Contradiction concerning memory while collared

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don2sail
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Contradiction concerning memory while collared

Post by don2sail »

Contradiction in Tower of Sorcercy concerning memory while collared

(a conversation between Tarrin and Jesmind)

Who sent you after me?"
     "I don't really know," she sighed.  "I was careless, and someone managed to use magic against me to hold me still while someone put the collar on me from behind.  It was on a deserted street in Goram."
     "That's in Tor," Tarrin objected.  Tor was a small kingdom on the southern coast, not far from Arkis.  It was also almost a thousand leagues to the south and east.
     "I know," she said.  "I don't have any memory of much after that.  Just little images.  I remembered you, though, because the Sorceress took off that thrice-damned collar with you in the room.  If she'd have left it on, I probably would never have known you existed."

(a conversation between Jula and a priest about Tarrin while collared)

"Ah, yes.  You see, the collar only subverts will, not intelligence, memory, or ability.  If we give him instructions, he will carry them out.  He won't have any choice.  He'll know he's being controlled, and rage against it in the tunnels of his own mind, but he will have to obey.  He knows what we're talking about right now.  He can hear us, and he'll remember it.  But he can't do anything about it.  

(Tarrin awakening in the temple of Karas after the weave has been cut off)

Blinking his eyes, Tarrin instantly stood up from the filthy straw in which he'd been sitting, and he was angry.  Anger wasn't quite the word.  Pure, sheer, abject utter rage was a better definition.  But instead of going mad and acting like an animal, he focused that sheer rage into his surroundings.
     He was in deep trouble.  He had indeed heard and remembered everything, so he fully appreciated where he was, and what was standing between him and freedom

(although not entirely despositive, we have a description of the nature of the cat)

Tarrin couldn't lie while speaking in the manner of the Cat.  Lying was alien to the Cat, so it had no place in its language.  But that didn't stop him from spinning the truth on its edge.

So did Jesmind lie for no apparent pupose or are the properties of the collar in conflict?
Last edited by don2sail on Sat May 07, 2005 3:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dash
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Re: Contradiction concerning memory while collared

Post by Dash »

There could be more magic involved.

Naimi ordered the biting of Tarrin, she probably took some extra precautions or planned for them to talk.

She didn't really want him to get angry with the other sorcerors too early. So may have wiped Jesmind's memory abit (or got someone else to do it).

The other thing is that the collar affects werecats. Since Tarrin is turned he's got some mind problems ;) Kind of a dual mind thing going. So his human/werecat mind might remember more than Jesminds mere werecat mind might.
don2sail
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Re: Contradiction concerning memory while collared

Post by don2sail »

plausible theories but not satisfactory to my mind because Jesmind didnt remember and the tower accepted that explanation which it should not have if it knew the collar did not affect memory) but Jula knew that Tarrin would remember.  These conflicting results in my opinion rule out accidental causes.  

It seems to me the only plausible reconciliations is for  Dolona to know  that Jesmind was tampered with beyond use of the collar or that Jula knew that Tarrin would not be similarly affected.  Neither seem to be hinted at in the book.
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Shadowhawk
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Re: Contradiction concerning memory while collared

Post by Shadowhawk »

It might be possible that the solution is very simple. It depends on the collar wielder (commands) if he wants for his captive to retain memories or not. As Jesmind was to be release, it would be better to not have her known/remember who have her captured and sent to Tarrin. It wouldn't be good for their health.

Jula on the other hand believed that she would send tarrin to Krevor, and it wouldn't be an issue. And it was a kind of psychological torture and show of power. Besides, Tarrin would know, supressed memory or nor, who have collared him. But nevertheless, as it turned out, it was quite stupid...
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