We believe Maruman's strangely distorted mind is unique to him, due to a combination of elements, including his elongated life and all his time spent on the dreamtrails. His younger self had 'a younger, lighter voice with a constant ripple of kitten mischief threaded through it.' (TSK, 705) The other aliens do not suffer from madness, however his strange mind is especially advantageous to his role in guiding Elspeth, as Atthis '...ruthlessly used the old cat's distorted mind as a conduit because the distortions meant that he could not be spied upon.' (TSK, 42) Maruman's alien nature dislikes human emotions, as he finds them 'untidy/disturbing.'
We believe Maruman's strangely distorted mind is unique to him, due to a combination of elements, including his elongated life and all his time spent on the dreamtrails. His younger self had 'a younger, lighter voice with a constant ripple of kitten mischief threaded through it.' (TSK, 705) The other aliens do not suffer from madness, however his strange mind is especially advantageous to his role in guiding Elspeth, as Atthis '...ruthlessly used the old cat's distorted mind as a conduit because the distortions meant that he could not be spied upon.' (TSK, 42) Maruman's alien nature dislikes human emotions, as he finds them 'untidy/disturbing.'
The Agyllians subjected themselves to Govamen's experiments in order to impart their abilities to humans, as Talented humans are generally more compassionate. The book Powers of the Mind revealed that Talents such as coercing and empathy did not exist before these experiments. The aliens also helped Elspeth to discover her abilities; she says that '...without him [Maruman] I would never have discovered the full extent of my telepathic powers.' (Obernewtyn 20-21)"'Long ago I foresaw that the machines which made the great destructions had not been destroyed. I saw that a second and greater destruction would come to the world, if these machines were used. And despite all the funaga did to bury the past, it was inevitable they would be discovered, unless they were destroyed. ... Then I dreamed one would be born among the funaga, a Seeker to cross the black wastes in search of the death machines, one who possessed the power to destroy them.'" (Atthis, The Farseekers, 280)
IC
You may ask how did the aliens arrive here and how did they change their appearance to suit earthlings? The answer lies in the dreamtrails. The dreamtrails are a place that was discovered and made use of by the aliens. It is evident that neither beasts nor humans have great knowledge of the dreamtrails (Maryon explains that only the most advanced futuretellers even know of their existence, and Gahltha did not know of them until Maruman showed him), yet Maruman can masterfully traverse this unstable phenomenon.'"Your body must be taught to repair itself and build its immunities. That is a simple matter of teaching, and can be done even as I drain the mental poisons."' ... 'Occasionally I was aware of Nerat's mind weaving a pattern in my thoughts as complex and intangible as smoke in the wind.' (The Farseekers, 264)
IC
Maruman fits best as an alien because he is clearly a corporeal being, he can be injured, and we saw him as a young cat centuries in the past. He is a physical being, and yet something more than an ordinary cat.'I seemed to have no proper feeling for it, but the second I touched Maruman, I felt myself absorbed by his form and grace. He gathered himself, leaped, and went on rising. It struck me suddenly that I had never used my Talent to rise from the point of consciousness before. Always I had descended. How much would our minds be capable of, I wondered, if we would only know them better?' (TKP, 208)
IC
These strange beasts are in fact aliens. Maruman's tyger-like form is not identical to that of a tyger, although '...the slashing marks his coat bore were very like to those great cats which Beforetime books name tyger.' (TKP, 17) We maintain that Maruman's alien form is very like that of a tyger, as Maruman says: '"Mayhap this dreamform is truer than that othershape I bear."' (TKP, 17)'"The dreamtrails are strange/dangerous. There are beasts like none that walk the earth on them, and shapes that hide/conceal other shapes, yet one grows better at it."' (Ashling, 328)
IC
Maruman's role is to aid and direct Elspeth in her quest, as he says: '"When I was in the Oldplaces, I dreamed of the Old One. She said I must follow you. It was my task."' (Obernewtyn, 29-30) Maruman has the role of Moonwatcher: he is guardian of the dreamtrails, and looks after Elspeth in her dreams.'Maruman said he "remembered" the Great White, and though that was impossible, he wove remarkably frightening pictures of a world in terror.' (Obernewtyn, 28)
IC
Thus the dreamtrails can indeed be used to reach the past, present and future.'"Maruman knows dreamtrails. Knows where doors are/were."
IC
'"You mean your memory of the doors," I sent kindly as if he were a halfwit muddling things up.
'"All that is/was/can be can be reached by dreamtrails. Real are things on them."'
(TKP, 118)
Today our team will argue that Maruman is really an alien. We define 'aliens' to mean extraterrestrial beings with superior intelligence whereby they have a deeper, more practised understanding of mental abilities than creatures of Earthly origins.