Typhon's nature

Gerry Quinn · 11 Oct 2011, 11:40 · from 2011-October.txt.gz

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From: gerry at bindweed.com (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:40:14 +0100
Subject: (urth) Typhon's nature
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From: Jerry Friedman 

> No matter how or whether Typhon sent his thoughts to far places, we know
> he's telepathic.  He makes Severian  see through his eyes, and he casts a 
> spell to try to get Severian to swear loyalty to him.  Severian compares
> this spell to Decuman's, greatly in Typhon's favor.

I don?t read too much into this.  Typhon is a powerful and charismatic individual; I wouldn?t be surprised if in the _BotNS_ universe such individuals typically have some sort of telepathic power.   Like Jeff, I don?t think it?s important whether he uses telepathy or some kind of techno-magic.

> Do we know Mucor's talent is genetic?  Maybe it's the result of an implant or  
> brain surgery or magic performed on her embryo.  Or are you using "genetic" 
> as a shorthand for some broader idea?

Of course Dr. Crane cannot know the details, but I think we should heed his observation that Mucor?s parents (her genetic parents, that is) met in a petri dish.  [I imagine the same applies to Silk.]  Presumably the embryos were then genetically or otherwise engineered.  We know Mucor?s brain developed in an abnormal fashion, and after brain surgery her powers were suppressed for a time but eventually came back.  So I imagine the telepathic powers must inhere in brain tissue, and probably exist to some extent in everyone.

> It seems to me Typhon's psionic talents are quite possible for humans in Briah, considering Mucor and
> Decuman.  We have no idea what enhancement and special training Typhon might have.

I never saw him as primarily a telepath, but indeed perhaps telepathy was a greater part of his powers than I had thought.  But I think his chief powers were charisma, leadership, and military strategy.  [That?s why I think a lot of Pas is coming out in SilkHorn as he wanders Blue on his way back to his (Silk?s) island.]

- Gerry Quinn

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