Scylla & Oreb

Andrew Bollen · 18 Apr 2002, 14:28 · from urth-v0204.mbox · original

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From: "Andrew Bollen" <abollen at cybercityhk.com>
Subject: (urth) Scylla & Oreb
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2002 22:28:57 +0800
Message-ID: <urth-v0204-671 at digest.urth.net>
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Forgive a newbie for rehashing old hash, but the archives are a bit =
chaotic on Scylla & Oreb. Is this a plausible reading:

Scylla possesses Oreb at the very beginning of NTLS, just as Silk is =
about sacrifice him (her?):

' "No, no," the night chough muttered, as it had in the market. And =
then, "Please, no." ... A last strangled half-human cry echoed ... and =
the wretched night chough went limp ...'

I think the possession happens between the (animal) "No, no", and the =
(downloaded Scylla) "Please, no." A small shift in the voice ("please" =
is *almost* multi-syllabic) marks an important transition in the story - =
a deft, Wolfean touch.

Stuffing Scylla into the Oreb's tiny brain brings the bird down. We know =
that the Window in the Manteion is semi-functional (Kypris mentions this =
to Silk at Orchid's), and that possession can take place without a =
visual manifestation.

Why does Scylla download herself into such a poor vessel - a bird about =
to be sacrificed? Because she was in extremis, pursued by Pas, with no =
other choice (but then why not into one of the humans present? Dunno!).

Oreb recovers in Silk's absence. Some part of Scylla's fear (she is a =
terrified, pursued child, after all) causes Oreb to hide on top of =
cupboard, where Silk discovers him/her. Henceforward the bird, =
previously a terrified animal, becomes a companion with a personality - =
childlike in many ways.

Why does the repellant Scylla become likeable within Oreb? Because she =
is with Silk, who of course "brings out the best" in many repellant =
characters - Auk, Hyacinth, Pig etc - at least while he is with them. =
Horn's judgements of  Scylla (perhaps she would grow out of it) and Oreb =
(a nasty, mangy creature) at the very end of the tale are germane.=20

The Scylla who possesses Chenille is a different proposition. I =
interpret this Scylla as a "backup" personality, cached before Pas' =
resurgence, and therefore unchastened and "un-Silked", seeking to return =
now to Mainfram to "reintegrate". Or do I have I crocked this up =
completely?

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Forgive a newbie for rehashing old =
hash, but the=20
archives are a bit chaotic on Scylla & Oreb. Is this a plausible=20
reading:

Scylla possesses Oreb at the very =
beginning of=20
NTLS, just as Silk is about sacrifice him (her?):

' "No, no," the night chough muttered, =
as it had in=20
the market. And then, "Please, no." ... A last strangled half-human cry =
echoed=20
... and the wretched night chough went limp ...'

I think the possession happens between =
the (animal)=20
"No, no", and the (downloaded Scylla) "Please, no." A small shift in the =
voice=20
("please" is *almost* multi-syllabic) marks an important transition in =
the story=20
- a deft, Wolfean touch.

Stuffing Scylla into the Oreb's tiny =
brain brings=20
the bird down. We know that the =
Window in=20
the Manteion is semi-functional (Kypris mentions this to Silk at =
Orchid's), and=20
that possession can take place without a visual =
manifestation.

Why does Scylla download herself into =
such a poor=20
vessel - a bird about to be sacrificed? Because she was in extremis, =
pursued by=20
Pas, with no other choice (but then why not into one of the humans =
present?=20
Dunno!).

Oreb recovers in Silk's absence. Some =
part of=20
Scylla's fear (she is a terrified, pursued child, after all) =
causes Oreb to=20
hide on top of cupboard, where Silk discovers him/her. Henceforward the =
bird,=20
previously a terrified animal, becomes a companion with a personality -=20
childlike in many ways.

Why does the repellant Scylla become =
likeable=20
within Oreb? Because she is with Silk, who of course "brings out the =
best" in=20
many repellant characters - Auk, Hyacinth, Pig etc - at least while =
he is=20
with them. Horn's judgements of  Scylla (perhaps she would =
grow out of=20
it) and Oreb (a nasty, mangy creature) at the very end of =
the tale are=20
germane. 

The Scylla who possesses Chenille is a =
different=20
proposition. I interpret this Scylla as a "backup" personality, cached =
before=20
Pas' resurgence, and therefore unchastened and "un-Silked", seeking to =
return=20
now to Mainfram to "reintegrate". Or do I have I crocked this up=20
completely?
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