Strange Things in Randland (described in EotW)

[Daruya]

I've started reading EotW for the umpteenth time and ran across something I had previously only skimmed over but it really piqued my curiosity this time. While on the Spray, after seeing the Tower of Ghenji, Rand and Bayle were discussing things like the bones of the strange animals and Bayle begins talking about other strange things (ref page 357, paperback). For example, "lightsticks and razorlace and heartstone. A crystal lattice covering an island, and it hums when the moon is up. A mountain hollowed into a bowl, and in its center, a silver spike a hundred spans high, and any who comes within a mile of it, dies."

 

Again, this may have been discussed already but are there any ideas floating around here in DM as to what any of these wonders actually are? Or has RJ addressed them somewhere outside of the books?

[Xeonicus]

A mountain hollowed into a bowl, and in its center, a silver spike a hundred spans high, and any who comes within a mile of it, dies.

 

That sounds to me like a giant satellite dish of some kind. Maybe something to do with radiation is what is causing people to die who approach it. That stuff sounds like remnants of past civilizations, probably technology advanced beyond the current age.

 

I've no clue what the crystal lattice thingy might be though.

[Oregon]

As for the hollowed mountain, I'd always assumed it was a satellite dish - though that'd be some serious radiation!

 

The crystal lattice...well, that's pretty strange. I suppose that's the point though.

[dimmu666]

dudeeee i thought the thing was a crater where some alien crashlanded his messed ufo.... the Dragon Reborn is actually SUPERMAN and if he goes there he'll get kryptonite up his arse.