Digest whorl.v010.n056
The Whorl list — 2 messages, 2 voices, 25 Nov 1999
https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/whorl/737

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Alice Turner — 25 Nov 1999, 10:31

The Rodent opined:

> At 08:09 PM 11/16/99 -0500, Slimina of the Green Goo wrote:

> > 2. There have been a lot of guesses about "the secret of the inhumi," and
> > the front-runner for a while was that it was simply that they took on (or
> > could take on) aspects of the prey along with the blood; when they
> > encountered a sentient race for the first time, it revolutionized them.
> > Another conjecture has to do with their obviously being able to survive a
> > long time without sustenance in a mummified state. But later thinking is
> > that it's more complicated than that--it's a secret that if known could
> > destroy them--and that Wolfe just hasn't given it to us even in clue form
> > yet.
> > 
> > Arguments invited.

> It's Rat Time, Slimina!
> 
> To begin with, courtesy of Kieran:
> 
> Horn: "If only we cared about each other sufficiently. If only all of us
> loved all the others enough, they would go back to [mindless beasts]. We
> would still think them horrible creatures, and they would still be
> dangerous, as the crocodiles in this lower river water are. But they would
> be no worse."
> Evensong: "That is the secret, what you said?"
> Horn: "No, of course not." [p.375]
> 
> So, let's invert that. The inhumi take on our characteristics. We are not
> very nice people: enslaving others, raping wimmin, etc. What if we become
> good, "Green Man" types, like the forerunners of Blue? What would the
> inhumi become then? Good guys! Hey, is that why old Quetzal becomes a good
> guy, because of hanging around and being near Silk?
> Inhumi are animals, "underpeople" of Cordo Smith, but of a different sort.
> Their salvation depends on and proceeds from human salvation.
> My guess. It think the clews are there, but I may be taking them wrongly.
> 
> Slavering Nutria of the Dripping Jowl

I think you are correct, but that this is not the secret. I also think that
"hanging around and being near" doesn't have much, if anything to do with
it; it's the actual ingestion of blood. The two people we know Q bit had in
common only their youth. Teasel was a young girl and whashisname, Oosik's
son, was probably no more than 18. And he certainly got a gleam in his eye
inspecting those troops of probably mostly teenage girls. But Horn's "No, of
course not!" seems to imply that the actual secret is something else. I also
think that your premise is too straight-forward and goody-goody for Wolfe.

-slimora



*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.

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Jim Jordan — 29 Nov 1999, 09:27
  follows, by subject match Alice Turner

> Slimorina wrote:
> I think you are correct, but that this is not the secret. I also think that
> "hanging around and being near" doesn't have much, if anything to do with
> it; it's the actual ingestion of blood. The two people we know Q bit had in
> common only their youth. Teasel was a young girl and whashisname, Oosik's
> son, was probably no more than 18. And he certainly got a gleam in his eye
> inspecting those troops of probably mostly teenage girls. But Horn's "No, of
> course not!" seems to imply that the actual secret is something else. I also
> think that your premise is too straight-forward and goody-goody for Wolfe.

Good poynts. Guess we gotta wait....

Nutricious


*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.

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