You'd think the Darkfriends would be better at hiding their true personalities.

 

I mean, it's established that anyone can be a darkfriend, yet all the notable ones are absolute jerks even prior to the reveal. The only ones I recall who weren't were the Shienarian one in TGH and Mat's Aiel girlfriend

Jaichim Carridin, Inquisitor of the Hand of Light was a surprise. There were plenty of Whitecloaks who were not DF's but were real jerks (like Asunawa and Eamon Valda) and DF's tended to be those who sought power and were generally evil to begin with.

min saw a vision above melaine, that she would have twins "like mirrors". she accidentally said this out loud, and when melaine, who had just discovered that day she was preggers, asked how she knew, min was forced to explain. then melaine went off telling the other WO's she was carrying twins, and they got all excited, and wanted to know how she knew, so min had to explain, and then she became an honorary wise one.

 

I just assume they practice frequently. Probably in competitions. As a cultural thing.

Yeah, I get that, but they train more than actual archers in armies?  More than the Aiel with their shortbows?  There are no other groups of farmers in the world who have frequent competitions and need to look after their sheep?

 

Farmers in other areas of Randland tend to live near enough to cities that wolves and wild animals would stay away for the most part. Being able to shoot well, with a bow, is a useful tool, but in the 2Rivers, where there are more wild animals and fewer people, it becomes a necessary skill. Add that to the two rivers longbow, which probably requires extraordinary strength to even let it loose at all, and the precision is not markmanship per se, just a developed skill or affinity.

The two rivers is descended from Manetheren stock, which is nothing if not stubborn.

The only thing that makes two rivers archery better than professional archery would be the strength of the bow and the culture surrounding it; a well trained army would be able to destroy the two rivers, but certainly at a cost.

2. RJ was very clear(a number of times) that the Creator takes no part to help mankind.

directly.

Announcing to the world that the last battle has begun and the Light's Champion needs to begin his task is not 'helping' per se, its allowing his Ineffable Plan to take place as designed.

I always saw it as the creator helps those who help themselves; indirectly, through normal mundane means or happenstance, but he's there, albeit passively. 

From a conversation I had with Brandon at JordanCon today:

 

Me (later): Why is the Creator so absent from the series while the Dark One has such a direct presence?

Brandon: Well, we don't think or realize we see him. Robert Jordan was very clear in his notes ... that the Creator wanted to give mankind the tools to help themselves.

i would suggest that the three Ta'veren  - who basically united the civilized world against the forces of Shadow, between them - and some of the special abilities granted to Rand towards the end, as well as the Pattern 'encouraging' things to move in the right direction, are all examples of the creator acting behind the scenes to help mankind. Twice you hear the creators voice - once, in the beginning at the Eye of the World, and second, when Rand enters Shayol Gul. 

Perhaps she is the Caretaker only? If the Light's Champion is always male, then wouldn't it be logical that the Caretaker is always female?

 

Or the vote I made of Nakomi being of the Jenn. It would certainly fit Nakomi being of the Jenn Aiel, since they are pretty much Da 'shain Aiel heirs in the Third Age, or why survive the Breaking to just build Rhuidian and plant the Tree of Life? Always felt there was a bigger purpose to the Jenn than this, even more than the glass columns, important though they are. Nakomi may just be that purpose: to birth a Caretaker.

WTH is a Caretaker?

I believe the Jenn all died out; perhaps there are a handful remaining mixed among the modern aiel, but i think thats a far stretch.

He did say "scene exiting the mountain". And as it is written, the old Aiel woman is not called Nakomi, and can barely be called a character. If he added her to the Aviendha scene, then he's the one who wrote her as a character, gave her a name, and worked in the small clues to who she is, so that her appearance again at the end is not a total surprise.

 

That seems to make sense, to me.

i sorta skimmed through that scene, might need to do a selective re-read (i cant reread the whole book now)

1. We know avihenda was fighting with graendal (who looks like an old ugly woman)

2. Aviehanda accidentally Compelled Granny when she broke her gateway (avi could barely channel a spark, she was so exhausted at that point)

3. Her fight with Granny ended just before Rand exited Shayol Gul.

My conclusion? The old Aiel woman is Granny in disguise (forced by Avi to look like an Aiel using the spy-mask weaves).

(Either that or she's the spirit of Margeret Thatcher   )

I wonder if the Andoran royalty lines keep the woman's name in all marriages, or if they only keep them if they are currently royalty.

@jedman67,

i'm so happy that you called aviendha,min and elayne his wives,

because they are in all but name.

their not girlfriends, theyre not his Aes Sedai, and theyre not his warders...the books don't say they never married him; i would say they are at least common-law partners 

I wasn't surprised at the funeral; the reactions of his wives kinda gave it away for me. Moggy's capture as a damane, that just seemed so disappointing. 

I think I finally understand Thom Merrilin now - he IS Robert Jordan, in a sense. 

"Tia'mi aven Moridin isande vadin" - Chapter 52, The Eye of the World, when they find the Horn of Valere.

 

"The Grave is no bar to my call" or perhaps, "Moridin is no bar to my call".

It just seems to be a little too much of a coincidence. Can this be foreshadowing Moridin's "rebirth"?

 

I guess the adam can control only touch of the 5 senses; maybe also emotion.

As far as I recall, the only terangreal (shown on-screen in the books) that let others control all 5 senses is the one for the Accepted to Aes Sedia test.  Maybe also emotion for this also.

Telaranrhiod seems to allow people to control all 5 senses of others.  And Dreamwalkers I guess can control all 5 senses within ordinary dreams.  I guess also emotion for these 2 also.

Not entirely sure, but Compulsion might be able to control all 5 senses (and emotion).

Sort of changed mind about some things I told there.

 

the adam; the damane might have memories of the other 4 senses if she experienced similar things when not wearing an adam.

 

another terangreal that might let others control all 5 senses::  the Chair of Remorse.

Maybe emotion also.

AFAIK there is no way for one person to control another persons emotions. However, one skilled in manipulating people can 'encourage' an emotional response. I.e for a suldam, she can reward or punish her damane, which would 'encourage' an emotional response of pleasure, affection, fear, hurt or anger. Compulsion can stimulate adoration or affection, as does the Crystal Throne. But those are the exeptions i think (does the crystal throne use compulsion?)

Is there a detailed "map" of the descendants of the Dai'shan Aiel? We know of four groups; the Tu'athan (Tinkers), the Aiel (of course), the Athan Me'ire (Sea Folk) and the Annyar (sp) (Sea Folk "natives").

It's been suggested that Shara may be another, and I think that the Seanchan can be related, based on their odd rules of honor, i see a lot of "almost-but-different" similarities with the Aiel.

Where there any more?

What is the significance of Elayne and Aviendha becoming first-sisters?  I can't recall whether it has any plot related significance or is actually ever mentioned again after the event? (I don't remember Aviendha and Elayne even interacting much after it, but I haven't done a re-read for years and probably have the timing of events all mixed up).

I just finished a re-read and I don't believe that there is much significance, other than Elayne now having an "in" among the Aiel, and Rand being able to marry both Elayne and Avi (do Aiel require that sister wives become first sisters first?)

Perrin can "Smell" the destination when someone wills themselves elsewhere. Hopper says that anyone can do this... as long as they can smell as well as a wolf. So, there is that in the plus column for Perrin over other dreamerwalkers. I think Perrin is getting the much better training out of him and Egwene. The Aiel dreamwalkers are great and have a lot of knowledge, but wolves LIVE in the dream all the time. Though, Egwene and other dreamwalkers seem to be able to go to that place in between that allows them to view/enter dreams of normal people.

 

Re: dreamwalkers vs mundanes with a ter'angreal

I belief the difference in TAR itself is negligible, except perhaps more experience or intuition. The will is all.

I believe that none of the forsaken, except perhaps lanfear, were dreamwalkers; but TAR was likely a basic part of AS training in AoL. I imagine, just as there is a weave that can create a gateway to TAR, there is likely a weave, or 'concentration' that allows one to dream themselves into TAR, much like dreamwalkers do, without needing a terangreal or needing the specific Dreaming Talent. 

Alternatively, the Forsaken were chosen for a wide range of abilities including dreamwalking among other talents; otherwise it seems to be stretching coincidence too far that all the Forsaken could Dream.

It also appears that in the AoL, TAR was taught (as mentioned before) differently than dreamwalkers. You were taught how to do stuff, but not what you can do. 

The area where the eyes should be is smooth skin. They never had eyes.

 

Also, I don't think there is such a thing as baby fades. We don't know the process that makes them, but I imagine that they are either full-grown people converted to fade (much like Darkhounds are corrupted wolves), or they have a very rapid gestation/growth process (I am thinking of the Uruk Hai).

Myrdraal are the "throwbacks" to human stock "born" from Trollocs. Trollocs were created originally by Aginor using many animals, people and very likely a large dose of the True Power. Trollocs are essentially mis-formed beasts with a small level of human intelligence and cunning, very strong and very selfish and cruel. 

Every so often, trollocs breed Myrdraal, my theory is that they may very well be "living te'rangreal" that use the TP. (they can Travel using shadows; Traveling itself has little to do with the One Power except for the process of making gateways; they can sense channeling and active channelers, and they can be used to focus certain weaves).

 

Why does Egwene lie and say she is an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah to the Wise Ones?  It has all sorts of unpleasant ramifications for her later on, and Moiraine disapproves (she tightens her mouth when Egwene says it).  I can understand why Eg, Nyn, and El pretended to be AS in the Wetlands where they needed to be treated with respect to do what they had to do, but I don't understand why Egwene chooses to continue the lie with the Wise Ones.

It started when she met Alys in T'A'R, I believe. She didn't know who she was sealing with. I think she wasn't quite sure how to get out of that one once it started. It just snowballed. She may have been afraid that if she told the truth the Wise Ones would atop her training.

Amys?

Did read the prologue; it did not specify any of those answers.

 

Your "RAFO"; which chapter contains the answer?

a. It shows you exactly what happens from Granny's POV

b. I don't know, havent read MoL yet. RAFO :P

unanswered questions (some of them edited)::

 

How did Verin find out about the shadowspawn attack on Caemlyn ( roughly several months before it happened)?

My guesses::

-another Darkfriend telling her

-she eavesdropping or overhearing a conversation about it

-the ordering Forsaken visiting somewhere near her location

-someone happening to predict it in her hearing

 

I guess she found out sometime after she left Rand; is this correct?

yes

How come Mat seems to be the only Light-sided character she sent word to about it?

personality? predictability?

the word "went" in the letter; which did it mean?

-that the shadowspawn went before she found out

-that the shadowspawn went before she written the letter

-that the shadowspawn went before the time she indicated in the letter

-that the shadowspawn went at some other time than those

 

Elayne got an indicator of the attack through interrogating a Black.  Did Elayne tell anybody else or did she forget?

RAFO

When, where, and through whom did that Black find out?

Orders from her superiors, most likely. Does it matter?

After Ramshalan told his mission, Graendal did a gateway but closed it afterward.  Where exactly was she going to go?  One of the places she was at later in the book or somewhere else?  If one of the places, which one?

 

Where did Ramshalan get the name Lady Basene?  Arangar, Delana, or Graendal's servants telling him?

 

And was she disguised by the Illusion weave?  If so, same disguise she showed Sammael much earlier?

read the prologue to ToM.

THERE. IS. NO. TENSION.

Mat is trying to get the secret of fireworks out of this girl. But she's screwing around with him and giving him riddles and crap to solve.

 

... why doesn't his Ta'veren-ness just make her tell him? It can make Aes Sedai bow to Rand and cause the most ruthless traders in the world to agree to a deal with Mat. I thought being Ta'veren made things that someone COULD say but likely wouldn't far more likely. but it can't make someone say something they would NEVER in a million years say.

 

Is that implying that this random illuminator physically would NEVER tell Mat the secret unless he solves her riddle? Implying she has more willpower than the flaming SEA FOLK.

an illuminator NEVER reveals secrets to non-guild members; not even in bed. Secondly, it appears that ta'averen 'tugs' on speech has everything to do with willpower. If the TV is trying to accomplish something, it tends to 'tug' events around him to his benefit. Mat was just curious with Aludra, but with the sea folk he wanted to be out of Ebu Dar, yesterday. He was pulling all his strings (pun intended) to get the blasted BoW used and done with. The sea folk were trying to seal a Bargain, but were not prepared for dealing with a TV. (BTW, 'daughter of sands' i lol'ed!)

Thats my theory anyway :)

Why hadn't the people of the AOL discovered a way to cure stilling and unthread weaves?

 

I know, I know "They consider it impossible" But WHY? I don't buy that a culture thousands of years ahead of ours, with countless scholars, eager students and straight up mavericks trying to do the impossible wouldn't have discovered SOMETHING. The unthreading weaves thing is especially inexcusible. The Aiel wise ones learned how to do it. and it really doesn't sound that intricate (especially if you start off small which is what Aviendha says happens when they learn how to do it. They don't START with trying to unweave gateways.

 

People say "They were afraid to see what would happen" I don't buy that. That's not how people work. There will always be SOMEONE who goes against the grain and brings forth innovation. People are ambitious. There weren't even a handful of people with Nynaeve's drive back in the AOL trying to cure stilling? The cure really didn't sound that complicated.

 

I refuse to believe that ambitiousness didn't exist until the 3rd age

If you read between the lines carefully, you will see that the AoL was anything but. Lets say for arguments sake that the Breaking started in 4,000-5,000 AD. (People had long lives in the AoL). Crime was brutally supressed; if someone committed a crime, ONCE, there was no lawyer or jury. The Servants of the People (Aes Sedai) were the Imperial Senate, for all intents and purposes. There is a whole discussion on it somewhere. While someone, somewhere may have invented unweaving, its entirely possible that the use of it was discouraged for political and practical reasons. Even if its fully safe, its not without greater risk than simply letting it collapse. In the WoS it likely was not necessary to focus on the 'impossible', and AFAIK 'severing' was considered to be a punishment for criminals - no need to learn to Heal it in the first place.

I don't think she has a copy of the stone ring with her. All of those are with Egwene. She only has the lesser ter'angreal that require channeling. That was all the hall allowed her to take with her to Ebu Dar, and I think they'd have prevented that if they could, but she needed a way to stay in touch with Egwene.

it says very clearly it was the ring, which was the one she loaned to avi when the aile left caemyln.

Why can't elayne use the stone dream ring to meet Eggy in TAR (CoT i think)? Avi says that she threw a magnificent tantrum when she couldnt get the weaves to work; but the ring doesnt require channeling.

 

This is excerpted from a longer transcript.

 

Matt Hatch

...would the Finns have the ability to accentuate someone’s beauty and/or quantity or access to the One Power through their own capabilities and talents?

 

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, but it might involve third party ter’angreal, angreal, this sort of thing...

 

Matt Hatch

...so, they don’t have power to affect the soul’s capability of increasing its total channeling?

 

Brandon Sanderson

Certainly not permanently, as far I understand, that is outside the realm of their ability…

 

Matt Hatch

...from a beauty perspective can they affect the outer body of some individual?

 

Brandon Sanderson

I would say that, yes they can, but they may have to be using some type of ter’angreal or...

 

Matt Hatch

...some item of power?

 

Brandon Sanderson

Some item of power, something like that...of which they have great stores...[what???]

 

Matt Hatch

...Really...heh, so the obvious question, where did the Finns get great stores of ter’angreal, angreal, and is that part of the Pact they made.?

 

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO...but if you just think about it, we don’t even have to go to the notes for this if you think about it logically, we know of them providing certain items of power to certain individuals that they were able to match very nicely with certain requests very easily. If you run the statistics on that its either a huge coincidence or they have very many to choose from.

 

This means that the Finns have a very large repository of ter'angreal and angreal, and maybe even other "items of power", which may not be related to the One Power. Not all of this could have come from the AoL Aes Sedai, I feel. Some must've been crafted by the Finns, or through agents from still other worlds.

 

I believe the Finns took a standard power wrought spear and engraved it. Power wrought does not mean indestructable, merely very hard to damage (as seen by Rand's sword melting when battling Ishy at Falme). Sufficiently powerful and knowledgeable people would be able to engrave a power wrought weapon.

Do the 'Finns have any channelers? I find it suspicious that *any* power-wrought blade can cut a doorway between the 'Finn's realm and Randland. Perhaps as part of the granting of wishes, they simply make what they need, or add their own touch with their version of the power?

Rand had to use an Angreal to move a couple hundred people via the Portal Stone. Granted, he hadn't reached his full potential, but the Angreal should have put him over any Forsaken unaided, and none of the Forsaken have an Angreal yet. Lanfear was the first to get one, as far as I know, and she got it from the wagons brought from Rhuidean.

 

How many Trollocs and Fades were there in the attack in the waste? I suppose between Lanfear and Amsodean, they could have gone back and forth to bring a lot, but that doesn't account for the fact that Kadere's wagons were also somehow brought over. None of the DFs in the wagon knew Asmo and Lanfear were with them, and they'd have figured that out pretty quick if they travelled to the waste via Portal Stone.

 

So, something else occurred, at least for Kadere and Co. Maybe DF Aiel guided them.

Most likely Asmo and Lanfear linked to bring the trollocs over via Portal Stones. Alternatively, . and for Kadere, all it would take is a little compulsion for him and his men to forget traveling wagons via gateway. Or again, a little Compulsion and the Aiel would forget ever having guided them into the waste.