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Of course I don’t know the specifications of these demons, but I never envisaged them as growing, except in experience and skill. Just as humans don’t grow significantly, once they reach adulthood. Desdemona has the accumulated memories of her human partners, but the older memories are clearly much faded by now, as happens with human memories. Clearly Penric’s death will be a somewhat risky time for Desdemona, as the Bastard is unpredictable and might not allow her to move on to another host; but I’ve been regarding a demon as immortal, and expected that it could go on for as long as the Bastard’s whims permit. However, you retain the right to disconcert me.
Thank you for answering :). Looking forward to #14!
I find Des's ultimate fate sad for her own sake, of course, but her dissolution would also mean the loss of Pen's and his 12* predecessors' memories, which would also be a tragedy. *(Well, okay, 10 really - I assume the mare's and tigress's memories aren't really compatible with human brains in any case.) All of Des's prior riders are in essence currently living on in Pen's head; when he dies, he too will live on in Des's future rider(s). But if she doesn't have any more riders, then Pen will lose out on this second-life, and Ruchia, Mira, et al. will die a second death. :(
I will gladly take the time as an option, i.e. the "not in a hurry to find out just yet". We all seem to be accumulations of (mostly) our loved ones. If Penric's children perceive Desdemona as their own, maybe this will open up even more avenues for her. At the very least, the number of people who would vouch for Des before the Bastard is substantial. Maybe, just maybe, Penric could get rid of Des just in time to live out his lifetime with Nykis and Des could go on as a shared blood, history and consciousness between their descendants. I am not in any need to find out just yet. Continuation will be a kindness. But ceasing to exist could be kindness too, if one is not looking forward to it. Maybe Des will choose to go back to elemental form rather than "continuing", even it would be an option. How much wisdom is bearable upon this world? What if the Bastard Himself decides to leave ?!?!??!
What if, when a demon becomes so large that a human head/soul can't hold it, that's when the Bastard takes it back, bringing all that experience into the Bastard's knowledge directly?
So Des wouldn't attenuate to nothing, or get truncated being shoved into a human that can't encompass her -- she'd be incorporated into the Bastard's mind in a very direct and knowledge-experiencing-continuing manner.
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Jonathan
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Jul 04, 2025 09:27AM
Of course I don’t know the specifications of these demons, but I never envisaged them as growing, except in experience and skill. Just as humans don’t grow significantly, once they reach adulthood. Desdemona has the accumulated memories of her human partners, but the older memories are clearly much faded by now, as happens with human memories. Clearly Penric’s death will be a somewhat risky time for Desdemona, as the Bastard is unpredictable and might not allow her to move on to another host; but I’ve been regarding a demon as immortal, and expected that it could go on for as long as the Bastard’s whims permit. However, you retain the right to disconcert me.
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Thank you for answering :). Looking forward to #14!
I find Des's ultimate fate sad for her own sake, of course, but her dissolution would also mean the loss of Pen's and his 12* predecessors' memories, which would also be a tragedy. *(Well, okay, 10 really - I assume the mare's and tigress's memories aren't really compatible with human brains in any case.) All of Des's prior riders are in essence currently living on in Pen's head; when he dies, he too will live on in Des's future rider(s). But if she doesn't have any more riders, then Pen will lose out on this second-life, and Ruchia, Mira, et al. will die a second death. :(
I will gladly take the time as an option, i.e. the "not in a hurry to find out just yet". We all seem to be accumulations of (mostly) our loved ones. If Penric's children perceive Desdemona as their own, maybe this will open up even more avenues for her. At the very least, the number of people who would vouch for Des before the Bastard is substantial. Maybe, just maybe, Penric could get rid of Des just in time to live out his lifetime with Nykis and Des could go on as a shared blood, history and consciousness between their descendants. I am not in any need to find out just yet. Continuation will be a kindness. But ceasing to exist could be kindness too, if one is not looking forward to it. Maybe Des will choose to go back to elemental form rather than "continuing", even it would be an option. How much wisdom is bearable upon this world? What if the Bastard Himself decides to leave ?!?!??!
What if, when a demon becomes so large that a human head/soul can't hold it, that's when the Bastard takes it back, bringing all that experience into the Bastard's knowledge directly? So Des wouldn't attenuate to nothing, or get truncated being shoved into a human that can't encompass her -- she'd be incorporated into the Bastard's mind in a very direct and knowledge-experiencing-continuing manner.
