question about the crimson rod ter'angreal

[iceBLUEeyes]

In tPoD, when Elayne was studying this crimson rod ter'angreal, alone, in an inn, suddenly she had no idea whatsoever of what happened when she opened her eyes. Avienda and Birgitte stood by the door. She asked Nynaeve but didn't tell her. The kinswomen, the Windfinders etc, the Aes Sedai were 'hiding grins' at her after that. What was that about? I'm asking the same question as Elayne, 'what happened?'. It's got to be that rod. (O.o)

[shortkut]

I got the impression that it was supposed to be a toy for female pleasure... whether it vibrates or not does not appear to be specified

[Whizbang]

TPOD Signing Report - Lara Beaton (Paraphrased)

Lara Beaton

I asked at the signing on Saturday. The exchange went something like this:

 

What happened with Elayne and that warm ter'angreal?

 

Robert Jordan

(laughs) What do you think happened?

LARA BEATON

We figured it must be some sort of One Power sex toy.

ROBERT JORDAN

(laughing harder) I may write something about that in a later book.

LARA BEATON

RAFO, right?

Robert Jordan

Exactly.

Footnote

This was clarified further in Winter's Heart, 'A Lily in Winter'.

Interview: Nov 11th, 2000

Barnes and Noble Chat (Verbatim)

Pam Korda from Chicago

What exactly is the "hot" ter'angreal played with so enthusiastically by Elayne and when will we see it actually put into use?

Robert Jordan

Read and find out, Pam. You're experienced enough at this to know that I wouldn't give that answer, I think!

Footnote

This was explained in Winter's Heart, 'A Lily in Winter'.

[Dastion]

It's not a sex toy, that's just an assumption by readers based on the vague nature of the situation.

 

A Ter'Angreal as a literal sex toy doesn't fit into Jordan's writing style and it's certainly not something he's come out and say later, which RAFO implies. Furthermore, the reactions by the women near her imply it was something extremely embarrassing, if she'd of been using an actual sex toy publicly she'd be getting more appalled responses.

[David Selig]

She really is prim most of the time, you know. A joke, you said?” Suddenly she grinned, and spread her arms expansively. “Lead me to this oosquai of yours, Aviendha. I don’t know about you two, but I intend to get drunk enough to . . . well . . . to take off my clothes and dance on the table. And not a hair drunker.”

 

Min did not understand that at all, or why Aviendha stared at Birgitte and suddenly began laughing about it being “a wonderful joke"

I think this bit from "A Lily in Winter" shows what happened with Elayne and the ter-angreal.

[Whizbang]

Maybe it did not have the intended/designed effect. Remember, she doesn't know what it is or how to use it. So, when she is probing it, and it makes her think of fire then... she wakes up the next morning. We don't know what she did while out, but it probably wasn't what the original intent of the rod was. Maybe she only channeled a single fine weave of fire when more is needed to activate it. So, rather than acting as a "personal messager", it only increased her lust. Maybe she went around flirting with anything that moved, and generally acted like a cat in heat. Her friends managed to confine her to her room once it became apparant she was not in her right mind, but not before everyone saw her flirting and trying to kiss everyone. The original device probably was only intended to increase stimulation and blood flow, but by applying the wrong weaves in the wrong place, who knows what would happen? She obviously didn't take off all her clothes and dance around, or take the entire Dallas football team to her room, so whatever it was she did was fairly mild, but obviously suggestive and out of character.

 

***Edit***

Had the posting window open too long. I didn't see David Selig's post until after I hit Apply.

 

So, maybe she did take all her clothes off and dance around. I would've thought that'd create more of a stir than snickers behind people's hands, but who knows? Maybe the Kin and Sea Folk often do this to amuse themselves when they are running from Seanchan after using the Bowl of the Winds.

[Ozzie_aiel]

So the red rod is basically the ter'angreal equivelent of several tequila shots on Spring Break?

[Whizbang]

Maybe there is a darker origin to the rod. Maybe it is the equivelant of a rufi. If the affect it had on Elayne is the normal affect of the rod, then a woman would not use it on herself...

[Ozzie_aiel]

Possibly stress relief\relaxation devise if used correctly. You gotta be pretty relaxed to dance naked on the table. Not sure if it'd be a good rufi substitute, it doesn't knock you out. Sure you can't remember what happens, but having to drag someone off the table and pin her down while shes trying to dance is not exactly subtle. Besides which, if you were the kind of person that would use rufies and could channel, compulsion is a lot easier.

 

I personally believe it helps remove some inhibitions, to relax an individual, maybe as a therapy aide

[Orderofolde]

It's not a sex toy, that's just an assumption by readers based on the vague nature of the situation.

 

A Ter'Angreal as a literal sex toy doesn't fit into Jordan's writing style and it's certainly not something he's come out and say later, which RAFO implies. Furthermore, the reactions by the women near her imply it was something extremely embarrassing, if she'd of been using an actual sex toy publicly she'd be getting more appalled responses.

Not exactly a sex toy, think of it more like a pleasure rod.  Anyone holding it finds the fire that wasn't exactly fire and well...use your imagination.  If it renders you unconscious she probably didn't let go of it and was a little loud in the surprise of what it was making her feel.  Remember, RJ would describe a bosom or would hint at things but he left all the rest to our imaginations.

[Whizbang]

I see a sex toy ter'angreal as completely within RJ's style.  It is not his style to come right out and say what it is, and he didn't, not even in interviews.  Nevertheless, it is completely realistic that sex toy ter'angreal exist.  Look at our own world/time.  3/4 of the internet is porn.  Sex videos, toys, and assorted objects are a multi-billion $ industry.  Ter'angreal were manufactured in plants.  Even Callandor was manufactured in such a place, hence the flaw.  Objects of power were mass produced.  It only stands to reason that there were all sorts of objects and purposes, including sex toys. RJ is just giving us another detail to bring the world of Randland to life.

[iceBLUEeyes]

Here's the excerpt:

 

And then there was the crimson rod that felt hot; hot, in a way.

 

Sitting on the edge of her bed at an inn called The Wild Boar, she examined the smooth rod by the light of two polished brass lamps. Wrist-thick and a foot long, it looked like stone, but felt firm rather than hard. She was alone; since the helmet, she had tried to do her studying away from the others. The heat of the rod made her think of Fire. . . .

 

Blinking, she opened her eyes and sat up in the bed. Sunlight streamed in at the window. She was in her shift, and Nynaeve, fully dressed, stood frowning down at her. Aviendha and Birgitte were watching from beside the door.

 

"What happened?" Elayne demanded, and Nynaeve shook her head grimly.

 

"You don't want to know." Her lips twitched.

 

Aviendha's face gave away nothing. Birgitte's mouth might have been a little tight, but the strongest emotion Elayne felt from her was a combination of relief and hilarity! The woman was doing her utmost not to roll on the floor laughing!

 

The worst of it was, no one would tell what had happened. What she had said, or done; she was sure it was that, by the quickly hidden grins she saw, from Kinswomen and Windfinders as well as sisters. But no one would tell her! After that, she decided to leave studying the ter'angreal to somewhere more comfortable than a inn. Somewhere definitely more private!

[Suttree]

David Selig has the right of it from his "Lily in Winter" quote above...

[Elgee]

I wonder if anyone pointed and said: "I'll have whatever SHE's having." ... :P