The mental aspect of this trait is observed in members of House Jhegaala suddenly changing walks of life at intervals.

His investigation leads him to a man named Dahni who claims to work for the Count, who is interested in helping Vlad against their common enemy.

Vlad moves back into the Cellar Mouse where, despite his injuries, he uses Loiosh and Rocza to gather information while he questions those who come to see him: Father Noij, some very distant kin, and Meehayi, his caretaker.

After several years, the now mostly recovered Vlad completes his revenge by returning to Burz, stealing the Count′s paper recipe, and sending it to Her Imperial Majesty Zerika the Fourth.

At one point, Vlad tells Loiosh he's considering sitting around and thinking while Loiosh does all the legwork; Loioish responds that Vlad would end up weighing 300 pounds, the author's reference to the relationship between Rex Stout's corpulent Nero Wolfe and wisecracking assistant Archie Goodwin.

"[1] Publishers Weekly considered Jhegaala "appealing" and a "classic private-eye thriller", lauding Brust's exposition and use of noir, but observed that "(l)ongtime fans may miss familiar surroundings and characters".