wherein Liz muses on Narnian metaphysics and world-building while slightly tipsy and sleep-deprived

[edenfalling]

The trick, of course, is to decide whether Tash is the Devil or is merely a god of the Narnian world.

Jadis does not believe in him in either case; she is an atheist, or, more accurately, she does not acknowledge differences of kind between herself and the gods. The only difference is one of degree -- gods have more knowledge, more power -- and if she learns secrets and grows stronger, why then, she is better than the gods.

And, you know, she has a point. She kept Aslan out of Narnia for a hundred years; he had to work sideways through another world to start breaking her spell. (I find it very telling that the four prophesied humans came from England rather than, say, Archenland or Terebinthia.) Tash obviously never accomplished such a feat in Calormen.

But it matters whether Tash is bound to the Narnian world, or whether he can travel between them, as an opposite to... oh, depending on your theology, either to Jesus/God (claiming Satan as a reverse divinity), or to Michael (keeping him a rebel angel).

Hmm. Actually, if I put it that way, plot requirements say Tash must be bound to Narnia. If he had the secret of travel between worlds, my plot would fall apart.

Okay, that solves one of my two big problems with "South." Now I just need to decide the Zardeenah question.

*ponders*

You know, maybe I should skip this section for now and write "West" instead. I know exactly how "West" should go, and I can cannibalize all but the introduction from my rough draft of "Little Sister" anyway.

But this is a moot point at the moment, as I am going to bed now. Normal writing service will resume tomorrow. (Okay, technically later today, but it is functionally Tuesday until I wake up on Wednesday. That is just how I roll.)