Talk:Rankin

Ronald Reagan

I can see a passing resemblance, but is there any strong evidence that Rankin is meant to be a reference to Ronald Reagan? I've removed this trivia for the time being until there's some consensus.--Blu3vib3 02:14, 11 July 2011 (PDT)

I'd say it was the right call to remove the trivia. Methinks it was the product of an overactive imagination. --Terilem 04:26, 11 July 2011 (PDT)

Me, too. No gen Xer would think that looks like Reagan, although perhaps someone thought he looks like Reagan from Bonzo days. The Ultra-Mind 14:59, 11 July 2011 (PDT)

Confusing opening

The last sentence of the first paragraph is run-on and very confusing. I can't figure out who said what to whom, who feels what, or who did what. The Ultra-Mind 14:59, 11 July 2011 (PDT)

Tried to make it clearer. My apologies for my excessively long sentences. I read too much Cicero and 20th century stream-of-consciousness novels as a youth.--Blu3vib3 16:16, 11 July 2011 (PDT)

I'm afraid it isn't much different. This is what's going on over here:

1. Who freely expresses his doubts? If I didn't know better, I would say Rankin, but that doesn't fit his role in the story.
2. Is Tolemac the one who drew suspicions? Is Balayna Rankin's clerks?
3. Balayna now has doubts? Are they the same as Tolemac's? How did she acquire them? By being persuaded by Tolemac's opinion?

The Ultra-Mind 20:12, 11 July 2011 (PDT)

Edited again. Here's what it should read as:

1. Rankin is the one expressing doubt, and this does fit his role in the story as far as I can tell. (Quote from Balayna: "I am unsure whether Rankin is worthy of his position. I heard him talking to the new member, Tolemac, just before Rankin persuaded him to join. He admitted to having doubts about The Fellowship. He told Tolemac that he thought, perhaps, The Fellowship encouraged its members to be nothing more than sheep, and that those really `in charge' were charlatans, in it simply for the money. What does thou think about that?")

2. Balayna is Rankin's clerk and she became suspicious after overhearing his confession to Tolermac

3. Balayna now has doubts as to Rankin's ability to perform his duties.--Blu3vib3 07:34, 12 July 2011 (PDT)

You should go with your gut feeling it is Rankin that expresses his doubts.

Rankin drew the suspicions. Balayna is Rankin's clerk. I found this quite clear in fact.

Yes Balayna has doubts. Tolemac didn't have doubts. I would like it if we knew precisely how she acquired her doubts.

... And I see Blu3vib3 has rewritten it while I wrote this response and did fix my one concern. :) -- Fenyx4 07:45, 12 July 2011 (PDT)

1. I've now refamiliarized myself with the character so I'm no longer playing the ignorant audience member. Rankin seems to be strangely complex for an Ultima character. Not only has he succumbed to the corruption of the Fellowship, but he is losing faith in it all. On the other hand... The Ultra-Mind 16:02, 13 July 2011 (PDT)

Is his corruption Fellowship-borne?

How do we know that Rankin was corrupted by the fellowship? Is it because he is capable of hush murder? Like I was saying above, I find it unexpected that he'd be under the influence of the Fellowship, but nonetheless very dissonant about it. He could have been initiated with those traits. The Ultra-Mind 16:02, 13 July 2011 (PDT)

It could be that he was initiated by the Fellowship BECAUSE he was a murderous psychopath. Unfortunately, we don't "know" that, but we can infer... Browncoat Jayson 07:56, 14 July 2011 (PDT)