We had the science experiment part before, but not the specifics of what the experiment was about. Also, it feels as though the special person part has become more important as the story went on, with increasing numbers of powerful friends, and now the magical weapon... I suspect that where this goes next is going to be the revelation that Vlad was manipulated into leaving the Jhereg (or possibly that they were manipulated into doing things that would cause him leave), because Someone needs him to be in those particular places at specific times.