Odds and Ends

mark millman · 29 Jan 2001, 12:18 · from whorl-v0012.mbox · original

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From: mark millman <millman at us.ncipher.com>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Odds and Ends
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 12:18:59
Message-ID: <whorl-v0012-0087 at digest.urth.net>
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Nutria,

I'm afraid I can't agree with your iron theory.  Wasn't Quetzal=20
killed by the wound from a slug gun?  Furthermore, I believe=20
(though I don't have my Long Sun books here for reference)=20
that we've been told how needlers work, and it's implied that=20
the needles must be ferromagnetic, if not actually ferrous (which=20
would be the obvious assumption), as the needle guns rely on=20
a principle similar to magnetic levitation to propel their needles=20
(i.e., they're hand-held railguns).  Although I assume that slugs=20
are made of lead, I can't see why they couldn't be made of soft=20
iron, other than the fact that it would be expensive and wasteful=20
to do so compared to using lead.

Besides, to be frank, the sword Horn was given didn't strike me=20
as being made of any conventional(ly human) material.

As far as your point (b), though, I'm in perfect agreement.

Nacre

At 01:04 PM 27-01-01 -0600, Nutria (James B. Jordan) wrote:

> At 03:09 PM 1/26/2001 -0600, I wrote:
>
>> 3. It's probably stupid of me to suggest=20
>> this now, since it may be taken up in=20
>> RTW, but I'm now betting that iron is=20
>> part of the secret of the inhumi. Blood=20
>> is iron-based, and the iron shackles on=20
>> Jahlee seem to affect her. And it is in this=20
>> context that Horn threatens her with the=20
>> secret. In spite of all the ins and outs of=20
>> the discussion of the Secret, in which I've=20
>> added my own share of confusion, the=20
>> Secret seems to be something simple and=20
>> immediate, and iron might just be the=20
>> answer.
>
>
>          I'd meant to add: (a) the weapon provided Horn is=20
> a sword, not a sluggun or a needler. Is this because iron is=20
> effective against inhumi, while the other kinds of weapons=20
> aren't? And (b) Horn does not want to use this secret, or=20
> give it out, because he does not want to destroy the inhumi.
>
> Nutria

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