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

[Thorgan]

Are any of the new bodies for the revived forsaken from people we've seen before?

 

Are there any black sisters among the egwene-embassy to Rand?

 

Who are the sisters that go to the black tower to bond ashaman?

 

Is Rand still in posession of a male terangreal? I was just thinking that could explain his powers at Maradon.

[Terez]

Are any of the new bodies for the revived forsaken from people we've seen before?

Not that we know of. Someone asked Maria if Cyndane was in Cabriana Mecandes' body, but she said no. There haven't been any other popular theories on the bodies, so no one's asked.

 

Are there any black sisters among the egwene-embassy to Rand?

The embassy to the Black Tower? None were mentioned, and you would think that Egwene would have thought of it in the context.

 

Who are the sisters that go to the black tower to bond ashaman?

The rebels? We don't know how many they sent, since they could bond multiple men, and the only four named were Faolain, Myrelle, Nisao, and Theodrin (to point out that they had all sworn to Egwene, which suggests that Sheriam had something to do with the choosing).

 

Is Rand still in posession of a male terangreal? I was just thinking that could explain his powers at Maradon.

You mean sa'angreal? He still has Callandor. He doesn't have any other angreal that we know of since he lost the fat man.

[Thorgan]

Thanks

[yoniy0]

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.

Well, we know this much: Rand doesn't remember far enough back to know how to beat the DO.

[sandoz12]

What I have wondered is why didn't Mesaana show up at the cleansing? Surely being Danelle hiding in the basements of the white tower she could have easily attended without her absence being noted. Apologies if this has been explained somewhere where I should have seen it. Just don't remember reading in the books at all why she failed to attend just that her failure earned her punishment.

[WhiskyJack]

She didn't come because she didn't want to.

[sandoz12]

She didn't come because she didn't want to.

Surely there had to be more to it than that? She must have known that there would be grave consequences for not going. If she was afraid she could have gone and stayed out of danger much as I seem to recall Moghedien doing.

[Terez]

She didn't come because she didn't want to.

Surely there had to be more to it than that? She must have known that there would be grave consequences for not going. If she was afraid she could have gone and stayed out of danger much as I seem to recall Moghedien doing.

I assumed it was because 1) she hadn't accepted the Nae'blis thing yet and thought she could get away with it, and 2) she hadn't yet been properly introduced to Shaidar Haran at all, aside from her trip to Shayol Ghul where he didn't even speak to her or acknowledge her presence in any way. That visit is probably what led her to believe that she could go her own way.

[Barid Bel Medar]

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.

 

Exactly, I get annoyed at people who think the light has it good.

 

Thousands/ possible millions of trollocs?

 

Try at least 5-10 million. Maradon was just a fraction. Arafel and Kandor are overrun and Caemlyn is burning. not to mention the masses at Tarwins Gap.

 

People ALWAYS overestimate Egewne's "purge" of the Aes Sedai. She killed 40 in the rebels and maximum (being generous) 30 in the Tower. There were around 170-200 BA in Verin's book. That leaves at least 100, probably more still lose.

 

The Black Tower is effectively the Shadow's. Androl and those loyal to Logain/Light are trapped by the Dreamspike. Until thats resloved, there are barely 50 Asha'man free to fight for Rand.

 

As Rand said, he wont be fighting like he did for Maradon, and the other channelers are not nearly half as good as him. Nynaeve, the strongest in the Tower, could kill perhaps 1000 trollocs before being exhausted. Most of the Aes Sedai or Asha'man cant even do that.

 

The armies at the FoM are less than 1mil, and trollocs/ fades are superior to men in strength. They are outnumbered 5-1.

 

Throw the Forsaken into the mix, Darkfriends, Red-veils, Darkhounds (need Balefire to kill), Moridin's stash of angreal/ter'angreal/ shocklances etc.., starvation due to food spoiling, the dead walking, the pattern unravelling, the TP, and not to mention the DO itself, the Shadow has every advantage.

[sandoz12]

She didn't come because she didn't want to.

Surely there had to be more to it than that? She must have known that there would be grave consequences for not going. If she was afraid she could have gone and stayed out of danger much as I seem to recall Moghedien doing.

I assumed it was because 1) she hadn't accepted the Nae'blis thing yet and thought she could get away with it, and 2) she hadn't yet been properly introduced to Shaidar Haran at all, aside from her trip to Shayol Ghul where he didn't even speak to her or acknowledge her presence in any way. That visit is probably what led her to believe that she could go her own way.

Thanks - that explains it more clearly. Was more helpful than the first answer even though the first answer was basically correct. But thanks to both of you for answering my question. What would have been a nice scene is a pov of where she chooses not to go to the cleansing. Surely it could have been fitted somewhere into cot </threadmerge>.

[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.

 

Exactly, I get annoyed at people who think the light has it good.

 

Thousands/ possible millions of trollocs?

 

Try at least 5-10 million. Maradon was just a fraction. Arafel and Kandor are overrun and Caemlyn is burning. not to mention the masses at Tarwins Gap.

 

People ALWAYS overestimate Egewne's "purge" of the Aes Sedai. She killed 40 in the rebels and maximum (being generous) 30 in the Tower. There were around 170-200 BA in Verin's book. That leaves at least 100, probably more still lose.

 

The Black Tower is effectively the Shadow's. Androl and those loyal to Logain/Light are trapped by the Dreamspike. Until thats resloved, there are barely 50 Asha'man free to fight for Rand.

 

As Rand said, he wont be fighting like he did for Maradon, and the other channelers are not nearly half as good as him. Nynaeve, the strongest in the Tower, could kill perhaps 1000 trollocs before being exhausted. Most of the Aes Sedai or Asha'man cant even do that.

 

The armies at the FoM are less than 1mil, and trollocs/ fades are superior to men in strength. They are outnumbered 5-1.

 

Throw the Forsaken into the mix, Darkfriends, Red-veils, Darkhounds (need Balefire to kill), Moridin's stash of angreal/ter'angreal/ shocklances etc.., starvation due to food spoiling, the dead walking, the pattern unravelling, the TP, and not to mention the DO itself, the Shadow has every advantage.

 

 

I have always seen it this way:

1) Fight against DO on one front. Now this probably has most potential for disaster. But DO has never been able to free himself. So this limits his role in any battle. He is a possibility of war going totally wrong and this is where Dragon comes into picture. Dragon must put DO away, with help of others. While this is important, it's not the war. There is no reason to believe that just because there is hole in his prison, he can break free anytime soon or ever. May be it will take him 50000 years to break free. Who knows.

2) Other front that is his minions. Now this is a real and immediate threat. What happens if Dragon seals the DO away and gets killed in process. Randland in this scenario probably will be destroyed. So putting away DO is not enough. Light must come out in force. They are underdogs here. To think that WT, BT,Seanchan...are just helpful and not a necessity is just plain weird. Camelyn is burning right now. Borderlands is overrun. Does it matter to these people what happens to DO.

Edited May 14, 2011 by WhiskyJack

[Thorgan]

lol, 10 million trollocs.

The shadow probably has an advantage (mostly because of the ashaman) but if that were the case they could just stroll down southward.

They could have done that if there were the same number of trollocs and human soldiers for that matter.

 

I'm pretty sure LTT didn't have a giant army when he sealed the DO.

And if he gets enough aes sedai he can still make a giant circle and do whatever.

[WhiskyJack]

lol, 10 million trollocs.

The shadow probably has an advantage (mostly because of the ashaman) but if that were the case they could just stroll down southward.

They could have done that if there were the same number of trollocs and human soldiers for that matter.

 

I'm pretty sure LTT didn't have a giant army when he sealed the DO.

And if he gets enough aes sedai he can still make a giant circle and do whatever.

 

 

During LTT's time, armies were more balanced and LTT has led a strike on SG itself. He still had 113 channelers and like 10k soldiers...

[phoenixtrinity]

Does Rand know about Perrin's connection with the wolves? Or, rather, who does know about it?

 

How does Forkroot cut a channeler off from the One Power? Does it work on males too?

 

What is the deal with the black dogs in The Dragon Reborn, chapter 9, 'Jahara' (I think that's the chapter, I don't have my book with me atm)

 

Lastly, sort of an odd one, can animals touch the One Power or is this a definite no? I admit I've not seen it mentioned in the books but I'm just randomly curious.

 

Thanks!

[Goldstar]

For the last two, I think the Black Dogs you talk about are Darkhounds, aren't they? Also, dogs and cats we know can at least sense the Source to an extent. We don't know more than that, unless I'm wrong.

[Puny]

How does Forkroot cut a channeler off from the One Power? Does it work on males too?

I always thought that was weird. In my understanding the ability to channel is genetic. So to have a tea that hinders/cuts people of from channeling or sensing the Source, wouldn´t that be like having a food...thing affecting you on a genetic level? Or is it just blocking certain genes... Idk.

[yoniy0]

Does Rand know about Perrin's connection with the wolves? Or, rather, who does know about it?

Everyone in Perrin's camp (WC included), plus Moiraine, Lan, Egwene (to some extent), likely the Shadow (Ingtar knew, and Ishamael seemed to know something of the boys in TEotW; not to mention, Slayer knows that Perrin runs with wolves) and naturally Elyas (oh, and Noam, if you count him as a person). Some Tinkers might as well - they seemed to know something of Elyas's connection with the wolves back in TEotW, and to those who know Perrin's eyes are an obvious giveaway. I don't think Rand does, though.

 

Does it work on males too?

Yes, it does. I think it was Tylee who told us that a man gets caught in the Seanchan traps from time to time.

 

Lastly, sort of an odd one, can animals touch the One Power or is this a definite no?

I tend to think not, but I can't offer any proof. Ogier can't, if that counts for anything.

[phoenixtrinity]

Thanks guys!

 

I suppose it would be a bit odd to have a deer come running out channeling balefire... But of course channeling and just sensing the one power are two different things ^^;

 

I was confused about the black dogs in The Dragon Reborn only because they didn't quite sound like darkhounds, but then I didn't know why normal dogs would be attacking Rand randomly.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

How does Forkroot cut a channeler off from the One Power? Does it work on males too?

I always thought that was weird. In my understanding the ability to channel is genetic. So to have a tea that hinders/cuts people of from channeling or sensing the Source, wouldn´t that be like having a food...thing affecting you on a genetic level? Or is it just blocking certain genes... Idk.

 

i don't think forkroot acts on a genetic level.

 

perhaps the mutation that allows one to channel is associated with a susceptibility to the effects of forkroot.

 

without that mutation, drink up johnny.

 

with the mutation, the tea smacks you in the head and confounds your ability to focus your mind and channel.

 

or maybe not.

 

 

here's a very bad analogy. red hair is genetic. hair dye changes the color of the hair without affecting the genes.

 

sigh.

 

i find it difficult to organize my thoughts when there are humans coming. please excuse.

[WhiskyJack]

My silly theory on forkroot: It attacks part of brain needed for channeling. That's why all your cognitive abilities are not gone though a strong doze seems to seem to simply knock you down.

[Puny]

My silly theory on forkroot: It attacks part of brain needed for channeling. That's why all your cognitive abilities are not gone though a strong doze seems to seem to simply knock you down.

Hmm.. that theory doesn´t seem so silly. Maybe channeling ability is manifested both in the genes and in the brain.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

the genes cause things to be manifested in the body. they are the blueprints for making proteins, to put it way too simply. some bio person should come explain this. er, actually, it's off topic. nevermind.

[Puny]

A question on fans. In CoS there is a scene when Perrin discovers Faile´s is one of Colavaere´s lapdogs. Rand is there and Colavaere is all sadface because she just lost her titles. Faile has a fan and she walks up to Perrin and taps him on the cheek (saldaean fanlanguage) and it means something like: You woolhead, we should meet in secret. (Just making this up).

 

My question is... what is the point of all the fanslapping and waving? If it´s supposed to be some secret language how does it work? Wouldn´t every Saldaean noble know what the tap on the cheek meant? Or are there different taps to different people? Then the language would mean different things to different people and that sounds... exhausting to remember?

[Sid]

Are there any theories suggesting where Merilille and Talaan ended up going after they ran away from Caemlyn? That was over three months ago in the timeline, and I think at least one or both of them knows how to travel... They should have easily found the Rebels, and surely heard of them being outside Tar Valon, yet there's no mention of them appearing there. Perhaps they are actually Darkfriends, or kidnapped by Darkfriends/Forsaken?

[Terez]

Are there any theories suggesting where Merilille and Talaan ended up going after they ran away from Caemlyn?

None with any evidence to support it.

 

That was over three months ago in the timeline, and I think at least one or both of them knows how to travel...

Merilille is not strong enough, but the description of their leaving suggests that they didn't Travel.