Typhon and the Whorl

Ashley Crill17 Dec 2007, 20:56as archived

↰ answers Dan · by quotation

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Whatever the original design, I think Typhon wanted the Whorl to return to Earth after things calmed down after a few centuries to "recolonize" using technical experts released from suspended animation to start fixing things, millions of peons that worshipped him as a god to provide the labor and armies of chems to reestablish order. Then they could either revive the original Typhon or if he was lost Pas could download into a suitable body and reestablish his empire and glory. Evidently something went wrong with his plan when he was deposed by his children and the inhumani hijacked the ship and redirected it to Green/Blue.

This is basically how I understand the Whorl. Typhon was hedging his bets, and using the Whorl as a resurrection scheme. He did intend to be downloaded into a human body at some point and the Silk embryo was his chosen body, hence Silk's great strength, charisma, and rapid healing powers. I'm not too sure that he intended a return to Earth however, perhaps he anticipated starting a new galactic empire from a suitable planet.

Dan23 Dec 2007, 03:02as archived

↳ follows Ashley Crill · by subject

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At 06:53 AM 12/21/2007, Roy C. Lackey wrote: I believe you meant Hierogrammates, not Hieros. The Hieros were the humans who cruelly fashioned the Hierogrammates in another universe that collapsed. The Hierogrammates were the only things that mankind had made that survived that universe. Tzadkiel was a Hierogrammate. Yesod is where they reside. It is outside the universe of Briah, which is where Urth is located.

Yes. Sorry I was being lazy and abbreviating. I meant those who had FTL capability.

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Pedro wrote: The answer is right here in this list. Its one of the few interviews in which memebers asked questions that Wolfe later answered:

Wow, maybe that's why I didn't remember it. He never does that! And now I see why...

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<<<<From: m.driussi at genie.comSubject: (whorl) Train from WolfelandDate: Sat, 14 Jun 97 21:15:00 GMT[Posted from WHORL, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun] 3. "What was Typhon's purpose in lanunching the Whorl and was theBlue/Green system the intended destination?" Knowing Typhon as I do,he probably had at least half a dozen purposes; but certainly one ofthe chief must have been self-aggrandizement -- to return human kindto the stars would be a very great thing indeed. Yes, the Blue-Greensystem was the intended destination.>>>> There it is, clear as water.

Simple, straightforward and not very satisfying.