Story-Purpose of She Who Must Not Be Named?

[hurtloam]

Wayfriend, what you said about the body sensations imposed by SWMNBN reminded me that they're an awful like those experienced under the Sun of Pestilence. Linden's facing the same issues later, but on a larger scale. The impression she gets from her parents, that life is useless suffering, that death is the ultimate answer, and her guilt over what she does to her mother, give her the feeling that she's fit to be nothing but carrion. Her infection under the Pestilent Sun reflects this to her, and the Bane later brings it out in full force.

[wayfriend]

That's the page I am on, hurtloam. First, we have Linden's exceptional percipience which makes her susceptible, such that the sensations thrust upon her feel like personal attacks. And, secondly, it has repeatedly been the case that these sensations cause her to "re-experience" (for lack of a better word) her personal issues. This goes all the way back to the rats on Starfare's Gem. I found that the effect of SWMNBN on Linden to be the same kind of thing. I imagined Linden was susceptible because of her percipience and because of the way she entwines her perceptions with her image of herself. My first impression was that the powerful emanations of betrayal eminated by SWMNBN would just fittingly drive Linden deeply into her feelings about her parents. And once she was in that state, she would be coerced into thinking about everything as if she was a betrayer. Again, such things go back to her time imprisoned by Gibbon. Are you not evil?