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Aris Katsaris writes...

There has been a thought concerning the character you named "Naught" that this is actually a pun on your behalf (Since Naught means nothing) and that you meant you didn't actually have plans concerning him. I'm asking you just to be sure: Did you have plans for "Naught" or was he supposed to be just a random fay with no real importance?

And was his strange clothing (modern suit, very old fashioned cape) deliberate?

Greg responds...

All things are true.

Response recorded on August 23, 1999

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Aris Katsaris writes...

It has been noticed by the residents of the S8 comment room that the gender of Ariel in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' only appears as 'he' in a stage direction and is not referred at all within the main text itself. When you included Ariel, what would his/her gender be?

For that matter, may we assume that Shakespeare was inaccurate in portraying Prospero as abandoning his magic?

Greg responds...

Ariel's gender... Don't feel like revealing that now. Sorry.

Shakespeare wasn't wrong. But Prospero found reason to start again.

Response recorded on August 23, 1999

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Tas Burrfoot writes...

1. I'm a bit confused about the Gathering. It seems to me that Oberon just wants to see his children after 1001 years of exile. So how long do they all stay there? What do they do (activites to keep them occupied, I mean)? How do they live together? I'm sure there are others like Banshee and Odin who fight constantly. How does Oberon maintain order between all these powerful fey?

1a. Which brings me to my next question: Do fey need sleep? Or food, for that matter?

2. Did the fey all make their home on Avalon before their exile? (that is, did they make their homes in the real world after or before the exile?)

2a. Will the fey go back to their homes in the real world after the Gathering? I find it hard to believe that all of these magical beings would stay on one relatively small island.

Thanks for answering all our questions,

Tas Burrfoot

Greg responds...

1. How long? Until Oberon decides to restore freedom of movement.

What do they do? I'm sure there's a lot of gaming of all kinds. Contests, competitions: athletic, mental, magical, etc. A lot of parties. Much fornication.

I'm sure there's a lot of fighting, both organized and otherwise, but Oberon has the Sisters to help him maintain order. Plus Titania, himself and quite a few other policing agents.

1a. Sleep & dreams -- yes. But not as much as you or I.

Food -- Well, every living thing needs fuel of some kind.

2. Many maintained multiple residences.

2a. Avalon is as big as it needs to be, I think. But I think that there would be a lot more back and forth if Oberon weren't insisting on banishments and Gatherings.

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

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Jenna writes...

Hello there, Greg--was wondering two things.

First-- How did the Childern of Oberon come into existance?

Second--Why did Golith tell Elisa that Thailog was his son in the ep "Double Jeapordy". Did he do it out of concern for him or guilt?

Greg responds...

1. Incubated magic. Evolution. God. CHOOSE YOUR POISON.

Sorry, as per the new rules, you'll have to resubmit question #2. I hope you do. (Though if you watch the episode again, you won't need to.)

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

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Aris Katsaris writes...

What would Oberon and Titania's son and daughter (thanks for providing that tidbit by the way!) feel about their half-siblings, Fox and Merlin? Indifference, annoyance, affection?

Greg responds...

Aris, I luv ya guy, but you ask HUGE questions as if they can be answered with a single word like "Indifference".

How does A relate to B?

How does A relate to Fox?

How does A relate to Merlin?

How does B relate to Fox?

How does B relate to Merlin?

And that assumes that A & B even know about Fox and Merlin. That A & B are even among the living?

When questions are that huge, I tend to give no useful information at all.

Maybe you've noticed.

Response recorded on August 22, 1999

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Aris Katsaris writes...

I was wondering about the fey's gender. Is it something that (like gargoyles and humans) they are born with, or is it completely optional and subject to their wishes and transformations?

Even if they are born with a specific gender, couldn't they shapeshift into a human or gargoyle of the opposite sex? Would they still have reproductive abilities?

Greg responds...

I'm a big fan of gender, so since this is my universe, I'm gonna say that yes, they are born with it.

But of course, they can shapeshift into either sex. And once transformed they can do what they do.

Witness the legend of the male Norse Trickster Loki -- Mother of Slepnir.

Response recorded on August 21, 1999

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Airwalker writes...

1. Which is the oldest of the three races in your mind?
2. In HERITAGE, when Raven in Gargoyle form first introduced himself to Goliath and Angela had five fingers. Later when he again appeared as Gargoyle, he had four fingers. Was this an animation error or was it done on purpose as a sort of hint to Raven's true identity?
3. Who designed the Golem? In all the legends I read of the Maharal's (Rabbi Loew) Golem, he was a huge giant but of Manlike proportions, not like he was in the episode, but more like a taller version of Bane from BATMAN & ROBIN.

Greg responds...

1. Probably the Gargoyles. I know that comes as a surprise. The obvious answer is the Children, but I have this notion that the magic that birthed them needed a longer gestation time.

The Gargoyles, on the other hand, strike me as very symbiotic with the planet. The first sentient race Earth gave birth to. (Well, the second technically, but we're only counting the three that are still hanging in.) In many ways, tragically, their time has clearly passed. Humanity is ascendant. But Gargoyles aren't dead yet. And ironically, though it was largely humans who wiped out their race, it is also humans who will help to save them in the future. Though many will be dragged kicking and screaming toward that destiny.

Response recorded on August 21, 1999

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Airwalker writes...

You said that Magic is part of the Earth, that Fey evolved from Earth's natural magic. So is this magic confined to Earth or is it Universal?

Would a Fey's power function off of Planet Earth?

Greg responds...

I suppose it's universal, but powersources aren't always compatible.

Magic is magic, but just as an example, it took the Magus a lifetime to learn how to tap into Avalon's magic, and that despite his training in human sorcery.

Puck in space, a prospect I wouldn't hold my breath for by the way, would have a similar problem adjusting to a new powersource.

Response recorded on August 20, 1999

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Nick "Elessar" Oder writes...

Actually getting to communicate with THE Greg Weisman, should I be in reverental awe or just hop-up-and-down giddy? Maybe both at the same time. Anyway, here goes my long-winded questions...

This may take a while, but yes, it does actually get to a question :)

While watching Gargoyles, I can't help but get shivers down my spine and goosebumps whenever someone starts chanting in Latin. Whether it's the actual chanting in Latin, the creepy music, or the animation, I don't know. Though I tend to think it's the Latin, because it's how I noticed the difference between the two types of magic in Gargoyles. When watching the Magus cast the spell of sleep on the gargoyles, or Goliath throwing the Phoenix Gate into the void, I always get goosebumps. On the otherhand, when Oberon, Titania, or Puck use magic, there was no tingly feeling, and that's when I finally noticed.

Humans and gargoyles (hencefore refered to as mortals, even though some aren't) always chant in Latin while using magic. Members of the Third Race (henceforth refered to as Fay) speak in plain english, although it's usually in the form rhyme/short poem.

Though there were exceptions, which all proved dangerous, sometimes fatal, as Xanatos said "I'm told mixing magics is dangerous anyway."

Now I start making assumptions, generally intelligent ones though.

First off that all mortal magic is in Latin, while Fay is in English or whatever other language they prefer at the time, or subliminal, not requiring speech.

I can think of three instances of a mortal using fay magic, and perhaps one of a fay using mortal magic, and one of a fay realizing not to get involved with mortal magic.

Let's start with the mortals. In Grief, the Emir uses the Scroll of Thoth to summon Anubis, of the Fay. I will now be brash enough to assume that the Scroll is of Fay origin, since:

a) It was powerful enought to summon Anubis, a Fay (though Demona summone Puck with a Latin spell that I assume was of mortal origin)

b) It was spoken in english, like other Fay magic.

c) If Anubis is Fay, it stands to reason that all the other Egyptian gods were also and since it's the Scroll of Thoth, an Egyptian god, it must be Fay in origin.

And in the end the Emir presumably dies, the usual fee for mixing magics.

Second scenario. In the Avalon Trilogy the Magus casts two spells, both in english, whereas he previously used Latin. Which brings me to my next assumption, "When in Avalon, do as the Avalonians do," or that you can't even use mortal magic on Avalon, it has to be Fay in nature.

And the Magus also paid the price for magic mixing.

Part Three. All the uses of the Eye of Odin were pretty ugly, Fox almost died, Goliath went nuts, and the Archmage died since without it's assumed Fay (it's Odin's eye, he's a Fay, it's Fay) power, he couldn't contain the mortal-magic Grimorum.

Are we seeing a pattern here or what?

Ok, I lied, one more mortal use that could have been dangerous. Fara Maku and Tea being were-panthers. Um, that's just plain dangerous. :)

The fay perhaps using mortal magic. While I don't know if the Cauldron of Life is of fay or mortal origin, it was dangerous to Owen (fay in human form) and would have been dangerous/fatal to both Xanatos and Hudson. Which leads me to believe the Cualdron is of Fay origin, Xanatos probably wanted to see if this mixing was indeed dangerous. And even though it was a Fay trying out Fay magic, it did alter Puck's human form, but his natural form is still fine.

And Owen/Puck was smart enough not to try reversing Demona's spell in City of Stone, since he knew she used mortal magic. Which re-enforces the belief that the Cauldron is of Fay origin, otherwise I doubt Owen would have gone ahead with dunking his hand. Even though it was a Fay using Fay magic, his human form still got chumped. I suppose this was a learning experience for the Puck, don't use Fay magic in mortal form.

1) So the question is: Are my assumptions correct? Please correct me if I've goofed anywhere, I'd love to know the real answers if I'm wrong.

2) The Emir used the Scroll of Thoth to summon Anubis and used the Papyrus of Thoth to become a vessel. Are they two different things or one thing refered to by two names.

3) Even though the Phoenix Gate is of Avalon origin, it's used by a Latin incantation. Ermmm, why? Wouldn't this be mixing magic?

4) Why did Elisa hand Tom her gun in Ill Met?

4a) How did Tom know how to hold it?

4b) Why did she call it a revolver in Sentinel? Semi-autos have a very hard time revolving. :)

4c) Speaking of that, is it full auto, or just semi?

5) Where does Xanatos aquire all his cool stuff? The Cauldron of Life, the Star of Arabia, the Coyote Diamond, the Eye of Odin, the Grimorum Arcinorum, etc... I know where he got the diamond, but why would anyone be selling the other stuff?

Well that's it for now, my brain's starting to go numb. Thanks for taking the time to read these.

Greg responds...

1. Some of your assumptions are correct. Some aren't completely correct, but most are close enough.

Latin isn't the only language of magic. Hebrew works as well, we know. And they can't be the only ones. In theory, English could work, but it would take more than a literal translation to imbue modern English with the correct magical cadences.

The Cauldron, being iron, isn't Fay magic.

And Owen wasn't really at liberty to reverse Demona's spell or even to reverse the whole stone hand thing. He was bound by his pact with Xanatos.

2. The latter.

3. It clearly is. Don't you consider the Gate fairly dangerous?

As per our new rules, I invite you to resubmit your remaining questions as multiple separate posts.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999

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Robin Wynn writes...

Hello, and thanks in advance Mr. Weisman,

1) Would Alex have be an only child, or would Xanatos and Fox had another child?

2) Xanatos and Fox are a reasonably young couple. Would they have remained together the entire time? I ask this somewhat based on the Eye of the Beholder in which we "learned" a little about Fox's true character. There seemed to be a bit about her that Xanatos didn't know, things she was holding back (I never understood the whole "self-loathing" thing), would this have gotten in the way of their relationship later on?

3) Would Alex have been immortal like Oberon's children? If not, would he have lived longer than normal humans or anything like that?

4) Would we have ever met any of Xanatos's other relatives? We've met his father, his mother's dead, and you've already stated he is an only child, but what about Uncles, Aunts, cousins, etc? If so, who? How would they be related to him?

4) What about Fox? Is she an only child? (I assume the answer is yes, but thought I'd ask anyway)

5) a. In the Future Tense spinoff, who, of the characters we already know, would have been on the bad-guys side?
b. Who'dve been on the good guys side?

Well, that's all i can think of now, (gosh, i used to have a whole bunch of em, but as soon as I get on to ask questions i always forget em....)

Thanks for your time!

Greg responds...

1. Only child. Definitely.

2. I think, to their mutual surprise, they would have been a Til-Death-Do-We-Part kind of couple.

3. Yes.

4. I didn't have any plans for other Xanatypes.

4. (The second question four.) Yes, Fox is an only child, though she has half-siblings foster-siblings and step-siblings on her mother's side.

As per our new rules, I invite you to resubmit your remaining questions as multiple separate posts.

Response recorded on August 17, 1999


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