Fatal Revenant: Part 1, Chapter 2, Difficult Answers

[Zarathustra]

Wayfriend, that's how I read that passage, and how I understood their reasoning. However, this is one of the reasons (among others) why I thought

Spoiler

getting Linden to the Earthblood was contrived. It only happened because the Elohim didn't think it was important enough to stop. Such tremendous risk, on the chance that Linden would figure things out. Luckily, she did. But it still seems entirely implausible that they couldn't have warned her more explicitly. They got off their butts to warn the people of the Land--with MUCH less payoff. Or any, that I can tell.

Esmer seems to feel the strain of this reasoning, as if either he agrees that it's implausible, insufficient, whatever . . . OR, as if telling the whole truth in this regards would aid (or betray?) her too much. This question seems to pain him more than any other. I don't think he is telling the whole truth, but struggling merely to get this much out.

[SoulBiter]

The Elohim not getting involved because someone else is going to intervene is one reason but I think there is more to it than that. They are much like Esmer.. or perhaps he gets this from them and not the merewives. They seem to contradict themselves and their Würd.

"Sun-Sage, you do not comprehend our wurd. There is a word in your tongue which bears a somewhat similar meaning. It is "ethic"..."..."In our power...many paths are open to us which no mortal may judge or follow. Some attractive- others, distasteful. Our present path was chosen because it offers a balance of hope and harm. Had we considered only ourselves, we would have selected a path of greater hope, for it's severity would have fallen not upon us but upon you. But we have determined to share with you the cost. We risk our hope. And also that which is more precious to us-life, the meaning of life. We risk trust."..."Therefore some among us"-she did not need openly refer to Chant-"urged another road. For who are you that you, that we should hazard trust and life upon you? Yet our wurd remains. Never have we sought the harm of any life. Finding no path of hope which was not also a path of harm we chose the way of balance and shared cost.

They are 'ethical' in their own way. They realize that by taking matters into their own hands that they have the possibilty to take the meaning of peoples lives away from them. But they also argue that they could fix things themselves and have in the past.

In TOT did they not argue that IF they could get TC to give them the ring that they would be able to bid any despite defiance. But they were worried about what such power would do in their hands when a 'shadow' clearly lay on the hearts of the Elohim. That shadow was 'arrogance'. But also selfishness because they also mention that in times past would they not have just taken the cost onto themselves.

-He speaks truly. We are altered from what we were.
A darker answer knelled:
-No. It is only that these mortals are more arrogant than any other.
But the first replied:
-No. It is we who are more arrogant. In time past, would we not have taken this cost upon ourselves? Yet we now require the price of him, that we will be spared it.

[wayfriend]

It is confusing. If the Elohim are not going to bother with Kastenessen because Linden will, it sure seems like the burden falls entirely on Linden.

If they are really sharing the cost (and frankly I don't see where as of this chapter) then I have to wonder where the Elohim's portion is being paid.

Maybe they have changed since TOT. Now they are uniformly and completely willing to let the burden fall on others. The darkness in their hearts has ascended and now rules them.

[Brasidas]

Our posts don't have to be works of art. Donaldson has already done that part for us. The subject matter makes this easy. Just let it affect you, respond to it, and be honest.

Very well put Malik, and advice I intend to take up!