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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Feb 2011 : 05:36:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Tyrant
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
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Dennis
Note also that deep inside [Szass] hates himself for being a lich---a sheer corrupted existence he wishes to "correct" through the grand ritual.
I'm not certain I can agree with this part of your answer, D.
As I understand it, Szass was initially unhappy with his lichdom. He was killed "too early" while still a living lichnee (under 1E liching rules), completing the liching process before attaining whatever goals/levels he had planned to reach before his death.
He's obviously managed to do fairly well for himself in the subsequent centuries. He took care to preserve and perfume his dead flesh as much as possible to maintain the charade of life ... great uncertainty (and many rumours) about Szass's lich status persisted among all but his closest peers for centuries.
Szass is clearly portrayed as possessing nearly-inhuman emotional detachment, intellect, experience, and accomplishment. I would describe him as coldly arrogant, condescending, prone to diabolical mwoohahaaa and monologues to underscore his superiority. He seems to derive some enjoyment from prolonging demonstrations of his dominance and sophisticated sadistry. He clearly views mortal humans as disposable, inferior, and largely incompetent.
This doesn't seem compatible with your statement.
It has been a while since I read the Haunted Lands trilogy, but that does not sound like how I remember Szass being depicted. He seemed to genuinely befriend Malark. Well, until Malark double crossed him anyway, but that will put a damper on any friendship. I don't recall much gloating from him.
As for his appearance, I took it that he was using spells to appear as someone who is still amongst the living.
Dennis is right though. I do recall him lamenting his undead status and if I am remembering it correctly he mentioned it as part of the problem.
Indeed. I will find that scene in Unholy later when I'm less encumbered by a plethora of deadlines. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2011 : 06:44:18
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Finally, I found it. From Unholy:
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Szass Tam turned his regard on himself. Except for his withered hands, he might look like a living man, and, with his lean frame, keen, intellectual features, and neat black goatee, a reasonably handsome one at that. But he acknowledged the underlying reality of his fetid breath, silent heart, and cold, leathery flesh suffused with poison. The idiot priests were right about one thing: Undeath was an abomination. He was an abomination, or at least his physical form was. He could scarcely wait for the moment when he would replace it.
There. Indeed he loathes his existence as a lich---an abomination. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2011 : 07:24:49
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You're right, I can't argue against that.  |
[/Ayrik] |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2011 : 08:24:21
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I can't forget it because it actually contradicts what "I" thought about Tam before events in the HL. I thought he'd long ago accepted the inevitability of his undeath, and to a certain degree appreciated it. He'd always exuded confidence and composure---and self-loathing, I thought, was never his wont.
It appears like he must have been keeping it to himself, and for centuries have been looking for ways to free himself from it. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2011 : 08:36:26
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| It appears to me more like RLB was exploring unseen depths in Szass's character. I'm a little hesitant about entirely agreeing with this unpredictable swerve of personality ... though it leads to interesting places and (I think) it adds more to the character than it takes away. Unpredictability is one of Szass's virtues, anyhow. And who's to say I (or RLB) could possibly understand the thinking process of a centuries-old lich anyhow? |
[/Ayrik] |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2011 : 09:42:19
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I don't dislike Richard's new representation of Tam. I was just surprised. I agree that it adds more to the character than diminishes it.
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Should RAS use Thay and the DRs more in the following Neverwinter books, the question in the OP would most certainly be answered. He would have to explain why on Toril is Tam building his Dread Rings in the Sword Coast when his neighbors' lands are just an arm's reach.
Or maybe not.
Maybe Tam is trying to keep the attention of the Realms's powerful from the true location of the DRs. That one in the SC could be just a fake. He might have already started creating some on the ocean floor, with the help of his undead water creatures which Xingax must have created (before its "death") for that very purpose. |
Every beginning has an end. |
Edited by - Dennis on 02 Feb 2011 05:23:51 |
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Zanan
Senior Scribe
Germany
942 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2011 : 10:51:46
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| Would have been a great idea not to place such neat a spoiler in the topic line ... |
Cave quid dicis, quando et cui!
Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel!
In memory of Alura Durshavin.
Visit my "Homepage" to find A Guide to the Drow NPCs of Faerûn, Drow and non-Drow PrC and much more. |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2011 : 11:20:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Zanan
Would have been a great idea not to place such neat a spoiler in the topic line ...
Done.
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I didn't read BED after finding EMD thoroughly disappointing. But I heard that the Simbul is now cured of her momentary madness. Is she back in Aglarond? Was it ever mentioned what protected her realm (against hostile forces like Thay) during her (seemingly) long absence? |
Every beginning has an end. |
Edited by - Dennis on 13 Jun 2012 01:13:17 |
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Now that the Witch-Queen is gone.[Pos. Spoilers]
