Storm Over Warlock · Chapter
XII: The Veil of Illusion explained
Shann awakens in a circular, roofless room in a Warlockian structure on an island within a cavern.
What happens
Shann awakens in a circular, roofless room in a Warlockian structure on an island within a cavern. He explores the building, finding Taggi and Togi imprisoned in another room. He makes his way to a central chamber where three Warlockians and a fourth he had previously trapped await him. They communicate mind-to-mind, questioning his presence and his status as a male. After a ritual involving skulls and a bowl of sticks, Shann is given a disk that plunges him into a vision of a green veil of illusion.
Themes in this chapter
Alien Contact and Communication
Shann engages in mind-to-mind communication with the Warlockians, navigating their nonhuman customs and rituals.
Dreams and Shared Consciousness
The chapter introduces the 'veil of illusion' and the concept of dreams as a pathway to truth, central to the Warlockian initiation.
The Outsider and Self-Worth
Shann, as a male Terran, is an outsider in a female-dominated Warlockian society, and his worth is tested through the ritual.
Characters to notice
- Shann Lantee
Awakens in a Warlockian structure, explores the building, and participates in a ritual with the Warlockians.
- Taggi
Imprisoned with Togi in a room, tearing apart a sleeping mat in frustration.
- Togi
Imprisoned with Taggi, pacing back and forth.
- Wyverns
The Warlockians (referred to as Wyverns in the text) are the native beings who have imprisoned Shann and the wolverines.
Key passages
“Have you grown wings?”
The Warlockians mentally ask Shann if he has developed the ability to fly, amused by his rooftop exploration.
Shann's attempt to traverse the walls is met with telepathic mockery.
“What is read, is read. To the dreamer the dream. Let the dream be known for what it is, and there is life. Let the dream encompass the dreamer falsely, and all is lost.”
The Warlockian leader declares that the divination result is final, and that the dreamer must discern truth from illusion to survive.
This formula sets the stakes for Shann's upcoming vision.
“That way has never been for males, who dream without set purpose and have not the ability to know true from false, have not the courage to face their dreams to the truth. Do so—if you can!”
The Warlockian challenges Shann, stating that males lack the discipline to navigate dreams and dares him to prove otherwise.
This highlights the gender role conflict and Shann's outsider status.