Team Jordan Q&A and Interviews

[Luckers]

My Interview With Brandon Sanderson

 

Chatzy Q&A With Brandon Sanderson

 

My Interview With Harriet

 

My Plot Related Q&A With Maria Simons + New MAFO Answer

 

My Interview With Maria Simons

 

Pat's Fantasy Hotlist Brandon Sanderson Interview

 

MAFO Answers

 

Maria Simons is a continuity editor for the Wheel of Time. She keeps track of the notes and doublechecks information so that the continuity is maintained--when Brandon needs an answer to a question, he looks to her, and so he coined the phrase MAFO--Maria and Find Out. Listed here are the answers to the MAFO's that came during the tGS Signing Tour.

 

Part A--Plot Related Q&A

 

Questions and Answers on the following subjects are in this section of the Compilation.

•   Rand’s Sword

•   Characters

•   The Big Unnoticed Thing in Book 4-6 [Direct Q&A]

•   The Big Unnoticed Thing in Books 4-6 [The Theorylander Discussion]

•   Towers of  Midnight

•   The Shadow

•   Graendal

•   General Wheel Information

•   The Aes Sedai

•   Asmodean/Graendal and Balefire.

 

Part B--Author and Non-Main Sequence Book Information

 

Questions and Answers on the following subjects are in this section of the Compilation.

•   Typo’s, Corrections, and Intentions

•   The Prequels and Outriggers, and the Encyclopedia.

•   Robert Jordan and Harriet Rigney.

•   Wheel of Time Movie/Game Info.

•   Brandon Sanderson – Personal Comments and Questions

 

Part C--How's That Work: The Metaphysics of the Wheel

 

Questions and Answers on the following subjects are in this section of the Compilation.

•   General Q&A on the Metapysics of the Wheel.

•   Tamyrlin and Brandon on the Dark One and the Creator.

•   Tamyrlin and Brandon on Mordeth and Aridhol.

•   Tamyrlin and Brandon on Souls and the Nature of Channeling.

•   Tamyrlin and Brandon on Parallel Worlds and the Nature of the Finns.

[Terez]

Some JordanCon stuff posted here.  Might post more later.  Have to fill in some of the non-plot-related stuff from an audio file or from the video, and I need to transcribe Friday's Q&A, unless someone else has done it already.

 

Hope this was the right thread in which to post this; if not, feel free to move/delete.

[Luckers]

Thanks Terez.

[Luckers]

Mine: Will Perrin undergo major new character development in TOM as did, say, Fortuona and Rand in TGS? Brandon said he wouldn't answer specifically; I said I only wanted a general indication and he said that at the end of his scene in TGS Perrin was about ready for character development. So I took that as a yes.

 

blindillusion at booksigning as reported on Tor.com: Is there any way for someone to be removed completely from the Pattern?

BWS: (Sorry I cannot put out his precise words, but here is the gist) – Jordan started by having balefire do this, but he later debunked this theory by saying someone killed by balefire can be reborn at some point. We currently know of nothing/no method that will completely remove someone from the Pattern.

- I thanked him and turned to walk away at this point, so that he could continue with the signing. But he called me back and commented that: The wolves in the Wolf Dream. We know that in the Wolf Dream something can be completely removed from the Pattern.

 

Terez at booksigning: When I was in line, I asked Brandon and Harriet (mostly Harriet, since she was signing my books) if the Andoran royal line is descended from Rand's Aiel line (see this post). I got a lovely smile from Harriet that told me she was pleased that someone had finally figured that out, and she said that she believes I am exactly right about that. She was a little sketchy on the details, though, and so was Brandon, so Brandon said it was essentially a MAFO.

 

 

Terez's report on Theoryland forum: http://www.theoryland.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3364

 

 

This includes a question [Linda] asked and one Terez asked on the [Thirteenth Depositories] behalf.

 

 

Q: RJ has said that there is a touch of you in every female character. Which one do you sympathize with the most, or which do you think reflects you the most?

H: The one that comes most quickly to mind is Moghedien, but I think in truth it would be Moiraine.

 

Q: You and Alan have worked on WoT for many years. Beyond that are there any other projects that you are looking at editing beyond the WoT?

H: The encyclopedia is sort of beyond the WoT, sort of a 'fifth wheel' (laughter), and I’ll definitely be looking forward to that. Meanwhile there’s a project with a fellow Charlestonian that I’m eager to get off the ground. (more from audio)

Alan: We have a session specifically on the encyclopedia tomorrow. After WoT I think I look forward to working more in my garden and to continuing my career as a professional cabaret singer.

 

Q: Are we going to get to see the other two prequels that RJ had planned on writing?

H: We’re finishing the WoT first. And…um….that’s it. (I don't think she was saying that there would not be any prequels...just that this is all she had to say on the subject currently.)

 

Q: Is it possible to learn weaves from text, or does it have to be demonstrated? I asked Maria, but she gave me a vague answer.

H: I can be very vague when I want to be, and this is such a moment. (RAFO card)

 

Q: Are you going to be doing The Travels of Jain Farstrider?

H: No, but maybe The Killers of the Black Veil. I've always wanted to read that one. (laughter) That was a joke.

 

Seeker: Can you name one thing that someone can do with the True Power that cannot be accomplished with the One Power?

H: No.

Alan: You can get those cool spotted eyeballs.

 

Q: What else have you edited besides WoT and Ender’s Game?

H: Brandon has an editor on The Way of Kings. I read it for him, and it was a great pleasure. …… (more – audio)

 

Q: How do you feel about the idea of a movie – do you think they can do the series justice?

H: I think they can. It will be interesting to see what happens. It’s a huge task to make a WoT movie work…..(audio)

Alan: (audio)

 

Linda: Who thought up the mindtrap? Any circumstances you can divulge….

H: I don’t remember.

Brandon: MAFO. (Maria will be getting back to me on this one too.)

 

Terez: Was Verin at the Darkfriend Social? (This question was on Linda's list.)

H: That was Bela.

Terez: AGGGGGH.

 

Q: When RJ first told you about the OP, how did you feel about it?

H: Well, it was on the page. So I felt pretty much the same as you guys did.... (more on audio)

 

(I didn't catch who asked most of these questions, so if you want to claim a question, let me know and I'll credit you personally in the interview database.)

 

Questions we asked Maria at the Towers of Midnight discussion:

 

 

Tam: Is the Horn an object of the Power?

Maria: RAFO, but I will tell you something about the Horn. People always ask why the inscription on the Horn is in the Old Tongue, if it’s so old. It was added in the Age of Legends.

 

Seeker: If Ishamael took the Horn to the Pit of Doom, and the Dark One destroyed it, what would happen?

Maria: I have no idea.

 

Q: Which plot lines will be important in Towers of Midnight?

Maria: Pretty much any major character that was not in The Gathering Storm will be seen in Towers of Midnight.

 

Q: How do the ‘Finns store memories? Obviously they don’t just have flash cards laying around.

M: RAFO

 

Q: Will there be any use of Portal Stones in the next two books?

M: RAFO

 

Q: Are there any servants of the Dark One among the ‘Finns?

M: RAFO

 

Questions we asked Maria at the Sunday panels:

 

Ishara: Did Mierin drill the Bore out of curiosity, or out of some malevolent desire?

Maria: Mierin was kind of greedy. I don’t think it was a malevolent intent, but it wasn’t all pure and nice.

Ishara: Did her drilling of the Bore remove her choice [about becoming a Darkfriend] in any way?

Maria: I don’t know.

 

Amanda: Are we going to see anything about how the Darkfriends or Forsaken take their Oaths?

Maria: RAFO

 

Q: Is there any real difference between Forsaken, Dreadlords, Black Ajah, etc.?

Maria: I don’t think they’re all precisely the same thing.

 

WSB: How in the world did Lanfear survive that gigantic explosion that was depicted in the ter’angreal?

Maria: [i don't remember what she said! WSB? I think Tam was talking to me about something, but I seem to remember that question getting fielded to the floor.]

 

Tam: Is Lanfear the only surviving person that is aware of how the Bore was created?

Maria: I don’t know. Mesaana or Demandred might know.

 

Terez: It should be noted that when the panel moderator (Jakob from tv.net) asked who wanted to see the Heroes of the Horn again before the end, Maria raised her hand high. It's pretty well established that the Horn will be used again, but this is just further confirmation.

 

Ishara: Did Mierin drill the Bore out of curiosity, or out of some malevolent desire?

Maria: Mierin was kind of greedy. I don’t think it was a malevolent intent, but it wasn’t all pure and nice.

Ishara: Did her drilling of the Bore remove her choice [about becoming a Darkfriend] in any way?

Maria: I don’t know.

 

Amanda: Are we going to see anything about how the Darkfriends or Forsaken take their Oaths?

Maria: RAFO

 

Q: Is there any real difference between Forsaken, Dreadlords, Black Ajah, etc.?

Maria: I don’t think they’re all precisely the same thing.

 

WSB: How in the world did Lanfear survive that gigantic explosion that was depicted in the ter’angreal?

Maria: [i don't remember what she said! WSB? I think Tam was talking to me about something, but I seem to remember that question getting fielded to the floor.]

 

Tam: Is Lanfear the only surviving person that is aware of how the Bore was created?

Maria: I don’t know. Mesaana or Demandred might know.

 

Terez: It should be noted that when the panel moderator (Jakob from tarvalon.net) asked who wanted to see the Heroes of the Horn again before the end, Maria raised her hand high. It's pretty well established that the Horn will be used again, but this is just further confirmation.

[Shard]

Terez at booksigning: When I was in line, I asked Brandon and Harriet (mostly Harriet, since she was signing my books) if the Andoran royal line is descended from Rand's Aiel line (see this post). I got a lovely smile from Harriet that told me she was pleased that someone had finally figured that out, and she said that she believes I am exactly right about that. She was a little sketchy on the details, though, and so was Brandon, so Brandon said it was essentially a MAFO.

 

I'm confused why this was asked, didn't the books deal with this and Rand had a panic attack that he might be Elyane's brother?

[Luckers]

Terez's theory is that Rhea, a Da'shain Aiel girl Rand saw kidnapped during his time in Rhuidean was the origin of the Andoran Royal line. The locations fit--the Aiel had just turned away from oceans in the west towards mountains (the Aryth Ocean and the Mountains of Mist). And Rhea has the same colouring as the Andoran Royal line. Additionally Rhea was apparently a historical or mythological figure in out world related to lions.

[Shard]

Wow thanks for clearing that up Luckers. :) There wasn't a link for the (see this post) part.

 

So then Rand has all the right in the world to "give" Elyane the Sun throne. *heh*

[JenniferL]

The same guy that did last year's video did it again for us this year. I'm not sure when he'll be able to put it online though. As I recall, it took a couple days last year.

 

Also, we had a semi-pro photographer taking pictures this weekend. So we'll have an official JordanCon photo gallery up soon as well.

[Yamahako]

Terez's theory is that Rhea, a Da'shain Aiel girl Rand saw kidnapped during his time in Rhuidean was the origin of the Andoran Royal line. The locations fit--the Aiel had just turned away from oceans in the west towards mountains (the Aryth Ocean and the Mountains of Mist). And Rhea has the same colouring as the Andoran Royal line. Additionally Rhea was apparently a historical or mythological figure in out world related to lions.

 

So Rand is the descendant of Rhea and the prince of Aridhol?

 

"How Prince Caar came to be called Caar One-Hand. How he escaped the dungeons of Aridhol and fled alone to the Borderlands with Mordeth's unnatural assassins at his heels. How there he met Rhea, who did not know who he was, and married her, and set the skein in the Pattern that led to his death at her hands, and hers by her own hand before his tomb, and the fall of Aleth-loriel."

[cleantoe]

"How Prince Caar came to be called Caar One-Hand. How he escaped the dungeons of Aridhol and fled alone to the Borderlands with Mordeth's unnatural assassins at his heels. How there he met Rhea, who did not know who he was, and married her, and set the skein in the Pattern that led to his death at her hands, and hers by her own hand before his tomb, and the fall of Aleth-loriel."

 

Sounds like Romeo & Juliet to me.

[Terez]

Terez's theory is that Rhea, a Da'shain Aiel girl Rand saw kidnapped during his time in Rhuidean was the origin of the Andoran Royal line. The locations fit--the Aiel had just turned away from oceans in the west towards mountains (the Aryth Ocean and the Mountains of Mist). And Rhea has the same colouring as the Andoran Royal line. Additionally Rhea was apparently a historical or mythological figure in out world related to lions.

 

So Rand is the descendant of Rhea and the prince of Aridhol?

 

"How Prince Caar came to be called Caar One-Hand. How he escaped the dungeons of Aridhol and fled alone to the Borderlands with Mordeth's unnatural assassins at his heels. How there he met Rhea, who did not know who he was, and married her, and set the skein in the Pattern that led to his death at her hands, and hers by her own hand before his tomb, and the fall of Aleth-loriel."

Good idea...but the timing is off by about a thousand years.  Rhea, daughter of Adan, was kidnapped during the latter part of the Breaking, near the Mountains of Mist.  Rhea, the real-world mother of the gods (particularly Zeus), is symbolized by a throne flanked by lions.  The above events took place during the Trolloc Wars, and it's a different Rhea.

 

HOWEVER, I have been meaning to look further for a connection to Manetheren, from the Aiel bloodline.  al'Caar is a surname in the Two Rivers, so there might be something I can ferret out from this connection.

 

I now expect to get a RAFO from Maria on this.  I'm worried that Brandon meant that I shouldn't post about it at all, now - I didn't even consider that, since I didn't see how it would screw anything up, but I see now that this tidbit might possibly come into play in the next book, when Aviendha goes through the glass columns.  In any case, I doubt it will have huge plot significance.

[GhenjeiBomber]

Could't this be the BUT??

[bronnt]

"How Prince Caar came to be called Caar One-Hand. How he escaped the dungeons of Aridhol and fled alone to the Borderlands with Mordeth's unnatural assassins at his heels. How there he met Rhea, who did not know who he was, and married her, and set the skein in the Pattern that led to his death at her hands, and hers by her own hand before his tomb, and the fall of Aleth-loriel."

 

Sounds like Romeo & Juliet to me.

 

To me it sounds way too much like a slightly-altered version of the Lay of Luthien-a Tolkien backstory to Lord of the Rings.

 

Beren One Hand, who met Luthien, did not know who she was, chased after her crying "Tinúviel" (Nightingale).  He went on a quest alone to the north and their version of the "Blight," and she followed him after he was captured.  Together they escaped the dungeons of Angband.  He lost his hand while he was stealing the Silmaril from MorGOTH (lol) and was eventually killed by the dread Hound, an agent of MorGOTH.  She then gives up her immortal life as an elf so that he is brought back to live with her as a mortal for a short time, before both perish.  And shortly after her death, the kingdom of Beleriand fell.

 

Very similar to that little tale we get.  I wonder if we're meant to make the connection?

[Terez]

Is that from the trilogy, or from one of the other books?  I did always think of Lothlórien when reading that (Aleth-lóriel).

 

Also, here's another post I made on the other Rhea at the Malazan forums.

[bronnt]

Is that from the trilogy, or from one of the other books?  I did always think of Lothlórien when reading that (Aleth-lóriel).

 

I think it gets a brief mention in the trilogy, and is mentioned again in the appendices, but the full story is from the Silmarillion.

 

Considering that there's several other Tolkien-parallels, I think RJ clearly took some inspiration from LotR.  I think here he might have been paying homage to Tolkien by saying the story of Luthien actually traces back to the Third Age tale of Caar.  The last bit, Aleth-loriel, immediately makes me think of LothLorien and Elves, and the rest is such a strong parallel that I think Tolkien readers are meant to recognize the excerpt.

 

Luthien could be confused with Rhea, the mother of all, since in the Tolkien universe she's at the top of the family tree of the full line of human kings.  That blood line is never broken all the way down to Aragorn, thousands of years later.

[Terez]

Yeah, RJ has said multiple times that the Tolkien parallels and references are quite deliberate, but most of us are rather casual Tolkien fans and therefore only pick up on the obvious ones, like the Mountains of Mist, and The Nine Rings, and the similarity between the Nazgul and the Myrddraal, particularly the way the Myrddraal was first introduced.  Mat and Perrin vs Merry and Pippin, etc.

[cleantoe]

Yeah, RJ has said multiple times that the Tolkien parallels and references are quite deliberate, but most of us are rather casual Tolkien fans and therefore only pick up on the obvious ones, like the Mountains of Mist, and The Nine Rings, and the similarity between the Nazgul and the Myrddraal, particularly the way the Myrddraal was first introduced.  Mat and Perrin vs Merry and Pippin, etc.

 

Thus, one could infer that RJ is implying that the entire Tolkien timeline was from a previous Age of the pattern. Subtle and clever, without stepping over copyright.

[Terez]

Indeed.

 

By the way, I looked up the other Rhea.  Caar was a prince of Manetheren, not Aridhol.  He simply went to Aridhol to try to win them back.  He found his Rhea in the Borderlands, and though their story is tragic and very Romeo-and-Juliet-ish, Moiraine doesn't give a timeline on that chain of events, and since Caar was Aemon's father, it's probably safe to say that Aemon was the son of Rhea as well.  I dunno if I can connect this Rhea to anything previous, but it's still another mother-of-the-gods type situation, even if she's just the mother of Aemon (who was Mat in a past life, or Mat's ancestor....one of the two).

[TheAngryDruid]

Terez's theory is that Rhea, a Da'shain Aiel girl Rand saw kidnapped during his time in Rhuidean was the origin of the Andoran Royal line. The locations fit--the Aiel had just turned away from oceans in the west towards mountains (the Aryth Ocean and the Mountains of Mist). And Rhea has the same colouring as the Andoran Royal line. Additionally Rhea was apparently a historical or mythological figure in out world related to lions.

 

Of course, in Greek mythooogy, Rhea is the mother of the Gods.

 

She was a female titan, daughter of Uranus (the sky) and Gaia (the Earth).

 

Her brother/husand, Cronus, castrates their father and they take over. He knows one of his offspring will kill him, so he tended to swallow any children. He did this with their first 5 offspring: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, & Poseidon.

 

With the help of Cronus and Gaia, Rhea switched Zues with a stone, which she covered in a blanket and he swallowed. Zeus then returned and forced Cronus to disgorge the others, in the opposite order. And freed others that Cronus had imprisoned (Cyclopes, Hectonshires, and Gigantees).

 

Rhea's symbol was most often a pair of lions.

 

More than enough to be on to something, yes?

 

 

[Majsju]

 

 

Her brother/husand, Cronus

 

Turn that around, sister/wife. Sound familiar? ;D

[haloun]

rands connection to the andoran throne is a little bit tighter than rhea from the aiel history... but we already know he is lord lucs brother/nephew, cant remember the exact tie, and the son of tigraine who fled from the palace on the command of her mothers aes sedai advisor who then became the amyrlin who foretold rands birth on dragonmount as it happened.

[Luckers]

Rand is Luc's nephew. Luc was Tigraine's brother. He also left the palace on Gitara's instruction.

[yoniy0]

Terez, the link you included in your first reply doesn't work. :(

 

Now that I have an excuse to post here, let me also mention that while Rand's ties to Tigraine might make him High Seat of Mantear if they were known (I doubt even that, since Galad has no claim to it, it seems), he's no woman, so he has no claim to the Lion Throne. So, Shard, he isn't exactly in a position to offer Elayne her Throne, which has passed to Trakand 20 years ago (other than he HAS conquered Andor, after a fashion).

[TheAngryDruid]

Terez, the link you included in your first reply doesn't work. :(

 

Now that I have an excuse to post here, let me also mention that while Rand's ties to Tigraine might make him High Seat of Mantear if they were known (I doubt even that, since Galad has no claim to it, it seems), he's no woman, so he has no claim to the Lion Throne. So, Shard, he isn't exactly in a position to offer Elayne her Throne, which has passed to Trakand 20 years ago (other than he HAS conquered Andor, after a fashion).

 

If Elayne has twins, could one child claim to be head of Mantear, and another of Trakand (if female)?

 

[Luckers]

Galad had a better, and well known claim to Mantear, but Perival became High Seat. I doubt we will ever see Rand the High Seat of Mantear, nor his children.

 

Also throw this in the Mantear thread.