rthstewart (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rthstewart) wrote2009-10-16 02:35 pm
rthstewart) wrote2009-10-16 02:35 pm
Entry tags:
TQSiT Chapter 6, Tools of the Trade
Well, it's up, FINALLY!! Tools of the Trade, 9,700 words, and a full two months since the last update. Ugh. I promise I won't start anything new. Really. Well, except maybe this retelling of Horse and His Boy. and inserting the Trickster into the pantheon of Calormene gods.
So fun links
The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck from which Agnes reads
The Astrologer that British Intelligence really regretted hiring
A little bit about Saint Agnes, patron saint of young girls, virgins and rape victims
A little bit about the Trickster, Anansi, and Aunt Nancy
Insofar as De Wohl is concerned, this is an example of the sort of time compression that I use in the story. He was actually most active in the U.S. through December 1941. I'm bumping up their use of him about 6 months cause how can you possible leave out astrologers and Rat and Crow rumormongering in Narnia story? Right?
In fact, the beginning of this chapter harkens back to Chapter of TSG, Part 1, in which Ed and Su are starting to figure some of this out.
Susan shrugged. “It is possible. Also, at first I was very confused by the prospect that England might be spying on her allies, until I considered that we did precisely the same thing. Archenland was our friend and the Lone Islands were part of our kingdom. Yet, we had agents among our allies, as well as among our enemies so that they might direct policy in our favor at need. I would assume Churchill does the same.
There was another possibility as well. “Rats and Crows were also very useful for spreading rumors we wished to circulate in foreign courts. I could see some applicability of a strategy like that in America, as well.
They had learned just how effective that rumormongering had been from Aravis. The runaway Tarkheena had overheard the Tisroc repeat back, nearly verbatim, the rumor they had planted in his Court. The Narnian monarchs, young though they were, had killed the old enchantress and her never-ending winter with aid of strong magic and were supported by a demon of hideous aspect and irresistible maleficence who appeared in the shape of a Lion. A widely circulated report that any attack upon Narnia was truly a dark and doubtful enterprise would, he and Susan had hoped, give their would-be enemies pause. The ploy had, very nearly, succeeded completely. Edmund had later used the Rats and Crows to assure that those who would war with Narnia knew of Rabadash’s transformation. There were fates worse than that of an ass and, it was rumored, the wrath and sorcery of the free Northern land would surely be unleashed upon Her enemies in even more terrible ways if Narnia’s peace was disturbed again.
I wish I could say that I knew I was going to do what I just did here when I wrote that way back 6 months ago or whever I posted it. Nope.
As for the lengthy note at the end, yes, I'd like to know what you think. These things are an uncomfortable part of US history; to paint it as normal or ignore it would seem dishonest. Yet, maybe fan fic shouldn't go there at all. My solution was to show things that today would be denounced as stereotypical, yet align them with the positive connotation of Narnia. I do not align Narnia with the frivolity and class-based Washington society in which Susan is also moving.
So, thoughts? Fire away!
So fun links
The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck from which Agnes reads
The Astrologer that British Intelligence really regretted hiring
A little bit about Saint Agnes, patron saint of young girls, virgins and rape victims
A little bit about the Trickster, Anansi, and Aunt Nancy
Insofar as De Wohl is concerned, this is an example of the sort of time compression that I use in the story. He was actually most active in the U.S. through December 1941. I'm bumping up their use of him about 6 months cause how can you possible leave out astrologers and Rat and Crow rumormongering in Narnia story? Right?
In fact, the beginning of this chapter harkens back to Chapter of TSG, Part 1, in which Ed and Su are starting to figure some of this out.
Susan shrugged. “It is possible. Also, at first I was very confused by the prospect that England might be spying on her allies, until I considered that we did precisely the same thing. Archenland was our friend and the Lone Islands were part of our kingdom. Yet, we had agents among our allies, as well as among our enemies so that they might direct policy in our favor at need. I would assume Churchill does the same.
There was another possibility as well. “Rats and Crows were also very useful for spreading rumors we wished to circulate in foreign courts. I could see some applicability of a strategy like that in America, as well.
They had learned just how effective that rumormongering had been from Aravis. The runaway Tarkheena had overheard the Tisroc repeat back, nearly verbatim, the rumor they had planted in his Court. The Narnian monarchs, young though they were, had killed the old enchantress and her never-ending winter with aid of strong magic and were supported by a demon of hideous aspect and irresistible maleficence who appeared in the shape of a Lion. A widely circulated report that any attack upon Narnia was truly a dark and doubtful enterprise would, he and Susan had hoped, give their would-be enemies pause. The ploy had, very nearly, succeeded completely. Edmund had later used the Rats and Crows to assure that those who would war with Narnia knew of Rabadash’s transformation. There were fates worse than that of an ass and, it was rumored, the wrath and sorcery of the free Northern land would surely be unleashed upon Her enemies in even more terrible ways if Narnia’s peace was disturbed again.
I wish I could say that I knew I was going to do what I just did here when I wrote that way back 6 months ago or whever I posted it. Nope.
As for the lengthy note at the end, yes, I'd like to know what you think. These things are an uncomfortable part of US history; to paint it as normal or ignore it would seem dishonest. Yet, maybe fan fic shouldn't go there at all. My solution was to show things that today would be denounced as stereotypical, yet align them with the positive connotation of Narnia. I do not align Narnia with the frivolity and class-based Washington society in which Susan is also moving.
So, thoughts? Fire away!