The Piteous Gate

Adam Thornton · 28 Feb 2006, 15:25 · from 2006-February.txt.gz

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From: adam at io.com (Adam Thornton)
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 09:25:19 -0600
Subject: (urth) The Piteous Gate
In-Reply-To: <4403FC53.4070603 at io.com>
References: <000e01c63a49$2d1aea00$643ec6d8 at rclackey.stic.net>
	<4403FC53.4070603 at io.com>
Message-ID: <A5161641-ABD5-4DD9-BE1F-98AB3EF68751 at io.com>

On Feb 28, 2006, at 1:31 AM, Jeff Wilson wrote:
> In light of what we know from the latter books that he's quite
> accomplished at the intellectual business of chemistry and biology,  
> I've
> thought he was putting on a dullard act, or perhaps was showing the
> effects of Dr. Talos' medicine.  Even before Lake Diuturna, he's
> demonstrates a grip on pretend-vs-real stage acting, and even when  
> it's
> appropriate to pretend to not know.

My belief is that he simply doesn't bother to pay attention to things  
that don't matter to him.  What matters to him is extending his own  
life and power.  To some degree he therefore pays attention to Dr.  
Talos, because he created Talos precisely to make sure that he stayed  
in adequate physical shape to pursue his real goals.

Think of Talos as an alarm clock, basically.  Except that Baldanders,  
being very clever, has created an alarm clock that beats him with a  
stick until he gets up, and that manages most of the other annoying  
details of his physical existence for him, leaving him more time to  
think about the things that interest him.

Adam

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