khaibits

Peter Westlake · 07 Oct 1998, 09:22 · from urth-v0019.mbox · original

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From: Peter Westlake <peter at harlequin.co.uk>
Subject: Re: (urth) khaibits
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 10:22:32 +0100
Message-ID: <urth-v0019-0056 at digest.urth.net>
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At 00:38 1998-10-07 -0500, you wrote:
>> 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). =20
>
>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?

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.




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