We got very little in the way of hints about Nakomi in AMoL, but their location make this thread full-spoilers by necessity.

 

So, let's have it. Did anyone glean anything about Nakomi that we didn't know before AMoL?

 

PS

If you want another poll-option, let me know.

Waldo, it's generally customary to make a list of your questions, and put them all into one post, instead of posting multiples.

Yes, but unlike stedding, we don't know that there aren't any others.

There aren't any Waygates in the Waste. No, it's more likely they really did use Portal Stones, at least to cover some of the distance and get them past most of the Aiel. In Tear, I think some arrived by boat, and they could've gone onto it in the Borderlands for all we know.

Good catch.

In a way, that anybody could still hear from any of their eyes-and-ears at all was one of Moghedien's "gifts." The sisters with the strength to make gateways had all been in Salidar long enough to know it well. Those who could weave a gateway of useful size were able to Travel almost anywhere from there, and land right on the spot. Trying to Travel to Salidar, however, would have meant spending half of each night learning the new roped-off patch of ground, more for some, every time they made camp. What Egwene had pried from Moghedien was a way to journey from a place you did not know well to one you did. Slower than Traveling, Skimming was not one of the lost Talents—no one had ever heard of it—so even the name was credited to Egwene. Anyone who could Travel could Skim, so every night sisters Skimmed to Salidar, checking the dovecotes for birds that had returned to where they had been hatched, then Traveled back.

More likely than not, only whispers of the ability to go wherever you please in the world in just a few moments was all that's left of both abilities. If Moiraine would've seen his bedroom through the Gateway, she might've put one and one together (I wouldn't blame her if she were still shocked to actually see it, though). Since what Rand gave her was Skimming, how was she to connect it to the legends of Travelling?

 

(Unless, of course, she grilled someone about what Rand did at Alcair Dal--which is soo out of character for her)

 

Hey there. Welcome. They were inexperienced. Nynaeve is probably the biggest problem here, because she had reason enough to be mad, and Amico shouldn't be able to hold her on her own. Perhaps fear got the better of her, I can't recall. Egwene's and Elayne's abilities were undeveloped, so they're less of an issue (their potentials notwithstanding).

You don't feel like you might be reachin' just a wee bit there, my man??  ;-)

Not particularly, because I didn't overextend myself. I stated, clearly, that with Nynaeve Timboy had a real concern. Less so with Egwene and Elayne, even if Egwene was able to Shield an already-channeling Joiya (Amico might've been a different deal). Still, I can think of no other reason, save Nynaeve's block (although Nynaeve "tried and tired and tired", so that doesn't sound right).

Hey there. Welcome.

 

They were inexperienced. Nynaeve is probably the biggest problem here, because she had reason enough to be mad, and Amico shouldn't be able to hold her on her own. Perhaps fear got the better of her, I can't recall. Egwene's and Elayne's abilities were undeveloped, so they're less of an issue (their potentials notwithstanding).

Being a Warder does give one better instincts and endurance. I believe Bryne, for one, was only referred to as graceful after Siuan bonded him.

Pretty cut and dried, old mate, wouldn't you say?

Ye of little faith. Have I ever steered you wrong?

“I did nothing except survive,” he said in a dry voice. She opened her mouth, but he went on. “Do you think I could channel and not know it? I didn’t do it in my sleep. This happened awake.” He wavered, and caught himself on the sword.

“Even you could not channel anything but Spirit asleep,” Moiraine said coolly, “and this was never done with Spirit. I was about to ask what did happen.”

Perrin felt his hackles rising as Rand told his story. The axe had been bad enough, but at least the axe was something solid, something real. To have your own reflection jump out of mirrors at you... Unconsciously he shifted his feet, trying not to stand on any fragments of glass.

Soon after he began speaking, Rand glanced behind him at the chest, a quick look, as if he did not want it observed. After a moment the slivers of silvered glass that were scattered across the lid of the chest stirred and slid off onto the carpet as though pushed by an unseen broom. Rand exchanged looks with Moiraine, then sat down slowly and went on. Perrin was not sure which of them had cleared the chest top. There was no mention of Berelain in the tale.

“It must have been one of the Forsaken,” Rand finished at last. “Maybe Sammael. You said he’s in Illian. Unless one of them is here in Tear. Could Sammael reach the Stone from Illian?”

“Not even if he held Callandor,” Moiraine told him. “There are limits. Sammael is only a man, not the Dark One.”

This is definitely about the possibility of Sammael creating the 'bubble' from Illian, not about his Traveling to Tear. They do say 'reach', but not as in 'could he come here and do this', because it's clearly contrasted with the possibility that one of them is in Tear.

Everybody always loves to point out all the things the AUTHORS are ''wrong'' about...a fun thread would be pointing out all the CHARACTER'S errors.

Fish, Moiraine knew about Traveling as well. She initially suspected Rand might've done so when he disappeared in TDR.

I don't have my book with me, but I suspect your representation of what Moiraine said isn't accurate. This is when she tells Rand about Bubbles of Evil, right? What exactly did she say?

I agree with the first part of your summery. As for the second, it stands to reason that the Sharans have port cities in the far east serving Seanchan ships. The sea dividing them is, after all, much narrower than the Aryth Ocean. As for Seanchan spies, since they were based from Tremalking, it's not at all dubious that they were able to send them (and that only if they, indeed, did not plan ahead when they held Falme).

Did the Sea Folk have any contact with Seachan before the Empire decided to up and invade the West? They they cross the ocean to trade with them and if so how did they prevent their Windfinders from being taken as damane?

I think they never used to:

"You require much," Harine muttered bitterly. "We know of these Seanchan, who come from the Islands of the Dead, it seems, from which no ship returns. Some of our ships have encountered theirs; they use the One Power as a weapon. You require more than you know, Coramoor." For once, she did not pause at the title. "Some dark evil has descended upon the Aryth Ocean. No ship of ours has come from there in many months. Ships that sail west, vanish."

Is it mentioned anywhere if the Ogier are vegetarian? I can't find any references to what they eat.

 

I was thinking about whether or not being a vegetarian is a part of the Way of the Leaf. I do know that Tinkers are vegetarian and I thought the Ogier might be too.

Nope.

At first, Rand stared at his food doubtfully. The pork was cut in small bits, mixed with long strips of yellow peppers, and peas, and a number of vegetables and things he did not recognize, all in some sort of clear, thick sauce. It smelled sweet and sharp, both at the same time. Selene only picked at hers, but Loial was eating with a will.

Yoniyo - RJ himself spoke on it though. Mat has it backwards here. Or Brandon does.

Unlike us, Mat doesn't enjoy the benefit of RJ's quotes; I don't expect his thoughts to reflect RJ's answers. On the other hand, the mere fact that we had to ask RJ implies that Mat isn't crazy in thinking that Rhuidean was when he died and lived again.

 

In short, this is one area where I don't think you can fault Brandon.

So, why is Mat thinking this???

Ahm, because he doesn't remember dying in Caemlyn? If it's ambiguous enough for us to ask RJ about, why shouldn't Mat suspect Rhuidean was the fulfilment of that prophecy?

i don't know where else to put this, so i guess it will have to be here.

 

i always found the UK covers to be much better than the American ones, but i can't seem to find the one for AMOL.

Here you go: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WsqiEufZL._SL500_.jpg

I had some questions on Ajah / AS internal democracy.

Well, yes, the Ajah elects a Head, and her identity is kept secret. I don't imagine it would be quite as difficult to keep secret as you propose, since that Head will inevitably be someone most would have to defer to anyway. For the rest, they're intelligent enough to avoid the pitfalls.

 

However, I don't believe Sitters are appointed by the Ajah Head. At least, we know that Romanda was First Weaver, and yet:

Romanda had thrown her own support behind Dagdara. a far more suitable candidate, not to mention one she thought she could sway without too much difficulty, yet she herself had been trying for a chair while Magla already held one. That carried weight, and no matter that Romanda had previously held a chair longer than anyone in living memory.

Now, it might be that Romanda was only elected Head of her Ajah at the same time, but this also begs the question of why they wouldn't appoint her then let her do as she pleases, on top of why she couldn't later appoint Dagdara in Salita's stead.

 

With regard to the Sitter's autonomy, I believe it's supposed to be full in whatever relates to votes in the Hall. At least, we know that in the Yellow and Red:

In the Red, when the Highest spoke, everyone obeyed, including Sitters. The sole exception, by Ajah law, was voting in the Hall, though some women who held the title had managed to ensure that any vote near to their hearts went as they wished.

As a Sitter, she could have had the space to herself, but she liked being able to keep a close eye on Magla and Salita. Just because they all sat for the Yellow was no reason to trust too far. Magla supposedly was her ally in the Hall yet went her own way much too often, and Salita seldom did anything else.

I'm with BC, out of the many, many instances of men touching saidin, you might find a precious few mentioning the seepage. That the several women who touched it didn't mention it is no proof at all. What Elza does mention--the rotting hip--is quite akin to Rand's descriptions of it.

 

Also, there is no indication that women "don't see much of a difference". Cadsuane suspends belief because she's never felt it herself, but Merise didn't show uncertainty (she didn't show us anything, but this cuts both ways).

 

PS

Regarding Egwene with Vora's sa'angreal, good find. I don't know what to think about this, except that it seems to contradict everything else I know about how these things work. Perhaps I'll remember to ask someone to ask Brandon about it (he's responsible for both this quote and the one I provided about Rand, both from TGS).

I think you've got it backwards, Finnssss.

He could see the flow from him into Nynaeve.

So it's going into her, she isn't controlling what Rand does with it. And that's without active channelling, mind you. I can't imagine it would stop, if she actually did something with it.

 

Even though Merise was controlling the flows, the vileness of saidin turned Elza's stomach. It was a midden heap rotting in a sweltering summer. The other Green was a lovely woman in spite of her sternness, but her mouth thinned as if she, too, were struggling not to vomit.

[...]

She expected to have to plead, but the taller woman hesitated only a moment before nodding and passing control to her. Almost immediately Merise's mouth softened

So saidin is vile to Elza, and by the latter part she isn't speaking of its strangeness to females. The description is clear, it's the Taint she's feeling. Now, this is simply because she's part of the Circle, so she isn't channelling it, but what's important here is the distinction she makes. Merise's control of the flows is significant to the extent to which Elza ought to be affected by the Taint. What's more, Merise calms down a bit after passing on control of the Circle. This strongly implies that the one melding the flows is affected by the Taint.

 

Daigian was leading the circle—because of him, he thought—but she was drawing so lightly that he felt barely a whisper of saidin passing through him. She would not want to face that until she had to.

Suggestive, if not definitive.

 

"She's holding saidin!" he shouted, and threw himself at her as he felt Daigian draw deeply on the Power.

The wording is very peculiar unless Daigian was actively channelling. She drew on it, not 'used more' or 'made him draw deeper'.

 

Damer and Jahar both said the same thing, the taint was gone, but how could they be sure some scrap did not remain? Merise had allowed her to link with the boy, and she could not feel anything like what the other Green had described, yet how could they be certain? Saidin was so alien that anything could be hidden in that mad chaos.

Cadsuane didn't find what she was looking for, but Cadsuane has never felt it herself. Merise, who has, did describe something which was no longer there.

Acquiring the Taint is a matter of channeling Tainted saidin. A woman channeling it would become insane just as a man, which I think is evident by what Moiraine and Liandrin said about channeling in the Ways. However, and this is key, you don't have to channel saidin just because you're linked with a man, nor would you do so by being the passive participant of a link.

 

Also, if I can take us back, I don't believe anything in the books or interviews hints at an ability to Travel to parallel worlds, or mirror worlds. Traveling to a different planet in the same world isn't akin to that at all.

 

PS

I'm encountering problems with Flash and/or my browsers and/or the boards in general, so I apologize in advance for not quoting anyone, and in case my post came out as one long paragraph.

the flows would have to be pretty pervasive throughout that blowing wind, I'd think, and so I just don't know.  Would this gust of wind throw Mat back?

As you say, it depends on how she does it. If the wind requires flows of air to guide it along, then it would dissipate upon reaching him. If the sister simply weaves a giant fan made of air, then no, Mat would have to run into it to make it stop (which could prove difficult, assuming it blows hard enough).

 

What would happen to some one born with the spark that grew up and never left Far Madden. Would it still manifest late in life. Would they still get the sickness early and die from never touching it.

The sickness, no, that's from touching the Source without guidence. My guess is that they'd go through the regular procedure the moment they left Far Madding, though.

Warriors of Final Regret - what the heck could that mean?

Oh, yeah. I'm wondering whether this is actually based in some background information we're not privy to, or simply a phrase meant to sound nice. What about being 'near ancient'? Who are the 'truly' ancient?

that in the BWB?

No, it's ToM54. The part about "the near ancient, the warriors of final regret, the knowers of secrets."

I don't have my books on my but its in the Eye of the World whent he gang reunite in Caemlyn. Nynaeve offers to help Moiraine with Mat, stating that she doesn't catch illnesses. Moiraine says that her immunity would not protect her from the evil of Shadar Logoth. The inference of Nynaeve's offer and Moiraine's understanding is that channelers have a far stronger immunity to normal people, possibly even a perfect one.

Didn't Moiraine say 'protection'? That's a far cry from 'immunity'.