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

[phoenixtrinity]

I don't recall power wrought armor ever being mentioned in the series. I assume it doesn't exist? If not, why? The weapons made with the Power are unbreakable yes, so why not make armor too?

[Durinax]

I don't recall power wrought armor ever being mentioned in the series. I assume it doesn't exist? If not, why? The weapons made with the Power are unbreakable yes, so why not make armor too?

presumably because it would fuse together, so chainmail would become a like wearing a shirt of super light concrete, no good. And making plate connected by leather strapping that may not be best because the straps are still open for attack and can leave the warrior defenselss

[MasterAblar]

Who killed Barthanes, the gholam? And why? Surely he was still useful to darkfriends as powerful as he was..

 

Yes the gholam, and because he helped Fain.

[MasterAblar]

Does anyone know for certain what percentage of Ashaman are still in the Tower verse what Rand has under his command in the field?

 

&

 

Can someone remind me in ToM what was up with Gawyn's message about facing the bloodknives not reaching Egwene? Did it have anything to do with the kin member holding the gateway that snapped closed on his heel?

 

Considering Logain's report in KoD (or CoT, can't remember), at most half of the total ashaman are still in the BT. With TG going there's no reason for Rand to send those out of the BT back there.

[WhiskyJack]

A question about this LIGHT power: It's been repeated many times that Dragon is channeling some new kind of power and many has hinted this might be the reason for his awesome performance in Maradon. My question is, why is he then channeling OP at all?

Edited June 26, 2011 by WhiskyJack

[Arc]

Has Perrin seen Birgitte since he saw her in TAR? Does he even know she's bonded to Elayne? Don't remember her being present at the negotiation talks in ToM. If so, Perrin's suprise isn't mentioned then?

[Terez]

A question about this LIGHT power: It's been repeated many times that Dragon is channeling some new kind of power

Nope, it's still saidin. If it was something else, the Asha'man would not have been able to see his flows at Maradon.

[phoenixtrinity]

I feel really stupid for not knowing this but...

 

Why did Sheriam Sedai walk into the Novices' quarters in TDR, right after the girls caught the Greyman? She is black ajah, but what was she doing there? Coming to make sure the assassins did their job?

[LemonPastie]

It could have been coincidence (she was mistress of the novices) but she may have been ready to 'discover' them, or clean up anything that needed cleaning. My money is that she meant to be there to find them

[True Source Creator]

"The Gathering Storm" question

 

Chapter: The Last That Could Be Done

 

Semirhage has collared Rand and is forcing him to choke Min, when suddenly Rand feels a strange power overcoming him. Lews Therin screams that they must not use it as it was "HIM" (Shai'ton), and then a face passes before Rand's view. Was that Moridin, helping from his "bond" with Rand? He did say previously that he could kill Semirhage for what she had done (the hand), but why would Moridin go against Shaidar Haran (the most sentient form of the Dark One at this point in time)? Shaidar Haran came to Semirhage with explicit instructions that she must not fail, so I don't know why Moridin would go against orders from Shaidar Haran and kill Semirhage like that, unless Shaidar Haran was getting annoyed that Semirhage was toying around too much and not focusing. Odd.

 

 

By the way, if it's actually a RAFO thing, then I'll do that. I was actually just curious if this is speculatory or if it's actually something already revealed, in which case I can definitely RAFO it. If speculatory, though, I just wanted to contribute to it and ponder if others have.

[MasterAblar]

"The Gathering Storm" question

 

Chapter: The Last That Could Be Done

 

Semirhage has collared Rand and is forcing him to choke Min, when suddenly Rand feels a strange power overcoming him. Lews Therin screams that they must not use it as it was "HIM" (Shai'ton), and then a face passes before Rand's view. Was that Moridin, helping from his "bond" with Rand? He did say previously that he could kill Semirhage for what she had done (the hand), but why would Moridin go against Shaidar Haran (the most sentient form of the Dark One at this point in time)? Shaidar Haran came to Semirhage with explicit instructions that she must not fail, so I don't know why Moridin would go against orders from Shaidar Haran and kill Semirhage like that, unless Shaidar Haran was getting annoyed that Semirhage was toying around too much and not focusing. Odd.

 

 

By the way, if it's actually a RAFO thing, then I'll do that. I was actually just curious if this is speculatory or if it's actually something already revealed, in which case I can definitely RAFO it. If speculatory, though, I just wanted to contribute to it and ponder if others have.

 

SH lied.

[Terez]

It was basically killing two birds with one stone. Semirhage really pissed Moridin off with the hand thing, so he got his revenge on her by using her to provoke Rand into using the True Power, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist playing with him as soon as she got the opportunity.

[mb]

Who killed Barthanes, the gholam? And why? Surely he was still useful to darkfriends as powerful as he was..

Yes the gholam, and because he helped Fain.

Actually, the killer and reason are both not revealed in the books.

Only thing certain about the killer is that it was a Shadowspawn. And nothing is certain about the reason.

[WhiskyJack]

edit.

Edited June 28, 2011 by WhiskyJack

[Superhal]

Has Perrin seen Birgitte since he saw her in TAR? Does he even know she's bonded to Elayne? Don't remember her being present at the negotiation talks in ToM. If so, Perrin's suprise isn't mentioned then?

 

Nope, Brigette wasn't there during the "boon" talks.

[Superhal]

I have a couple of questions:

 

1. How many trollocs have appeared "on screen?" How many trollocs total can be extrapolated from this? My guess would be 1-2 million have died so far, hinting that there may be 10 million+ reserves/in-training.

 

2. Given the relatively small population of the Borderlands and the lack of food in the Blight, how can that many trollocs be fed?

 

3. Of the Aes Sedai (as of ToM) who haven't returned to the tower since Egwene took over AND who haven't been outed yet (waiting to bond Asha'man at the BT, with the Borderlanders in Fal Moran, traveling with Perrin/Mat, etc.) how many are known BA's?

 

4. Do hiss-staves use standing weaves or gunpowder?

 

5. How many total heroes can be called by the Horn of Valere? It would seem to make sense that some of the heroes were already reborn, and thus couldn't be called, but it seems like 100-150 heroes (as were called at Falme) is a pathetically small number if there were hundreds of cycles of the Pattern already.

 

6. Why did the TAR Artur Hawkwing have the same name as the original when he was called by the Horn? Was he a first-timer who was added to the Heroes (like he hinted to Julian)?

 

7. Given that Machim Shin will also attack Shadowspawn, if they wanted to bring 100k trollocs through the Ways, how many would they have to send to get that number assuming a % would be lost?

 

8. Why do past memories only go back 3000 years up to the end of the Age of Legends (Mat, Bridgette, LTT/Rand)? Why doesn't Rand/LTT remember at least the histories that were available during the Age of Legends, or the beginning of the Age of Legends? It is implied that the Wheel has turned many times, possibly in the thousands. While it is possible that their original threads were created at that time, it seems too convenient that nobody remembers anything before the end of the Age of Legends.

[WhiskyJack]

1) experts.

2) Blight is quite big and may be these trollocs feed on stundted trees/creatures in blight. I don;t think there is a good answer to this

3) Less than 100 still alive I think.

4)?

5)3 heroes of horn are out of circulation (Rand/Birgitte/Cain). Leaves about 110=120..Wheel probably has turned cycles beyond counting and you don't need a big army of heroes. They can defeat a host of any size as long as their leader is wining.

6) Not explained in the book. Perhaps they keep the name of the last life. Meaning once Rand dies, they will know him as Rand.

7) Does it matter?

8) They don't. Thom had stories from ages way way before AoL Mat's memory was a "war gift". Not much war in AoL, Rand remembers AoL very clearly and Brigitte ages before that, though she is slowly forgetting everything.

[MasterAblar]

I have a couple of questions:

 

1. How many trollocs have appeared "on screen?" How many trollocs total can be extrapolated from this? My guess would be 1-2 million have died so far, hinting that there may be 10 million+ reserves/in-training.

 

2. Given the relatively small population of the Borderlands and the lack of food in the Blight, how can that many trollocs be fed?

 

3. Of the Aes Sedai (as of ToM) who haven't returned to the tower since Egwene took over AND who haven't been outed yet (waiting to bond Asha'man at the BT, with the Borderlanders in Fal Moran, traveling with Perrin/Mat, etc.) how many are known BA's?

 

4. Do hiss-staves use standing weaves or gunpowder?

 

5. How many total heroes can be called by the Horn of Valere? It would seem to make sense that some of the heroes were already reborn, and thus couldn't be called, but it seems like 100-150 heroes (as were called at Falme) is a pathetically small number if there were hundreds of cycles of the Pattern already.

 

6. Why did the TAR Artur Hawkwing have the same name as the original when he was called by the Horn? Was he a first-timer who was added to the Heroes (like he hinted to Julian)?

 

7. Given that Machim Shin will also attack Shadowspawn, if they wanted to bring 100k trollocs through the Ways, how many would they have to send to get that number assuming a % would be lost?

 

8. Why do past memories only go back 3000 years up to the end of the Age of Legends (Mat, Bridgette, LTT/Rand)? Why doesn't Rand/LTT remember at least the histories that were available during the Age of Legends, or the beginning of the Age of Legends? It is implied that the Wheel has turned many times, possibly in the thousands. While it is possible that their original threads were created at that time, it seems too convenient that nobody remembers anything before the end of the Age of Legends.

 

1) Hard, if not impossible to say. Their main purpose is to die anyway.

 

2) They can't, not for an extended amount of time anyway. Their numbers are only so high at the moment because the Last Battle.

 

3) I don't know, but you can check the Thirteenth Depository.

 

4) What are hiss staves?

 

5) I don't know that there is a limit to how many can be called, but it takes a lot to become a HotH.

 

6) Well I believe this was from Rand's point of view, and Rand won't know what he's called in other lives.

 

7) I have no idea. A lot I guess.

 

8) Brigitte has memories that presumably go back further than the AoL. While we don't know how long the AoL was, unless it was extremely short, LTT was born at the end of it, so he wouldn't remember what happened at the beggining of the AoL. We also don't know what cause the transition of the First Age into the AoL. There could have been some huge disaster.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Master Ablar

[Terez]

I have a couple of questions:

 

1. How many trollocs have appeared "on screen?" How many trollocs total can be extrapolated from this? My guess would be 1-2 million have died so far, hinting that there may be 10 million+ reserves/in-training.

 

2. Given the relatively small population of the Borderlands and the lack of food in the Blight, how can that many trollocs be fed?

Brandon indicated that they have to get food from elsewhere. Sharans probably make good food.

 

3. Of the Aes Sedai (as of ToM) who haven't returned to the tower since Egwene took over AND who haven't been outed yet (waiting to bond Asha'man at the BT, with the Borderlanders in Fal Moran, traveling with Perrin/Mat, etc.) how many are known BA's?

Javindhra and Fera are the only ones we know by name. Most of the named Blacks were either in the Tower or with the rebels, but there is an unknown number among the unaligned.

 

4. Do hiss-staves use standing weaves or gunpowder?

We don't know. They remind me of Roman candles, but the relative lack of pain indicates a high speed bullet of some kind.

 

5. How many total heroes can be called by the Horn of Valere?

Less than 100.

 

It would seem to make sense that some of the heroes were already reborn, and thus couldn't be called, but it seems like 100-150 heroes (as were called at Falme) is a pathetically small number if there were hundreds of cycles of the Pattern already.

Some of them probably are killed permanently every now and then.

 

6. Why did the TAR Artur Hawkwing have the same name as the original when he was called by the Horn? Was he a first-timer who was added to the Heroes (like he hinted to Julian)?

We assume they go by their last incarnation in the afterlife. Hawkwing is presumably major enough that he's only born once every thousand years or so.

 

7. Given that Machim Shin will also attack Shadowspawn, if they wanted to bring 100k trollocs through the Ways, how many would they have to send to get that number assuming a % would be lost?

We don't know. They might have some way of controlling Machin Shin.

 

8. Why do past memories only go back 3000 years up to the end of the Age of Legends (Mat, Bridgette, LTT/Rand)? Why doesn't Rand/LTT remember at least the histories that were available during the Age of Legends, or the beginning of the Age of Legends? It is implied that the Wheel has turned many times, possibly in the thousands. While it is possible that their original threads were created at that time, it seems too convenient that nobody remembers anything before the end of the Age of Legends.

Rand remembers only his last life because that's the one he needs the most, presumably (though some think that lives are divided by barriers and that Rand's barrier only degraded enough to let the last life come to the surface; some believe it's a matter of being able to remember more recent memories more easily); Birgitte is forgetting due to limited brain capacity; Mat was given memories from the period of time most useful for battle - the height of the art of war. The nature of the Pattern is really great for these 'too convenient' things.

[Superhal]

re: #8

 

For those that remember the end of the Age of Legends, shouldn't they remember reading history books of even earlier? For example, in the current age, much is known about major events, e.g. the Breaking, the Trolloc Wars, past Amyrlins, etc. even through hearsay. LTT should even remember more as he was 400+ years old when he died. Current history is shady after the Breaking up to the Trolloc wars, iirc, but even then, there's a surprising amount that has survived. On top of this, there's even the newly found ter'angreal that was used to store information.

[WhiskyJack]

My questions got lost in...

 

Okay I just finished tEoTW and I have few questions regarding the fight between Rand and Ishmael.

1) What was that pulsing black cord behind Ishmael? Saidin? Why black though? If TP than how was Rand seeing it? Asmo only hand a thin black cord protecting him from taint. What did cutting the cord do? Still Ishmael? Did it just heal later?

2) Did Rand balefire those Fades "holding" his mother? Is that why Ishmael screamed?

3) How did he wound Ishmael? Lightning doesn't come from sword. Felt more like balefire but everything caught fire or what not and Ishamel was alive after that.

 

I read the whole, Rand accessing Eye of World, Saidin scene bunch of times and still couldn't figure about this channeling the LIGHT and Power thingy.

 

 

Anyone?

[True Source Creator]

Could the black cord have been Ishy's connection to the DO, like how Rand was able to cut Asmodean off.

[Superhal]

My questions got lost in...

 

Okay I just finished tEoTW and I have few questions regarding the fight between Rand and Ishmael.

1) What was that pulsing black cord behind Ishmael? Saidin? Why black though? If TP than how was Rand seeing it? Asmo only hand a thin black cord protecting him from taint. What did cutting the cord do? Still Ishmael? Did it just heal later?

2) Did Rand balefire those Fades "holding" his mother? Is that why Ishmael screamed?

3) How did he wound Ishmael? Lightning doesn't come from sword. Felt more like balefire but everything caught fire or what not and Ishamel was alive after that.

 

I read the whole, Rand accessing Eye of World, Saidin scene bunch of times and still couldn't figure about this channeling the LIGHT and Power thingy.

 

 

Anyone?

 

1. I don't know exactly what the black cord was, but apparently it protected Asmodean from the Taint. However, Ishy was able to channel after the cord was severed without any ill effects. Imho, the first book didn't really clearly outline the rules of the universe, but later books will.

2. Ishmael screamed after the black cords were cut. Since Ishy isn't the DO, that part was purely illusion. Only the DO can bring back the souls of dead people.

3. Rand channeled Fire, Ishy escaped with a few burns from this encounter.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Toy'varen

[Superhal]

How does Alivia join Rand's group? I went back and re-read everything leading up to it, and found no clues. She just suddenly appears at the beginning of tGS.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Toy'varen

[Terez]

How does Alivia join Rand's group? I went back and re-read everything leading up to it, and found no clues. She just suddenly appears at the beginning of tGS.

She has been more or less with him since Nynaeve brought her to Far Madding. She was with the group that went against Semirhage at the end of KOD.