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Message no. 1
From: Court Schuett <schuett@*****.IVCC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Intro & Harlequin Info... [HB Spoilers]
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 1997 21:33:25 -0500
I've got a question about the whole Harlequin thing. Who is it that's
talking to -H- at the beginning of the HB adventures? Near as I can
figure, and this is kinda weird. It's a mad passion, maybe Raggok, from ED
talking to him. Might I quote "I am not words, Har'lea'quinn. I am
emotion, I am passion, I am what you feel."
In another place: "Perhaps. Madness can bring wisdom."
And Harlequinn says: "You are a Master of the Twisted Path."
My thoughts are that possibly when the horrors left, they left the Passions
behind, and somehow, the Passions were somehow able to lose the taint.
Just a thought, but comments are appreciated.

-=Court

/* Court Schuett, a totally modern boy.

schuett@*****.ivcc.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Someday mother will die and I'll get the money
Mom leans down and says, "My sentiments exactly,
you son of a bitch"
I palindrome I
-They Might Be Giants

***************************************************************************/
Message no. 2
From: Hobbis <hobbis@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Intro & Harlequin Info... [HB Spoilers]
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 1997 23:53:02 -0500
>I've got a question about the whole Harlequin thing. Who is it that's
>talking to -H- at the beginning of the HB adventures? Near as I can
>figure, and this is kinda weird. It's a mad passion, maybe Raggok...
>My thoughts are that possibly when the horrors left, they left the Passions
>behind, and somehow, the Passions were somehow able to lose the taint.

For what it's worth, I understand that it is, indeed, a mad passion, but
Vestrial, not Raggok. Almost everything seems to fit. Vestrial is described
as manifesting as a humanoid being wearing a long, dark cloak. His powers
are described as being (I'm paraphrasing) inducing people to lie to others
and themselves, confusing people, etc. Practically half of the story
involves -H- and "it" volleying back and forth with, "You're lying!" I
also
get the impression that Vestrial is the most manipulative and clever of the
mad passions. It seems to me that if any passion would be involved in the
twisted machinations behind HB, it would be Vestrial.
As to the meaning behind the presence of the passions, I suppose it's
anyone's guess. I would imagine that the passions are still present, but
perhaps have less power because of the utter lack of followers in the sixth
world. I'm almost positive they're behind HB to an extent, because it says
"the Great Powers of the world have tapped Harlequin on the shoulder..."
Harlequin is probably about all the passions have left in the way of the
faithful, so it follows that he would be selected to carry out the quest
against the horrors. It also seems logical to me that it would be a mad
passion to contact -H- first, since it's the mad passions who most
personally realize what a threat the Enemy is.

"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead." Benjamin Franklin

Hobbis@****.com
http://www.cris.com/~hobbis/
Message no. 3
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Intro & Harlequin Info... [HB Spoilers]
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 11:36:18 +0100
Court Schuett said on 21:33/29 Jun 97...

> I've got a question about the whole Harlequin thing. Who is it that's
> talking to -H- at the beginning of the HB adventures? Near as I can
> figure, and this is kinda weird. It's a mad passion, maybe Raggok, from ED
> talking to him. Might I quote "I am not words, Har'lea'quinn. I am
> emotion, I am passion, I am what you feel."
> In another place: "Perhaps. Madness can bring wisdom."
> And Harlequinn says: "You are a Master of the Twisted Path."

IIRC it's Vestrial, the passion of deceit and manipulation, going by the
twisted path reference. Raggok wouldn't make much sense IMHO, since that's
the passion of vengeance, jealousy, etc. This is supported by the figure
saying something like "You lie to yourself", Harlequin replying "No,
you're the one who lies" and the figure then saying "Same thing."

> My thoughts are that possibly when the horrors left, they left the Passions
> behind, and somehow, the Passions were somehow able to lose the taint.

I believe I once read that explanation on the ED list too, way back when I
subscribed to it.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
All I need is a little oblivion.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

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Message no. 4
From: Spike <u5a77@*****.CS.KEELE.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Intro & Harlequin Info... [HB Spoilers]
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 17:53:10 +0100
|
|I've got a question about the whole Harlequin thing. Who is it that's
|talking to -H- at the beginning of the HB adventures?

Many people have come to the conclusion that it's Vestrial. The Mad passion
of betrayal and so on....

(Who knows, he might have been cured of his madness, but Harly still bears a
grudge????? Who can tell? (Apart from Earthdawn Developers of course....)


Near as I can
|figure, and this is kinda weird. It's a mad passion, maybe Raggok, from ED
|talking to him. Might I quote "I am not words, Har'lea'quinn. I am
|emotion, I am passion, I am what you feel."
|In another place: "Perhaps. Madness can bring wisdom."
|And Harlequinn says: "You are a Master of the Twisted Path."
|My thoughts are that possibly when the horrors left, they left the Passions
|behind, and somehow, the Passions were somehow able to lose the taint.
|Just a thought, but comments are appreciated.

Possible... I think everything that's said between them indicates Vestrial
though.....

I think.... (I'll have to look in my Earthdawn book again sometime...)
--
______________________________________________________________________________
|u5a77@*****.cs.keele.ac.uk| "Are you pondering what I'm pondering Pinky?" |
|Andrew Halliwell | |
|Principal subjects in:- | "I think so brain, but this time, you control |
|Comp Sci & Electronics | the Encounter suit, and I'll do the voice..." |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|GCv3.1 GCS/EL>$ d---(dpu) s+/- a- C++ U N++ o+ K- w-- M+/++ PS+++ PE- Y t+ |
|5++ X+/++ R+ tv+ b+ D G e>PhD h/h+ !r! !y-|I can't say F**K either now! :( |
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Message no. 5
From: "Steven A. Tinner" <bluewizard@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: Intro & Harlequin Info... [HB Spoilers]
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 13:25:47 -0400
SPOILERS FOR - Harlequin's Back





















> I've got a question about the whole Harlequin thing. Who is it that's
> talking to -H- at the beginning of the HB adventures?

Hmm ... I was always under the impression that this was Fate.
After all, isn't that who taps him and the players for the HB adventure?

> Might I quote "I am not words, Har'lea'quinn. I am
> emotion, I am passion, I am what you feel."

OK, this seems to support something other than Fate, but IMO it doesn't
completely disallow Fate either.

> In another place: "Perhaps. Madness can bring wisdom."
> And Harlequinn says: "You are a Master of the Twisted Path."

This quote really made me think it was Fate ... our Fates are often
described as Twisted Paths.

Oh well, that's my take on it.

Steven A. Tinner
bluewizard@*****.com
http://www.ncweb.com/users/bluewizard
"Frodo Lives!"
"Fro is dead."

Further Reading

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