New Ter'angreal

[The Dragon Reborn]

Elayne has the ability to make Ter'angreal. I can't remember how much ability she has to control what she makes, but couldn't she make a new female Choedan Cal access key? A small while spent around the male one might give her an idea how to make a new female one. Seeing as it was never a sa'angreal (which she hasn't managed to make yet) but only an access key? Assuming the Nynaeve didn't wreak the giant statue along with the access key....

 

Also, I'm sure there is a reason that I haven't remembered, but why haven't the Forsaken made their own access keys? Or do none of them have the ability? In the AOL surely the all were taught the process...even if they weren't very good at it, or if they didn't have the talent.

[Mr Ares]

Unfortunately, the actual Choedan Kal was destroyed, as seen in KOD (it was on Tremalking, Alviarin goes to visit). And it seems to be Rand that broke it, so don't blame Nynaeve. None of the Chosen are known to have a Talent for making ter'angreal, and we don't know if they were ever taught how, or if it can be done without the Talent.

[The Dragon Reborn]

Well I've never blamed Nynaeve. Just that she was the using it. I know Rand really broke it as he was the one controlling Nynaeve's energy. Man, it's been a while since I read KoD, gotta brush up.

My only point about the Forsaken is that in their day the Talent was known about, so surely they would know how to make them if they could. Is there anything in the books that specifically tells us that they can't make them?

[The Dragon Reborn]

Wait, it just occurred to me if they could make Ter'angreal, they can make angreal/sa'angreal which they haven't done.

Looks like I answered my own question!! :D

[Gentled Ben]

I don't know if making ter'angreal and angreal are the same Talent or not, but I bet if any of the FS could do either one, they'd be on it by now. Without any doubt, in fact, if any one of them could make an angreal, they would have done so. It might have been a rare Talent in their Age, or they may even be a poor sampling of channeling demographics, for all we know. I mean, maybe tons of channelers were able to make such things in the AoL, but these 13 are outside of that norm. Who knows?

 

EDIT: Ooh, I just had an interesting thought. Another scenario, one I didn't consider earlier, is that maybe, the creation of angreals requires that it be made with the opposite half of the power. That is, maybe female angreal can only be made by men, and vice-versa. In such a case, perhaps any or all of the FS could make one, but they most certainly wouldn't. I mean, would you, as Demandred, likely trust Semirhage far enough as to make an angreal for her? Would Cyndane do it for Aran'Gar? I doubt it...

 

Moridin could order it of the women he has mindtrapped, of course, and since he apparently hasn't, maybe I'm way off base, or perhaps, none of those women have the Talent.  :-\

[drovja]

The books state repeatedly that the greatest works in the AoL were done with men and women working together.  Surely the creation of angreal and sa'angreal would fall under that category.  I can see that to mean what you said about making for the other sex, or I can also see it meaning that a circle of men and women is the best way to do something like that.

[Gentled Ben]

Well, either way, it involves trust, and they aren't long on that suit, with good reason. That meeting between Graendal, Lanfear, Rahvin, and Sammael comes to mind, when they were discussing luring Rand to Illian and linking to take him down. Sammael didn't trust them to use him as bait, Rahvin is sizing Lanfear up for a duel and getting ready to Travel when it gets ugly, Sammael is seizing saidin, and they hadn't even gotten to the part where they decide who melds the flows in that circle.  :D

[RobertAlexWillis]

There is extensive speculation elsewhere (based on the flaw in Callandor) that would make it very likely that angreal and sa'angreal would require both male and female participation.  Whether they have to be linked, or can work on it in sequence, or both or either, is unclear.  In fact, its not certain that it requires both, but I feel comfortable saying it is likely.