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Cheers, tenacious transients of Dragonmount! Welcome to another weekly installment of "It Works in Theory," Dragonmount's theory blog headed by none other than myself. I've been looking forward to covering the topic of this week's blog for quite some time, so without further ado...actually, let's have a little more ado with our disclaimer: WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!! This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! The contents of "It Works in Theory" have been gathered, formulated, and written under extreme pressure and should be considered extremely volatile, highly flammable, and very likely to incite serious fervor and debate. Never puncture or incinerate the blog, and do not expose it to prolonged sunlight or store it in temperatures exceeding zero Kelvin. Alright, so this week's blog is going to take a slightly different approach, but I have a good feeling many will still be excited about the subject matter. We are going to be discussing the Forsaken, particularly their relation to a famous line repeated a few times throughout the series, beginning in the very first book: This quote has been bandied about many times, and it very well could be foreshadowing for an event that happens in the next book, The Great Hunt. Near the end we find out that Lord Ingtar, a Shienaran warrior from House Shinowa, is actually a Darkfriend moments before he sacrifices himself to help save Rand and hopefully redeem his soul somewhat for the dark deeds he has committed. Indeed, he even mentions this line right before charging out to meet the Seanchan and crying out "The Light, and Shinowa!" a bunch of times (I always loved that battle cry; it's almost like he throws in "and Shinowa" as an afterthought). For now, though, let's go ahead and assume the quote might be foreshadowing a much bigger event: the redemption of one, or possibly more than one, of the Forsaken. We'll examine them one by one, and speculate as to the likelihood that they will turn back to the Light in the last book, or would have if they were still alive. To simplify things somewhat, we'll base the likelihood they redeem themselves on a scale of 1-10, 1 being there's no way they turn back, 10 being they're assured to rejoin the forces of the Light. I'm not going to include any more quotes, since I don't want to strain my readers' eyes too much, and because much of this hypothesizing comes from Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson quotes as well as The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, alongside characterizations of them gained throughout the entire series. Aginor (AKA Osan'gar, AKA Dashiva) Age of Legends name: Ishar Morrad Chuain Age of Legends occupation: Biological Scientist Aginor was both brilliant and extremely powerful in the One Power, being lower in strength only to Lews Therin Telamon and Ishamael, and possibly Lanfear. He chose to turn to the Shadow because his interest in experimenting with animals was discouraged by the forces of the Light; it was only after turning to the Dark One that he was able to begin to create Shadowspawn. His creations include Trollocs, Myrddraal, Gholam, Jimura, Draghkar, and others. One of the first of the Forsaken to be released from the Bore, he was also one of the first to be killed when he confronted Rand at the Eye of the World. He was resurrected again, only to be vaporized by Callandor at the cleansing of saidin in Winter's Heart. He doesn't have the most rock-solid reason for originally joining the Shadow, but at the same time, his intentions weren't exactly noble either. He doesn't strike me as particularly sadistic; he does what he does out of his love to seek out new discoveries. They are discoveries that have the potential to kill millions of men, true, but hey, all in the name of science, right?! If given the choice, I doubt he'd ever relinquish his love for the dark side of research, and it's doubtful it will ever be considered kosher to experiment on animals in Randland. I know Bela wouldn't allow it. Verdict: 2 out of 10 Balthamel (AKA Aran'gar, AKA Halima) Age of Legends name: Eval Ramman Age of Legends occupation: Historian Balthamel was also one of the first Forsaken we meet on screen and suffers an even more embarrassing death at the hands of the Green Man, Someshta, when he's crushed to death. He was drawn to the Shadow simply for the promise of immortality, which is somewhat amusing considering he dies more than most characters in the books. He is reputed to have a great temper; in fact, it was this temper which is said to be the reason he didn't achieve an honorary third name. As Eval Ramman, he was a womanizer and was known for being a gambler. When he is transmigrated into a female body known as Aran'gar (using Halima as his/her alias), his cruelty and fickleness shine. Generally speaking, those who gamble like to play the odds, so it is possible that under the right circumstances he would chance the Great Lord of the Dark's wrath and turn back to the Light. That being said, his temper and unpredictable nature make it unlikely he would stay in everyone's good graces that long. Verdict: 3 out of 10 Sammael (AKA Lord Brend, AKA Mashadar meat) Age of Legends name: Tel Janin Aellinsar Age of Legends occupation: Athlete, Sportsman Sammael is the jock of the Forsaken. He prides himself on his physical prowess (he is one of the best swordsmen who ever lived) and keeps his frame well sculpted so he can admire his glutes in the mirror. His main reason for turning to the Shadow was his hatred of Lews Therin. Considering himself to be one of Lews Therin's chief rivals, it's very doubtful he'd ever consider rejoining the Light with Lews Therin still on that side. It's also somewhat amusing that all his training and formidable physical gift meant nothing when it came to escaping Mashadar. I really don't think Sammael is smart enough to realize it might have been best to join the Light. Verdict: 1 out of 10 Be'lal (AKA High Lord Samon) Age of Legends name: Duram Laddel Cham Age of Legends occupation: Lawyer We can probably stop right there; everyone knows being a lawyer is one of the seven deadly sins. Just to go through the motions, though... He was known as the Netweaver for his ability to manipulate situations and create finespun webs of deceit and malice. Usually, someone who thinks he is especially skilled at manipulation thinks he can plan for anything; we saw in The Dragon Reborn that Be'lal was drastically wrong in his preparations and eats balefire for it. Even were he to choose to switch to the forces of Light, he most likely wouldn't be truly committing anyway and also wouldn't be trusted. Verdict: 1 out of 10 Mesaana (AKA Danelle Sedai) Age of Legends name: Saine Tarasind Age of Legends occupation: Teacher Mesaana is unique among the Forsaken in being the only one who wasn't a remarkable standout in her field. She was rated average and assigned to a teaching job even though she preferred more of a research position. This constant feeling of being undervalued helped lead her to the Shadow; she wanted revenge on those who doubted her ability. She taught propaganda to young students in order to turn them against their society and their parents. If she still had a fully functioning brain, she would be one of the least likely candidates to willingly turn back to the Light, but it's possible that after many simple lessons, she might learn to stop drooling over herself long enough to grasp that "being nice is good." Verdict: 4 out of 10 Semirhage (AKA Anath Dorje, Tuon's Truthspeaker) Age of Legends name: Nemene Damendar Boann Age of Legends occupation: Physician, Restorer Now this one is one bad mamma jamma. She is one of the Forsaken I can look at and easily guess she was evil long before turning to the Shadow. A particularly cruel sadist, she found her calling in the position of Restorer because it gave her such great opportunity to practice her wicked experiments on willing patients. She brags of how much she has learned of the ability to get anyone to do her bidding if enough pain is enacted. When she is discovered to be committing these atrocities, she is left with either the choice between criminal binding or being severed from the Source; she promptly chooses to roll with the Dark One. Of all the Forsaken, I feel she comes closest to delivering the biggest blow to the forces of Light. Had she succeeded in forcing Rand to kill Min in The Gathering Storm, it's very likely he would have been unable to prevent his own descent into madness afterwards and the Light would have lost. Verdict: 1 out of 10. Ain't no way. Rahvin (AKA Lord Gaebril) Age of Legends name: Ared Mosinel Age of Legends occupation: Military General, Governor Rahvin is considered another master manipulator, known for using compulsion subtly but often to ensure he has complete control of the situation. He has a weakness for self-centerdness, though, and seems over-confident in his abilities to control everything around him. He is similar to Be'lal in that I doubt either one could ever truly be sincere in trying to turn back to the Light. Then again, he does seem more prone to panic than Be'lal, and might do whatever he can to keep from being killed. Verdict: 2 out of 10. Demandred (AKA King Rhoedran--okay, maybe that's not confirmed yet, but really, it's kind of the only one that would make sense) Age of Legends name: Barid Bel Medar Age of Legends occupation: High ranking public official, General Demandred had the extremely bad luck of being born in the same age as Lews Therin Telamon. Were it not for the Dragon, Demandred would have been the most prominent, most powerful figure in the Age of Legends. Born literally one day after Lews Therin, no matter what he accomplished in life, Lews Therin was always there doing it better. His jealousy grew into something so much more than the common variety experienced by the masses; it was the most bitter, intense rivalry that itself ended up pushing Demandred to the Shadow. He also seems to have a bigger gripe than even Sammael, and he's still around to possibly be the one who can help take down the Dragon Reborn. He's done a much better job of staying in hiding than many of the other Forsaken, and thus has been able to build his plans for longer and set who knows how many dreadful gambits in motion. I suspect we will be seeing a lot from him in the last book. Besides the fact that there really wouldn't be enough time for him to turn back now, I think Demandred's hatred for Lews Therin is so deep-seated he will never be able to turn away from the Shadow. Verdict: 1 out of 10 Moghedien (AKA Gyldin, AKA Marigan, AKA one of Moridin's cour'souvra bondees, AKA Shaidar Haran's plaything) Age of Legends name: Lillen Moiral Age of Legends occupation: "Advisor for Investments" (basically a Wall Street Trader) Ah, the Spider. She is an interesting one because she has gone through the largest metamorphosis of any of the Forsaken. We all know she started out as extremely cautious; she only acted when she felt completely safe from any recourse. Somewhere along the line, though, Nyneave happened. The level to which Nyneave completely owned Moghedien, forcing her to train powerful channelers on the side of the Light, completely flipped Moghedien's world upside down. Once she was freed, she still had to answer for her ineptitude and became one of Moridin's mindtrapped semi-slaves. Now that she isn't quite so timid, you get a sense she is much more quick to panic, quicker to act, and much more desperate. This is demonstrated by her attack on Nyneave in A Crown of Swords. I feel that desperation actually works against the likelihood she'll turn to the Light; even if she thought there was a chance she might be captured again, she would be sure to flip out and try to take out as many as she could with her as she died. Verdict: 3 out of 10 Asmodean (AKA Jasin Natael) Age of Legends name: Joar Addam Nesossin Age of Legends occupation: Composer, Musician This male Forsaken had by far the strangest reason for turning to the Shadow. He grew up a child prodigy, and many around the world expected great things from him, seeing his potential. He didn't quite fulfill this potential, though, and this left a bad taste in his mouth. When given the opportunity to gain immortality through linking with the Dark One, Asmodean accepted, thinking that with more time he could end up fully realizing his potential. He was beaten in the confrontation with Rand al'Thor in The Shadow Rising and bound by Lanfear in order to deliver to Rand the perfect tutor. Once captured, however, it became obvious that the evil that existed in Asmodean in no way compared to the evil inside the likes of Semirhage. I couldn't find the quote amidst all the "who killed Asmodean" questions for the author, but I do remember hearing that Robert Jordan confirmed that Asmodean had indeed turned towards and was walking in the Light. Verdict: 9 out of 10 to play it safe Graendal (AKA Lady Basene) Age of Legends name: Kamarile Maradim Nindar Age of Legends occupation: Psychologist How very fitting for us to next visit (Spoiler Alert!) Asmodean's killer. Graendal held an impressive position in the Age of Legends; she was world-renowned for her ability to cure madness of the mind. Before she turned to the Shadow, she lived a very ascetic type of lifestyle, preferring modesty and simplicity over extravagance. Something clicked inside Graendal, however, and she soon abandoned all notions of conservatism or modesty and filled the gap with extreme hedonism. Lately, though, she's had a lot go against her. Plans of hers have fallen apart left and right, and it's clear that the Dark One and Shaidar Haran are not happy with her. I could actually see her coming back to the Light if given the chance, both because she's desperate and because whatever shifted her viewpoint the first time might just shift back. Verdict: 6 out of 10 Lanfear (AKA Daughter of the Night, AKA Selene, AKA Cyndane, AKA Silvie, AKA Keille Shaogi) Age of Legends name: Mierin Eronaile Age of Legends occupation: Researcher And we start coming to the end of the list, not quite rounding it out with Lanfear, considered one of the most vile Forsaken, and the most attractive as well. One of the original members of the team that drilled open the Bore, she has had a central role in storylines throughout the series. It is assumed she died in the land of the 'Finns and was transmigrated into the body of Cyndane. Her reason for joining the Shadow is maybe one of the most classic themes in literature: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." She was intimately involved with Lews Therin at one point before he broke off their relationship. Many have actually speculated that Lanfear will be one of the Forsaken to betray the Great Lord of the Dark and turn to the Light. The big reason for a lot of this conjecture is the epilogue in Towers of Midnight, in which we see Rand dreaming about "Mierin" being in trouble. Personally, I just think this is another gambit of hers. She's seemed to change her way of thinking concerning Lews Therin, and would much rather be the one who gets to kill him than try and get him back with her again. It's still a possibility, though. Verdict: 4 out of 10 And then we finally come to the Nae'blis... Ishamael (AKA Ba'alzamon, AKA Moridin, AKA Heartfang) Age of Legends name: Elan Morin Tedronai Age of Legends occupation: Philosopher, Author The baddest of the bad, the darkest of the dark, the Nae'blis, the maddest of the mad, the Betrayer of Hope himself. If Rand al'Thor is the Champion of the Light, then Moridin is almost assuredly the Champion of the Dark. Ishamael has been poised to be the Shadow's best chance of foiling the Dragon Reborn the whole series, and in his mind for the entire infinite history of the Wheel of Time, so there's no chance he converts to the forces of the Light, right? Not so fast, Mr. Hotfoot. Let's take a second to look this over. It appears the main reason Ishamael first turned to the Shadow (and he was the first by the way) was an existential quandary. Unlike many of his peers, he saw no glory or benefit in the promise of immortality. Instead, he was actually searching for an end to what he thought was a cosmic joke being played on all the citizens of the world of the Wheel of Time. Endless turnings of the wheel with no differences, no growth, no lessons learned--all that held no interest for Ishamael. Incidentally, Rand himself actually experiences this same internal conflict during the famous scene "Veins of Gold" in The Gathering Storm. He almost comes to the same conclusion his dark counterpart comes to, but at the last second has a sudden epiphany of what makes it all worth it: love. What does this have to do with Ishamael? Remember, there is a very real link between the two, and foreshadowing has hinted of either a merger or swap between the two since the very first book. During said transfer of souls and/or minds, maybe Ishamael will suddenly be able to see what he's been missing out on all these millenia. This fresh new perspective helping Ishamael to return to the Light might even be one of the keys to helping the forces of Light win. Verdict: 8 out of 10 Alright, folks, 'till next time! As always, comment and tell me what you think. If you have any ideas for good theories for us to potentially discuss, please send me a PM or email me at hazelkrs110@hotmail.com.
Yeah, sorry about the lame title. I'm about to fly out to FenCon this weekend where JordanCon is bidding to host the 51st DeepSouthCon in 2013 and I didn't want to skip two weeks in a row. Anyways, you aren't here for my tired excuses, you are here for some sweet, sweet fan art love. Onward! Is that Min wearing a crop top and leather pants? Regardless, this is a pretty bad ass picture of Our Heroes gearing up for the Last Battle by Webcomicfan. It looks like a movie poster! I first saw this picture at the Atlanta signing for The Gathering Storm tour in 2009. The artist brought the original to show Harriet and Brandon. At the time, I kicked myself for not getting contact info from Edsel, so I'm very glad to see he decided to upload it to Dragonmount. I don't really think this needs commentary from me. Good job Sus_b. And that's all I've got for tonight. I've got to finish packing now.
This week I decided I would put the spotlight on a matter very close to my heart. Anyone who has had any interaction on these boards must have taken note of the fact that there is such a great variety of ages among the members. We have young teenagers and then the more mature, older variety that are still so young at heart. One of my worries when I first became a member of Dragonmount, or applied for any staff positions, was that my age would work against me. I worried that people would judge me by that rather than what they have seen me give the community. However, Dragonmount is filled with such amazing people that this was never the case. I interviewed three of our younger members on this experience and I'd love to share their original expectations, their experiences, and what Dragonmount has come to mean in their lives. When joining the site, what was your first reaction when you noticed the age difference between you and many of the members? Heh, well, I joined at 13, (the minimum age limit) so I knew that I would probably be the youngest or one of the youngest people on the site, but honestly, I didn't really think much about it. (Maybe because I couldn't think beyond my need for WoT addiction to be sated.) Mostly, I was actually kind of looking forward to talking to non-teenagers since I wasn't a huge fan of my age group at school. (Locke - joined at age 13) I was extremely intimidated. Honestly. When I joined I also forgot I had because I had just started reading the series so I didn't join anything. Last year, I found my way back and joined everything because I had loved the series that much. Well, not everything, but mostly everything. The older members were totally awesome though with helping me find my way around. (Lessa Nikia - joined at age 15) I thought it was great. I love the diversity, not only in age but also location. You pick up on all kinds of things about the world and different generations. You also learn to think from a wider range of perspectives. (Naked~Frog - joined at age 16) Did you ever find that people judged you by your age rather than your behavior? I never really noticed that kind of thing. But I do find it a bit weird that I have authority over people who are way older than me. It's only at one place but I still find it weird. Not as weird as when I found out Locke is younger than me. That's insanely creepy! Totally kidding. (Lessa Nikia, Age 17 - Storm Leader of the Light in the Black Tower Social Group) I think perhaps a bit when having serious discussions with the inexperience factor, but other than that, people mostly got to know me based on my posts before knowing my age and thus judged me mostly by that. (Locke, Age 15 - Leader of the Light in the Black Tower Social Group) No. Very few members seem to pay attention to anyone else's age. In fact, I'm pretty sure you have to actually go to other people's profiles just to see their ages and it's easier to just reply to whatever the person said. I've been offered virtual alcohol on a number of threads and when I say that in real life I am below the legal limit some people are shocked by how young I am...and others say I am older than they thought. (Naked~Frog, Age 18 - Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild Game Project Leader) Has Dragonmount had an impact on your life at all? Would you be a different person if not for it? In some ways. I have made a lot of friends on this website and a number of Dragonmount members are also my friends on Facebook. I guess it helps to know that there is a bigger world out there, and that even if the people around me are mean to me at times I will still have other people to talk to. I'm not sure if I would be different without it so much. I'm sure I would have found another dorky thing to do without it. I do like this site though and I have probably spent an unhealthily large amount of time on it in the past. (Naked~Frog) I would be making a statement that isn't true if I said that Dragonmount hasn't impacted my life. Dragonmount has been a rather large part of my life since I joined 2 years ago. This is mostly because it became a social outlet for me. This was really the only place that I could just comfortably enjoy talking to people. Because there are just so many wonderful people that are a part of this community. (I have sometimes wondered if there was a secret requirement of being awesome to join Dragonmount since almost everyone was just that.) I have had the privilege of getting to know some of the members here, and they have become some of my most favorite people. Truly a blessing. (Locke) I can honestly say that yes, Dragonmount has had a huge impact on my life. I met my Warder and current boyfriend here and although we're far apart, we're happy. I would be a totally different person if I didn't have him and all the friends I've met here. It's great that I'm able to be part of this amazing group. (Lessa Nikia) And that's it for now from our younger members! I hope you've all gained insight into the amazing, accepting nature of Dragonmount's members. Until next week, folks!
Welcome back, everyone! We have tons of extraordinary things happening this week, so be sure to stop by the forums. As promised, L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is currently visiting our forums and answering your questions! He has already answered several questions and will be here until September 25th. I will be posting a compilation of the questions and answers right here on the front page on September 26th. In the meantime, head over to this thread in our General Discussion forum to participate in the Q&A session. It's our 13th birthday! That's right, Dragonmount is now a teenager. Help us celebrate by playing in our birthday board. You can even be entered in a random drawing to win a copy of The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel if you post about why you enjoy our site. The Aiel Social Group has cordially invited the other Social Groups to its Post-Raid Ball. The ball will commence this Thursday, September 22nd, so watch this space on that day so you can join the party! I can haz LOLcats, plz? The Shayol Ghul Social Group seems to be having a blast picking popular LOLcat images to match their members' temperaments. Even if you don't know the members, you'll be rolling on the floor laughing at what they've come up with so far. So, you think you're a true Wheel of Time geek, do you? The White Tower Social Group invites you to test your mettle against other players in the "Know Your WoT Quotes?" game. See if you can identify who said which quotes and guess the books in which those quotes can be found. I had never seen a Wheel of Time role play done from the point of a menagerie member until I stumbled upon A Day in the Life of a Menagerie Member today. Come check it out! The Black Ajah members in the A Bit of Tea on the Dark Side role play continue to be up to no good. What dastardly plot could they be hatching? It looks like JordanCon is now on Twitter! Go here to be one of the first followers. You can also find juicy tidbits of information on Dragonmount's Twitter and Facebook pages.
This weekend, representatives of JordanCon will be attending FenCon/ DeepSouthCon 49 in Dallas, Texas. JordanCon is bidding to host the fifty-first DeepSouthCon in 2013 and the voting will take place at the annual business meeting of the Southern Fandom Confederation at that convention. What is DeepSouthCon? DeepSouthCon is the South's regional fan convention. Each year it's hosted by a different southern city or convention. Previous DeepSouthCon guests have featured authors such as Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card and many more. Each year, DeepSouthCon awards the prestigious Phoenix and Rebel awards to the fans and professionals who have done the most to bring positive attention to the South, its fans, and the writers connected to this region. It also plays host to the annual Hearts Tournament of the Universe, a fun and social event. JordanCon is thrilled at the possibility of hosting this unique event. As JordanCon was founded in honor of one of the most famous and successful fantasy writers in memory, it seems only natural that we host a DeepSouthCon. Additionally, DeepSouthCon has not been hosted in Atlanta, Georgia since 1988 and hasn't been in Georgia since 2000's "Son of the Beachcon" held on Jekyll Island. JordanCon feels it is past time for Georgia to take its turn hosting again. To participate in the site selection for the 2013 DeepSouthCon you must be a registered member of Fencon/DeepSouthCon 49 and attend the business meeting at 10AM on Sunday, September 25th. JordanCon 2012, "Car'a'con," will take place April 20-22 at the Doubletree Inn Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, GA. Guests will be Hugo award winning author Mary Robinette Kowal and Chesley award winning artist Sam Weber. Pre-reg for JordanCon 2012 is $45, discounted from $65 for the whole weekend.
Ni Hao, die-hard devotees of Dragonmount! Welcome to another weekly installment of "It Works in Theory," Dragonmount's theory blog, in which I get to unload all my various rambling! As you've probably noticed, Dragonmount's front page has been very busy lately, and we're also celebrating our birthday, so check in often just to make sure you don't miss out on any updates or announcements. To help alleviate the extra traffic, please visit our store and buy stuff so we can continue giving you such a great place to revel in your Wheel of Time fandom! And now for our disclaimer: WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!! This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! Side effects of reading "It Works in Theory" may include abnormal dreams, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, flu-like symptoms, flop sweat, night chills, loss of appetite, the "itis," increased appetite, loss of limbs, and severe abdominal distensions. Should any of these side effects not occur, please consult a physician immediately as your eyesight probably needs to be checked. I'm particularly excited about today's entry. We shall be discussing the Seanchan and their role in the Last Battle. I was always fascinated by the Seanchan, but became even more transfixed with them once I found out their accents were supposed to be somewhat Texan sounding. Here's the link to the old WOTFAQ concerning nations and their real life counterparts. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see a list of some of the accents Robert Jordan imagined each nation to have. I'm from Texas myself (even though I don't have much of an accent), so I was very happy to see the quote by Johan Gustafsson and decided to use it for the title of this week's blog. Okay, so where to begin? We know the Seanchan have attacked the White Tower once and are planning a second, larger attack. We know Tuon resisted Rand's ta'veren pull when he tried to intimidate her into submission. This means the Seanchan must be dealt with in some way before the forces of Light face the forces of Shadow, unless they want a two-pronged war that would most likely help the chances of the forces of Shadow winning. We have a good idea that the Seanchan practice of leashing damane may soon be changing, in light of the recent revelations concerning their handlers, the sul'dam, and their potential in being able to learn to channel themselves. This last little tidbit has potentially dire consequences which will threaten the stability of the entire Seanchan empire: the Empress herself has the innate ability to learn to channel, and I find it unlikely she'll submit to being leashed herself. First of all, let's examine something that looks to be impossible in a way, or at the very least, confusing. Here's a snippet from one of Egwene's first dreams: There's a slight problem here: Aes Sedai who have been collared are still unable to use the One Power as a weapon, except against Shadowspawn and Darkfriends, due to the Three Oaths. So, how are they being forced to call lightning against the White Tower? One explanation might be that the ones channeling against the Tower are Accepted who have not sworn on the Oath Rod yet. I find this somewhat unlikely, however, because Egwene's dream indicates there will be a large number of women wearing Great Serpent rings. Plus, the Seanchan may think the Aes Sedai who are unable to use the One Power as a weapon are doing so out of spite and will bring them to watch their Tower crumble and hopefully break their spirit even more. There is also the possibility this wasn't a true Dream and was just a nightmare like Egwene hoped, yet I once again find this unlikely. While we're discussing Egwene's dreams, there are a couple more that are relevant to this issue: It's apparent that Egwene will end up forming an alliance with a Seanchan woman and will, in fact, be saved by one. There's some debate about a couple of these quotes; some think the golden hawk in the second quote refers to Berelain since the golden hawk is featured on Mayenne's standard. It seems more likely that it signifies the golden hawk of Artur Hawkwing's empire, which the Seanchan use for the royal line. The last quote is even more obscure in its own way, as it's not clear if the woman who helps Egwene is one woman in particular (Leilwin Shipless or Tuon) or instead representative of a multitude of women since the faces are constantly changing. All things considered, I feel it makes the most sense for the woman who ends up being so connected with Egwene to turn out to be Tuon. It would make sense that when Rand confronts Egwene, if she had Tuon with her, it would be a huge bargaining chip in trying to convince Rand not to break the seals. Rand will break the seals regardless, but he might see the only way he can do this once he sees Tuon is to get Tuon to come to his side by kneeling to her, satisfying Tuon's interpretation of her land's Dragon Prophecies. So, if the Seanchan attack Tar Valon again, why in the world would Egwene turn around and ally with the woman who ordered the attack?! Okay, I think this is as good a time as any to reveal what I think might happen: Yes, the Seanchan will march on the White Tower, but after Traveling there they will find the Tower occupied with another invading force: a mini-horde of Shadowspawn and Dreadlords sent to destroy Tar Valon while it is at its weakest. The sudden revelation that the tales of Trollocs and Myrddraal have not been mere myth and superstition will force Tuon to drastically alter her plans, and she will end up giving aid to the Aes Sedai by helping to eradicate this surprise attack force of Shadowspawn. Her collared Aes Sedai will be able to channel lightning against the forces of the Shadow, fulfilling that part of Egwene's dream. There's some other huge plot points that can happen in this potential confrontation. What if Suffa, the "loyal" damane (you might remember her as Elaida, the previous Amyrlin Seat), is part of the Seanchan force, and her sul'dam is conveniently killed during the fight? Freed from her enslavement by Shadowspawn, perhaps even by a Dreadlord or even a Forsaken, who's to say that she might finally switch allegiances after everything she's been through? Another confrontation between Egwene and Elaida, who has recently turned to the Shadow, would most likely be pretty epic. Here's another thing I could see happening with this idea that I love: Mat still has to go back to Tar Valon to retrieve the Horn of Valere. It would truly be kismet if he were to arrive at the Tower at the same time the attack is happening, and while trying to rescue the Horn, is mortally injured. Who happens upon him but none other than Tuon, who in an emotionally charged scene embraces the side of her that has the spark and Heals Mat (and later Bonds him as her Warder). This event leads her to confront the "ancient wrong" her people have been committing and decree that all damane shall be freed and all a'dam destroyed. Alright, I think I might be enjoying this whole wild predictions thang a little too much. Till next week, folks! Y'all come back now, y'hear? I'm fixin' to show y'all a thing or two about some dang 'ol Forsaken!
Thirteen years ago today, someone started spamming the existing Wheel of Time message boards with links to his "cool, new site" called Dragonmount. The Path of Daggers was about to be released and all the Wheel of Time discussion sites were buzzing with theories and conversation. Dragonmount wasn't very pretty, it wasn't fully staffed yet, and I didn't know any better, so I volunteered to be the site's Amyrlin Seat. Thirteen years, some staff shuffles, some more releases, and more ups and downs than I care to count later, I'm proud to call myself Jason Denzel's partner in running Dragonmount. We've had some rough times, and there have been days both of us wanted to pack it all in and go home, but overall, the good times outweigh the bad and we both feel that we've done our part to make the online Wheel of Time community a better place. Whether it's organizing volunteers for book signings, producing the first Wheel of Time podcast, running one of the largest Wheel of Time role-play forums, or just providing a place for fans to hang out and share their love of the series, Jason and I have been honored that so many fans have chosen Dragonmount as their Internet home. To celebrate our thirteenth birthday, we've partnered with Tor Books to give away one copy of the recently released The Eye of the World graphic novel adaption. To enter, visit our dedicated birthday forum and post why you enjoy Dragonmount so much. Sound the Horn! The Hunt is on, and may Dragonmount be your hunting-place!
Brandon Sanderson's latest Mistborn novel, The Alloy of Law, will be released on November 8, 2011. This story is set three hundred years after the Mistborn trilogy ends. The dates for Sanderson's signing tour have been announced, and yes, he is coming to Canada! Here is the full schedule: Tuesday, November 8th – Midnight (doors open 9 PM) BYU Bookstore Wilkinson Student Center (WSC) / University Hill (Brigham Young University) Provo, Utah 84602 Wednesday, November 9th – 7:00 PM Mysterious Galaxy 7051 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard San Diego, CA 92111-1040 Thursday, November 10th – 7:00 PM Barnes & Noble 7881 Edinger Avenue Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Friday, November 11th – 7:00 PM University Books @ University Temple United Methodist Church 1415 NE 43rd St. Seattle 98105 Saturday, November 12th – 2:00 PM Chapters Metrotown Metropolis, Metrotown 4700 Kingsway Burnaby, British Columbia V5H 4M1 Monday, November 14th – 7:00 PM Joseph-Beth Booksellers 161 Lexington Green Cir # B1 Lexington, KY 40503-3323 Tuesday, November 15th – 6:30 PM Murder by the Book 2342 Bissonnet St Houston TX 77005 Wednesday, November 16th – 7:00 PM Barnes & Noble Park Slope 267 7th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 **Signing Only** You can pre-order The Alloy of Law now at Amazon.
Today, September 16th, 2011, marks the four-year anniversary of Robert Jordan's death. He is remembered fondly by those who knew him, and gratefully by those who read his books. Our warmest regards go out to Harriet, Wilson, and Jordan's entire family during this bittersweet remembrance. One of our longtime members, Isabel, posted one of his quotes today, which I gladly share with you here: RIP, Robert Jordan. Your legacy lives on. If you are interested, here's the written report from Robert Jordan's funeral back in 2007.
Towers of Midnight, book thirteen of The Wheel of Time, will be released in paperback form in the USA on October 4, 2011. It was the second Wheel of Time book published after Robert Jordan's death, and thus the second book in the series featuring the writing of Brandon Sanderson. Go here to pre-order your copy from Amazon. Here are some more helpful links about Towers of Midnight: Book Information Read Our Review Watch Our Book Trailer
The last time I brought you information on Wheel of Time fan paraphernalia, it was all about jewelry and accessories. Well, this week, I'm going to bring some Wheel of Time clothing retailers closer to your home. Despite my intense Internet searches, I only found two places other than Amazon which sell Wheel of Time themed t-shirts. The first and only officially licensed retailer is Ta'veren Tees, which you might recognize from other blog articles on the Dragonmount front page. They are a fledgling retailer, but are steadily increasing the amount of designs that they have for their shirts. There are seven female and six male ones. Whether you're a steadfast supporter of the Band of the Red Hand or Loyal to Loial, I'm sure you'll find a suitable shirt at Ta'veren Tees. If there isn't one to your liking, just keep an eye on their site and you might find new designs that get released or some specials to spice up the designs currently available. Another place that has some Wheel of Time themed clothing is the TarValon.Net CafePress store. Their products are not aimed at the general Wheel of Time fans, though, but rather members of TarValon.Net. I'd say still give it a look and see if there isn't possibly something to your liking. So, get out there, buy a shirt, and flaunt your love for the Wheel of Time on a shirt for all to see.
L.E. Modesitt, Jr., the bestselling author of The Saga of Recluce and other popular series, will be visiting Dragonmount! He will be here for an entire week participating in a Q&A session hosted by our Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild. The Q&A will run from Monday, September 19th through Sunday, September 25th in our General Discussion forum. Anyone may post questions for Mr. Modesitt during this time, and he will answer them throughout the week. Here is more information about Mr. Modesitt from his website: Don't miss this exciting opportunity to pick the brain of a famous author!
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