b sharps's Inire theory

b sharp · 06 Jul 2008, 05:40 · from 2008-July.txt.gz

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From: bsharporflat at hotmail.com (b sharp)
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 01:40:20 -0400
Subject: (urth) b sharps's Inire theory
Message-ID: <BAY103-W39E82189549E4269CDC9B7D7950 at phx.gbl>

Kudos and thank you Roy C. Lackey! Using your unquestioned knowledge and skill to tinker
with my theory is just the sort of thing I appreciate and find productive in participating on this
list. And of course it is understood that it in no way constitutes an endorsement or buying into 
the accuracy or "correctness" of my theory (whatever that means).

I had previously considered your twist of supposing the many versions of Father Inire as 
pinched off portions of a larger god-like being but hadn't pursued it. Your take brought some
new ideas to mind. 

I think Jeff Wilson is wrong in thinking such doppelgangers would have completely separate 
lives and memories. They would share the memories of up until they split, they would share a 
common purpose, and being of the same stuff and origin would share a basic inherent nature, 
abilities, etc.  I suppose it is obvious that I also disagree with Jeff's thinking that pursuing oddball
ideas will detract from finding the "right answer". Like Einstein should have stuck to Newtonian 
physics? (who would win the Lupine Nobel Prize, hah! like Gene would ever tell :)) 

As it could be relevant to this twist, I'll again toss out the mythological tidbit that Charon was the 
offpring of Erebus, in Greek mythology.  But when Roy offhandedly mentioned Tzadkiel as a 
source for Father Inire versions, my first thought was that Tzadkiel, as Zak, shows a rather simian
nature during a phase or two of his evolution.  Severian notes that Father Inire's work seems to be 
a lesser version of the Secret House (Secret Ship?) technology Tzadkiel uses to get around.

I'll also mention recently noticing in the text that Odilo, on the raft and Eata's boat, refers to the days
of Father Inire as being departed and gone. Dave Tallman's ideas led to some pondering over the 
suspicious absence of Inire in the flood day, throne room conversation. Valeria and her husband 
seem to have ruled on their own (without "the words").  Perhaps Wolfe is hinting that Father Inire 
secretly joined Severian on the Ship. Perhaps reunited with Tzadlkiel? Is he Ceryx on ancient Urth?
How does the Cumaean fit into this scenario?

Or perhaps not fully reunited?...Borski's idea that Ossipago with his short stature, hidden eyes and 
refusal to doff his mask is a version of Inire could come into play here.  And where was Ossipago when 
Barbatus and Famulimus met Severian just before he got on the tender bound for Urth?  I've long felt 
Wolfe wanted us to think of Ossipago in terms of "deus ex machina". An even more appropriate phrase
in the light of this discussion.

-bsharp

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