The aMoL 'Memories of Light' Releases

[Sharaman]

Or he's just learnt that a relief force of Ogiers have arrived somewhere via the Ways.

[ShadowsFell]

 

malkier is the only waygate in the blight isn't?

no, I believe several were mentioned but none near Shayol Ghul which is deep in the Blight and has never been a nice place after the Breaking.

 

 

I may be remembering incorrectly, but I think it was mentioned once that there was once a city in the Age of Legends near where Shayol Ghul currently is.  And since they Ways are a pre-breaking creation (unless I'm also remembering that wrong), it would stand to reason there was once a Waygate very near Shayol Ghul.  And if Rand is "dead", or everyone thinks he is, it might make sense he needs a way to travel incognito, but fast, to deal with the DO.

 

Or, as another alternative, maybe Rand or Mat is positioning a fighting force inside the Ways to counter an invasion coming through there, or perhaps to close remaining Waygates from the inside, to prevent another invasion.

[Suttree]

 

I may be remembering incorrectly, but I think it was mentioned once that there was once a city in the Age of Legends near where Shayol Ghul currently is. 

You are. SG was not so much a city but a ...

 

LoC Prologue

In what was now called the Age of Legends, this had been an idyllic island in a cool sea, a favorite of those who enjoyed the rustic.

Not to mention waygates were made during the breaking.

 

As for the daily post this should be clear to anyone who has followed Felix Pax's ravings. It's quite obviously that group of  DF Ogier from the Shadow Coast moving to attack Ituralde!!!

[herid]

 

 

malkier is the only waygate in the blight isn't?

no, I believe several were mentioned but none near Shayol Ghul which is deep in the Blight and has never been a nice place after the Breaking.

 

 

 

I may be remembering incorrectly, but I think it was mentioned once that there was once a city in the Age of Legends near where Shayol Ghul currently is.  And since they Ways are a pre-breaking creation (unless I'm also remembering that wrong),

 

no, the Waygates were created during and after the Breaking by the Aes Sedai who were hiding in the stedding from the taint. Loial explained this in tEoTW, ch 43. Furthermore, When Haman showed Rand where all the Waygates are in LOC, ch 20 only two Waygates in the Blight are mentioned - one in Malkier and one near the border with Arafel (did Verin send Alanna to deal with that?). Certainly, if there was anything anywhere close to Shayol Ghul it would have been mentioned in that scene. The only reasonable explanations IMO are the one suggested by Sharaman, that some Ogier just arrived to help Ituralde via the Ways or that somebody is suggesting using the Waygates to Ituralde. The latter is somewhat problematic as it implies that no gateways are available for some reason either because there are no channelers around or maybe because of the dreamspike. I don't think it could be a reaction to Trollocs using the Ways. That's not how that sentence reads to me. Lumping people and the Shadowspawn into "Nobody" would be both strange and wrong IMO. In any case, Sharaman's suggestion is definitely the one with the fewest question marks.

 

 

 

[TootThatHorn]

My first thought is that Ituralde may be facing off against a force from Demandred. 

 

""Nobody travels the Ways," Ituralde said, aghast."

 

I don't think he would have this reaction from trollocs; he may have it from Ogier using the ways, but to me it's got to be humans using the ways.  Either a force from Demandred, or like someone suggested, he is cut off and needs the strategic ability to flank someone, and someone has suggested he use the ways.

[batcaver]

This has me pretty excited.  I've been hoping for another scene within the Ways for several books.  I'd just about given it up.  Man, January can't come soon enough.

[Olver_is_a_Forsaken]

This has me pretty excited.  I've been hoping for another scene within the Ways for several books.  I'd just about given it up.  Man, January can't come soon enough.

Does anybody think(or hope?) that now that we know there will be a reference to the Ways, that Machin Chin will just break free of them once the Seals are Broken (and just roam around Randland)? I just think that would be really sick.   (both in the "morbid" sense and the "cool" sense of the word).

[Agitel]

 

 

I'm reading through this topic for the first time, so forgive me, but there are some questions about whether Rand still suffers from nausea post-VoG, correct? I wonder if a well would allow him to circumvent that. He may still have to fill it, but he could do that in private. It would have to be a very large well to have handled Maradon, I'm sure. But even if it wasn't a well, he may have retrieved something to nullify the nausea.

 

EDIT: An "access key" to the Eye of the World would be interesting, though I'm not sure such a thing has ever been alluded to. But the Eye could be large enough for what he did, and might even allow him to wield more than his "max" so long as there was power in the well. It would be nice to see the Eye come back into use in the series.

 

I like the idea of Rand having a Well post VoG and argued for it myself but

I don't see why any kind of a Well would stop the channeling sickness.

 

 

Perhaps because he doesn't need to reach to where ever the True Source is to grab it, it's contained within the well itself, within whatever every day reality is. When pulling from the well, Rand is just pulling saidin from an available source; he's not reaching out to touch the True Source. I feel like that's the difference. I don't know how to explain it, really, but intuitively it feels like correct workaround to his connection with Moridin. Maybe it's only when he reaches to touch the True Source, not just whenever he touches saidin. It's the act of seizing saidin that makes him sick, not saidin himself. When he's seizing saidin, he's reaching into the True Source. It would be different with a well.

[Sharaman]

My guesses - necessarily incomplete.

7)

"Nobody travels the Ways," Ituralde said, aghast.

The ogier are involved. It may be a Dreamspike type situation where Ituralde has to go somewhere which is interdicted from Travel. 

 

6)

The right thing had always seemed clear to Galad before, but never had it felt as right as this. Those streaks of light were like indicators on a map, arrows pointing his way. The Light itself guided him. It had prepared him, placed him here at this moment.

Clueless unless it's some sort of Aurora effect in the Far North - Shayol Ghul
 

5)

"Creator shelter us," she whispered.
Mat scowled. "You know, that's what Tuon said."

Moiraine sometime somewhere is the speaker. 
 

4)

"Pass his bond to me."

Alanna and ?? Not Cadsuane since she'd refused to do this earlier. Maybe Elayne but a) unknown whether the same person can hold two bonds b) Unlikely to ask - more likely to be violent about it
Moiraine is a possible. So is Cyndi / Graendal
3)

"Being married is not so bad, Perrin. Why didn't you tell me it was not so bad? I think I am rather fond of it."

Loial

 2)

"I should like to hear one of your stories. Perhaps you could tell me of the time your father and you visited Shara?"

Pevara - Androl would be the first guess

Second guess would be somebody asking an Aiel since they do go to the Shara border at least.

1)

It had been useful at Maradon. Nobody knew he had it. That was important.
Some artefact Rand is using. Not necessarily an angreal but maybe a terangreal.

[Kestrel]

"Nobody travels the Ways," Ituralde said, aghast.

 

Is this because someone is suggesting Ituralde ENTER the Ways, or because someone else just EXITED the ways?

 

My guess is that someone (Loial? Another ogier?) exited the Ways, having used them to reach Ituralde. We already know Loial is on the move and meets up with Perrin.

[he who comes with a bong]

 

 

I may be remembering incorrectly, but I think it was mentioned once that there was once a city in the Age of Legends near where Shayol Ghul currently is. 

You are. SG was not so much a city but a ...

 

LoC Prologue

In what was now called the Age of Legends, this had been an idyllic island in a cool sea, a favorite of those who enjoyed the rustic.

Not to mention waygates were made during the breaking.

 

As for the daily post this should be clear to anyone who has followed Felix Pax's ravings. It's quite obviously that group of  DF Ogier from the Shadow Coast moving to attack Ituralde!!!

 

 

If that were to actually happen that would be by far the best guess that had ever came from Felix. Now throw Valan Luca comming ou tof the ways with them and its even better hahahahah.

[herid]

 

 

 

I'm reading through this topic for the first time, so forgive me, but there are some questions about whether Rand still suffers from nausea post-VoG, correct? I wonder if a well would allow him to circumvent that. He may still have to fill it, but he could do that in private. It would have to be a very large well to have handled Maradon, I'm sure. But even if it wasn't a well, he may have retrieved something to nullify the nausea.

 

EDIT: An "access key" to the Eye of the World would be interesting, though I'm not sure such a thing has ever been alluded to. But the Eye could be large enough for what he did, and might even allow him to wield more than his "max" so long as there was power in the well. It would be nice to see the Eye come back into use in the series.

 

I like the idea of Rand having a Well post VoG and argued for it myself but

I don't see why any kind of a Well would stop the channeling sickness.

 

 

 

Perhaps because he doesn't need to reach to where ever the True Source is to grab it, it's contained within the well itself, within whatever every day reality is. When pulling from the well, Rand is just pulling saidin from an available source; he's not reaching out to touch the True Source. I feel like that's the difference. I don't know how to explain it, really, but intuitively it feels like correct workaround to his connection with Moridin. Maybe it's only when he reaches to touch the True Source, not just whenever he touches saidin. It's the act of seizing saidin that makes him sick, not saidin himself. When he's seizing saidin, he's reaching into the True Source. It would be different with a well.

 

 

I don't really like the last part. I don't see why it would be different. But perhaps this is it. We don't really know how the link works and why it forces the sickness. Lucker's theory on the subject is the best I've seen but I don't think it can explain this particular issue.

 

[batcaver]

 

This has me pretty excited.  I've been hoping for another scene within the Ways for several books.  I'd just about given it up.  Man, January can't come soon enough.

Does anybody think(or hope?) that now that we know there will be a reference to the Ways, that Machin Chin will just break free of them once the Seals are Broken (and just roam around Randland)? I just think that would be really sick.   (both in the "morbid" sense and the "cool" sense of the word).

 

Yeah, I'm kind of hoping for some serious explicating of what Machin Shin is capable of and if anything permanent can be done to deal with it.  In the beginning when the Ways were being used in the story a lot more often it almost seemed like a wild card evil force on the level of Shadar Logoth or Fain, but then it just kind of fell off of the map in the latter half of the series.  Big disappointment.  It was far creepier and more interesting than nearly anything most of the Forsaken ever did.  Things like this, or portal stones, etc, really kept the series exciting in the beginning.  The later books lost a little of that.  Glad to see it coming back.

[reson8]

I am personally leaning towards ogiers just coming out of the ways. i assume the great stump went well. Assuming so, what better way to move multitudes of ogiers to FoM? Minus the issue of MC of course...

[Bromo Sapien]

Oh, I like that. That makes sense. But how to account for Machin Shin? A group as large as that would naturally draw MS to them and they would lose most, if not all.

 

What if Loial finds some way to "cure" the Ways? Loial has been a little short of Crowning Moments of Awesome in the second half for someone so integral in the beginning. This is doubtful, since there has been little foreshadowing, but still.

[Bobwheel]

You know that sword Rand is holding in the cover art is probably not Callandor it's probably that dragon sword he got around the time he went to Arad Doman.

 

If that is so perhapse it is a Ter'Angreal, he did mention he recognized it somehow but not from Lews Therins memories.

[LeeM.Erickson]

You know that sword Rand is holding in the cover art is probably not Callandor it's probably that dragon sword he got around the time he went to Arad Doman.

 

If that is so perhapse it is a Ter'Angreal he did mention he recognized it somehow but not from Lews Therins memories.

 

I think the generally accepted theory is that the sword he found was Justice, which once belonged to Artur Hawkwing.  Probably not any kind of *angreal, though.

[Sharaman]

You know that sword Rand is holding in the cover art is probably not Callandor it's probably that dragon sword he got around the time he went to Arad Doman.

 

If that is so perhapse it is a Ter'Angreal, he did mention he recognized it somehow but not from Lews Therins memories.

His own (RaT's) memories. Falme - he saw Hawkwing's sword (and Mat saw Hawkwing's face).

[nwash_10]

Mat also saw Hawkwing's face from one of his old memories. Besides Birgitte, I would be surprised if Mat remembers much at all from Falme. This was during the time of his "fuzzy" memories because of the dagger.

[herid]

You know that sword Rand is holding in the cover art is probably not Callandor it's probably that dragon sword he got around the time he went to Arad Doman.

 

 

It has been confirmed by the artist that it is Callandor. And why would you think it wasn't anyway?

 

 

This has me pretty excited.  I've been hoping for another scene within the Ways for several books.  I'd just about given it up.  Man, January can't come soon enough.

Does anybody think(or hope?) that now that we know there will be a reference to the Ways, that Machin Chin will just break free of them once the Seals are Broken (and just roam around Randland)? I just think that would be really sick.   (both in the "morbid" sense and the "cool" sense of the word).

 

 

Yeah, I'm kind of hoping for some serious explicating of what Machin Shin is capable of and if anything permanent can be done to deal with it.  In the beginning when the Ways were being used in the story a lot more often it almost seemed like a wild card evil force on the level of Shadar Logoth or Fain, but then it just kind of fell off of the map in the latter half of the series.  Big disappointment.  It was far creepier and more interesting than nearly anything most of the Forsaken ever did.  Things like this, or portal stones, etc, really kept the series exciting in the beginning.  The later books lost a little of that.  Glad to see it coming back.

 

 

I think it's a pretty safe bet that the Ways will be cleansed in AMOL, probably by Rand. He still has a number of herculean tasks to complete according to Nicola's foretelling and he expressed an intention to cleanse the ways

 

“It might have to be used without time for fetching anything,” Rand told him. All the Ways might have to be used, whatever the dangers. If he could cleanse them somehow . . . that was almost as grandiose as his boast to Taim that he would cleanse saidin.

--LoC, ch 21

The bolded part very much looks like a foreshadowing, especially in light of memory #7. And since Rand did manage to cleanse saidin, cleansing the Ways should be doable too. Also, it would be strange if the Ways are left as they are from a storytelling perspective. Sealing the Bore won't do anything to them. Would be really weird if something like the tainted Ways was left to exits past the Last Battle.

 

What I still don't understand is why using the Ways would be needed in the LB. Upon further reflection I find the explanations that have been offered thus far not very satisfactory.

If it's about Ogier coming to help Ituralde, it begs the question of why they chose to use the Ways (they are very much against that throughout the books) and didn't ask somebody in Tear for a gateway. If somebody is suggesting using the Ways to Ituralde, again the question is why not use a gateway. The only thing that remains that I can think of is that Ituralde has been dreamspiked. But there is only one dreamspike and the Forces of the Light will most likely be spread out over a large area in the LB so this doesn't look like a satisfactory answer either, unless everybody is dreamspiked at Merrilor which I don't think will happen.

[Suttree]

You know that sword Rand is holding in the cover art is probably not Callandor it's probably that dragon sword he got around the time he went to Arad Doman.

 

If that is so perhapse it is a Ter'Angreal, he did mention he recognized it somehow but not from Lews Therins memories.

The other sword is Justice, not the "Dragon" sword although the scabbard which was seperate from sword does have dragons on it.

 

Also it has been confirmed the cover sword is callandor, as if the glowing crystal wasn't a give away?

[Olver_is_a_Forsaken]

I think it's a pretty safe bet that the Ways will be cleansed in AMOL, probably by Rand. He still has a number of herculean tasks to complete according to Nicola's foretelling and he expressed an intention to cleanse the ways

 

“It might have to be used without time for fetching anything,” Rand told him. All the Ways might have to be used, whatever the dangers. If he could cleanse them somehow . . . that was almost as grandiose as his boast to Taim that he would cleanse saidin.

--LoC, ch 21

The bolded part very much looks like a foreshadowing, especially in light of memory #7. And since Rand did manage to cleanse saidin, cleansing the Ways should be doable too. Also, it would be strange if the Ways are left as they are from a storytelling perspective. Sealing the Bore won't do anything to them. Would be really weird if something like the tainted Ways was left to exits past the Last Battle.

 

What I still don't understand is why using the Ways would be needed in the LB. Upon further reflection I find the explanations that have been offered thus far not very satisfactory.

If it's about Ogier coming to help Ituralde, it begs the question of why they chose to use the Ways (they are very much against that throughout the books) and didn't ask somebody in Tear for a gateway. If somebody is suggesting using the Ways to Ituralde, again the question is why not use a gateway. The only thing that remains that I can think of is that Ituralde has been dreamspiked. But there is only one dreamspike and the Forces of the Light will most likely be spread out over a large area in the LB so this doesn't look like a satisfactory answer either, unless everybody is dreamspiked at Merrilor which I don't think will happen.

 

Agreed. It seems like the Ways are much more key to the shadow then the light(if we discount the creation of further Dreamspikes). Most shadowspawn cannot use gateways. The Ways would seem to provide little tactical advantage from an attacking POV for Rand/the Light.

 

Would a cleansing of the Ways simply remove Machin Chin and the oppressive darkeness? Or do more? Since the Ways are desribed as "living" and as something that was "grown" I wonder if it would restore the broken and porous rock and restore the plant life? I can picture Rand channeling with other Aes Sedai through the Talisman of Growing to restore them.

[mbuehner]

It was mentioned that The Ways had traps built into them to kill shadowspawn, so it was not overlooked that they might be used by the Shadow. A restored Ways might be impossible for large forces of trollocs to use and survive.

[nwash_10]

Day 8:

 

Egwene strode around a frozen pillar of glass in her dream. It almost looked like a column of light. What did it mean? She could not interpret it.

 

Discuss...

[Sentinel78]

Day 8:

 

Egwene strode around a frozen pillar of glass in her dream. It almost looked like a column of light. What did it mean? She could not interpret it.

 

Discuss...

 

Well, there's not much to go on here in my estimation.  Egwene "strode" around the pillar, so the pillar is at least at ground level, but may extend up into the sky (unclear).  It's a pillar of "glass", but there's no indication she can see through it, just seems to be some type of solid light-beam.  Also, the pillar is in "her dream", not in TAR.

 

Perhaps this could be related to the "streaks of light" that Galad interprets as the Light guiding him in some manner (from aMoL: Day Six).  

 

I have nothing backing this up at all, but I see Rand fighting either SH or Moridin in the sky (as an effect of the Horn of Valere being blown) while being physically connected or shined upon by these beams of Light from the ground, given that the Dragon is one with the land and all that, but who knows.  

 

Edit:  The Rhuidean glass columns didn't seem to fit here, but I guess that's another possibility (just one I deem unlikely)

 

2nd Edit:  The Forsaken were previously interpreted in Egwene's dreams as being Towers of Midnight... a pillar of Light could be a potential way for Egwene to interpret one of the Forsaken returning to the Light, in which case I would say Lanfear is the best fit.  Cyndane is often described as cold / frozen by the other Forsaken if I remember right, i.e., "frozen pillar of glass".