Kevin's Watch

It is fairly clear that the Haruchai feature highly as one of the major 'creations' of Donaldson in making the Land what it is and what we love. But answer me this - Do all the Haruchai, including the Bloodguard, have just one personallity. Is Bannor the same individual as Brin or even Stave, in the way they are portrayed - and indeed is this part of the reason we love them. Is it that thier badass coolness is just replicated from individual to individual throughout the books, absolutely reliable and predictable just like the Haruchai themselves.

I think so. However, once Brinn and Cail fell victims to the merewives, I believe their personalities were changed. The other Haruchai maintained their fundamental personalities though.

They are connected in their minds. They share thoughts and can speak to each other this way. I think it lends to the idea that they're all connected. Maybe as one organism.

There are theories that we are all connected as one organism...all on the same "blanket" if you've ever seen "I [heart] Huckabees".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZnEa23MFOg

I don't see them as being One, in the Borg sense. But they all insist on absolutes to every situation. This means they all find the same answer to every question. The same view of each situation.

Also, as Keydene points out (I also [heart] Huckabees, btw ), they have some serious telepathy among themselves. This can only make them even more similar, eh?

In the First Chrons, the Bloodguard *do* have distinct personalities.
In TIW; when Runnick told his tale, he was glossing over details too much so that everyone had to ask him questions to get the whole story...

..But when Tull told his tale, he told it in great detail. *And* when he was faltering over the story, one of the other Blodguard had to slap him back to his senses.

In the 2nd Chrons...well Cail got the sh*t beat out of himself, for falling for the Merewives, because the rest of the Haruchai figured he was unworthy.

Remember, thought, it wasn't so much a punishment as it was testing to see where his strengths and weaknesses were. He later passed that lesson on to the rest of the Haruchai when they fell under the sway of the Clave momentarily.

True...but they judged him.
The haruchai constantly judge themselves; I guess that's why they all *seem* to have the same personality; but underneath, they all have their own.

They definitely are the Objectivists of the group. Nothing is gray to them. It's black or white.

I know I struggle with this.

What yourself, or reading about the Haruchai?
=)

Both I guess. haha. I meant myself. I tend to see things in black and white unless I catch myself.

Kaydene, catch yourself
Buying a color TV
For broader spectrum

haha. Nice. It's not that bad, though. :p I believe in objective principles, but I also believe there are many shades of gray. Sometimes, I just accidentally revert to thinking there is only good and bad, or right and wrong.

Balance has got to be key, right? Otherwise, we'd all be Haruchai; never sleeping, eating, or having sex. heh.

Kaydene wrote: Otherwise, we'd all be Haruchai; never sleeping, eating, or having sex. heh.

After they finally broke their vow; I wonder if Bannor tried to hook up with any of those cute Ramen girls?

btw Kay...for someone that sees things in mostly black and white ...or different shades of grey; your avatar sure has a lot of colour.


Back on topic; I like it when we do get to see Haruchai use a little bit of colour...think before they act.

This happens a fair bit throughout TIW (which I am currently reading)

The Illearth War was my fave so far anyway. It's my first time reading all of the books. I'm on White Gold Wielder.

Bannor probably did hook up with those girls.

Spoiler

We saw Cail go back to the Merewives, afterall

Eagerly awaiting the conclusion of "It cannot now be set aside, nor passed on", Fist and Faith's fanfiction version of the fate of Korik's mission after the events in Seareach.

If you have not read parts 1 and 2, you are in for a treat! Find them in the Hall of Gifts.

Kaydene wrote:The Illearth War was my fave so far anyway. It's my first time reading all of the books. I'm on White Gold Wielder.

Bannor probably did hook up with those girls.

Spoiler

We saw Cail go back to the Merewives, afterall

No - I don't believe Bannors Haruchai nature would ever let his fidelity to his first, albeit long dead, wife be broken. A Haruchai's commitment is, in the words of Shakespear, '..an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken'. Commitment in the Haruchai world is not so flimsy a thing as to be touched by such trivialities as time and death.

Savor Dam wrote:Eagerly awaiting the conclusion of "It cannot now be set aside, nor passed on", Fist and Faith's fanfiction version of the fate of Korik's mission after the events in Seareach.

If you have not read parts 1 and 2, you are in for a treat! Find them in the Hall of Gifts.

I'm probaly being a dork Savor Dam, but I can't find the Hall of Gifts you refer to. Can you give me directions

Savor Dam, much as I'd like to take credit, that story was written by iQuestor.

peter, toward the bottom of the main page is the Scatterlings forum. The first sub-forum there is The Hegemony. The first sub-sub-forum of The Hegemony is The Hall of Gifts. Or, click this:
kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=19

I think the Haruchai do have differences of both personality and opinion.

They seem to settle such differences through physical conflict; measuring the strength and fidelity of an individual's person or argument through that person's combat prowess. Once a resolution is reached, however, they act in complete acceptance of the outcome, without dissent or reluctance, to the best of their ability.

Maybe this is where the feeling that all Haruchai share one personality stems from; as they normally go to lengths to have their 'discussions' in private, and we get used to seeing them behave as a singular entity.

Fist and Faith wrote:Savor Dam, much as I'd like to take credit, that story was written by iQuestor.

Quite right. I stand corrected.

My apologies to iQuestor...and a nudge to reinforce our collective anticipation of the third installment.

In case Peter (or anyone else) would like a direct link to the two existing parts of this story:

• "It cannot now be set aside, nor passed on" Part 1
  "It cannot now be set aside, nor passed on" Part 2