some suspension of belief. I do think that a person is molded by the experiences of their life, and to greater effect the experiences with deeper meaning/impact. As thus, I think it is theoretically possible to mold an individual to respond in certain ways, consistent ways. I think Scholes accredits the possibilities with a little too much precision and finality.

Where some of the problem comes is why would Vlad's father have molded Petronus and Vlad Rudolfo to end the Andofrancine order and to take up the sheltering of the 'light' if the destruction of the Windiwir, and thus the destruction of the Library and Order, were not a given, which is the assumption that we are left with.

CANTICLE does address some of these things, to some degree, or at least moves the story along in a way that illuminates other issues.