It is customary to characterize the conflict between
science and superstition as a battle between
knowledge and ignorance, and certainly that has
long been the prevailing attitude in science fiction.
George R. R. MARTIN suggests in this story, however, that what appears obvious may in fact be an
oversimplification; that humans need mystery and
wonder just as much as they need to advance the
frontiers of science. The story is set on Wraithworld, a planet very sparsely inhabited by humans—just a handful of settlers and transient
tourists. Most of the planet is hidden by swirling
mists, and it is easy to get lost, making the planet
difficult to explore. There are also a handful of
dangerous animals adding to the already perilous
terrain. People come anyway—not because the
planet offers such extraordinary sightseeing possibilities, but because of the mistwraiths.
The mistwraiths are the local equivalent of
the abominable snowman. They are rumored to be
roughly humanoid but very large, and are supposed
to be responsible for the disappearance and presumed death of several humans. Ruins of an
ancient civilization have been found in a few locations, and the prevailing theory is that the
mistwraiths are the decadent leftovers of a vanished
race. The story is told from the point of view of a
journalist covering a major scientific expedition
whose purpose is to prove or disprove their existence. Shortly after arriving, he observes tension
between the head of the project and a local hotel
owner, who believes that something will be lost no
matter what their findings. Either the existence of
the mistwraiths will have been disproved, or they
will be reduced to the stature of interesting aboriginals, no longer figures of mystery. Although the
journalist believes that the hotelier is motivated by
concerns about a drop-off in his business, he eventually realizes that the man is sincere.
In their final confrontation the two men articulate their differences. One believes that all questions need to be answered, while the other feels
that without mysteries and wonders, the universe
becomes a drab and uninteresting place. The author clearly sides with the romantic: Once the results are in, the tourists stop coming and the planet
becomes just another minor outpost. The outcome
reflects a persistent problem in many horror and
suspense stories and movies: The mysterious danger we have yet to see is almost always less frightening when finally revealed.