DRAGONMOUNT

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  We are going to continue our reread of The Eye of the World, chapters 17 - 18.    Before we start, I do want to say that there will still be SPOILERS!  With the ending in sight, much of what I point out could allude to things that happen in A Memory of Light, so keep that in mind as you read.  Don't continue if you don't want to be spoiled.   Synopsis: Chapter 17, "Watchers and Hunters"   After speaking with Nynaeve, Rand heads to the common room to listen to Thom perform.  He sits beside Mat and Perrin, listening to stories of The Great Hunt of the Horn.  After a few stories, Thom plays his harp, and everyone dances.  While dancing, Rand notices a man with a scar starring at him from across the room.  He tries to forget the man, and succeeds when Nynaeve spins into his arms as his next partner.  He stumbles over the steps, nervous to be dancing with the Wisdom.  She laughs at him good-naturedly, then goes to her next partner.  Moiraine appears next and Rand dances worse with her than with Nynaeve.  Moiraine gives him a sympathetic smile which makes him feel worse.  He recovers some dignity when he dances with Egwene, since he's used to dancing with her.  She looks on the point of saying something, but doesn't.  He refuses to be the person to speak first.   After the dance, Rand sits to let Mat have a turn.  Perrin asks if Rand danced with Nynaeve.  Rand says he did, and with Moiraine too.  Perrin wonders why Nynaeve never danced at home; Rand wonders what the Women's Circle would say if the Wisdom did dance.   Around midnight, they go to their rooms.  On the way up, Rand decides he'd like a glass of milk before bed.  Lan warns him to be careful, since something is wrong.  In the deserted hallway, a Fade appears and tells Rand he will let him live, if he will tell where the others are.  Rand is unable to speak and backs up against the wall.  The Halfman pulls his sword and begins to swing it at Rand, but then stops.  He says Rand belongs to the Dark One, then he disappears.  Lan arrives with his sword out, and Rand tells him the Fade just left.  They rush upstairs to collect their belongings.  Rand is surprised that Nynaeve is coming too.  He realizes Min was right, that Nynaeve is a part of it.   Moiraine tells Master Fitch, the innkeeper, to cooperate with anyone asking about them, but he refuses.  In the stableyard, Rand sees that Egwene is really frightened.  He apologizes to her, and she squeezes his hand.  They leave the inn and head for the Caemlyn Gate.    The Watchmen at the gate refuse to open the way.  Lan tells them that it isn't against the rules to let people out after dark, only to let them in.  They begin to open the gate when five Whitecloaks appear.  The wonder who would want to leave in the night, and Lan tells them to mind their own business.  Rand recognizes the man speaking as Bornhald, the Whitecloak he had confronted earlier.  Bornhald recognizes Rand and accuses him of being a Darkfriend.    Moiraine uses the Power to make herself grow taller.  Bornhald attacks her with a sword.  She meets it with her staff, and his sword is bent at an angle from the impact.  Lan leads the group through the gate, and before it closes, Moiraine's huge form steps over the wall.  On the other side, she's normal sized again. They begin to ride east, when they notice smoke rising above Baerlon.  Moiraine knows that it is the Stag and Lion.  She warned Master Fitch but he did not listen.  However, she points out that if the Shadow's attention was on the inn, their escape may have gone unnoticed.  Nynaeve accuses the Aes Sedai of the harm that came to Master Fitch and the inn, and Moiraine calmly explains it was the only option.  She says she will send him aid that can't be linked to Tar Valon—anything more would only bring him danger.    They make camp off the side of the road for an hour.  Perrin insists that Moiraine should have done something to help.  Just before dawn, they pack up and head down the road.   Chapter 18, "The Caemlyn Road"   The group travels the Caemlyn Road without incident for three days.  On the third day, they hear horns no more than ten miles behind them.  Lan goes to scout their pursuers—Moiraine whispers as he leaves, "The Light go with you, last Lord of the Seven Towers"—and then she leads the group forwards.  The Emond's Fielders wonder why they don't run, and the Aes Sedai tells them the horns are meant to frighten them and make them rush into a trap.    Lan returns and tells them that there are three or five fists of Trollocs behind them, each with a Halfman.  They continue forward, then hear horns from ahead and behind.  They head north, off the road.  Lan suggests they go someplace Trollocs won't look, but Moiraine refuses.    They set a hard pace north, but they are unable to outrun the Trolloc scouts.  Lan has them stop and face the group that is following.  Lan attacks the Fade, shouting out a Malkieri warcry, and the Emond's Fielders do likewise, raising calls of Manetheren, and charge at the Trollocs.  Moiraine lashes out with the One Power, and Nynaeve and Egwene have belt knives.   Rand, Mat, and Perrin fight the Trollocs until Lan kills the Fade.  This kills the Trollocs as well, since they were linked to the Myrddraal.  This buys them a few moments, so they quickly continue heading north.  The next wave of Shadowspawn catches up to them, and Moiraine uses her angreal to use waves of Earth and a wall of Fire to slow them down.  This drained much of her energy.  The group races off again.   Nynaeve gives Moiraine a packet of herbs, and helps to hold the Aes Sedai steady in her saddle.  Further away, Lan calls a halt, and he and Moiraine go off to talk alone.  As they argue, Egwene asks what Mat had shouted when they charged the Trollocs.  Moiraine says he spoke the ancient battle cry of Manetheren, and its last king.  For a moment, Rand thinks that would mean Mat is the one the Dark One wants; he immediately feels guilty for this thought.   Moiraine uses one last weave to send their scent and tracks in a different direction.  They ride north until they come to the ruins of a city.  Moiraine tells them it was once Aridhol, but now it is known as Shadar Logoth.   My take: For just two chapters, there's a lot that happens.  First, this starts the long and grueling rivalry between Moiraine and Nynaeve.  It's very petty—even though I love Nynaeve as a character.  Although, from her point of view, she's used to being in charge of everyone and everything in the Two Rivers, so obviously she would see Moiraine as a threat to her position.  Still, that doesn't make her right, as we quickly learn as the series progresses.   I think it's funny that Nynaeve and Moiraine join in the dancing in the common room.  Our experience with Aes Sedai later in the story shows us that Aes Sedai are women—especially the Greens—and are capable of enjoying things like dancing.  However, it must have been a shock for our ta'veren.  And it's also kind of sad how Nynaeve wouldn't be able to join in festivals back home.  She knows how to dance—she's not the one fumbling the steps—so that must mean she would have liked to do it, but it would be scandalous if she did.  Nynaeve has a lot of responsibility in the Two Rivers, but she is still just a young woman.  Look at how much she missed out.  If she never left, she wouldn't have married, for one thing.  I think this is a theme that reoccurs within the series, one that talks about the price you pay, or the sacrifices you give, when you are in charge.   This is nothing new, but I still want to point it out.  When Rand sees the Fade in the hallway, the Fade smiles.  We know that Fade's don't smile.  So, this is a clear indication that this Fade is Shaidar Haran.  Robert Jordan did confirm this in an interview (the Week 23 Question).  Or at least, an early version of Shaidar Haran.   The point I want to make about the smiling Myrddraal is this: why did he give away his presence?  He showed himself, revealing to Lan that the Shadow knew their whereabouts, causing the group to flee the city and escape the Shadow's clutches.  Again.  Before A Memory of Light came out, I was a big advocate of Moridin being a double agent.  Why?  Because of stuff like this.  The Shadow's agents bungle their own plans so spectacularly that it seems they are working for the Light.   Along those same lines, I have a slight tangent to go off on.  Before Winter Break, a colleague of mine saw me reading my copy of The Eye of the World—I've been carrying it around with me everywhere to sneak in reading whenever I can.  She hadn't heard of it, and was looking for something to read over the break.  She said she'd get it.  For the past month and a half, she's been enjoying The Eye of the World.  Whenever I pass her, she always says things like, "Rand and Mat just got on a boat," or "Perrin was able to meet up with Egwene," or "They just got captured by the Whitecloaks."  It's so exciting to see someone reading the series for the first time.  And she's very perceptive about picking up a lot of the foreshadowing.   But, there was one thing she missed completely, which is why I'm brining it up now.  When the group escaped from Baerlon, she confided in me that either Moiraine or Nynaeve was evil and letting the Shadow know their whereabouts.  And I thought about it for a moment, and realized how easy it is to come to that conclusion.  As I've said before, it's hard for me to recall what I thought on my first read through.  But I'm sure I thought something likewise.    Robert Jordan once again shows his masterful storytelling skills.  If Nynaeve hadn't arrived at the Stag and Lion, we would have pondered about who else could have led the Shadowspawn to their location.  We would have known instantly that it was Fain.  But with Nynaeve serving as a decoy to distract us, Fain's participation in Shadow's deeds goes unnoticed.  At least for now.  Just thinking about that, and the intricacy needed to fool the reader so completely, leaves me in awe of Mr. Jordan once again.   And back on track.  With Shaidar Haran in the hallway, why didn't the Myrddraal kill Rand?  He drew back his sword, but stopped.  Is it an elaborate act to scare the farmboy?  The Shadow doesn't know that Rand is the one yet.  Or, at least Ba'alzamon doesn't know which is which.  Would Shaidar Haran—the Dark One's avatar in the world—be able to tell?  He doesn't seem to.  In fact, he's more interested in the others than in Rand.  But why almost kill the boy, then stop?  For dramatic flair?  Perhaps.  Most likely, I think the Dark One is unsure about the three boys.  Since it doesn't know who is who, it could be a huge mistake to kill one of them.  And despite his boasting, I don't think the Dark One could have them in death.   Another point to emphasis in this section is how naive the Two Rivers folk are.  When Nynaeve accuses Moiraine of bringing harm to the innkeeper, she's completely off base.  And the fact that the others agree—Perrin insists that Moiraine should have done something—shows how soft and trusting they are.  It's good that the characters start out this way.  These wholesome roots are what allow Rand to come back from the edge of the abyss.  And it's what makes the characters' growth so appealing.  They are so innocent!  And the world around them eats them up and spits them out by the end of the first book, let alone the end of the series.  Look how far each of them has come since these humble beginnings.  And seeing the transformation first hand lets us, the readers, feel so much closer to them.   In Chapter 18, we have Mat's first use of the Old Tongue.  And notice that only Egwene feels like she should understand the words.  I've always thought Nynaeve might be Eldrene reborn, so it would make sense if she understood.  But why Egwene?  And it's easy to see why Mat was the one to start spouting it in the first place.  We will see as our reread continues that Mat's past memories appear before his trip to the Eelfinn, so there is a strong possibility that one of Mat's former lives resurfaced here too.   And speaking of Mat, there's a brief foreshadowing of his hanging in this chapter.  After fighting the Trollocs, Mat was the only rider to get pulled off his horse.  Afterwards, he "tossed a noose away from him with a shudder, gathered his bow, and scrambled into his saddle unaided, though rubbing at his throat."  Later, I'll point out the foreshadowing of him losing his eye.  It's incredible how much future information we can gather off this first book!   That's all I've got for this week.  Let me know if there's something I missed, or something we need to discuss further.  Join us next time for a trip into Shadar Logoth.  Thanks for reading!

Hello there, Dragonmount! January has sped by, the Groundhog has searched for his shadow, and February is upon us. That means one thing: time for another stunning edition of Dragonmount’s Weekly Roundup!   First of all, voting for the Empys is now open! Go check out the finalists and vote!   Now that the ban on Spoilers for A Memory of Light has been lifted, there are several fascinating threads open on the General Wheel of Time discussion board, including  The Bodyswap Theory and a discussion of Padan Fain’s ending.   Do you want to get to know the ACW Tuathan’an better? Join them at Chaelca’s campfire!   At the Black Tower, there are all kind of things going on: Mafia Memes, a laboratory, and a discussion on dumb ways to die. Check these threads out for more entertaining and amusing threads.   February at the Kin is all about love! Join the discussions, and share loving warm thoughts with the wonderful people at the Kin.   Mafia is back in Shayol Ghul! Sign ups are going on now for Once Upon a Time Mafia. Mafia experts or novices can all join in on the fun!   Finally, an update from Dragonmount’s Twitter feed:     Remember, you can get daily updates on Dragonmount and Wheel of Time fandom by following Dragonmount’s Facebook and Twitter feeds.

It's Friday, and that means Fan Art!   You might notice it's a new person writing this blog... I'm Misheru, or Mish as most people call me, and I'll be your resident fan art blogger from now on! I'm in my mid twenties, from Norway, and here on Dragonmount I'm an avid mafia player, and I tend to hang out in the White Tower Social Group, where I'm a member of the Green Ajah. I love Wheel of Time (d'uh!) and my absolute favorite thing to geek out about, is the fashion and clothing. I love how detailed Robert Jordan was in making each country and culture have such distinctly different styles, and it's something I'll explore a bit with you guys.   I thought I would kick this off with showing you some of my own personal favorite pieces of fan art!       Elayne Trakand, by floorsteinz   Well here comes the fashion-geek straight out of the box! Andor is heavily influenced by Tudor-era England, and the clothing in this painting is a strong nod to that. I really like how Elayne both looks regal and capable, while still looking like a young woman. It looks like a royal portrait commissioned to hang in the halls of a grand castle. To me, the placing of the hands look a little like she's used to holding a sword, which is a fine nod to Elayne being of the Green Ajah, and being ready to be a general and leader in Tarmon Gai'don.   The artist says in the description she's hoping to make a series of character portraits, I do hope so, I'd love to see more from her!       Matrim Cauthon, Wheel of Time comission, by RinTheYordle   The artist said this is a commission from her boyfriend. I really like the colors, the ambiance and the format of the picture. The slightly cartoon-ish proportions fit Mat very well. It's got all the things a Mat portrait should include; the hat, the dice, the asharandei. The red hand-symbol gives the image a powerful contrast; the painting itself is very serene, but the hand reminds us that it's rarely Mat gets a serene, quiet moment... And makes him look like he's ready to leap into action even though he's just sitting there lounging right now.    ¨   Moiraine Sedai, by tinazz   I can't post my favorites without including an image of Moiraine, since she is my all time favorite character. I think this depiction by tinazz is fantastic! The border and patterned background remind me of Cairhien (the pattern on the border looks like a strong nod to the rising sun of Cairhien, no?). The composition with the flowing cape gives the image a sense of drama and action. Her face is great; a perfect representation of the Aes Sedai "ageless" look. I do find it a bit funny that her hand is making the gesture that is described as the Seanchan gesture of warding off evil.       The Flame of Tar Valon, by jieroque   You can say what you will about Egwene--love her, hate her--but you can't argue that this painting is amazing. It's so strong, and depicting one of the most exciting scenes in the books, in my personal opinion. It's a strong and fierce composition, the dynamic pose, the debris flying in the air, the lightning bolt, and the raken plummeting towards the ground in the background. The artist has chosen to use a rather limited color palette, which enhances the dramatic feeling. Lovely!     Moridin, by laenare   ....Hmmm? Oh, right, you're probably waiting for some commentary from me. I got temporarily distracted by those eyes... *clears throat* Anyway! The painting style is amazing; by far my favorite depiction of any of the Forsaken. The background with it's dark colors and smoke gives it a suitable menacing ambiance, and the facial expression is strong, a bit arrogant, and I at least see a bit of his insanity. I'm just waiting for the saa to swim over his eyes. I'd love to see the artist do a similar portrait of Rand; she has a portrait of rand but I'd love to see a "twin" of this portrait here, same composition and crop, with Rand's face. I think it's so interesting that Moridin doesn't look downright evil here; the artist has managed to capture that duality that makes Moridin so interesting.     So, that's some of my all-time favorites! Which one do you like the best of them?

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!   A noteworthy news item I spotted this week was the release of a still image of Peter Capaldi's Doctor Who costume. Capaldi will play the 12th incarnation of the Doctor and much has been made about the style he will bring to it--one perhaps more direct, action-oriented, and intimidating than his recent predecessors, David Tennant and Matt Smith. This week, the image below was the first to be leaked of the 12th Doctor all over the internet:   In light of this, I decided to look for a couple of other interesting Doctor themed internet items and came up with the following table of the first and last lines of each Doctor thus far.     And I also found on tumblr a collection of Tim Burton styled animated pictures of each Doctor.   I hope you are excited to see the new Doctor hit the screens, which is scheduled for Autumn this year.   That's all for now! Have fun!   Until next time, friends!

Being a celebrity in Randland wasn't just fun and games (or in Mat's case women and gambling). Here's an example of Mat's first radio experience.  

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!   Just a quick one because I am on vacation in a forest and Internet is somewhat sketchy! This week my mind is focused on a film that comes out at the end of the week here in the UK which I'm looking forward to seeing: Shadow Recruit, the origins story of Jack Ryan, a character created by Tom Clancy in a great series of novels.   The character is portrayed by rising star Chris Pine, probably best known as James T. Kirk from the Star Trek reboot movies, and it looks to have a strong supporting role from Kevin Costner.   What's interesting about the character Jack Ryan is he is not a Jason Bourne style all-action hero--he is a highly intelligent analyst, usually desk bound, who gets thrust into the middle of a field operation. I'm hoping they play this up and have him think his way around situations.   Of course there are a lot of other films coming out this year too--Robocop, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, a new 300 that looks epic, and many more.   That's all for now! Have fun!   Until next time, friends!   [Editor's note: Shadow Recruit opened in the US January 17th, and is set to open in the UK January 24th.]

Here is another filk song written by Semirhage and Ishamael, based on the 80s song "Rocket Launcher" by Bruce Cockburn.   Sa'angreal by Sem and Ishamael   (Sammael) Here comes the Whitecloaks -- second time today Everybody scatters, and hopes they go away How many Darkfriends they've murdered, only The Great Lord can say If I had a sa'angreal...I'd make somebody pay   (Semirhage) I don't believe in Ajahs, and I don't believe in binding I don't believe in Amyrlins, or their stinking serpent rings And when I talk with Wilders, of oaths too sickening to relate If I had a sa'angreal...I would retaliate   (Ishamael/Moridin) In the Two Rivers, one hundred thousand wait To fall down from starvation -- or some less humane fate Cry for The Black Tower, with a corpse in every gate If I had a sa'angreal...I would not hesitate   (Demandred) I want to be the one to kill him -- at least I've got to try Every time I think about him, fury rises to my eyes. Situation desperate, echoes of the victims cry If I had a sa'angreal...that son of a bitch would die

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  We are going to continue our reread of The Eye of the World, chapters 14 - 16.    Before we start, I do want to say that there will still be SPOILERS!  With the ending in sight, much of what I point out could allude to things that happen in A Memory of Light, so keep that in mind as you read.  Don't continue if you don't want to be spoiled.   Synopsis: Chapter 14, "The Stag and Lion"   The innkeeper—Master Fitch—takes the company further into the inn.  He talks about things going on in the city, about the miners come down from the mountains and the town being full.  Lan goes off to the common room to see what can be learned.  Moiraine asks Master Fitch about the Whitecloaks in the city.  The innkeeper says they are only making trouble for the Governor.  Moiraine asks after Min, but then Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Thom are lead off to the men's baths.   As they are getting clean, Mat almost lets slip about Trollocs to the bath attendant.  Lan comes in and quickly dismisses the attendant and berates Mat for not holding his tongue.  They are not supposed to even think about Trollocs.  Perrin asks about Trollocs in Saldaea and Lan yells at them again.   When they leave the bath, Rand sees Moiraine talking to a young woman with short hair, and dressed in a man's coat and breeches.  They go to a private dining room.  Rand has realized how they can trust no one but themselves, and tries to make up with Egwene; she turns her back on him and he swallows his apology.  After Master Fitch brings them dinner, Moiraine asks Lan what news he has.  Lan says there was a battle in Ghealdan—but he couldn't find out if the Aes Sedai involved were killed, captured, or alive.  There also doesn't seem to be Myrddraal or Trollocs around the city.  Moiraine says they will spend two nights at the Stag and Lion then leave the next morning.  The Emond's Fielders are pleased with this prospect.   Rand is sharing a room with Lan and Thom.  Despite the excitement of the common room, Rand lays down in bed and goes to sleep.   He wakes up in a stone corridor.  He walks for some time, with no change in his surroundings.  He tries to open a door and enters a room with a balcony that exposes a sky with swirling clouds of black, and gray, and red, and orange—no natural sky.  The stones of the fireplace seem to be made of people's faces, streaming in agony.  There is a mirror on the wall, and Rand's image is distorted and fuzzy.   Suddenly, there is a man standing in the room in front of the fireplace.  He is good-looking and dressed in dark, fine clothes.  The man greets Rand, and when he does, the man's eyes and mouth become open furnaces filled with flames.  Rand screams and runs from the room, falling into the room opposite.  The man stands in front of the fireplace in the second room too.  Rand tries to leave, but the corridor is gone.  The door closes, locking him in the room.   The man tells Rand that he must be thirsty, and he can drink from the goblet on the table.  Rand reaches for it and lifts it to his mouth, then thinks better of it.  He refuses, and the man is obviously displeased.  Rand asks the man what he wants, and who he is.  The man answers, "Some call me Ba'alzamon."  Rand frantically tires to flee from the room, because Ba'alzamon is another name for the Dark One.   Ba'alzamon asks if Rand is the one, and says that Rand can never hide from him.  Does Rand expect power and glory?  Does Rand expect the Eye of the World to serve him?  Ba'alzamon says the White Tower would use Rand, that the Aes Sedai have manipulated him like a puppet, leading his father like a stallion and his mother a brood mare.  He says Rand will be used like Davian, Yurian Stonebow, Guaire Amalasan, Raolin Darksbane, and Logain.   Rand shouts the Ba'alzamon is sealed with the Forsaken, forever.  Ba'alzamon says he was never bound.  That he told Lews Therin to kill his family, that he shattered the Second Covenant, that he caused Artur Hawkwing to doom his own empire.  Rand denounces the whole event as a dream.  Ba'alzamon laughs at him and breaks the back of a rat on the table.  He then points a finger at Rand, and Rand's back begins to bend.   Rand wakes up from the nightmare and wonders if Moiraine could help keep them away.  He scoffs at himself, realizing bad dreams are better than the Aes Sedai's help.   Chapter 15, "Strangers and Friends"   Rand wakes the next morning alone in his room.  Lan and Thom are already out.  He had more dreams but can't remember any but the first.  He goes downstairs for breakfast.  The cook gives him something to eat, and begins to explain that a dozen rats were found with their backs broken.  After he's done eating, he goes to find Thom, and ask advice.  Thom is busy in the common room, so Rand goes up to Perrin's room.  Perrin isn't feeling well, and hasn't left the inn.  Rand asks Perrin if he had the same dream; he has.  They conclude that Mat must have, as well.  Rand tries to cheer Perrin up, but is unable to do so.  Rand leaves the inn to explore the city.   Out on the street, Rand is overcome by the press of the crowd.  He sits off to the side of the road in front of the inn, trying to clear his head.  He has a headache.  Min arrives and makes fun of him a bit.  She tells him she knows about Moiraine, and that she sees "pieces of the Pattern."  Rand asks what she sees around their group.  Min mostly sees sparks battling a great shadow.  She explains some of the things she saw around Egwene, Thom, Lan, Perrin, and Mat.  Rand finally asks her what she sees around him.  Min says a few things, which don't make sense to her or Rand, but she says she will see him again.  Frightened by her, Rand runs off into the city.   Rand looks around the city, and is surprised at how the people don't look any different from back home.  He sees Padan Fain and chases the peddler down.  He tells Fain that everyone thought he was dead.  Fain says the Trollocs burned his wagon and he couldn't get to his horses.  Rand tells him they are staying at the Stag and Lion, and that Moiraine could help.  Afraid of Moiraine, Fain runs off and Rand pursues.  He bumps into Mat.  Rand asks Mat if he had the same dream of Ba'alzamon; Mat has.  Mat says they can ask Thom for advice, but not to tell Moiraine.  As they're returning to the inn, Rand tells Mat about the things Min can see.    Suddenly, Mat points out three Whitecloaks walking down the street.  Mat disappears into a shop and uses his sling to make barrels fall off a wagon, spraying the Whitecloaks with mud.  Feeling giddy, Rand laughs at the Whitecloaks, who accost him and threaten him.  Rand burnishes his sword, and the Whitecloaks see it is heron-marked.  Luckily, the city Watch arrives and chases the Whitecloaks away.  Mat says Rand must be going crazy to behave so with the Children of the Light.   They find Thom as they go back to the Stag and Lion.  Both boys tell Thom of their dreams, and he asks them for all the details.  He says it is better to keep this from Moiraine, for the time being.  They rush back to the inn to make sure Perrin doesn't tell her.  At the door, Perrin meets them, flustered, saying that Nynaeve has just arrived.  They go in to see her.   Chapter 16, "The Wisdom"   As they enter the inn, Min grabs Rand and pulls him to the side.  She says Nynaeve is a part of it—a part of their group.  Before, three or four of them had to be in the same room together, but now she saw sparks with just Moiraine and Nynaeve present.   They go into the same dining room, and Nynaeve is there with Moiraine, Egwene, and Lan.  Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Thom enter—the boys and Egwene sitting at the table between the two women.  Lan asks how she found them, and Nynaeve tells him that she followed his tracks.  Lan compliments her abilities, and she blushes.  Moiraine and Nynaeve argue about whether the Emond's Fielders should go on or go home.  Rand says they need to go on, even if there is only a chance that it would bring the Trollocs back.   Moiraine dismisses everyone from the room, leaving only herself and Nynaeve to chat.  They wait outside the door, and when Nynaeve comes out, only Rand remains.  Nynaeve comments about how he's grown in just a week.  He asks what Moiraine said.  Nynaeve tells him that the Aes Sedai wondered if any of the boys were born outside the Two Rivers.  Then, Rand realizes that Tam's fever dream must be at least part true.  He tells Nynaeve about it, and Nynaeve confirms that Tam and Kari arrived in the Two Rivers with an infant.  He asks if Mat or Perrin were born outside the Two Rivers, but immediately says it's not his business.  He asks her what she's going to do, and she replies that they'll just have to see.   My take: Sorry for the long synopsis; a lot happened in these chapters.  There's a lot to discuss, as well, so I'll try to do it chronologically.   First, Rand thinks when Lan mentions Logain, that the Warder talked "as if he knew him."  I believe we've touched on this before, but it's worth mentioning again.  Of course, we know the end of the series, and nothing has come from a relationship between Lan and Logain, but it's curious to think that their paths might have crossed.  Logain is a minor noble, and Lan and Moiraine have traveled far and wide, so it's not farfetched to think they could have met.   There's also something in the scene when Moiraine tells the Emond's Fielders that they will stay in Baerlon for two nights.  She smiles, and turns to Lan and says, "What does Master Andra say to that?"  The tone it's told in really humanizes her.  She's giving the country folk a chance in the city, a treat, and she's enjoying giving it to them.  The cute, almost banter, between her and Lan lets us see she isn't all bad.  She's able to feel joy and happiness.  I really think that this shows us an Aes Sedai who is capable of caring.  Elaida, for instance, would never feel pleasure out of seeing their grinning faces.  (And we see more of this in a few chapters, when Moiraine actually dances in the common room.)   Moving on to the dream sequence.  This is the first time Rand is taken to the place with the bizarre sky.  He revisits it several times throughout this book, and a few times in the later books.  When Rand first had dreams that weren't dreams in Chapter 9, "Tellings of the Wheel," I questioned whether he was in a dreamshard or in Tel'aran'rhiod.  After reading this passage, I'm convinced the first a dreamshard—controlled by Ishamael—and the latter Tel'aran'rhiod.  Dreamshards, we find out in A Memory of Light, are a bit of a person's own memories and personalities.  They can shape it any way they want.  That makes sense for the first dream, as Ishamael would be showing Rand images to frighten him and make him suspicious of the White Tower.  However, when Rand enters the room with the balcony and faces in the fireplace, it seems like Ishamael is less in control.   Ishamael shows that he, in some ways, has power over the world around them.  When he breaks the rat's back, he forces Rand to look:     However, if Ishamael was in complete control, he would have force Rand to drink the goblet.  This suggest Tel'aran'rhiod to me.   On that topic, what was in the goblet?  Surely not poison.  We know how much Ishamael wants Rand, needs Rand, to fulfill certain prophecies and schemes of the Shadow.  Ishamael needs the Dragon in order to complete his plans.  While there is a lot of back and forth among the other Forsaken (kill him; don't kill him), Ishamael knows the importance of Rand and the balance he brings.   Rand's death this early wouldn't have worked towards Ishamael's advantage.   Maybe it would have been something akin to forkroot?  Something that would dull Rand's channeling?  That would make it easier for Ishamael to narrow down which boy he needed.  If he gave it to Mat and Perrin, nothing would happen.  The only problem is, I don't know if the Shadow is aware of forkroot.  Nynaeve uses it on Moghedien (The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 55, "The Threads Burn"), but it doesn't say if she knew of it before Ronde Macura made it well known.   It's been so long since my first read through of this book, so it's hard for me to remember what I was feeling then.  I wonder if the reader is supposed to believe that Ba'alzamon is the Dark One.  Rand certainly believes—though Thom doesn't seem to be nearly as afraid when the boys tell him.  To the reader, we figure out soon—if we didn't doubt right away—that Ba'alzamon is really Ishamael.  Looking at this chapter, though, it's incredibly obvious.  Look at the phrases Ishamael uses when tell Rand he was never bound in Shayol Ghul:     The prologue is probably far from the reader's mind at this point, but it's clearly stated that this man, Ba'alzamon, stood at Lews Therin's side when he killed his family, saw him use the One Power to kill himself.  Elan Morin Tedroni was the only person who saw that.  And while we don't know he's Ishamael, we can ferret out he's definitely not the Dark One.  (Also, Elan Morin uses the name Shai'tan as a curse.  I'm sure the Dark One wouldn’t swear by his own name.)   And one last thing on the subject of Ishamael needing Rand, why else would he give Rand the hint about the Eye of the World?  That's like giving away the location to the bank you are going to rob to the police.  It doesn't make sense.  They could have tried to make it a trap—with Balthamel and Aginor waiting—yet they say it was Mat's dagger that led them there, not any plan amongst the Forsaken.  But letting this information slip allows Rand to not only kill two Forsaken, but also get the Dragon Banner, the Horn of Valere, and save the battle at Tarwin's Gap.  Seems pretty stupid for someone of the Shadow to help the Light so much.   One last idle thought about this sequence… Is this room within Moridin's fortress that's inside Shayol Ghul?   In the next chapter, Rand gets his first reaction to touching saidin.  The time span in-between was about eight or nine days. As he channels a few more times, the span becomes smaller.  I love how it made him giddy this time.  It's a sign to the reader that something is wrong—and Robert Jordan does such a wonderful job of juxtaposing this to the explanation of Nynaeve's first channeling later—but we don't have enough information yet to guess what it is.    This is also where we see real differences between Mat, Rand, and Perrin.  Their first time in a city, and Perrin won't leave the inn.  Rand—who had the same dreams—forces himself to go out, but Perrin isn't able to do that.  He says, "I wish I was back home."  Mat doesn't even need to struggle to put on a normal face and act fine.  This sets up Perrin for being a sort of guy who doesn't like change, who will always want to be as normal as possible.  He says he knows his duty, but he fights against it just as hard—if not harder—than Rand and Mat do.  And this is one of the reasons he really struggled with leadership in the later books.  Many people comment how whiny he got, but if you look at his roots, at his core, you can see why he resisted so hard.   And here we are introduced to Min and her viewings.  Her whole purpose though the series is to give hints to the readers.  The things she tells Rand never really help him.  They are for us only, to try and piece together as much as we can.  I love this ability; it's what's kept a lot of theories and discussions going over the course of twenty-three years.  However, some of them are still a bit fuzzy—to me, at least.   When Min says Egwene "won't refuse it," I don't think it just means begin Aes Sedai.  I think it's referring to being raised Amyrlin.    The images around Lan I've talked about several times before—mostly insisting he would survive the Last Battle.  So I'll just say that they show only the future, so he and Nynaeve will have at least once child after Tarmon Gai'don.     Perrin's were obvious from the start—as soon as we learned the truth of who Faile really was.  Mat's too are pretty straightforward, after Towers of Midnight came out.  For Rand, the only one that still eludes me is the "bloody hand and a white-hot iron."  The bloody hand could be when his is blown off by Semirhage, but I'm not sure about the white-hot iron.   And with Nynaeve's arrival, we see real signs of ta'veren-ness at work in the world.       This could be Nynaeve's manifestation of Listening to the Wind—how she knows that emotional storms are coming—but I bet it's just Rand, and to a lesser extent, Mat and Perrin, tugging at her.  Nynaeve is one of the most important characters in the story.  The things she accomplished helped Rand to win.  Without her, many things would have changed.   That's all for this week.  Let me know if there's something I glossed over.  And please join me next time as we continue the beginning of this wonderful journey.  Thanks for reading!

Earlier this month, the nomination process for the 2014 Hugo Awards began. The Hugo Awards are science fiction and fantasy's highest honor and awarded each year by the members of the World Science Fiction Society at WorldCon. To be eligible to nominate you need to be a registered member of either the 2013, 2014 or 2015 WorldCons by January 31. Nominating ballots are due by March 31 and the awards will be announced at this year's WorldCon in London.    As we reported earlier, this is Robert Jordan's final year for Hugo eligibility in the category  of "Best Novel" for the Wheel of Time series. However, there are many other categories and works eligible for nomination. If you are planning to nominate for the first time this year, we recommend participating in the process as fully as possible and nominating in several categories. Ballots from first time voters nominating one work in a single category run the risk of being discounted by the Hugo Administrators.   What's eligible for a Hugo? Any work of science fiction or fantasy that was published for the first time in 2013, or translated into English for the first time in 2013. That encompasses a wide variety of novels, short fiction, artwork, graphic novels, TV shows, podcasts and more. Anything you've enjoyed or thought advanced the genre in a new or interesting direction can be nominated. The Hugo Award administrators will select the five most popular in each category to become this year's Hugo nominees.    If you're still uncertain what to nominate, here are some eligible works we'd like to draw your attention to. Remember, these are just our suggestions. Feel free to nominate whatever works you enjoyed last year.    Best Novel The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (We believe that the current WSFS rules allow the nomination of the entire series as a complete work now that it's complete.) Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson   Best Editor (Long Form) Harriet McDougal, for her work on editing the Wheel of Time series and ensuring that her husband's vision was completed.    Best Related Work Writing Excuses Brandon Sanderson hosts this podcast along with several other authors. It won the Hugo in this category in 2013.  Dragonmount.com There is unfortunately no category for best fan website, but if you enjoy our work here we'd appreciate the nod.    Best Fan Writer Linda Taglieri runs the excellent 13th Depository blog which features the most detailed analysis of the Wheel of Time series online. Leigh Butler is the host of the Wheel of Time Re-Read and A Song of Ice and Fire Read for Tor.com. Aidan Moher is a long time friend of Dragonmount and hosts the popular review and commentary blog A Dribble of Ink. Adam Whitehead maintains The Wertzone, a popular review and fantasy site. He is also a frequent poster to our forums. Maureen Carr, AKA "Mashiara Sedai" who writes our popular theory blog "WoT If…" and edits the rest of our columns.  Best Fan Artist Amy Dale, for her "Fields of Merrilor" artwork that graces our site.    Best Professional Artist Paul Bielaczyc, for his "Dragon Reborn", which is available both as a print and as a t-shirt at Ta'veren Tees. Ariel Burgess, for the body of work commissioned by Ta'veren Tees for  the 2014 Wheel of Time Calendar.      Additionally, our friends at Tor.com publish a large amount of eligible short fiction and art every year. (In particular, please read "The Lady Astronaut of Mars" by Mary Robinette Kowal.) Also, many of your favorite authors will post on their websites about what eligible works they have this year. If you aren't sure if something you enjoyed was published in 2013, check with the author to be sure.    You can learn more about WorldCon, how the nomination process works and how to register by visiting LonCon's website. Remember, participating in the Hugo nomination process is an important way we recognize the best of science fiction and fantasy each year. 

It’s Monday, and that means it is time for a new edition of the Dragonmount Weekly Roundup! This week has been an exciting week, with lots of big changes and updates, site wide!   First and foremost, the ban on spoilers from A Memory of Light has been lifted. Keep in mind that some of the Social Groups and sub forums may still have bans in place regarding spoilers, and respect the spoiler policy on those boards. However, for General Discussion, you are now free to discuss any of the existing works from The Wheel of Time.   Secondly, the Empy Awards are soon upon us! Now, it’s time for nominations. Before nominating, check out this post regarding nomination rules. Nominations are open until January 29. Be sure to check out the amazing forum signatures and the Empy Categories as well.   With the change in the spoiler status of A Memory of Light, the Black Tower Social Group has started a discussion thread on The Black Tower in A Memory of Light. The discussion is sure to have some very thought-provoking and interesting ideas.   If you still are looking to discuss A Memory of Light, the Band of the Red Hand has a thread discussing the Horn of Valere and its place within the final book. This has been a month-long discussion, but now, with the spoiler policy lifted, is sure to have a much more in-depth conversation.   Finally, an update from Dragonmount’s Twitter Feed:     Remember, you can get daily updates on Dragonmount and Wheel of Time related news from Dragonmount’s Twitter and Facebook pages!   That wraps it up for this week! I look forward to our next edition of Dragonmount’s Weekly Roundup!