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

[Hagazussa]

Make them warders. That'd keep them close and easy to track down if they got away. As for detecting them, yeah, ter'Angreal would need to be involved, and maybe mapping blood lines to help identify potentials. Still, super difficult and work intensive. Aes Sedai have been shown to be fairly lazy when it comes to menial work, so it would take a strong Amerlyn or 6 to force them to do it until it became tradition.

 

Bonding them to keep track of them would work. Now as for family lines, that channeling ability is an inherited trait is not common knowledge among Aes Sedai, some suspect that it is so but talking aloud about it is frowned upon so most Aes Sedai have no idea that a channeler have a greater chance in having children who themselves can channel.

 

Plus, gentling doesn't get rid of the sense of Saidin, just the ability to actually touch it. So, it would be a 1 to 1 comparison. The bonus is, I believe, that severing actually causes damage. The depression is not merely a symptom of not being able to touch the OP, but a result of physical and spiritual trauma.

 

Well it do not do physical damage that we know, but we know it do spiritual damage as a part that is supposed to be there is cut away, whatever or not this do damage to a person in an off itself we do not know. Severing is described as being extremely traumatic and painful to the victim and that might unhinge some, but really even if it is just the being unable to touch the Power part which is the problem that causes the depression then knowing that a shield can be broken one day should reduce those symptoms. Now I agree with you, I think severing causes more damage than just preventing someone addicted from getting their magickal fix, but even if this is wrong and it is just the lack of channeling that causes the problems then permanently shielding someone is still better as it A is painless unlike gentling and B it is not permanent and the target will know this giving hope that they can channel again one day.

 

In cases of gentling, they would be sure that the weave itself was functioning, and in the right place, so whether or not the male can actually channel is a moot point. The end result is they cannot channel, whether they were able to before or not. So, when in doubt, sever.

 

Well with a severing weave you can see the result as at least all the times it have happened in the books, if I do not remember it completely wrong here, the target have reacted rather violently, falling to the ground, screaming and writhing so while a shield can be placed without the target knowing about it severing can not so that would be a good if...ehm...brutal way to discover if someone could channel or not, but yes off course the weave can not harm a non channeler so there is no reason not to try to use it if you are unsure.

 

That off course leads to the question however about whatever or not the target of a severing weave can try to resist it like someone can fight a shield.

[Whizbang]

That off course leads to the question however about whatever or not the target of a severing weave can try to resist it like someone can fight a shield.

 

Mogi and Nyn had a severing battle. Nyn's severing shield was blunted by Mogi's defence and so it resulted in only a shield.

[Hagazussa]

Mogi and Nyn had a severing battle. Nyn's severing shield was blunted by Mogi's defence and so it resulted in only a shield.

 

Ah yes that is right, the answer is yes then you can resist at least while holding the Power. But what if you are not holding the Power, can the victim of a severing weave try to resist then?

[Whizbang]

Are you asking if, say, Soriela were to sneak up on Lanfear and attempt to sever her, would she succeed? I believe yes (assuming Lanfears quick reflexes do not save her. Soriela would need to invert her weaves and maybe even hide her ability to channel). It is like defending yourself from an arrow you do not see. By the time you realize something is wrong, the arrow is alreay embedded in your body. Shielding seems to be effortless on someone not holding the source, so severing should be equally so.

[Luckers]

Ok we know that the age someone with the spark will begin to channel is ca early teens to early twenties for women and late teens to early thirties for men, but what about those who can learn, we also know that you can have someone much older than that who can be discovered to be able to learn, in theory you could have a 90 year old of either gender who is discovered to be able to learn, my question then is do it work the other way as well, could you have someone much younger than the normal age of manifestation for their gender who is discovered. What happens if you take a six year old boy with a ability learn and plop him down in front of Taim and test him? Will his ability then be discovered or will there just be nothing there until he is older. I think someone further up in this thread mentioned that some of the Two Rivers boys at the black Tower where about 14 which would be far below the age of manifestation for a male channeler if that is correct.

 

Also what about talents that only show up in channelers but which the individual do not actively need to channel to use, like Dreaming, could that manifest before the actual ability to channel do?

 

If it helps at all, in the Age of Legends they tested children for the ability at the age of ten.

[Hagazussa]

Thank you for the information Luckers, so if you had a very irresponsible channeler, male or female that started teaching a child they found that could learn then you could have a child channeler?

[Luckers]

Thank you for the information Luckers, so if you had a very irresponsible channeler, male or female that started teaching a child they found that could learn then you could have a child channeler?

 

Possibly. We know children went to special schools for Aes Sedai the second their ability was detected (provided they (or, I suppose, their parents) chose to go through with the training, which the vast majority did), but I'm guessing that was just to recieve a base education. I highly doubt they were sparked that young, and thus we have no information to suggest its possible aside from Aviendha's children, and they are... odd.

[John Everyman]

Actually, a question just occurred to me. I always assumed the answer, but I only now realize that I don't believe it's been mentioned. For reference, I have just started A Path of Daggers.

 

We know when men grasp saidin, they experienced heightened senses; does the same old true for saidar users? I don't recall any reference to a woman having better hearing, or sense of smell in saidar, yet Robert Jordan mentions it quite frequently in Rand's POV. The only benefit I recall of a woman embracing saidar is intense joy, which is presented as much a weakness as a benefit.

Edited October 20, 2012 by instantdeath99

[yoniy0]

We know when men grasp saidin, they experienced heightened senses; does the same old true for saidar users?

Yes, the same is true for women. Off the top of my head, Moiraine uses that fact in New Spring (the novel, although the Legends short story contain a reference to that fact as well). I don't know if you've read it already (although I wholeheartedly recommend that you do), so I won't specify how and when.

[kght22]

We know when men grasp saidin, they experienced heightened senses; does the same old true for saidar users?

Yes, the same is true for women. Off the top of my head, Moiraine uses that fact in New Spring (the novel, although the Legends short story contain a reference to that fact as well). I don't know if you've read it already (although I wholeheartedly recommend that you do), so I won't specify how and when.

egwene does it in cairhaien to see the seafolk ship more clearly from the shore when she attempts to board it.

[John Everyman]

Thanks, all I needed. Didn't want to have saidin users to have another advantage Though saidar users have that handy ability to link, and can make longer air bridges.

 

I haven't read New Spring, but I fully intend to. I'm thinking either after Crossroads of Twilight (publication order) or Knife of Dreams (since I hear that's sort of the second half to COT, and that COT is... unsatisfying... on its own). Do you have any preference?

Edited October 20, 2012 by instantdeath99

[BFG]

Thanks, all I needed. Didn't want to have saidin users to have another advantage Though saidar users have that handy ability to link, and can make longer air bridges.

 

I haven't read New Spring, but I fully intend to. I'm thinking either after Crossroads of Twilight (publication order) or Knife of Dreams (since I hear that's sort of the second half to COT, and that COT is... unsatisfying... on its own). Do you have any preference?

 

I started my reread quite late, so I'm going to leave NS till last. All being well I'll be able to read NS and then dive into aMoL if not I'll read NS after aMoL.

 

But I think if I were you I'd read NS before the BS stuff, the main povs aren't present in NS so with a break the writing shift may be less abrupt. (don't get me wrong, unlike some others I think there are many good things in his books, but there is a difference)

[yoniy0]

Do you have any preference?

This question has been asked many times before, and everyone seems to have their own preferences. The most popular opinion, with which I fully agree, is after WH. Other than that, I think it would work just fine before TPoD as well (it would make Siuan's opinion of Cadsuane clearer). It's true that I wouldn't recommend stopping between TPoD-WH or CoT-KoD, as these in large part are halves of a whole.

 

Either way, when considering order of publication, bear in mind that half the story was written for a collection of short stories, which came out a couple of years before the novel, if memory serves.

Edited October 20, 2012 by yoniy0

[Benganza]

Did LTT kill himself with a lightning bolt or bale-fire?

 

The bolt that struck from the heavens would have seared and blinded any eye that glimpsed it, even for an instant. From the heavens it came, blazed through Lewis Therin Telamon, bored into the bowels of the earth. Stone turned to vapour at its touch. The earth thrashed and quivered like a living thing in agony. Only a heartbeat did the shining bar exist, connecting ground and sky [...]

 

The underlined part sounds a lot like bale-fire and if it was strong enough it could mean Ilenya and the others he killed shortly before that event got 'revived'.

[XoMeltdownoX]

Did LTT kill himself with a lightning bolt or bale-fire?

 

The bolt that struck from the heavens would have seared and blinded any eye that glimpsed it, even for an instant. From the heavens it came, blazed through Lewis Therin Telamon, bored into the bowels of the earth. Stone turned to vapour at its touch. The earth thrashed and quivered like a living thing in agony. Only a heartbeat did the shining bar exist, connecting ground and sky [...]

 

The underlined part sounds a lot like bale-fire and if it was strong enough it could mean Ilenya and the others he killed shortly before that event got 'revived'.

 

RJ: "I know about the "Jordan junkies" (ahem! Blush!), now. Lews Therin did not use balefire on himself; he simply drew as much of the One Power as he could, then kept on pulling it in. As for Verin: read and find out. Surely you agree with Oscar Wilde about the suspense? I will try to keep you right a tiptoe as long as I can."

 

[herid]

This has probably been discussed before but while recently rereading the scene of the fight between Ishy and Rand at the end of tEoTW I realized that I never figured out what exactly was the nature of the figure of Kari Al'Thor that makes a brief appearance there. I've assumed before that it is simply a TAR creation like all the other things Ishy conjures up in that scene. But then why does she react positively to Rand killing her?

Rand’s scream echoed hers. The void boiled in his mind. His sword was in his hand. Not the heron-mark blade, but a blade of light, a blade of the Light. Even as he raised it, a fiery white bolt shot from the point, as if the blade itself had reached out. It touched the nearest Fade, and blinding candescence filled the chamber, shining through the Halfmen like a candle through paper, burning through them, blinding his eyes to the scene.

From the midst of the brilliance, he heard a whisper. “Thank you, my son. The Light. The blessed Light.”

--tEoTW, ch 51

[okigo]

So. Elaine. I must say that Im a newcomer to the WoT series, currently reading ToM, at about 1/3 of it.

 

at the moment I have developed a really strong dislike for Elaine. A viewing saying her babies will be born healthy as an excuse to putting herself in danger. She doesnt care if when taking ridiculous risk she can endager several people - close friends and subjects included. So selfish. And not to mention that being maimed is still a posibility. it baffles me.

 

And most recently shes trying to tie the Kin to the crown. Free healing in Andor and Traveling for trade/resources. IIRC, the Kin ranks consists of what? 2 thousand woman? Why not instead propose "Kin embasys" over all the world? She only thinks about personal gain.

 

Sorry about the rant. My point is: Does it get better? As in becomes a better, selfless person?

[yoniy0]

Sorry about the rant. My point is: Does it get better? As in becomes a better, selfless person?

What, do you mean in the remaining two thirds of ToM? No, it doesn't

 

But I'm sure you could find another thread around here where folks yell at each other about Elayne; I think Egwene is the only character which inspires more arguments than she.

[Durinax]

So. Elaine. I must say that Im a newcomer to the WoT series, currently reading ToM, at about 1/3 of it.

 

at the moment I have developed a really strong dislike for Elaine. A viewing saying her babies will be born healthy as an excuse to putting herself in danger. She doesnt care if when taking ridiculous risk she can endager several people - close friends and subjects included. So selfish. And not to mention that being maimed is still a posibility. it baffles me.

 

And most recently shes trying to tie the Kin to the crown. Free healing in Andor and Traveling for trade/resources. IIRC, the Kin ranks consists of what? 2 thousand woman? Why not instead propose "Kin embasys" over all the world? She only thinks about personal gain.

 

Sorry about the rant. My point is: Does it get better? As in becomes a better, selfless person?

actually though their based in Andor, they will likely be routed to Cairhein as well. My understand is that they will just be based in Andor, but still sending women everywhere like they did before.

 

 

My question do we have any DF plots that where not explicitely shown to be on screen? The only one I can think of being one is the rumors in Andor about the Dragon killing Morgase (and maybe Elayne)

[Finnssss22]

So. Elaine. I must say that Im a newcomer to the WoT series, currently reading ToM, at about 1/3 of it.

 

at the moment I have developed a really strong dislike for Elaine. A viewing saying her babies will be born healthy as an excuse to putting herself in danger. She doesnt care if when taking ridiculous risk she can endager several people - close friends and subjects included. So selfish. And not to mention that being maimed is still a posibility. it baffles me.

 

And most recently shes trying to tie the Kin to the crown. Free healing in Andor and Traveling for trade/resources. IIRC, the Kin ranks consists of what? 2 thousand woman? Why not instead propose "Kin embasys" over all the world? She only thinks about personal gain.

 

Sorry about the rant. My point is: Does it get better? As in becomes a better, selfless person?

actually though their based in Andor, they will likely be routed to Cairhein as well. My understand is that they will just be based in Andor, but still sending women everywhere like they did before.

 

 

We'll have to see what Egwene decides.

Right now, Elayne is writing cheques that yet need to be approved by Egwene and from the sounds of a couple of a couple Egwene PoV's, I don't think her and Elayne will be on the same page when all is said and done with the Kin.

Edited October 23, 2012 by Finnssss

[herid]

@Durinax that rumor didn't have to be a DF work and most likely wasn't IMO. why do you think it is? there are plenty of wrong rumors flying about. the rumor that Rand destroyed half the palace in Cairhien and killed a lot of people there is explicitly shown to be generated and spread by the servants in the palace.

 

Also, I don't quite understand what you mean by DF plots not explicitly shown on screen. something that we only suspect is a work of DFs? The dealings of Masuri and Annoura with Masema are beyond suspicious IMO. One of them is highly likely to be Black (I think luckers has a theory on that).

I have a feeling though that this plot arc was entirely dropped by BS and we may never find out.

Edited October 23, 2012 by herid

[yoniy0]

My question do we have any DF plots that where not explicitely shown to be on screen? The only one I can think of being one is the rumors in Andor about the Dragon killing Morgase (and maybe Elayne)

Many. Off the top of my head, we don't know the particulars of how Taim was released, and then there's the issue of Liandrin's thirteen, some of which have been sent on unknown assignments by Moghedien.

[Durinax]

My question do we have any DF plots that where not explicitely shown to be on screen? The only one I can think of being one is the rumors in Andor about the Dragon killing Morgase (and maybe Elayne)

Many. Off the top of my head, we don't know the particulars of how Taim was released, and then there's the issue of Liandrin's thirteen, some of which have been sent on unknown assignments by Moghedien.

Taim was explained on scene, some of the 13 we do not know what they have been about. But I am more interested in the potential plots that have effected the story immediately, like the Rand killed Morgase one effected what happened without it being traced back to them (concretely)

[yoniy0]

I'm still not sure what you're asking. Are you looking for the Shadow's hand in occurrences where the Lightsiders don't know who's to blame, or that we don't?

 

For the former, I don't think anyone caught up to the fact that Alviarin orchestrated Siuan's demise (even though Egwene clearly noted the BA's hand in facilitating it). As for the latter, well, we don't know... Are you looking for ideas on what might've been the work of DF?

[mb]

About channeling, the Guide tells 12 to 21 for girls and 16 to mid-twenties for boys. Those being the ages they would spark.

 

About New Spring, I read it just before my second time through the series. I generally read any fiction series in order of time settings.

 

About Lews Therin's death, multiple past threads discussed it. Neither balefire or lightning fit with what was left at the location. So if either was done, something else had to have been done afterward.