Other forms of "Magic" in WoT

[dexterryu]

I was reading some of BS's blog and how he discusses his magic systems and is kind if known in the Sci/fiction writing community as the "magic system guy". I got to thinking just how many different sources/types of magic there are in the WoT and figured I'd start a thread to discuss them, and wonder if we will ever get to see how they all work (hopefully in the Encyclopedia).

 

There are the three obvious magics in the WoT that we all have a pretty good amount of knowledge into how they work:

 

1)The One Power - Creater based power, we get lots of description on how it works, Saidin & Saidar, the 5 powers, linking, angreal, etc...

2)The True Power - Dark One based power, Male & female both tap the same source/use the same weaves?

3)Manipulating the World of Dreams - Not sure if I call this magic, but it's close and definitely has rules.

3a) Wolfbrothers - similar to TAR except telecommunication with wolves.

 

Then there are some of the others that have been mentioned or at that we at least know exist:

1) Mordeath/Shaidar Logoth. We know that this is based on an ancient evils and is somewhat new overall since Mordeath created it by mixing them.

1a) The original ancient evils that Mordeath discover to make up what he becomes

2) Finn magic - not really sure how this works

3) Portal Stones - usuable via the power, but we're not sure who/how they were created

4) Horn of Valere - some kind of different magic that is able to bring to life the dead. How does it work, what are it's uses (other than the obvious), limitations?

5) Min's viewings - we know some of how they work, but not how.

6) Fortellings

 

Any others that I missed?

[Superhal]

7. Machim Shin.

 

8. Padan Fain

 

9. myrddral's shadow traveling.

 

10. bubbles of evil.

 

11. Past life communication.

 

12. the Lace of Ages/Wheel of Time/pattern

 

13. Omen reading.

 

14. The Nym

 

15. Tree singing

 

16. The Song

 

17. Ogier groves

 

18. Avendorela

[SuperFade]

There was that magic dagger used by a female darkfriend in Eye of the World. Its blade was extremely hot and ended up setting fire to a barn IIRC. Could have been some sort of ter'angreal I guess.

[jahnfriederik]

There was that magic dagger used by a female darkfriend in Eye of the World. Its blade was extremely hot and ended up setting fire to a barn IIRC. Could have been some sort of ter'angreal I guess.

Perrin's hammer is a parallel; suggests OP forged?

[dexterryu]

Just going to add some brief discriptions on the known or thought to be known origins of these...

 

7. Machim Shin. - Potentially derived from the Dark One via the taint on Saidin. Also unknown whether the cleansing has had an effect.

 

8. Padan Fain - Mixture of Mordeaths powers + Dark One's hound powers

 

9. myrddral's shadow traveling. - good one. Don't think anyone has any idea.

 

10. bubbles of evil. - Derived from the Dark One's effects on the pattern. Rules and workings not known.

 

11. Past life communication - Don't remember seeing this. Any examples so I can add a description?

 

12. the Lace of Ages/Wheel of Time/pattern

 

13. Omen reading. - Interesting one. Not sure if there is any truth to this or if it is actual superstition - which is somewhat ironic in that Tuon believes things that are real superstition.

 

14. The Nym. - One power created if I recall? Not 100% sure.

 

15. Tree singing

 

16. The Song

 

17. Ogier groves - I think you mean Steading?

 

18. Avendorela

[Superhal]

11. In KoD, Mesanna refers to a type of insanity where one is able to speak to past incarnations that is usually fatal. She referred to it as a weakening of the barrier between present and past lives. We know that this is not exclusive to channelers because Mat had symptoms, and wolves appear able to remember the knowledge of all wolves since the beginning of time.

 

13. In tGS, just before Tuon met Rand, she had a vision of 3 towers indicating a difficult decision was coming. This was completely different than other types of omen readings where she just interpreted natural phenomena.

[dexterryu]

11. In KoD, Mesanna refers to a type of insanity where one is able to speak to past incarnations that is usually fatal. She referred to it as a weakening of the barrier between present and past lives. We know that this is not exclusive to channelers because Mat had symptoms, and wolves appear able to remember the knowledge of all wolves since the beginning of time.

 

13. In tGS, just before Tuon met Rand, she had a vision of 3 towers indicating a difficult decision was coming. This was completely different than other types of omen readings where she just interpreted natural phenomena.

 

#13. Tuon can can channel. Perhaps she has the Talent of Fortelling and just doesn't know it.

[OptimusPrime]

I imagine that Fades step outside the Pattern when they do the shadow travel thing.

 

Past life communication is not applicable to anything in the books. Past life memories+madness="past life communication"

 

The Nym I believe was a construct with its own soul, the soul being borrowed from the "pool" of those waiting to be reborn.

 

Perrins hammer... meh. It felt like a desperate attempt to give him a cool accessory. Rand and Mats "equipment" fit what they became. Perrins is... a hammer that kills stuff a bit better than normal hammers. I think it is the most bland, halfhearted item yet. I think if there was something that enabled him to enter T'A'R in the flesh it would have been much more fitting. Or even if he got hold of one of those Bloodknife ter'angreal or something. A hammer? Im sure there are other things that are worth referencing about Perrin at this late, endgame point than the fact that he is a blacksmith.

[OptimusPrime]

I imagine that Fades step outside the Pattern when they do the shadow travel thing.

 

Past life communication is not applicable to anything in the books. Past life memories+madness="past life communication"

 

The Nym I believe was a construct with its own soul, the soul being borrowed from the "pool" of those waiting to be reborn.

 

Perrins hammer... meh. It felt like a desperate attempt to give him a cool accessory. Rand and Mats "equipment" fit what they became. Perrins is... a hammer that kills stuff a bit better than normal hammers. I think it is the most bland, halfhearted item yet. I think if there was something that enabled him to enter T'A'R in the flesh it would have been much more fitting. Or even if he got hold of one of those Bloodknife ter'angreal or something. A hammer? Im sure there are other things that are worth referencing about Perrin at this late, endgame point than the fact that he is a blacksmith.

[RyanL24]

3) Portal Stones - usuable via the power, but we're not sure who/how they were created

 

3a) The Ways

 

 

What's up with those. They were grown? I'm still scratching my head. If I can figure it out, I'm going to grow an underground tunnel from my house to my garage. I'll let my friends use it, but only if they follow my tradition and yell "Machin Shin!!!" as they run through...

[Superhal]

Past life communication is not applicable to anything in the books. Past life memories+madness="past life communication"

 

Nope. It is clearly stated that the voice heard is actually a past life, not an imaginary voice, and it was a known affliction even in the AoL. (KoD)

 

 

3a) The Ways

 

 

They, along with Perrin's hammer and other Power-wrought weapons, all fit into the OP category. Loial states that the AS had a "growing stone" that was used to make the waygates.

 

The steaming dagger and myddraal swords would fit in the TP or OP category.

[Durinax]

Avendesora (the tree of life) I believe that is another constuct.

 

15 and 16 are the same thing

[Superhal]

15 and 16 are the same thing

 

Nope. Treesinging is used by Ogier to make bowls, beds, and other objects without cutting down the tree. By singing to the tree, they can encourage the tree to grow in exactly the shape needed, aka "sung wood." Only the Ogier can do it.

 

The Song is what the Tuan'thuan/Tinkers are searching for. It is used (in the AoL) to help crops grow in the fields, and the participation of a Nym was required along with humans and Ogier.

[Superhal]

#13. Tuon can can channel. Perhaps she has the Talent of Fortelling and just doesn't know it.

 

Nobody Fortells by seeing visions. They all go into a trance and say the prophecies, only Eladia remembers what she said (possibly Gitara Moroso as well, but we don't know since she died right after.)

[Superhal]

19. Iman/Luc: the man with two souls has mysterious powers and he is unique in the universe.

 

20. Heroes of the Horn: while the horn itself is an OP construct, the Heroes are something else entirely, but are bound to the horn by the OP.

 

21. Walking dead, ghosts, Hinderstrap, etc. that are not part of bubbles of evil.

 

22. Hurin's "sniffer" ability.

 

23. "Listening" to the weather. While Nynaeve manifested this very strongly possibly because of the OP, it was hinted that Wisdoms who couldn't channel could do it.

 

23. Mat's head dice.

[FarShainMael]

I imagine that Fades step outside the Pattern when they do the shadow travel thing.

 

Past life communication is not applicable to anything in the books. Past life memories+madness="past life communication"

 

The Nym I believe was a construct with its own soul, the soul being borrowed from the "pool" of those waiting to be reborn.

 

Perrins hammer... meh. It felt like a desperate attempt to give him a cool accessory. Rand and Mats "equipment" fit what they became. Perrins is... a hammer that kills stuff a bit better than normal hammers. I think it is the most bland, halfhearted item yet. I think if there was something that enabled him to enter T'A'R in the flesh it would have been much more fitting. Or even if he got hold of one of those Bloodknife ter'angreal or something. A hammer? Im sure there are other things that are worth referencing about Perrin at this late, endgame point than the fact that he is a blacksmith.

 

Perrin's hammer is Mjöllnir, so Perrin is part Hephaestus the blacksmith and volcano god and part Thor the thunder god. This suggests some interesting possibilities re Shayol Ghul and Dragonmount, and those black and silver clouds..

[ShenAnCalhar]

I would argue that Perrin is very un-Thor-like. Thor loved his booze, had good times with his mistress, and was quick to anger and in action. Sure they both have hammers (which are vastly different in every sense excepting their names) and beards, but that's kind of where the similarities end.

[mb]

Gleemen tricks I would consider another form of magic in the series.

Sort of equivalent to slight of hand in our time/world.

[Jon Paul]

Perrins hammer... meh. It felt like a desperate attempt to give him a cool accessory. Rand and Mats "equipment" fit what they became.

 

You're focusing too much on the hammer its self and ignoring the process that went into forging that hammer. Not the forging of the hammer its self, but the forging of Perrin as a man and as a leader. It's an extension of Perrin's soul in many ways. An outward sign of his maturity etc. Perrin's hammer is very fitting.

[OptimusPrime]

Perrins hammer... meh. It felt like a desperate attempt to give him a cool accessory. Rand and Mats "equipment" fit what they became.

 

You're focusing too much on the hammer its self and ignoring the process that went into forging that hammer. Not the forging of the hammer its self, but the forging of Perrin as a man and as a leader. It's an extension of Perrin's soul in many ways. An outward sign of his maturity etc. Perrin's hammer is very fitting.

 

Perrin uses axe, enjoys using axe, worries about enjoying using axe, picks up hammer, throws axe away. Fair enough. Perrin uses hammer, pretty much enjoys using hammer, kills non-enemy Aiel dude with hammer, then has Aes Sedai allies craft new shiny hammer that burns Shadowspawn, new shiny hammer becomes symbol of leadership... The Wolf Banner was bearable, but the hammer thing seems too obvious for the character. It'd be like Birgitte having a magic bow crafted for her. Or magic arrows if we want to be realistic. It'd be too cheesy, thats what the hammer feels like.

 

Although I have to admit, the fact that its a named hammer is cool, although I cant remember the name for the life of me.

[FarShainMael]

http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/Mah'alleinir

[mb]

Omen reading

Ogier groves

Avendorela

I do not see how those are magic.

That last one, I take you mean Avendoraldera.

[Superhal]

Omen reading

Ogier groves

Avendorela

I do not see how those are magic.

That last one, I take you mean Avendoraldera.

 

Omen reading (particularly the visions Tuon had just before meeting Rand) were very different than other forms of Fortelling and her previous uses of omen reading. That particular instance was a form of visual fortelling, not sleeping or through TAR or a ter'angreal. Therefore, it is something new that we have not seen before. It is also markedly different than Min's aura reading too.

 

Ogier groves prevent the use of the OP and create a sense of well-being. Ogier are not creatures of the OP, therefore it must be something else.

 

Avendorwhatever: apparently in the BWB, it is a tree made with the OP, although I'm not entire sure (just read it last week) where it fits into canon.

[mb]

Stedding (any kind) prevent One Power use. Do not recall anywhere telling that Ogier groves do.

[dexterryu]

Stedding (any kind) prevent One Power use. Do not recall anywhere telling that Ogier groves do.

 

They also can't be entered into in TAR nor do I think Shadowspawn can go into them (or they have to be driven into them). I wonder if they are parts of the world that are different within the pattern or are connecting points to all the other possible worlds.

 

Also just made me think of another one: The Book of Translation. From what it is hinted at it appears the Ogier use it to go to different versions or realities.