From: "Mitchell A. Bailey" <MAB@lindau.net>
Subject: (urth) Typhon and Pas
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 18:19:22 

One curious contrast I noticed between the postoperative recuperating
Typhon of Urth and the bicephalic simulation Pas of the Whorl.

Typhon of Urth was rather reticent about his, er, condition when the
Conciliator showed up. The monarch had retired to his work camp in the
mountains where his monument was being carved while he recovered (that
is, until Piaton should outlive his usefulness and be amputated like a
tumour). The chiliarch threatened Sev with death if he should speak of
anything he might see or hear, and ensured the troopers could not see
the monarch when the curtain was drawn. I think we can guess what it is
Typhon did not want spoken of, and it seems clear that he does not wish
his subjects generally to see or know about his surgery or the means by
which his intended rejuvenation was supposed to occur.

He appeared readily enough to Sev in both _Sword_ and UNS, but those
were special cases out of sight of his ordinary subjects.

On the other hand, the Typhon who was simulated as Pas seemed to have no
problem whatsoever with the people on the Whorl seeing his
disfigurement, and in fact flaunted it as a sort of trademark.

Other than to say that the Cargo of _Whorl_ were permanently removed
from Urth and what is an acceptable appearance for a god might be
unsuitable for a monarch, it seems to be a bit of a contradiction in
attitudes. This could call into question the theory that Urth and Whorl
occupy the same milieu after all.


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