From: m.driussi@genie.com
Subject: (urth) enemies list
Date: Sun, 17 May 98 17:21:00 GMT

alga,

I've always taken the covert support by the Phoenix Throne of
Vodalus/Agia as a "1984-ish" trick--Big Brother (gov't) controls
the Brotherhood (anti-gov't underground).  With a dash of
Machiavelli, since the Commonwealth really is at war with Ascia
(rather than the seeming puppetshow wars of 1984--the Brotherhood
would appear to be a domestic affair rather than an international
terrorist cell); Vodalus is working both sides to gain the throne for
himself; Agia just likes to play Xena.

I was going to write that if Vodalus knew with certainty that he was
being supported by the autarch himself rather than a shadowy faction
within the House Absolute, he would break the link.  But I'm not so
sure . . . Vodalus might be another patsy, another candidate for the
throne being cultivated by the autarch, in the same way that
Baldanders is being cultivated for the throne by O, B, & F.  (For
example, Thecla was not arrested by the autarch's order, but by some
faction apparently a bit more concerned with stopping Vodalus.)

An espionage game of "toying with the devil you know" rather than
letting unknown alien agents run around in the countryside.

=mantis=

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/