Merger

Jeff Wilson · 28 Jan 2011, 23:57 · from 2011-January.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:57:55 -0600
Subject: (urth) Merger
In-Reply-To: <ABD9714C-B8B1-424C-BAAF-04E2A1A403AB at butcherbaker.org>
References: <SNT123-W6864A21256A1F4C7370B5CFE10 at phx.gbl>
	<ABD9714C-B8B1-424C-BAAF-04E2A1A403AB at butcherbaker.org>
Message-ID: <4D435803.5050901 at io.com>

On 1/28/2011 4:20 PM, Son Of Witz wrote:
>
> On Jan 28, 2011, at 10:50 AM, Lee Berman wrote:
>> This is paralleled with Severian in UotNS I think. He is no longer plagued by spontaneous
>> takeovers by Thecla but I guess she is still there, just unneeded. The old Autarch pops up
>> once, but only at the appropriate time and need.

Close examination of volumes I-IV, written either days before or days 
after he leaves for Yesod, reveal he is still subject to identity 
shifts, especially when he recalls a previous shift.

>> From: Jordon Flato
>> Isn't there a difference in what happens to the 'memories' or 'identities' in Severian as opposed to everyone else, including the Alzabo?  Sev has the power to restore life.  I've always been fairly certain that for Severian, the people he brings into himself are more alive, in a real way, than for any previous Autarch, or certainly and Vodellarii or ingesters of the alembic.  Perhaps this plays a role in why Severian succeeds when Appian fails.  Severian doesn't just have the memories of past lives in him, I think they are really alive in him in a fundamental way, which is new, unique, and unseen in any other instance of ingestion of the Alembic.
>
> I agree with Flato in that Thecla is alive in him in a different way than the Analeptic absorbtion.
> Lee's point about her not making a fuss in UotNS is making me wonder if there is a true merger between the two.

The old autarch's explanation allows that much of his brain cells are 
still literally alive inside Severian. Thus, resurrective power is not 
required there, but Thecla pretty much has to have it after being cooked.

>> From: Gerry Quinn:
>> Certainly it's different in this regard, but to say this is why Severian succeeded while previous Autarch's failed involves a bit of a time-loop semi-paradox.  The problem is that Severian's power is also the *result* of him succeeding - he has access to the negentropic power of the White Fountain and can turn back time to heal the sick, resurrect the dead etc.
>>
>> Had a previous Autarch succeeded, he also (or instead) would have had those powers.
>
> I think there was no success to be had for a previous Autarch.
> IIRC, the ones who tried are Ymar, Appian,&  Severian.
> Appian was a setup, and Ymar was the first, inspired by Sev, who planted the "tradition" that he hoped to partake in to Ymar, who then started the Tradition.

It may be that they were looking for a candidate with suitable psionic 
potential that they could then magnify. I think it likely Sev has some 
tiny healing or time bending ability on his own that he uses to restore 
the clinically dead Triskelle. After the mind-contact is established on 
the night of his ascension to journeyman, he goes on to more impressive 
uses powered by the Fountain. It's forseeable that other gifts like that 
of the Pelerine, or the Sorcerer, or Ceryx, and positively Typhon, would 
be useful in persuing one ineffable agendum or another.

> Can someone hook me up with th e story where Appian is named?

He isn't, but he posthumously reminisces about being supervised and 
taught by someone named Appian, and it has been inferred that Appian is 
his predecessor steward from whom he inherited his position and his 
name, as did Odilio.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
Computational Intelligence Laboratory - Texas A&M Texarkana
< http://www.tamut.edu/CIL >

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