the watchwoman standing over him (I’m not buying for a second that he’s dead…) and the chapter ends.
MG: And so it does! The good news is… Newcomb acknowledges Wigg screws up! And forces him to live through some of the horrifying consequences of his mistakes and actually suffer from them (though, yes, he’s not dead)! It’s a miracle! The bad news is… I don’t think it’s enough. Wigg’s regret is explicitly not killing the Coven, and only that. His own, much more direct complicity in letting the attack happen goes utterly unaddressed, much less any of his other sins. And, as Irinali noted, I think it’s very telling that Newcomb thinks Wigg’s greatest sin is not killing four helpless women rather than… literally anything else he did. Not helping is the narrative’s repeated insistence on Wigg’s “inherent goodness” and all, and blargh. To paraphrase a quote I’ve seen various places (but most often attributed to one Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel) good isn’t a thing you are, it’s a thing you do. And Wigg’s track record is… pretty terrible, through action and (especially) inaction. And I don’t think Newcomb really grapples with that, especially since this is, IIRC, the only part of the series where he really tries to, and when I read this series before beginning my sporkings, I never got the impression he learned much or grew and changed as a person from this experience. Honestly, part of me wonders if it was just an excuse to revisit a lot of the gore and violence from the Minion attack in the first book (and, yes, in the book the vision goes into a lot more detail that Ash was kind enough to quickly summarize for us, for the sake of decency and good taste); and it is especially jarring to know that the people who actually committed this atrocity are good guys now, no big deal! Just… urgh. Anyway, that’s it for this chapter; up next is Krassus!
Blood Matters: 148
Dastardly Deeds: 106
Gratuitous Grimdark: 38
Gender Wars: 47
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 64
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Irinali: And so, we open with Krassus as he walks into the Citadel’s slave-worked weapons forge (forcing slaves to make weapons still seems… unwise, however Newcomb tries to justify it), with the heat and the smoke so intense it triggers a heavy fit of coughing. And of course, the cloth he uses to cover his mouth comes away with little copies of his blood signature traced on it where droplets of his blood hit it, just lovely. He muses about how his disease is advancing and he doesn’t have much time left to complete Nicholas’s plan before he dies (…I think that can safely be laid on Nicholas) and he needs the Scroll of the Vigors to do that. He then turns and demands a report from the demonslaver on duty, who confirms that the slaves are working hard and there have been no further suicide attempts, and their armory is growing. Krassus then spots Twenty-Nine, who Janus has told him about, and orders the slaver to bring him over. He examines him thoroughly – while Twenty-Nine also wonders about just who this frightening man with the long white hair and the piercing eyes is – and then comments about how Twenty-Nine is a troublemaker, but he must have known his attempt to take his own life was foolish. However, he also tells him that neither he nor his work here will matter for much longer. Ominous! I’m uncertain as to what Krassus hopes to gain from telling Twenty-Nine this – it seems just as likely to trigger a last, all-or-nothing escape attempt, if Twenty-Nine feels he has nothing left to lose – but ominous.
Blood Matters: 149
Dastardly Deeds: 107
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 67
Ash: And so Krassus says he stopped by here on his way to the Scriptorum, tells everyone no more slaves are coming, and that once they’ve finished arming all the demonslavers, the forge can be shut down. Now… Krassus, you are aware that weapons and armor break or get damaged and need to regularly be repaired or replaced, right? Or are you just planning to, what, conjure all that up as needed? *disgusted noise* Amateurs… Well, he marches out, and on his way down the corridor he hears the tortured screams we’ve heard so much about and is actually comforted by the sound, in case we needed reminding that he’s evil. He decides he has no reason to inspect the source of the screams – of course, Newcomb’s got to keep dragging this mystery out -and instead heads into the Scriptorum, which we’re told is a large chamber whose light, airy appearance belied the gruesome nature of the important work that went on here. Of course it’s gruesome – why wouldn’t it be? It’s also apparently actually several connected chambers, so it’s both bigger than it looks and allows the consuls plenty of privacy as they work. Krassus heads into his private study, which is apparently plain – what, did Newcomb just get bored describing things? – after opening the door with magic (showoff). We learn that he handed over the Scroll of the Vagaries to the other Consuls once he arrived at the Citadel and that they’re currently studying it to try and find the specific piece of information Krasus needs.
So, it turns out that Nicholas apparently knew the information they needed was on the Scroll, but not where (or at least, he never shared it with Krassus if he did know). So, the consuls’ research is apparently a painstaking process of translating the Scroll one incantation at a time and then trying out the incantation on an endowed slave to see if it does what they need (how many slaves have they gone through? Dark Lady, give me my sword and some of my sworn sisters, and we’ll burn this foul place to the bedrock and free these poor people) but the one spell they’re seeking in its unparalleled, awesome power has so far eluded them. And, excuse me, this isn’t anything like the kind of magic I do (thank Eilistraee…) but… can the consuls not tell from the incantation what each spell does? Are they really that bad at this? Or are the incantations just meaningless gibberish? I wouldn’t put either one past Newcomb, honestly. So, Krassus takes his report from the consul in charge of the project (who goes unnamed), who guesses that the spell they need was hidden unlabeled somewhere in the text of the Scroll for security purposes (and to make a headache for whoever might actually need it to execute their plans – surely the Heretics had a better way of handling this?). So we learn that all of these spells create Forestallments (of course they do! Newcomb’s favorite magic!) but even only testing the ones that aren’t explicitly labeled as something else takes a lot of time. It seems that the Heretics of the Guild did not make our task a simple one. And I guess trying to offer some guidance to their servants was simply out of the question… if they’re that useless as gods, I think I’ll stick with the Dark Maiden, if you don’t mind.
Blood Matters: 150
Dastardly Deeds: 109
Exposition Intrusion: 170
Gratuitous Grimdark: 39
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 69
Irinali: *rolls her eyes* And I, meanwhile, shall continue to put my trust in my own intellect and skills, for better or worse. Krassus, irritated, storms out of his study to inspect the work himself and heads into another chamber, where the Scroll of the Vagaries is unfurled and glowing on a long table while the consuls work at translating it.
The engraved golden band that had once been secured around its center had been removed, and the Scroll was unrolled to reveal the beautiful, elegant script spread across its ancient surface. One by one the consuls selected portions of the script. The passages began to glow as they were chosen, lifting themselves from the parchment and hovering in the air before the consuls.
The consuls read the Old Eutracian script floating before them, first deciphering and then recording what they read onto sheets of individual parchment. When each was satisfied that his translation was correct, he ordered the glowing words back to the scroll. Then the name and use of the spell, if given, was recorded on the parchment and passed to a waiting demonslaver, who took it from the room. The consul would then begin anew, selecting the next available passage from the scroll.
And so it went, the faithful scribes deciphering and recording the contents of the scroll while their watchful master looked on.
Irinali: A fascinating process. It tells me nothing about what they’re actually learning, alas, but fascinating. Krassu then walks into the next room, which is lined with bookcases from which consuls will periodically take or return volumes, some of which include the information they’ve gathered on their endowed slaves, including age, gender, origin point and blood signature. The middle of the chamber is full of a hundred biers – how large is this room, by the Keeper? – on each of which is bound an endowed slave, covered with an azure dome and watched over by a consul (how many of them are there? Wigg’s malpractice in allowing so many of his followers to be turned continues to beggar belief!). Krassus chooses one of them to observe, watching as the consul copies the incantation from one of the rolls of parchment into the air and then impresses it directly into the endowed blood of the slave. The slave goes into convulsions as Krassus watches – he’s fascinated, but again, if he’s learned anything of value from this, he doesn’t tell us – and then the slave passes out.
The consul confirms he's alive, though many of their test subjects die (I can’t say I think much of the Heretics’ forestallments, if most people die from having them put on them! There are easier ways to kill people!); however, those with a blood quality of four or higher (whatever that means…) are more likely to survive even multiple attempts. So once again, it’s all about the quality of one’s blood… The consul tests the slave’s blood signature (which we get described in detail, despite knowing perfectly well how it works by now), determines the forestallment he used didn’t make the change he was looking for, and has the slave taken away… and, at that exact moment, another consul runs over and tells Krassus that he has found the correct incantation! *fans herself mockingly* What are the odds! Krassus demands he show him, and though the slave died, looking at his blood signature Krassus confirms that this is indeed the forestallment he needs – the one Nicholas commanded him to find. Now it’s time for his real work to begin; he orders the slavers to bring him Wulfgar, and the chapter comes to an end.
Blood Matters: 154
Contrivances and Coincidences: 40
Dastardly Deeds: 110
Exposition Intrusion: 173
Gratuitous Grimdark: 40
MG: This chapter… is mostly transitional, and kind of weird. We waste a lot of time on Krassus’ research project, for example, only for the very end of the chapter to render all that pointless as the consuls just happen to find what Krassus was looking for right then, so the whole thing ends up a kind of irrelevant sidetrack. And then we cut off before Krassus actually gets a chance to use what he’s learned on Wulfgar himself (or maybe we should be thankful for that…). Though you’d think he might want to test it some more, considering the only person who this forestallment has been used on died – maybe Krassus ought to make sure it works before putting it on his prize subject, hmmm? Otherwise, we did learn a bit more about what’s on the Scrolls and why they’re so valuable, but a lot of the chapter seemed to exist chiefly to remind us that Krassus is evil. Sigh. Onward! Time for some pirates!
Chapter Forty
Ash: And so, the chapter opens where we left Tristan and Tyranny as they approach Sanctuary, and Tristan finds himself genuinely stunned by the island’s beauty as the fog clears. I’m… kind of surprised and impressed Newcomb went that way, honestly… though most of the pirate ports I’ve had the misfortune to visit were not attractive. Then again, this place was supposedly designed by his pet wizards, so maybe he just couldn’t help himself? Anyway, at first glance, it looked like paradise.
Gnarled, multicolored trees grew wide and tall, and were dotted with colors that could only be fruits and berries. Thick, strong vines stretched between the trees to create an odd sort of twisted, tangled harmony. The air had a pleasant, sweet-sour aroma, the scents from the flowers and plants combining with the saltiness of the sea as it washed up over the sandy shore. The birdsong he could hear was unfamiliar and melodic.
Ash: Well, it sounds… nice, actually. Not really sure about how the trees are both “gnarled” and “wide and tall,” or why the colors must be fruits (and, Newcomb, berries are a kind of fruit). As Tristan climbs out of the skiff onto the dock beside Scars and Tyranny, though, he has a hard time reminding himself that the place can be both beautiful and dangerous (but… wasn’t the Coven’s Recluse beautiful too? And it certainly was dangerous!). Tyranny comes over and explains that there are various coves around the island where ships are moored and this is only one, which is why nobody else is here, so that if the island is ever attacked, the ships can’t all be destroyed in one go. And, as Tyranny leads Tristan on a path across the island, she explains she wanted to anchor here away from everyone else so she could enter Sanctuary quietly without Rolf knowing; she doesn’t know if he’s on Sanctuary at all right now, but if he is, she worries about him commandeering her ship. How, exactly, she knew no one else was in this particular cove when the island is always covered in fog… I don’t have any idea. Tristan thinks about the piece of the Scroll in his boot and how he has to get home as soon as he can, and how he’d do anything – including kill – to do it. Which is… bloodthirsty, isn’t it?
Contrivances and Coincidences: 41
Irinali: And so Scars launches into a lengthy explanation of how Rolf allows merchants to operate on the island so the pirates can have access to supplies they need, but their prices are expensive, and I’ll spare you all the thrilling details. He then takes Tristan aside and warns him that he’s worried about Rolf, who’s apparently been out for blood ever since Tyranny ended their relationship very suddenly. Which she apparently did because Rolf had started to beat her. *she sighs* What a surprise. Had it been me, I’d have killed the bastard the moment he laid hands on me; Scars is apparently surprised Tyranny didn’t and only assumes she held back because she still had some feelings for him. Or, oh, oh, let me guess, it’s so he can still be around so Tristan can rescue the fearsome pirate captain from her evil ex-lover! Am I correct?
MG: *grimly* More or less.
Irinali: *muttering* Damn you, Newcomb, why must you be so predictable? Well, Scars says he’d have killed Rolf himself if he’d been there when it happened, and warns Tristan to be on his guard, since Rolf knows Scars is Tyranny’s first mate, but if he sees Tristan with her he might get jealous and therefore dangerous. Tristan thinks about how he’s dangerous too (oh, don’t make me laugh!) and they keep on walking for a while until they come to some ruined columns. Lying here and there on both sides of the trail, they looked as though they’d been randomly cast off by giants. *her interest piqued* Entirely possible, where I come from, though the giants’ empire was based on a different continent from where I live; still, the giants’ magic was a fascinating subject, even if they did enslave my ancestors to work in their cities… alas, I somehow doubt there are actual giants in these books, so I’ll contain my enthusiasm. Tristan asks about them, and Tyranny says it’s probably the wizards’ doing, because of course it is. As they keep going, they pass more columns and other ruins including walls and a few statues. Finally, they reach the top of the valley and look down to see the island’s other shore, and blow them is the port down, with dozens of ships at anchor. Tristan rambles rather oddly to himself about how the place is like an abandoned child forced to grow up without its parents (if Wigg counts as one of those, then Sanctuary is lucky he wasn’t around), neither quite a town nor quite a city. But we learn that though Tristan was expecting a shantytown it’s actually a mostly finished city in the same style as the ruins, with buildings remarkably well kept, beautiful, and orderly. Nonetheless, as they approach closer Tristan can see the trash the pirates have left strewn about. It was almost as if animals lived here, rather than humans. *mockingly* My, my. Zero to judgmental in a single page – you have talent.
Exposition Intrusion: 175
Gender Wars: 48 (of course Tyranny’s backstory involves not just an evil boyfriend but explicitly being an abuse survivor, because we can’t have a woman who hasn’t had something horrible happen to her)
Ash: So, Newcomb goes on to explain how, despite the surroundings, this really is just a typical pirate town after all, with everyone apparently in a constant state of revelry (how do you know? You just got here! Maybe it’s a festival!). We learn the men are slovenly, poorly dressed, heavily armed and seemingly mostly drunk, but he can somehow tell from the looks in their eyes that these are cold, calculating killers. Which is why they’re engaging in what you’ve clearly decided is never-ending drunken debauchery. Right. He’s reminded of the criminals in Tammerland after the Coven’s attack (who had clearly been festering right under your precious wizards’ noses for years…) and how part of him can understand the appeal of a place like this. The further he goes, he starts seeing half-naked courtesans (I’m not really sure “courtesans” is the word you’re looking for, in a place like this…) on balconies calling out coy obscenities while from nearby he can hear the shameless, crude sounds of urgent intercourse. *shakes her head* Charming place. I guess Newcomb thought since he made the buildings pretty, he could throw every other “pirate port” stereotype he could think of into the mix and get away with it, huh? And indeed Tristan thinks of it as nothing more than one great roiling mass of perversion, drunkenness and greed. Which I suppose he’d be familiar with, given all the shirking of duties and sleeping around he supposedly did… and, of course, he’s judging this place after all of five minutes of being there.
Gratuitous Grimdark: 42
Irinali: Well, Tyranny leads Tristan to a shop whose owner, Jonah, was a friend of her father’s, where they can get some supplies they need.
MG: “Jonah” is sure an… interesting name for someone connected to the sea, I must say. Considering the Biblical Jonah was, among other things, known for bringing bad luck to the ship he traveled on and all. In fact, one etymology I’ve seen theorized for “Davy Jones” was that it was a corruption of “Duffy Jonah,” that is “Jonah’s Ghost” using an archaic term for a ghost. *sigh* What I wouldn’t give for Davy Jones to show up right about now. For that matter, seeing as this book came out in 2004, I strongly suspect this depiction of the ambiance of Sanctuary (and possibly the decision to include a pirate subplot in the first place) may have been inspired by the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, released the previous year… and in particular the depiction of the pirate port of Tortuga in that movie.
Irinali: *looks up from reading about Davy Jones* Hmmm? Why, yes, I would sell my soul into a hundred years of service to have a chance to study that fascinating ghost ship and master its secrets, why do you ask? Oh, right, Newcomb. Well, the shop itself turns out to be a rather mundane woodworking shop and Jonah is a rather unassuming older man, but when Tyranny says she needs help he waves her off, since everyone on this island needs his help lately, with the screechling attacks and all. Ah, yes, those fearsome creatures we never heard of until they attacked our heroes… truly, they are a scourge of the seas! But then Jonah looks up and realizes who Tyranny is, and he’s suddenly thrilled to see her! But he warns her that Rolf has been furious in the months since she last left and wants to know why she came back. He also calls Tristan a nasty-looking character, to my great amusement. Tyranny explains about the screechlings, and of course we learn nobody has ever survived being attacked by so many before *rolls her eyes*. Apparently the screechlings have been getting more actively lately (didn’t they not exist until recently?) and nobody knows why. Tyranny places her order, and Jonah says it’ll take some doing, but for two hundred kisa he’ll put his other projects on hold and get it done by the next morning and warns Tyranny she needs to leave before Rolf hears she’s back. Scars hands over the money – that was easy- but Jonah warns Tyranny that if she needs new sails too, that could be trouble. It seems a man named Ichabod…
MG: *snerk*
Irinali: Now has a monopoly on the sail business on the island, having killed off his competition. And while there used to be honor among thieves – really, now – under Rolf, that’s gone by the wayside, and Rolf and Ichabod are tight. Which, obviously, presents a problem.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 42
Dastardly Deeds: 113
Exposition Intrusion: 178
Ash: Tyranny wants to know where Ichabod is; Jonah explains he’s always at the Wing and Claw, which I presume must be a tavern or inn (or, knowing Newcomb, a brothel). Apparently Ichabod is rich enough now he has other people to do all the work for him, while he reaps the profits. Charming man, and clearly Newcomb really wants us to know we’re not supposed to like him. Jonah goes on to warn them that Ichabod is dangerous (I think that goes without saying, considering he assassinated his competitors!) but Tristan, of course, has an idea. He tells Tyranny and Scars to stay here and he’ll go meet with Ichabod alone, since Ichabod doesn’t know him and will be more likely to negotiate with him. Excuse me, but Ichabod clearly doesn’t know Tyranny and Scars either, unless Rolf described them to him in such detail he can identify them on sight. But Jonah suggests that Tristan’s plan is good, and Tyranny reluctantly agrees and hands over the money. Jonah says the sails will likely cost at least four hundred kisa, maybe five hundred if Ichabod thinks he can get it from him to get the job done quickly, and Tristan should absolutely not pay more than six hundred (how much money does Tyranny have in that pouch? I thought she was low on funds, but that sounds like rather a lot…). Tristan promises to be back soon, Jonah gives him directions, and he sets off. But before he leaves, Tyranny stops to kiss him on the mouth, for luck. *she makes a face* Please tell me they don’t get together…
MG: They don’t.
Ash: Good. Tyranny can do better, assuming Newcomb ever lets her do anything impressive again, at least. Tristan assures her he wants to get home too, and he heads off down the street, stepping over drunken bodies and increasingly hounded by whores, barkers and thieves. At first I thought that said “bakers” …I could go for a nice, warm roll right now, to be honest. A welcome distraction from this book! Finally, Tristan reaches the Wing and Claw, which looks rundown and, naturally, has a large black wing and claw painted on its doors. *facepalm* Very subtle. Tristan listens to the sound of drinking and laughter for a minute, takes a moment to secure his coin, and then steps inside. The moment he passed through the doors, he knew he was in trouble. But we’ll have to wait to find out what sort of trouble he’s in, as the chapter ends there!
MG: This one… on the one hand, the actual plot is mostly stereotypical pirate port shenanigans (again, if Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was an inspiration for this sequence, I wouldn’t be at all surprised). On the other hand, this is also really where we start to see a problem with Tyranny’s character, as after her initial introduction we find her starting to get sidelined in her own storyline so Tristan can handle the plot himself… though we’ll have more to say on that later. And this is an interesting choice for a cliffhanger, since this is the last time we’ll be seeing Tristan’s side of the story in this Part. But, in any case, we only have one more chapter to go today, and before we can wrap the Part up for good, and it’s short, so, onward!
Dastardly Deeds: 115
Exposition Intrusion: 180
Gender Wars: 48 (and of course Tyranny gets sidelined while Tristan, a man with literally no experience in this context, gets to solve her problems for her)
Chapter Forty-One
Irinali: And so we open our final chapter of the day with, sadly, Faegan, as he sits by the boat waiting for Wigg and the watchwoman, while reflecting that he has no idea how long he’s been waiting. Here, alone in this tomb of rock, time had no meaning. *waves her finger* Now, now, you may not be aware of the passage of time, but I assure you it still has meaning, and if you sit down here like a lump long enough, you’ll still starve to death one way or another. Faegan looks around at the gardens, thinking about how magnificent they are and hoping Wigg survives his ordeal, before finally he looks down the tunnel again and spots the watchwoman as she returns, carrying the prone form of Wigg. Faegan immediately levitates his chair over as she sets Wigg’s body on the ground, and she assures him Wigg is alive, barely (a pity). He is one of the very few to have ever survived the price demanded. His regrets run deep, but his heart and blood are of great goodness. It was that goodness which sustained him through his travails. *rolls her eyes* And so this potentially interesting plot point turns into yet another excuse to tell everyone how great Wigg is. I think I shall now be sick.
Faegan asks if Wigg will recover; the watchwoman assures him that despite Wigg’s suffering, his blood is strong and so he will recover in time (boo!) though he’ll bear the marks of what he endured here forever. She and Faegan take Wigg’s body to the boat, and then she tells Faegan it’s time for him to get what they came for, since the price has been paid. She leads Faegan through the gardens, where he recognizes every herb he knows of that has magical uses, plus some that are completely unknown to him. *she sighs longingly* What someone of true magical brilliance could do with this place… me, for example… Faegan asks if the Ones left all this, and the watchwoman explains that all things of magic are the creations of the Ones, the Heretics, or the two mystical orbs the bright golden orb of the Vigors and the dark sizzling orb of the Vagaries themselves. *she snorts* Oh, I beg to differ. We have thirteen overlapping planes of reality with their own magical properties where I come from – beat that. She rambles a bit more about how the orbs are the two poles of magic, opposite each other and never touching, and how a wizard of Faegan’s power must know how to summon them but still has much to learn about the orbs, the Ones and the Heretics. Faegan then asks if she knows how to separate his herb collection, as he feels something in the gardens and pools calling out to his blood and, oh, Newcomb, stop it. I swear, I’ve sat through more of those tedious Blood of Vol sermons with Kharvin than I can count, and they are less obsessed with blood than you are!
Blood Matters: 157
Exposition Intrusion: 183
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 66
Ash: And so Faegan reaches for one of the pools, but the watchwoman quickly seizes one of his wrists and tells him to stop (and calls him a fool, which I found rather more satisfying than I should have!). Anyway, it’s apparently something in the pools that turned her into what she is now, and she asks Faegan if he wants the same fate (it can’t really make him any worse, can it?). Faegan realizes that the watchwoman was also tempted by her endowed blood to touch the pools long ago, and that’s what burned her flesh away and transformed her into an undead creature, and why the Ones set her to guard this place forever. That is… unsettling, to say the least, though I’ve heard worse. Faegan, miraculously, actually swallows his pride and apologizes – thank Eilistraee! It’s a miracle! – and the watchwoman says she didn’t understand either, once. She says that neither of them can harvest the herbs he needs and she calls for my pretties, which sounds very disturbing but turns out to be a large flock of birds that emerge from nooks in the walls and start circling through the chamber
The multicolored birds glowed with the azure of magic. Their necks were long and graceful, as were their wide, brightly feathered tails. They stood on long, spindly legs, like storks, but their shiny bodies were more compact, and their feet were webbed and yellow, like those of a duck. They had gullets beneath their long, wide bills, such as one might see on birds that lived near the ocean and ate fish. The watchwoman slowly lowered her hands. As she did, the creatures landed gently, one by one, next to Faegan’s chair and stood there obediently, as if waiting for the watchwoman to speak.
Ash: Wait, are they azure or multicolored… oh, never mind, they’re the second pretty thing Newcomb has given us today, and I’ll take what I can get. The watchwoman, it happens, doesn’t speak but motions to the birds, who wade into the water, which they at least seem to be able to touch without being harmed, and start precisely collecting herbs. She hands a vial to another of the birds, who takes it in its beak and starts scooping up some fluid from another pool. Slowly, they assemble the materials Faegan will need and bring them over to him, while the watchwoman explains that they were indeed conjured by the Ones to help her tend to this place, and that’s why the pools can’t hurt them. The birds return to their nests and the watchwoman packages the herbs for Faegan to transport in a bag that will absorb the water’s magic and render it harmless by the time they get back to Tammerland. Faegan at least has the decency to be awed and thanks her profusely, but she warns Faegan she was only able to give him enough materials for one attempt at separating his combined herbs and oils, so he needs to be sure to get it right. She then gives him some instructions on how he needs to dry the herbs she’s given him to powder and mix it with his ruined stores, and then the magic will take effect. She also tells him that there’s another way out, since the Ones knew that anyone who passed their trial would be weakened. She summons a pillar of light from the ceiling and has Faeagan get into it while holding Wigg. His chair starts rising and spinning in circles as the watchwoman bids him farewell, and he realizes they’re going to rise all the way to the surface. The watchwoman calls out one last time, bidding him to remember the River of Light, and then the two of them are gone and the chapter, and the Part, ends there.
MG: These chapters… well, the first and the last wrapped up Wigg and Faegan’s storyline for this Part. And, like I said, I like the idea of them, and I’m glad that Newcomb actually acknowledged that Wigg has done things he should legitimately regret and has him face some consequences for it. On the other hand, I don’t think it goes nearly far enough in digging into Wigg’s actual mistakes, which are legion, and the fact that it ends up falling into telling us how awesome he is kind of hurts it. Still, it’s better than nothing, at least. As for the other chapters… Krassus’ research on forestallments is creepy but kind of pointless because of how quickly it’s resolved, while Newcomb also clearly just wanted to write pirate stuff and unfortunately began the sidelining of Tyranny herself in the process. Sigh. Well, as Ash said, we are now done not only with today’s chapters, but Part II as well! Next time, Tristan meets Ichabod, Krassus begins working on Wulfgar, and Faegan prepares to separate some herbs. We’ll see you then! Our counts stand at:
Blood Matters: 159
Contrivances and Coincidences: 42
Dastardly Deeds: 115
Exposition Intrusion: 186
Gender Wars: 48
Gratuitous Grimdark: 42
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 69
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 66
Retcons and Revelations: 22
Note: For anyone who’s not seen it yet, I have also made an announcement of a personal nature here on my own journal. I would appreciate if people take the time to read it. Thank you for being supportive and understanding!
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Robert Newcomb’s The Scrolls of the Ancients! Last time, Celeste and Shailiha hung out, Tristan learned about Tyranny’s evil pirate ex-boyfriend, and, oh yes, Krassus dumped a lot of exposition on us (while somehow managing to leave out a lot of the actually important parts of his plan) while some of the revelations about what’s really going on with him and why just make no sense at all. Today, we’re doing four chapters, so we can wrap up Part Three, but the good news is that, once again, they’re mostly fairly short. And we’re going to cover a fair bit of ground in them… but to start off, Wigg is finally going to face his greatest regret, and we’ll see how Newcomb handles that (spoilers: better than I feared he might, but worse than I’d hoped). Joining us today – since poor Tahiri deserves a break after three straight posts of this – will be Ash and Irinali!
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Irinali: At least we’re making progress here – very, very slowly – and today at least has some possibility for schadenfreude? And so we open with Wigg following the watchwoman down a corridor, and to my great delight, he’s already growing nervous. Though he still can’t resist tooting his own horn – stopping to think that his power and knowledge are second only to Faegan’s *rolls her eyes* - the prospect of facing his coming trial alone still has him breaking out in a cold sweat, and he’s not sure which will be worse – passing the trial and having to bear the scars of whatever it will be for the rest of his life, or failing and dying alone here. *beat* Either. I think I’m quite fine with either. Finally, the watchwoman stops by a faintly glowing staircase leading to a plain chamber below. She leads Wigg down the stairs, which move under their own power in a corkscrew fashion, and when they reach the bottom they find the chamber is full of skeletons (what I would give to study this place!):
They lay everywhere, in no particular order. All human, of different sizes, and probably genders. And he saw as he looked closer, they all shared one strange characteristic; every single sternum bone had been completely destroyed, as if it had been forcefully blown apart from within. In many cases the ribs had also been rent asunder, even scattered about the room, leaving gaping holes.
Ash: Goddess, I can’t believe I’m relieved Newcomb doesn’t try to convince us that Wigg can tell the gender of the skeletons just by looking at them… and it sounds like reliving their past traumas really did make these people’s literal hearts explode! Does… does Newcomb know that when people talk about “the heart” as the source of emotions, they’re being metaphorical? Wigg, the idiot, asks what happened to them (what do you think?) and the watchwoman tells him they failed; he demands to know if this means they weren’t strong enough to endure their regrets (that’s… what failing this test entails, isn’t it?) and the watchwoman reminds him she didn’t force them to endure anything, they came here seeking knowledge or rare herbs of their own free will and some of them failed and died. She adds that chaos is the natural order of the universe (is… is the watchwoman secretly a priestess of Lolth, by chance?) and this is the principle that undergirds the Vagaries; in their case, chaos prevailed. You are all alike. Those of you who come here always believe that what you are about to endure is a test of the strength of your hearts. It isn’t. Well, that’s… kind of creepy, and Wigg is understandably confused. She claims that the real test is of the inherent goodness of your endowed blood and confirms that Wigg’s blood was verified as right-leaning before he entered.
*sighs slowly, rubs her forehead* Gods damn you, Newcomb. And Wigg and the watchwoman too, for good measure. This test just goes to show all the more that the thing you value most is the inherent property of a person’s blood, for good or ill. And let me tell you, that is pure iblith. Look; my father was drow, and I’ve spent half my life raised by and living with drow. I know a bit about this sort of thing. There are those – mostly surface elves, but many humans too – who would say that my heritage means I was born damned because my ancestors, some of them, contracted with evil forces and I still carry that taint. On the other hand, the followers of Lolth would say my drow blood makes me superior and that drow are destined to rule the world. Either way, that’s nonsense. My goddess teaches that a person’s worth isn’t determined by who, or what, they’re born as or by the quality of their blood, but by what that person does with their life and the good they do for others, and sometimes that follows a long and twisted road that you can’t predict. *she smiles wistfully* I certainly don’t think anyone would look at my child self and predict the person I’ve grown to be. But to bring this back to Wigg, I don’t care about the “inherent goodness of his blood,” I care that, by his arrogance, his stubbornness, and his stupidity, he’s been a negative effect on every person he’s ever encountered and while Eilistraee would not want me to wish a death such as this upon any living creature… I’m finding it really, really hard to do anything but hope he fails.
Blood Matters: 146
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 66 (for Wigg seeming to blank on why he’s here and what the consequences of failure are)
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 62
Irinali: *applauds politely* Well said. Not that I suspect your goddess would approve of my life choices, so I’d rather move on from this topic, hmmm? The watchwoman conjures a glowing cube in the air and asks what Wigg regrets the most. He considers a long moment – and admits that he has many regrets, which genuinely shocks me, because he’s not shown much of a sign of regretting anything – and finally, in extremely longwinded fashion, admits that his greatest regret is sparing the Coven’s lives, when they eventually returned and laid waste to Eutracia. He thinks that if he’d violated his vows by executing them, the rest of the Directorate would have doubtless removed him from his position as Lead Wizard and exiled him, but it would have been a small price to pay. Now, on the one hand, this mistake did cost Eutracia dearly, so I can certainly see why Wigg regrets it, and I’m pleased and surprised that Newcomb acknowledges it. But… I have a few questions. First off, does anyone else notice that Wigg’s regret specifically involves the fact that he could have killed a group of women and didn’t? Because I do. In another book I might have let it slide, but in this one, with its take on gender… well, it is certainly noticeable, is it not? Also, I have to note that Wigg does not seem to think at all about how he, for poorly explained reasons, left Eutracia completely open to attack, directly resulting in that slaughter coming to pass – while having his own order safely spirited away, but leaving the common people to suffer! My, my. What an oversight. And what of his marriage to Failee, and how it ended? His daughter spending centuries in Ragnar’s tender care? His complete failure to train Tristan properly in the use of his gifts? His banning the training of all women, and all partial adepts, for reasons that appear to be nothing but pure sexism and elitism? Accidentally creating the berserkers in Shadowood? And many more! Wigg has been more a hindrance than a help to his own side in his entire life, but apparently not killing the Coven is the one regret that stands above all the others! Color me quite unimpressed.
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 63
Ash: And so, after Wigg stops speaking, the watchwoman tells him that the greatest tragedy is not what he did or did not do (really?) but the aftermath of his regret, which has remained with him through the centuries and influenced everything he’s done and felt since. So, excuse me, but are we supposed to believe that the real problem with Wigg’s regrets is that they make him sad and not the actual consequences for other people? I think that can’t be right – but it’s what the writing seems to imply! In any case, the watchwoman says she will show Wigg not the initial act he regrets, but its ultimate fulfilment – the attack on Tammerland. So, now the consequences are what matters? I’m very confused by all this, and I suspect Newcomb was, too. And may your endowed blood and your wizard’s soul possess enough inherent goodness to survive what you shall witness, for it is only that same goodness, as it struggles within you against the aftermath of your error, that can keep you alive. *rubs her forehead* Gods damn it. Can you please stop going on about the inherent goodness of Wigg’s blood? She gestures towards the cube and has Wigg look in it, and he sees visions forming inside it. As he watches, he’s suddenly overcome with agony…
MG: Which Newcomb specifies is coming through his nervous system, something I don’t think this culture ought to be aware of… maybe it was in the Tome?
Ash: …and collapses, screaming. I’m… going to skim this, because Wigg’s vision is just a recap of the attack on Tammerland in the first book. Tristan’s coronation, the Minions breaking in, slaughtering, raping and dismembering everyone, and then we cut outside the palace to see them doing the same to the people of the city. We even get a lovely description of the Minions literally using severed limbs as paintbrushes to write their symbols on the walls in blood! *beat* Newcomb, when Lolthite priestesses would tell your characters they should probably tone it down a bit, you have a problem. And it occurs to me that many of these same Minions are on our side now, for no other reason than because our “hero” is their new master, and I don’t believe they’ve ever actually expressed any regret for taking part in these… atrocities. We’re told that, just as he was when he actually lived this, Wigg is struck feeling helpless to stop any of it (that he could have stopped it and chose not to is… not addressed, at all). And then Wigg starts literally feeling the death agonies of everyone the Minions kill in the vision. He collapses, writhing and crying, but is still forced to watch the vision, taking in the horrifying carnival of blood, gore, rape and death. Oh, so he’s been given the experience of reading these books, then? I guess that makes me feel sorry for Wigg if anything does… He can feel his heart beat faster in all of this, knowing it will soon kill him if it’s not stopped, then suddenly it was too much for even the endowed blood and the inherent goodness of the lead wizard to bear. Newcomb. Stop. It. But the good news is, Wigg collapses and blacks out with the watchwoman standing over him (I’m not buying for a second that he’s dead…) and the chapter ends.
MG: And so it does! The good news is… Newcomb acknowledges Wigg screws up! And forces him to live through some of the horrifying consequences of his mistakes and actually suffer from them (though, yes, he’s not dead)! It’s a miracle! The bad news is… I don’t think it’s enough. Wigg’s regret is explicitly not killing the Coven, and only that. His own, much more direct complicity in letting the attack happen goes utterly unaddressed, much less any of his other sins. And, as Irinali noted, I think it’s very telling that Newcomb thinks Wigg’s greatest sin is not killing four helpless women rather than… literally anything else he did. Not helping is the narrative’s repeated insistence on Wigg’s “inherent goodness” and all, and blargh. To paraphrase a quote I’ve seen various places (but most often attributed to one Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel) good isn’t a thing you are, it’s a thing you do. And Wigg’s track record is… pretty terrible, through action and (especially) inaction. And I don’t think Newcomb really grapples with that, especially since this is, IIRC, the only part of the series where he really tries to, and when I read this series before beginning my sporkings, I never got the impression he learned much or grew and changed as a person from this experience. Honestly, part of me wonders if it was just an excuse to revisit a lot of the gore and violence from the Minion attack in the first book (and, yes, in the book the vision goes into a lot more detail that Ash was kind enough to quickly summarize for us, for the sake of decency and good taste); and it is especially jarring to know that the people who actually committed this atrocity are good guys now, no big deal! Just… urgh. Anyway, that’s it for this chapter; up next is Krassus!
Blood Matters: 148
Dastardly Deeds: 106
Gratuitous Grimdark: 38
Gender Wars: 47
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 64
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Irinali: And so, we open with Krassus as he walks into the Citadel’s slave-worked weapons forge (forcing slaves to make weapons still seems… unwise, however Newcomb tries to justify it), with the heat and the smoke so intense it triggers a heavy fit of coughing. And of course, the cloth he uses to cover his mouth comes away with little copies of his blood signature traced on it where droplets of his blood hit it, just lovely. He muses about how his disease is advancing and he doesn’t have much time left to complete Nicholas’s plan before he dies (…I think that can safely be laid on Nicholas) and he needs the Scroll of the Vigors to do that. He then turns and demands a report from the demonslaver on duty, who confirms that the slaves are working hard and there have been no further suicide attempts, and their armory is growing. Krassus then spots Twenty-Nine, who Janus has told him about, and orders the slaver to bring him over. He examines him thoroughly – while Twenty-Nine also wonders about just who this frightening man with the long white hair and the piercing eyes is – and then comments about how Twenty-Nine is a troublemaker, but he must have known his attempt to take his own life was foolish. However, he also tells him that neither he nor his work here will matter for much longer. Ominous! I’m uncertain as to what Krassus hopes to gain from telling Twenty-Nine this – it seems just as likely to trigger a last, all-or-nothing escape attempt, if Twenty-Nine feels he has nothing left to lose – but ominous.
Blood Matters: 149
Dastardly Deeds: 107
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 67
Ash: And so Krassus says he stopped by here on his way to the Scriptorum, tells everyone no more slaves are coming, and that once they’ve finished arming all the demonslavers, the forge can be shut down. Now… Krassus, you are aware that weapons and armor break or get damaged and need to regularly be repaired or replaced, right? Or are you just planning to, what, conjure all that up as needed? *disgusted noise* Amateurs… Well, he marches out, and on his way down the corridor he hears the tortured screams we’ve heard so much about and is actually comforted by the sound, in case we needed reminding that he’s evil. He decides he has no reason to inspect the source of the screams – of course, Newcomb’s got to keep dragging this mystery out -and instead heads into the Scriptorum, which we’re told is a large chamber whose light, airy appearance belied the gruesome nature of the important work that went on here. Of course it’s gruesome – why wouldn’t it be? It’s also apparently actually several connected chambers, so it’s both bigger than it looks and allows the consuls plenty of privacy as they work. Krassus heads into his private study, which is apparently plain – what, did Newcomb just get bored describing things? – after opening the door with magic (showoff). We learn that he handed over the Scroll of the Vagaries to the other Consuls once he arrived at the Citadel and that they’re currently studying it to try and find the specific piece of information Krasus needs.
So, it turns out that Nicholas apparently knew the information they needed was on the Scroll, but not where (or at least, he never shared it with Krassus if he did know). So, the consuls’ research is apparently a painstaking process of translating the Scroll one incantation at a time and then trying out the incantation on an endowed slave to see if it does what they need (how many slaves have they gone through? Dark Lady, give me my sword and some of my sworn sisters, and we’ll burn this foul place to the bedrock and free these poor people) but the one spell they’re seeking in its unparalleled, awesome power has so far eluded them. And, excuse me, this isn’t anything like the kind of magic I do (thank Eilistraee…) but… can the consuls not tell from the incantation what each spell does? Are they really that bad at this? Or are the incantations just meaningless gibberish? I wouldn’t put either one past Newcomb, honestly. So, Krassus takes his report from the consul in charge of the project (who goes unnamed), who guesses that the spell they need was hidden unlabeled somewhere in the text of the Scroll for security purposes (and to make a headache for whoever might actually need it to execute their plans – surely the Heretics had a better way of handling this?). So we learn that all of these spells create Forestallments (of course they do! Newcomb’s favorite magic!) but even only testing the ones that aren’t explicitly labeled as something else takes a lot of time. It seems that the Heretics of the Guild did not make our task a simple one. And I guess trying to offer some guidance to their servants was simply out of the question… if they’re that useless as gods, I think I’ll stick with the Dark Maiden, if you don’t mind.
Blood Matters: 150
Dastardly Deeds: 109
Exposition Intrusion: 170
Gratuitous Grimdark: 39
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 69
Irinali: *rolls her eyes* And I, meanwhile, shall continue to put my trust in my own intellect and skills, for better or worse. Krassus, irritated, storms out of his study to inspect the work himself and heads into another chamber, where the Scroll of the Vagaries is unfurled and glowing on a long table while the consuls work at translating it.
The engraved golden band that had once been secured around its center had been removed, and the Scroll was unrolled to reveal the beautiful, elegant script spread across its ancient surface. One by one the consuls selected portions of the script. The passages began to glow as they were chosen, lifting themselves from the parchment and hovering in the air before the consuls.
The consuls read the Old Eutracian script floating before them, first deciphering and then recording what they read onto sheets of individual parchment. When each was satisfied that his translation was correct, he ordered the glowing words back to the scroll. Then the name and use of the spell, if given, was recorded on the parchment and passed to a waiting demonslaver, who took it from the room. The consul would then begin anew, selecting the next available passage from the scroll.
And so it went, the faithful scribes deciphering and recording the contents of the scroll while their watchful master looked on.
Irinali: A fascinating process. It tells me nothing about what they’re actually learning, alas, but fascinating. Krassu then walks into the next room, which is lined with bookcases from which consuls will periodically take or return volumes, some of which include the information they’ve gathered on their endowed slaves, including age, gender, origin point and blood signature. The middle of the chamber is full of a hundred biers – how large is this room, by the Keeper? – on each of which is bound an endowed slave, covered with an azure dome and watched over by a consul (how many of them are there? Wigg’s malpractice in allowing so many of his followers to be turned continues to beggar belief!). Krassus chooses one of them to observe, watching as the consul copies the incantation from one of the rolls of parchment into the air and then impresses it directly into the endowed blood of the slave. The slave goes into convulsions as Krassus watches – he’s fascinated, but again, if he’s learned anything of value from this, he doesn’t tell us – and then the slave passes out.
The consul confirms he's alive, though many of their test subjects die (I can’t say I think much of the Heretics’ forestallments, if most people die from having them put on them! There are easier ways to kill people!); however, those with a blood quality of four or higher (whatever that means…) are more likely to survive even multiple attempts. So once again, it’s all about the quality of one’s blood… The consul tests the slave’s blood signature (which we get described in detail, despite knowing perfectly well how it works by now), determines the forestallment he used didn’t make the change he was looking for, and has the slave taken away… and, at that exact moment, another consul runs over and tells Krassus that he has found the correct incantation! *fans herself mockingly* What are the odds! Krassus demands he show him, and though the slave died, looking at his blood signature Krassus confirms that this is indeed the forestallment he needs – the one Nicholas commanded him to find. Now it’s time for his real work to begin; he orders the slavers to bring him Wulfgar, and the chapter comes to an end.
Blood Matters: 154
Contrivances and Coincidences: 40
Dastardly Deeds: 110
Exposition Intrusion: 173
Gratuitous Grimdark: 40
MG: This chapter… is mostly transitional, and kind of weird. We waste a lot of time on Krassus’ research project, for example, only for the very end of the chapter to render all that pointless as the consuls just happen to find what Krassus was looking for right then, so the whole thing ends up a kind of irrelevant sidetrack. And then we cut off before Krassus actually gets a chance to use what he’s learned on Wulfgar himself (or maybe we should be thankful for that…). Though you’d think he might want to test it some more, considering the only person who this forestallment has been used on died – maybe Krassus ought to make sure it works before putting it on his prize subject, hmmm? Otherwise, we did learn a bit more about what’s on the Scrolls and why they’re so valuable, but a lot of the chapter seemed to exist chiefly to remind us that Krassus is evil. Sigh. Onward! Time for some pirates!
Chapter Forty
Ash: And so, the chapter opens where we left Tristan and Tyranny as they approach Sanctuary, and Tristan finds himself genuinely stunned by the island’s beauty as the fog clears. I’m… kind of surprised and impressed Newcomb went that way, honestly… though most of the pirate ports I’ve had the misfortune to visit were not attractive. Then again, this place was supposedly designed by his pet wizards, so maybe he just couldn’t help himself? Anyway, at first glance, it looked like paradise.
Gnarled, multicolored trees grew wide and tall, and were dotted with colors that could only be fruits and berries. Thick, strong vines stretched between the trees to create an odd sort of twisted, tangled harmony. The air had a pleasant, sweet-sour aroma, the scents from the flowers and plants combining with the saltiness of the sea as it washed up over the sandy shore. The birdsong he could hear was unfamiliar and melodic.
Ash: Well, it sounds… nice, actually. Not really sure about how the trees are both “gnarled” and “wide and tall,” or why the colors must be fruits (and, Newcomb, berries are a kind of fruit). As Tristan climbs out of the skiff onto the dock beside Scars and Tyranny, though, he has a hard time reminding himself that the place can be both beautiful and dangerous (but… wasn’t the Coven’s Recluse beautiful too? And it certainly was dangerous!). Tyranny comes over and explains that there are various coves around the island where ships are moored and this is only one, which is why nobody else is here, so that if the island is ever attacked, the ships can’t all be destroyed in one go. And, as Tyranny leads Tristan on a path across the island, she explains she wanted to anchor here away from everyone else so she could enter Sanctuary quietly without Rolf knowing; she doesn’t know if he’s on Sanctuary at all right now, but if he is, she worries about him commandeering her ship. How, exactly, she knew no one else was in this particular cove when the island is always covered in fog… I don’t have any idea. Tristan thinks about the piece of the Scroll in his boot and how he has to get home as soon as he can, and how he’d do anything – including kill – to do it. Which is… bloodthirsty, isn’t it?
Contrivances and Coincidences: 41
Irinali: And so Scars launches into a lengthy explanation of how Rolf allows merchants to operate on the island so the pirates can have access to supplies they need, but their prices are expensive, and I’ll spare you all the thrilling details. He then takes Tristan aside and warns him that he’s worried about Rolf, who’s apparently been out for blood ever since Tyranny ended their relationship very suddenly. Which she apparently did because Rolf had started to beat her. *she sighs* What a surprise. Had it been me, I’d have killed the bastard the moment he laid hands on me; Scars is apparently surprised Tyranny didn’t and only assumes she held back because she still had some feelings for him. Or, oh, oh, let me guess, it’s so he can still be around so Tristan can rescue the fearsome pirate captain from her evil ex-lover! Am I correct?
MG: *grimly* More or less.
Irinali: *muttering* Damn you, Newcomb, why must you be so predictable? Well, Scars says he’d have killed Rolf himself if he’d been there when it happened, and warns Tristan to be on his guard, since Rolf knows Scars is Tyranny’s first mate, but if he sees Tristan with her he might get jealous and therefore dangerous. Tristan thinks about how he’s dangerous too (oh, don’t make me laugh!) and they keep on walking for a while until they come to some ruined columns. Lying here and there on both sides of the trail, they looked as though they’d been randomly cast off by giants. *her interest piqued* Entirely possible, where I come from, though the giants’ empire was based on a different continent from where I live; still, the giants’ magic was a fascinating subject, even if they did enslave my ancestors to work in their cities… alas, I somehow doubt there are actual giants in these books, so I’ll contain my enthusiasm. Tristan asks about them, and Tyranny says it’s probably the wizards’ doing, because of course it is. As they keep going, they pass more columns and other ruins including walls and a few statues. Finally, they reach the top of the valley and look down to see the island’s other shore, and blow them is the port down, with dozens of ships at anchor. Tristan rambles rather oddly to himself about how the place is like an abandoned child forced to grow up without its parents (if Wigg counts as one of those, then Sanctuary is lucky he wasn’t around), neither quite a town nor quite a city. But we learn that though Tristan was expecting a shantytown it’s actually a mostly finished city in the same style as the ruins, with buildings remarkably well kept, beautiful, and orderly. Nonetheless, as they approach closer Tristan can see the trash the pirates have left strewn about. It was almost as if animals lived here, rather than humans. *mockingly* My, my. Zero to judgmental in a single page – you have talent.
Exposition Intrusion: 175
Gender Wars: 48 (of course Tyranny’s backstory involves not just an evil boyfriend but explicitly being an abuse survivor, because we can’t have a woman who hasn’t had something horrible happen to her)
Ash: So, Newcomb goes on to explain how, despite the surroundings, this really is just a typical pirate town after all, with everyone apparently in a constant state of revelry (how do you know? You just got here! Maybe it’s a festival!). We learn the men are slovenly, poorly dressed, heavily armed and seemingly mostly drunk, but he can somehow tell from the looks in their eyes that these are cold, calculating killers. Which is why they’re engaging in what you’ve clearly decided is never-ending drunken debauchery. Right. He’s reminded of the criminals in Tammerland after the Coven’s attack (who had clearly been festering right under your precious wizards’ noses for years…) and how part of him can understand the appeal of a place like this. The further he goes, he starts seeing half-naked courtesans (I’m not really sure “courtesans” is the word you’re looking for, in a place like this…) on balconies calling out coy obscenities while from nearby he can hear the shameless, crude sounds of urgent intercourse. *shakes her head* Charming place. I guess Newcomb thought since he made the buildings pretty, he could throw every other “pirate port” stereotype he could think of into the mix and get away with it, huh? And indeed Tristan thinks of it as nothing more than one great roiling mass of perversion, drunkenness and greed. Which I suppose he’d be familiar with, given all the shirking of duties and sleeping around he supposedly did… and, of course, he’s judging this place after all of five minutes of being there.
Gratuitous Grimdark: 42
Irinali: Well, Tyranny leads Tristan to a shop whose owner, Jonah, was a friend of her father’s, where they can get some supplies they need.
MG: “Jonah” is sure an… interesting name for someone connected to the sea, I must say. Considering the Biblical Jonah was, among other things, known for bringing bad luck to the ship he traveled on and all. In fact, one etymology I’ve seen theorized for “Davy Jones” was that it was a corruption of “Duffy Jonah,” that is “Jonah’s Ghost” using an archaic term for a ghost. *sigh* What I wouldn’t give for Davy Jones to show up right about now. For that matter, seeing as this book came out in 2004, I strongly suspect this depiction of the ambiance of Sanctuary (and possibly the decision to include a pirate subplot in the first place) may have been inspired by the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, released the previous year… and in particular the depiction of the pirate port of Tortuga in that movie.
Irinali: *looks up from reading about Davy Jones* Hmmm? Why, yes, I would sell my soul into a hundred years of service to have a chance to study that fascinating ghost ship and master its secrets, why do you ask? Oh, right, Newcomb. Well, the shop itself turns out to be a rather mundane woodworking shop and Jonah is a rather unassuming older man, but when Tyranny says she needs help he waves her off, since everyone on this island needs his help lately, with the screechling attacks and all. Ah, yes, those fearsome creatures we never heard of until they attacked our heroes… truly, they are a scourge of the seas! But then Jonah looks up and realizes who Tyranny is, and he’s suddenly thrilled to see her! But he warns her that Rolf has been furious in the months since she last left and wants to know why she came back. He also calls Tristan a nasty-looking character, to my great amusement. Tyranny explains about the screechlings, and of course we learn nobody has ever survived being attacked by so many before *rolls her eyes*. Apparently the screechlings have been getting more actively lately (didn’t they not exist until recently?) and nobody knows why. Tyranny places her order, and Jonah says it’ll take some doing, but for two hundred kisa he’ll put his other projects on hold and get it done by the next morning and warns Tyranny she needs to leave before Rolf hears she’s back. Scars hands over the money – that was easy- but Jonah warns Tyranny that if she needs new sails too, that could be trouble. It seems a man named Ichabod…
MG: *snerk*
Irinali: Now has a monopoly on the sail business on the island, having killed off his competition. And while there used to be honor among thieves – really, now – under Rolf, that’s gone by the wayside, and Rolf and Ichabod are tight. Which, obviously, presents a problem.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 42
Dastardly Deeds: 113
Exposition Intrusion: 178
Ash: Tyranny wants to know where Ichabod is; Jonah explains he’s always at the Wing and Claw, which I presume must be a tavern or inn (or, knowing Newcomb, a brothel). Apparently Ichabod is rich enough now he has other people to do all the work for him, while he reaps the profits. Charming man, and clearly Newcomb really wants us to know we’re not supposed to like him. Jonah goes on to warn them that Ichabod is dangerous (I think that goes without saying, considering he assassinated his competitors!) but Tristan, of course, has an idea. He tells Tyranny and Scars to stay here and he’ll go meet with Ichabod alone, since Ichabod doesn’t know him and will be more likely to negotiate with him. Excuse me, but Ichabod clearly doesn’t know Tyranny and Scars either, unless Rolf described them to him in such detail he can identify them on sight. But Jonah suggests that Tristan’s plan is good, and Tyranny reluctantly agrees and hands over the money. Jonah says the sails will likely cost at least four hundred kisa, maybe five hundred if Ichabod thinks he can get it from him to get the job done quickly, and Tristan should absolutely not pay more than six hundred (how much money does Tyranny have in that pouch? I thought she was low on funds, but that sounds like rather a lot…). Tristan promises to be back soon, Jonah gives him directions, and he sets off. But before he leaves, Tyranny stops to kiss him on the mouth, for luck. *she makes a face* Please tell me they don’t get together…
MG: They don’t.
Ash: Good. Tyranny can do better, assuming Newcomb ever lets her do anything impressive again, at least. Tristan assures her he wants to get home too, and he heads off down the street, stepping over drunken bodies and increasingly hounded by whores, barkers and thieves. At first I thought that said “bakers” …I could go for a nice, warm roll right now, to be honest. A welcome distraction from this book! Finally, Tristan reaches the Wing and Claw, which looks rundown and, naturally, has a large black wing and claw painted on its doors. *facepalm* Very subtle. Tristan listens to the sound of drinking and laughter for a minute, takes a moment to secure his coin, and then steps inside. The moment he passed through the doors, he knew he was in trouble. But we’ll have to wait to find out what sort of trouble he’s in, as the chapter ends there!
MG: This one… on the one hand, the actual plot is mostly stereotypical pirate port shenanigans (again, if Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was an inspiration for this sequence, I wouldn’t be at all surprised). On the other hand, this is also really where we start to see a problem with Tyranny’s character, as after her initial introduction we find her starting to get sidelined in her own storyline so Tristan can handle the plot himself… though we’ll have more to say on that later. And this is an interesting choice for a cliffhanger, since this is the last time we’ll be seeing Tristan’s side of the story in this Part. But, in any case, we only have one more chapter to go today, and before we can wrap the Part up for good, and it’s short, so, onward!
Dastardly Deeds: 115
Exposition Intrusion: 180
Gender Wars: 48 (and of course Tyranny gets sidelined while Tristan, a man with literally no experience in this context, gets to solve her problems for her)
Chapter Forty-One
Irinali: And so we open our final chapter of the day with, sadly, Faegan, as he sits by the boat waiting for Wigg and the watchwoman, while reflecting that he has no idea how long he’s been waiting. Here, alone in this tomb of rock, time had no meaning. *waves her finger* Now, now, you may not be aware of the passage of time, but I assure you it still has meaning, and if you sit down here like a lump long enough, you’ll still starve to death one way or another. Faegan looks around at the gardens, thinking about how magnificent they are and hoping Wigg survives his ordeal, before finally he looks down the tunnel again and spots the watchwoman as she returns, carrying the prone form of Wigg. Faegan immediately levitates his chair over as she sets Wigg’s body on the ground, and she assures him Wigg is alive, barely (a pity). He is one of the very few to have ever survived the price demanded. His regrets run deep, but his heart and blood are of great goodness. It was that goodness which sustained him through his travails. *rolls her eyes* And so this potentially interesting plot point turns into yet another excuse to tell everyone how great Wigg is. I think I shall now be sick.
Faegan asks if Wigg will recover; the watchwoman assures him that despite Wigg’s suffering, his blood is strong and so he will recover in time (boo!) though he’ll bear the marks of what he endured here forever. She and Faegan take Wigg’s body to the boat, and then she tells Faegan it’s time for him to get what they came for, since the price has been paid. She leads Faegan through the gardens, where he recognizes every herb he knows of that has magical uses, plus some that are completely unknown to him. *she sighs longingly* What someone of true magical brilliance could do with this place… me, for example… Faegan asks if the Ones left all this, and the watchwoman explains that all things of magic are the creations of the Ones, the Heretics, or the two mystical orbs the bright golden orb of the Vigors and the dark sizzling orb of the Vagaries themselves. *she snorts* Oh, I beg to differ. We have thirteen overlapping planes of reality with their own magical properties where I come from – beat that. She rambles a bit more about how the orbs are the two poles of magic, opposite each other and never touching, and how a wizard of Faegan’s power must know how to summon them but still has much to learn about the orbs, the Ones and the Heretics. Faegan then asks if she knows how to separate his herb collection, as he feels something in the gardens and pools calling out to his blood and, oh, Newcomb, stop it. I swear, I’ve sat through more of those tedious Blood of Vol sermons with Kharvin than I can count, and they are less obsessed with blood than you are!
Blood Matters: 157
Exposition Intrusion: 183
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 66
Ash: And so Faegan reaches for one of the pools, but the watchwoman quickly seizes one of his wrists and tells him to stop (and calls him a fool, which I found rather more satisfying than I should have!). Anyway, it’s apparently something in the pools that turned her into what she is now, and she asks Faegan if he wants the same fate (it can’t really make him any worse, can it?). Faegan realizes that the watchwoman was also tempted by her endowed blood to touch the pools long ago, and that’s what burned her flesh away and transformed her into an undead creature, and why the Ones set her to guard this place forever. That is… unsettling, to say the least, though I’ve heard worse. Faegan, miraculously, actually swallows his pride and apologizes – thank Eilistraee! It’s a miracle! – and the watchwoman says she didn’t understand either, once. She says that neither of them can harvest the herbs he needs and she calls for my pretties, which sounds very disturbing but turns out to be a large flock of birds that emerge from nooks in the walls and start circling through the chamber
The multicolored birds glowed with the azure of magic. Their necks were long and graceful, as were their wide, brightly feathered tails. They stood on long, spindly legs, like storks, but their shiny bodies were more compact, and their feet were webbed and yellow, like those of a duck. They had gullets beneath their long, wide bills, such as one might see on birds that lived near the ocean and ate fish. The watchwoman slowly lowered her hands. As she did, the creatures landed gently, one by one, next to Faegan’s chair and stood there obediently, as if waiting for the watchwoman to speak.
Ash: Wait, are they azure or multicolored… oh, never mind, they’re the second pretty thing Newcomb has given us today, and I’ll take what I can get. The watchwoman, it happens, doesn’t speak but motions to the birds, who wade into the water, which they at least seem to be able to touch without being harmed, and start precisely collecting herbs. She hands a vial to another of the birds, who takes it in its beak and starts scooping up some fluid from another pool. Slowly, they assemble the materials Faegan will need and bring them over to him, while the watchwoman explains that they were indeed conjured by the Ones to help her tend to this place, and that’s why the pools can’t hurt them. The birds return to their nests and the watchwoman packages the herbs for Faegan to transport in a bag that will absorb the water’s magic and render it harmless by the time they get back to Tammerland. Faegan at least has the decency to be awed and thanks her profusely, but she warns Faegan she was only able to give him enough materials for one attempt at separating his combined herbs and oils, so he needs to be sure to get it right. She then gives him some instructions on how he needs to dry the herbs she’s given him to powder and mix it with his ruined stores, and then the magic will take effect. She also tells him that there’s another way out, since the Ones knew that anyone who passed their trial would be weakened. She summons a pillar of light from the ceiling and has Faeagan get into it while holding Wigg. His chair starts rising and spinning in circles as the watchwoman bids him farewell, and he realizes they’re going to rise all the way to the surface. The watchwoman calls out one last time, bidding him to remember the River of Light, and then the two of them are gone and the chapter, and the Part, ends there.
MG: These chapters… well, the first and the last wrapped up Wigg and Faegan’s storyline for this Part. And, like I said, I like the idea of them, and I’m glad that Newcomb actually acknowledged that Wigg has done things he should legitimately regret and has him face some consequences for it. On the other hand, I don’t think it goes nearly far enough in digging into Wigg’s actual mistakes, which are legion, and the fact that it ends up falling into telling us how awesome he is kind of hurts it. Still, it’s better than nothing, at least. As for the other chapters… Krassus’ research on forestallments is creepy but kind of pointless because of how quickly it’s resolved, while Newcomb also clearly just wanted to write pirate stuff and unfortunately began the sidelining of Tyranny herself in the process. Sigh. Well, as Ash said, we are now done not only with today’s chapters, but Part II as well! Next time, Tristan meets Ichabod, Krassus begins working on Wulfgar, and Faegan prepares to separate some herbs. We’ll see you then! Our counts stand at:
Blood Matters: 159
Contrivances and Coincidences: 42
Dastardly Deeds: 115
Exposition Intrusion: 186
Gender Wars: 48
Gratuitous Grimdark: 42
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 69
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 66
Retcons and Revelations: 22