The Field of Merrilor

[randsc]

I don't mean violence. But I do mean something more than, "calm reasoned arguments."

 

Look, virtually all of the conflicts (except the main conflict with the Shadow) in this entire, massive series could have been resolved with a few minutes of calm discussion at various key points. And then this would have been the least interesting fantasy series ever.

 

So far as I can tell, there are exactly two people on the entire planet who MIGHT have the ability to "improve" Rand's plan, through their own greater knowledge of the subject. Moraine and Min. Egwene has zero to contribute. Nor do the vast majority of the Aes Sedai. I don't discount the possibility that the Browns may dig up something useful in that great library.

 

But I'll repeat a point I have made before. The attitude of the Aes Sedai toward the Dragon Reborn is outrageous. It is the equivelent of Jesus returning and the Catholic Church insisting on "guiding" His actions.

[Caius Callus]

But I'll repeat a point I have made before. The attitude of the Aes Sedai toward the Dragon Reborn is outrageous. It is the equivelent of Jesus returning and the Catholic Church insisting on "guiding" His actions.

Yes, it's right out of "The Grand Inquisitor". And I find it entirely believable, for the most part.

It's one thing to pray for the return of The Anointed One, heralding the end of the World and all, it's quite another thing to actually live to experience it.

[Bob T Dwarf]

I don't mean violence. But I do mean something more than, "calm reasoned arguments."

 

 

In this series, according to long established tradition, that means that Rand Sedai will have to spank the Amyrlin. He may have to refer to her as "child" while he is spanking her.

 

Then, having satisfied Aes Sedai tradition, he will dress her in a short skirt, put her hair in pig-tails and cause her to carry around a doll to satisfy Aiel tradition. Then he'll have to cause yardarms to be erected and hoist her by her ankles into the rigging and flog her for awhile to satisfy Athan'miere tradition, telling her to repent lest he have to keel-haul her.

 

Or the series could leave the precincts of closet S&M fetishes at long last and he could just dazzle her with the brilliance of his plan like they were both healthy adults.

 

< well I can dream, can't I? >

[randsc]

You don't really want that. In TOM, Sanderson goes to considerable trouble to set up the conflict. To have it resolved with a calm discussion over tea would be rather disappointing.

 

I want to see some sort of public row over breaking the seals, and I want Egwene to lose it. Utterly.

 

Compromise can come in over plans for the Dragon's Peace.

[Bob T Dwarf]

Compromise can come in over plans for the Dragon's Peace.

 

No. I think Aviendha's experrience in Rhuidean show us that we do not want any compromises with the Dragon's Peace.

 

It's gotta be, "One for all and all for one!" D'artagnan.

[nolirion]

Compromise can come in over plans for the Dragon's Peace.

 

No. I think Aviendha's experrience in Rhuidean show us that we do not want any compromises with the Dragon's Peace.

 

It's gotta be, "One for all and all for one!" D'artagnan.

Morgase or Elayne said something about that I will look back into the book for it

[TheAngryDruid]

Well, I'm hoping the Fields of Merrilor will deliver. It sounds very LoTRish in it's name. I'm sure Linda is on any parallels.

 

Frankly, the idea that Rand "dealt" with the BT in the vacant time just doesn't hold water, because he is telling Naeff to go there and get information the day he met the Borderlander monarchs, which is 2 days before he's supposed to leave for SG, with the meeting the next day.

 

Of course, when Rand returns to Tear after seeing Egwene, he tells Narishma to set up a meeting in "a few days" which ends up being 25 days later.

[Sharaman]

I think that the Fields meeting will be all about the Tavern. The Seanchan puzzle is going to be solved by Mat somehow. Whether it is Mat blowing the Horn and Hawkwing himself Ordering the Seanchan to follow the hornblower, or Mat revealing that Tuon can channel and this forces her to cede control of the empire to Mat as Prince of Ravens. Somehow Mat is the key to Seanchan. I get the feeling that Caemlyn's invasion by Shadowspawn, WT invasion by Seanchan and BT civil war are all going to boil over at the same moment. That is the Shadow's D Day. Create strife and draw the eye to Borderlands, then let everything boil over in the three strongest seats of power in Randland. Andor, WT and BT. Perrin's mantle of leadership will be tested by defending Caemlyn and Rand will confront his ultimate mistake in the form of the BT.

 

from what i read in Sanderson Q&A The Black Tower timeline is behind the field of merrilor, which means Rand must solve this before he comes.

 

i think Caemlyn and WT are the only things happening simultaenously, and borderlands ofc

Nope - the timelines converge - read the scene with Rand sending Naeff to BT.

[jmniles]

Tuon is way to bullheaded even to consider an alliance with Rhand. I think it will come down to Rhand swearing loyalty to Mat as the prince of ravens to sooth her and in that way gaining acces to the Seanchan armies for the LB.

Of course this will happen where every single noble on the field can see it, so they can al start to call Mat nobility now, .. justas he likes :).

 

While Tuon is stubborn, I would say she has made herself more of a slave of the prophecies or signs that appear before her - that is what guides her action more than anything else.

I think this is what he plan , but not what will happen

 

What if Mat swears fealty to Rand and Fortouna has to comply with something the Prince of Ravens does

[PatsNats28]

Does this Field of Merrilor situation scream Shayol Ghul to anyone else? In the AoL, all the Forsaken were meeting at Shayol Ghul when LTT and the 100 companions attacked and resealed the Bore. I feel like a massive Shadow attack is just waiting, every important character is gonna be there, and each group has their own darkfriends, I'm sure Moridin knows about this.

[PhoenixAngel]

What if Mat swears fealty to Rand and Fortouna has to comply with something the Prince of Ravens does

 

Mat is the Prince of the Ravens because he was married to the Daughter of the Nine Moons, that person no longer exists. She is now the Empress, that will change his title and power to something more as well.Errr I guess

[Crael123]

Does this Field of Merrilor situation scream Shayol Ghul to anyone else? In the AoL, all the Forsaken were meeting at Shayol Ghul when LTT and the 100 companions attacked and resealed the Bore. I feel like a massive Shadow attack is just waiting, every important character is gonna be there, and each group has their own darkfriends, I'm sure Moridin knows about this.

 

That scares the crap out of me

[WhiskyJack]

Does this Field of Merrilor situation scream Shayol Ghul to anyone else? In the AoL, all the Forsaken were meeting at Shayol Ghul when LTT and the 100 companions attacked and resealed the Bore. I feel like a massive Shadow attack is just waiting, every important character is gonna be there, and each group has their own darkfriends, I'm sure Moridin knows about this.

 

 

Alas, just like last time Dragon is fighting for light.

[Sharaman]

Does this Field of Merrilor situation scream Shayol Ghul to anyone else? In the AoL, all the Forsaken were meeting at Shayol Ghul when LTT and the 100 companions attacked and resealed the Bore. I feel like a massive Shadow attack is just waiting, every important character is gonna be there, and each group has their own darkfriends, I'm sure Moridin knows about this.

 

That scares the crap out of me

Would make more sense to attack their homebases while they're all dickering at FoM.

[PatsNats28]

Does this Field of Merrilor situation scream Shayol Ghul to anyone else? In the AoL, all the Forsaken were meeting at Shayol Ghul when LTT and the 100 companions attacked and resealed the Bore. I feel like a massive Shadow attack is just waiting, every important character is gonna be there, and each group has their own darkfriends, I'm sure Moridin knows about this.

 

That scares the crap out of me

Would make more sense to attack their homebases while they're all dickering at FoM.

 

I think most countries left some sort of army though, the FoM makes sense to attack because the leaders are there.

[Caius Callus]

BTW, that smiley needs to be updated a bit...

[WhiskyJack]

Does this Field of Merrilor situation scream Shayol Ghul to anyone else? In the AoL, all the Forsaken were meeting at Shayol Ghul when LTT and the 100 companions attacked and resealed the Bore. I feel like a massive Shadow attack is just waiting, every important character is gonna be there, and each group has their own darkfriends, I'm sure Moridin knows about this.

 

That scares the crap out of me

Would make more sense to attack their homebases while they're all dickering at FoM.

 

I think most countries left some sort of army though, the FoM makes sense to attack because the leaders are there.

 

 

Just one problem..you cannot overrun such a massive gathering..and these people can jump from one place to another..what would be the point..

[PatsNats28]

Move the dreamspike there first? Granted, Perrin knows how to move it, but protect it heavily in TAR.

[Bob T Dwarf]

Move the dreamspike there first? Granted, Perrin knows how to move it, but protect it heavily in TAR.

 

Not so much. Reports of disaster and people/places being overrun need to get to these folks. Then they need to be able to disperse soonest. Can't happen with a Dreamspike nailing 'em down.

[WhiskyJack]

Move the dreamspike there first? Granted, Perrin knows how to move it, but protect it heavily in TAR.

 

Unfortunately, they will immediately know what is happening. Rand can simply jump to TAR and destroy dreamspike. Besides, trollocs cannot just move from one place to another. Is there a waygate or portal stone around? These people can only be "jumped" if shadow forces knew for a while about this place. As I said, messy and not very effective.

[PatsNats28]

Move the dreamspike there first? Granted, Perrin knows how to move it, but protect it heavily in TAR.

 

Not so much. Reports of disaster and people/places being overrun need to get to these folks. Then they need to be able to disperse soonest. Can't happen with a Dreamspike nailing 'em down.

 

I was talking from the Shadow's point of view.

[TheAngryDruid]

Put me in the camp that thinks the Dragon's Peace (with some changes made by Avi) will be agreed to. Aid will have to be sent to Caemlyn, Lan, the Borderlands, and probably the WT, too.

 

Caemlyn. Has 1/2 the Band, the Kin, some WF's, and whatever Elayne left behind. Plus the rebel AS delegation to the BT. I'd assume the rest of the Band would hurry back from Cairhien through a gateway, and that Mat & Mo will arrive as well. If it comes to light that gateways don't work there, and Rand mentions the Dreamspike, and Perrin connects the dots, then I think he AND Rand could also go, with a large part of their forces.

 

The Borderlanders will go to reinforce the Borderlands, and to help Lan. As will Nynaeve. I think most of the Aiel will also head north, along with the Wise Ones. Black veils verses red. Plus, whatever happened to Renald Fanwar? They've got to be somewhere.

 

That will leave Tear, Illlian, Cairhien, Egwene's force, the Famer's army, and whatever is left of Perrin's forces to deal with the WT attack. I think the remnants of the BT will join them. Also, Egeanin has to save Egwene's bacon.

 

After Caemlyn/BT and the WT are secure, the rest of the forces will head to SG or be used to help the Borderland defense, as needed.

 

Though I didn't really like the way ToM unfolded, too many jarring oddities and time left unaccounted for, the first 10 chapters of aMoL should be dynamite.

[bubbers]

a long time ago, i didn't believe, but I considered, that the seanchan woman who will "climb it together" with egwene, referring to some cliff in one of egwenes dreams could be tuon. both are idiots who believe what they believe no matter what evidence is put before them. they are 2 very unlikely people to ever work togather, but both clever enough to pinch rands forces between theirs and force him to follow one or the other's authority.

 

both so unlikely to work together, but...

 

if tuon learns rand is going to break the seals, and that the wetland forces are about to face his forces, tuon would worry less about capturing marath daman, and would start worrying about trying to stop rand.

 

egwene has already shown that she's more worried about subjugating rand than she is about anything else except her own personal power within the WT

 

both will say "I can deal with them after I make the dragon reborn kneel to me"

 

if perrin isn't there to save rand at the BT, then he'd be needed in that situation for sure, maybe mat can handle tuon, and perrin can handle egwene.

[f3llyn]

Put me in the camp that thinks the Dragon's Peace (with some changes made by Avi) will be agreed to. Aid will have to be sent to Caemlyn, Lan, the Borderlands, and probably the WT, too.

 

Caemlyn. Has 1/2 the Band, the Kin, some WF's, and whatever Elayne left behind. Plus the rebel AS delegation to the BT. I'd assume the rest of the Band would hurry back from Cairhien through a gateway, and that Mat & Mo will arrive as well. If it comes to light that gateways don't work there, and Rand mentions the Dreamspike, and Perrin connects the dots, then I think he AND Rand could also go, with a large part of their forces.

 

The Borderlanders will go to reinforce the Borderlands, and to help Lan. As will Nynaeve. I think most of the Aiel will also head north, along with the Wise Ones. Black veils verses red. Plus, whatever happened to Renald Fanwar? They've got to be somewhere.

 

That will leave Tear, Illlian, Cairhien, Egwene's force, the Famer's army, and whatever is left of Perrin's forces to deal with the WT attack. I think the remnants of the BT will join them. Also, Egeanin has to save Egwene's bacon.

 

After Caemlyn/BT and the WT are secure, the rest of the forces will head to SG or be used to help the Borderland defense, as needed.

 

Though I didn't really like the way ToM unfolded, too many jarring oddities and time left unaccounted for, the first 10 chapters of aMoL should be dynamite.

Why do people keep thinking Mat will go back to Caemlyn? Grady went with Perrin to the FoM. That's where he'll end up with Moiraine and Thom, imo. Others will be left to deal with the invasion of Caemlyn.

[Fains nose]

i think Rand might use, or Egwene might demand that they use, all the gathered forces to either intimidate the Seanchan into allying for the Last Battle(Rands plan), or use the combined forces to destroy them(Egwenes plan). the Seanchan have been involved in the story since the second book, there not going to just stay in the south while everyone else fights the last battle, then take over the world off screen after the last battle, i think theyll have a huge role to play. there is the dream/ viewing off a golden hawk touching egwene(probably Tuon), and theres the dream of a seanchan woman with a sword saving egwene(Eaganin(sp?)). theres no way Rands plan to break the seals the day after the meeting at the field of merrilor is going to happen, if thats even what he actually intends to do, he may be just manipulating Egwene to gather all his allies for him in one place, united. whatever Rand does to kick off the Last Battle, it will happen in the finall quarter of the book