Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.RUTGERS.EDU
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!qantel!dual!lll-crg!seismo!columbia!topaz!SBALZAC%YKTVMX.BITNET
From: SBALZAC%YKTVMX.BITNET@Berkeley.EDU
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Trumps of Doom
Message-ID: <3800@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Thu, 26-Sep-85 12:28:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.3800
Posted: Thu Sep 26 12:28:10 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Sep-85 02:03:15 EDT
Sender: daemon@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 23

From: Stephen Balzac 

While it is true that Amberites are far stronger etc than normal people,
they tend to be secretive about it.  Neither Merlin nor Luke would be
too likely to display the full range of their physical abilities, so each
would think the other simply a top athlete.  Corwin acted that way to
a small degree in "Guns of Avalon".

Why shouldn't the Blue Crystal hold Merlin?  Bleys and Fiona were able to
neutralize Brand's powers, and he knew far more than Merlin does.  If
Luke was trained by his father, he could easily have inherited much of
Brand's abilities.

Someone brought up the point that Corwin is insane because blood was spilled
on his pattern.  Well, based on what Dworkin said in Sign of the Unicorn,
it would have to be either his blood or one of his descendents.  It can't
be his, since he cannot be hurt.  Remember that his pattern protects his
from harm.  He can feel pain, but cannot be injured.  And we know it wasn't
Merlin.  So unless Corwin has another child, not totally unlikely, since
he did spend 500yrs wandering around Earth, his insanity must be from
another cause, if he is truely insane.  Besides, it seems unlikely that
Luke, young and relatively inexperienced, could get at Corwin, who has,
after all, a few thousand years behind him.