Subject: (urth) khaibits

From: Robert Borski <rborski at coredcs.com>
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 00:38:50 +0000

> I think Barbea is unlikely as a candidate as she is a khaibit and
therefore
> a clone of the original (somewhere I think Inire or Apian came out and
said
> that directly).  

In CLAW, Gurloes tells us khaibits are "common girls that look like the
chatelaines. [But] I don't know where they get them." Severian, in his
first and only visit to the House Azure, believes them to be recruited from
the poor. But in CASTLE the Autarch implies they're clones, "grown from the
body cells of exultant women so an exchange of blood will prolong the
exultant's youth." So which is it?

If clones, as asserted by the Autarch (who is himself a master of
deception), why are khaibits somewhat shorter--as both Gurloes and Severian
assert?

On the night that Roche and Severian visit the Echopraxia, the Autarch
tells them the women at the House Azure have been flown in by flier. But
when alone with his khaibit, the "Chatelaine Thecla" tells him that she and
Gracia have come by sleigh. Given that it's winter and snowing, is it
likely that she and Gracia have come all way from the House Absolute, where
the Autarch's seraglio is located? The House Absolute is well outside
Nessus, remember, and even by destrier, in winter this would be some trip.
And what of the other two hookers present--the Chatelaines Thea and Barbea?
How have they arrived? (And why are fake Thecla's clothes so tacky?)

If beloved, alzabo-ingested Thecla has a clone, or has undergone
rejuvenation via bloodsharing, Severian does not mention the memory of
either. Nor does the leech who attends Severian when he's recaptured by
Vodalus. His idea of rejuvenation, because "youth is contagious," is to
sleep with a 13 year old boy. And if cloning is practiced in the
Commonwealth, are there any other mentions of it in the BotNS?

I claim wiggle room here.

That being said, I do think Jon Camfield's
sis-might-be-in-the-Healer's-Tower proposal to be at least worthy of
consideration, especially if he can  find any secondary textual evidence.

Robert Borski

ps: I'm surprised no one's mentioned Merryn's calling Thecla "sister" in
the fever dream Sev has in the lazaret. 

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/

---

From: Peter Westlake <peter at harlequin.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 09:22:32 +0000

>deception), why are khaibits somewhat shorter--as both Gurloes and Severian

The Hierodules tell Severian that Baldanders is so big because on Urth,
perpetual growth is the only way to prolong life. The khaibits will be
younger than their originals, so maybe a growth hormone or some such
thing is the active agent in the exchange of blood; but however it works,
the exultants are having their lives prolonged, so they become taller.

It is interesting that Thecla memories don't mention cloning, but then
Severian is hardly one to give a complete account of important details.

SBear.