Report/Discuss Q and A and Interview Spoilers Here (Full Spoilers)

[Luckers]

If you are reporting from a Q&A please make your text red so we can pick them up easily.

[Amandera]

For those going to Q&A sessions I compiled a list of the things I saw people want an answer for. I think everyone would appreciate if these questions were asked. In no order:

 

• How did Alanna get captured? Why didn't Rand know about it?
• What was in Verin's letters to Alanna, Rand and Galad?
• What is Nakomi? How did she appear? Why did she appear? Both in ToM to Aviendha and in AMoL to Rand.
• Did Demandred recruit Taim before or after he became a False Dragon?
• Was the VOICE Creator? If so, why did he interfere by saying he will not interfere in tEotW? Also, was it the Creator or Dark One that said "IT IS TIME. LET THE TASK BE UNDERTAKEN." in AMoL?
• How did Rand blind Torkumen and his wife in ToM?
• Who ordered the attack on Algarin's mansion in KoD?
• How exactly did the bodyswap happen?
• What exactly Rand does to light his pipe?
• What is the light coating in Rand's mind? How did it get there?
• What was the original purpose of the Eye of the World? What did it actually accomplish the way Rand used it?
• Who betrayed Egwene in CoT?
• Did Perrin and Faile feel a balescream in KoD? If so, who was using balefire?

[MarkDiLillo]

Why didn't Rand know when Alanna was stabbed?  Why didn't he know she was in SG with them?

 

Why was Moiraine so important?

 

Why did the Shadow want to turn Rand throughout the series?  Why didnt they just kill him all along?

 

What were Moiraine's other wishes and what about Lanfears wishes?

 

When did the body swap occur?  How did the three girls and Alivia know about it?

[Amandera]

Um, three girls know about it because the bond is not broken. Min may have figured out what her viewing means and told Alivia.

 

• Are Mat and Perrin Heroes of the Horn?
• Is there any other Hero alive or about to be born besides Gaidal Cain and Birgitte? Who is Gaidal's current reincarnation?
• Who are the First Among Vermin and Broken Wolf in ToM Dark Prophecy? Is the halls of mourning Sindhol? Is Fallen Blacksmith Perrin and did "the last day of his pride" come when he was defeated by Slayer? Is the capitalized Death meant to be Moridin?

[raydurz]

Even though Harriet stated on last nights twitter interview that there was only 2 sentences of Outrigger written and that RJ didn't want an infinite amount of books, she did not implicitly say that there will NEVER be anymore books from the WOT universe (besides the encyclopedia). So while it may not happen, I'm going to keep my hopes up that we'll see some kind of expansion.

[Zefram]

I can answer some of these questions if you are interested.

 

In aMoL one of the Heroes actually tells Mat that he is NOT a Hero of the Horn.

 

Gaidal is reincarned as a baby so by now he is at most 1-2 yrs old baby. Definately not Olver or anyone we know or be interested in since both Gaidal and Bridgitte are always described as regular soldiers/rebels/etc not children of someone spectacular. So most likely he is a baby of regular Randland citizen maybe even Seanchan.

 

I am still reading but was Rand aware of ANY of connections through his bonds during his battle in Shoyol Gul? I doubt that he was especially when he was doing his Shadow and Light world's versions argument with DO. So he might have been even aware of Alanna being wounded till the actual moment that she died (and then bad reaction). (Also frankly I would assume it was likely an oversight of Brandon's)

 

I would assume Shadow wanted to use Rand because as you saw it was pretty easy for him to decide on whether to destroy the world, the pattern or remake the world. If Rand died, Pattern would have span out someone else instead either at same time or postponed the last battle to another time.

 

Eye of the World was untainted Saidin to be used by just awakened Dragon Reborn in the first opening battle heralding the start of march toward Tarmon Gai'don. And 2nd purpose was to protect the Horn of Valere and 1st seal.

 

Verin's letter to Rand revealed where Alsalam - King of Amad Domain was or at least what would have happened to him (kidnapped by Aes Sedai).

 

In CoT Egwene wasn't really betrayed by Beonin who deserted rebels only after Egwene's capture. Tower sisters were always patrolling the giant harbor chain. Katerina and others comment how lucky they were that it was them (Reds)patrolling at this time and they decided to do it pairs and at that particular spot at that particular time. So it was just a coincidence and bad luck on Egwene's and Leane's part.

[Amandera]

Sorry, those are things everybody knows and some of them are simply wrong. We want definitive answers.

[sleepinghour]

You can submit questions to Team Jordan on the Waygate Foundation's Facebook page.

[Suttree]

Even though Harriet stated on last nights twitter interview that there was only 2 sentences of Outrigger written and that RJ didn't want an infinite amount of books, she did not implicitly say that there will NEVER be anymore books from the WOT universe (besides the encyclopedia). So while it may not happen, I'm going to keep my hopes up that we'll see some kind of expansion.

Not happening, and that is the best possible decision given the amount of notes and RJ's wishes.

 

Question: What about the outriggers? (The sequel trilogy to the Wheel of Time series that Robert Jordan had planned to write.)

 

Answer: It's not going to happen. Harriet and I are both firm on this. Robert Jordan wouldn't have wanted it to happen. He said that he wanted the series to be finished, but he did not want anything more. (He was even uncomfortable with the idea of someone like myself finishing the series.)

 

Beyond this, at the Q&A on Monday, Harriet revealed something I previously haven't been able to tell you but that I've known for quite some time—that Robert Jordan didn't leave much of anything in the way of notes for the Outriggers. There are, quite literally, only two sentences of explanation from RJ telling us what the plot of the outriggers was to be about.

[nolirion]

 

Even though Harriet stated on last nights twitter interview that there was only 2 sentences of Outrigger written and that RJ didn't want an infinite amount of books, she did not implicitly say that there will NEVER be anymore books from the WOT universe (besides the encyclopedia). So while it may not happen, I'm going to keep my hopes up that we'll see some kind of expansion.

Not happening, and that is the best possible decision given the amount of notes and RJ's wishes.

 

>>Question: What about the outriggers? (The sequel trilogy to the Wheel of Time series that Robert Jordan had planned to write.)

 

Answer: It's not going to happen. Harriet and I are both firm on this. Robert Jordan wouldn't have wanted it to happen. He said that he wanted the series to be finished, but he did not want anything more. (He was even uncomfortable with the idea of someone like myself finishing the series.)

 

Beyond this, at the Q&A on Monday, Harriet revealed something I previously haven't been able to tell you but that I've known for quite some time—that Robert Jordan didn't leave much of anything in the way of notes for the Outriggers. There are, quite literally, only two sentences of explanation from RJ telling us what the plot of the outriggers was to be about.

 

If not outrigger , will the Encyclopedia share some light on the future of the Main characters ?

[skalors3]

 

 

 

Even though Harriet stated on last nights twitter interview that there was only 2 sentences of Outrigger written and that RJ didn't want an infinite amount of books, she did not implicitly say that there will NEVER be anymore books from the WOT universe (besides the encyclopedia). So while it may not happen, I'm going to keep my hopes up that we'll see some kind of expansion.

Not happening, and that is the best possible decision given the amount of notes and RJ's wishes.

 

>Question: What about the outriggers? (The sequel trilogy to the Wheel of Time series that Robert Jordan had planned to write.)

 

Answer: It's not going to happen. Harriet and I are both firm on this. Robert Jordan wouldn't have wanted it to happen. He said that he wanted the series to be finished, but he did not want anything more. (He was even uncomfortable with the idea of someone like myself finishing the series.)

 

Beyond this, at the Q&A on Monday, Harriet revealed something I previously haven't been able to tell you but that I've known for quite some time—that Robert Jordan didn't leave much of anything in the way of notes for the Outriggers. There are, quite literally, only two sentences of explanation from RJ telling us what the plot of the outriggers was to be about.

If not outrigger , will the Encyclopedia share some light on the future of the Main character ?

If main character you mean Rand, I would expect that his story is told.

[nolirion]

Sorry I forgot an S , I meant Lan and  Nynaeve , the Three , Mat and Tuon , Moraine and Tom , I would Be ecstatic  at them joining Rand on a trip , not an another story but a few detail to know how they finished their live .

[skalors3]

Sorry I forgot an S , I meant Lan and Nynaeve , the Three , Mat and Tuon , Moraine and Tom , I would Be ecstatic at them joining Rand on a trip , not an another story but a few detail to know how they finished their live .

I can say that ably many series. Books must end though and this one ended properly.

[NitroS]

Sorry, those are things everybody knows and some of them are simply wrong. We want definitive answers.

Wasnt the betrayal in cot by nikola? didnt she say oh sorry mother i didnt know it would have been you?

[Amandera]

No, it was someone in the Hall. Beonin betrayed the weaves and TAR, Nicola just escaped and probably answered whatever she was asked. But the knowledge of turning the harbor chains was Sealed to the Hall. So it was either BA or the too-young Sitters sent by Ajah Heads.

• Why were Theodrin, Faolain and Myrelle sent to BT to bond Asha'man?

[Elvira_Sedai]

    I have a question about Egwene's soul. Is her something special in the Great Pattern or she's a regular one and RJ tried to show us that every commoner could achieve what she did if (s)he is working enough hard ?

[Jhirrad]

Even though Harriet stated on last nights twitter interview that there was only 2 sentences of Outrigger written and that RJ didn't want an infinite amount of books, she did not implicitly say that there will NEVER be anymore books from the WOT universe (besides the encyclopedia). So while it may not happen, I'm going to keep my hopes up that we'll see some kind of expansion.

 

I was a Memory Keeper for the signing last night. We asked Harriet and Brandon very specifically if the outriggers were going to happen. The answer was absolutely not. There's not enough there to do it, neither of them are comfortable with Brandon writing something that essentially completely new in RJ's world. We'll get the encyclopedia, Brandon said probably around this time next year, but that's it.

[Amandera]

Did anyone record the questions and answers? It'd be great if we could all hear them.

[Jhirrad]

Here's most of the Q&A from last night, which I live tweeted during the event.

Q: How do you keep track of all those characters?

A: Lots of use of online resources. Also, Maria and Alan are invaluable assets for that. Brandon told a funny story about trying to figure out who was with Perrin, and Maria pulled out some notes from RJ, that had a list of every single person from the Two Rivers that came with Perrin! Brandon also said he thinks there are more than 2800 named characters throughout the entire series.

 

Q: Is there a character you took in a different direction from what Jordan had intended?

A: In terms of a character, and what would happen to them ultimately, no, not really. However, there were times when some things had to be adjusted, specifically some plot points, in order to make the narrative as a whole flow better. Brandon did mention that he wanted a character that he felt like was his own, which he got to do the most development on. That character became Androl. A lot of what Androl did were things which RJ said had to happen. Brandon picked Androl to do them, and gave the character his own touch more than any other.

 

Q: Did Brandon insert a character in the story based on himself?

A: No. He did however mention two items, one for RJ, one for him. In the ter'angreal cache found in Ebou Dar, there is a man with a beard statue. The power of the item is to be like an easily movable library. [MY NOTE: We see this in AMoL.] This was Robert Jordan. Brandon then told the story of how he got his sword, with the dragon scabbard, while in Mr. Jordan's home in South Carolina, and meeting with Wilson. That sword appears in the book, and is the one which Rand gives to Tam in AMoL. So Brandon's sword is in the book, but not Brandon himself.

 

Q: [side note: One person almost got himself lynched, but asking a somewhat spoilery question, regardless of what people had been instructed...] Some characters die in AMoL. How do you choose which characters to kill and which to keep alive.

A: [My note: Brandon tried to keep this out of spoilers and make it more general about writing and dealing with killing characters off in general.] In this book, Robert Jordan had left very specific instructions regarding the fates of some characters. He left a lot of notes, and some of those determined their fate. In general, characters have to be allowed to take risks in order to create a compelling story. There has to be a real danger for them, or the characters fall flat. Sometimes, that means characters are going to die. (Brandon added a nice bit that made the crowd laugh regarding not just saying, "Which character can I kill off that will really piss everyone off and which no one expects?")

 

Q: We know the Aes Sedai don't use a lot of the ter'angreal they have in their possession in the manner in which they are meant to be used. Specifically, what are the correct uses for the ter'angreal used to raise a novice to Accepted and an Accepted to Aes Sedai?

A: I have no idea.

 

Q: Who was the Aiel woman that Aviendha met on her trip to Rhuidean?

A: Nakomi. Also, RAFO, there's a hint in AMoL. (Later in the evening, he said that hint can be found between the chapter The Last Battle and the end of the book. He also said she came from deep in RJ's notes, and he did not feel like he could give more information than that. Also, she might be explained in the encyclopedia, but no promises regarding that.)

 

Q: How much was already completed when you took over the series?

A: Brandon referred to what Tom Doherty had previously said on the issue. He said there was about 200 pages when he took over. Also, the epilogue in AMoL was almost entirely written by Jordan with Brandon trying to bring everything else to that point.

 

Q: How was the Old Tongue created?

A: Harriet: Jim had books on almost every language in the world in his study. He drew inspiration from those. Maria: A lot of it comes from those and at the same time a lot was just his own creativity in adapting that into this world which he has created.

 

Q: In a charity drive, a lot of people were chosen to have their names inserted into AMoL, specifically we were told a large group would consist of these people. Who are they in the book? 

A: The Dragonsworn. Aes Sedai have joined this group, and many others. That's where they were added.

 

Q: Harriet: How did you choose Brandon to finish this series?

A: A friend had provided the eulogy which Brandon wrote for Robert Jordan on his website, and it was moving. So Harriet called Tom Doherty, and asked for one of Brandon's books. He sent her the first Mistborn book. She then told how she can't stop reading a book, can't fall asleep if she starts, if she doesn't know yet if those characters are "in good hands". After 47 pages, she fell asleep, not because she was bored, but because she knew the Brandon's characters were in good hands. She called Tom Doherty and told him this was man to finish The Wheel of Time.

[Jhirrad]

Did anyone record the questions and answers? It'd be great if we could all hear them.

 

For the actual group Q&A, I kept a record, by live tweeting it, which I have just transcribed into a longer form here. The store however does not allow recording, and therefore we could not make a video or audio recording.

 

As for our private meeting, no, we didn't record that, and would not. Most of what was said there was not about the books, but just being friendly and discussing life. I only mentioned that piece because I know it's something on a lot of minds now. 

[Stevros]

Will the encyclopaedia contain the facts of what happened from the two prequels? (As it seems we are not going to get the story, it would be really nice to have the background to how Tam became a blademaster companion who found the dragon reborn.)

[Jhirrad]

Will the encyclopaedia contain the facts of what happened from the two prequels? (As it seems we are not going to get the story, it would be really nice to have the background to how Tam became a blademaster companion who found the dragon reborn.)

 

No one knows yet for sure what exactly the encyclopedia is going to contain. Maria seemed to intimate however that it was very, VERY large. There are a lot of notes which RJ left, and some of that information will be there, but we don't know how much or what of it. It is not meant to be an expansion of the Big White Bible, but rather a whole new repository of knowledge. I don't know how much information on the prequels would be included, but it almost feels like it would require a lot of crafting in the world, which I don't believe personally is the intent in this project.

[Guest Dennis Higbee]

Do you think we could find out what the two sentences were, at least?

[Muirenn]

Do you think we could find out what the two sentences were, at least?

 

Mat is a gambling rogue; Tuon is an ruthless empress.  Together, they fight crime retake Seanchan!

[Jonrox]

My questions tonight in Dayton, Ohio:
 

 

Q: Who opened Cadsuane's box? (Jokingly) Is it intuitively obvious?
A: It's not intuitively obvious who opened the box.  The weaves were removed from the box so that the person who opened the box could open it.

Q: Where was Roedran after the Field of Merrilor
A: (Consternation on his face) He was goofing off somewhere.
Q: And his army? They didn't do anything of note, eh?
A: Right

 

My take: looks like Shaidar Haran is most likely candidate for Cadsuanes box.  I asked "who" and his answers didn't even identify it as a person (he didn't say "someone removed the weaves")

Also, looks like I was right about him forgetting about Roedran/Murandians after FoM.

I recorded the Q & A, but I haven't looked to see if it's of a quality worth uploading, since I wasn't aiming my phone at him or anything in particular.  I might try to transcribe the session, though, unless the memory keeper posts first