Rand altering probability

[theradave]

The books clearly describe the way Rand's presence alters probability, and how (TGS excluded) the good balances the bad. When thinking of these "mass" or "general" changes (and not, for instance, the type of changes his presence causes in individual's behavior, as with the Sea Folk negotiations), it is interesting to me that these probability quirks happen only to strangers in his general proximity, and no one from his entourage.

 

I am curious if the DM community has any thoughts as to why this is.

[OptimusPrime]

The way I see it, and I could be easily wrong... Rand affects the Pattern with his will. It happens even when he isnt deliberately doing it. I imagine the thing you are talking about to be something along the lines of, on a subconscious level, that Rand is not uncertain about these people that surround him, and therefor the randomness of a Ta'veren isnt applied to them in the same sense. So you wont see people like Nynaeve or Alivia falling off bridges and surviving against all odds, you wont see significant people randomly marrying each other all of a sudden, because these are not loose threads in the Pattern, they are guided by the Pattern for certain reasons which I think are heavily influenced by Rand himself.

[atlas74]

I think it does, just more subtly or maybe some we dont recognize as such earlier in the books. Afterall we could chalk up Nyn/Lan as Taveren influence and Thom/Moiraine as well. We saw the coin toss between Matt and Rand before Rand entered the doorway in Tear, Aviendha had no intentions of giving up the spear for Rand or to be a WO and I am sure there are other small examples that dont come to mind right now...I could of course be mistaken...

[mb]

Not sure if "altering probability" is accurate.

Things tend to become more frequent; but that might not necessarily be the same thing.

[cgarcia9]

Well, a lot of the early books centered on Mat trying to get away from Rand for a life of carousing but would be distracted from doing so by something as simple as a game of stones. And in LoC Perrin talked about how he simply felt the need to be at Rand's side. Then there's Mat's crazy luck with dice games. And I agree with atlas74 about Nyneave and Lan falling in love and the like. And the fact that a random band of Tinkers that Perrin and Egwene met in book one happen to turn up again in Two Rivers just in time to fight off Trollocs? I think RJ leaves it open to interpretation on purpose.

[LemonPastie]

Not to mention Domon and Aludra turning up with different Heroes at different stages of the story

[Agitel]

There are those threads that are entwined with his, the ones that spin around him and are shaped by him, and then there's the threads who's destinies aren't being connected with his.

 

Mat, Perrin, Nynaeve, etc... all have their places in the Pattern around Rand. Rand's ta'veren effect DOES affect them, but not randomly. Their threads are being woven around his. Those who aren't connected to him in that way are affected randomly.