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

[Mr Ares]

This actually came up and me and my hubby where playing some Wheel of Time roleplaying. Myrddraal have some connection to channeling, one theory is that they are created when the channeling gene show up in a trolloc offspring, and they are needed to tun channelers to the Shadow. My question then is, could someone shield a fade, or try to sever them and what would the result be if it was tried.

 

Also I was wondering are Myrddraal born without eyes or do they loose them as they come of age, and at what age to they start to be able to teleport using shadows, I can imagine it to be rather frustrating for their trolloc mother if they do it from birth.

This quote might well be of use to you:

BRANDON SANDERSON

Myrddraal are not Trollocs who can channel. Their powers are totally independent from the One Power. They really are just throwbacks to the human stock. Harriet added that there are also animal throwbacks, but they just die.

So, they're not channelers, so it's doubtful severing or shielding would have any effect on them.

[Hagazussa]

Thank you Mr Ares that should settle the matter yes, if what the fades do have nothing to do with the One Power then shielding or severing them will have no effect what so ever.

[Rhienne]

Did anyone read EotW, TGH, TDR in quick succession and notice that TDR seemed to be written slightly different.  Like the sentence structure, and characters were all slightly off.  Everything about it seemed different from the first 2 books!  I can't put my finger on it tho, it just put a bad taste in my mouth going into TSR. 

This is possibly because there is so little Rand in TDR?  80% of tEotW and 55% of tGH are from Rand's POV compared to only 2% of tDR.  Not only does the plot shift from very Rand-centric to more focus on the WT and Perrrin, but we start seeing people and events from their own perspectives or perspectives other than Rand's which may be why some characters seem off - e.g. Perrin sees Moiraine very differently from how Rand saw her.

 

Additionally, this is the part of the series where we have exponential growth in the complexity of the story and the world.  TEoTW is a very traditional, linear fantasy novel; tGH begins to extend from this with two major plots and greater information on a selection of cultures and organisations.  But in tDR we start having POVs from very minor characters and multiple plots develop in different directions, many of which are not concluded within the novel.

[Plato]

 

Did anyone read EotW, TGH, TDR in quick succession and notice that TDR seemed to be written slightly different.  Like the sentence structure, and characters were all slightly off.  Everything about it seemed different from the first 2 books!  I can't put my finger on it tho, it just put a bad taste in my mouth going into TSR. 

This is possibly because there is so little Rand in TDR?  80% of tEotW and 55% of tGH are from Rand's POV compared to only 2% of tDR.  Not only does the plot shift from very Rand-centric to more focus on the WT and Perrrin, but we start seeing people and events from their own perspectives or perspectives other than Rand's which may be why some characters seem off - e.g. Perrin sees Moiraine very differently from how Rand saw her.

 

Additionally, this is the part of the series where we have exponential growth in the complexity of the story and the world.  TEoTW is a very traditional, linear fantasy novel; tGH begins to extend from this with two major plots and greater information on a selection of cultures and organisations.  But in tDR we start having POVs from very minor characters and multiple plots develop in different directions, many of which are not concluded within the novel.

thanks, that might explain it.  Because by the end of TDR I was fine, and TSR was of course breath taking.  It was just very jolting to me at the start of TDR.

[Hagazussa]

I have to agree, I think it was the change of focus. The two first books are very stereotypical fantasy. Book one is your average bad things comes to remote village and some young nobodies have to flee as they have a great destiny and there is even a mysterious warrior and a mage in the mix. The book is very well written but it is generic and like most books of it's kind it follows the point of view of the main character almost exclusively, then we have book two which is more of the same just throw a fetch quest into it. That book to is rather generic until we get towards the end when Seanchan starts to get involved. Book three moves away from the generic fantasy formula, the plot is starting to form, we see massive character development and there is now points of views from allot of different characters. In fact I think what you are having a problem with is that book one and two are rather character driven, it is about Rand and the other Two Rivers kids as they see the big bad world for the first time and learn about their various destinies, in book three the story shifts from being character driven to being story driven, it is now less about the characters and more about the start of a tale about the end of a world and everything that happens around that, with the characters themselves being more tools to tell the story, instead of the story being about the characters, at least that is how I see it.

[Agitel]

Someone above said that we know that the voice from EotW is not shai'tan. How do we know that? I remember no such thing.

[EmperorAllspice]

also, how powerful was Hawkwing as a Ta'veren? Was he stronger than Perrin and Mat? I know Rand is more Ta'veren than him but I forget how he compares to the other two.

[Hagazussa]

Do anyone know what kind of gemstone Moiraine's kesiera is made of? From the description it do not seam to be a sapphire to me so I am thinking blue topaz, is it ever mentioned though what kind of stone it is?

[Rhienne]

@EmperorAllspice: Moiraine thinks that Rand, Mat and Perrin are all stronger ta'veren than Artur Hawking during tGH.

 

@Hagazussa: Pretty sure it is always just described as a blue stone (which is slightly strange as the other times a kesiera is mentioned we are specifically told what the stones are).  I guess it could be a blue topaz, or an aquamarine.

[mb]

repeating again my previous questions; few edits.

 

Towers of Midnight Chapters 36 through 38; 2 groups of saidar channelers fight against each other in telaranrhiod.  What was the total number of participants within those 2 groups?

 

Around that time, Perrin and some wolves fought against Slayer.  How many wolves participated in that fight?

 

What was Mesaana doing while Seachan attacked the White Tower?  (Gathering Storm Chapters 40-41)

Also, did she get word of it from anyone either before or during the attack?  If so, how & when did she find out and what was her reaction at that time?

[EmperorAllspice]

Hawkwing managed to amass a country spanning empire that in and of itself spawned ANOTHER country spanning empire. Did Perrin or MAt ever do anything comparaable?

[Agitel]

Hawkwing managed to amass a country spanning empire that in and of itself spawned ANOTHER country spanning empire. Did Perrin or MAt ever do anything comparaable?

Well, there are a number of different points to make. That is not necessarily a measure of ta'veren strength. But more importantly, the entire series spans only a little more than two years. By the end, I think you could argue Perrin and Mat could accomplish similar things.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Agitel

[Barid Bel Medar]

Despite what Moiraine said, RJ said that Mat wasn't as strong a Ta'veren as Hawkwing. Which would likely include Perrin, as he is on the same level.

[EmperorAllspice]

Just woondering, why are the Forsaken so much stronger than the majority of 3rd Age Chanellers? and why are there no One Power Powerhouses like Nynaeve in the Tower already. They're not eactly unheard of in the 3rd Age, we see a few in later books. Is it just bad luck on the Tower's part?

[Mr Ares]

Just woondering, why are the Forsaken so much stronger than the majority of 3rd Age Chanellers? and why are there no One Power Powerhouses like Nynaeve in the Tower already. They're not eactly unheard of in the 3rd Age, we see a few in later books. Is it just bad luck on the Tower's part?

There's a bell curve for strength in the OP, so extremes of strength are rarer. The AS make no real effort to seek out girls to send them to the WT - usually, they prefer girls to come to them. This has the net effect of the already rarer extremes being less likely to go to the WT (or arriving too late to be accepted as Novices), especially in the case of learners who have no indication of being channelers. This is in contrast to the Windfinders, Wise Ones and Damane, where the respective organisations do sweep the entire population and thus get every channeler, or close to. So bad luck plays a part, but they make no real effort to skew the odds in their favour. As for the Chosen, the situation they find themselves in is very much survival of the fittest - strength alone won't guarantee success, but is it something that can help. These are all people who were able to claw their way to the top in a very cut throat environment. If they weren't strong enough to depose those above them, to protect themselves from those below, they'd need to rely on other skills for survival and advancement (but the stronger people would also be trying to master those skills). Their extra strength was probably enough to give some of them an edge to put them above some of their rivals.

[EmperorAllspice]

Makes you wonder how Mogheiden became a successful Chosen. She's considered the weakest and she's SUPPOSED to be the master of stealth, yet she feels the need to unsubtly go after anyone who's comparable to her strength wise (as Nynaeve demonstrated)

[MasterAblar]

Makes you wonder how Mogheiden became a successful Chosen. She's considered the weakest and she's SUPPOSED to be the master of stealth, yet she feels the need to unsubtly go after anyone who's comparable to her strength wise (as Nynaeve demonstrated)

 

Weakest amongst the Forsaken is still pretty damn strong. And she's the best in Tar.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Master Ablar

[Rhienne]

I think the AS have also been culling the ability to channel out of themselves by gentling all male channelers since the Breaking, often before they can marry and have children.  As AS themselves very rarely have children this means the channeling trait will become rarer and rarer with each generation as being a channeler equates to a lower/zero chance of passing on your genetic material. 

 

This is true to a lesser extent in the Seafolk, Aiel, and Seanchan, where male channelers are still 'culled' but female channelers can reproduce (I assume sul'dam are allowed to reproduce even if Damane aren't, but not sure on this?).  By contrast, Shara should have more stronger channelers because male channelers are used for breeding before they start to actively channel, suggesting that the Sharans are aware that they need to continue passing down channeling genes.

[EmperorAllspice]

How does the Dark One's taint shield work? As in, does it just appear around someone who pledges to him, or do they have to go to the Bore in order to have the protection cast on them?

[Agitel]

The Two Rivers is very isolated. Woman who will spark or can learn aren't brought out of the region, meaning that they will have children there and pass the trait on. They are reproductively isolated. That is why so many woman who could channel are found there. You'll see that other isolated areas have similar concentrations. However, the culling of males and the fact that Aes Sedai rarely start families also plays a role in reducing the number of channelers and shifting the strength bell curve.

 

I believe the taint protection is connected with the black veins Rand has sometimes scene and severed in the series, though they may do more than that.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Agitel

[EmperorAllspice]

Yeah, I got that they were related to the veins. What I was asking was how they got there? Do they just appear on people who pledge to the Dark One or do they have to perform some kind of ritual at Shayol Ghul?

[Rhienne]

Why doesn't Egwene take the Aes Sedai test?  I seem to remember there is a reason but can't recall what it is.  Obviously Nyn has taken the test, and I assume Elayne will once she's had her children, but why does Egwene not take it too?  I know she has already sworn on the Oath Rod, but if that's ok for her why not just let Nyn and Elayne do that too?

[Agitel]

Why doesn't Egwene take the Aes Sedai test?  I seem to remember there is a reason but can't recall what it is.  Obviously Nyn has taken the test, and I assume Elayne will once she's had her children, but why does Egwene not take it too?  I know she has already sworn on the Oath Rod, but if that's ok for her why not just let Nyn and Elayne do that too?

 

Egwene is Aes Sedai by virtue of being made Amyrlin. That's Tower law (or an interpretation of it). It should be noted that Nynaeve was not required to take the test, either. Egwene asked Elayne and her to just swear on the Oath Rod. Nynaeve volunteered to take the test. Egwene was pleased with her choice because it meant that her judgment in raising them would be more justified to other Aes Sedai. I don't know if Elayne will eventually take the test. I have some speculation, but it's based on AMoL spoilers.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Agitel

[Mr Ares]

Makes you wonder how Mogheiden became a successful Chosen. She's considered the weakest and she's SUPPOSED to be the master of stealth, yet she feels the need to unsubtly go after anyone who's comparable to her strength wise (as Nynaeve demonstrated)

She's considered the weakest by fans. In the books, her strength in the OP isn't known relative to most of her colleagues. We know she's weaker than Lanfear and a coward. She shows no tendency for going after people of comparable strength, only for going after Nynaeve (it's personal). Her attempts at revenge are in T'a'r (where she feels strongest), and balefiring Nynaeve's boat (a ranged attack which is wholly in character for a coward).

 

How does the Dark One's taint shield work? As in, does it just appear around someone who pledges to him, or do they have to go to the Bore in order to have the protection cast on them?

We don't know.

 

Why doesn't Egwene take the Aes Sedai test?  I seem to remember there is a reason but can't recall what it is.  Obviously Nyn has taken the test, and I assume Elayne will once she's had her children, but why does Egwene not take it too?  I know she has already sworn on the Oath Rod, but if that's ok for her why not just let Nyn and Elayne do that too?

In addition to what Agitel already said about her being AS, it would have undermined her position as Amyrlin to take the test, being an admission that she was not truly AS.

[EmperorAllspice]

Must you call her a coward?

 

Attacking Nynaeve head on has been shown to fail.

 

I don't think Mogheiden has EVER succeede in anything directly. I APPLAUD her for fighting from the shadows.

 

You don't have to DEMEAN her like that