What's the deal with Shara?

[DocBean]

What's up with Shara, the land beyond the Aiel waste? It's a complete mystery and seems like even Rand isn't getting involved. Is it going to end up a breading ground for Dark One Human armies? What kind of scale are we talking about here, is it like the undiscovered Americas in the 1400s? I think the only one in the books that know anything about it is Noal, but I feel like he'll be too busy helping our heros rescue Moiraine, so he's no help.

 

Shara has always irritated me. It's in the books, so it must be significant, but did RJ just not get around to writting about it? Would he just mention it in passing in the last book? ....And then strange looking tattooed soldiers ridding giant grey beasts with long noses and large tusks showed up at the last minute and held off the swarm of attacking trollocs..."Damn those Shararians, always showing up at the last minute." Noal exclaimed. "hey, and there is my brother Jain with them! See that, told you he was my brother - and you all thought I was him."

[rd2000]

I don't think RJ had enough time/room to include Shara. It was just a possiblity that he included in his original world, but never found a way to include it without making the series even longer. Publisher pressure perhaps? I don't think we will see anymore of Shara unless it's in one of the outrigger novels.

 

Noal says he is Jaim's cousin, not brother, BTW.

[Telcar]

IMO shara is like the countries to the far north, south and east in the Lord of the Rings and related books....something you would very much like to explore but never get the chance to :x

[Beowolf]

^ You mean like Seanchan? :D

[chemteach1977]

The elephants in the book are from Seanchan, not Shara. Luca lies and claims that the ones in his show are from Shara. I think the only purpose of Shara is to show that the world is bigger than the bits we get to see.

 

Although, i think we did get to see a Sharan a couple times in the series. The first time was in Graendal's palace. The second time was somewhere in KoD.

[raydurz]

The elephants in the book are from Seanchan' date=' not Shara. Luca lies and claims that the ones in his show are from Shara. I think the only purpose of Shara is to show that the world is bigger than the bits we get to see.

 

Although, i think we did get to see a Sharan a couple times in the series. The first time was in Graendal's palace. The second time was somewhere in KoD.[/quote']

 

The second time was in Tear, when the Sharan at the inn across from the Stone was trying to convince some guy to invest in his silkworm business.

[Luckers]

Shara is a land ostensibly controlled by a pair of rulers selected by the will of the wheel. In reality it is ruled by the channeling organisation of that land, the Ayyad.

 

This means that theirs is a land that is ruled by diffused circles of power. They likely have an Ayyad near anyone of power, and concidering their prodigeous use of compulsion i doubt it would be easy for one of the Forsaken to compel their way into control of the nation, as happened elsewhere.

 

Despite their unsavoury nature, we know they are in fact loyal to the light from the reports coming from the Cliffs of Dawn. So i dont see them coming to play on behalf of the shadow. And given that its the last book, having them join the game at this late stage on behalf of the light seems unlikely. RJ would have to establish their entire culture. It would be too much to swallow.

 

Remember, he didn't include the Land of the Madmen either. My guess is that he is too much of a realist to think every land would be involved in the Last Battle.

[raydurz]

I do think there maybe Trolloc invasions into Shara too, just like in the Trolloc Wars (from the WOT guide), but it wont be to the scale of what will happen in Randland. Plus there were reports of fighting (Civil War?)in Shara acording to Rhuarc (I believe. But yeah, I doubt RJ will dwell on it much either.

[Luckers]

I see no point. There is no way the Sharans present any danger to the Shadow at this stage, and its a waste of resources. As Graendal says, Shara is a problem for after the Day of Return.

[SBoydW]

We just don't know enough about Shara really to make any assumptions about what kind of threat they pose. But we know that Rand and his crew are much more of a threat to the DO, so he'll probably focus on them rather than the Sharans

[stoneface]

Almost all is lost and the Shara elephant cavalry comes charging over the hill, the Ayyad blasting waves of Trollocs in its path as it cuts through to the beseiged Randland forces. Then the Ayyad destroys the remaining Randlanders and keeps on going... Right. Except for the last, that's pretty much Deus ex machina. I really cannot see waiting so long for aMoL only to find a cheap trick at the end (the elephants are Seanchan).

[raydurz]

I see no point. There is no way the Sharans present any danger to the Shadow at this stage' date=' and its a waste of resources. As Graendal says, Shara is a problem for after the Day of Return.[/quote']

 

Perhaps, but what was the point of the Sharans being invaded during the Trolloc Wars (again its according to the guide) Besides Shara may be in a civil war, so now would be a good time to hit them when they are divided.

But I still believe we wont hear much from them.

[ASHAMAN1282083201]

wouldnt shara have a lot of female chanellers :?:

[SBoydW]

Perhaps, but what was the point of the Sharans being invaded during the Trolloc Wars

 

There are two conflicting stories on this. The Sharans say that the trollocs never bothered, or if they did the Trollocs were mereley a nuisance. The Aiel say that the Sharans feel the same effect that the rest of the people on the main continent did.

 

So it's all a matter of who you believe. The Sharans or th Aiel.

 

Source is BWB 153

 

wouldnt shara have a lot of female chanellers

 

Shara does have female channelers. They are known as the Ayyad(males also). Their numbers are unknown. Though I would suspect that since they kept their male channelers around for breeding, that they would probably have 10s of thousands. That is if their population per area is the same as Randland. This is just pure guessing since we have no way for determening population.

 

There is more info on the Sharans in the BWB (Big White Book/The World of Robert Jordan's: The Wheel of Time)

[Thor]

I believe the Aiels on this, Shara was invaded during Trolloc Wars.

[Luckers]

Because the Trolloc Wars were intended to screw over the existing governments.. to keep them from gaining power. Ther current battle has a much more pointed goal.

[irriadal]

I feel shara will be a deus ex machina, or something of the sort.

 

At some point once the war commences, the sharans will appear and own some trollocs n stuff.

Then they will just do w/e

[Luckers]

I have too much respect for RJ as a writer. They may have a brief cameo... maybe one of the Forsaken or darkfriends that survives flees there or something... but other then that, nah...

[Narg]

i got this info from an info book written by jordan so no arguing here!

 

shara is verry secluded, surrounded by oceans mountains and a chasam make it hard to get into. not only that but you arnet allowed in, only 5 trading ports exist along with a few bordering the waste. these trading post are surrounded by tall walls witht wich the penalty of clinbing and loooking over is death. sharans are not allowed in the ports unless to trade. Those that have seen shara by shiprweck or deliberatly havent been heard from again. You cant trust a sharan and everything must be check while trading with them even their appearance is a secret as they are allways cloaked entirely while trading.

 

That all we know about that

 

Sharan govt

 

claimed to be at peace since the breaking all of it under one rule,they say even the trolloc war didnt touch them (aiel confirm it did) they denie hawkwings fleet (though sea folk confirm it).

 

Rulers are sh'boan if female and sh'botay if male. the ruler selects a mate then rules for 7 years and die (claimed to be a will of the pattern) on wich the procces is repeated with the former rulers mate.

 

sharan channalers

 

called the ayyad they live in villages they arent allowed to leave without permission (though the writer is vauge on permision (the book is written as though it uses reasorces from randland))if a non ayyad enters the village he is killed on sight. and sharans beleive no ayyand willchannel unless permission from the ruler is given. they are tattoed on their faces at birth. sex with an ayyad is punnished by death for the non ayyad and for the ayyad if it is proven the ayyad forced the other. ayyad are allowed to have sex with another ayyad.

normally only female ayyadd leave the villages though tere are 2 exceptions. it is forbbiden to teach a male ayyad to do anything beyond feeding and clothing himself and a few minor chores (and sex). male ayyad are jsut breeding stock for female ayyad (off topic for a sec to say "what a awsome purpose in life!") male ayyad are raised communaly untill sixteen when shipped off, hooded to another vullage were he knocks up a few ayyad then is shipped taken away again as though to another village and killed and cremated.

 

manifest destiny

writer says that the ayyad realy rule shara. ruler always surrounded by ayyad servants and you must gain permission from them to approach the ruler (especialy with rulings and such) some rulers havent server their entire 7 years suspecting that the ayyad may be in charge (though shara thinks its the creators will that he done something wrong and entire county serve penances)

 

slavery

 

lets just say yes.

 

sporry bout the insane typos but its a huge post and im not gonna reread it to fix everythin

[Luckers]

The Will of the Pattern is when the Ayyad kill the Sh'botay or Sh'boan. Graendal confirms this.

[isleofjib]

cool and interesting post, narg. thx.