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

[Terez]

Mat had memories of being Aemon when he woke up from being Healed in the White Tower. That was also pre-Eelfinn.

[mb]

How was it that Mat and his companions survived Hinderstap?

I have some ideas on that, but want to read other's first.

 

 

As of yet, there seems to be no rumors relating to Mat's/Toun's marriage. How is that?

[yoniy0]

As of yet, there seems to be no rumors relating to Mat's/Toun's marriage. How is that?

Only Deathwatch Guards, Selucia, Mat's gang and maybe a few Redarms know, and they're all pretty discreet.

[A. Pseudonym]

Iirc, Egwene was also described as on the brink of understanding what Mat said in the Old Tongue. And that happened several times during TEOTW too.But other than that, I dont think others have displayed that ability. Not even Rand afaik?

 

 

Mat had memories of being Aemon when he woke up from being Healed in the White Tower. That was also pre-Eelfinn.

 

Yeah, I faintly remember those now... Haven't read anything in a while.

 

So, is this an early-bookism where RJ hadn't worked out quite where Mat would get his abilities from... or is this a deliberate hint that there is more to Mat's memories than a gift from the Finns?

 

I remember also that when he woke up in the White Tower, Lanfear visited him with that dice ter'angreal and a little afterwards when he was making his escape from assassins he fell off a walkway or a roof or something and survived without a scratch. This is a separate question, but is there any example of Mat's luck before Lanfear appeared with that ter'angreal? Did she do something to him?

[Tyzack]

I remember also that when he woke up in the White Tower, Lanfear visited him with that dice ter'angreal and a little afterwards when he was making his escape from assassins he fell off a walkway or a roof or something and survived without a scratch. This is a separate question, but is there any example of Mat's luck before Lanfear appeared with that ter'angreal? Did she do something to him?

 

I just reread that part, and I don't remember her having the dice...though, I never really understood her involvement with Mat or Perrin, since it was LTT (rand) she was after...

[A. Pseudonym]

I looked through TDR again and couldn't find any mention of dice ter'angreal. For some reason, I thought Mat had woken up and seen it on his bedside table. Dunno why. Sorry about that.

[Sharaman]

Mat's "luck" definitely manifests in TDR, including his hearing the dice in his head.

But I think RJ said it wasn't connected to the dice ter'angreal that the Black Ajah stole.

[Finnssss22]

Just mentioned this in another thread but it bares repeating here...the dice ter'angreal are not functioning dice, it is a carved cluster of six spotted dice joined at the corners about 2 inches across.

So not only are they not individual dice but even if they were separated, the dice are very small.

[yoniy0]

Yes, RJ said (and this is very nearly verbatim) that Mat's luck wasn't a gift from Lanfear, although in some ways it is the DO's own luck. After being asked about that ter'angreal. So while we don't actually see Lanfear with that ter'angreal, it might've been an AS answer, in the sense that Mat's luck has something to do with the ter'angreal, but it wasn't Lanfear who used it. Or they might indeed be unrelated.

 

Regardless, Mat has had better-than-average luck since TEotW, and it has improved during TGH. It didn't reach a truly exceptional level until he fled TV, though.

[Sharaman]

Can any channeler directly "gift" luck?

We've seen no evidence of such a Talent have we?

It's speculation where Mat's luck (and his ability to identify when key moments are approaching via the dice-in-head) comes from - the Pattern, the GLoD, some weird side effect of Shadar Logoth, or something else.

RJ's answer doesn't really illuminate,

[Finnssss22]

Can any channeler directly "gift" luck?

We've seen no evidence of such a Talent have we?

It's speculation where Mat's luck (and his ability to identify when key moments are approaching via the dice-in-head) comes from - the Pattern, the GLoD, some weird side effect of Shadar Logoth, or something else.

RJ's answer doesn't really illuminate,

 

 

Hell, for all we know, his increased luck and ability to "sense" upcoming events could be a side effect of blowing the Horn.

[BrainFireBob]

I rather figured it for a "new" ability. One old (Perrin), and one new (Mat).

 

Mat's lucky. I have a longer post somewhere how it fits a thunder god image- dice tumbling "loudly" sounds like thunder. It also fits Odin, Mat's primary Norse analog, who was desperate for foreknowledge. Mat has the most useless form of foreknowledge ever, he's just learned how to make it work for him. "Something's about to happen. Real soon. And it'll be important. And it could be anything."

 

I'm partial to the idea that Mat has ta'veren luck, and also some kind of luck-talent, some ability to concentrate luck. Perhaps he bends chance in balance, and can "concentrate" his good luck. A wall did fall on him. That might have "paid" for the Band through all those dice/card games. Etc.

Edited March 7, 2012 by BrainFireBob

[A. Pseudonym]

Mat's luck seems to be functionally the same as Rand and Perrin's ta'veren abilities, in that it bends chance. The only real distinctive factor is that he gets a vague warning of the impending significance of an event (whether good, bad, or whatever) through his hearing the sound of dice in his head.

 

What we know is that the dice ter'angreal bends chance. It was stolen by the Black Ajah. Lanfear, Verin and Alviarin (plus others that I probably can't remember) were in the vicinity at the time.

This doesn't mean they used it on him, but as he was escaping Tar Valon there are several unusually lucky occurrences for Mat, more so than he previously enjoyed. Like the gambling scene and the bit where he falls off the building. His luck might not have started there, but as far as I can remember there are no earlier instances of it. Correct me if I'm wrong; I don't pretend to have the encyclopedic knowledge of this series that some do.

 

Why is this ter'angreal mentioned at this specific place and time, and then forgotten about? It could be meaningless. It could not. I'd like to know.

 

Also, are Mat's memories of being Aemon during his perspective chapter in TDR an effect of the dagger? And if so, how does this account for his speaking in the old tongue in TEOTW?

[Sharaman]

Is he remembering Aemon for sure?

Or "just" a high ranking military commander of Manetheren who handling the Heart Guard?

Remember his snarls of "I'm no meat for AS" - Aemon was married to a bad-ass AS queen and might have been "educated" out of that particular aversion if he ever had it.

[yoniy0]

His luck might not have started there, but as far as I can remember there are no earlier instances of it. Correct me if I'm wrong

There are a few earlier instances, with lesser intensity. Here's one:

Mat tossed the dice back into the semicircle as he stepped out, and one of the men called, "Here, southlander, you can't quit while you're winning. "

"Better than when I'm losing," Mat said with a laugh. [...]. "You'll have another chance to win it back." Wry snorts from the kneeling men indicated they did not think there was much chance of that.

[Finnssss22]

Is he remembering Aemon for sure?

Or "just" a high ranking military commander of Manetheren who handling the Heart Guard?

Remember his snarls of "I'm no meat for AS" - Aemon was married to a bad-ass AS queen and might have been "educated" out of that particular aversion if he ever had it.

 

 

There's very little doubt it was Aemon.

He was leading the entire army as well as his personal Heart Guard , he had the personal Manetheren bannerman. It was do or die and we all know who died there.

 

From BS's twitter:

Lee Davis:

The speaking the Old Tongue is from his bloodline though, not his memories in that case, isn't it?

Brandon:

Yes, but it's still foreshadowing. He's the one who does it, not the others.

sleepinghour:

In TEotW, is Mat remembering the Old Tongue from his own past life or from his ancestors?

Terez:

Good question. He seems to have confirmed Old Blood for the Old Tongue, but the Aemon memory?

Felix:

That's what my belief is, Aemon. Mat Cauthon is the reborn soul of Aemon. Aemon's Old Tongue.

Brandon:

It isn't made clear. It could be either. The implication is his bloodline.

Brandon:

The Aemon connection is certainly implied strongly.

sleepinghour:

Without revealing names, did RJ's notes say whether any character besides Rand is the reincarnation of someone important?

Brandon:

This is a difficult one to answer, as I think even an answer might give some people too much of a clue. I'll consider.

 

 

He pretty much confirms that the memory is indeed of Aemon. He just won't confirm if Mat is actually Aemon's soul reborn.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Finnssss

[csnyder]

We probably won't get the answer of who-is-who-reborn until after the series, but I thought Mat would be Aemon.

Completely unrelated,

Egwene is no doubt in my mind the rebirth of Latra Posae (Shador Nor).

Elayne is Ilyena.

[Horseman]

Is Setalle Anan the same woman mentioned to Elayne in chapter 2 of WH? Her name is Martine Janata. She was burned out twenty years ago studying ter'angreal

sorry for double post..was making sure I'd be emailed when I was replied to.

[Sid]

Is Setalle Anan the same woman mentioned to Elayne in chapter 2 of WH? Her name is Martine Janata. She was burned out twenty years ago studying ter'angreal

It's widely believed that they are one and the same, but it hasn't been explicitly confirmed in the text.

[Horseman]

Thanks...ok one more. Is dashiva one of the forsaken?

[kght22]

Thanks...ok one more. Is dashiva one of the forsaken?

dashiva turned out to be oran'gar (likely spelled wrong) but yes, he was one of the forsaken. one who died and the do brought back.

 

EDIT: (it was osan'gar, i knew i got it wrong, took me a minute to think it out. but he was one of the do's daggers as it were)

Edited March 9, 2012 by Testy al'Carr

[yoniy0]

Horseman, how far along are you in the books? Testy al'Carr, he does ask, but it's generally better to make sure you don't spoil anyone. You can use 'spoiler' tags to hide parts of your answer, like this:

 

 

Osan'gar (aka, Dashiva) was Aginor transmigrated.

 

 

[kght22]

Horseman, how far along are you in the books? Testy al'Carr, he does ask, but it's generally better to make sure you don't spoil anyone. You can use 'spoiler' tags to hide parts of your answer, like this:

 

 

Osan'gar (aka, Dashiva) was Aginor transmigrated.

 

 

sorry man, if someone is on this thread, everything has been spoiled, if they are on this forum, everything can be spoiled, (this isn't structured general or any other spoiler proof forum, i wouldn't post there) spoiler tags are useful, but they don't mean much on this thread. but to correct your message, i didn't ask, and i didn't care. this thread even says full spoilers.

[yoniy0]

sorry man, if someone is on this thread, everything has been spoiled, if they are on this forum, everything can be spoiled, (this isn't structured general or any other spoiler proof forum, i wouldn't post there) spoiler tags are useful, but they don't mean much on this thread. but to correct your message, i didn't ask, and i didn't care. this thread even says full spoilers.

I didn't say you were under an obligation not to spoil him. As far as our rules are concerned, this board is indeed open for talk about every published WoT book. When we apply a 'no-spoiler' policy to a board, spoilers aren't allowed even inside a spoiler environment - so an open board is the only place in which they are useful.

 

What I did say is that this policy doesn't mean we shouldn't be considerate to fellow DMers. If someone's post reflects the possibility that they haven't read the series through, it's just good manners to make sure before you spoil them. In this, tags are helpful - they can decide for themselves whether to read your answer or not.

 

This isn't me telling you what to do; I'm simply asking.

[Horseman]

I've read through the books several times. Books 8 and 9 are kinda slow to me. I haven't read them but twice.....is books 8 and9 somewhere where we find out about Dashiva? The burned out aes sedi innkeeper I has put two and two together. Dashiva I either dismissed that a as an "oh I saw that coming" moment or I just missed it all together