Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 01:20:31 -0500
From: Jeff Wilson 
Subject: Re: (urth) Thoughts on Undines, and other ramblings

> From: "Alice K. Turner" 
> >From newbie Andrew:

[Undine Discussion] 

> -They've been on Urth since around the time of Typhon, and were likely
> brought by Scylla (can't remember her human name, and the book's not
> handy) or an associate of hers, as related in Jonas's tale.
> 
> Not necessarily; they seem to have resources of their own ("swimming between
> the stars").

See below.
 
> -They're really into high tech and enslaving humanity (viz. Baldanders
> and the Ascians).  They are the brains behind the Ascians.
> 
> No, no and no. Erebus and Abaia, different entities entirely, perform those
> functions. There's a hint that the undines are handmaidens or concubines to
> them, but it could be myth and I doubt that it could be proved. The undines
> seem mostly hedonistic, with infrequent moments of conscience. Some of them
> (Idas) are clearly in the enemy camp. But Gunnie attacks Sev too!

Juturna =says= she serves Abaia. But the Undines are absolutely not into
high-tech gadgets, since they slosh around naked all the time. I think
Andrew began to think of all the various dark lords' minions as Undines,
since Juturna is very prominently their servant.
 
> Don't think Scylla did any such thing. Undines however *can* swim through
> the universe, and time, a la Brook Madrigot. Human spaceships must obey the
> laws of our universe, however. For some reason, this all makes sense to me.

Whoa there! =One= of them, Juturna, is shown to do something like this.
This may or may not be her own ability like Severian and the Green Man,
but it may be something granted by Abaia, like Master Ash's house is
powered by Erebus or somebody. 

Or it may be a skill their minions acquire in order to follow the paths
laid down by those same powerful beings. Juturna might only be able to
point into the fourth dimension  while Severian is there. Idas certainly
doesn't have the ability to flee in any but the usual way.
 
-- 
Jeff Wilson
How Am I Posting? 1-800-555-6789
"If your SecOp can see you, so can the enemy." -Cpt Law


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