: Alric being Mazzarin explains the cryptic conversation
: between Alric & Sinis, something that's always
: puzzled me.
: "Ah Sinis, I thought you died when Mazzarin
: collapsed the shrine of Nyx on you"
: "Yes Alric, I'll wager you thought _you'd_seen_ the
: last of me!"
: I emphasize "you'd seen". Mazzarin died ages
: before Alric was born. How then, would Alric know the
: shade was Sinis (his name's not stamped on his
: forehead), and why would Sinis refer to Alric having
: seen him before?
This fits pretty neatly, I must admit. For the reasons I gave earlier, I still don't think Alric is Mazzarin's incarnation--but there seems to be a good body of evidence that he was *supposed* to be, in some early version of TFL.
: If Alric is Mazzarin it all makes sense. Another possible
: is that if Alric is the A leveler (or is it B?), then
: he'd known Sinis in his previous incarnation, but I
: like the Mazzarin idea.
Alric's being the A Leveller would fit, since he was both of the two most recent Levellers before Balor, and therefore active during and after Mazzarin's time; but I can't accept this (even though it'd support the Eternal Champions theory) since it would require Alric to be consciously aware that he's Moagim's reincarnation, which I think is unlikely.
: Also, as far as Alric's perceived lack of magical ability
: is concerned, perhaps Mazzarin used a lot of his
: powers in reincarnating himself as Alric, hence he's
: still rebuilding his strength. Perhaps he's hiding his
: true ability until he deems the time has come to do
: so.
Perhaps--but just how did he use that true ability to break the Cycle? The shattering defeat of the Fallen was Balor/Connacht's fault for linking them all to himself; Alric's own survival was due to his not personally overseeing the disposal of Balor's head. I don't really see anywhere where super magical knowledge and power helped Alric to defy cosmic law.
: A few more things ... Alric knows how to use the Elbis
: stone, an artifact that has been hidden since the days
: of Connacht. He also was the Nine member who knew
: where it was hidden. He knew that arrows from the
: Watcher's arm would turn him to stone, knowledge that
: perhaps only an ancient adversary would possess.
The Eblis Stone is actually a count *against* Alric being Mazzarin. Mazzarin died decades before Connacht had the Eblis Stones hidden; he wouldn't know about them.
: Finally, I'd guess that Alric knows how to use the Total
: Codex & turn it to any page he desires, something
: that only Mazzarin could do. Sure, he says its to
: avoid it getting into enemy hands, but I'm pretty sure
: he knew how to use it as a weapon himself. But that's
: a guess.
Neither Mazzarin or Alric could do this. Otherwise Mazzarin wouldn't have been ambushed, and Alric would have done a whole lot better in each war. :-) Mazzarin, according to GURPS, could turn to a page *near* his own fate. Which was better than anyone else could do.
If Alric was particularly good at reading the Codex, I think he'd keep it around himself more, instead of just leaving it in the library at Covenant. And he'd certainly be well-prepared for major events like Soulblighter's war.
--SiliconDream
