The 9 Rods of Dominion

[Pug]

The the prolouge of the Eye of the World Ishamael says to LTT that he commanded or weilded the 9 Rods of Dominion. (no books on hand).

 

WHAT! are the 9 Rods of Dominion. I don't think that they're even mentioned in any of the other books. 

[Guest leebarr]

they are only mentioned there. I do not think it's even brought up in the big write book.

[krelianzg]

I believe it said something along the lines of "You wore the ring of the tamyrlin and could summon the nines rods of dominion". Too lazy to find the exact quote.

 

The 9 rods were regional governors of Randland during the AoL. Ishamael's comment was only meant to point out how little power Rand has now compared to what he had in the AoL when he was LTT.

[elmis]

It's in the prologue to tEotW, so he was actually pointing out how far Lews Therin had fallen from being the supreme leader of the world, to a crazy kinslayer. :)

 

I'll stop nitpicking now :P

[balefireruinssteaks]

I thought in the big white book it mentioned that some believed that the Oath Rod was one of the 9 Rods of Dominion mentioned by Lews Therin.  I might be wrong.  And we see there is one in the Tower and Sammael gave one to Sevanna, so maybe there are only 2 Rods of Dominion left, but altogether they did something powerful.  Or perhaps they were 9 Oath Rods that bound nations to Lews Therin by Oath.

[Luckers]

No, the Nine Rods of Dominion were indeed people. Specifically, they were the nine regional leaders that ruled the world.

 

The Oath Rod, and the rod that Therava holds, are what were called binders in the Age of Legends. They were used to bind criminal Aes Sedai against their crimes as a last final resort before severing, and their were hundreds of them. Both Semirhage and Balthemel were almost bound during the years prior to the War of the Shadow--Semirhage actually joined the Shadow to escape a binding.

[BrainFireBob]

Jordan borrowed the term from real history. It was common practice in the Middle East to refer to regional governors- satraps- as "rods of dominion". This is because their symbol of office was . . dundunDDUUUUNNNNN . . .a rod or scepter. Hence, they are given the rod of dominion by the king to become the "rod of dominion" role in some area. I believe, although I'm not 100% on this, since it's been so long, that the Assyrians were the ones that popularized the practice.

 

Hence, the Nine Rods of Dominion were the nine regional governors of the earth. Since LTT was "world President," saying he could or did "summon the Nine Rods" was a formal way of stating "There you stood, king of kings and lord of lords." Since the Dragon has a definite Messianic sub-arc, this stands completely to reason.

[Luckers]

Lews Therin wasn't actually World President. It's true the First Amongst Servants had a lot of power, and a lot of influence, but he was neither in charge nor the figurehead. In the War of the Shadow he came to be over-general for the light through skill, but that wasn't a position is office inherently retained.

[BrainFireBob]

No, Luckers, he was. Very old quote. He was the equivalent of World President *in addition* to being First Among Servants, both of which were different positions, but that were able to be held at the same time. He was also elected supreme warleader. Means he was president of the Aes Sedai guild, president of the temporal government, and High Commander of the Forces of the Light. That's why Ishamael taunts him the way he does. There was no way to rise higher than LTT had in AoL society.

[Cillian]

The the prolouge of the Eye of the World Ishamael says to LTT that he commanded or weilded the 9 Rods of Dominion. (no books on hand).

 

WHAT! are the 9 Rods of Dominion. I don't think that they're even mentioned in any of the other books. 

 

You mean WHO were the 9 Rods Of Dominion......... well lets see,

There was Rod Seger, of course grandfather to Bob Seger.

Rodney Trotter, he lost all his power and land in the Breaking so had to move in with his dodgey brother Del and their Uncle in a flat in London.

There was "Iron" Rod Goldstein. After the Breaking he became a pro-wrestler.

Ah who else, oh yes!

Rodney Anonymous, he started a band called "The Dead Milkmen" after the Breaking.

Rodney Copperbottom. He starred in the film "Robots".

There was "Lightning" Rod Murphy, he was one of the fastest runners back in the Age Of Legend Olympics. He died in the Breaking, got hit by lightning  ::)

Rod Flanders. He and his brother Todd got sucked into another dimension where people are yellow!

"Hot" Rod Fisher. Lost his wealth in the Breaking and had to become a stripper.

I almost forgot Rod Jerkins but thats OK because he was a bit of a jerk and nobody liked him.

 

I think thats it!

[dyehead]

The the prolouge of the Eye of the World Ishamael says to LTT that he commanded or weilded the 9 Rods of Dominion. (no books on hand).

 

WHAT! are the 9 Rods of Dominion. I don't think that they're even mentioned in any of the other books. 

 

You mean WHO were the 9 Rods Of Dominion......... well lets see,

There was Rod Seger, of course grandfather to Bob Seger.

Rodney Trotter, he lost all his power and land in the Breaking so had to move in with his dodgey brother Del and their Uncle in a flat in London.

There was "Iron" Rod Goldstein. After the Breaking he became a pro-wrestler.

Ah who else, oh yes!

Rodney Anonymous, he started a band called "The Dead Milkmen" after the Breaking.

Rodney Copperbottom. He starred in the film "Robots".

There was "Lightning" Rod Murphy, he was one of the fastest runners back in the Age Of Legend Olympics. He died in the Breaking, got hit by lightning  ::)

Rod Flanders. He and his brother Todd got sucked into another dimension where people are yellow!

"Hot" Rod Fisher. Lost his wealth in the Breaking and had to become a stripper.

I almost forgot Rod Jerkins but thats OK because he was a bit of a jerk and nobody liked him.

 

I think thats it!

 

7/10

[aevogt]

Lews Therin's position was more along the lines of a religious leader, for lack of a better phrase, even though he wasn;t really. 

 

look at it like this.  The nations or our time have elected (more or less)leaders; PMs, presidents, what have you,  These would be equivalent the Rods of Dominion. 

 

LTT's position would be more like, maybe for lack of a better example, the Pope.  Not that same as the leader of any specific country, but the leader of a very, very powerful organization that could, unlike the Pope, for all intents and purposes, command those elected leaders.  Probably under very tightly controlled legal circumstances.  Consider Egwene and the Law of War.  It was likely something like that.  LTT couldn't waltz in and impose a new tax, but maybe recruit or consript for the army of the Light.  Or impress on the leaders that their cooperation was "not mandatory, ya just gotta"

 

LTT was the commanding general of the forces of light during the War of Power, but similarly, Patton couldn't tax Britons during WWII, but he could command their divisions (Montgomery aside) as Supreme Allied Commander.

 

 

[Bazzles]

unlike the Pope, for all intents and purposes, command those elected leaders

 

Not unlike the Pope of Medieval times ;D

[aevogt]

Very good point. 

 

[Majsju]

Very old quote. He was the equivalent of World President *in addition* to being First Among Servants, both of which were different positions, but that were able to be held at the same time.

 

I would very much love to see that quote.