DRAGONMOUNT

I have another Admin interview for you. These kind of got sidetracked due to unforeseen circumstances. I have an interview with one of our Role Play (RP) Admins, Winterwinds. He is in charge of the RP Groups.     Q: When did you start reading The Wheel of Time?   A: I started reading The Wheel of Time back in middle school, so around 6th or 7th grade, I borrowed The Eye of the World from my school's library. The rest, as they say, is history.     Q: How did you find Dragonmount and get involved with Admin/Staff?   A: Well, I was made staff actually shortly after I joined Dragonmount. Barm noticed I was greeting everyone, and actually outgreeting the newbie mods, so he offered me a job! That went on for a few years, then Tay approached me to be her 2nd in command.     Q: You are in charge of the RP Groups. How do you balance everything between the groups?   A: Well, for the most part I just try to keep a clear and level head, try and be as fair as I can towards all the RP Groups.     Q: What are your favorite RP threads?   A: Most of my favorite RP threads have been over in the Wolfkin or in the Rev. One board. For instance, I started a thread a long time ago, of which I cannot remember the name but it was nominated for an Empy, which was set in the War of Power.     Q: Do you actively RP?   A: Not as much as I want to here, but elsewhere I am quite an active RPer. My lack of RP here stems from the Wolfkin having just flopped over and gone into hibernation mode.     Q: What faction would you join in Randland if you had to choose only one?   A: Wolfkin, without a shadow of a doubt.     Q: Who is your favorite character in The Wheel of Time?   A: Oddly enough, Mat. I am a big RTS player, and Mat's general abilities have always been something I looked up to.     Q: What is the most memorable moment for you in The Wheel of Time?   A: In the book just before the last book, Towers of Midnight I think, there was a scene where Perrin and Elayne's brother, who is the Lord Captain Commander of the Whitecloaks, find common ground after Perrin saves a Whitecloak who had been accidentally stuffed into a pile of the dead. I just loved how two former foes could find common ground and put aside their differences like that.     Q: Is there anything else you'd like to share?   A: Um, well, I guess the only thing I would like to share is that I hope some more people decide to wander down to the RP side and say hello, and perhaps stick around or RP in the Rev. One board. It's a fun place to be and we are always welcoming to newcomers.

It's time for another giveaway! Here are the rules again for those who aren't familiar with them:       This time, we will be giving away a copy of Knife of Dreams. I haven't received the audio clip from Macmillan yet, but will add it here if/when I do.   This giveaway's question is: What would you do if you found yourself in Tel'aran'rhiod for the night? You have until Wednesday, November 14th to answer in the comments section. Good luck!

Alright, folks, I'd like to thank you for coming to the Friends of the Dark Local 328 Annual Picnic. If I could have your attention, I've got some quick announcements to pass on and then we can get back to the barbecue and games.   First off, I'd like to remind you that while it's a lot of fun to mess with each other, I must ask you to stop with the pranks. Hiding a corpse in the houses of fellow cell members is well and good, but once you start drawing the Dragon's Fang on each other's doors, people are going to start asking questions, and to be honest, that's counterproductive. If you're going to have a laugh, either have it at the expense of someone who isn't a contributing member or make it subtle.   Next up, on the topic of officially sanctioned masks...   Our identities are important to each of us as a way to make sure that we, as a family, are not compromised. To that end, we've long had the practice of wearing masks to these gatherings to protect ourselves. I feel I must point out once more that the list of approved materials for construction of these masks as listed under subsection 12, paragraph 7 does not include items such as lacy underwear, must consist of more than just fake spectacles and a moustache, and should not be made to look like any other person. Remember, folks, it's been 48 days since the last hanging of someone who was actually a Friend of the Dark, so let us please keep those villagers guessing.   Also on the agenda are a few notes about our dear friends, the Trollocs.   Please keep in mind while visiting Shayol Ghul on vacation to NOT, I repeat NOT taunt the Trollocs. Only Aginor knows what he bred them with to get their sense of humor, but I feel that after last month's massacre of the holiday tour group, this point cannot be stressed enough. Also, if invited over for a feast, here are two things to remember. First, make sure you know exactly what is in the bowl they are offering you for dinner and, in my opinion, it may be wise to just stick with the salad. Second, make sure you are not intended to be the main course.   Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I'd like to mention that we're undergoing a change in management. Recently the Chosen have come out of where they were locked away and have stepped up to take charge in the fight against the Light once more. Now, as of right now, they're allowing us to generally carry on as we have been, but remember your oaths. If one of them approaches you for assistance with a plot, show them the selfless pride and intelligence we're known for.   I'd also like to point out at this time that the one change they have made is to the punishment bylaws. Whereas previously, it went from a verbal warning for a first failure to a written warning for the second and so on, the bylaws now read: "First Failure: Death. Second Failure: Permanent Death." Although, of course, in their wisdom and mercy the Chosen may simply change the sentence to a lifetime of insufferable pain and then death, as they see fit. Our motto has therefore been changed as well, from "Death Before Failure" to simply "Death For Failure." Do, uh, keep that in mind.   That concludes my announcements. The barbecue is in the back. We'll be playing "Pin the murders on the Aes Sedai" a little later, and don't forget to grab a favor bag on the way home. Have a wonderful time, everybody.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post this last week, but better late than never! This time, the featured eBook wallpaper is for The Gathering Storm. The artwork is by Todd Lockwood. Here is the image:     Go here to download different sizes of the wallpaper and to read more about how this art was created. How do you like the art for this eBook?

Welcome back, all!   People are still buzzing about Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm. If the Internet memes aren't satisfying your need for discussing the implications of this event, come to our Movies and Games Discussion forum and let us know what you think.   The Aiel Social Group would like to know what has left its mark on you. What person, thing, or experience has left a positive mark on your life?   The Band of the Red Hand Social Group just posted their monthly Regimental Book Discussion. This month, they are wondering when Mat became "great" in the Wheel of Time series. When did he grow from being a simple farm boy or sidekick to being a full-fledged hero?   Our fearless leader, Jason Denzel, has been making us jealous this weekend. He's been hobnobbing with Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss at the World Fantasy convention in Toronto. Check out our Twitter or Facebook pages for more on this.

Last week, I introduced the amazing art on the Facebook page "Screw you all, I love Wheel of Time." Assuming you weren't so inspired by my post that you looked up the rest of the art yourself, I'm featuring another handful of favorites from the page this week.   Art by Cyndi Crews     1. Rand al'Thor by Madeleine Gusdal (Epilogue gallery, Elfwood gallery)       2. Selene by Madeleine Gusdal       3. Tinker Women by Cicely Combs   Cicely Combs' unique and fascinating style has become more sophisticated in the years since she painted these pieces. I highly recommend checking out her professional gallery!       4. The Rebel Amyrlin by Cicely Combs       5. Tinker Woman Dancing the Tiganza by Jon Foster   According to the Wheel of Time Wiki, this was created for the Wheel of Time roleplaying game. Jon Foster is an incredible professional artist with impressive vision--please check out his gallery if you have time. You won't regret it!       6. Rand by Meghan Waters   I love this one! I've never seen it anywhere else!       7. Rand al'Thor Pumpkin, Light Version by =joh-wee (pattern by ~TamIsMyFather)   Happy Halloween!  

It's time to find the most sinister pumpkin patch and get ready for   "It's the Great Dark One, Myrddraal Bah'roun"   Reunite with the gang as they get together for this yearly tradition of fun, traveling from house to house slaughtering all and gaining the spoils of victory.   Trolloc one: "I got a pig." Trolloc two: "I grabbed someone for the Trolloc pot." Myrddraal Bah'roun "I got a rock."   Watch as Ishamael teaches young Lanfear about the Great Dark One. "Each year, the Great Dark One rises out of the pumpkin patch he thinks is the most sinister, bringing his most loyal followers candy and the title of Nae'blis."   Yes, it's fun all around for the gang in this heart warming over a fire tale.   Darkfriend one: "I took a sack full of gold." Darkfriend two: "I nicked this nice bow." Myrddraal Bah'roun "I got a rock." Moghedien: "You Blockhead."   Watch as Snoopy battles the Dragon Reborn!   (Sequence of Snoopy fighting Rand in the skies above Falme)   "Myrddraal Bah'roun, what kind of costume is that?" "I had a little trouble with my sword." "Why did you think you even needed eyeholes?"   Yes, tune in this Tarmon Gai'don for:     "It's the Great Dark One, Myrddraal Bah'roun"

Welcome back to "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog. With the release of A Memory of Light quickly approaching, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at whether some characters will survive or perish during the Last Battle. We'll take just a few people at a time and look at foreshadowing, among other things, that point to life or death after the series.   Spoiler warning! This will include content from many books in the series, including Towers of Midnight, and speculation about A Memory of Light. Please read at your own risk.   Also, this WILL NOT contain spoilers from A Memory of Light's Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, or Chapter 11. Please refrain from posting any spoilers from A Memory of Light in the comments section. The A Memory of Light spoiler discussion board can be found here.   A few weeks ago, we touched upon the subject of Birgitte, but only in regards to her connection to the Horn. I'd like to expand on that a bit, seeing if she's a prime candidate for death before, or during, the Last Battle.   I'll start with the evidence saying she won't die. There's less of this, I believe.   As discussed two weeks ago, Min sees Birgitte bound to a man who is "older" and "much younger," but is the same man (Winter's Heart, Chapter 12, "A Lily in Winter"). If Birgitte dies and is reborn right away, she will be younger than Gaidal Cain, like normal. Alternately, she could die and not be reborn, but I think the results would be the same. The next time around, he would be born first and she would be born later. For Gaidal to be the younger of the pair, I'd say that she has to live through this life.   That's the only logic I can find that points to her surviving. Now for reasons she will die.   Birgitte is a tragic character, one of the most tragic in the series. Her greatest fear comes from losing her memories, which would make her forget Gaidal Cain. She begins to drink heavily to drown her sorrows. She also hates people knowing her past and that she is a Hero. She feels like that title is undeserved in this life because she hasn't done anything to deserve it. In the past, she only did what she had to, and the pressure of living up to her fame is too much for her to handle. She doesn't like the titles Elayne has forced on her, and though Birgitte cares for Elayne greatly, their relationship doesn't bring the comfort it should. In short, Birgitte doesn't have much to live for.   One thing Robert Jordan said points to Birgitte's death:     In all honesty, I think this means that Birgitte might die before the Horn is sounded again. When asked something along the same lines, Brandon Sanderson gives a straightforward answer.     The same would be true about Birgitte. Even if she hasn't been "spun out" in the traditional sense, her soul isn't in Tel'aran'rhiod to come to the call of the Horn. And if she died, I think her soul would go to the "waiting place" before going to Tel'aran'rhiod (which is also the reason I don't think Rand will be ripped out of Tel'aran'rhiod after his death). Of course, there are some things Robert Jordan RAFO'ed that Brandon Sanderson has answered, so perhaps that's not the best proof.   So here's something better. First, Elayne thinks about how Birgitte is unable to use a sword.     Next, Elayne comments on how Birgitte refuses to use a sword.     And finally, Birgitte is wearing a sword.     This, my friends, is foreshadowing. And notice how it's dropped in so casually; there's no extra attention given to it. That's good foreshadowing. In fact, when Towers of Midnight first came out, many people questioned this part in the book. It seemed so out of place with Birgitte's earlier insistence that she won't touch a sword. I think a lot of people thought it was a mistake of sorts, but I'm sure it's just a hint of things to come, trying to sneak below our radar. As a student of literature, I feel these little signs are meant to be important clues to later plotlines.   One last thing Min saw around Elayne might point to a tragic event with Birgitte:     Perhaps it's Birgitte stabbing herself, cutting off her own hand by accident? Or maybe something not so accidental? Maybe it will be some sort of sacrifice, Birgitte giving up her life to save Elayne's?   I think Birgitte is going to be the most important character to die during the final book. I honestly believe all of our "main" characters will live. We'll go into some of the possibilities of that sometime later. That's all for this week. For next time, I want to speculate a bit on the connection between the three ta'veren. Thanks for reading!

Happy Halloween, everyone! I know it's not for a couple more days, but I'm already excited. I hope those of you who celebrate it have a fantastic time.   Chapter 2 of A Memory of Light was recently released in audio format. If you'd like to discuss it, head to this thread in our A Memory of Light Spoiler Discussion forum. Remember, this forum has rules, so please read them before posting.   Have you recently played an addictive video game and want everyone else to play too? Are you looking for something new and interesting to try? Visit the "I Just Played" thread in the Movies and Games Discussion forum to give and receive recommendations.   The Aiel Social Group is celebrating Halloween with a twist--it's Aiel Hallow's Eve! They've got ghost stories, a pumpkin carving contest, and more. Check out the thread I linked above for a guide to the week's events.   Speaking of Halloween, the Ogier are throwing a Halloween party! Head here to join the festivities.   Have a great week!

A while back, my friend Sam pointed me to the Facebook page "Screw you all, I love Wheel of Time." Besides being another great place to get your daily Wheel of Time fix (if Dragonmount just isn't enough for you), it also has a diverse and impressive collection of art I haven't seen anywhere else.* Here are some of my favorite fan works from the page. Tune in next week for more!   Art by Cyndi Crews     1. Book Jackets by Tim Cottrell Go here to see the full project. Here are his covers for books 4-11.       2. Cold Rocks Hold by Jared Magneson (~lordstormdragon)       3. False Rose (Liandrin) by Lipták László       4. Rand al'Thor by Hamilton Cline (*hamdiggy)       5. al'Lan Mandragoran by Hamilton Cline       *Unfortunately, a lot of the art posted to the Facebook page is uncredited. I can't tell you how common it is to see uncredited fan art, or how disappointing. We fan artists put a lot of heart into our art, and we love to share it with you. If you value our work, please do us the honor of giving us credit for it!   In case you don't know, this is the etiquette for sharing art: Ask permission before reposting, if possible. You should also inform the artist that you have reposted their work and provide them a link to the page (again, if possible). At the very least, provide the artist's name when you repost and include a link to their gallery page, if they have one.