Americans are looking forward to their Thanksgiving holiday, others are experiencing inclement weather, and some are even going into summer! Dragonmount has members from all over the world.

More Robert Jordan trivia.

Apparently he was quite the outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing. Dragonmount has always been important to me not only for the members and activities, but as a place to remember and honor Robert Jordan and his books.

The White Tower is busy with Thanksgiving events and celebrating members' birthdays.

The Black Tower has welcomed back some old members who have returned, have several active games, and are tempting members with brownies.

The Band of the Red Hand celebrated Halloween in a big way and have also had old members return and new ones join!

Shayol Ghul is writing their own "Adventure" story and updating the Wiki. They have also welcomed back a returned member.

The Wolfkin are engaging in a "Healer's Discussion" and the Aiel hosted Veteran's Day Activities.

The Structured General Wheel of Time discussion is still going strong.

We are all awaiting word on the TV series. Nothing yet. Can't wait!!! For the time being, we can experience the Wheel of Time world right here.

See you next month!

Fall is finally here! Some of you are experiencing a gentle cooling while others are experiencing inclement weather. Halloween is almost upon us and whether you have children or enjoy cosplay, this can be an extra special time of the year.

While continuing my “search” for Robert Jordan, I found this bit of trivia:

“He had a secretary whose main job was to keep the facts straight in the elaborate world he created that spanned 11 books and almost 7,420 pages. Some critics questioned his wordiness, yet he could sum up the series' driving force in three words: 'Life changes. Deal.'" (From the obituary of James Oliver Rigney Jr., Los Angeles Times)

Many of us would have cherished that job. I know I would have.

We have been introduced to new readers of the series and it is touching to hear their thoughts and wonder about a world we have all inhabited for quite some time. Vicariously, we can pick up the series anew and remember our own journeys through The Wheel of Time.

The Kin is flourishing in its new location, The White Tower and Warders. The Kin is a relaxing place where we build friendships and engage in fun activities.

The Band of the Red Hand is offering multiple threads for Halloween!

Debates and Discussions are heating up as we near the American election. The plus side is that members can post their own views and read those of others, some who reside outside of the United States.

The Black Tower is getting into an election mode, with sign-ups for a Trump vs Clinton 2016 Mafia game.

M’Lady Lefluer is at it again posting a beautiful collage that features Nynaeve.

Shayol Ghul is seeking a new Cuen’Shaidar. Do you have what it takes?

See you all next month!

Welcome to August's Forum Roundup. For those of you that are students or parents, the school year has started or you are almost there. I'm looking forward to fall, with the cooler temperatures, change of colors, and hopefully some rain.

In my "search" for James Oliver Rigney Jr., I've discovered a few things since my last entry. He taught himself to read (with a little help from his brother) at age 4. He had a brother twelve years his senior who, Robert Jordan noted, exposed him to great fiction by reading to him the works of Jules Verne and Mark Twain. Thus, his brother ensured the "foreshadowing" of the development of a great writer.

"You have to understand child, everyone wants someone in their life, someone who cares for them, someone they can care for, even a queen."  

~Thom Merrilyn

The Shadow Rising, Chapter 39, "A Cup of Wine"

Now, to the goings on here at Dragonmount. If you haven't noticed already, we have a new Wheel of Time reread for the Theory Blog.  New readers keep discovering The Wheel of Time and can also find more discussion here at "A First Time Reader's Impression of the Wheel of Time."

The Dragon Reborn Role Play has recent entries. I keep intending to create my own character. Since I am already an Aes Sedai in the White Tower and Warders, I intend my character to be a Warder in training, getting the opportunity to explore both paths, so to speak. Have you ever considered role play?

The Tower has welcomed some new members who have ended their journey to Tar Valon and are now poised to begin their paths to either Warder or Aes Sedai. In addition, M'lady La Fluer has shared with us a new collage of Elmindreda Farshaw.

The Band of the Red Hand also has new members and activities, with promises of more to come. Come out and hang with the Band, have fun, and drink some spirits (virtually).

Shayol Ghul is in the midst of their nominations for 2015 Ghoulies. If you are a member, don't forget to vote!

The Black Tower is hosting a Mafia game, "League of Extraordinary Gentleman" and has a number of very active threads.

As usual, please stay tuned to Dragonmount for updated information on the Wheel of Time and spend some time dwelling in Robert Jordan's world.

It's time for the July Forum Roundup. July and August are the hottest times of the year where I live and the Central and Eastern U.S. are getting blasted with a heat wave. Our friends Down Under are experiencing weather we Americans envy.

Thinking about the Wheel of Time, I was pondering the fact that I didn't discover Robert Jordan or his books until after he left us. So, lately, I've been on a search for him, who he was, what he was like as a man, a writer, and how his stories came to be. My journey is one of starting and stopping, and yet, one that I will undertake fully.

I was not a reader of fantasy or nonfiction for that matter. A friend urged me to pick up The Eye of the World and that's where I fell deep into the universe of Robert Jordan.

His world is female-centric, with a complicated magic system, multiple nations, cultures (some I could recognize), and a central character who finally realized who and what he was, and his place in the world.

Our Dragonmount was created upon the imagination and words of Robert Jordan. Although the books are finished, his universe continues. 

The White Tower lives on here, as do the Aiel, Mat's Band, Perrin's Wolves, the Black Tower, the Kin, the Ogier and their Groves, the Tuathan'an Camp, and there is even a place for the Dark One’s in

Shayol Ghul. One can create a unique character who lives and breathes within the Wheel of Time.

For those of you, who like me, never want to put down the books and walk away from The Wheel of Time, Dragonmount carries on Robert Jordan's world and allows us all to be a part of it.

See you next month.

<p><!-- isHtml:1 --><p>Welcome to the June Forum Roundup. May you find water and shade. This time of year we have students finishing up their exams and teachers packing up their classrooms. Both are looking to their summer vacations and some well-deserved time off. In <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/381-tar-valon/' class="bbc_url" title="">Tar Valon</a> one can find a Midsummer Festival. Members are partaking in such virtual activities as a trip to the beach, trivia, hangman, vacations, and traditions.<p class="bbc_center"><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_412/gallery_21251_412_4153.gif" alt="gallery_21251_412_4153.gif"></p>Also in the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/33-the-white-tower-warders-social-group/' class="bbc_url" title="">White Tower Social Group</a>, M’Lady La Fleur is treating us to her artistic creations of collages and quotes with a <em>Wheel of Time</em> theme. You can find her <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/97707-realistic-wheel-of-time-collages-%E2%80%93-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousands-words/' class="bbc_url" title="">lovely work</a> here.We hope everyone had a wonderful Father’s Day. The <em>Wheel of Time’s</em> <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/98252-best-and-worst-dads-in-wot/' class="bbc_url" title="">best and worst fathers</a> are being analyzed in the general discussion area. It seems the consensus that Tam was a very good dad.<p class="bbc_center"><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_412/gallery_21251_412_47788.jpg" alt="gallery_21251_412_47788.jpg"></p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/23-the-black-tower-social-group/' class="bbc_url" title="">The Black Tower</a> is hosting a “Multiball Mafia” for those that enjoy mafia indulgence.If one cares to engage in political discourse, <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/11-debates-and-discussions/' class="bbc_url" title="">Debates and Discussions</a> are currently hosting multiple threads of interest. The U.S. election is dominating topics at this time. All over the forums, one can find “Brownie Quests” hosted by Talmanes. Much adventure to be found there. Remember to keep checking <em>Dragonmount </em>for updates on the TV series and other <em>Wheel of Time</em> related news. See you next month!</p></p>

We have received the most exciting news possible this month.  There will be a Wheel of Time TV series!

Harriet McDougal (Robert Jordan’s widow/editor) has shared that the issues have been resolved and the rights to the Wheel of Time has been sold to a major studio. Please stay tuned to Dragonmount’s Front Page for further information as it comes in.  Tor's Leigh Butler weighs in on the subject with her picks for casting.  

JordonCon was held last month and many of our Dragonmount members were able to attend.  Our very own Jason Denzel was in attendance, as were Brandon Sanderson, Harriet McDougal, and the other members of Team Jordan, Maria Simons, and Alan Romanczuk.  The Author Guest of Honor was Catherine Asaro and the Artist Guest of Honor was John Picacio.

After the opening ceremonies--hosted by the 13th Depository's Linda Taglieri--the events included the Thursday evening Director’s Dinner, the JordonCon Art Show, the Writer’s Workshop, the Costume Contest, and spending lots of time meeting friends, making new friends, and engaging in rollicking fun.

Below you will find some pictures of this year’s JordonCon.

Check out more on JordanCon's official Facebook Photo page.  Or, these beauties by Larry Barthel.  You can also look at Mashiara's photos here.

See you next month!!!

It's time for the April Forum Roundup.

The Dragon Reborn Role Play has been revamped and it's now easier to navigate and engage in current threads!  It’s open to any who want to roleplay within The Wheel of Time world!

The General Wheel of Time Discussion continues and features Verin, the Forsaken, the Choden Kal, Bors, and others.  The Wheel of Time is so detailed and has such depth to its world and characters there will always be something to ponder.

DM Mafia has multiple games in progress for those that enjoy a mystery.  Each game is labeled by skill, so you know what to expect before signing up.

The Aiel Social Group has been busy with their Humor Week and can boast six ongoing topics.

Shayol Ghul featured "Flatter the Nae'Blis" this month and some interesting games, one that includes an "Executioner!"

The Wolfkin were still busy with "Chili Dunking" and held a serious discussion on "After Death," as well as a new game, "Email Game - Seers."

The White Tower and Warders Social Group featured events held by the Green Ajah and the Warders on the Tar Valon Board.  M'Lady La Fluer has been sharing her beautiful Wheel of Time collages.

Dragonmount members have also been busy traveling and enjoying JordanCon!  Stay tuned for a recap of the Con and a photo gallery of all the happenings!

Welcome to the March Forum Roundup!

This month, I’d like to highlight our Debates and Discussion Forum.  It is an election year here in the United States and D&D is the place to voice your opinion.  Of course, the forum isn’t exclusive to the United States and you will find topics that range from climate change to Europe’s immigration crisis.

Mafia games are popular here at Dragonmount.  Members put in quite a bit of time to make the games unique and fun.  The games can be found in its own section, as well as other Social Groups that allow for it.

The Black Tower featured Mafia memes and a Winter Shadow event.  Moving on to Spring……we’ll see what direction the group takes in next month’s Roundup.

The White Tower and Warders have been busy.  A both informative and fun event was held for International Women’s Week.  The Red Ajah hosted and did a bang up job. 

The Band of the Red Hand is busy training new recruits, discussing music, and talking about who has re-read The Wheel of Time books.

The Aiel Social Group offers a March discussion on “What is Truth,” and fun stuff including “Typing With Your Eyes Closed” and “50 Things Never To Do On A First Date.”

The Ogier are discussing “Winter Unpleasantness” and “Edgar Allen Poe vs Stephen King vs H.P. Lovecraft.”  Plus, there's a game of hangman that has been ongoing for a few years.

The fun-loving Shayol Ghul Social Group is featuring a couple new games: “Mating Dance” and “Executioner–Issue II: The Chopping Block.”

The Wolfkin are having fun "Stating the Obvious" in their very exciting game.

ACW Tuathan’an Camp’s Hobby Wagon is featuring “Accidental Gardening.”

There's still plenty going on around the Dragonmount forums, so see what else you can find!  See you next month!

Welcome to another Forum Roundup.  I look forward to bringing you some of the monthly goings on here at Drangonmount.

I'd like to start with the "Wheel of Time Discussion." Think you have heard it all? Readers continue to discover the series and present new theories and questions such as "What happened to those who were 'turned' and other issues not addressed in the Companion" and "How can I get people to read it?"  

Now onto the Tinker's Guild. The Writer's Wagon notes that our very own Mashiara Sedai has finished her 6^th novel and in the Arts and Crafts Wagon, Nynaeve continues to bring us her wonderful and creative bead animals.

The Aiel presents with some interesting topics such as “Relationships that have changed you” and a discussion on the merits (or not) of “Higher Education.”

The Band of the Red Hand offers a fun place to relax and have a beer with “The Beers of the Red Hand.”  In addition, the Band has a very active Skype Group.

In February, the Black Tower hosted a Valentine’s event and “Book Challenges and Reading Advices.”  Most importantly, the Shadow wished two newlyweds well.

The Ogier Social Group offers many games!  Hangman, Winter Unpleasantness as the Stedding protects us-from A-Z, The Name Game: Plant Edition, Movie Quote Game, Change a Letter, and Choose your own Adventure: Journey under the Sea, just to name a few.

Shayol Ghul has started a “Mating Dance” and announced a “New Moridin.”  They also offer a new story “Grayman’s Task” and “The Executioner.”

The Brown Ajah of the White Tower and Warders held a “Chocolate Fest!”  Check out "Chocolate Videos" and "Chocolate recipes."

The Wolfkin are “Freezing their Tails Off” and engaging in “Chili Dunking.”  Their discussion this month is “Magical things in Life” and the game is “State the Obvious.”

As you can see, Dragonmount offers something for everyone.  This is only a short selection of the "goings on" and if you don't see something that interests you, suggest a new event, activity, or game!

See you next month at Forum Roundup.

Are you interested in volunteering for Dragonmount?  Now is the perfect time to get involved!  I am looking for three to four people to join my staff as bloggers. Applications for these positions will be open until Sunday, January 31^st, 2016.

Description of the Job Positions:

1. Monthly Roundup Blogger.  This person will be responsible for doing a brief recap of some of the important events/threads happening on the forums.  Please look here for past examples of this column.

2. Rotating Features Blogger. This person will be responsible for a short monthly column that will have different types of content each time. This person will work off a list of ideas for features (partly ideas that have already been thought of for you, and partly ideas you can make up and run by me for approval) and rotate the features. Please look here for past examples of this column.

3. Humor Blogger. This blog is a regular feature on Wednesdays. This person will be responsible for a short monthly column featuring a combination of existing WoT humor from around the Internet (e.g. Mat's Inbox, the WoT lightbulb jokes, the WoT Lolcats) and creating their own WoT humor content. Please look here for past examples of this column.

4. Fan Art Friday Blogger.  This person will be responsible for a short monthly column that will have such content as fan art, analysis of fan art, and occasional interviews with artists.  Please look here for past examples of this column.

Job Duties for Both Front Page Blogger Positions:

1. Bloggers are expected to produce content in their respective areas for the front page once per month. They must be able to meet deadlines in a timely manner.

2. Bloggers occasionally will be called upon to assist the Front Page Admin with brainstorming new ideas for features.

3. Bloggers are expected to dedicate time each week to the Front Page Bloggers Staff Board and the DM Staff Board. As members of DM Staff, they act as representatives of the members of DM and their input is vital in the decision making process. Bloggers should be actively engaged in discussions on staff boards.

4. Bloggers must be able to give at least a 6 month commitment of approximately 5 hours per week. LOAs will come up, of course.

Anyone who thinks they can fulfill the requirements may apply. Strong candidates are people who possess the following qualities: efficiency, writing ability, organizational skills, creativity, maturity, and the ability to work well with others.

The Application Process:

If you are interested, please send an email to frontpage@dragonmount.com.

In each application, please include:

* Your DM Handle.

* Some details about who you are in real life, including anything you think will have prepared you for leadership (including past online leadership experience).

* A sample of your writing consisting of at least three short paragraphs. This can be in the form of a brief essay, a blog, a school paper, a newspaper article, a forum post, a short story, or a role play. You do not have to write something new for this application; in fact, many of you already have forum posts that are long enough to count. I mainly want to get an idea of your writing style.

* Anything else that you think would set you apart from other applicants.  Why are you the best candidate?

Note: Please specify the position for which you are applying (Weekly Roundup Blogger, Rotating Feature Blogger, etc.) in your application.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them.

~Mashiara

I was very excited to get an opportunity to have an interview with artist Paul Bielaczyc.  Paul is well-known within the fandom for his Rand al'Thor cosplay, and as the co-directors of the JordanCon Art Show.  He's an amazingly talented artist, in many mediums, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of his Wheel of Time artwork at JordanCon next year!

Q: Let's start with your artwork in general.  How long have you considered yourself an artist?

A: I have been drawing and sketching for as long as I can remember, probably before I even started kindergarten. My mom used to enter us in all the coloring contests at local restaurants and stores. I still remember winning a gift certificate from Wal-Mart when I was 5 or so, which I used it to get a Stomper truck. I took quite a few art classes in high school, but never focused on it, as I was preoccupied with AP classes that would lead to scholarships for college. I even applied to the TN Governor's School for the Arts one summer and didn't get accepted, so I just didn't feel like I was an artist.

The first moment that I think it sunk in that I was an artist was the summer after high school. I was on summer vacation with my family, and my brother, Michael, whom I co-own Aradani Studios with, was showing his portfolio to my uncles. I remember thinking that I wish I could draw like he could. I pulled out a sketch book and played around with a charcoal pencil, trying to draw characters from a fantasy book I was reading. It looked awful. Charcoal is a very soft medium, so the tip of the pencil gets dull very, very fast. So the lines were very thick, and when you are trying to draw a figure that is maybe 6 inches tall, it just didn't work.

I pulled out my .5mm mechincal pencil, and started again. I was drawing a scene from The Scions of Shannara by Terry Brooks. It was the first time I had read such an expansive series, I think there was 9 books out at the time I was working on it. Well during the course of a week on vacation, I spent about 24 hours total, working on a single piece of art. I was drawing at night, next to the pool at a friend's house, pretty much all the time. I had never done that before. And when I finished, I finally felt, I am good at this. It was then that I realized that, for me, to truly make a memorable piece of art, it just took time. 

Q: Your style tends to look amazing in black and white.  Are you drawn more to that than color?

A: It isn't that I am necessarily drawn to black and white, it just sorta happened. In college I took a few drawing classes, and a few of the assignments were in charcoal (back to charcoal!). As I completed these assignments, I learned some techniques that solved some of the problems I had mentioned previously.

When I graduated college, I figured that I had to learn how to oil paint, since most fantasy artists paint in oils. However, the first piece that I worked on was Nightmare. Again, it was one of those times where I truly sat down and dedicated time to a piece. I have no idea how much time I spent on planning and taking photo references, but I know that the actual time spent drawing the finished piece was between 60 and 80 hours. When my brother came to my house when I was about 80% complete, I remember him just blinking, and saying, wow. He was utterly impressed with something I had made, and it made me think of the summer when I have been thinking the same thing about his art.

The first show that we did after I finished Nightmare was Chattacon in 2005. I ended up winning 2 art awards at the Con, and had a list of people that were upset that I hadn't made prints of that piece. And that was the moment when I decided I didn't need to be an oil painter. If I could work in my favorite medium, win awards, and sell prints of my work, then I just wanted to become the best charcoal artist that I could be.

Sometimes I have needed to work in color, and when I do, I use soft pastels. I had an amazing opportunity to apprentice with a master pastel artist in Kirby, Wyoming one summer, and I learned quite a bit in those 10 days while out there. Soft pastels work similar to charcoal so it wasn't a huge learning curve, but I still prefer to use charcoal when I can.

Q: Beside Wheel of Time, what other fandoms are you inspired by?

A: Over the years I have done a variety of costumes, mostly inspired by movies and video games that I really enjoy. The Legend of Zelda is probably one of the biggest influences. It was one of the first video games I ever owned, and I have pretty much owned each entry in the series. I am still purchasing them today in fact. It was my first real cosplay too. I hired a bunch of talented friends to help make it a reality, a seamstress since I can't sew, and an armorer to make my shield out of leather and wood.

Over the years I have also dressed up as the Ice King from Adventure Time, Ash from Army of Darkness, Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth. I have always wanted to make a Fiery costume from Labyrinth, but in order to make that, I would need to learn a lot of different skill sets in costuming that I currently don't have, and that mostly means I would need time, which is the one thing that I can't seem to find right now. 

Q: Your artwork also encompasses cosplay.  How did you get the idea of doing a ta'veren photo shoot, and how do you think it influenced the Wheel of Time fandom? 

A: Years ago when I was finishing up my Master's degree at Vanderbilt, I decided to dress up as Rand al'Thor for Halloween. I think one person knew who I was. I was really into the books at that point, and thought it would be cool to draw the dragon tattoos on my arms.

At the time I didn't know the talented group of people that I do today, so most of the costume was found on eBay, or simple alterations to existing costumes and clothes that I found. But I finally got to use my Heron Mark blade for something other than hanging it on a wall. 

Years later while selling my art at Dragon*Con, a man walked by the table dressed as an Aiel. When I complimented his cosplay, he bowed deeply, "Thank you, Car'a'carn." I looked at him confused. He then told me how he found my cosplay photos online, and that him and his friends all thought I was the perfect Rand, and said that they pictured me as they read the books. I was humbled. It was so cool to think that other people not only had seen my cosplay, but were that big of fans of such a simple costume. And I decided that was that, I should always dress as Rand al'Thor.

A few years later when Cliff Tunnell decided to do a photoshoot of his Matrim costume, he invited me down to Atlanta to be a part of it, along with John Strangeway as Perrin. When I heard that Dim Horizons would be taking the photos, I dropped everything to be a part of it. I had always loved their Bioshock photoshoot at the Atlanta Aquarium, and I wanted to be a part of something that memorable.

Honestly, I don't know how it has influenced the fandom. I know that Dragonmount and Tor put some of the shots up on their sites in the past, and I hope the fans thought we did a good job representing the characters. I was very excited when Brandon Sanderson signed my copy of A Memory of Light a few years back at JordanCon, he actually asked me, "Do I make this out to Paul, or to Rand?"

Q: In the past, your artwork has been featured on shirts from Ta'veren Tees.  Are there plans to do more in the future?

A: I do have a few ideas in the works, both for new Ta'veren Tees designs as well as some personal pieces that are in a similar vein to "Padan Fain" and "The Last Battle." It is very difficult to put a fully rendered image on a shirt (and quite pricey), which is why my first few designs were all white silhouette imagery. I was trying to balance catching the iconic characters, but in a manner that was easier to reproduce on a shirt. I am not sure if I can discuss the future shirt designs, I am not sure if Ta'veren prefers them to be a surprise announcement, and there is the sadness to fans when you come up with a design that just doesn't get approved or end up working out.

Q: Your piece "The Creature That Had Once Been Padan Fain" will be in the Wheel of Time Companion.  Since the image has already been shared with fans, can you tell us about it, how you captured one of the most evil villains in the series?

A: One of the first things that I do when I start on a new piece of art is go online. I find references for poses, faces, landscapes, clothing. And I use those as a jumping off point. It is hard to find the exact shot for figures, so I usually find something close to what I need, and then take photos myself for figures. But for backgrounds, it is helpful to be able to so easily find pictures of rivers, mountains, jungles, since most of those things don't exist in Nashville, Tennessee. Or at least don't exist like I want them to.

So the first thing that I did was to look at every single depiction of Padan Fain that had been done over the years. There were 3 that really jumped out at me. I was drawn to Seamus Gallagher's and Jeremy Saliba's renditions of his face and hair. I thought about what worked, and more importantly, what spoke to me, and included those aspects into my sketches. 

I also was a big fan of the depiction of Fain in The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game book. I liked the idea that he was wearing this fancy, lacy nobleman's coat, thinking of himself as more important than he really is. And I liked the idea of him not realizing that as he traveled all over the world, chasing after Rand and company, murdering Trollocs and Myrddraal, that his fine clothing would become more ragged and tattered, but he would still feel the same pretentiousness and arrogance, which in the end, lead to his demise... oops, spoilers.

From there it was all about taking good photo references. I posed for the picture myself, wearing my Asha'man style coat that I wore at my first JordanCon. I set a lamp on the floor underneath me to create some good under lighting, which usually makes anything look a little more off than it should otherwise. And then I had a friend take probably 100+ photos of me, subtly changing my pose for each shot. Once I have the photos that I need, I use a projector to transfer a simple line drawing to my canvas, and then begins the long process of working in charcoal and chalk to make the finished piece. So while a computer is involved for some of the early planning, my artwork is done traditionally, resulting in a single, unique one of a kind original at the end of the process. While I do wish sometimes that life had an undo button, or that I could work in layers, having that one of a kind at the end is well worth not having that undo button.

Q: Though you can't tell us specifics, can you hint about what other artwork you'll have in the Companion?

A: One of my other pieces in the Companion is The Last Battle, which was seen in an earlier, cropped version in the calendar for 2015. After the calendar was completed, Team Jordan approached me about including both pieces from the calendar into the Companion. In fact, I think Alan Romanczuk actually said, "Would you mind if we used these in the Companion?" Would I mind... it just made me laugh that he was asking permission. It is one of the reasons that I love working for Team Jordan. The freedom that I am granted to work within their universe is the opposite of most of my experiences working on illustration jobs. For most of my jobs, there are deadlines, forced changes, illustrating scenes that don't speak to you. But when working on The Wheel of Time art, I send an idea and a few sketches to Team Jordan, and they either say yes or no. So in the end, I choose what scenes to depict, and I feel that when an artist is granted that freedom, their heart can truly be felt in the finished product. At least for me it is.

Q: How long have you been reading The Wheel of Time Series?

A: I tried reading The Eye of the World in high school, and I got to what I call "the hump" and put it down. I feel that most people that start a new book series will read a few chapters to determine if it is worth the time investment to pick up such a monumental series of books. For me, that was the end of chapter 4. I got to the end of chapter 4, and just didn't feel that the book had spoken to me. A little while later during my freshman year of college, I saw the display at the school bookstore for The Path of Daggers which had just been released. A friend of mine said that he really loved the series, so I decided to pick it back up. 

How was I to know that chapter 5 was the moment, the hook needed to catch me and never let go. So my journey with The Wheel of Time started in 1998, and I was with it for 15 years, waiting for each new book to be released, hoping that the character arcs that had me enthralled would come to a conclusion. I can't remember how many years I waited for Egwene to break free of her captivity, but when it finally happened in The Gathering Storm, I remember the chills, the goosebumps, and the tears in my eyes. It was a moment of frustration and joy. Frustration that it took so many years and so many books to happen, but joy that can't be felt when binge reading a series. If I hadn't had to wait so long, the emotional release would not have been as powerful.

Q: Who is your favorite character?

A: I always was a big fan of Rand, partly because I could cosplay as him. I remember as he started falling into darkness that I was a little sad because I was starting to not like him as a person. I didn't feel like I wanted to cosplay someone that I didn't respect or like. But then a few books later that was resolved and it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders.

Q: Which character do you relate the most to?

A: I guess I would say Rand again, but I would like to stress that I don't talk to a voice in my head, or have a horrible, festering wound in my side, or three wives... I guess it is mostly because I have dressed as him for so long, that it really created a bond between what happened to him as I read the series.

I'd like to thank Paul for his time!  To see more of Paul's artwork, you can check out his website!

Most of the loyal Wheel of Time fans know Joe O'Hara as one of the podcasters from tWoTCast.  But, he's also very involved in other aspects of the fandom, namely art.  Joe has had Wheel of Time artwork in the past four JordanCon Art Shows, his art has been featured in Ta'veren Tee's yearly calendars, as well as in The Wheel of Time Companion due out November 3rd, 2015.  I had a chance to ask Joe a bit more about his love for Wheel of Time art, and the inspiration behind some of his projects.

Q: Since you have a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts, do you think studying art from an academic standpoint helps you achieve your creative goals?

A: Of course raw talent is essential but studying and refining that talent is definitely important but your environment plays a larger role than most people realize. Being around other artists is kind of like immersing yourself into another language by visiting the country, gaining new perspectives opens up your creativity.

Q: Your "Life In Comics" series looks fascinating.  Have you considered adding yourself into your Wheel of Time art?  Maybe playing dice with Mat?

A: I’ve never actually considered putting myself into my Wheel of Time art, no. I guess because it’s usually a little more serious and less tongue and cheek but I do pose myself as a model for Mat most of the time. Some more obviously than others.

Q: Your artwork features a lot of bold colors.  Does this derive from your passion for comic style?

A: Not intentionally but comics has had an immense influence on my art so it probably bled in there from somewhere.

Q: You've entered artwork at the JordanCon Art Show for the past several years.  At JordanCon 5, your entry, "The Last Battle," was so impressive. How difficult was the project, using only shades of red and black?

A: Thank you. The project was difficult but not because of the shades of red and black, that was actually easier than adding full color. Comics teach your brain to think in black and white. Usually someone draws with pencil and then an inker comes in and adds true blacks, color is the last step. It was sort of like leaving off that last step. Mainly the found object material I used as a surface to paint on was being a real “b” word and not accepting the paint. Took a lot of coats. Also getting that much detail into such a large piece is simply time consuming.

Q: Since it's been released that your piece "For Owyn" will be in The Wheel of Time Companion, can you tell us your thoughts on that particular artwork?

A: Well, I knew I wanted an old west feel. The showdown between Thom and the Myrdraal. That camera angle that takes you between someone's fingers and a pistol. Since Thom was the focus, the Myrdraal took front stage with his sword being drawn. Thom took a few revisions involving the placement of his knives from Team Jordan but the one that crushed me was them telling me he wasn’t wearing his trademark cloak in that scene. He had just given it to Rand so I was told to change it to a normal brown cloak. I knew he wasn’t wearing it, but I was just hoping they didn’t notice so I could draw all those patches.

Q: Does being a member of tWoTCast bring you closer to The Wheel of Time fandom?

A: Short answer, yes, absolutely. I talk to fans all over the world via twitter all because they listen to the show. I try not to shove my art down people’s throats though so I’m not sure how many listeners know I’m a Wheel of Time artist as well. On a local level we do our LIVE shows at JordanCon and that has definitely (a?)effected how close I am with other fans of the series.

Q: Who is your favorite Wheel of Time character?

A: My all time favorite has to be Nyneave and I’m sure a lot of people that know me are calling me crazy right now. She’s a strong, stubborn as hell, badass and I have a real appreciation for her especially in the later books.

Q: Which character do you identify with the most?

A: Matrim Bloody Cauthon. 

I'd like to thank Joe for sharing with us!  I can't wait to see what works of art he'll have for JordanCon next year!  For more information, you can visit Joe's website!

Today, Dragonmount turns seventeen!  The site has evolved a lot over the years--as webmaster Jason Denzel is quick to talk about his cease and desist letter from Robert Jordan, on account of a fan-made animated video which helped launch the website.  What started off as a small project eventually grew into the website we know and love today.  

With so many people coming and going over the years, we have a lot of memories about different aspects of the site.  I asked some of our staff members to share their favorite Dragonmount memories.

Mashiara Sedai

My Wheel of Time journey has a strange start.  My younger sister was going through a "dragon phase," and snatching up any book at the library that had a dragon on the cover or in the title.  She happened to stumble across The Dragon Reborn.  Upon realizing it was the third book, she got the first and started the series.  She finished up to Path of Daggers (the latest book released at the time).  She talked about the series all the time to me, and it sounded interesting, but I wasn't a fan of reading and I didn't want to invest so much time.  She told me that I should read just one page a day.  So, I started The Eye of the World.  And of course, by the third day, I was reading more than just one page.  I blew through the book.  And got the second.  Then the third.  It didn't take me more than a few months to get to Path of Daggers.  I was hooked for life.

 

I became a member of Dragonmount in 1999, right around the time we were celebrating our first birthday.  I joined the White Tower Org (as it was called then) and participated in a lot of role playing.  But it wasn't until recently that I really got involved.  In 2012, I became the Theory Blogger for Dragonmount's Front Page.  It really opened a new door for me.  From there, I began to take a very active role in The Wheel of Time community.  I've gone to the past three JordanCons, I've seen Brandon Sanderson at six book signings (even being on a panel with him at the Phoenix Comicon), I've gotten to speak with Maria Simon, Alan Romanczuk, and Harriet McDougal multiple times.  And I'm also a Dragonmount Administrator, working behind the scenes to give back to a website that I've loved for the past sixteen years.

 

My favorite Dragonmount memory is probably when I was chosen to be a Storm Leader for the Scottsdale, Arizona signing of The Gathering Storm.  I, of course, turned in my application with bated breath, hoping I'd be selected out of hundreds and hundreds of people.  When I got the confirmation email saying I was chosen, I was ecstatic!  It may have been one of the happiest moments in my life.  And the actual event was phenomenal!  I got to eat a meal with Brandon Sanderson, and other Wheel of Time fans.  It was an amazing experience, and I owe it all to Dragonmount.  This website strives so hard to give back to the community, to impact fans, and to make lasting memories.  I'm so glad I'm able to be a part of it.

Aiel Heart

There are three primary reasons I love The Wheel of Time:
 

1) it's just an awesome book series which explores a full and captivating world.
2) that captivating world and its facets helped me through my dark days
3) It lead me to Dragonmount.

I joined Dragonmount on July 6, 2011. Picking a favorite memory out of the time that has passed since has been difficult. I think it's because life isn't always made up of these huge defining moments, but rather it's a series of small moments that create something big. For my first year here, I spent most of my free time on the site, getting involved in various activities and enjoying the world of freedom I'd found there. During those first few months on Dragonmount, there were many strong little moments. I fell in love with the shenanigans of the Wolfkin. The boys in the Warders Guild made me laugh and frustrated me and somehow made their way to my heart. I spent hours spamming in the Black Tower. I became a staff member of the Aiel almost instantly. I started talking to people from all over the world, and was surprised by how quickly ties to them were formed. In the midst of all of this laughter and light, I found myself starting to heal from the difficult year I had just experienced, and found myself trusting these friends I was spending time with online. If I had to choose a favorite moment, it's one that encompassed all of that.

One night, as I sat in the darkness staring at my computer screen, I felt the need to share my "sad little story" on Dragonmount. The only other person I'd told the story to up until that point was my priest. I didn't trust people back then; didn't trust them to care about me and certainly didn't want to show them any of my weaknesses. But... somehow, I felt safe here. So I shared it. That moment, the way I felt then, would be my favorite memory. At last, I'd found someplace safe, and it was here. A lot of my growth since that moment has been witnessed by Dragonmount.

For me, Dragonmount has been more than a fan site with fluctuating activity levels. It's a place where bonds have been struck, and good memories are held. Even though there are some whom are no longer around, I can remember them fondly, smile as I look back on the conversations we had, and wish them well now in whatever life has brought them. I can look back on who I once was, the trials I went through both off site and on, and see just how far I've come. Dragonmount helps me remember, helps me smile, and it continues to help me grow.

Happy birthday, Dragonmount!

Graendal's favourite

I got up with The Wheel of Time community, before I had access to Helsinki University of Technology. It is nowaday know as Aalto University, however I'd read the books, no mean feat despite being top A in English, it might have been more complicated than that.  I think I was stubborn in my beliefs, but I got Lord of Chaos and started from the beginning, I didn't understand who this Egwene was. I read loads of other books too, The Recluce Saga, and reading C. I. Cherryth's saga, I started to wonder about the magic. I must admit I have not read much high literature since--deferring that to the Browns--I became intrigued by the social forum side of Dragonmount. This is of course only half the truth, as I now, a full fledged White will attest to, I became involved because the ongoing Asmodean debate. You might not know, but I was the one who presented the solution online. I dare you, ask a minutiae about The Wheel of Time and I will know the answer. But I must let others discuss things, learn it anew, certainly without an overbearing presence. I will still match them one on one, I think.

 

My best moments at Dragonmount must have been learning I got it right about Asmodean, and defending the situation. Never was it more intense, certainly. Later I've moved to the Debates and Discussions Forum; let others discuss The Wheel of Time who are fresher to it.

Red2111

Most of my favorite memories off of Dragonmount center around Mafia.  I think my favorite game has to be Ray's Caesar game that was ran in the Black Tower on DM 7.0.  It was back when Mafia was still fun, everyone had thick skins, and many of my favorite oldies still played (Lily, Tayla, Kiv, Pete, Mynd, Ed, Womby, ect).  It was also my first time being scum, and I had a blast.  We had a Lie Detector (played by Pete) and they used the role to entrap the majority of the scum team with a certain phrasing combined with peer pressure on anyone who refused to say the sentence.  At first my team was in a tizzy over it, but it ended up that my teammates were able to maneuver the loss of Lily by taking out both the Lie Detector and the Cop.   Another of my favorite Mafia memories was Kivam's Police Academy game ...  where everyone one was a cop.  Just the sheer insanity that ensued with the claims and counterclaims and how it made you approach the game was differently worth it.  Then of course there was Krak's Monty Python game where I was branded vanilla and decided to have fun by trolling the entire game by acting out different characters from the movie each game phase.  I don’t know how much fun it was for other players in that game, but I had a blast.

Outside of Mafia, my favorite memory pre-DM 8.0 was the Org wide raid that happened, where Mother Ducky (Claire for those who don’t know her) was captured and the Orgs worked together to either rescue her with the White Tower or prevent the White Tower from rescuing her.  Post-DM 8.0 has to be, hands down, the April Fools joke where the "Staff Board" was made public and Verb and Barm "merged" a few Orgs together.

There are so many aspects of the website, from discussions, to Social Groups, to articles and blogs.  Over the last seventeen years, we’ve seen a lot of change.  Some of our old features, like the “Ask the Chosen” column, have gone away, but new things have always popped up to take their place.

What's your favorite Dragonmount memory?  What do you think makes this site worth visiting?

Welcome to another installment of the Forum Roundup.  Here I aim to bring you all of the brightest and best from around the Dragonmount forums, and all of the big news from The Wheel of Time world.

I will begin with something dark; almost as dark as the souls of the members of the Shayol Ghul Social Group. They have continued their thread entitled "Which Wheel of Time character would you kill off?"  They really should seek some kind of help.  I have featured this post before but it seems to be rather popular and keeps popping up on my radar.  Faile seems to be a popular one, although I can't imagine why!  The last time I mentioned this thread I decided that Galad would be my victim of choice and I'm sticking with that.  

On a lighter note, member Elgee has started a thread on the Tuath'an Social Group entitled "I color you Tinker."  She has posted some lovely and colorful pictures of possible Tinker garb.  Click the link above to see some fashions that would make a Tinker blush.

The Ogier are feeling a tad mischievous lately.  They have a thread that is sure to ruffle some feathers: "Which Wheel of Time is honestly the best?"  If there was ever a question to cause some heated debate then this would be it!  I personally am a sucker for a prequel, so New Spring is my favorite.  The dynamic between Lan and Moraine is superb! 

To finish up, I want to confess something really weird.  Or at least share some of the weird confessions coming from the Wolfkin Forum.  This post confirms something that I have feared for quite some time now--that the Wolfkin bunch are all a bit strange.

Some of the highlights of this "Weird Confessions" thread include:

Hiding snacks from there own off spring so they don't need to share.

Hating the Goonies (What? Why?)

And Smeagol being someones hero!

And lastly, Tor.com is releasing previews of The Wheel of Time Companion, due out November 3rd, 2015.  The first preview has been posted on Tor's website, and we have a thread dedicated to discussing it.  This post covered strength of men and women in the One Power.  Join in the conversation!

Remember to keep checking Dragonmount's Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest news.  Thanks for reading.

Welcome to the latest installment of the Forum Roundup.  Here I aim to bring you the brightest and best from around the Dragonmount forums.

I will begin with a post from the Aiel Social Group entitled "Naming kids after Wheel of Time characters." A son named Rand, a daughter named Aviendah? Where do you stand on this?  To dig a little deeper into the subject, what is in a name?  Could you trust a man named Mazrim? Would you leave your husband alone with a woman named Berelain? Is this maybe a little too far to go as a fan?  Have your say on the Aiel's forum.

If you are familiar with the Forum Roundup, you may have noticed that I am a poetry enthusiast.  So any poetry posted is sure to find its way on to my posts.  This offering was posted by Shadar Alantin during a night of insomnia. The darkest verse, and therefore the best in my opinion, reads:

Mistakes have been made, my soul has been lost,

If I ever find my way can I pay the cost?

If this has piqued your interest, find the rest on the Wolfkin Social Group.

Again from the Wolfkin's forum, who are feeling especially inquisitive at the minute: "Where do you read?"  This should be a topic close to all of our hearts.  Definitely mine.  I love to read in bed or in front of a roaring fire--if I can find one.  Other offerings are at a desk, on a couch, and on a train, in Spain, in the rain. If you have anything else to add, visit the Wolfkin and join the discussion.

The latest "Fantasy Review" is of Peter Ourillion's Trial of Intention, due out May 26th.  It can be preordered from Dragonmount's eBook store here!

Remember to keep checking Dragonmount's Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up to date with everything Wheel of Time.

Welcome to the latest installment of the Forum Roundup.  Here I aim to bring you the most interesting and noteworthy things to be found in the Dragonmount forums. 

I've chosen to begin this week with a post from the Shayol Ghul Social Group, a question: who is your favorite villain of all time? Loki, Voldemort, Kanye West?  There is a huge list to choose from, each more dastardly than the last.  Give your opinion in the Shayol Ghul Social Group and see who is voted the winner.

Secondly is another probing question from the White Tower, this time asking for the reason that you joined Dragonmount or the White Tower Social Group. 

Some answers are quite revealing and even surprising with some members having not even read The Wheel of Time series, some being part of the way through, and one member sighting the reason of "being bored." (Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.) You know who you are! 

The White Tower and Warder Social Group are having a Reunion for anyone who is was, or is contemplating, being a member of their forum.  There are links to activities to draw your attention, including a Wheel of Time Guess Who game and a Scavenger Hunt.

We can mark the end of another successful JordanCon this week.  Dragonmount's Facebook and Twitter pages are the best places to see what has been happening, including the winners of the costume contest.  It looks to have been a superb event with fun had by all.  You can look at Mashiara Sedai's photo gallery of the event, here.

The White Tower and Warders Social Group is kicking of it's first ever Reunion. We'd like to invite all members--new and old--as well as anyone interesting in the Social Group in anyway. Everyone is welcome to join in the games and discussions. Our Keeper of the Chronicles, Daruya, has this to say:

Come one, come all! If you are or ever were a member of the WT/W social group, or if you are thinking of becoming a member of the WT/W social group, you are invited to participate in our Reunion event being held on the http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/381-tar-valon/">Tar'>http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/381-tar-valon/">Tar Valon board this week (April 19 - 25)! If you know someone that used to be a member of the WT/W group, encourage them to return for the Reunion!I'll be posting links to the events later on today; in the meantime, head on over to the Tar Valon board and dive in!

Welcome to another edition of the Forum Roundup, where I aim to bring you the brightest and most interesting items from the Dragonmount forums. 

I must first apologize for my absence these last two weeks.  The first week was due to my 30th Birthday celebrations dragging me away from the computer; the second was no real fault of my own, rather a geographical problem.   I was led to believe that you can get a phone signal in the Sahara, but in the Lakes District area of the UK, there is no Wi-Fi, no phone signal, and worst of all no sun--only rain!  So I hope that you except my apologies and continue to enjoy this blog.

I will begin with something completely different and slightly unexpected from the Aiel Social Group: a discussion on the quality of life.  The main questions being asked are: What defines a good quality of life?  Is it health?  Happiness?  The money you make or the things that you achieve?  Answering these philosophical questions could take some soul searching and a great deal of time.  In my modest opinion--money is not a factor.  If you have a good quality of life, that is the thing that makes you happy.  By process of elimination that leaves health and the things that you achieve.  I would like to add in the people we surround ourselves with as another extremely important factor.  I may have just outlined a simple three point plan for the things that I need to change in my own life.  This can only lead to huge amounts of pondering and beard scratching.

"Cleveland Museum of Art - damaged Thinker" by Daderot

The next topic is from the Ogier Social Group, another brain teaser, albeit a bit less serious and potentially life changing.  This is a problem that all of us men have been in at some point: there are three beautiful women in love with you, and you can only chose one--happens to me all of the time!

"Rand's Wives" by Ariel Burgess

It's the three ladies in love with Rand that are the subject of this post and it has seen quite a heated debate over who the victor is: Min, Aviendha or Elayne.  In my opinion, Rand has no chance.  Whomever he chooses, he will not survive a day.  The choice should really between which way he would rather die: Min's daggers,  Aviendha's spear, or Elayne's balefire!

Staying with the Ogier Social Group, exceptional trees are the next topic they choose tackle (keeping within the Ogier theme).  There are some wonderful pictures of peoples favorites. This particular one is mine.

The Angel Oak in Charleston, South Carolina

This is a beautiful tree; it must be hundreds if not thousands of years old!  Take a look at the Ogier forum for some more tree hugging shenanigans.

Things take a dark twist here with the Shayol Ghul Social Group lowering the tone once again with, "Which Wheel of Time character would you kill?"  I think the people over in Shayol Ghul may need to sit down and talk about there feelings with a qualified person.  So who would I kill.... Galad, definitely Galad; he's just so smug and handsome and self righteous.  I would do it in the study, with the revolver... and the candlestick just to make sure.  That was quite therapeutic!

Don't forget to check out Dragonmount's Twitter and Facebook pages to keep up to date with everything Wheel of Time.

Welcome to another edition of the Forum Roundup.  My aim is to bring you the most interesting things that I can find from the Dragonmount forums in easy to find, bite size chunks.

I will begin by sharing a rather fetching photo that I found in the White Tower and Warders Social Group depicting one of the more risque members of the Wheel of Time cast: the unforgettable Berelain.  I'm sure we have all come across a home wrecker or two in our times.  Surely none are quite as brazen as Faile's nemesis.  I agree completely with the White Tower Novice, Aniere; that is definitely the face she would have used on Perrin.  The question remains... how did the man resist?

Next I will share a poem written by one of the members of the Ogier's Social Group.  It is a lovely couple of verses show casing the talent that I believe is hidden within these forums. 

"To See the Nights Sky"

By Shadar Alantin

 

To stare out in wonder at the beauty held within

And hear the peace and quiet reign, and watch the moon pass by.

To know the awe inspiring sight of a single night

How I miss the sight of stars, now missing from my sky.

To have the lights grow dim and die to a lamps protective glow.

The author of this poem wrote it in protest against light pollution.  I believe that the Dragonmount forums are fertile ground for imagination and aspiring writers (myself included), so let's see some more and you could find your creation on the Dragonmount Front Page.

Just to ruin the so far jovial spirit of this post, the General Discussion Board has decided to have a thread named "heart breaking moments in fiction."  So far we have had Harry Potter, The Wheel of Time, and The Amber Spyglass, to name but a few.  If you're having a bad day and feel the need to vent, why not add your own heart break to the list?

The Shayol Ghul Social Group has posted a very fitting "Evil Test."  It let's you know, as a percentage, just how evil you are!  apparently I am 51% good, 49 % evil, which is very disappointing.  It labels me as a neutral force.  Which is a bit like being labelled a waste of time, or a fence sitter.  Brilliant.

From Dragonmount's Twitter: 

Remember to check out Dragonmount's Facebook and Twitter for all the latest Wheel of Time news.

Hello and welcome to another installment of the Forum Roundup.  I aim to bring you the brightest and best from around the Dragonmount forums.

I will begin with saying goodbye to yet another author of some superb fantasy novels; Terry Pratchett, the author of the Discworld series, died at age 66. His books have sold a staggering 85 million worldwide and he was the UK's best selling author of the 1990's.  Sadly Pratchett had been suffering with Alzheimer's disease and died on the 12th of March, 2015. I will join in the petition asking Death to hand him back and I ask you to do the same.  Join the petition here.

The Aiel Social Group has been doing a spot of blind dating, with a twist.  An Aiel twist.  Don't worry boys, it doesn't involve being taught to sing or having to fight any members of her family/society. Only answering some probing questions.  So if you're looking for love and don't mind being probed, head over to the Aiel Social Group.

The BBC has published a list of 100 books that it believes everybody should read; it has been pointed out that this list is largely British based. But the BBC is after all the British Broadcasting Company, so what can you expect?  I've read ten so far, and I'm approximately a third of the way through my life, so using some basic math, I think that I may need to speed up on the reading front.  If I could just stop reading the same fourteen books over and over and over maybe this would be a little easier!!  

The article "How Feminism Hurts Men," featured last week, is still going strong in the White Tower forums, and is causing some good discussion.  And to further Women's History Month,  Dragonmount's Twitter has tweeted a lovely picture of Moraine Damodred, showing Moraine looking every inch the Aes Sedai she is described to be in the books.

And from Dragonmount's Facebook page:

Don't forget to follow Dragonmount on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news.

Welcome to another installment of the Forum Roundup. Here I aim to bring you the most interesting forum posts from Dragonmount in bite size chunks.

Firstly from the Aiel Social Group has a post called ''Music for dancing the spears''  The author of the post, Hiarthbeorn, is looking for music that is, in his own words, ''monolithic yet fractured, familiar yet unknowable.''  I personally think that the Aiel people may be partial to a bit of Drowning Pool's ''Let the Bodies Hit the Floor'' whilst dancing the spears. 

Second up comes the ''Who said this game'' on the Shayol Ghul Social Group, where the members have to use their encyclopaedic knowledge of Wheel of Time dialogue to guess which character spoke the completely random seeming sentence.  We know that you love to test your knowledge, so click on the link above to see if you can compete.

The Shayol Ghul forum has been busy lately.  They have posted a thread very close to their hearts: favorite villains of all time.  It is a perfect discussion for the place famed for spawning Myrdraal and Trollocs.

The White Tower Social Group has posted a very apt piece named, "How feminism hurts men."  Although very obviously tongue in cheek, it carries a very poignant message and is well worth a read. The comments below also have some very well written points of view.

And from Dragonmount's Twitter feed:

And remember to keep checking Facebook and Twitter to keep up to speed with Dragonmount and other Wheel of Time news.

Welcome to another installment of the Forum Roundup, where I bring you the brightest and best from around the Dragonmount community.

I'll begin this week with an interesting philosophical discussion taking place in the General Discussion Forum on the Dark One's reluctance to kill Rand al'Thor.  Was he reluctant or simply incapable?  Add your thoughts to the subject.

Do you like playing internet "Mafia?"  If so, the Black Tower Social Group has recently started their own, with a very interesting and slightly dark sounding beginning.  Find it here to follow along. 

On the TV Show & Sports Discussion Forum, everyone is talking about Gotham, the Batman prequel television series on Fox.  If you like it, or don't, go join in the discussion. 

And finally, in the White Tower Social Group, the Red Ajah is currently hosting International Women's Week.  It's on the Tar Valon board, so all Dragonmount members are free to participate; you don't need to belong to the White Tower.  And, the Blue Ajah's BlueCon--a celebration of all things geeky--is winding down, but the threads are still active.  There's plenty to check out!

Remember to keep up to date with Dragonmount by following our Twitter and Facebook pages.

Welcome to another installment of the Forum Roundup where I bring you the brightest and best from around the Dragonmount community.

I have to apologies for beginning with yet another contentious topic: the abridgement of the Wheel of Time series.  Some readers claim that the middle section of books could be considered as "slow."  Whether you agree or not, the Dragonmount community could never be accused of sitting on the fence, and here is yet another chance to have your say.

The Shadow Rising

Chapter 25, "The Road to the Spear"

 

"The stone that never falls will fall to announce his coming.  Of the blood, but not raised by the blood. He will come from Rhuidean at dawn and tie you together with bonds that you cannot break.  He will take you back and he will destroy you."

It's only when reading quotes like this that you appreciate how much of a literary talent we have had the pleasure of reading in Robert Jordan. The Wheel of Time is full of these stirring and romantic paragraphs.  To read more, and add your own favorites, visit the General Wheel of Time Discussion Board.

I will leave you with this ode to Dragonmount's own Wheel of Time Cage Match: Mat versus Galad; a pairing that hasn't happened within the Cage Match yet.

It's a lovely piece of writing that sees Galad and Mat duel.  It's a detailed, blow by blow account which is well worth a read.

And always remember to keep checking the Dragonmount Twitter and Facebook page for the latest news and information.

Welcome to another installment of the Forum Roundup, where I scour the internet and the Dragonmount forums to bring you the most interesting pieces from around the Wheel of Time world. 

This week there has been one piece of news that has sent tongues wagging like no other: the ''Winter Dragon'' pilot.  This thirty minute piece of film has been truly divisive.  Some fans seem happy that the Wheel of Time has been receiving some air time, and others incandescent with rage over the smallest details -- Ilyena Sunhair being a brunette one of many bug bears.     

There has been discussion at length about this subjects, pros and cons, all of which can be found in the Wheel of Time in Other Media forum.  Your opinions are appreciated.  This is your opportunity to put your pennies worth into a discussion that obviously means something to you--otherwise why would you be on this website?

What about this fan artwork?

Is this slightly darker picture from DeviantArt user Manweri truer to the books?  And what do you think about Billy Zane's involvement in the pilot?  Did you know that he starred and produced?  No matter what your personal opinion this could signal exciting times ahead for all Wheel of Time fans.  The chance to share Robert Jordan's masterpiece with a larger audience is always to be encouraged, is it not?

Remember to look at Dragonmount's Twitter and Facebook pages to keep up to date with the latest of what is a very exciting time to be involved with The Wheel of Time.