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

[mb]

About the pipe-lighting, that to me indicated that Rand was still taveren; his taveren-ness lighting the pipe.  It seems to me that the only way for a taveren to become non-taveren is for the current incarnation to die; since he still had his memories, the incarnation did not die.

 

About Thom's nephew, not sure whether or not non-book info being revealed by either author.

Moiraine told Thom off-screen the people responsible for the gentling.  the reason for the scene being off-screen I take was that they were not anyone we know.

Elaida probably was told sometime after the act was done; likely after the Reds were sent.  not sure if the Black Ajah was involved in any way; not sure if Galina was Red head by that time; and Blacks were killing instead of gentling.

The scene probably would have been on-screen if Elaida or any Black was involved.

[Sabio]

One theory is if blacks were involved but not all of them were of the BA then they simply couldn't kill him.  Gentling him and leaving him would achieve the same result.  I am hoping RJ has shed some light on this, at least the question of why did they break normal protocol and gentle him on the spot.

[Poorboy78]

So with Rand in Mordin body now... doesn't that mean his three girls are effectively sleeping with a stranger and what about the kids growing to find out..."Hey...you kind look different from me.. wassup with that you sure we got the same father?"

[Sabio]

Not sure if he ever plans on seeing the kids.  He is suppose to be dead so  really can't be seen cozying up to the three ladies.  The kids will probably be raised thinking dad is dead.  There was thee question and the end of the series if any of the three would sseek him out or not.

[Azrayne]

I like to think he'll find Min and spend a regular, mortal lifetime wandering the world with her.

[Manel Rochaid]

So with Rand in Mordin body now... doesn't that mean his three girls are effectively sleeping with a stranger and what about the kids growing to find out..."Hey...you kind look different from me.. wassup with that you sure we got the same father?"

 

Not really. All three women know it's Rand, even if the body is different.

 

 

Not sure if he ever plans on seeing the kids.  He is suppose to be dead so  really can't be seen cozying up to the three ladies.  The kids will probably be raised thinking dad is dead.  There was thee question and the end of the series if any of the three would sseek him out or not.

 

 

Rand isn't the type of guy not to be their for his children, he comments throughout the series, and especially in the final two books, how well Tam raised him and how good an example of a father he is. It won't be too difficult for Elayne and Aviendha to arrange secret meetings with Rand using the power, and something would be done about Min too. 

[jack of shadows]

@azrayne,

 

is rand even mortal now(post last battle)?

[Sabio]

@Az, that is also whatI assume, out of the three she really has nothing else to do unless she wishes to keep her job with the seanchan.  Avi and Elayne will be too busy to simply go off seeking Rand out.

[Lothlan]

So with Rand in Mordin body now... doesn't that mean his three girls are effectively sleeping with a stranger and what about the kids growing to find out..."Hey...you kind look different from me.. wassup with that you sure we got the same father?"

Actually he continues being rand, and i always thought that rand can change his body again and transform it in to his old body with his  ability to manipulate the Pattern. I think that he just want to take a time off for a while before go back like Rand

[Manel Rochaid]

 

So with Rand in Mordin body now... doesn't that mean his three girls are effectively sleeping with a stranger and what about the kids growing to find out..."Hey...you kind look different from me.. wassup with that you sure we got the same father?"

Actually he continues being rand, and i always thought that rand can change his body again and transform it in to his old body with his  ability to manipulate the Pattern. I think that he just want to take a time off for a while before go back like Rand

 

 

I would really hope he doesn't have that power. The Pattern is about balance, in return for Rands sacrifice he now has the ability to live his life as he chooses, free from the pressure of leading nations. In my opinion, he can make small changes, lighting his pipe, a pocket full of gold etc.The whole thing about Alivia helping Rand to "die" seems more about helping him to end his old life and begin a new one.

[jack of shadows]

@lothlan,

yes,rand could probably revert to his old appearance,but it won't happen,

rand's best defence  against unwanted attention is his anonymity,he is not

going to jeopardize it no matter what.

i sincerely believe that rand and his three lovers will find a way to meet 

secretly on a regular basis,he just loves them too much to completely

disappear from their lives.

[Lothlan]

@lothlan,

yes,rand could probably revert to his old appearance,but it won't happen,

rand's best defence  against unwanted attention is his anonymity,he is not

going to jeopardize it no matter what.

i sincerely believe that rand and his three lovers will find a way to meet 

secretly on a regular basis,he just loves them too much to completely

disappear from their lives.

yeah, i mean i don´t bealive that he would go to show himself to entire world and say: "Hey everybody, i'm Rand Al'thor and actually i didn´t die". But maybe he will show like Rand for his closest friends in some point of his life (i don´t know, maybe in years)

[mb]

@Az, that is also whatI assume, out of the three she really has nothing else to do unless she wishes to keep her job with the seanchan.  Avi and Elayne will be too busy to simply go off seeking Rand out.

Actually there could also be at least these options::

-work for Aviendha & Elayne

-work for the White Tower and/or possibly the Black Tower

-work for Perrin & Faile

telling people's Viewings to them; in each case.

or possibly work for herself; checking for people's Viewings and tell the Viewings to those people.

 

I imagine she would still have the ability until her death.

[Poorboy78]

Another Question:

 

It's been a long time, but i recalled, Elyane mother was still alive and then Elyane became queen, yet for some herpy derpy reason, the mother never revealed to her daughter that she was alive, EVEN though she could have and it wouldn't have done any harm. Why?

[Galium]

Another Question:

 

It's been a long time, but i recalled, Elyane mother was still alive and then Elyane became queen, yet for some herpy derpy reason, the mother never revealed to her daughter that she was alive, EVEN though she could have and it wouldn't have done any harm. Why?

Morgase reunites with Elayne in chapter 45 of Towers of Midnight, pretty much at the earliest possible moment that she could have since she was stuck being Faile's maid up until then.

[Francesco Bevagna]

As pointed out by jack of shadows, I also like to think that Rand is going to visit his friend and lovers in the aftermath of the LB. Maybe he's gonna take a break and travel around the world as a free man not pursued by killers and shadowspawn, but in the end, he's gonna come back to check on his friends. After his experience atop Dragonmount he is again a caring person and doubt he'll leave everyone behind in such a selfish manner, he simply love them too much...

 

As for my question...

Even if I read the WoT books twice, I only recently put my hands on a copy of New Spring and despite I enjoyed it very much, there's one question that really baffled me...

By the end of the book it's very clear to both Moiraine and Siuan that Black Ajah is a real threat and that it's deeply rooted inside the White Tower, but when the WoT books begin, 20 years later, it seems that everybody forgot about this truth. Siuan had been Amyrlin for a decade and still seems to be unaware of BA machinations inside the Tower. I can forgive Moiraine who spent all her time searching for Rand, but Siuan had been in the tower, head of a formidable spy network and still she failed to put in motion a plan to uproot the BA. I know that it's hard to do anything so dangerous when you're not sure who you can really trust, but with 20 years at her disposal I cannot believe that she failed to set up a BA hunt party like the one that Elaida put in motion without even being aware about BA existence...

 

[Manel Rochaid]

As pointed out by jack of shadows, I also like to think that Rand is going to visit his friend and lovers in the aftermath of the LB. Maybe he's gonna take a break and travel around the world as a free man not pursued by killers and shadowspawn, but in the end, he's gonna come back to check on his friends. After his experience atop Dragonmount he is again a caring person and doubt he'll leave everyone behind in such a selfish manner, he simply love them too much...

 

As for my question...

 

Even if I read the WoT books twice, I only recently put my hands on a copy of New Spring and despite I enjoyed it very much, there's one question that really baffled me...

By the end of the book it's very clear to both Moiraine and Siuan that Black Ajah is a real threat and that it's deeply rooted inside the White Tower, but when the WoT books begin, 20 years later, it seems that everybody forgot about this truth. Siuan had been Amyrlin for a decade and still seems to be unaware of BA machinations inside the Tower. I can forgive Moiraine who spent all her time searching for Rand, but Siuan had been in the tower, head of a formidable spy network and still she failed to put in motion a plan to uproot the BA. I know that it's hard to do anything so dangerous when you're not sure who you can really trust, but with 20 years at her disposal I cannot believe that she failed to set up a BA hunt party like the one that Elaida put in motion without even being aware about BA existence...

 

 

 

IIRC one of the things Moiraine and Suain agree on in New Spring is that it is vital the BA do not realise they are aware the Dragon is reborn. Suain may be playing it safe by pretending to ignore the BA, so they don't target her. I would assume she knows they are active, as most high ranking Aes Sedai appear to at least know of their existence.

[Francesco Bevagna]

Ok, that's a good assumption, but BA hunt is not necessarily related to the DR, I mean, they could have started a BA hunt without disclosing the search for the DR, just for the sake of removing a threat to the tower. Look at all the damage done by BA members across all the saga that could have been avoided if some kind of plan had been put in motion.

[Sabio]

I also don't think they fully understood how many BA there were.  I doubt they forgot the BA were a threat since the knew every Aes Sedai sent to look for the dragon reborn had been killed.  So it was important to not only to act like you have no idea the BA is there but also that you have no clue the dragon had been reborn.  The only thing that saved Siuan and Moraine was that they were accepted.  I am sure when the BA tortured the amirlyn they asked her what Aes Sedai had been sent out, so she gave the name of the full Aes Sedai and kept the name of Siuan and Moraine to herself.  As for hunting the BA, Moriane stayed away from the tower so would of been hard for her to hunt for BA, which leaves Siuan.  Once she  became amirlyn she was probably too busy for much of a search but more than likely kept her eyes open for anyone acting suspicious..  The biggest problem with hunting the BA is you need help, who can you trust?  Not to mention what do you do if you actually find one, can't simply kill her on the spot in the WT.  If they even get a hint you are looking for them you know you are as good  as dead.  As we aw in the end no one was prepared for the number  of BA there were out there.  Not even Casudane who had been hunting the BA (think she mentioned once she thought she was close to exposing all the BA), turn out not even CAs understood how large the BA actually were.

[mb]

Siuan probably too busy for much of a search of the Black Ajah?  Eliada also seemed busy when she inadvertently set up the Black Ajah search.

 

 

unrelated::

What were the means/circumstances of Bashere's death?

[Galium]

Siuan probably too busy for much of a search of the Black Ajah?  Eliada also seemed busy when she inadvertently set up the Black Ajah search.

 

 

unrelated::

What were the means/circumstances of Bashere's death?

Doesn't really say, other than that he and his wife died in a charge. It happens when Rand is watching the fighting and seeing a bunch of people dying. 

[Manel Rochaid]

Ok, that's a good assumption, but BA hunt is not necessarily related to the DR, I mean, they could have started a BA hunt without disclosing the search for the DR, just for the sake of removing a threat to the tower. Look at all the damage done by BA members across all the saga that could have been avoided if some kind of plan had been put in motion.

 

It's not, I agree. But the BA have form for killing Amyrlins, and Siuan, while not being aware of that, will have wondered at some point.

 

To me, the logical thought process is to let the BA think it's safe until the DR is found and kept safe, then deal with it. If that original plan had worked, she could turn her attention to darkfriend sisters. Siuan sent the three wondergirls out because she didn't know who to trust to deal with the BA.

[Sabio]

Exactly too much was on the line for Siuan to start an investigation and risk discovery.  Besides her normal duties there is no way she could do an investigation by herself and not make folks suspicious. It was more important to protect the dragon had been reborn secret and not risk the BA finding out she knew.  Since the amyrlin and all the Aes Sedai sent out to look for the dragon reborn were dead she had to assume they murdered the amyrlin also. So knowing they are prepared to murder and without knowing  who to trust or even how many of them there were she had to keep quiet.  As Manel said, keeping the dragon reborn safe was top priority and deal with the BA when she could.  Which meant protecting  Moraine and acting like she had no idea the BA was out there.

[jack of shadows]

part of a conversation between perrin and queen alliandre always struck me as odd:

"and tam's been gathering what extras he can from the two rivers".

tam did arrive to the stone of tear three days prior to rand's dragonmount epiphany,

perrin's conversation with alliandre took place a month later(during their army crossing

the gateway to the field of merrilor),sometime between these two events rand had send

his father to the two rivers along with of of his ashaman,so how did perrin know what

tam was doing?

[mb]

Perrin might have gotten word through some source; likely an Ashaman since he had 2 Ashamen with him.  or possibly Rand sent a messenger to him.

some other (less likely) possibilities might be these::

-clues of the gathering being visible in Telaranrhiod.

-a series of wolf packs spreading the word.