Nakomi

[Terez]

2. Verin. This is a strong possibility, but it seems a little off to me. Some of the characteristics are very Verinish--the questions with no answers, the appearing and then suddenly disappearing, but some other things are odd. She knows too much about Aiel and ji'e'toh for one. She has a startling grasp of the future of the Aiel, as evidenced by her rather pointed questions for Aviendha. It's possible that Verin went through one of the doorways and learned something about the Aiel, but I find it highly unlikely.

Verin knew more about the Aiel than probably any Aes Sedai besides Egwene. Read her POV in the prologue of TPOD again. Hell, read the first time she ever met an Aiel in TGH. Urien tells her all about the sin/punishment of the Three-fold Land, Rhuidean, and the fact that He Who Comes With the Dawn is supposed to lead them out of the Waste to take back their places of old.

[nolirion]

2. Verin. This is a strong possibility, but it seems a little off to me. Some of the characteristics are very Verinish--the questions with no answers, the appearing and then suddenly disappearing, but some other things are odd. She knows too much about Aiel and ji'e'toh for one. She has a startling grasp of the future of the Aiel, as evidenced by her rather pointed questions for Aviendha. It's possible that Verin went through one of the doorways and learned something about the Aiel, but I find it highly unlikely.

Verin knew more about the Aiel than probably any Aes Sedai besides Egwene. Read her POV in the prologue of TPOD again. Hell, read the first time she ever met an Aiel in TGH. Urien tells her all about the sin/punishment of the Three-fold Land, Rhuidean, and the fact that He Who Comes With the Dawn is supposed to lead them out of the Waste to take back their places of old.

Yet she knew so little about them at this time like everyone else , the fact remains that only the forsaken know that much about the aiel and what would be the point ?

[GusE]

Some people were wondering, so I did a search through 1-11 including New Spring which returned no results for "Nakomi".

[FanoLan]

Some people were wondering, so I did a search through 1-11 including New Spring which returned no results for "Nakomi".

IIRC, one of the White AS is named Nagomi (or something similar). Egwene references her when reflecting on the list of BA.

[FanoLan]

2. Verin. This is a strong possibility, but it seems a little off to me. Some of the characteristics are very Verinish--the questions with no answers, the appearing and then suddenly disappearing, but some other things are odd. She knows too much about Aiel and ji'e'toh for one. She has a startling grasp of the future of the Aiel, as evidenced by her rather pointed questions for Aviendha. It's possible that Verin went through one of the doorways and learned something about the Aiel, but I find it highly unlikely.

Verin knew more about the Aiel than probably any Aes Sedai besides Egwene. Read her POV in the prologue of TPOD again. Hell, read the first time she ever met an Aiel in TGH. Urien tells her all about the sin/punishment of the Three-fold Land, Rhuidean, and the fact that He Who Comes With the Dawn is supposed to lead them out of the Waste to take back their places of old.

Yet she knew so little about them at this time like everyone else , the fact remains that only the forsaken know that much about the aiel and what would be the point ?

At what time do you mean? By the Nakomi scene, Verin knows a lot about the Aiel; there are multiple references from other AS about Verin's time as a forced apprentice and how diligently she performed the role. We even see from Verin's POV how much time and thought she applies to the Aiel, WOs in particular. Verin definitely has the requisite knowledge to pull off the scene, the timing works as well.

 

During my first read, the scene strongly suggested Verin to me - the line about a tendency to ramble sealed it. Her capacity to travel and knowledge of inverted weaves answered any questions about the physical changes. With her extensive BA knowledge, it seems certain Verin has access to multiple sources of information, likely rivaling Graendal's extensive network of DFs. For Verin, learning of Avi's departure from Arad Domon would prove an easy task, determining the goal of her journey not much more difficult.

 

Avi (and pretty much all Aiel other than DFs) would not likely respond to a letter from Verin Sedai nearly as well as she would a visit from an apparent older, non-Maiden, female version of mera'din. Nakomi's answers/questions appear phrased to lead Avi to that conclusion about Nak's identity and thus make Avi comfortable/receptive to Nak. Just like Verin needed the other forced apprentices before planting the seeds to help the Dragon Reborn.

 

All that said, reading the comments have made me reconsider TaR as possible for a dozing Avi. Maybe.

[GusE]

Avi is exhausted and does close her eyes prior to Nakomi showing up, and the scene ends with Avi "going to sleep". With the oddities going on it has to be TAR or the creator strolling past.

 

Now if it is in TAR, then who? One of the WO maybe. Or does Verin have one of the stolen dream ter'angreals perhaps? Motivation is still the main problem, I don't think any darkfriend would have motive nudging Avi in this direction. The wise ones have had plenty of other time to sow such seeds in her mind but they havn't.

[Bob T Dwarf]

Back in The Great Hunt Jordan spent a lot of time and effort introducing Mirror Worlds.

 

One of the things we learned about them was that they were mirrors showing all of the possibilities for what happens in the Real World. At one point either Loial mentions, or Rand thinks about the possibility of visiting one of those worlds and meeting himself.

 

Since then, Portal Stones, Mirror Worlds, and everything having to do with them has been almost totally ignored. Now it may be that Mirror Worlds is a plot device that Jordan decided was too complicated to use further, but it could also be that we haven't seen the last of their impact on the story.

 

Since activating a Portal Stone is not all that complicated for a channeler, and since the worlds accessible via Portal Stones are mirrors of the Real World, it seems logical that there are people on those Mirror Worlds who can access the Real World. Since the Mirrors reflect ALL possibilities, there must be one world where the Jenn do not die out.

 

Nakomi may be a visitor from one such Mirror World. Possibly a mirror Jenn. Possibly a mirror AoL style Aes Sedai.

 

Or, none of the above.

[nolirion]

2. Verin. This is a strong possibility, but it seems a little off to me. Some of the characteristics are very Verinish--the questions with no answers, the appearing and then suddenly disappearing, but some other things are odd. She knows too much about Aiel and ji'e'toh for one. She has a startling grasp of the future of the Aiel, as evidenced by her rather pointed questions for Aviendha. It's possible that Verin went through one of the doorways and learned something about the Aiel, but I find it highly unlikely.

Verin knew more about the Aiel than probably any Aes Sedai besides Egwene. Read her POV in the prologue of TPOD again. Hell, read the first time she ever met an Aiel in TGH. Urien tells her all about the sin/punishment of the Three-fold Land, Rhuidean, and the fact that He Who Comes With the Dawn is supposed to lead them out of the Waste to take back their places of old.

Yet she knew so little about them at this time like everyone else , the fact remains that only the forsaken know that much about the aiel and what would be the point ?

At what time do you mean? By the Nakomi scene, Verin knows a lot about the Aiel; there are multiple references from other AS about Verin's time as a forced apprentice and how diligently she performed the role. We even see from Verin's POV how much time and thought she applies to the Aiel, WOs in particular. Verin definitely has the requisite knowledge to pull off the scene, the timing works as well.

 

During my first read, the scene strongly suggested Verin to me - the line about a tendency to ramble sealed it. Her capacity to travel and knowledge of inverted weaves answered any questions about the physical changes. With her extensive BA knowledge, it seems certain Verin has access to multiple sources of information, likely rivaling Graendal's extensive network of DFs. For Verin, learning of Avi's departure from Arad Domon would prove an easy task, determining the goal of her journey not much more difficult.

 

Avi (and pretty much all Aiel other than DFs) would not likely respond to a letter from Verin Sedai nearly as well as she would a visit from an apparent older, non-Maiden, female version of mera'din. Nakomi's answers/questions appear phrased to lead Avi to that conclusion about Nak's identity and thus make Avi comfortable/receptive to Nak. Just like Verin needed the other forced apprentices before planting the seeds to help the Dragon Reborn.

 

All that said, reading the comments have made me reconsider TaR as possible for a dozing Avi. Maybe.

I am skeptical verrin was way to busy to just jump out in the desert to say something to avi ; beside how could she had known about the use of the Aiel Ter'angreal .

I am still looking for the point of this meeting .

[Goramier]

It is so obvious.

 

Nakomi is an Ogier. "She" is Loial.

[smileyman]

I am skeptical verrin was way to busy to just jump out in the desert to say something to avi ; beside how could she had known about the use of the Aiel Ter'angreal .

I am still looking for the point of this meeting .

 

Really? I think the point is pretty obvious. Nakomi was there to set Aviendha to thinking about what the future of the Aiel is going to be. If they don't have a reason for being after the Last Battle every single last Aiel will be destroyed. The trip through the ter'angeal shows this to Aviendha and she's determined to prevent that once she comes out. Nakomi gave her the key.

[GusE]

Yes, the point of the meeting from our perspective is obvious, however it's difficult to combine Nakomi's motivation with available suspects.

[AliasKelly]

I believe Nakomi to be Verin in disguise. Verin certainly would have the talent, ability, and the knowledge of the Aiel people necessary to pull off such a ruse. I believe that she, with her "rambling" put Aviendha into a state of mind to be receptive to her special brand of compulsion, and exercised that compulsion during the following scene.

 

[Verin] "And so," Nakomi said softly, "Once Sightblinder is defeated.... [skipping most of the paragraph] ...Why grow harder? For the sake of being hard itself?"

 

[Aviendaha] "I..."

 

[Verin] "I'm sorry," Nakomi said. "I've let myself ramble again. I am prone to it, I fear. Here, let us eat."

 

I think that Aviendha's "I..." was when Verin used her weave. The weave takes some time to perform, and the person on the receiving end is left with no recollection of it having been done. This would allow for the passage of time needed for the food to cook.

 

As to why Verin would do such a thing, has anyone considered that Verin is possibly a Dreamer? She was in possession of Corianin Nedeal's notes and dream ter'angreal for a long time, well before she could have expected Egwene to show up to need the ter'angreal. If she dreamed of the possible futures of the Aiel, it is not beyond reason that she might wish to help shape a positive one. I wouldn't even put it past Verin to have re-set the ter'angreal in Rhuidien so that Aviendha could have that second set of visions. After what Verin did with infiltrating the Black Ajah, there is very little I'd believe her incapable of - and she held her secrets closer to the vest than any other Aes Sedai I can think of.

[smileyman]

Yes, the point of the meeting from our perspective is obvious, however it's difficult to combine Nakomi's motivation with available suspects.

 

 

Not if she's Jenn Aiel

[MrBlack]

Just signed up specifically to address this topic.

 

The Nakomi scene really jumped out at me as something that just seemed downright odd in the story. Today, I had the chance to ask Brandon about this scene at a book signing in Northern Virginia. I specifically asked him if the scene is something he plans to address in the next book. To paraphrase, he stated that he wants to keep the specifics of what happened close to the chest for now, and that he has not decided whether he will address it in the next book.

 

The fact that Brandon may leave the identity of Nakomi unanswered makes me doubt that it was either Verin or one of the Forsaken. I am much more inclined to think that it was either a result of Aviendha camping next to a Portal Stone, or a "ghostly" encounter. As I told Brandon, I hope he leaves the issue unresolved. I like the sense of mystery behind this scene. :)

[GusE]

Yes, the point of the meeting from our perspective is obvious, however it's difficult to combine Nakomi's motivation with available suspects.

Not if she's Jenn Aiel

Jenn might be possible, but how would a Jenn Aiel appear out of nowhere, make the fire grow, create the best dish EVER with only a crappy thingymajob + roots (which cook too fast to be true), not be able to tell who she was, disappear into thin air and then afterwards take her supplies with her.

[1eejit]

Jenn Dreamer! ;)

[JDJ]

Yes, the point of the meeting from our perspective is obvious, however it's difficult to combine Nakomi's motivation with available suspects.

Not if she's Jenn Aiel

Jenn might be possible, but how would a Jenn Aiel appear out of nowhere, make the fire grow, create the best dish EVER with only a crappy thingymajob + roots (which cook too fast to be true), not be able to tell who she was, disappear into thin air and then afterwards take her supplies with her.

 

You make her sound like Martha Stewart... OMG, that is who she is.

 

LOL.

 

But seriously, I still have this feeling that a portal stone or TEL (if not both) were involved.

[FollowYourMuse]

This struck me too, though I can see many possibilities on who or what, and the why could go either way good or bad, the one thing that came to mind was the similarity of the name with Nokomis from Longfellow's poem, The Song of Hiawatha.

"Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis."

 

Nookomis means "my grandmother" in Ojibewe, and is representative of an Earth Mother, who lives beneath the clouds and from whom is derived the Water of Life, who at her bosom feeds plants, animals and men"

 

 

 

 

The Song of Hiawatha

[FetFnask]

I was writing on the Aviendhas Arc thread and the idea that Nakomi was Jenn struck me. I did some research and the idea appeals to me.

 

As mentioned above, native american mythology describes the godess Nokomi/Nokomis as an earth godess. Different sources says different things, but that seems to be her role. She is not a fertility godess, more of an old crone. Giving advice perhaps? Caring for her people?

 

Verin does not seem likely to me. The funny thing is though that when we first hear of the Jenn Aiel it is from Urien of the Reyn. He is out and about, looking for Rand, and he happens upon Mat, Perrin, Ingtar and Verin. She asks him alot of stuff and he says that Rhuidean lies in the land of the Jenn Aiel. And that only Aiel that wishes to become Wise Ones of Clan Chiefs may go there.

 

 

"I . . . can tell you only what is known to all. Rhuidean lies in the

lands of the Jenn Aiel, the thirteenth clan. I cannot speak of them except to name them. None may go

there save women who wish to become Wise Ones, or men who wish to be clan chiefs. Perhaps the Jenn

Aiel choose among them; I do not know. Many go; few return, and those are marked as what they are -

Wise Ones, or clan chiefs. No more can I say, Aes Sedai. No more."

 

 

Could the Jenn still be there? They fortold their doom and created the ter'angreal to guide the Aiel, so that that would remember their history.

 

 

“Our days dwindle,” Mordaine said. “A day will come when the Jenn are no more, and only you will

remain to remember the Aiel. You must remain, or all is for nothing, and lost.”

The flatness of her voice, the calm sureness, silenced Charendin, but Mandein had one more question.

“Why? If you know your doom, why do this?” He gestured toward the structures rising in the distance.

“It is our purpose,” Dermon replied calmly. “For long years we searched for this place, and now we

prepare it, if not for the purpose we once thought. We do what we must, and keep faith.”

 

 

We have now passed the point where that matters. Rand made sure of that. Aviendha seem to agree. Could the ter'angreal have been repurposed? We have no evidence that the Jenn are gone. They MIGHT have done it. A prophecy involving Avi?

 

Also the Jenn used Dream to call the chiefs for that meeting. It is fairly obvious that the entire sequence from Nakomis appearance to her departure is in a dream. Avi closes her eyes to rest in the paragraph before Nakomi, and then she falls asleep after. It also does away with the need to explain the weirdness that happens. No Saidin, no inverted weaves, no creator. Only TAR.

 

Jenn and TAR. It fits nicely.

[Terez]

Just signed up specifically to address this topic.

 

The Nakomi scene really jumped out at me as something that just seemed downright odd in the story. Today, I had the chance to ask Brandon about this scene at a book signing in Northern Virginia. I specifically asked him if the scene is something he plans to address in the next book. To paraphrase, he stated that he wants to keep the specifics of what happened close to the chest for now, and that he has not decided whether he will address it in the next book.

 

The fact that Brandon may leave the identity of Nakomi unanswered makes me doubt that it was either Verin or one of the Forsaken. I am much more inclined to think that it was either a result of Aviendha camping next to a Portal Stone, or a "ghostly" encounter. As I told Brandon, I hope he leaves the issue unresolved. I like the sense of mystery behind this scene. :)

I have believed it was Verin from the beginning - like many others, the comment about her tendency to ramble sealed it for me, aside from the whole scene being her MO - but I also believed from the beginning that this would be on the unrevealed list. I'm not sure why you think the two ideas conflict.

[Al Jenn Mael]

The glass columns were AWARE of Aviendha when she put her hands on them... possibly a projection from them?

[Terhan]

I thought it was fairly clear that she was supposed to be Rand's mother?

[Kestrel]

Back in The Great Hunt Jordan spent a lot of time and effort introducing Mirror Worlds.

 

One of the things we learned about them was that they were mirrors showing all of the possibilities for what happens in the Real World. At one point either Loial mentions, or Rand thinks about the possibility of visiting one of those worlds and meeting himself.

 

Since then, Portal Stones, Mirror Worlds, and everything having to do with them has been almost totally ignored. Now it may be that Mirror Worlds is a plot device that Jordan decided was too complicated to use further, but it could also be that we haven't seen the last of their impact on the story.

 

Since activating a Portal Stone is not all that complicated for a channeler, and since the worlds accessible via Portal Stones are mirrors of the Real World, it seems logical that there are people on those Mirror Worlds who can access the Real World. Since the Mirrors reflect ALL possibilities, there must be one world where the Jenn do not die out.

 

Nakomi may be a visitor from one such Mirror World. Possibly a mirror Jenn. Possibly a mirror AoL style Aes Sedai.

 

Or, none of the above.

This gives me an idea.

 

I thought it quite curious that the ter'angreal gave Aviendha viewings of a future - and a nightmare one at that - when she was expecting to view the past of her ancestors.

 

Now as to WHO Nakomi was, it could have been Graendal. I still think it could also have been Cyndane. Yes, yes, I know some of you would have expected Cyndane to automatically rip her apart instantly if given the chance. I say not so. If you're really looking to destroy someone, why not prolong the moment by planting poisonous seeds, then sit back and savor the result?

 

Theory:

 

Aviendha is not in our world. She is in a mirror-Rhuidean and passing through a mirror-world ter'angreal. Because Avi camped next to a Portal Stone, "Nakomi" had the opportunity to pull her into a parallel world.

[AliasKelly]

The glass columns were AWARE of Aviendha when she put her hands on them... possibly a projection from them?

 

The book doesn't say the columns were aware of her, it says, "Indeed, the pillars seemed ...alive, somehow. It was almost as if she could sense an awareness from them."

 

I agree, however that there might have been a projection from them - though who generated that projection, past or present, I have no idea. I still think Verin may have had a hand in it though, Jenn Aiel not-with-standing.

[Terez]

I got the impression that it was simply the most complicated ter'angreal she'd ever tried to read, by far. Most of them have a simple purpose and function; this one holds the history of an entire race, and the future as well.