2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Definitely. There's another theory that there are another 109 binding rods in existence (or formerly in existence, if they can be destroyed), since one of the two we know of has the number 111 on it.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

It does? That must be the one the Shaido has...

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Yep.

 

[Cold Manshima]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

I'm assuming they were somewhat common in the Age of Legends. There's a comment by Semirhage about how the Aes Sedai gave her an ultimatum: either sever her, or make her take a binding that would keep her from conducting her "experiments". If the Aes Sedai then could make Binding Rods, they probably had plenty kicking around.

Aduiavas Sedai, I thought the same thing about the Nine Rods of Dominion for a long time, until I read that the Age of Legends Aes Sedai called Oath Rods 'Binding Rods'. If they were the Nine Rods of Dominion, I assumed they would've called it a 'Rod of Dominion' instead of a 'Binding Rod'.

Doesn't the Oath Rod in the Tower have 3's on it? In my mind, I linked the numbers on the rods to the number of Oaths they could put on an individual. This was proved wrong, since we see an instance of 4 oaths being placed on someone in the Tower. But anyways, the numbers on the Binding Rods always puzzled me; they've got to mean something, or had to at one point.

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

The Oath Rod in the Tower has a 3 on it, yes.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

So, the Tower one is #3, and the Shaido one is #111?

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Yep!

 

[Cold Manshima]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

That's very curious, isn't it? We know a bit about the making of ter'angreal; the shape, materials, and design all have to be absolutely precise to maintain function. The tiniest diversion from the original piece creates changes in the copies. The only exception to that was the medallions; remember how some of them had a rose motif? So for the Binding Rods, the numbers either had to do with the function of the device, or perhaps the numbers were like a personal identifier. Like how Lews Therin was First among Servants, so would he have owned Binding Rod #1?

This bugs me :mad, I'm going to be reading every sentence in the books, seeing if it has anything to do with this, from now on... Binding Rod Mystery becomes Number One on my list of things to watch for.

I'm sure Aginor would know this, if only we could interrogate him... I bet there was a Brown somewhere along the lines that studied this too, come to think of it.

Oh, or maybe the numbers refer to some kind of "key"? Like how the Dreamspikes each have a different way to "unlock", and they each have a supposed "secret" that allows someone to Travel through it.

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

I don't think it's in the books. That's why Jordan had to clarify that the Rods of Dominion were people. Maybe we'll get something more in the Encyclopedia.

But -- if we're going to get more clues, I think they'll come from the Forsaken.

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

If binding rods were so common, maybe the numbers really don't mean much beyond an informative label and we're seriously overthinking it? The Tower put a 3 on theirs when they made it because it was meant for the THREE oaths, for example.

Regarding chapter 10, I love the description of this battle. How Rand had a number of men who started with him and they split off or new ones joined and so on. I usually find battles pretty boring to read (I don't need to know the way he killed each Trolloc!), but this one kept my attention really well.

 

[Cold Manshima]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

You're right about it being seriously overthought either way, Megana Sedai. The Binding Rods were made before the White Tower and the Three Oaths, since the making of ter'angreal was lost during the Breaking.

That's a good battle scene though, captures the confusion of a melee well. A lot of battles in this series (and other books) play out from a commander's point of view, which makes a big difference.

 

[Ryu Shadowborn]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

TSR:8

Elayne- Not much here, Elayne and Rand being awkward and flirty, Rand apparently can make flours of out feathers? Is this an early version of his ability to rewrite the pattern that we see at the end of Memory of Light? Or is it just a version of the mirror of mists?

Rand- Okay rand, there is no reason why you should worry about getting angry at these twits, as I said before in Rand's position I would very quickly slip into total Tyranical mode simply because the High Lords of Tear are twits.

Egwene- It is very much glossed over here, but Nyneave, Egwene and Elayne tied Mat up, with the power to get the letter he got from them in The Dragon Reborn. I am fully willing to bet they did not even ask him to give it back first, why would Mat want a letter from the Amyrlin, he hates Aes Sedai and wants nothing to do with them, I was frankly surprised the first time I read this book that he kept the thing and did not just use it as toilet paper.

TSR:9

Mat- I think this is the start of the long hot summer that goes on for several books isn't it? The flow of time is somewhat difficult to keep track of in this series, not much happens here with Mat wandering about.

Perrin- another short bit with not a lot going on, Perrin is trying to lure Faile away from Tear so that she is no longer in danger from Rand, however I think he does not fully understand how powerful a Ta'veren can be when it comes to forcing the things the Ta'veren needs to have to do what they must upon them.

Egwene – Aviendha and Egwene become closer friends, what happens with that later is a bit strange. We have all the underpinnings of Aviendha and Egwene becoming first sisters instead of Aviendha and Elayne, not that the latter did not make sense since Elayne and Aviendha spend a good many books together.

Elayne- Her and Rand make out, she apparently bribes the Maidens of the Spear to help her? I wanna know the details of this bribe because while Elayne is 100% safe and totally in love with Rand isn't it a bit worrying that one could make an arrangement with someones bodyguards to have access to them?

Rand- Don't worry man, Hanging is too good for those scumbags, I personally would have threatened to have them flayed, and then use the power to raise them from the dead with the True Power, and do it again just to be sure they understand.

If people can't tell, I -HATE- The highlords, and the lords in Cairhien, I am with Mat on Lords and Ladies, they can go chew grass.

And then surprisingly Lanfear is not the worst human being to show up in Rand's room this chapter, and yes I am saying the highlords of Tear are worse human beings than The Forsaken, because at least the Forsaken are somewhat competent at what they do, the Highlords on the other hand do NOTHING to help their cause, you would think one of these twits would realize “Hey if I listen to Rand, and do what he says I will instantly be his favorite because everyone else gets in his way”

But NO they all act like complete twatwaffles.

TSR: 10

Nothing creates respect for a Hero of Legend like killing a fade, now Rand does not quite do the proper thing here, I understand he is not too good with the power, but few things would say “I am the Dragon, I am in charge” like straight up Fireballing the Fade. “With a wave of my hand I crush the things that haunt your nightmares” is a very powerful message to send to people who are unsure about following you.

Trollocs vs Trollocs, that had to have been unsettling. I wonder if the thoughts about Bloodlust taking over was a memory bleeding in from Lews Therin, of course the weaves that he uses when he grabs hold of Callandor are, and quite frankly this weave is awesome, this is the sort of stuff that should invoke the idea of magic and spellcraft, unlike certain other overrated as crap series cough Lotr cough whose mages are at best Bards with sticks.

Rand also finds out that Lanfear is a CREEPY CREEPY STALKER LADY, because she really is and someone should have made a Ter'angreal that could shoot balefire from space, because “Nuke her from orbit” is the best option sometimes. Lanfear, Giant Spiders, Clowns, all things that should just be blasted into dust. *nods*

TSR: 11

Egwene goes into the world of dreams without aid, and completely fails her perception check.

She looks right at the bloody Ad'am TWICE and doesn't catch it, not very good with attention to detail are you there, then she pops into the waste, and ends up getting the attention of a wise one, back to Tanchico, and then back to the Waste again, this time she makes the Wise One angry and ends up in her Birthday Suit. Surprisingly she manages to out power the Wise One, and shifts back to Tanchico, and finally realizes that she can FLY in a dream.

Eventually the Aiel catches up to her, and introduces herself as Amys, I am actually a bit surprised that Egwene does not react to the Hold and Sept that Amys is from, since if I recall properly Amys is from the same Sept and Hold as Aviendha, and she invites Egwene to come train with her in the world of dreams.

I wonder if the other dreamers in the tower ran into the wise ones, or if the Aiel avoided the Aes Sedai in the world of dreams on purpose, and Amys only took this initiative because they were sending Aiel into the wetlands the Wise Ones knew that they would come in contact with Aes Sedai anyways, so Amys decided to make that contact on their terms when the chance for that appeared.

TSR: 12

Not much happens here, the Accepted decide on their paths for the next few books, Egwene decides to go to The Waste, and the others decide on Tanchico. So, I see something a bit hypocritical here in regards to what happens later with Thom and Julin, Aviendha suggest she goes with Nyneave and Elyane because they need “A spear at their back” and nobody objects to the logic, but later when Julin and Thom go Nyneave throws a hissy fit.

That right there is some right up bullcrap, especially considering ¾ of the people involved in the situation. One is Lan, who has dedicated at this point decades to protecting an Aes Sedai and whose basic job is to know how dangerous a situation is in a place at any time, the second is Moraine who has also spent decades traveling the world, the last is a Bard/Gleeman/The only guy on team good guy who is more dangerous than Lan. And yes I do think Thom could rank as more deadly than Lan because while Lan is a blademaster with a lifetime of experience in battling the shadow and bandits. Thom can count a King and the consort of a Queen on his kill list, and Moraine's own words can back me up as she seems to think that Thom could arrange for a Red Sister to be killed/stilled/punished while she is in the seat of Aes Sedai power.

That should speak very highly for just how much of a Schemer Thom is.

Oh and a Maiden of the Spear turned Wise One also said the place had some bad voodoo in it, that by itself should make the ladies want as many guards as they can gather together, much less aid from The Grey Fox and Julin, and might I say Julin does not get enough credit for being the guy who at all had a clue that Aiel were in Tear in the last book? As well as being able to sneak up on Aiel? Sure it was his home turf, but Aiel are about as hardcore as you get in this series.

*braids his pony tail into a braid so he can tug on it all huffily*

Yes my hair is long enough for me to get away with doing that.

TSR: 13

Note: The Library's lists the setting of this chapter as “A Tavern in the Stone of Tear” I don't think that is quite accurate as Mat is in the Maula? (Mawla? The Muddy place in Tear) but well Mat and Perrin learn of The White Cloaks with Fain in the Two Rivers. Specifically looking for Perrin and Rand.

Of interest here is that Rand did not tell Mat and Perrin about Fain, I understand in book 2 wanting to hide that he can channel and that Moraine desires for him to be The Dragon, but by this time everything is out and really Rand should have explained Fain too the other two, as he was trained to find them as well. Even if he is not completely obsessed over the trio.

TSR: 14

Berlain shows up as Perrin packs, and begins one of the more annoying bits of Perrin's plot, don't get me wrong I like Berlain, she is a nice cunning Femme Fatal type and I hold no hatred over her for Perrin and Faile, mostly Faile though because holy crap does she become grating after this book because she gets Perrin's culture explained to her, she sees the people of the Two Rivers and how they act.

Perrin at least has the excuse of not knowing Saldean custom until book 6? 7? I forget when he runs into Bashire.

Also Rhuarc wins, I love that he takes no crap from anyone except Rand or Moraine.

 

[Kassina Tendar]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Elaida's Foretelling about Andor -- the way she interprets everything her way without considering other ways to interpret it makes me want to shake her.

Yeah, it's frustrating. Although I do think her idea to attach herself to the Andoran throne wasn't a bad plan given the foretelling. I mean, she has a bit of a blind spot in her certainty that it's based on the royal family of Andor, but having power in Andor could at least help her figure out what the foretelling meant, would all her to ask more questions and hear more of the happenings in the country... not that it worked at all. But I don't think it was a bad idea.

Elayne- Not much here, Elayne and Rand being awkward and flirty, Rand apparently can make flours of out feathers? Is this an early version of his ability to rewrite the pattern that we see at the end of Memory of Light? Or is it just a version of the mirror of mists?

I just assumed he was going to tie them together somehow to look like a flower.

Egwene- It is very much glossed over here, but Nyneave, Egwene and Elayne tied Mat up, with the power to get the letter he got from them in The Dragon Reborn. I am fully willing to bet they did not even ask him to give it back first, why would Mat want a letter from the Amyrlin, he hates Aes Sedai and wants nothing to do with them, I was frankly surprised the first time I read this book that he kept the thing and did not just use it as toilet paper.

Although Egwene tells us that they apparently did ask. It is odd, though, that Mat would be reluctant to give it away.

Chapter 1:
-Min thinks "Moiraine was one Aes Sedai she did trust." :joy
-Min has a viewing about Gawyn:

A sword floated above his head, and a banner waved behind it. The long-hilted sword, like those most Warders used, had a heron engraved on its slightly curved blade, symbol of a blademaster, and Min could not say whether it belonged to Gawyn or threatened him. The banner bore Gawyn's sigil of the charging White Boar, but on a field of green rather than the rest of Andor. Both sword and banner faded with the blood.

Do we know what it means?
-Min views the Keeper screaming. Her stilling?
-Siuan about Min's viewing: "If the Seanchan land again, anywhere, I will know it in days by pigeon, and it is a long way from the sea to Tar Valon." :facepalm I mean, what she says certainly sounds reasonable given what she knows, but man, I wish she would've taken Min's viewing more seriously and at least tried to set some precautions in place. Even just telling the eyes and ears to listen for rumors of Seanchan would be something.
-Min trusts Moiraine, but really doesn't trust Siuan. "The Amyrlin sounded sympathetic, but Min did not believe it. She did not believe Siuan Sanche was capable of sympathy."
-Min thinks that her association with Egwene and Nynaeve who are from the same village as Rand will be enough for the Red Ajah to want to arrest her. I can't imagine most Red Sisters are that jumpy. I can't even see how they could justify arresting Nynaeve or Egwene, unless they say they were trying to help Rand escaping gentling or something.
-Elaida neatly attaches herself to the Black Ajah. Alviarin was probably trying very hard to hold in her excitement when she heard Elaida's plans.
-Suroth and Alwhin talk about how she needs all three of 'them' alive, even though she wants to keep them quiet about her secret. (I assume it's the secret that Sul'dam can channel) Who are the three? Alwhin and the two sul'dam who were found collared? If so, why would she need them alive?
-I feel so bad for 'Pura' I don't recall her ever being freed either.

Chapter 2:
-And... Faile starts to frustrate me.
Perrin: Are you leaving then?
Faile: I do not know. This is a fine mess you've put me in.
Perrin: Me? What did I do?
Faile: Well, if you don't know, I am certainly not going to tell you.
:facepalm Seriously?

-Mat is frustrated at Moiraine and thinks that, without her, he wouldn't have big holes in his memory and wouldn't be saying random things in the Old Tongue... well, maybe the former, but he'd also be dead. Besides, taking the Shadar Logoth dagger was his own fault.

Chapter 3:
-Faile frustratingly misinterprets Perrin's staring at Faile. :facepalm I mean, I can see how she would jump to that conclusion, but he was just caught up in how scared she smelled. :\
-Perrin about Moiraine "she was so used to hiding her real thoughts, she seemed to veil them out of habit."

Chapter 5:
-Nynaeve tells us that stilling is generally thoughts to be irreversible.

Chapter 6:
-We see more of each Ajah's sisters fitting into neat categories: "Moiraine was Blue Ajah, and it was said Blue sisters gave all their passions to causes."
Of course, this is just a stereotype so it's possible it's just Elayne's view of the Blue Ajah, but it's interesting how absolute all the Ajahs are seen as being in the early books. Whites are 100% about cold logic, Blues are 100% about causes.
-Moiraine is good at talking around things: "I could wager I know the face of the man I will marry better than either of you knows that of your future husband." I suppose she could be being truthful here, but she used the word 'could'. So she doesn't necessarily know her future husband, but regardless, she can make a wager about it.
-Egwene "would like to stuff [Berelain] in a barrel and ship her back to Mayene. In the bottom of the hold." Wow, Egwene.
-Similarly, Elayne "would like to slap [Rand's] face until his ears ring for a year!" and "to switch her all the way to the ship that takes her back to Mayene!" Wow, guys, calm down.

Chapter 7:
-Egwene admits she doesn't know Healing and that it looks crazy complicated, but thinks that she's watched Nynaeve Heal and since she's holding so much Power now, surely she could attempt to look at Rand's wound. :facepalm :facepalm She says she only wants to see and not to Heal, but still. That's a dangerous thing to do- touching someone with the Power- when you don't know what you're doing.
-She then says that she's not going to bother explaining to him the difference between holding the Power and actually channeling it because he knows so little... but I thought teaching him was the whole point!
-Egwene contemplates shielding Rand as revenge and then Rand does shield her and Elayne. :facepalm Seriously, guys, that's only going to escalate things.
-Egwene is certain that Rand's only faking not being in love with her... though it's kind of mutual since Rand admits he didn't want to believe it about Egwene either. It's just a bit frustrating that she doesn't believe him when he says he feels the same.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Well, one good thing about the scene in chapter 7 is that it is one of the few occasions where people try to cooperate, and help each other, instead of trying to get their own way of doing things through. And it is one of the few occasions we see of male and female channelers discussing the Power without animosity...

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

I liked seeing someone discuss channeling with Rand candidly, without gibbering about how he was going to go mad. I know Elayne was there, but to me it mostly felt like an important point for Rand and Egwene. For the first time here, they really shifted a bit in my mind from innocent country kids to something else in my mind.

I read chapters 11 and 12 together last night. Amys setting Egwene and Aviendha down their paths is one of my favorite scenes retrospectively. The first time I read, I just found the Wise Ones kinda bossy and annoying, but this is the beginning of me starting to LIKE Egwene as a character, and the beginning of learning who Aviendha is.

 

[Murun]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Still busy, so just two tidbits from my nonsense monitor:
Ch. 11: Egwene "had to use Saidar" to undress Amys? How?
Ch. 16: Carrying gold coins in pockets sewn to the inside of a skirt? Just imagine the look & feel of wearing something like that, gold being as heavy as it is ...

@ Oaths to the Dark One: They can be revoked, we will see that later with Talene Minly (can't remember quite where it is and if it takes the oath rod, but she comes free of the oaths).

 

[Cold Manshima]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 8-14

Talene is "broken", but remember how she could only reveal old plots and mostly useless information. She was able to out some members, but it seems like there's something holding her back from revealing everything. There's a line about "betraying other Black Ajah members if you can justify it.

About the gold coins... I hope there's a study belt involved. And what about the jingly?

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 15-21

Chapter 14: I actually liked Faile at this point. I felt bad that Perrin was trying to drive her away and Berelain basically got the better of her in that fight until Rhuarc showed up. Boy that sentiment didn't last long!

 

[Ryu Shadowborn]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 15-21

TSR: 15

Mat goes through the door, it is a Shame we did not see the answers for Moraine and Rand, though it would have given away Rand's plan to cleanse the Taint, however it makes complete sense for him to have three goals as the Dragon that will help him defeat the shadow.

1. Find people to follow him.

2. Cleanse the taint.

3. Not die.

I have no idea what Moraine asked, we know it was about how to guide Rand to his destiny, however her strategy does not seem to change until after Rhuidean and the Rings so she couldn't have asked that directly. Part of me thinks she might have asked the wrong 3 questions, trying to “lead the witness” in a sense.

Mat has 3 questions..and gets completely distracted by the answer to the first one which ticks him off.

TSR: 16

Perrin – It is 100% sad that we did not see Loial defending the children against the Shadow Spawn, and apparently without healing the only injury he had was a blow to the head, All I can imagine is him picking up the first Trolloc that came near and throwing it at the Myddraal and then everyone just leaves him alone

Alternatively picking up a Myddraal and Chucking him straight at a fist of Trollocs, aside from that nothing to say here, Blah blah Faile is a twit blah blah. I would have loved Loial to grab Perrin and Faile by the head and smack their heads together like Moe would do to Larry and Curly.

I also can't believe that Loial didn't get angry with Faile, she is outright abusing the fact he gave his word to cause Perrin harm going through this the first time I was waiting for the Ogier to start yelling at the two and calling them mean things.

Elyane – Eh not much here, Lan plants a big one on Nynaeve. That's about it.

TSR: 17

Thom- Does Moraine already think she is going to have Thom as a warder? The way she acts here is a little out of character. With the discussions of love and the like going on with the girls and Moraine is she just falling for him and not knowing that he will save her later?

Or does she feel some gratitude to him for trying to help Rand, which he is doing in his own way even if Moraine does not agree with everything he does? Did Rand's idea for Asmodean being his personal bard come from him having a similar idea to keep Thom close and learn The game of houses from him?

Elmindrida- I want to roll up a news paper and smack Siuan with it for what she does with Galad and Gawyn. Though I suppose Galad ended up in a safe enough spot, someone needed to drag the Whitecloaks to the Lawful Good end of the spectrum.

But god the entire situation with Gawyn annoys me to no end, and I beat him too. Everyone here is stupid! Siuan could have drug an Oath out of the boys to not say a word out of her study about it. Galad at least would have kept it, and probably shamed Gawyn into keeping it...or intimidated, sure Aes Sedai can't use the power as a weapon, but she can still threaten to have them strung up like the day's catch on the docks from the top of the tower if they so much as breathe a word to anyone.

Which would have been entertaining to her put into proper Tairen accent.

And we find that Taim has escaped and Siuan orders him to be Severed immediately upon recapture, which Leane takes some shock from. However if a False Dragon who has escaped, you -do not- screw around with him. Taim is known to be dangerous, Gentling is him getting off easy IMO, I would have had him executed on the spot upon recapture, and quite frankly Rand should have shielded him and had the Aiel turn him into a Pin Cushion the second he showed up in Camelyn and found someone else *cough Logain cough* to run the Black Tower.

Sahra -

Black Ajah shows up and tortures her into giving up what she knows, I wonder if it was oh, I can't think of her name, and don't have a connection to look her up. The head of the Black Ajah lady.

TSR: 18

Gaul, Bain and Chiad join Perrin's Party, and the group leaves for the ways, It is hilarious to think that Gaul and Chiad have a blood feud, since Gaul ends up falling for Bain and Chiad (is it rude to just consider those two one person in terms of dating? They do come in a two for one deal and they are..almost always referred to...as “Bain and Chiad”)

And Loial straight out gets angry at the lack of trees, we never saw him get quite this irate about it. He would grumble and be upset but he seems quite peeved about it here.

TSR: 19

We meet the Seafolk properly now, also Nynaeve treats a carriage driver like utter crap for no reason yay?

Man, Seafolk jewelry sounds heavy, ear and nose piercings with Chains that have boxes and medallion's hanging off them? That sounds incredibly tiring to wear all the time, also “Seafolk don't charge for the gift of travel, it is a gift that is usually interchanged with another gift of equal value”

Pardon me, that phrase made my brain crawl out of my ear and start drinking itself to death, because DEAR LORD how stupid and overly complicated is that, there is ZERO to be ashamed of by selling something that people need, You are getting people from point A to point B, usually faster than others.

That has value, you are providing people with something of value, you deserve some value in return, we call this barter and trade, it is one of the singular basic concepts of human civilization, be proud you do things better than everyone else.

TSR: 20

I love Julin implying that Rand and Lan both threatened him with bodily harm if something happens to the Ladies in Tanchico, I can just imagine Lan telling him “The Lord Dragon says that if Elyane is harmed he will hang you, of course that threat is completely empty because if something happens to Nynaeve there won't be enough left of you to hang” in a completely straight and casual tone. Also imagine waking up..and having Lan hovering over you. I would rather fight The Dark One with a spork than having Lan wake me up randomly.

You know how I hate the whole Drama thing with “who loves who?” the conversation between Thom and Elyane is the exact opposite for me, just the innocence of her..reaching out and yanking on his mustaches at complete random is so adorable, Thom brings up things that allude to “our” age being the age before the age of legends, though I am not so sure there has to be at least one between the two.

Our age is one of Technology, and While the One Power does have some science to it as all “magic” does really, just because you are, in the words of a great mage -insert V words- does not mean there is not a science to it, which is one of the things Jordan does well.

Anyways *cough* Our age is one of Technology, and the Age of Legends is one more of Magic. There is technology but it is magic focused Technology, items of the one power. There is a missing Age where The One Power and Technology are used in unison. Like imagine The beginnings of the One Power being discovered, and how it would spread on the internet.

Spoiler

That same concept is quite literally the only way Star Wars could win me back, I so hope at the end of Episode 7 the “Sith” reveals to Luke that he is just a Punk Kid, who used “The Galactic-Net” to teach himself how to use the Force, how to build Lightsabers, and there is an entire underground community of “New Force Users” who aren't Sith or Jedi talking and learning together, completely free of the old ways. That would be the best thing ever for an empty, boring completely dead setting

TSR: 21

Rand gathers the High Lords and the Aiel to tell them what he is doing, he sends the army of Tear north to restore peace in Cairehen, now Moraine thinks this is an absolutely terrible idea, and I 100% disagree.

Heading west to Illian would be a gigantic mistake, Sammel has as big of an army at his back, and attacking with a Taerain army right now would only catalyize the feelings of the Illianers, The Dragon assaults you, with the age old enemies at your head with the “reason” that a Forsaken is ruling your nation. Illianer's won't believe that at all, and it will turn them against Rand in an irreparable way, while grinding away armies of two of the major nations of the world.

Going north however, is quite smart, A civil war is going on so lives are going to be lost anyways, and in doing this he builds confidence in his plots, because ill equipped bandits, and factions squabbling vs a fully equipped and funded army has a much larger chance at ending in victory which allows Rand to say “see, my plans work”

It doubles with his plan to go into the wastes and unite the Aiel into one force, because you then have an army coming from the south, and one coming east from the wastes, this means you flank the bandits, It would have been a great plan had the Shaido not been jerks.

He also brings the banner of another nation under his sway, which means you can have the Rising Sun banner, the Aiel, and the banner of tear (stars and crescents I think) which gives legitimacy to “I am the Dragon” part of his invasion.

Also he leaves Callandor in the stone, setting a trap for anyone who might try to take it. This also makes a great deal of sense, Callandor is an incredibly powerful Sa'Angrael, Rand is very simply not skilled enough yet with the power to use it safely. Imagine giving the Fluted Wand that Egwene uses later on to a novice, does anyone think that would be a great idea? I doubt it.

Rand also screws around with the High Lords and High Ladies, he sends a bunch that are plotting against him north but makes sure that it is a bunch who won't be able to work together to plot against him.

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: The Shadow Rising Chapters 15-21

I wonder if Moiraine was also told to go to Rhuidean? Or if another reason came up later as to why she should go?