Shadow Walker- chapter 14

[GBLW]

What I'm saying is that he is not powerful, OR strong in any way unless you mean he is quite intelligent and very devious. Kyven's real power is the power of suggestion - he creates an illusion. An illusion exists in the minds of the viewers of that imaginary scene, so he is depending on his very enemies to provide the power to sense and be defeated by their own imaginations.

He is like a special effects creator - he provides the key for his enemies to see either what they wish to see, or else what they are terrified of seeing, and Kyven intensifies their senses until they believe in the scene his imagines. So, although he provides the key effect of the scene, the True Power of his illusions comes from the minds of those being deceived.

In other words, he is only the catalyst in the reaction. The power is provided by the reagents - in this case the loreguard and all those that oppose him and his allies.

[Belgarion213]

While it is true that a lot of his power requires enemies i think your still underestimating the sheer combat effectivness his skill with illusions, and his ability to almost make illusions supersede reality gives him. Powerful does not mean he salts the earth and destroys forests at a whim but at the same time up against a typical shaman in a contest that they both knew about, I would vote on Kyven to emerge victorious.

[GBLW]

Sorry, but as I see it, his 'power' is only in initiating his illusions, but his physical power is picayune in comparison to a normal Shaman.

As for the effectiveness of his 'power' of illusion - that's dependent on the belief of those he is trying to overcome.

To be honest, I see his greatest power to be his ability to travel through the shadow world and that is NOT and illusion so much as an effect.

[Belgarion213]

The problem we are having is the definition of 'power'. Is power really the amount of energy he can gather or how hard he can throw a punch? Or is power measured in how effective in combat or other fields? That's the real issue here. Kyven can not hold as much energy as a 'average' Arken shaman, nor can he throw a punch with the same strength behind it, or run for as long without tiring or collapsing. However his ability with Illusions that can even fool other Arkans, to supersede reality is a power in its own right and, as mentioned by the Shadow Fix, a terrifying potent ability. Granted if somebody can see through his Illusions he faces more difficulty but at the same time somebody who had for some reason a device that would ground or alchemy based devices be able to ignore the power of a shaman who threw huge fireballs around or something. THere being a counter to an ability, in this case Kyvens Illusions, does not reduce the effectiveness of his power in the first place. A perfect powe that works on everybody is kind of a different fihs. Even in the Sennadar series one of the central themes was that not all power worked on everybody. The four 'mortal' branches of magic for instance each had the branch that could overcome one of the others.

Kyven depends on being able to fool his opponent with his Illusions, but his skill in the field , which is still growing, combined with a imagination and willingness to use it make him a terrifying powerful opponent. He might not have the energy reserves of somebody like Clover for instance, or the raw physical might of some of the Arkens but he does have what he has, and what he has done and will do is enough to cement him as a powerful force in his own right in my mind.

[SYED]

Kyvern advantage is stamina correct, so it is not the source of power, it is length. He can take crystal to help sustain himself, so to keep casting spells, due to his stamina he can simple keep casting spells even if other had to stop.

[afrigeek]

Well it makes me think that Shadow walker seems to be a story in which Dar from the sennadar series is the star of the show rather than Tarrin.

[GBLW]

Kyvern advantage is stamina correct, so it is not the source of power, it is length. He can take crystal to help sustain himself, so to keep casting spells, due to his stamina he can simple keep casting spells even if other had to stop.

Actually, Kyven's weakness is stamina, in the story, when he needed to hold a spell for extended periods he was forced to ask for help from The Shadow Fox, and if he tried to 'drain' a strong crystal, he had to allow the 'energy' to go free. He can only 'use' the power from smaller crystals. All Arcan Shaman have greater strength than him for any task. His main strengths are his ability to create believable illusions and his ability to 'shadow walk.' Add in his crafty nature and he 'seems' much stronger than he is, but like his primary talent, that 'strength' is only an illusion.

[SYED]

I have just had the most awesome of idears.

Crystals of any type can be damaged by sound or simple destroyed,

Kyvern is a master of illusions, which include sight and sound.

Kyvern can give himself altering blessings like the one used to climb.

THEREFORE kyvern can give himself a blessing so he could emit a shriek or roar capable of eliminating crytals. Imagine if the shaman gave all their army this blessing. no alchemy army could deal with them. A healing bell acts by giving a bleesing, so they could make a device version.

[GBLW]

I have just had the most awesome of idears.

Crystals of any type can be damaged by sound or simple destroyed,

Kyvern is a master of illusions, which include sight and sound.

Kyvern can give himself altering blessings like the one used to climb.

THEREFORE kyvern can give himself a blessing so he could emit a shriek or roar capable of eliminating crytals. Imagine if the shaman gave all their army this blessing. no alchemy army could deal with them. A healing bell acts by giving a bleesing, so they could make a device version.

[SYED]

this could be expanded so that it can be sent by communicator, it wont destroy just damage and weaken to allow for longer transmission