Sunday 24 July 2022

Carl With Winnithar; Farness With Everard

"The Sorrow of Odin the Goth."

In 300, Carl arrives at the home of Winnithar the Wisentslayer above the River Vistula as a stranger who must have travelled far yet has clean garments with no change of clothes and no food and acknowledges that he has not stayed at any walking-distance dwelling en route. When asked about this, he replies:

"'There are things I may not talk about.'" (p. 350)

Thus, he has established himself as supernatural from the kick-off. Surely he should have taken steps to make his arrival seem normal?

In 1980, Farness (same person as Carl but we use a different part of his name in a different century) says to Everard:

"'...all you need do is read the reports I'll have filed in my own personal future. If the early accounts show me bungling, why, just tell me to stay home and become a book researcher. The outfit needs those too, doesn't it?'" (p. 355)

But that would involve changing the course of events which is what the Patrol avoids doing. Everard replies that he has inquired and that Farness will have performed satisfactorily. Surely Everard should not have inquired and should not have told Farness how he would perform?

1 comment:

S.M. Stirling said...

Normally no, but Everard has a 'gut feeling' that something's not as right as it appears here. Experienced people often have those; it's the subconscious ringing an alarm.