Matrim Cauthon's Ashandrei

[Cirin]

A question that I was curious about (naturally, or I wouldn't be asking) that has likely been asked before, but if so it was likely some time ago, and I couldn't really find much about it.  The question that follows goes like this:

 

When Mat and Rand enter the square in Rhuidean, we are told the following (Mat's POV):

 

He would have wondered how a tree could grow here, without sunlight, if he had not been too busy staring at the astounding jumble filling the rest of the square.

    A clear lane led from each street Mat could see, straight to the columned rings, but in the spaces between, statues stood haphazardly, life-sized down to half that, in stone or crystal or metal, set right down on the pavement. All among them were...He did not know what to call them, at first. A flat silvery ring, ten feet across and thin as a blade. A tapering crystal plinth a pace tall that might have held one of the smaller statues. A shiny black metal spire, narrow as a spear and no longer, yet standing on end as if rooted. Hundreds of things, maybe thousands, in every shape imaginable, every material imaginable, dotting the huge plaza with no more than a dozen feet between any two.

    It was the black metal spear, so unnaturally erect, that suddenly told him what they must be. Ter'angreal. Some sort of things to do with the Power, anyway. Some of them had to be. That twisted stone doorway in the Stone's Great Holding had resisted falling over, too.

~The Shadow Rising, Chapter 24 - Rhuidean

 

Now, the bolded sections are what I am curious about.  Is this Mat's Ashandrei, and if so, is it a ter'angreal (and, if so, what does it do)?  Now, I know it says "some sort of things to do with the Power, anyway," and we know that Mat's ashandrei is power-wrought, so it's possible that's all their is too it, but it made me curious nonetheless.  Like I said, probably been discussed to death, but couldn't really find a post (or even anything in a Google search), so thought I'd ask.

[jemron]

I don't have an answer, but I do remember this being brought up before...  But, to add fuel to the fire here, didn't BS recently say that the Aelfinn/Eelfin have a surprisingly large stash of ter'angreal?

[Silentvoice]

I don't have an answer, but I do remember this being brought up before...  But, to add fuel to the fire here, didn't BS recently say that the Aelfinn/Eelfin have a surprisingly large stash of ter'angreal?

 

Yes, but I don't think much can be said of that. There was already strong enough evidence to believe that to be true even before he said anything, and I believe he thought he was just reaffirming that.

[Hadilmir]

No, that is not the ashandarei in either sentence. I could explain, but I'm too lazy so just trust me.

[MikeRiley]

Isn't there a song somewhere in the books about trust being the color of death? I think I'd rather you just explained it instead.

[jadelollipop]

The song about Trust being the color of death was mentioned when MAT was in Salidar to get Elayne. It was a song played by the AS at a dance. Mat recalled the verses (apparently one of the men in his memories had written it)

[Hadilmir]

Isn't there a song somewhere in the books about trust being the color of death? I think I'd rather you just explained it instead.

:D

 

Very good point. It isn't even a long explanation, I'm just lazy. The black spire as thin as a spear is quite obviously not the ashandarei because of the lack of two feet of black steel on the end, quite noticeable yes? By English grammar you cannot give something not previously defined a definitive article like 'the'. Since that is the second time the word spear is mentioned and it must have been previously noted, it becomes certain that Mat is just rephrasing 'spire that resembles a spear' as 'spear'.

[Cirin]

Certainly likely that it's not the spear, although I don't know that is completely conclusive evidence, seeing as he only glanced at it quickly.  Truth be told, I don't really see it as being all that important - I'm not expecting it to suddenly have some magic power or secret purpose or anything (too late and too little info for that I think).  I was just curious about it.  I do wonder if the ashandrei will play a role in the Tower of Ghenjei, though.

[MikeRiley]

Actually, I just finished up a re-read of The Shadow Rising and Rand sees the spear during his fight with Asmodean. So it's definitely not Mat's spear.

[Cirin]

Cool, thanks MikeRiley!  I was just curious, and couldn't remember.