Tracing Weaves from a Gateway

[Vambram]

What information do we have on tracing the weaves of a Gateway, in order to determine where that Gateway sent someone? In other words, has RJ said whether or not it is possible in his books, or interviews, that some channelers have the Talent to read the residue of a Gateway weave and then figure out where the persons went whom used that Gateway?

 

This question has arisen in a WOT roleplaying group I am in, and I am eager to get everyone's opinions and answers from this, with book sources, or interview sources, Please.

 

Thank you.  8)

[Luckers]

People can trace gateways from the residue of a weave. We've seen Rand do it with Sammael in Illian when following him to Shadar Logoth--he even specifies that the residues would guide him exactly to where Sammael had gone.

 

 

[Asmo]

No. Rand can copy the residue of the weave and Travel where the other person went. He can't read it and decide where he went without weaving a gateway to copy it - otherwise he... would've done it, against Sammael, Rahvin and whatnot. Logain didn't know where the Shadowspawn would go even as he was weaving the same gateways as Rand

 

We don't know if this applies to everyone though. There might be people who can just read residues and see where the person ahead of them went.

[Luckers]

No. Rand can copy the residue of the weave and Travel where the other person went. He can't read it and decide where he went without weaving a gateway to copy it - otherwise he... would've done it, against Sammael, Rahvin and whatnot. Logain didn't know where the Shadowspawn would go even as he was weaving the same gateways as Rand

 

No? Your say no, then repeat what i said... I never suggested that he could read location in the simple residue--more than clearly he cannot, since he specifies that he doesn't know if his alterations would change the endpoint by fifty meters or five hundred.

 

I'm confused.

 

 

 

 

[Asmo]

I was replying to this:

 

In other words, has RJ said whether or not it is possible in his books, or interviews, that some channelers have the Talent to read the residue of a Gateway weave and then figure out where the persons went whom used that Gateway?

 

And added the Logain example and the last paragraph while extending your original point. I didn't mean to contradict you since I didn't disagree with you in the first place.

[Luckers]

Lol, it did seem a bit strange. Sorry.

[Asmo]

Yeah, I should probably get used to quoting people or more confusion will arise. Sorry 'bout that.

 

But while we're at it -

 

--more than clearly he cannot, since he specifies that he doesn't know if his alterations would change the endpoint by fifty meters or five hundred.

 

Perhaps that could be because he was in a rush? Surely if he took his time to do it he could extract more information from the weave he was creating. After all, when you form a gateway you have to specify the endpoint, so making a gateway to a specific endpoint means you can trace the endpoint through the gateway's weave. Unless it doesn't function like that, and the weave is the same and the destination depends on what you are thinking. Which is possible - Rand said the One Power has little to do with gateways except the way they are formed. Then again, he did mention altering the weave a little so he wouldn't end up in the exact same spot as Sammael. So yeah, I think it stands.

 

Although, just because Rand can't do it it doesn't mean it's impossible. Maybe it's a Talent, seeing the weave for a gateway and being able to figure out where it leads. Or it's simply a matter of knowing what you're doing (Rand is mostly doing stuff at random, is led by Lews Therin or is copying it from others).

[Luckers]

Mmm. Maybe... my impression with gateways is that they result from personal intention--the endpoint is established by a desire of where it will be. Not knowing where someone went means that you are flying blind, relying only on the pattern of their web.

 

It's like plotting a course in auto pilot--if you wanna go to the behammas you imput that, but if all you have is the longitudal and latitudal coordinates left by someone else when they last used the system....

 

But yeah, there's plenty our boy doesn't know, so it seems possible.

[Corbett]

I think that the only way you would know is if someone was traveling to teh exact spot that you had been to. There are so many different variables inclusing tiny alteratons in location and size of gateway and stuff like that, i think it would be impossible to know where someone was traveling.

[Vambram]

Thank you all for your answers. After doing some more research, I learned that  not only is Rand able to do trace a Gateway because of the residue of the weaves there, but so is Aviendha. I discovered this by looking at A Path of Daggers on pages 77 and 78.

[Asmo]

No. Rand is only able to "retrace" a residue of a weave and reform a similar gateway (or other weaves for that matter), not read it and realize where the gateway led (or what exactly the other weaves do). Aviendha can do it, but the Aes Sedai claim it's a very rare Talent. We have no reason to disbelieve them. In truth, the fact that it's considered a Talent means it's impossible by normal means.

[Vambram]

Well, of course a channeler with this Talent, either Rand or Aviendha, or another, would need to reform the Gateway and then step through it in order to know where that Gateway sent the one you're trying to follow. Aviendha said as much herself, and also Rand did this same thing when he was chasing after Rahvin.

[balefireruinssteaks]

I think the difference in the Talent is that some can sense residues and others can actually see and duplicate them.  I am thinking mainly of the Aes Sedai who go after the Choedan Kal was used and sense the residues of the weaves there.  They probably would not have been able to duplicate them, even if they knew what those weaves had been meant to do, but they knew they were there - and there were three Aes Sedai who could "sense" residues (i.e. a Talent). 

 

Because the Aes Sedai who spoke to Aviendha said her Talent was VERY rare, it makes me think that "reading" the residues is different.  Rand and Aviendha have the ability to see the residues of the weaves and then re-weave what was there before; in the case of a gateway - they could reopen a gateway without really knowing where it ends up.

 

this was kind of enlightening because I didn't realize that a gateway made from, say, Caemlyn to Cairhien would have to be woven differently if the channeler wanted to go from, say, Caemlyn to Emond's Field.

 

Neat!!