Gazetteer Metaplot

[Steve Miller]

Someone leaked the TRUE conclusion to the GAZ metaplot!

Who is the culprit?!?

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Er, just a thought:

Would Azalin have any way to know that Malocchio can bring people out of Ravenloft? IIRC, Gabrielle's kid was only around for a few weeks before he got bound to Invidia, and he spent all that time harassing his mom, so I don't know if he ever actually got the chance to try it. Or am I forgetting something that happened in "The Evil Eye"?

Because if he never got the chance to prove he can bring someone out of Ravenloft or separate a darklord from their domain, then all of this sounds like Azalin has been reading the OOC DM-only information in Malocchio's NPC write-up. Even for a genius lich, that seems a bit of a stretch for him to deduce Malocchio is capable of such a feat, if neither Malocchio himself nor the Vistani (who can't See a Dukkar, by definition) are sure he can do such a thing.

[Hashmalum]

I don't think that Azalin's goal this time is physical escape. I think the attribute of Malocchio's that Azalin is interested in is his immunity to curses. In Gaz IV p.48, right after S describes how Malocchio is seemingly immune to Vistani curses, Azalin interjects to say that "Were you not so intent on your agenda, my little scholar, you might now see exactly how this demonspawn fits into my plans." The fact that (if I am correct) he will find escape only after he stopped looking for it--or perhaps, have the method of escape, and never realize it--is just one more aspect of the cruel irony that defines the existence of a darklord.

[Alanik Ray]

Someone leaked the TRUE conclusion to the GAZ metaplot!

Who is the culprit?!?

Man!!! You're just dying to fail a powers check, aren't you?

[Lucius]

Er, just a thought:

Would Azalin have any way to know that Malocchio can bring people out of Ravenloft? IIRC, Gabrielle's kid was only around for a few weeks before he got bound to Invidia, and he spent all that time harassing his mom, so I don't know if he ever actually got the chance to try it. Or am I forgetting something that happened in "The Evil Eye"?

Because if he never got the chance to prove he can bring someone out of Ravenloft or separate a darklord from their domain, then all of this sounds like Azalin has been reading the OOC DM-only information in Malocchio's NPC write-up. Even for a genius lich, that seems a bit of a stretch for him to deduce Malocchio is capable of such a feat, if neither Malocchio himself nor the Vistani (who can't See a Dukkar, by definition) are sure he can do such a thing.

As Hashmalun posted, I believe that Azalin is not so interested in the Dukkar´s powers of teleporting, he is nterested in his powers against the curses. Plus in RL 3e we knew that Azalin "listened" to his tormentors and discovered that there are mysteries taht they don´t understand. I strongly believe these mysteries are the 13 children. So, if one of these children is immune to curses and all the 13 are mysteries even to the Dark Powers, thay can be the key for Azalin rid himself from his darklord curse.

[Alanik Ray]

Maybe Azalin overheard the Dark Powers talking about Malocchio's teleporting ability as well when he was scattered in the gray realms. It's a possibility.

Maybe that's exactly the thing that baffles them so much.

DP 1: "How the hell does this brat has the ability to teleport outta here"?

DP 2: "You're asking me? I'm still trying to find out what that Grand Conjuction thing was all about".

Azalin fails a move silently check.

DP 1: "Did your hear something"?

DP 2: "No."

Azalin: "Meeeeeow"!!!

DP 2: "Dude, relax, it's just a midnight cat."

[Hashmalum]

Another possibility I just thought of: as indicated by his comments in Gaz IV, p. 69, it seems that Azalin is aware that the Grand Conjunction precipitated the transfer of control of the former domain of Arkendale to its new darklord, Alfred Timothy. He may well be grooming S to take over the darklordship of his domain. If S really is his "daughter" (as a clone that turned out female), it would even make a twisted sort of sense in his mind. The ruler is obligated to provide an heir, after all. With S serving as the heir, he wouldn't feel the need to force Irik into being the sort of person he would view as a suitable successor. This might be as close to redemption as the old lich is likely to get.

[Lucius]

All this talk gives many ideas.

One of them came when I was discussing some theories with Alanik Ray in the MSN.

Note, I´m not trying to guess the real metaplot, it´s just an insane and maybe useful idea

Mallochio is the most powerful of the Gc´s children, bacause he is a reflection of the fears and faillings of his mother. And maybe because he is the son af a demon and a darklord.

So, if S is a clone of Azalin, maybe he wants her to become pregnant of the GC (or maybe of one of his children), so she will be able to give birth to another Dukkar reaulted of the cross between a demon and a darklord (assuming that if she is a clone of Azalin, the effects would be the same if the dukkar were Azalin´s children). So this Dukkar would be the image of S worst faillings (and also azalin ones, since both in some way were the responsibles for the death of their son/daughter).

Being so, maybe these creature would be able to realize what Azalin can´t do, learn new magic, and bring Irik back. And surely he would be a very suitable new body to the lich.

[Spiteful Crow]

So, if S is a clone of Azalin, maybe he wants her to become pregnant of the GC (or maybe of one of his children), so she will be able to give birth to another Dukkar reaulted of the cross between a demon and a darklord (assuming that if she is a clone of Azalin, the effects would be the same if the dukkar were Azalin´s children). So this Dukkar would be the image of S worst faillings (and also azalin ones, since both in some way were the responsibles for the death of their son/daughter).

Dukkars are male vistani, though. That wouldn't work since neither S nor Azalin are vistani.

[HuManBing]

Couldn't S could be a Vistani? It doesn't say anywhere where her mother came from.

[WolfKook]

The idea of Azalin deliberately guiding S's life toward disaster (The loss of her daughter, in particular) seems delightf... er... very interesting.

[Spiteful Crow]

Couldn't S could be a Vistani? It doesn't say anywhere where her mother came from.

But then why would she need their help going through the mists between domains?

[Lucius]

This idea can be worked if S becomes pregnant from one of the Gc´s children...so her son would have vistani heritage.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Couldn't S could be a Vistani? It doesn't say anywhere where her mother came from.

If S is a clone of Azalin, it wouldn't matter if the surrogate mother who gave birth to her was a human, a Vistani, or even an elf. She'd only be a half-Vistani if one of Azalin's parents was a Vistani.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

This idea can be worked if S becomes pregnant from one of the Gc´s children...so her son would have vistani heritage.

Of course, that's assuming her child would be male. Interestingly, neither Azalin nor the GC seem able to control a kid's gender, else S would be male herself (and probably off helping the FoS hunt Van Rijn, tee hee! ) and so would Chezna and the Beast of the Hills.