Of all the short stories in the Deryni Archives, my favorite is the story of how Denis Arilan managed to get himself ordained. I'm curious to know how he was able to drink the wine at his ordination and not be affected by merasha. Maybe the particular bottle used at his ordination simply did not have merasha in it. There's a mystery for you.
It was never explained. :) Do you believe in miracles?
Denis' brother Jamyl was convinced a miracle had happened.
could holy Saint Camber have helped?
Anything's possible.
Wasn't Stefan Coram also involved in the effort to get Arilan ordained? Suppose he started fronting for Camber for earlier than we realized? Not necessarily taking on the appearance as he did later, but perhaps his service was already underway?
On a related note, I wonder how Arilan would feel about being the recipient of saintly or divine favour? We know how Morgan and Dhugal feel about the very idea.
Stefan Coram and Laran ap Pardyce were both involved in the effort to get Denis Arilan ordained. They're not identified by surname in the story "The Priesting of Arilan", just as Stefan and Laran, but it's got to be them.
DR I think you are probably correct but, I like to think it was "Divine". When Evaine seeks to free Camber we're told that he has opportunities to touch the Deryni world. I like to think that this was one of those times when he, Camber, was able to influence the outcome.
Well, the two concepts are not mutually exclusive! :)
Another possibility is that the wine used at Arilan's ordination may not have contained merasha at all despite Jamyl's assertion to Denis after the ceremony.
I liked this one even if it's not my favourite
Another possibility is that Sir Se had a hand in helping Denis be successfully ordained.
I last read The Priesting of Arilan about a year ago. I tended to believe that the essence of Saint Camber whispered in the mind of the person in charge of the ordination wine and had that person switch the wine. This morning I reread Mrs. Kurtz's opening before the story and I noticed how she emphasized the three members of the Cambarian Council that were given first names. That leads me to think this is a hint and it is Coram that actually had the wine switched.
I noticed in the introduction that she said she would give the back story of Arilan and King Brion's relationship in the new Childe Morgan story. I really hope that she does tell us more. I am so looking forward to that book.
I too like this story and hope KK expends it someday.
There are two ways you can look at this story in particular and Deryni in general:
a) all of what we consider miracles, saint's auras, even the post-crucifixion events could be explained as manifestations of the deryni magic (which isnt magic but instead a mutation enable set of abilities). In that case someone (a CC member) managed to switch wine or mind control the priest responsible for adding merasha.
b) Deryniness goes hand in hand with saintliness (and evil) and Arilan's saving was a true miracle, perhaps enabled by Camber from his limbo state.
But I like to think the truth is in between...
There is, possibly, a third way, depending on just how long merasha has been around.
What if it was originally developed, not as a mind-scrambling substance, but a mind-expanding one? That is, it was originally intended to help put the person taking it into closer touch with the Cosmic All - sort of a Deryni LSD. But the catch turned out to be that unless approached in *exactly* the right frame of mind, the side-effects would give any Deryni a very, very bad trip. So it fell out of use, and only the nasty side-effects were remembered (and abused).
By sheer accident(?) Arilan set himself into *exactly* the right frame of mind, probably the first person to do so in at least two hundred years, and got a *good* trip.
Hi, Maven, welcome to the forum!
Quote from: Maven on September 11, 2013, 03:16:03 PM
There is, possibly, a third way, depending on just how long merasha has been around.
What if it was originally developed, not as a mind-scrambling substance, but a mind-expanding one? That is, it was originally intended to help put the person taking it into closer touch with the Cosmic All - sort of a Deryni LSD. But the catch turned out to be that unless approached in *exactly* the right frame of mind, the side-effects would give any Deryni a very, very bad trip. So it fell out of use, and only the nasty side-effects were remembered (and abused).
By sheer accident(?) Arilan set himself into *exactly* the right frame of mind, probably the first person to do so in at least two hundred years, and got a *good* trip.
Interesting possibility, though I wonder if the original discoverer/creator of the substance wouldn't have had to happen upon the exactly right frame of mind to begin with also? Otherwise I can't imagine the experimentation with the new drug would have continued after the first dose.
I wish that Arilan would have had the chance to reveal to Loris before he was executed about being Deryni. Loris' reaction would have been a sight to behold.
Quote from: Maven on September 11, 2013, 03:16:03 PM
What if it was originally developed, not as a mind-scrambling substance, but a mind-expanding one? That is, it was originally intended to help put the person taking it into closer touch with the Cosmic All - sort of a Deryni LSD...
Kinda adds new meaning to
High Deryni 8) Maybe we should take this to my "Deryni Drugs" thread.
(P.S. Hi Maven. Welcome aboard!)