Ask A Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer (No AMoL Spoilers)

[UGAShadow]

Mat has the quickest hands Thom has ever seen. Little practice in EotW. Little in tDR. Seems reasonable he'd learn quick.

[UGAShadow]

How did the Trollocs get into Caemlyn if Rand had the waygate guarded? What happened there?

[herid]

Quick question because I'm an inattentive reader:

 

When did Mat start carrying all those knives? At first, he leaves TR with nothing but a long bow. At some point I seem to remember him acquiring a quarterstaff. Then, all of a sudden, BAM! He's like Bullseye from Marvel comics and has more knives than a cutlery store.

The earliest I can remember of Mat showcasing his skills with knives is when he pinned the playing cards with his knives during the bubble of evil in Tear (TSR, Ch 1). He seemed to be mostly using his quarterstaff before. as for his special skills with knives part he may have learned something from Thom and or Lan as others suggested. But also he is extremely lucky and that often works just as good as skill (as in "rabbit for supper" in ToM). Lastly, he definitely picked up some skills with knives once he got all those memories in Rhuidean. He mentioned that specifically during the fight in Maderin in KoD.

Edited May 13, 2011 by herid

[Durinax]

How did the Trollocs get into Caemlyn if Rand had the waygate guarded? What happened there?

unknown, it may be that ishy has been reading rands mind using the connection and undoing all rands work

[W_A]

Is channeling genetic or from your soul? I know that many times we've heard that channeling has to do with your soul, e.g. Aran'gar, but the books also state that the reason fewer channelers are being found is because they are culling out the trait, which would imply that it is genetic.

[noynaert@gmail.com]

How did the Trollocs get into Caemlyn if Rand had the waygate guarded? What happened there?

unknown, it may be that ishy has been reading rands mind using the connection and undoing all rands work

[Durinax]

Is channeling genetic or from your soul? I know that many times we've heard that channeling has to do with your soul, e.g. Aran'gar, but the books also state that the reason fewer channelers are being found is because they are culling out the trait, which would imply that it is genetic.

both, you have to have the genes and the proper soul.

[noynaert@gmail.com]

I think there are four possibilities about trollocs in Caemlyn.

 

1) Loial forgot about the gate in Caemlyn and so the gate did not get warded. I think this is the least likely.

 

2) The wards were flawed. Either they did not work as Rand thought or they were not installed properly. I don't know of any foreshadowing of this so it is also unlikely.

 

3) The dark side has figured out how to remove or defeat the wards. The argument against this is that Verin did not mention the wards being defeated even though she knew the other defenses had been removed.

 

4) Whoever sent the trollocs does not know or does not care about the wards. Rand designed the ward with a delay so the shadowspawn would be well away from the ward when they die. In that case the fires were started before the trollocs began dying. In that case the battle of Caemlyn should be mercifully brief.

[UGAShadow]

Rand only created Shadar Logoth's wards like that though.

[sandoz12]

What I have wondered about is how in EotW Moraine repeatedly mentions how the source offers protection. And how fades/trollocs etc don't like coming near people who can channel. It was implied this was in a way not relating to the danger of channeling but more that their was something in the source itself that acted like a shadow repellent.

 

However, in future books we see nor hear any more about this. Did I mis-understand this when I read it or did this natural protection provided by the source simply disappear from later books?

[Barid Bel Medar]

What I have wondered about is how in EotW Moraine repeatedly mentions how the source offers protection. And how fades/trollocs etc don't like coming near people who can channel. It was implied this was in a way not relating to the danger of channeling but more that their was something in the source itself that acted like a shadow repellent.

 

However, in future books we see nor hear any more about this. Did I mis-understand this when I read it or did this natural protection provided by the source simply disappear from later books?

 

Now I am unsure on this, so dont quote me, but there is likely 3 reasons.

 

1. An oddity of EotW, there are alot of things said in the first book that are different from the others. Especially in regards to channeling. This is one of those things that got sorta left out or suchlike.

 

2. Moiraine isnt always right. She may think so, but the truth is, at this point, they really dont have much experience with Shadowspawn. the blight has been relatively quiet. Later on, more is known about trollocs so opinions will change etc..

 

3. She is right, but not in the way that is thought. She says that the Power is both a strength and leaves the person Vunerable to the DO. SHe could have just meant that trollocs will pick easy fights, slaughtering villagers, rather than attack someone who can throw a fireball at your face.

[sandoz12]

What I have wondered about is how in EotW Moraine repeatedly mentions how the source offers protection. And how fades/trollocs etc don't like coming near people who can channel. It was implied this was in a way not relating to the danger of channeling but more that their was something in the source itself that acted like a shadow repellent.

 

However, in future books we see nor hear any more about this. Did I mis-understand this when I read it or did this natural protection provided by the source simply disappear from later books?

 

Now I am unsure on this, so dont quote me, but there is likely 3 reasons.

 

1. An oddity of EotW, there are alot of things said in the first book that are different from the others. Especially in regards to channeling. This is one of those things that got sorta left out or suchlike.

 

2. Moiraine isnt always right. She may think so, but the truth is, at this point, they really dont have much experience with Shadowspawn. the blight has been relatively quiet. Later on, more is known about trollocs so opinions will change etc..

 

3. She is right, but not in the way that is thought. She says that the Power is both a strength and leaves the person Vunerable to the DO. SHe could have just meant that trollocs will pick easy fights, slaughtering villagers, rather than attack someone who can throw a fireball at your face.

 

Thanks, that was kind of what I was thinking but you have stated it nicely and clearly (but don't worry I won't hold you to it:)). I think it could well be any of the three or even more likely a combination of all three.

[White_star]

Here are some biology questions about the warder bond/first sister(or brother) bonding/Elayne's bonding idea, for any science/medical buffs or anyone who wishes to take a stab at it.

 

Does the bonding effect the gonads (ovaries & testes)(specifically the gametes(eggs & sperm)) of those involved in the bond? Meaning, any offspring from those involved in the bond, would they have a "special" bond w/ their parents? Would it matter who did the bonding?

 

If the answer is "no", the bonds do NOT effect them, technically SHOULD it be "yes" to be scientifically accurate?

 

I know a mother's bond with her children is usually stronger then with the father since they spend 9months w/her. And, I know among the Aiel certain relations are closer then others like first/second-mothers are considered closer then first/second-fathers (something like that) could the bond be the reason for this or is this just the natural bond?

 

If everything is unknown, well thanks any way.

Edited May 13, 2011 by White_star

[HighWiredSith]

Q. Having nearly finished ToM and starting to contemplate, at last, the final battle - what exactly does the Dark One bring to the table? The best I can figure, he has thousands if not millions of trollocs supported by fades, a couple dozen channelers between the foresaken that are still left alive and the black aja and a few channeling dark friends here an there. Based on past skirmishes between Trollocs/Fades and Humans even without the support of channelers, the trolloc to human kill ratio is somewhere around a staggering 15 to 1 and goes even higher when the Ta'veren trio are anywhere around. The fact you'll have almost equal numbers of trollocs/fades to human fighters (counting the armies supporting the Dragon, the Aiel, the whitecloaks, the Seanchan, and possibly even the Ogier) alone would tilt things generously toward the good guys. When you add in the fact that the Dragon will be supported by literally thousands of channelers, half of which have not problem using the one power was a weapon, the other half healing the wounded. Top this off with a generous amount of black powder weapons that can rip hoards of Trollocs to shreds from a significant distance...and you clearly have the makings of a rather lopsided battle. What is it that makes the Dark One such a threat?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

the evil in men's hearts?

 

the DO's apparent ability to mess with the warp and woof?

 

i don't think that's a simple question, quite.

[HighWiredSith]

Not to answer my own question - but I do get a sense that the last battle has nothing to do with armies or battlefield tactics or weapons but is actually a battle that will take place between the Dark One the Dragon Reborn so the rest is, to put it bluntly, almost irrelevant. And I don't think the issue or dilemma is a question of who will win. I always felt like RJ made it clear the the Dragon will win and the Dark will again be defeated (it was only in the Sanderson novels that this concept that the Dragon and his forces could lose was introduced - a rather stupid concept when one considers all of the prophecy and Min's viewings) - the real question has always been how will the Dragon win - will he destroy himself and the world in doing so, perpetuating the turning of the wheel of time? Or can he actually change the pattern, stop the endless turning of the wheel, this doom cycle to birth-destruction-rebirth-destruction, and defeat the dark one forever and in doing so remake time itself into a linear progression.

Edited May 13, 2011 by HighWiredSith

[yoniy0]

I think your analysis isn't quite accurate. For one thing, there are almost a hundred BA still free, and Taim has been turning Ashaman left and right for two weeks now (at the end of the BT ToM-timeline, roughly two weeks before the Field of Merrilor, I believe). So quite a few evil channelers.

For another, there are millions of trollocs out there. The Light's strength is measured in the tens/hundreds of thousands.

Finally, Elayne kept most all of her Dragons in a warehouse inside Caemlyn. The trollocs might well have taken possession of them.

 

And then, there's your last point.

[WhiskyJack]

I think your analysis isn't quite accurate. For one thing, there are almost a hundred BA still free, and Taim has been turning Ashaman left and right for two weeks now (at the end of the BT ToM-timeline, roughly two weeks before the Field of Merrilor, I believe). So quite a few evil channelers.

For another, there are millions of trollocs out there. The Light's strength is measured in the tens/hundreds of thousands.

Finally, Elayne kept most all of her Dragons in a warehouse inside Caemlyn. The trollocs might well have taken possession of them.

 

And then, there's your last point.

 

Better give up before you get tired! Too many people are saying that Rand will take on DO one on one and that's it. aMoL I reckon will be like 40 page long and wham bham thank you mam!

 

 

P.S: I agree with your point but this is free forum.

Edited May 13, 2011 by WhiskyJack

[Ingtar Shinowa]

Quick question because I'm an inattentive reader:

 

When did Mat start carrying all those knives? At first, he leaves TR with nothing but a long bow. At some point I seem to remember him acquiring a quarterstaff. Then, all of a sudden, BAM! He's like Bullseye from Marvel comics and has more knives than a cutlery store.

 

I think it was just chucked in for tDR - the acquisition was off-screen AFAIK, but probably during the Caemlyn->Tear mission

 

That's what I thought. Ugh. He's the bestest with the quarterstaff. No! He's the bestest with throwing knives. No! He's the bestest with the naginata. I swear, I'm gonna start calling him Matty Sue.

[Sid]

Nah, Abell Cauthon won with the quarterstaff at Bel Tine every year, except a few where Rand's da won.

 

As for when he got the knives, I know he had them before he went to Rhuidean, but I think he fought Caddar with his staff only. He might have started carrying them when he was in the Stone of Tear because he used them on his playing cards during that bubble of evil. Can't recall if it mentions why in that chapter though. If he didn't have a lot by then, I'm sure that random attack made him much more inclined to keep them all over his person than before.

[HighWiredSith]

Better give up before you get tired! Too many people are saying that Rand will take on DO one on one and that's it. aMoL I reckon will be like 40 page long and wham bham thank you mam!

 

I didn't say that the rest of the armies wouldn't be involved in the last battle, just that they wouldn't matter. I suppose the point would be to prevent the shadowspawn from invading, to chase them back to the blight but that's been done before and it didn't mark the end of time or the age. The only real battle that will matter will be Rand and the Dark One. I wonder how affective those who chose to be at the Dragons side are going to be.

[WhiskyJack]

Better give up before you get tired! Too many people are saying that Rand will take on DO one on one and that's it. aMoL I reckon will be like 40 page long and wham bham thank you mam!

 

I didn't say that the rest of the armies wouldn't be involved in the last battle, just that they wouldn't matter. I suppose the point would be to prevent the shadowspawn from invading, to chase them back to the blight but that's been done before and it didn't mark the end of time or the age. The only real battle that will matter will be Rand and the Dark One. I wonder how affective those who chose to be at the Dragons side are going to be.

 

Cool story, bro.

[Terez]

Does the bonding effect the gonads (ovaries & testes)(specifically the gametes(eggs & sperm)) of those involved in the bond? Meaning, any offspring from those involved in the bond, would they have a "special" bond w/ their parents?

I discussed this some here: Aviendha's Babies. Short answer: there is a reason why Melaine wasn't at the sister-bonding ceremony in the prologue of WH.

[herid]

Does Rand still have access to the memories of his lives before LTT? I was sure that I saw an interview quote somewhere that he does not but I can't find it.

[WhiskyJack]

Is it proven now that Lord of Evening in Shadow Prophecy is Moridin?