Throughout the story so far there's been references to Vaylo and his dogs. Other animals too (the dog horse), but mainly the dogs. In ASFRI Bram (who we know is the source of all wisdom, heh heh) thinks of the seven dogs, even though there were three heads on Vaylo's lore. Now that is probably a point of it's own, but ..

.. { A Fortress Of Grey Ice, Chapter Thirty-One, "A Storm Building" }

Vaylo is met by Angus in one of those chapters where a fair bit of knowledge is to be had. Seems most every chapter Angus appears in is like that.

It's the following quote that caught me:

"Feeling he'd been caught at a disadvantage, Vaylo let some of his aggression bleed over into his dogs. He wasn't sure how he did this, just that it had served him well through the years. The wolf dog began to growl again, and soon all of them were fighting the leash."

It's one of those things JVJ does best. An off-hand remark ("He wasn't sure how he did this,") shows a glimmer of great depth.

My thought is that Vaylo has some old blood magic in him. This might have already been said on the board, apologies if so. Beastmaster magic, and with his dogs particularly.

What do you think?

p.s. As an aside, I find this chapter terrible for the emotions. It's the last time we see Angus before he gets home. Arg. The heart! The heart weeps!

_________________

Quote:

Death smiled as she withdrew. Kill an army for me, Raif Sevrance. Any less and I just might call you back.

I think it is pretty likely that Vaylo has some old blood in him - maybe that's why the Phage wanted him as well.

Maybe Vaylo will end up with Clan Grey and Effie. . . it seems like Vaylo uses his magic instinctively like Raif and Effie too. It is interesting how the magic that is used by the city dwellers, eg Cant, Sarga Veys, Iss, and also the Sull is very deliberate, whereas the clans use their powers instinctively and it isn't much discussed except I imagine in clan grey.

I wonder if Raif will ever undergo formal training in his magic - seems to me that he is already above other heartkillers, like Mors. Clan seems born to magic - I think there is a link here to the Stone Gods and how they bestow their favours . . . anybody want to take that up?

It is interesting how the rangers select their recruits.
In ASfRI, Hew Mallin admits to Bram that he has been watched and assessed by the rangers for 5 years. Can they sense something different about the potential recruits or are they just looking for skilled and intelligent independents (not clan entrenched)?

The other interesting fact is that Bram had a vision of Hew Mallin when he touched the Castlemilk guidestone. Raif also had visions of future events when he touched the Blackhail guidestone.
There is no record of Valyo Bludd having future visions but he may have them and kept quiet about it due to the general clan abhorrance of anything smelling of witchcraft.

Valyo does appear to have amazing skill with control and interaction with animals - especially with his fierce dogs.