Ask Simple questions, get simple answers (aMoL version covering the entire series)

[PhoenixUK]

 

 

Really nice summary!

 

I've read some speculation that Mordeth was important as a possible counter to the Dragon, if he fell.  It's possible Luc/Isam fulfilled a similar role.  I guess it's also possible that he was needed to make Perrin stronger who was needed to save Rand from Lanfear, but that seems a little wishy-washy.

 

thanks! Yeah its not a great explanation but i cant think what else Luc/Isam was for. I DO like the Mordeth/Fain failsafe to kill Rand if he turned to the Shadow or just went into full pyschopath mode as he nearly did in end of TGS.

 

Another example was Min's vision of Rand and another man merging. I'm cant remember now if thats Rand and LTT integrating, or Rand bodyswapping into Moridin. But I remember that Rand assumes that it means that LTT is alive and real, and not just a figment of Taint induced madness. That gives him a chance to believe he is not entirely insane. Its a small thing but its still pretty important, if he had thought LTT was just madness he might have given up or tipped over to despair that much more quickly. 

[Mr Ares]

 

About releasing the bond:

 

INTERVIEW: Apr 20th, 2004

TOR Questions of the Week Part I (Verbatim)

WEEK 13 QUESTION

Is the White Tower currently aware of any way to completely dissolve/undo the bond between an Aes Sedai and her Warder so that the link no longer exists and all the positive and negative effects of the bond are removed?

ROBERT JORDAN

Yes, they are. It is called releasing a Warder, and an Aes Sedai who is very old or injured so badly that she knows she is going to die will, if she has the strength, release him so he doesn't suffer from her death. This does require the two of them to be together, and a little more time that laying on the bond. If they are physically apart, or she doesn't have enough time or strength remaining, touch on him.

 

It has also been used to get rid of a Warder who proved to be unsuitable in some way, such as a man who is discovered to be a thief or who takes reckless chances, a fighter of duels who won't stop without the bond being used to force him. No sister is going to want a Warder who will risk getting himself killed, with all the attendant results to her, for no very good reason.

 

Although use of the bond in that way (controlling) was not unknown in the past, it came to be regarded as a form of Compulsion to use it so except in the slightest forms. Besides, using the bond to control a Warder all the time is a lot of work. An Aes Sedai wants somebody who can watch her back and keep it safe, not somebody she has to work on all the time. (Which is one of the reasons Aes Sedai stopped bonding men against their will. Not ethical concerns or ethical growth, I'm afraid; it was just not very practical really.) Better simply to release the fellow who can't measure up and find another who will.

 

By the by, releasing a Warder except for cause (the Aes Sedai's imminent death, his own unsuitability) or because he has asked for release is something that JUST IS NOT DONE! It would gain the sister considerable opprobrium from other sisters. A sister certainly would be looked at askance if she released a Warder who was dying, for example, just to avoid the effects on her of his death. When an Aes Sedai bonds a Warder, she is expected to buy in for the full ride. For that matter, releasing him for unsuitability is considered to reflect on the sister's judgment. She should have known better about him from the start.

 

This was not mentioned in the books, AFAIK. for the casual reader this would seem to be a surprise (especially when considering that Alanna refused to release Rand's bond when asked several books later, if i remember correctly).

It wasn't mentioned in the books, but there was nothing in the books to indicate that it could not be done. You can refuse to do something that you can do - she could release him, but she wouldn't.

 

I thought Egwene released the bond as she was pushing Leilwin through a Gateway in AMoL, i.e. very rapidly?

Sometimes Brandon is wrong. His canon is not the same as RJ's canon.

[MasterAblar]

I believe Rand asked Merise to release Narishma. Not sure in which book though. In tGS I think.

[Rhienne]

A couple of questions related to Lan as I have been re-reading his scenes in AMoL as they had some of my favourite action scenes.

 

How come Nynaeve didn't bother to go and visit Lan prior to going to SG with Rand and Moiraine, or did she?  There was definitely time because Rand popped in to give him the Malkieri crowns (and had time to visit Tam, Elayne, and Aviendha as well), and we also know that he and Moiraine had time to reunite.  In the epilogue (and their POVs throughout) I got the impression that they hadn't seen each other since Nynaeve dropped Lan in Saldaea, but could be wrong here, and I don't recall any references to their spending any time together.

 

Why does Lan seem so unsure about how the bond works?  There are numerous POVs where he 'tries' or 'hopes' to convey some emotion through the bond to Nynaeve.  Given we know the bond is specific enough to transfer annoyance about a stubbed toe (Alanna to Rand in LoC), surely conveying basic emotions like love, reassurance, pride, etc. has got to be pretty much Warder 101?  I get that Lan hasn't been bonded to someone he's in love with before, but he and Moiraine were very close friends and must have wanted to share emotions through the bond at some point in the 20 years they were together.

[BFG]

A couple of questions related to Lan as I have been re-reading his scenes in AMoL as they had some of my favourite action scenes.

 

How come Nynaeve didn't bother to go and visit Lan prior to going to SG with Rand and Moiraine, or did she?  There was definitely time because Rand popped in to give him the Malkieri crowns (and had time to visit Tam, Elayne, and Aviendha as well), and we also know that he and Moiraine had time to reunite.  In the epilogue (and their POVs throughout) I got the impression that they hadn't seen each other since Nynaeve dropped Lan in Saldaea, but could be wrong here, and I don't recall any references to their spending any time together.

 

Why does Lan seem so unsure about how the bond works?  There are numerous POVs where he 'tries' or 'hopes' to convey some emotion through the bond to Nynaeve.  Given we know the bond is specific enough to transfer annoyance about a stubbed toe (Alanna to Rand in LoC), surely conveying basic emotions like love, reassurance, pride, etc. has got to be pretty much Warder 101?  I get that Lan hasn't been bonded to someone he's in love with before, but he and Moiraine were very close friends and must have wanted to share emotions through the bond at some point in the 20 years they were together.

 

It may have something to do with distance. 

[Suttree]

 

A couple of questions related to Lan as I have been re-reading his scenes in AMoL as they had some of my favourite action scenes.

 

How come Nynaeve didn't bother to go and visit Lan prior to going to SG with Rand and Moiraine, or did she?  There was definitely time because Rand popped in to give him the Malkieri crowns (and had time to visit Tam, Elayne, and Aviendha as well), and we also know that he and Moiraine had time to reunite.  In the epilogue (and their POVs throughout) I got the impression that they hadn't seen each other since Nynaeve dropped Lan in Saldaea, but could be wrong here, and I don't recall any references to their spending any time together.

 

Why does Lan seem so unsure about how the bond works?  There are numerous POVs where he 'tries' or 'hopes' to convey some emotion through the bond to Nynaeve.  Given we know the bond is specific enough to transfer annoyance about a stubbed toe (Alanna to Rand in LoC), surely conveying basic emotions like love, reassurance, pride, etc. has got to be pretty much Warder 101?  I get that Lan hasn't been bonded to someone he's in love with before, but he and Moiraine were very close friends and must have wanted to share emotions through the bond at some point in the 20 years they were together.

 

It may have something to do with distance. 

 

Distance does indeed play a role.

[Elaevia]

Also, it might be that a Warder -Aes Sedai pair of many years can get more used to each others feelings, and understand them more readily, but this is a brand new bond and they haven't been close in terms of distance since in was formed.

 

With regards to releasing the bond, The Great Hunt, chapter. 22 Moraine's PoVin conversation with Lan:

'Moirane wondered when he would ask her to release him from his bond. And what she would do when he did'

 

Seems clear from the text the bond can be removed, and if not common knowledge it's at least not secret.

[Rhienne]

With regards to releasing the bond, The Great Hunt, chapter. 22 Moraine's PoVin conversation with Lan:

'Moirane wondered when he would ask her to release him from his bond. And what she would do when he did'

 

Seems clear from the text the bond can be removed, and if not common knowledge it's at least not secret.

 

I'd forgotten that quote.  I wonder if refusing to release a Warder from his bond when he asks has as much taboo around it as passing a bond/bonding without permission.  Or if requesting to have your bond released without any good reason (falling in love with another woman probably doesn't count as that!) would be very frowned upon.

[balefireruinssteaks]

I'm almost sure someone asked this years ago but I can't seem to find it.  Could someone take a sec and boil down the accents in Randland for me?  Sometimes when I'm reading I try to "hear" what the characters are saying in their native accents but I can't quite put them together.  Some of them make sense.  Like...Illian seems to be Scottish.  And maybe Murandy is Irish (based on their names, I suppose).  But I could be totally off.  The Seanchan "slurred way of talking" for example...and Cairhien's "crisp accents" were some I couldn't quite place.

 

Help?

[clu7ch]

Beings Brandon Sanderson is the published author who finished the series, regardless of accidental discrepancies - his words are canon. 

[Paul H]

I'm almost sure someone asked this years ago but I can't seem to find it.  Could someone take a sec and boil down the accents in Randland for me?  Sometimes when I'm reading I try to "hear" what the characters are saying in their native accents but I can't quite put them together.  Some of them make sense.  Like...Illian seems to be Scottish.  And maybe Murandy is Irish (based on their names, I suppose).  But I could be totally off.  The Seanchan "slurred way of talking" for example...and Cairhien's "crisp accents" were some I couldn't quite place.

 

Help?

 

Please scroll to the bottom of this Wheel of Time FAQ page for a partial list:

 

http://wotfaq.dragonmount.com/node/164

 

Here is the relevant quote:

 

 

In March of 2000, Paul Ward received a letter from RJ in which he listed what some of the regional accents of Randland sound like:

• Two Rivers - Irish/English
• Illianers - Dutch
• Aiel - somewhat Slavic
• Tairen - Spanish
• Domani - Indian
• Saldaean - Egyptian/North African
• Seanchan - Texas

("Y'all bow down to the Empress, y'hear?" - Johan Gustafsson)

 

[Suttree]

Beings Brandon Sanderson is the published author who finished the series, regardless of accidental discrepancies - his words are canon.

Ermm no that is not correct as evidenced by the large number of mistakes and discrepancies that have been changed in later additions of TGS and ToM. His words certainly do not ever take precedence over RJ's.

[Mr Ares]

Beings Brandon Sanderson is the published author who finished the series, regardless of accidental discrepancies - his words are canon. 

It's a tiered canon. What's in the purely RJ books is most canonical. What's in the Sanderson books and the RJ interviews is a step down, what Sanderson has said in interviews is a step down from that. When interviews conflict with books, the book should take precedence (interviews are a place for supplementary material, and should not be considered a vital resource for understanding the series) unless there is an explanation for the discrepancy (for example, RJ puts Taim's age at lower than Rand's estimate, but also gives a reason for Rand's estimate being wrong). Sanderson is the least authoritative voice in terms of canon, as his views are the furthest from what RJ envisioned.

[jedman67]

 (for example, RJ puts Taim's age at lower than Rand's estimate, but also gives a reason for Rand's estimate being wrong)

oh, i'd like to see that quote. Unless this is the reason? http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/59033-could-moridin-be-taims-father/

[Suttree]

 

 (for example, RJ puts Taim's age at lower than Rand's estimate, but also gives a reason for Rand's estimate being wrong)

oh, i'd like to see that quote. Unless this is the reason? http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/59033-could-moridin-be-taims-father/

 

 

Here you go...

 

 

 

Interview: Oct 4th, 2005

Robert Jordan's Blog: ONE MORE TIME

Robert Jordan

For Linda Sedai, Rand misjudges Taim's age because when they meet, you might say Taim has been rode hard and put away wet. He has just finished a long and difficult flight to reach Caemlyn, the one place where he might find refuge instead of being hunted—along with other reasons—and that has a wearing effect on anyone. Now that he has recovered, he doesn't look so old.

 

 

 He was beat down from being harried across half the continent to Caemlyn.

[Barid Bel Medar]

Heh, seems like Demandred hadn't taught him Travelling yet. Or he was yet to be recruited. That's one question I would like to know, when exactly did Taim turn DF. 

[Suttree]

Heh, seems like Demandred hadn't taught him Travelling yet. Or he was yet to be recruited. That's one question I would like to know, when exactly did Taim turn DF. 

Initial reports out of Jordancon touch on this:

 

 

WSB: Was Dumai's Wells on Demandred's orders, or did Taim do that on his own (or against Demandred's wishes)?

Maria: It was Taim's initiative, but Demandred approved.

Terez: When was Taim recruited?

Maria: When he was freed from the Aes Sedai. Demandred gave him a choice: stay a prisoner, or join the Shadow.

WSB: Would Demandred have killed him if he had refused?

Terez: Isn't that how it usually goes? Kind of like the Verin situation...

Maria: Taim was no Verin.

Terez: Was Taim taking orders from Demandred until Moridin returned?

Maria: I think they just did their own thing, with the exception of when Moridin was named Nae'blis.

Alan: Hardly anyone was taking orders from anyone else that far up the chain; everyone did their own thing.

 

 

[jedman67]

ah interesting. I would assume that Taim was a DF for some time; his being setup as a false dragon could have been designed by Demandred to essentially force him to become his minion. Otherwise, why would one of the Forsaken take a personal interest?

 

Any elaboration as to whether Demandred trained Taim to learn control of saidin?

 

And Barid, Rand was the one who taught Taim Traveling. I imagine one of the Forsaken would keep that little (and extremely valuable) tool in his pocket. A measley false dragon would not be worth giving away that particular advantage.

 

 

Btw, found another typo. When Moridin names Taim, the book accidentally prints his "Forsaken Name" as M'hael. It was actually supposed to be "Mandarb" 

[Barid Bel Medar]

I doubt Taim would have revealed his knowledge of Travelling if he knew it. 

 

Rand was the only one who knew Travelling at the time. 

 

If anyone else knew, he would have thought they were Forsaken or Forsaken trained. 

 

It's possible that Taim really did learn it from Rand, but anything Taim said or did not say is suspect. 

 

Hell, Demandred could have told him not to Travel because it would be suspicious. Or he could have been cautious himself. 

[Finnssss22]

ah interesting. I would assume that Taim was a DF for some time; his being setup as a false dragon could have been designed by Demandred to essentially force him to become his minion. Otherwise, why would one of the Forsaken take a personal interest?

 

Any elaboration as to whether Demandred trained Taim to learn control of saidin?

 

 

 

 

Not possible, unless it was Ishy but the answer from Maria above says Taim was recruited after he was captured by the AS.

Maria's answer makes it pretty clear that Taim learned to channel on his own and proclaimed himself the DR on his own. 

 

Which is a shame in my book, I always figured that Ishy had recruited him, trained him and started grooming him a decade previous.

[balefireruinssteaks]

So Taim (and Logain I imagine) were ones who were born with the spark?  I always wondered this because by the time Rand met Taim, he had a pretty good control of what he was doing with the One Power, even though there was no one to teach him anything.  He knew Healing, he knew how to destroy things and basically knew a large number of weaves.  I suppose he might have learned them from Demandred after he had been released, but Logain was also able to channel and understood the division of the elements (Water, Earth, Air, Fire and Spirit) and had at least some measure of understanding of what each of those things did.

 

Nynaeve started channeling and knew Healing, but it seems to me that was more instinct like when she created balefire but had no idea how she even did it.  So I always thought she could do a lot of things but didn't understand why Earth did earthy things or Fire did firey things or how to combine the various elements to do something exciting and fun. 

 

Is the "spark" and the knowledge that comes with it different for men and women, or is that just a purely individual thing?  Like maybe Taim and Logain had sufficient philisophical knowledge to guide them along the way or something?

[Rhienne]

I think Taim, Logain, and Rand all wanted to learn.  They pushed themselves to do so, partly because Taim and Logain wanted to be the Dragon, and Rand knew he was.  Nynaeve's situation was completely different.  She had no idea she was channeling, and when she found out she was, she didn't want to learn any more about it.

 

Sidenote: Have we heard of any male channelers with blocks?

[clu7ch]

I think the closest thing would be Rand's sort of 'knowledge block' where he would randomly use LTT's knowledge of weaves prior to veins of gold. 

[MasterAblar]

Yes, Fedwin Morr had a block that stopped him from channelling based on distance.

[jedman67]

Is the "spark" and the knowledge that comes with it different for men and women, or is that just a purely individual thing?  Like maybe Taim and Logain had sufficient philisophical knowledge to guide them along the way or something?

Many people in extremely distant communities who had the spark but didnt know what it meant (i.e. nyneave) would somehow force themselves to channel, or die trying. 

I would guess that more women die from lack of training than men,since a person instinctively tries to force control. For men, thats how you make saidin work - you control it, force it.

For saidar, you have to surrender, then you can guide/control. It's harder to surrender than to force, hence they die.