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WoT Cage Match: Finals

The semi-finals are over and now we're at the Championship! And our fighters are:
 
Graendal--winner of the Channeler's bracket
 
And
 
Rhuarc--winner of the Non-Channeler's bracket
 
If you want to vote in this week's match, go here.
 
And as a bonus, Dragonmount's own Barid Bel Medar has written an epic match up between Rand and Demandred. Fans waited for this in the series, but were left wanting. So, if you want to vote, or talk about this match, go here.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Hugo Voting Period Ends Thursday

The voting period for the 2014 Hugo Awards ends on Thursday, July 31st PDT. The Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is nominated for "Best Novel" this year. To vote, you must be a member of this year's WorldCon, held August 14-18 in London, United Kingdom. 
The awards ceremony will be held at at 8PM on Sunday, August 17. You must be a member to attend. Harriet McDougal, the editor of the series and Jordan's widow and Maria Simons, one of the continuity editors for the series will be in attendance, along with many other authors, editors, artists and industry professionals. The awards ceremony will be broadcast live online, details of that will be published later on the convention website. If you are in Atlanta, Georgia, JordanCon is hosting a "Hugo Watching Party".
Harriet and Maria will both speaking at the convention on Saturday, Aug. 16th at 12PM on the influence of the series in a panel discussion titled "The Road Goes Ever On and On". 
Our friend Leigh Butler recently wrote an essay on why she thinks the Wheel of Time deserves a Hugo. Brandon Sanderson also published his thoughts back in April, when the nomination was announced. 
Regardless of if you agree with us on the Wheel of Time Hugo nomination, the Hugos are still one of the most prestigious awards in science fiction and fantasy literature. They are also one of the few decided by popular vote. If you have the means, please participate in the process, regardless of how you intend to vote. If you do vote, please participate fully in the process. Try to read as many of the nominated works as you can and vote in as many categories as you feel confident in. 
JenniferL
JenniferL

Weekly Roundup July 13-19

Welcome, everyone, to the latest edition of the Weekly Roundup, where I cover the weekly events of Dragonmount!
 
First, The Hugo Awards! The deadline is fast approaching for those interested to become members and vote. You don’t even have to attend Loncon to vote! While we are on the subject, this year’s Worldcon is expected to have a strong Wheel of Time presence. On Saturday, August 16 there is a (planned) panel that will include Harriet McDougal, Maria Simons and Dragonmount user Werthead!  And to those thinking of going to Worldcon, here's a discussion thread!
 
Second on our agenda: Dragonmount’s annual Cage Matches. Week 3 had several exciting lineups. The winners from week 3 were Deepe, Graendal, Rhuarc and Elyas, and discussion about those battles continues here.
 
This week’s lineup has two epic battles:
 
Elyas vs Rhuarc
and
Deepe vs Graendal
 
Remember, if you don’t vote, your favorite might be defeated!
 
Next up, news from the Social Groups:
 
In the White Tower, the Amyrlin is discussing the new Full Shannara Television Series ordered by MTV. Have you read the books? Do you think they will be adapted fairly? Do you plan on watching? Discuss!
 
With the return of boy genius RandA lThor, Mayhem continues to ensue in Shayol Ghul. While you are checking out the mayhem, sign up for LilyE’s Mall Madness mafia game!
 
The Ogier have two ongoing discussions that seem to be very intriguing. First, what is on your “to read” shelve? What books are you dying to read? Second is a serious discussion on the Book of Translations. Join the Ogier and discuss these two fascinating topics!
 
Finally, our Weekly Facebook/Twitter update:
 

 
The article mentioned is here (and includes a Brandon Sanderson favorite series!)
 
Remember, you can get updates like these by following Dragonmount on Twitter and Facebook. (And to keep seeing the updates, Like, Share, and Comment on Facebook).
 
That’s it for this week. Tune in next week for the Cage Match Finals and more Dragonmount awesomeness!
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

WoT Cage Match: Semi-finals

The next round of Cage Matches are up.  This weeks fights are the semi-finals, including:
 
Graendal vs Deepe
 
and
 
Elyas vs Rhuarc
 
We're down to the best of the best, so help us decide who is going to take home the title this year!  And it's not too late to show your support (even if your favorite character is already out of the running); wear a special forum signature.  You can also check out who is leading in the Prediction Competition.  Or, talk about the earlier battles: Week 1, Week 2, or Week 3.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Gleeman's Tales: Throwback Thursday...on a Wednesday

Just like the title says, this week we're going back to the future to our fandom past. So many funny things have happened over the years, and I thought I'd bring back just a few.
 
For instance, remember all those years spent not knowing who killed Asmodean? (I know some of you reading might still not know, so don't worry, I won't give it away). Our curiosity spurred some amazing theories, and also some hilarious ones.
 
 
 
And of course,
 
 
Some of my other favorites are "Alternate Universe" type images which were featured on this Fan Art Friday a couple years ago.
 
First, an email inbox for Mat Cauthon by sleepinghour

 
and a magazine cover featuring Mat
 
In that same post, some folks in the comments mentioned that there is also an inbox for Rand, so I've tracked it down from here:
 

 
 
Lastly, a true classic, and I'm sorry but I have no idea who made this. I originally found it here, I believe. (Original source is here.)
 


That's all, folks! The Light illumine you; have a nice week!
Meghan Rayburn
Meghan Rayburn

Weekly Roundup July 6-12

Hello dear friends! Another week has moved by us, and now it’s time for a new edition of the Dragonmount Weekly Update! This week, we’re going to look at the Cage Matches, the Hugo Awards, and examine the goings-on of Dragonmount outside of the Social Groups.
First bit of business is our Cage Match updates:
Week Two went by with Rhuarc absolutely sweeping away the competition, while Elyas, Tylin, and Aludra each also won their respective matches. If you care to discuss these turns of events, see the Week Two discussion thread.
 
This week is the quarterfinals, with two “Channeler” matches and two “Non-Channeler” matches:
 
Elyas vs Aludra
Tylin vs Rhuarc
Deepe vs Sorilea
Graendal vs Rhavin
 
Who will win and go to the next round? And don’t forget you can also wear a Forum Signature to show your support for your favorite competitors!
 
Next on the Agenda: The Hugo Awards! There is still time to become a member and vote, and you don’t even have to attend London Con to vote! While we are on the subject, this year’s World Con is expected to have a strong Wheel of Time Presence. On Saturday, August 16 there is a (planned) panel that will include Harriet McDougal, Maria Simons and Dragonmount user Werthead!
 
The TV Show & Sports forum continues discussing the World Cup and this bit of news about LeBron James.
 
In the Dragon Reborn Roleplaying threads, there is an interesting post regarding Acceptable Behavior brewing.... I wonder where this will lead?
 
In Other Media, a bit of interesting news: Humble Bundle is putting out the collection of the Wheel of Time Comics!
 
Finally, for our weekly Facebook and Twitter update:

 
(All I can say is I would not get that answer right either!)
 
Remember, you can get up-to-the-minute Dragonmount and Wheel of Time- related news by following Dragonmount on Facebook and Twitter!
 
That wraps it up this week.
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

WoT Cage Match: Round 3

Round 3 of the Wheel of Time Cage Match has started!  This weeks fights include:
 
Graendal vs Rhavin
Deepe vs Sorilea
Tylin vs Rhuarc
Elyas vs Aludra
 
Go and vote for who you think would win between these challengers.  Next week, we'll move onto the semi-finals.  And if you still have comments about the fights from the first two weeks, you can continue the discussion here:
 
Week 1
Week 2
 
Also, see how everyone's doing with the Prediction Competition so far!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

The Wheel Turns: Features of Dragonmount

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
 
As I sit here writing this, I am watching the World Cup semi-final but I thought I would take a few moments to introduce you to an area of our wonderful website here at Dragonmount which you may not yet have explored and which may prove to be of use and a lot of fun.
 
Have you noticed the lovely pictures that everyone has at the end of their posts on our forums? These are known as signatures, and are one of the main ways that we can stamp a little bit of individuality on our posts as well as advertise part of our personality, a position we hold on Dragonmount, or a group we are part of.
 
There are a couple of ways to get one of these signatures (or more than one), and one of them is the feature of Dragonmount I want to highlight--our signature requests board.
 
Here, you can request talented and skilled individuals to make a signature to your specifications, or you can choose some that they have already made, and ask permission to wear them. Before you do so, make sure you read the pinned threads on how you should proceed. Hopefully someone will respond quickly and make you a lovely shiny signature to wear with pride! The same pinned threads explain exactly how you can add them to your posts.
 
There's also the signature playground, where you can look at ones already made and ask if you may use them. There are a lot of nice ones there and if the creator is feeling kind, they may even tweak and modify them for you.
 
Otherwise, many people like to make them themselves with artwork they find online. This is fun and satisfying and it's fairly easy to learn how to make simple ones; and who knows, you may find you have a talent for it and become one of our dedicated signature makers as well. One of the best programs to use (in my opinion at least) is Adobe Photoshop. If that is out of your budget, however, never fear! For years I have used a free version called GIMP (Generic Image Manipulation Program) to make mine. If you have any familiarity with Photoshop then you will find that GIMP works almost exactly the same. Make sure you look at the same pinned threads in the signature board as they also have the rules and guidelines for signatures if you're going to dabble in making them yourself!
 
I hope you find the solution to all your signature wearing needs, express yourselves, and make our boards that bit more colorful!
 
 
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

Gleeman's Tales: Facebook

We've seen Wheel of Time characters behave on Instagram, Snapchat, and even in email, but not yet Facebook (until today). I've been meaning to make something, but mehroones-dagon beat me to it (and did it better). 
 
The original version had some R-rated language, so (with the permission of the creator) I've done some editing to make the language more PG-13. Hopefully the spirit of the original still comes through.
 
 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 
May you find water and shade this week, friends!
Meghan Rayburn
Meghan Rayburn

Weekly Roundup June 29-July 5

Hello Dragonmount! Another week has passed, and it is time for a new edition of Dragonmount’s Weekly Roundup!
 
First on the agenda: The Wheel of Time Cage Matches. This week’s line-ups include:
 
Ituralde vs Rhuarc
Aludra vs Laras
Tylin vs Suroth
Ingtar vs Elyas
 
Or, you can discuss the week one matches, predict winners, and wear team signatures.
 
Next on the agenda: the Hugo Awards. There is still time to become a member and vote. Deadline is August 1.
 
Now for the Social Group updates:
 
The White Tower and Warders have an ongoing discussion on the Foxhead medallion.
 
The Wolfkin has an interesting discussion on bucket lists for the month of July.
 
In the Band of the Red Hand, there is a discussion of Games and Luck. What games do you think Mat Cauthon would be good at, and which games would he fail at? Join in the band’s discussion.
 
Also, it’s time to celebrate one of our very special Dragonmount members. RandA lThor recently scored a perfect score on his SATs. Two parties have opened to celebrate his accomplishments: One in Shayol Ghul and the other in the Black Tower.
 
Finally, for our Dragonmount social media update:
 

 
Remember, you can get daily updates on Dragonmount and Wheel of Time-related news by following our social media at Facebook and Twitter.
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

WoT Cage Match: Next Round: Non-Channelers

The first week's matches have concluded.  Thanks to all who participated and voted for their favorite character.  Here's the fighters, with the winners in bold:
 
Deepe vs Mishraile
Flinn vs Rahvin
Liandrin vs Sorilea
Elayne vs Graendal
 
Now the battles between the non-channelers are up.  We have:
 
Aludra vs Laras
Suroth vs Tylin
Rhuarc vs Ituralde
Ingtar vs Elyas
 
Who will win between these mighty people?  Please go and vote for who you think would win!
 
And if you still want to talk about the first week's winners and losers, you can do so here!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

The Wheel Turns: The Westeros Cup

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
 
If, like me, you are a lover of sports, then I hope you are enjoying what is proving to be a very exciting and unpredictable FIFA World Cup this year! It has been great; we have seen the defending champions go out in the group stages--as well as England, but I expected no less--and we have also seen teams like Belgium and Colombia progress well. Personally I'm supporting Colombia now. It's been an exciting one too because with the quarter finals and semi finals and the final still to go, there have already been more goals than the entire 2010 World Cup!
 
Whether World Cup fever has you or not, there is certainly no escaping it. Perhaps that is what inspired Spanish designer Nerea Palacios, who is possibly not enjoying the World Cup as much as I am, but who must also be a Game of Thrones lover to design football (or soccer, depending where you are from) kits for the various houses of Westeros! It doesn't get any better than this! I can satiate my nerdy side and normal side all at once!
 
Without further ado, here they are!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Personally, I like Baratheon and the Nights Watch. Could possibly go for Targaryen. I would absolutely love for these to be made so I could buy them and wear them when I play, which is usually twice a week!
 
Of course this all begs the question--who would win the Westeros Cup? And who would make the team of each house? Drop a comment below, or discuss with your friends over a nice beer!
 
 
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

Fantasy Review: The God Engines

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review.  This edition will talk about the novella The God Engines by Hugo award winner, John Scalzi.
 
Slight spoilers will follow.
 
The God Engines
By John Scalzi
 
The Synopsis:
This story is about a god who rules over the land and the Bishopry Militant.  This god, the one all people in the empire worship, is only supreme because of his many followers.  Other gods, the Defiled, are chained and tortured for their powers, their followers' faith not strong enough to give them the power to escape. 
 
Ean Tephe is the captain of the ship The Righteous, with a special mission to convert new followers among the stars.  The faith of someone who knows no gods is greater than someone who has converted.  So Tephe's mission is of the highest importance to his god.  The added faith of so many would make the god much more powerful. 
 
While travelling, Tephe gets caught in a struggle between the two powerful gods, his own and the Defiled acting as his ship's engine.  But, when they reach their destination, his own god's acts are not in line with what Tephe thinks is right.  He questions his god, and the Defiled is able to break free.  When the gods pit their powers against each other, Tephe and his crew are at their mercy.
 
The Pros:
The writing in this story is amazing.  The mood is dark and foreboding.  The characters fleshed out and interesting.  The universe, and the gods, so alive and detailed.  Scalzi did an incredible job on this story.
 
One thing I really enjoyed is that it makes you think.  It's not pro-religion or anti-religion, as I saw it.  It's more a question of looking at religion, seeing both sides of it.  And because of this, though it deals with some deep subjects, like faith and trust, it's not preachy or heavy-handed.  It seemed almost philosophical to me.  A detailed look at a system of deities and their followers, but still remaining objective.
 
The ending is beautifully ironic and tragic.  It was jarring, and so well crafted, it may be one of the best endings I've ever encountered.  There are several shocking moments throughout the story, lots of surprises and plot twists, but nothing compares to the ending.
 
The Cons:
The only con I could find with this book is the length.  It's very short.  I think this world and magic system could be developed far more than it was.  That isn't to say the story is lacking anything; it's nearly perfect the way it is.  However, the world is so interesting; I hope Scalzi will visit it again.  Using the power of chained gods for star travel is such a unique idea!
 
Conclusion:
This is one of the best stories I've read in the past few years.  It's fiction, but with a deeper purpose; you can read it for entertainment, but there's so much more beneath the surface, so much to think and explore.  Scalzi surely is a master storyteller, just from the way he crafted this incredible tale and world.
 
On a side note, after finishing this book, I was able to meet Scalzi at the Phoenix Comicon in 2013.  I told him how much I enjoyed this story, and he kind of laughed.  He said that this book is so different in style and tone than all his others—I guess he's pretty well known for the humor in his writings; The God Engines didn't have very many humorous situations.  So, he said I would be in for a shock if I expected this kind of thing with his other books.  I haven't had a chance to read any others by him, but make sure you keep that in mind if you also want to delve into Scalzi's collection of works.
 
My rating:
5/5 stars
 
 
The God Engines is not available in the Dragonmount eBook store.  However, there are several others by Scalzi, including Redshirts, which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2013.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Gleeman's Tales: The Wheel of Thyme

These photos are a few years old, but they are still perhaps the greatest collection of Wheel of Time puns I have ever come across.
 
Warning: if you are fasting for Ramadan you may not want to read this! Apologies.
 
All are by maledictor.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Apologies if that made you hungry! Hopefully you laughed, as well. The Light illumine you; have a nice week.
Meghan Rayburn
Meghan Rayburn

Weekly Roundup June 22-28

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Weekly Roundup!

Before we get started, let me point you to This Forum Right Here. What’s that? The Cage Matches are back! Absolutely! This week’s match line-up includes:
Flinn vs Rahvin
Liandrin vs. Sorilea
Elayne vs Graendal
and Deepe vs Mishraile

Get in there, vote for your favorites, or they may not continue to the next bracket. And while you; are at it, wear your Team Signature and predict the winners!
 
Next on the agenda: the Hugo Awards. There is still time to become a member and vote. Deadline is August 1.

Now for the news on the Social Group Scene:
 
The White Tower and Warders have a new interesting discussion about How much food you can buy with only $5. This thread, and the article linked in the introductory post, is a great place to discuss the value of money, and to learn about other parts of the world.

Are you involved in the SCA or other Medieval-minded groups? Join a discussion in the Kin about Medieval Mayhem!

The Ogier, always up for a good book discussion, have two interesting threads from this month. The first is the “Name game” Literature edition. The second involves the “to read” shelf.  Even if you are not an Ogier, you can participate and have a good discussion!

And from the Aiel’s World of Dreams: Do you Change Gender in your Sleep? A discussion of gender in our dreams.

Finally, our weekly Facebook and Twitter update:

Rand al’Thor took time out of his busy day to pose with author George R.R. Martin:


When asked if he was scared of meeting the infamous character killer and author, Rand said: "Duty is heavy as a mountain, death is light as a feather." 

Remember, you can get daily updates about Dragonmount, the Wheel of Time, and other related works by following these accounts, but you must also Like, Share, and Comment to continue getting excellent Dragonmount information in your Facebook Feed.
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

The Wheel of Time Cage Match is Back!

Some of you may be familiar with the Suvudu cage matches, which pit popular characters from sci-fi and fantasy against each other. Starting in two days, Dragonmount will be hosting our own version of the cage matches, featuring only Wheel of Time characters, right here on our forums.
 
Here's a list of this years competitors:
 
Aludra
Deepe
Elayne
Elyas
Flinn
Graendal
Ingtar
Ituralde
Laras
Liandrin
Mishraile
Rahvin
Rhuarc
Sorilea
Suroth
Tylin
 
This year, we are continuing a few special features.  First, we have "Team" forum signatures for anyone to wear to support their favorite character.  We are also having a friendly Prediction Competition—submit your guesses for each Round and you'll win points if you're correct. 
 
Round 1 begins on June 29th, but there's plenty going on right now.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

The Wheel Turns: Stay On Target!

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
 
As you may know from my previous posts, I'm quite into the gaming scene; and when I say gaming I don't just mean electronic, but tabletop gaming, board gaming, and role playing.
 
I also love science fiction and a popular favorite of many is the Star Wars universe.
 
Today I want to talk to you about something which combines these things into something I have begun to really enjoy.  It's a tabletop game called X-Wing by probably my favorite game company, Fantasy Flight Games, who in my opinion and experience tend to make fantastic games.
 

Basically, you have small scale miniatures of ships and fighters from the Star Wars and you assign them to perform maneuvers and try to out maneuver your opponent to get off those vital shots to blow up his ships. Sound interesting? Or too geeky? Wrong answer! There is no such thing as too geeky!
 
Below is a video of how to play the game.
 
 
If you're not yet convinced, I should probably mention that there have been recent expansions to include Han Solo and The Millenium Falcon or Boba Fett and Slave One in your fleet! 
 
I've recently gotten into it and found it a lot of fun. Have a go yourselves.
 
 
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

Weekly Roundup June 15-21

Welcome to this week's Edition of <em>Dragonmount</em>'s Weekly Roundup, where I tell you about all the fun and fantastic things happening around <em>Dragonmount </em>and in the <em>Wheel of Time</em> fandom. For this week's Roundup, I'm going to shift focus out of the Social Groups to look and see what's going on in the other areas of <em>Dragonmount</em>.
 
First off, the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89864-welcome-to-the-wheel-of-time-cage-http:/www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89864-welcome-to-the-wheel-of-time-cage-match-2014/match-2014/'>2014 Wheel of Time Cage Match</a>. This year's competitor list consists of 8 channelers and 8 non-channelers, and just like years previous, you will have the chance to vote for your favorite players. While you are at it, grab your <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89868-team-siggies-2014/'>Cage Match Team forum signature</a> and make your <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89867-prediction-competition-2014/'>Cage Match predictions</a>.
 
<em>Game of Thrones </em>Fans! The fourth season of the show is over, but the discussion is still ongoing in the Entertainment Board. There are two threads: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/88354-game-of-thrones-season-4-spoilers/'>Spoiler thread</a> (which will discuss the books) and <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/88355-game-of-thrones-season-4-spoiler-free-edition/'>Spoiler-Free</a> (which focuses on just the television series), and you can still talk and discuss the bloody season finale (and predict what is in store for season 5)!Elsewhere in the Entertainment boards, sports fans might find the discussion on the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89570-world-cup-2014'>World Cup 2014</a> intriguing.
 
In the Roleplaying Boards, a new character biography has been approved for the Character <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89888-approved-band-bio-silene-belain-wolfie-ccd/#entry3272438'>Silene Belain</a>, who will be played by <em>Dragonmount</em> member Bela_theDo. The character's background seems interesting, and I know I'm looking forward to see what she does in her new life.In the General <em>Wheel of Time</em> Discussion board, there is a new thread discussing the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89594-wot-encyclopedia/'>Wheel of Time Encyclopedia</a>. Feel free to discuss this upcoming project, its contents, and publication date here!
 
Next, from <em>Dragonmount</em>'s Facebook page:<img src="http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff34/ahmoondah/dmjune21_zps5da59dec.jpg" alt="dmjune21_zps5da59dec.jpg">
 
For those interested in the podcast mentioned above, it can be found <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://t.co/qHUpLf8aXP'>here</a>. Remember, you can get daily updates on <em>Dragonmount </em>and Wheel of time fan information by following <em>Dragonmount</em> on Facebook and Twitter. And please, like, comment, and share from <em>Dragonmount</em> to help keep their Facebook page visible in your feed!One final thing before I leave you for this week. You still have time to <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.dragonmount.com/index.php/News/amol/more-Hugo'>nominate and vote for the Hugo Awards</a>! Voting will end in July, and the awards will be announced August 17<sup>th</sup> at LCon, the 72<sup>nd</sup> World Con.
 
That's it for this week. Tune in next week, where I'll discuss more exciting adventures from <em>Dragonmount</em>'s Forums!
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

Gleeman's Tales: Crossovers

A small band of scared young men on the run from mysterious dark forces make a run for a ferry to get them to safety.  Fellowship of the Ring or The Eye of the World?
 
A young farm boy with special powers must learn to control those powers in order to fight dark forces in the world. Star Wars or Wheel of Time?
 
This week is all about crossovers. It's no secret that The Eye of the World resembles Lord of the Rings in more than a few ways, but it's the ways that the two are different that make The Wheel of Time so great.
 
 

As the release of A Memory of Light approached last year, I could only think of one way to express my angst and simultaneous undying devotion to these precious books.
 

 
Here's another hilarious crossover which manages to draw a link between--not two--but three different stories which use the "'tribal' woman and 'civilized' man fall in love" cliché.
 

by maledictor
 
This next one is a reference to one of my favorite shows of all time, Arrested Development. My whole life has been building to the moment when these two incredible things would collide, and it is perfect.
 


by masyafs
 
A somewhat unlikely crossover sprung up which references the movie Shrek, which is (unexplainably) a favorite movie of the Tumblr crowd. Don't get me wrong, I love that movie, but...well let's just say some people are a little weird about it. At any rate:
 
 
This quote just begs a reference to the movie, right? Just replace Shrek and Donkey with Lan and Mat, and the dialogue is almost perfect.
 
Lan: Warders are like onions. Mat: …they stink? Lan: Yes—no! Mat: Oh, they make you cry? Lan: No! Mat: Oh! You leave ‘em out in the sun they get all brown n start sproutin’ little white hairs! Finally, I will leave you with one of the most timely references. Did anyone else, at the end of the movie Frozen, (SPOILER ALERT) find Elsa's "epiphany" to be curiously similar to Rand's in The Gathering Storm? It begs the comparison between Rand and Elsa as characters, to be sure. by shutupshea That's it for this week, wetlanders. The Light illumine you!
Meghan Rayburn
Meghan Rayburn

WoT If… Perrin Was the Dragon?

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  We are continuing our reread of The Eye of the World, with chapters 29 and 30 this time. 
 
Synopsis:
Chapter 29, "Eyes Without Pity"
 
Perrin, Egwene, and Elyas are traveling across the land at a quick, unrelenting pace.  Elyas takes every precaution when making camp, and leaving camp.  As they go, the wolves scout ahead, but Elyas still checks at the tops of each hill.  At one hill, Perrin says he is going to the top with Elyas.  At the top, the land around them is empty and Perrin voices his complaints about how slow they are going.  Then, a large flock of ravens fly out from the trees.  Perrin asks Elyas if that was the reason he was going so slow, and Elyas says he's not sure.
 
They travel faster now, trying to keep right at the tail end of the flock.  The wolves send word that another flock is coming from behind them.  They will be safe after sundown, but they might not last that long.
 
The ravens kill for fun.  Perrin and Elyas see the group tear a fox to shreds.  Other animals are left behind, mangled for no reason.  As they are running, Perrin realizes they won't make it till sundown.  The flocks are getting too close.  He wonders if he could spare Egwene the pain of the raven's beaks by killing her with his axe instead. 
 
Suddenly, they enter a stedding, a place of safety.  Elyas leads them to a watering hole and they set up camp.  Egwene notices a rock that looks like and eye, and Elyas tells them that this was the place Artur Hawkwing was going to build his capital.  He goes into the details of Hawkwing's rise and fall, and the turmoil after.
 
Chapter 30, "Children of Shadow"
 
After they eat, Perrin goes down to the pool to be alone.  Elyas follows and confronts Perrin about his thoughts on Egwene.  At first, Elyas comes off forceful, asking if Perrin hates Egwene, and once Perrin confesses his thoughts of killing Egwene before the ravens could, Elyas softens, and tells him Egwene would have rather died by the axe.
 
Perrin tells Elyas he hates his axe, and he almost throws it into the water before Elyas stops him.  Elyas tells him to keep it until he likes it.  Until then, he will use the axe wiser than any other man. 
 
The wolves suddenly send a warning that men are coming.  Elyas and Perrin rush to the camp and douse the fire.  Perrin, Egwene, and Bela run off to find a hiding spot.  As they hide, a group of Whitecloaks show up and spot Bela.  They tell the Emond's Fielders to surrender, so Perrin and Egwene do.  As they approach the Whitecloaks, Hopper jumps on the closes one and Perrin, by instinct, grabs his axe and fights the Whitecloaks too.  They kill Hopper, and Perrin is hit on the head by a lance.
 
He wakes up in a tent.  Egwene is there too.  It's the tent of the Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald, and his underling, Jaret Byar, is with him.  Byar accuses Perrin and Egwene of being Darkfriends.  They tell a version of the truth of how they wound up there, but Bornhald doesn't believe them.  He says Egwene has a chance to repent and come back to the Light, but Perrin killed two of the Children, so he will be killed once they reach Amador.
 
My take:
As I said last time, this is a heavy Perrin section.  And my love for Perrin grew so much from this part.  When we first start this story, we know Mat is a rascal, and we see most of the story from Rand's point-of-view, so we know a lot about him too.  But we don't get a good grasp of Perrin until these two chapters.  There is so much character development; it is amazing.
 
But first, I want to talk about Elyas.  He has them moving quickly, knowing something is coming.  Perrin thinks it's the ravens, but Elyas says he wasn't sure.  Then, at the end, with the Whitecloaks, Elyas says, "I was sure it was the ravens." 
 
So, how did Elyas know they were running from something?  It's curious to think that he experiences wolf dreams like Perrin does.  Once Perrin asks him about it, Elyas tells him to stay away from that place because it is dangerous (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 24, "To Make a Stand"), but Elyas must visit it from time to time.  He's used to wearing the wolf's body we see in A Memory of Light.  I think that Elyas must have seen a vision, one of the windows opening in the sky.  That would warn him of danger, but not necessarily be clear what the danger is.
 
Also, it's interesting that the raven flock didn't know that Perrin was nearby.  I would assume that the Dream Perrin had in the Tinker camp let Ba'alzamon know where he was—Ba'alzamon had a hard time finding Perrin since the wolves started protecting him.  If the ravens were eyes for the Dark One, how did they not know that Perrin was a target?  Perhaps Ishamael was too weak at this point to control the ravens himself, and they would just be reporting to a random Myrddraal instead of one of the Forsaken?  That's possible. 
 
Another thing discussesd is how far Elyas and Perrin can sense the wolves.  At this point, Perrin can only feel them a mile away.  Elyas' range is a bit farther, but not too much.  Perrin sees how he struggles to remain in contact with the pack when they are running from the ravens.  Yet, it seems like Perrin's range with wolves grows much larger than that.  When he actually accepts their sendings, they come from miles and miles away.  Of course, it could always be Perrin's ta'veren nature that makes him stronger in this way.
 
Now on to Perrin.  This scene will still make me cry when I read it.  It's so packed full of emotion.  It's funny to think about—I have a hard time remembering my first reading of the story—but Perrin could have been Robert Jordan's attempt at a red herring, as far as who the Dragon is.  At first, we think it could be Mat, due to his spouting of the Old Tongue.  But here, we get some references to Lews Therin:
 
 
So similar to Lews Therin's, "His children's faces accused him, blank eyes asking why, and his tears were no answer."
 
And Perrin's internal conflicts are what really make this story so enjoyable and re-readable.  His emotion is so real, that I am effected, even after the ninth time through.
 
Perrin is such a good, and honorable guy.  Mat is… well, Mat.  Rand becomes corrupted.  But Perrin stays true throughout the whole story.  I love his character so much, just by this book alone, that I didn't falter at all when he lost Faile.  Many readers hate him then, but you have to remember where that love came from.  This is where it formed, his desire to protect in any way possible.  And he loves Faile so much, naturally he would do anything and everything to help her.  He would have done anything and everything to help Egwene, even killing her with his own hands.  It sounds odd, but that is a love so true it makes my heart hurt.
 
On another emotional note, this is my first re-read after A Memory of Light.  So it's very sad when you get to the scene when Perrin and Egwene are hiding:
 
 
That's one promise he was not able to fulfill.  I wish, just once, they could have had a moment—besides the battle in tel'aran'rhiod fighting Masaana—to talk and see each other again.
 
That's all for this edition.  I could go on and on about my love for Perrin.  But I won't.  Join us next week for more of the Mat and Rand adventures.  Thanks for reading!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Weekly Roundup June 8-14

Hello again! I’m back after a long absence to once again start posting the Weekly Roundup. I’ve been busy moving from Houston to Phoenix, and now that I’m here, well… I’m ready to rock and roll!  And now on to what’s going on around Dragonmount this week:
 
First, in the Movies & Games board of the Entertainment Forum is a discussion on Dragon Age: Inquisition. If you are a fan of the series and are looking forward to this exciting new game, check this thread out. Or pop on over to the nearby thread and discuss this year’s E3!
 
In Shayol Ghul, this month is all about board games: Join in on a board game discussion, play board game hangman, or guess the board game.
 
In the White Tower and Warders, the Gray Ajah is hosting an amazing Picnic Midsummer festival! There are games, discussions, recipes, many things all about the summer picnic!
 
The Gray Ajah may be picnicking, but the Wolfkin are having a barbeque! Do you like to cook outdoors over an open flame? Know the difference between barbeque and grilling? Check out what the Wolfkin have to say on the subject!
 
Dragomount's yearly Wheel of Time Cage Match is about to start!  The battles will begin on June 29th, but in the mean time, read up on the competitors, play the Prediction Competition game, or get a special forum signature to show off your favorite character!
 
And now for an update from Dragonmount’s Facebook Page:
 

 
Remember, to continue getting excellent daily information about the Wheel of Time, Dragonmount, and other related topics from this awesome page, you must like, share, and comment on the posts by Dragonmount on Facebook, or it will not show up in your feed. You can also get information from Dragonmount’s Twitter profile.
 
One final thing before I leave you this week about the Hugo Awards:  You still have time to nominate and vote!
 
That wraps it up for this week! I hope you’ve had an excellent one and will see you next week for a new Weekly Roundup!
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

The Wheel Turns: Interview with Ascendency

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!It's fair to say that many of us with an interest in fantasy fiction will have some level of awareness of role-playing games--be they table top ones, probably most famous in the Dungeons and Dragons format--or even here on Dragonmount--we have our own Portal Stone Worlds, forums where people are encouraged to play "in character" set within an alternate Wheel of Time universe.

Today, however, we are going to look at a slightly different take on the role playing game, and better still, a slightly different take on the Wheel of Time universe.To be short and sweet, our editor of the Front Page Blogs, Mashiara, has interviewed Ascendency, who runs a little project called the First Age. I can't explain better than Ascendency myself what it is, so here is the interview in full.  




So there you have it! I hoped that sparked your interest and you take a look at what they have to offer! It certainly does sound like an unusual and interesting experience. Here is a link to their main website: The First Age.  That's all for now! Have fun!Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

The Wheel Turns: A Disney Game of Thrones

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
 
Every so often you come across something a little different. This week I have done so and decided to share it with you, confident that there are those of you out there who will appreciate it, although it is not my usual cup of tea.
 
Deviantart user nandomendonssa has done quite a few interesting "mashups" of Game of Thrones characters drawn in Disney style. I know that a fair few readers here on Dragonmount that enjoy Disney, and probably even more that enjoy Game of Thrones, so I hope that you'll find them interesting. They are very well done in my opinion.
 
Below you can find the ones he has done so far, but keep an eye on the link above as I believe more are being added as time goes by.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
If anyone out there has skills even similar to these, we demand Wheel of Time mashups! It doesn't matter what style but more Wheel of Time art is always a good thing. They can be published in our Fan Art Friday blog!
 
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn