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Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: December 18-24, 2011

The holidays are upon us! As a result, your friendly neighborhood front page bloggers are going to be on hiatus from writing our regularly featured articles during the week of December 25-31. We hope that none of you experience withdrawal symptoms next week.
 
If you enjoyed last week's theory blog about Logain, visit our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum to speculate further about his future glory. I strongly recommend reading the theory blog first, since Despothera gave us plenty of interesting ideas to consider.
 
The holiday season is a popular time for movie releases. Which new films are you most likely to see this December? Visit our Movies Discussion forum and let us know.
 
If you've stopped by the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild lately, you may have noticed a thread about an opportunity to design the base of the prestigious Hugo Award trophy. Yes, you will have to enter a competition in order to do this, but there is still time to enter, and it is a fantastic way to get your name out there as an artist.
 
If you are a member of the Shayol Ghul Social Group and want to help its leaders make it the best group it can be, report here and give them your feedback. You'll even get points for doing this!
 
The Wolfkin Social Group wants to hear all about Christmas from you. What was the best present you ever received?
 
Rumors of Trollocs that are too close for comfort lead some sisters of the Green Ajah to abruptly leave the White Tower. See where this role play, Rumors Outside the Shining Walls, takes these brave women.
 
As always, if you want to keep up with us over the holiday break, keep an eye on our Twitter, Facebook, and Google + accounts. Happy holidays, everyone!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Thursdays with Tynaal: Wheel of Time Christmas Gifts

It's that time of the year again, and you are probably rushing to the store to try and find the perfect gift for that special someone. Well, does that special someone like the Wheel of Time? If so, then I suggest your search stops here. In some of my previous articles, I have discussed Wheel of Time jewelry, clothing, and weaponry. Those would be a good place to start.
 
Other than getting a Great Serpent Ring, an Asha'man's Dragon Pin, or a Wheel of Time shirt, you can buy an adorable Barbie-sized Accepted dress for your daughter or a stuffed animal version of a Corlm or Torm. All of those are available at Arafel's Dreams. A classic present for an aspiring Aes Sedai is naturally a shawl in the color of her Ajah. I suggest Elishafaerie's Workbasket, or you can head to your nearest tailor and have them make one for you! Last but not least, a great gift idea for those who have not yet read or not completed the Wheel of Time series would be buying the actual books or audiobooks.
 
At most of the places I listed, you can get awesome specials or discounts on shipping, seeing as we are in the holiday season. So, I suggest that this year, don't be boring and get normal jewelry or a box of chocolates. Think out of the box and buy something fantasy themed and unique for your loved ones.
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

Fan Art Friday: Dragonmount's Gallery II

I had a hard time this week settling on a theme for Fan Art Friday. I'm fried from grad school, and it's the end of the semester at work too. (For those who don't know, I work at a small, private school for kids with autism spectrum disorders. My day is not boring.) So, instead of beating my head against the wall, I'm just going to browse Dragonmount's Gallery and see what folks have uploaded recently.
 

 
And immediately, I am rewarded! Check out this beautiful black and white digital sketch by Mandersen. This is such a great depiction of Mat and Tuon, and their courtship throughout Crossroads of Twilight and Knife of Dreams are some of my favorite scenes in the series. Well done.
 

 
Ooh. I really like this version of Moiraine by Zephyrus. The textures and shading on this one really bring it to life. Those are such small details, but they matter so much.
 

 
Here's a really nice painting of Egwene al'Vere by KatrinSedai. I don't usually picture Egwene wearing a slinky, off the shoulder number like this, but other than that, it's a very well done piece. The eyes are very striking, which I think is perfect. Egwene's eyes are her most frequently mentioned physical feature. KatrinSedai nailed that.
 
And speaking of browsing...Did you know there used to be a Wheel of Time collectible card game? And did you know that we have high res images of all 500 cards in our gallery? If you've got a free hour or two, you should check it out.
JenniferL
JenniferL

Podcast: #109 – The 4th Age Podcast – Towers of Midnight Read-through – Ch. 1-3

<p>Our Towers of Midnight read-through and commentary continues in the 109th episode of The 4th Age Podcast. Your hosts for this episode are Andrew, Virginia, and Spencer.</p><p>Chapter 1 – Apples First
Chapter 2 – Questions of Leadership
Chapter 3 – The Amyrlin’s Anger</p><p>(This episode, like most of our talks, is chock full of spoilers if you haven’t read Towers of Midnight yet!) <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Warning: SPOILER ALERT!</span></strong></p><p>Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dragonmount.com" target="_blank">Dragonmount.com</a> for forums, comments, and all the latest news in the Wheel of Time world.</p><p><strong>ATTENTION! THERE ARE TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS</strong> in this podcast! Also, spoilers on ALL the other books are VERY likely! If you haven’t read all the way through the Wheel of Time, <strong>THERE WILL BE SPOILERS</strong> of all previous books! There may be spoilers of other book series, tv series, and movies as well, too, or anything ELSE we can think of in the known and unknown universe...We will try to give warning. We can give no guarantees, however.</p><p>Hosts: Andrew, Virginia
Editor for this episode: Ken S.
Editor-in-Chief: Spencer</p><p><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-109.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></p><p>A HUGE thanks to all our editors, past and present, from all of us here! We couldn’t make this happen without your help and technical expertise.</p><p><strong>We are in need of editing help</strong>; we have over a dozen podcasts recorded that just need to be edited. Please contact Spencer at <a title="Email the Podcast" href="mailto:podcast@dragonmount.com" target="_blank">podcast@dragonmount.com</a> if you are interested in volunteering.</p><p>Music by: Josh Needleman. His website is <a title="Josh Needleman" href="http://www.joshneedleman.net/" target="_blank">www.joshneedleman.net</a> and he has the music available to hear on his MySpace page at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshneedleman" target="_blank">www.myspace.com/joshneedleman</a> Its title is <em>Floodgate</em>. Thanks, Josh!</p><p><a href="../../Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-109.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/4thAge/~4/8Qejvg5MntE" height="1" width="1"/>
Tialin
Tialin

It Works in Theory: A Halo of Gold and Blue

Aloha, my learned lodgers of Dragonmount! Welcome back to "It Works in Theory," the blog that won't stop swinging, even long after the bell has been rung and the punching bag has thrown in the towel. I hope everyone didn't miss me too much; the Bahamas ended up being a blast and I'm rested and refreshed, ready to deliver some more insights and ponderings your way. I think my fingers might need that extra bounce in their step today to go back to old form and produce a good ol' extra long yarn for your enjoyment. So kick back, spread on your sunscreen, and get yourself a tropical style beverage to enjoy for this week's entry! But first, let's go ahead and satisfy the legal department and get our disclaimer out of the way:
 

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!!


 
This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! I'd like to direct your attention to the front of the blog as I demonstrate the various safety features of this particular vehicle. We suggest you keep your seatbelts fastened in the event of turbulence, or if the captain goes off on one of his particularly sketchy flights of fancy. Emergency exits are located at the front and back of the blog, but your captain requests that you remember to comment before trying to leap to safety. In the event of decompression, oxygen masks will appear before you; unfortunately, you may not see the bags inflate as the captain already had all the air go to his head before I began this speech. Electronic devices are not permitted during the blog's passage to wherever it is we're going; however, abacuses and slide rulers are allowed. Tray tables may be folded out at any time to allow you to headdesk when you feel appropriate. Thank you, and enjoy the flight!
 
Alright, let's go ahead and get crackin! This week, we will be discussing...(drumroll please)...Logain's glory! I have been wanting to cover this topic for quite some time, as the Black Tower is not just the Dragonmount Social Group I am a part of, it's also one of the organizations in the Wheel of Time series that I am most fascinated with, and Logain is a key individual in that organization. It seems many fans of the series have been drawn into the storyline and characters surrounding the Black Tower in particular, perhaps because of those fancy dragon pins (which you can purchase replicas of in our store); it might even have something to do with that whole channeling the One Power business.
 
Without a doubt, Logain has attracted his share of fans as the series has gone on, as he has played the primary protagonist in the Black Tower's storyline for several books. Rand, of course, is off being too busy being the Dragon Reborn and doing Dragon Rebornish type stuff, so is unable to pay the home for male channelers the attention it deserves. Sadly, he left the psychotic Mazrim Taim in charge in his stead, which has created several hardships for Logain and his followers. Yet we have known for several books that glory is in Logain's future, and that has kept us following his story arc very closely in the hopes of figuring out what that glory might end up being.
 
 
Min's vision of Logain definitely sets the stage for him to achieve some kind of epic redemption in the series' conclusion. The most obvious explanation for what this glory could turn out to be would be a confrontation with Mazrim Taim in the Black Tower. There has been a division between the two for quite some time now, with each gathering their own share of followers. Taim has had the upper hand for quite some time, though, and an impressive advantage at that. He is the M'Hael, so is considered to be on a higher level than Logain. He trains his group of cronies in his own secret classes, which seem to have drastic results on the abilities of those he trains (this possibly could be because of linking with Black Ajah members--it's stated that training can be enhanced or sped up by linking with a female channeler).
 
Even worse, Taim seems to have gained a nasty ability in being able to convert channelers to the Shadow using the circle of thirteen Dreadlords and thirteen Myrddraal trick that Egwene first learned of during her Acceptance test in The Dragon Reborn. Taim has more than likely already used this gruesome ritual in converting Mezar, once one of Logain's most loyal followers, to his side. Needless to say, the odds are stacked so high against Logain's favor that should he somehow come out on top during a confrontation with Taim, it would be glorious indeed.
 
I know y'all wouldn't be happy if I left it at that, however, so let's go ahead and explore other possibilities. One rather obscure idea that I've heard tossed around has to do with someone who apparently might have known Logain even before he was originally captured and gentled.
 
 
That comes all the way from the first book, yet we never hear of how Lan might know Logain. Lan is definitely not one to openly divulge about anything he doesn't have to' however, so that doesn't mean this excerpt isn't worth noting. As of Towers of Midnight, Lan had prepared an army out of random surviving Malkieri and was preparing to charge to his doom in order to avenge the eradication of his kingdom. Perhaps Logain hears of this at some point in the last book, and remembers a deep connection or debt to the stony-faced Warder and Travels to his rescue with a mini-army of Asha'man with him to help destroy however many countless thousands of Shadowspawn await Lan.
 
The next thing that comes to mind which I have heard mentioned a few times is the possibility of Logain taking the mantle of leadership from Rand, possibly after Rand either dies or stages his own death. This definitely doesn't seem far-fetched, especially considering the dream that Egwene had concerning Logain:
 
 
Something that stands out to me personally about this quote is how it mentions Logain mounting a black stone; this sounds like the black stone that Taim and Rand stand on to address the Asha'man. This helps lend further support to the idea of Logain being the one who deposes Taim, and not Rand. Moreover, though, it might signify Logain taking the general mantle of leadership of Rand's armies from Rand if he does end up dying, at least until Rand is resurrected somehow. The laughing part does perplex me somewhat; it seems more like something a madman would do, there's nothing to indicate that Logain is crazy, and with saidin cleansed, the Taint will no longer corrupt him. Perhaps he's laughing because he's in on the charade of Rand's death?
 
Another idea that seems to have a lot of merit to me has to do with the subject I brought up in my last blog: The Amyrlin's Anger. The idea is that the White Tower and the Black Tower will be joined after/during the Last Battle, and that instead of Rand becoming the "Tamyrlin," it would be Logain taking the helm of both male and female channelers, or at least the male side of the "Gray" Tower. There's actually a line of the Karaethon Prophecy which might be referring to this event occuring:
 
 
The forgotten sign would of course be the ancient sign of the Aes Sedai. Logain was exalted at one point as a false Dragon, but could be raised up as Tamyrlin (it's also possible the one cast down was Elaida, when she was captured as a damane). The last line, "Order burns to clear his path," might possibly have something to do with Elaida's Foretelling of the Black Tower being "rent in blood and fire." The last thing I'll mention about possible ways Logain's glory becomes revealed has to do with the possibility that after all is said and done, Logain ends up getting some of the credit for Rand's accomplishments himself, or maybe even ends up as being considered the Dragon Reborn years later after memory has become legend, and legend has faded into myth. I'll come back to that thought later.
 
To be honest, this week's topic ended up becoming slightly frustrating for me to write about. That's only because, after countless hours researching and musing on various possibilities, I really couldn't pick one that stood out to me any more than the others! They all seem somewhat likely to me, and honestly, it seems to me that his glory will most likely be attained through several avenues, not just one. However, I'm never settled with a blog of mine unless I feel it has at least one idea that makes it POP, something which hopefully introduces some excitement in some of my readers as they consider something which they might never have thought of before. Eventually, I found what I was looking for, and the funny thing is it doesn't necessarily have to do with what glory Logain ends up achieving, but why he might have been destined for glory in the first place.
 
Let me first say that this wasn't my original idea; in fact, I have stolen it from the same person I "borrowed" another idea or two from for my blogs in the past. Terez wrote an article entitled Rand's New Sword that discusses the background and origin of the new sword Rand has been seen carrying around the past couple of books. The sword has been all but confirmed as being Justice, Artur Hawkwing's sword from a millenia before. Artur Hawkwing inherited the sword, in fact, from the same man whose defeat helped propel Artur Paendrag to the lofty position he held for decades: Guaire Amalasan. Just to refresh your memory, Guaire Amalasan is the man who proclaimed himself the Dragon Reborn a thousand years before Rand, and started what came to be known as the War of the Second Dragon. At the bottom of the article Terez wrote, she includes something she describes as a theory "from the loony bin," which is, of course, my favorite variety. She presupposes that Logain might actually be Guaire Amalasan reborn.
 
There's actually a lot of evidence to support this "loony" theory. First of all, it should be pointed out that Logain, in spite of the fact that he is essentially Rand's lieutenant, is in fact very independent and almost defiant at times towards Rand al'Thor. He never comes out and says that Rand is the Dragon Reborn, although Taim points it out himself rather eloquently. He almost still seems to believe that he is the Dragon Reborn, and even when Rand tells him how he cleansed saidin, Logain does not believe him, thinking instead that the Taint was removed as a mercy of the Creator.
 
One facet of this theory I really love is the idea that Logain might in fact have his own fractured psyche; a voice which talks to him as if he were a separate person. Rand had the voice of Lews Therin Telamon in his head for the majority of the series, a voice which several times made him question his own sanity. During question and answer sessions, Robert Jordan suggested that the voice developed because of the amount of the One Power that Rand channels, that the fracturing of his psyche came about due to exposure from the Taint. Logain is able to hold nearly as much saidin as Rand can and has been channeling for a good bit longer, so it's possible that he might in fact have the same condition. We've never had a point of view from Logain to confirm this, but we do have this little tidbit from the aftermath of Semirhage's initial attack on Rand when he believes he is to be meeting with the Daughter of the Nine Moons in Knife of Dreams:
 
 
It is a somewhat amusing coincidence about the Wheel of Time that anytime you see Robert Jordan describe someone's face as unreadable, it actually means there's a lot to be read from it. Logain's reaction, or rather his controlled absence of an outward reaction, could indicate that what he was hearing sounded very familiar, for he hears the voice of his own past self, Guaire Amalasan. There's also the strange thing mentioned in passing when Min, Siuan, Leane, and Logain are traveling on the lam after escaping the White Tower:
 
 
Logain wants to use the name of a false Dragon for his surname while they are doing everything they can to avoid notice from the White Tower. That's somewhat risky of a move, to say the least.
 
Logain and Guaire are also described in a similar manner, both having a striking gaze and being able to lead by pure charisma, instead of being natural orators. They both favor learning skill with the sword, instead of just relying on their ability to channel the One Power. They're both great strategic generals; Logain had already had some major conquests on the battlefield before being captured by six Aes Sedai, which also happens to be the number of Aes Sedai that captured Guaire when Artur Hawkwing's army had engaged his. In fact, Logain was captured when he was on his way to Tear; Guaire had been sweeping through the westlands conquering nation after nation when his surge slowed down somewhat after sieging Tear. Thirty Aes Sedai helped to fend him and his army off, which is strange considering the attitude that Tear has had towards Aes Sedai for so long.
 
The last piece of evidence I would like to raise is beautiful in both its simplicity and in the way that Robert Jordan could have potentially been setting it up as foreshadowing. Let's examine the vision Min has of Logain once again:
 
 
And again after he frees Siuan, Leane, and Min from their sentence from Davram Bashere:
 
 
When Rand encounters Logain again in Lord Algarin's manor house, Logain seems to have adopted a new sigil:
 
 
Then we have Guaire Amalasan's banner, described to us not in the books but in a guide to the books, entitled The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time:
 
 
Later in that same chapter we get a description of Artur Hawkwing's sigil and the banner of the nation he represented (bear with me, last quote):
 
 
It looks to be that Logain remembers Hawkwing from his past life, and perhaps after an entire campaign of battling against the great captain developed a profound respect for the man, and now in his new life pays tribute to him with his new sigil. Either way, the connection between Logain and Guaire at this point seems a good bit less loony to me than it did before, and if Logain Ablar is in fact Guaire Amalasan reborn, there is actually good reason for him to possibly end up getting credit for some of Rand's accomplishments: He may not be THE Dragon Reborn, but he could be a false Dragon, reborn. And if he achieves glory and power, yet uses it to aid the Light in defeating the Shadow in Tarmon Gai'don, who's to say that he shouldn't get part of the credit in the end?
 
Until next week. Thank you for all your comments and compliments. I hope you keep enjoying my blog as I continue to enjoy writing it for you!
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: December 11-17, 2011

Welcome back, festive fans! We've had a lot of things happening on both the front page and the forums lately, so be sure to peruse everything when you get a chance.
 
Those of you who have been following our front page and forums know that iconic fantasy artist Darrell K. Sweet has passed away. We continue to reminisce about him in our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum. Feel free to stop by and pay your respects.
 
If you enjoy trying to predict who will survive the Last Battle, stop by our A Memory of Light Non Spoiler Discussion forum. Take the poll and see what others think.
 
The December Challenge in the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild is all about Extravagance! Let's see how you can capture this concept in your artistic medium of choice.
 
The Kin Social Group has numerous December activities planned. Check this thread for more information about such events as their party every day threads, Christmas card exchange, and Great Tree, among others.
 
The Aiel Social Group is discussing holiday traditions and celebrations from around the world. Come learn about the traditions from other cultures and share some of your own.
 
Our role players seem to enjoy writing about naughty novices. Check out the outcome of the latest novice prank in Unfortunate Meeting.
 
It's a Darkfriend hunt! See what our role players uncover in Information Gathering.
 
We just added gold plated bronze Asha'man pins to our Dragonmount store. They'd make great stocking stuffers. For more up-to-date information similar to this, keep an eye on our Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ accounts.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Podcast: #108 – The 4th Age Podcast – Towers of Midnight Read-through – Prologue

<p>We begin our Towers of Midnight read-through and commentary in the 108th episode of The 4th Age Podcast. Your hosts for this episode are Andrew and Virginia.</p><p>(This episode, like most of our talks, is chock full of spoilers if you haven’t read Towers of Midnight yet!) <strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">Warning:  SPOILER ALERT!</span></strong></p><p>Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dragonmount.com" target="_blank">Dragonmount.com</a> for forums, comments, and all the latest news in the Wheel of Time world.</p><p><strong>ATTENTION! THERE ARE TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS</strong> in this podcast! Also, spoilers on ALL the other books are VERY likely! If you haven’t read all the way through the Wheel of Time, <strong>THERE WILL BE SPOILERS</strong> of all previous books! There may be spoilers of other book series, tv series, and movies as well, too, or anything ELSE we can think of in the known and unknown universe…. We will try to give warning. We can give no guarantees, however.</p><p>Hosts: Andrew, Virginia
Editor for this episode: Richard F.
Editor-in-Chief: Spencer</p><p><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-108.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></p><p>A HUGE thanks to all our editors, past and present, from all of us here! We couldn’t make this happen without your help and technical expertise.</p><p><strong>We are in need of editing help</strong>; we have over a dozen podcasts recorded already that lack only editing. Please contact Spencer at <a title="Email the Podcast" href="mailto:podcast@dragonmount.com" target="_blank">podcast@dragonmount.com</a> if you are interested in volunteering.</p><p>Music by: Josh Needleman. His website is  <a title="Josh Needleman" href="http://www.joshneedleman.net/" target="_blank">www.joshneedleman.net</a> and he has the music available to hear on his MySpace page at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshneedleman" target="_blank">www.myspace.com/joshneedleman</a> Its title is <em>Floodgate</em>. Thanks, Josh!</p><p><a href="../../Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-108.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/4thAge/~4/Ty7LhXKck5E" height="1" width="1"/>
Tialin
Tialin

Christmas Cheer from Ta'veren Tees

Our friends at Ta'veren Tees have plenty of goodies in store for the holiday season! They have lovingly crafted a Wheel of Time ornament that you can buy now. You can even get it for free with a $40+ purchase and a coupon code. For more information on how to take advantage of that offer, follow the ornament link I provided above.
 
Starting on December 9th, you can also take part in their "The Twelve Tees of Christmas" sale. A different shirt will be on sale for each of the twelve days of the event. Keep an eye on the site to see when your favorite shirt is for sale!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Fan Art Friday: Appreciating Darrell Sweet

It was with shock and sadness that we marked the passing of Darrell K. Sweet this week. While I usually focus this blog on fan artists, this seemed like a good opportunity to spend some time looking at Sweet's work.
 
Sweet was an extraordinarily prolific artist. In his hey-day, he was the go-to guy for fantasy illustration. His book covers have been a part of my life, even before the Wheel of Time. His style was distinctive and eye catching. When he was a guest at Dragon*Con 2005, he told us that he considered his covers to be "billboards" for the books and wanted them to be visible from across a bookstore. Tor commissioning Sweet for The Wheel of Time was a mark of how much they wanted it to succeed, much as it was that they asked Michael Whelan to do the cover for Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings last year.
 

 
We've all taken our share of cracks at "Romance Novel Rand" on this cover, but one of the things we overlook is the sense of grand scale this painting evokes. Sweet used lots of big, bold brush strokes on this one. There's a lot of movement and lurid colors used to bring a sense of the wreckage after Dumai's Wells. Sure, there's some weird details like the random Draghkar flying overhead, but the overall tone fits the book pretty well.
 

 
This is probably my favorite of all Sweet's covers. Put your inner fanboy away and ignore the Trollocs-are-just-dudes-with-horned-helmets for a minute. This perfectly matches how I picture Rhuidean. And this depiction of Mat has become iconic, repeated endlessly across fanart. Sweet was spot on here.
 

 
For most of us, this was our first encounter with The Wheel of Time. For me, it was seeing this book cover on the kitchen counter when I was in the sixth grade. My mom is also a fantasy fan and bought the first three books for me, thinking it was the complete series. Ha ha. Anyway, this cover drew us in and made us open that book. Who is this woman on a horse? And what's up with that samurai looking dude? Read and find out.
 
So, what's up with all the hate? Why do we bag on Sweet's art so much? (And believe me, I've made my share of cracks too.) There's a couple reasons, I think. The first and biggest, I think, is that this is the Internet. Internet people love to hate things. I don't know why. But complaining about things on the Internet is just a thing. We all do it. Second, as the fantasy market matured, Sweet's lurid, outsized style became dated. A more realistic style became popular, Sweet got older, and his work started to slip. Put all these together, and you get a climate where it seems like Sweet is the guy we love to hate.
 
But consider this: Despite all the bashing, Sweet was still considered one of the top illustrators up until his death. Brandon Sanderson posted an excellent essay about his influence on illustration. He was nominated for a Hugo award in 1983, he was scheduled to be the Artist Guest of Honor for the upcoming WorldCon in 2013, and was nominated for a lifetime achievement award this year by the Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists. These are not small honors.
 
If you'd like to look at more Darrell Sweet's art, we have a complete gallery of his Wheel of Time covers here. He also did some of the cards for the WoT CCG ten years ago. And you can see more of his art on his official website (along with his son, artist Darrell R. Sweet). He did lots of Western art, which is displayed there.
 
Thank you for your work, Darrell. May the last embrace of the Mother welcome you home.
JenniferL
JenniferL

Thursdays with Tynaal: Interview with Jason Denzel

So, I finally got myself a victim to interview again. To be honest, Jason Denzel turned out to be quite different from what I imagined. I thought he'd be aloof and cold, but he is so friendly and open with a great sense of humor. Other than sharing that experience, I say, read the interview and make up your own mind about him.
 
Q: What do you do in Real Life to earn your crust?
 
A: I have a full-time job with Cisco Systems located in San Jose, CA. I work in escalation support for one of their enterprise server products. This basically means I work with broken web servers every day...something I'm very familiar with due to Dragonmount's notorious server history. (sigh) I've been doing this job for about 10 years now, and enjoy it a lot. What's nice about it is that I've learned to find a very healthy balance with that work which allows me to do things like filmmaking and Dragonmount in the evenings and weekends.
 
 
Q: You have a wife and two children, right? Why did your wife not let you call one Rand?
 
A: Heh. Yes, I have two little boys, Aidan and Andrew, ages 6 and 3, respectively. They both have red hair from their mother's side. My wife Jennifer (not Jennifer Liang, as others have wondered before) told me outright that I could not name our kids Rand, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, Luke, Leia, etc. And she wouldn't allow the name "Mat" with only one "t". I don't know why she didn't like those names. They're awesome. She hasn't read the books, so that must be why. ;-)
 
I was, however, allowed to name our dog after a character....but only if it was the dog's middle name. So, our dog's full name is Lucy Min Denzel.
 
 
Q: Have you started your children on the Wheel of Time, or if they are too young still, will you once they are old enough?
 
A: They're still too young. When they get older I don't want to force it down their throats. But I suspect that they'll have an interest. Before he died, Robert Jordan even signed one of his advanced reading copies to Aidan, my older son.
 
 
Q: What inspired you to start Dragonmount, and what can you tell us about its beginnings?
 
A: The original idea for Dragonmount came about in 1998 when I was looking to talk to somebody about the books. I was away at college and really wanted to discuss theories and other aspects of the story with somebody. I looked around online but was unable to find a community that was very welcoming to newbies. So instead of giving up or forcing my way in, I decided to create my own. The original DM was pretty ugly, but I tried to create a warm atmosphere for people to enjoy.
 
Another fun tidbit about the early site was that I used to play in a lot of online gaming clans. So, the idea for the "Organizations" (now called Social Groups) came from the concept of clans. I hoped that the Orgs would compete and have fun in different sorts of friendly competitions. That exists today, but they really took on a life of their own.
 
 
Q: In what other ways have you been/are you involved in the Wheel of Time fan community?
 
A: You mean other than LAUNCHING the largest fan community? Heh.
 
In truth, I am involved in just about anything that has to do with the Wheel of Time. I've been to all the big conventions which feature the Wheel of Time. I was the Toastmaster for the 1st JordanCon in 2009, and I've been to Dragon*Con twice. I'm actively working and advising the film producers for the Eye of the World movie adaptation. There's SO MUCH going on there but I simply cannot talk about it....yet. The producers are very interested in what the fans think and want, and they largely look to me for that input and expertise.
 
I talk to Brandon Sanderson on a regular basis about his progress on A Memory of Light, and sometimes look up obscure facts for him if Team Jordan is currently unavailable. (For instance, if he's writing at 2 AM, he knows he can send me a text message and ask for a page reference regarding Jak of the Shadows and I usually get back to him pretty quickly). Again, I can't say much about some of my contributions, but I'm proud of the fact that some small slivers of the Wheel of Time saga came in part from me.
 
I give advice to Tor's art department on all the book covers, including the ebooks that came out last year. I've also worked with their editors and executives on discussing the book and how to market certain aspects of it.
 
Along with Jenn Liang, we came up with the idea for the Storm Leaders and Tower Guards, and run those programs in conjunction with Tor. From what I understand, no other publisher has given fans an opportunity like that before.
 
 
Q: How has the Wheel of Time influenced your life?
 
A: That's a big question. Not a day goes by when I'm not working on the website, managing relationships with Tor, or Audible, or Amazon, or the Podcast team, taking orders from our online store, or just answering emails from fans. The Wheel of Time has challenged me to learn new skills, and improve my existing ones. Because of the Wheel of Time, I don't simply have a day job at a tech company. I have a side "hobby" which has allowed me to travel the country, make presentations to influential New York executives, create compelling films, and sit next to well-known authors at book signings.
 
And, of course, I've met a ton of amazing people, including some of my dearest friends.
 
Picking up that old copy of The Eye of the World was one of the smartest things I ever did.
 
 
Q: Do you have any Wheel of Time related fan articles that you are proud to have, be it a tattoo or a special something from the Man himself?
 
A: I own a ridiculous amount of WoT-related collectibles. I own signed 1st edition hardcovers for every book, all personalized by Robert Jordan, Harriet, and/or Brandon. I have an original manuscript page from The Eye of the World with Harriet's hand-written editorial notes on it. This page is framed and kept next to an original manuscript page from The Gathering Storm that Harriet also made comments on. The page from The Eye of the World shows Rand meeting Ba'alzamon for the first time in the dark palace with the fireplace. The page from The Gathering Storm shows Rand meeting Moridin in the same location. The tone of the scenes is the same, and most interestingly, the editorial comments from Harriet are the same! Both Robert Jordan and Brandon used the same language, and Harriet corrected them both in the same way. You can read more about this framed piece on my personal website.
 
 
Q: What would you tell a new (or even slightly older) member who finds you up beyond their reach? I mean, you seem like a very down to earth person, and I can imagine how having people who look up to you all the time and might even find you a bit scary could prove to be strenuous.
 
A: Just email me. I'm really not a scary guy. Actually, I'm probably "too nice". I love hearing from people. Even if you don't have a question but just want to say hi, feel free to drop me a line: Jason@dragonmount.com. I'm also on Facebook and Twitter (@jasondenzel).
 
 
Q: Favorite nation?
 
A: Malkier.
 
 
Q: Favorite character?
 
A: Rand.
 
 
Q: Favorite Darkfriend?
 
A: Demandred.
 
 
Q: Ale or wine?
 
A: Beer. Stout.
 
 
Q: Egwene, Min, Aviendha, or Elayne?
 
A: Ugh. Like I could decide! But that said...Min.
 
 
Q: If you were a Warder in the Tower, which Aes Sedai would you bond?
 
A: I'd weave a bond around the Amyrlin.
 
 
Q: Anything else you would like to tell the visitors on Dragonmount?
 
A: THANK YOU! Every single person who visits Dragonmount demonstrates how my efforts are worth it. I've put so many hours of my life into this website, and to the franchise in general, that it's impossible to track. Just knowing that people enjoy it and benefit from it makes a huge difference to me. It's why I keep doing it.
 
I'd also like to encourage people to check out my personal site, JasonDenzel.com, along with my Facebook or Twitter (@jasondenzel) accounts. As WoT winds down, I'm finding myself more and more involved in developing my own fictional worlds and stories. I'm hoping to maybe one day publish a novel, and I certainly plan to release more fantasy-themed films.
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

In Memory of Darrell K. Sweet

Darrell K. Sweet, the artist who painted the U.S. book covers to fourteen Wheel of Time novels, has passed away. He was 77 years old.
 
Mr. Sweet's artwork has graced the covers of hundreds of novels, magazines, and other mediums. An icon of the industry, Darrell became widely celebrated in the 1980's, into the 90's. His style and colorful renderings set the standard for the industry at the time. At the time of his passing, Mr. Sweet was actively working on the book cover for A Memory of Light, the final Wheel of Time novel. It remains unfinished, and it is currently unclear as to whether or not we will ever see it.
 
On a personal note, the highest compliment I can give Mr. Sweet is that his artwork led me to read Robert Jordan's books. I was transfixed by the cover to The Dragon Reborn where Rand is reaching for Callandor. So captivated by this cover, I purchased the previous two novels just so that I would get a chance to read the third book with that great cover. It's quite possible that had it not been for that cover, I would never have read the series which has so heavily impacted my life. Thank you, Darrell, for inspiring me, and so many others.
 
Other Links:

Tor.com's tribute to Darrell K. Sweet
Darrell K. Sweet's official website
Discuss his passing on our forums
Article in Locus magazine
Article on File 770
Brandon Sanderson's Blog
Article on A Dribble of Ink

 
Here's most of Darrell K. Sweet's published Wheel of Time artwork. (Click each one to see it in our gallery)
 

src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_1425.jpg' alt='The Eye Of The World' width="400" border="1" />  
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_246972.jpg' alt='The Great Hunt' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_298959.jpg' alt='The Dragon Reborn' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_644007.jpg' alt='The Shadow Rising' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_134354.jpg' alt='The Fires Of Heaven' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_12382.jpg' alt='Lord Of Chaos' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_718837.jpg' alt='A Crown Of Swords' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_193996.jpg' alt='The Path Of Daggers' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_198465.jpg' alt='Winters Heart' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_74367.jpg' alt='Crossroads Of Twilight' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_250091.jpg' alt='Knife Of Dreams' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_832981.png' alt='The Gathering Storm' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_342879.jpeg' alt='Towers of Midnight.jpeg' width="400" border="1" />
 
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_50363.jpg' alt='New Spring' width="400" border="1" />
 
And just for fun, here's one more image Darrell did for Dragon magazine years ago:
src='http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_152/gallery_2_152_670694.jpg' alt='Perrin Aybarra: Dragon magazine print cover' width="400" border="1" />

Jason Denzel
Jason Denzel

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: December 4-10, 2011

Happy December, faithful readers! I hope the start of this month has been joyous rather than chaotic for you.
 
In your opinion, what were the top five fantasy books of 2011? Visit our General Discussion forum and share your thoughts.
 
Our thread on HBO's Game of Thrones is still going strong. If you want to join the hype, come to our TV Show & Sports Discussion forum.
 
The Aiel Social Group's Wasteland Auction that I told you about two weeks ago has finally begun! Remember, you don't need points or money to play, but bring your honor.
 
It's time to submit games for the Black Tower Social Group's December Shockwave Competition. You have until December 24th or so to submit games, then voting will commence.
 
The Wolfkin Social Group is hosting a December Competition. Who can design the best snowflakes?
 
The A Bit of Tea on the Dark Side role play is still continuing. Come catch up with the Black Ajah!
 
The drawing to get your name into A Memory of Light recently closed. We'd like to thank everyone who participated.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Sneak Peek at Volume 2 of The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel

You may remember us reporting on The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel here. As mentioned before, the story will unfold over several graphic novel volumes. Volume 2 will be released on June 19, 2012.
 
Even though the second volume will not be released for several months, Tor Books has kindly allowed us to give you a sneak peek at the cover art and two sample pages from the graphic novel. We would like to thank them for their generosity. You can find the cover art to the side of this article. Here are the two sample pages:
 

 

 
Enjoy!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Thursdays with Tynaal: Our Role Playing Groups

Hey there!
 
So, the last time that I told you a little about our boards here on Dragonmount, it was all about the Social Groups. Now we're going to have a look at the Role Playing Groups.
 
The first stop you should make if you wish to join a Role Playing Group or if you're looking for more information is the Welcome Inn. It contains stickied threads with information that is vital to your possible journey as a Role Player.
 
If you want to RP without the need to write up a whole biography for your character, you can use the Turnings of the Wheel: Revolution One board for that.
Your other option is to join a group and write a biography, which then has to be approved. You can begin writing after jumping through all the necessary hoops.
 
The different groups that you can join include the Band of the Red Hand, where you can join Mat's legendary fighting force and live the raucous life of a soldier. Then there's the Black Tower, where the Taint shall sing through the blood in your veins, or its opposite, the White Tower, at which you can fulfill your calling as an Aes Sedai. If you have ever wanted to live in the twisted mind of a Darkfriend, then the Congress of the Shadow is the perfect place for you. If you'd like to join those fighting the Shadow, there's always the Children of the Light or the Warders. Have you ever admired the senses of a wolf? Well, head over to the Wolfkin and give being one of them a go. Last, but not least, we have the Freelanders. Here you can be whatever you wish, be it Ogier, Aiel, Noble, or just some pickpocket finding their way.
 
Yes, there are some boards I haven't gotten to yet, but we're there now. The last lot of boards are the places where you actually role play. The board you play on is determined by where your plot happens. We have from the North to the South, and major places like the Farm for the Kin and the Citadel for the Children of the Light.
 
Now that NaNoWriMo is over, you need an outlet for your creative juices. So, why don't you give role playing a chance?
 
Also, if you don't want to miss the chance for your name to appear in A Memory of Light, get hopping and have a look at the JordanCon website. The competition ends today!
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

JordanCon Fundraiser Ending

Since October, JordanCon, Inc. has been offering Wheel of Time fans a final opportunity to become a named character in the series. Fans who donate $10 will have their names entered into a drawing to be included in the final installment, A Memory of Light. The final number of names that will be drawn is determined by Brandon Sanderson as dictated by the needs of the story. The fundraiser is set to end on Thursday, Dec. 1st.
 
So far, the fundraiser has raised nearly $35,000. While most of the money raised will go towards offsetting JordanCon's operating costs for the next several years, ten percent is being donated to JordanCon's official charity, the Mayo Clinc's amyloidosis research fund.
 
JordanCon is a fantasy literature convention founded in honor of the late author, Robert Jordan. Jordan was the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time series. JordanCon features four tracks of simultaneous programming, a Dealers Hall, and charity events benefiting the Mayo Clinic. Past guests have included Harriet McDougal, Brandon Sanderson, David Wong, Jana G. Oliver, David B. Coe, and Eugie Foster.
 
New to JordanCon this year will be the Art Show featuring art from a variety of fantasy and sci fi artists. Guests this year will include author Mary Robinette Kowal, artist Sam Weber, and Toastmaster Melissa Craib Dombrowski.
JenniferL
JenniferL

It Works in Theory: The Amyrlin's Anger

Calichniye, my cunning companions of Dragonmount! Welcome to another weekly installment of "It Works in Theory," Dragonmount's wild ride of a theory blog! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving last week, for those who celebrate it. For those who don't, I hope you found some other reason to stuff your belly (it's never hard for me to find a reason to do so). I'm sure everyone is anxious for me to continue with the second part of last week's blog...(crickets chirping), but I have one quick announcement: This week, I'll be venturing forth on a cruise with my newlywed wife, and as such, there's a good chance you might not see a blog from me for the following week. Fear not, though, for I will bounce back again completely relaxed and rejuvenated and should have oodles of new theories for you to masticate upon. And now, for our weekly disclaimer (does anyone actually read these?):
 

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!!


 
This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! "It Works in Theory" is a high velocity, roller coaster-type ride that includes sudden brief stops in hyperbole and sharp turns away from reason. Please secure all loose belongings and keep all attached and unattached limbs and body parts inside the blog at all times during the ride. Don't sway the cabin or rock the boat, that's my job. Due to the nature of the ride, guests with back and/or neck problems, expectant mothers, any who have recently had experimental non-FDA approved surgery, or anyone without an open mind or a sense of humor should not ride this blog.
 
As this is the second part of a two-part entry, I'll go ahead and review what we covered in last week's blog: The Gray Tower. It seems obvious to me that the White Tower and the Black Tower will not exist in the same way after both of their impending altercations. Many signs point to a joint organization being formed, a "Gray Tower," which would combine both of their forces and allow men and women to work together again using the One Power to help their world flourish after Tarmon Gai'don. This week, I'm going to cover exactly how that might occur. It seems like it might be a tall order after all, since the current leader of the Black Tower is an evil maniac, and the leader of the White Tower is somewhat biased regarding the sanity of male channelers. So, who would help these two groups come together to resolve their differences and work together?
 
Why, who else but the Dragon Reborn himself, Rand al'Thor?
 
Back in A Crown of Swords, Elaida a'Roihan had a Foretelling that seemed to assure her of her own control of the White Tower. She ended up drastically misinterpreting the Foretelling, but let's take another look at that vision of the future and see if we can glean more of what it really meant.
 
 
The White Tower ended up becoming whole again, only it was under Egwene as Amyrlin, not Elaida. The Black Tower section is part of why I think some kind of calamity will ensue there, which will cause the Asha'man to have to find a new home. The part in the middle, about Rand facing the Amyrlin Seat and knowing her anger, is what really interests me. Some suggest that this in fact has already happened, when Rand visited the White Tower in Towers of Midnight. After all, Egwene wasn't exactly happy to hear about Rand's plan to break the seals on the Dark One's prison. However, I don't think this to be the case, as she wasn't nearly as angry as she was awestruck by Rand; she sensed the profound change inside him. There's also another reason I don't think Rand has "known her anger"...yet.
 
 
So, in one of Egwene's Dreams, she sees Rand taking a woman's seat, and that woman being very upset with him. Could this mysterious woman in fact be the same woman whose anger Rand would be "gettin schooled" in from Elaida's Foretelling? In the Wheel of Time FAQ, they bring up the possibility that this has occured already as well. It's possible that this happened when Rand briefly sat on the Lion Throne after securing the rule of Andor later in the same book as the Dream. Morgase would be considered the rightful owner at the time, and she did become pretty upset with the thought of Rand taking her throne. Another possibility mentioned is that the chair is the Crystal Throne, but at this point I find this to be highly unlikely; I just don't think there's enough time in the series for Rand to visit the continent of Seanchan and rob it from Tuon. So, this dream of Egwene's could be a possible foreshadowing of Rand sitting in the Amyrlin Seat's seat itself, which would cause her to be extremely upset, of course.
 
There's one more piece of evidence that I wanted to cover, and it's a little less solid, but together with the other pieces, it does make the picture slightly clearer.
 
 
This quote is taken from the Jendai Prophecies. Many might look at the footwashing part mainly as flavor text that would mainly indicate Aes Sedai serving him, but keep in mind the odd ritual carried out during the ceremony of raising someone to the Amyrlin Seat:
 
 
First of all, let me state that the undressing portion of the ritual is extremely odd and is probably an example of why some have been heard to complain about a possible sexist feel to the series. Moving past that, though, you'll see the part of the ritual I was referring to before. If an Amyrlin is being raised and every Sitter doesn't stand for her, the would-be Amyrlin must go to every one of the Sitters and wash their feet, asking them to let her serve. This seems a little different than the scenario described in prophecy, but let's not forget that several rituals and traditions have changed greatly over the years. The Oath Rod itself, which is used to swear Aes Sedai in after achieving the Shawl, was used as a way of punishing criminals back in the Age of Legends. So, it could be that the ritual became skewed over time and ended up having the Amyrlin doing the footwashing, when originally they were the ones getting their feet washed.
 
A funny little footnote to this theory is the fact that Rand, being Lews Therin reborn, might even have an odd sort of claim to the Amyrlin Seat. After all, Lews Therin was the Amyrlin himself before he committed the most extreme version of hari-kari ever, and for all we know the laws of that time might not have made the Seat automatically pass to someone else upon the Amyrlin's death. In that case, Rand would simply state that he already was the Amyrlin, and proceed to start barking out orders like General George S. Patton, foregoing the whole footwashing business altogether.
 
So, what would cause Rand to do such a thing? Is it the Two Rivers young prankster side of him coming back out for a moment, stealing Egwene's chair for a second just to upset her? I doubt it, but I'm sure plenty of fans of the series wouldn't mind Egwene being brought down a peg or two (judging from the forums, Egwene appears to be an extremely polarizing figure). More than likely, the disaster that will befall the White Tower will end up being placed at Egwene's feet, since she has taken a large percentage of the defensive forces of the White Tower with her to the Fields of Merrilor in an attempt to convince Rand not to break the seals. It goes without saying (which is why I'm typing it) that the fall of Tar Valon would be a huge loss for the forces of Light, not to mention that several important items are being safeguarded there. Should the attack be comprised solely of Seanchan troops, then Tuon would have a powerful edge in negotiations between the two (Rand would likely end up buying the Horn off her with another trinket that would be immensely valuable to her, but that's a story for a future blog). Should the Horn end up being stolen by the forces of the Dark, it would be a very bleak day for Rand and friends indeed.
 
Rand obviously would be very upset at Egwene for committing such a grievous transgression, and combined with the fact that Egwene would more than likely oppose the idea of Asha'man joining the ranks of the White Tower, it might be enough to make him so upset that he temporarily commandeers the Seat in order to help force the Aes Sedai to accept their new peers. Don't forget about the Dream that I quoted in part 1 of this entry, in which Egwene saw the window across from the Amyrlin Seat that had the ancient symbol of Aes Sedai (The Dragon's Fang mixed with the Flame of Tar Valon, making a yin-yang like symbol); this symbol is said to be the symbol under which the Dragon Reborn conquers. Egwene has been dreaming of an important confronation with Rand for some time, and instead of it being over the breaking of the Seals like most of us believe, it could in fact be a confrontation over the leadership of the new "Gray Tower" itself.
 
I have two more things to mention before I go. First, I'll ask you to please be nice when adding comments for this week's blog. As I mentioned before, Egwene can be a particularly polarizing figure, and if you have certain strong feelings about her, just try your best to keep it respectful. Second, I want to remind you that the JordanCon fundraiser is ending on December 1st. Go here if you would like to participate. With that, I bid you adieu for a couple weeks, and I'll send everyone warm, happy thoughts from the Bahamas!
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: November 27-December 3, 2011

I hope that those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving last Thursday had a wonderful time and aren't feeling distressed about overindulging in delicious food.
 
Those who have cherished The Wheel of Time for years have assuredly experienced a myriad of emotions while reading. We may have chucked the books across the room in frustration or cheered with triumphant glee. The fans in our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum would like to know about the moments that made you laugh out loud. Which scenes tickled your funny bone?
 
If you are a fan of George R.R. Martin, you know that the waiting time between books can be long. A thread in our General Discussion forum poses an interesting question: Do you think Martin's slower writing pace will affect book sales of other authors?
 
It's rare to find a thread so popular that it has been actively posted in for years, but you need look no farther than the Band of the Red Hand Social Group's Music Game for an example. Come check out the fun!
 
The Shayol Ghul Social Group is playing a rousing game of Truth or Dare. What crazy antics are they up to now?
 
Those role players must have caught on that I am drawn to the stories with the juiciest titles. A new role play called Secrets has already sparked my curiosity.
 
If you're in a Seanchan mood, check out the role play entitled The Test is Never Wrong and the A'dam Doesn't Lie. It follows the same characters we met in From Human to Property a few weeks ago.
 
If you go here and download issue 300 of The Drink Tank, look for article #273. Our very own Jennifer Liang has written about how we can try to get Robert Jordan a posthumous Hugo Award. For more news like this, check us out on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Brandon Sanderson Book Signing Report: Visit to Milton Keynes

The evening began with the amusing sight of Brandon Sanderson piling various items of furniture on top of one another to create a home-made lectern for his laptop. Following a brief aside on the difference between a lectern and a podium (and how this plays into the editorial process), Brandon read from a novella he’s recently written. Apparently, he started it on the flight back to the US the last time he came to the UK. He couldn’t work on the Wheel of Time since he was awaiting the outcome of some research on the notes. He went on to explain that Robert Jordan left a pile of notes roughly half Brandon’s height that his two researchers dip into when Brandon needs an answer to one of his questions. This is normally quick, but it can take several months to come up with a fully researched answer. The reading lasted about eight minutes and seemed to be from the beginning of the novella. I won’t spoil the concept, but it’s clever and deeply silly.
 
The evening then moved to a Q&A. Questions and answers are paraphrased from my notes and memory, so they won’t be absolutely word-for-word, but they shouldn’t be much different from the original conversation. I’ve included all the questions, not just the Wheel-related ones.
 
Q: Can you give any advice to fantasy writers on creating magic systems?
A: The most important thing about a magic system is what it can’t do, not what it can. The limitations of a magic system are commonly what drives the plot in a fantasy novel. One novel I’m working on involves a magic system where individually, people don’t have enough magic to do anything major. However, you can give your magic to someone else, and if you can get around 50 people’s magic, then you can do something interesting. But giving away your magic makes your world that bit darker. In such a world, it doesn’t actually matter then what the magic does; it’s more about whether you choose to sell yours or try and get someone else’s.
 
The second point is to consider how the magic system interacts with the setting. How does it affect the economics, social structures, and religious make-up of the world? For example, in the Wheel of Time, the clear gender difference in the magic--men go mad and women don’t--has affected the whole pattern of gender relations in the world in ways that can seem very bizarre to us. It’s also important to give magic a visual or sensory component. It’s tempting to have all the magic played out in the minds of the mages, but this can be boring to read.
 
 
Q: How does compounding work in Mistborn?
A: I can explain this better in person because I know things that the characters in the book don’t. So, they haven’t worked a lot of this out. All the magic systems in my work are linked because the books all take place in the same universe. In Elantris, magic works by drawing symbols in the air. What actually happens is that when they draw a symbol, energy passes through it from another place (which is my get-out for the laws of thermodynamics) and the effect of that energy is moderated by the symbol. In one case it may become light, in another it may become fire. In Mistborn, the metals have a similar effect. The magic is not coming from the metal (even if some characters think it is). It is being drawn from the same place and moderated by the metal.
 
In the case of Feruchemy, no energy is being drawn from this other place. So, you spend a week sick and store up the ability to heal. It’s a balanced system, basically obeying the laws of thermodynamics. So, while it’s not real, it’s still rational.
 
In compounding, when you have the power of both Allomancy and Feruchemy, you draw power from the other place through the metal and it recognizes the power that is already stored--"Oh, this is healing, I know how to do that”--and so you get the power of Feruchemy but boosted by energy from the other place. This is how the Lord Ruler achieved immortality.
 
 
Q (my question): In Towers of Midnight in Egwene’s confrontation with Mesaana, how was Egwene able to override the a’dam when Moghedien had so spectacularly failed to do so earlier?
A: Brandon accused me of being a Theorylander then thought for a bit. He explained that, while the answer might not give anything away, he was loath to go into detail in case it could be used to work out other things yet to come. So, regretfully, he gave it a RAFO.
 
 
Q: Having worked on Robert Jordan’s world, is there any other world you would like to write for?
A: When I was 18, I would have said David Eddings, but that’s not true now. He’s wonderful at the right age, but I no longer want to write in his world. I would have said Star Wars but the prequels left a bit of a sour taste. If George Lucas said to me, "Do you want to re-write those prequels for me?" I’d definitely say yes, but that’s not going to happen!
 
 
Q: Is there anything earlier in the Wheel of Time that you would want to change?
A: No. There are things I would have done differently if it were mine, but that’s not the same thing. I don’t approach the Wheel of Time as wanting to fix it. Instead, I think about how I can do it justice. There are clear differences in some areas and I have to deal with that. For example, Robert Jordan's and my action sequences are very different. That’s because he had been in Vietnam and had actually been shot at, whereas all my experience comes from action movies. Also, I treat magic a little differently, so sometimes that carries over into the text.
 
 
Q: Your writing style in the Wheel of Time is very close to Robert Jordan's but is much less so in your other books. Are you frustrated by having to write in Jordan's style?
A: Not at all. But I have to change some things as I go to make it work my way. I have complete creative freedom, so I don’t find it constraining. I write what I need and then Harriet checks it. If I can get it past her then I know it’s right. Besides, constraint can be really useful for a writer as it fuels creativity. If you have a dry patch (as all writers do) then a really odd writing task, like having to write about sentient vegetables taking over the world, can push you in new directions. So, I have been creative in the Wheel of Time and I have put some audacious things in there. But Robert Jordan was already an audacious author. For example, cleansing the Taint before the end of the series was an audacious piece of writing. So, I have freedom, but if something is in the notes, we always try to include it. The only time we don’t is if he wrote about something that happens to a character in one part of the notes, then contradicted it elsewhere. In that case, we have to make a decision. Also, sometimes the notes say a character will do something, but I can find no way to get them where they are supposed to be to do it. In that case, we sometimes have another character do it instead, but I can talk more about then when A Memory of Light is out.
 
 
Q: A lot of your work deals with stereotypes. Can you tell us more about that?
A: It’s true, but I always make sure that it isn’t just about the stereotype. It’s a fun thing to challenge some of the classic fantasy models, but that shouldn’t take over the writing as that can really undermine a writer. Piers Anthony was an example where the puns were fun but eventually came to undermine the series. I like having non-stereotypical professions and I enjoyed challenging age perceptions in Way of Kings. Having a romance between a man in his 50s and a woman in her late 40s is unusual in fantasy, where it’s all about the young man falling in love.
 
 
Q: Does the Oath Rod limit Aes Sedai age by using their life force to power the Oaths?
A: I’m 85% sure on this and you’ll have to ask Maria for confirmation, but no, the effect is not caused by draining the Aes Sedai’s life force. I’m not going to tell you what is causing the effect.
 
 
Q: Were Ruin and Preservation two shards or one?
A: They were two shards. Harmony is considered a shard, although it’s really two, in the same way that a king of two countries would still be considered a king.
 
 
Q: Do you miss characters when you “write them out”?
A: Nice euphemism. I miss writing for them but it doesn’t shock me because I generally planned it that way, so I have time to prepare. I don’t see myself as killing them. Instead, I allow them to take risks and pay the price for those risks. Mostly, I know well in advance what will happen to a character. Just occasionally, though, the plot will suddenly take me to the point when something has to happen, then I have to go back and re-write the outline. I don’t sit there and think, “Now who won’t they expect me to kill," although I suspect some other authors might do that. (General laughter ensued at that point.)
 
 
That was the end of the Q&A. It was followed by a signing in which people got to ask their own questions. Obviously, I didn’t hear all the answers, so I only have the two I asked.
 
Q: You’ve said previously that when you were a young man you identified with Rand over the other boys, but now you’re older, you identify more with the older characters. Do you think when you are 80 you will identify with Cadsuane?
A: Maybe with Thom Merrilin. I think I would need to be the full 300 to completely identify with Cadsuane.
 
 
Q: Why did Grady and Neald stop tying off gateways?
A: They found that it didn’t work as well as they originally thought. Tied-off gateways behaved in strange ways; they were inefficient, ineffective, and unpredictable. There was also a considerable continuing cost to maintaining even a tied-off gateway. I can’t remember exactly when the change happened, but I think it was Jordan who made it. You can armchair this and see that he had to create a reason why they didn’t just tie off gateways all the time. If they could do that, then they would just have gateways everywhere and that would be that. So, he had to have an in-book reason to explain an out-of-book issue.
LordJuss
LordJuss

Black Ajah Friday at Ta'veren Tees

This Friday may be known as Black Friday to most, but for us, it's Black Ajah Friday! Our friends at Ta'veren Tees would like to celebrate with you by having a "Black Ajah Friday Sale" this Friday, November 25th. For the entire duration of the day, every shirt will be 20% off! This is an incredibly generous offer, so definitely take advantage of this great opportunity, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

It Works in Theory: The Gray Tower

Vandui', my vigorous visitors of Dragonmount! Welcome to yet another weekly installment of "It Works in Theory," the world-famous Wheel of Time focused theory blog that resides on Dragonmount. I only say world-famous, by the way, because some friends of mine recently doubted the popularity of my blog, and I figured that if I start hyping it more, then eventually it might actually become world-famous. So, get out and start spreading the word! But first, go ahead and read my disclaimer (and the rest of my blog, I suppose):
 

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!!


 
This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! As always, take whatever I say with a grain of salt. After all, even though some of my ideas might seem completely spot on, other ideas used to be very popular as well and turned out to be completely false. The earth used to be thought of as flat, then it was the center of the universe and brontosauruses had two brains, and then there was intelligent life in the universe (obviously, we know that last one is completely ridiculous). Anything you see written down in black and white can't be taken for complete truth, and the world is all shades of gray anyway. However, if you read something in other colors, you can take that straight to the bank.
 
Okay, where shall we begin? Well, let me first say that some parts of what I speculate about today will more than likely not be any huge revelations, but some of the stuff that takes me there is somewhat interesting. I'm going to be partially discussing the fates of the two Towers today (no, not those two, Tolkien fans), the Black and the White. I'll be frank at this point: I think it's fairly evident that both Towers will not exist in the same environment or fashion that they did before. The Seanchan will be invading the White Tower soon in force and with the aid of Traveling, and the Black Tower has already been Foretold to be "rent in blood and fire" by Elaida in A Crown of Swords.
 
So, what does this mean for the fate of Randland as a whole, with the Last Battle looming and in the wake of Tarmon Gai'don? Well, let's first take a look at a couple of quotes:
 
 
 
In this case, you can actually just ignore all the text, and instead pay close attention to the parts I bolded. Those are meant to be the cities in the Fourth Age that the quotes are taken from. Incidentally, you can find a great essay that covers all of the Fourth Age "prophecies" on our WOTFAQ by visiting this link. Does anything about their names look a little peculiar to you? Try breaking them down a bit. Taralan. Great Arvalon. Seems like both cities borrow part of their name from Tar Valon, the city in which the White Tower sits. This could be just a coincidence, but does it really seem like Robert Jordan would have had that much trouble coming up with names that sound a little more different than that? I think this could be a subtle hint as to what might end up happening with the White Tower.
 
The theme of sociological roles of gender has played a heavy part in the series, showing what might happen in a society where the power has shifted so greatly in favor of women. I'm not trying to make this a sexist grouping of thoughts by any means, by the way, but it's fairly obvious that things were better in the Age of Legends when men and women worked together to create absolute marvels. The Choedan Kal is just one of the incredible items they were able to create, and overall, society seemed to be flourishing during that time. Once the Breaking of the World occurred, however, the power shifted greatly in favor of women because of the general distrust of many towards men who could channel.
 
Unfortunately, the Aes Sedai over the past few thousand years have only succeeded in making this division and imbalance worse. Not only have they heightened the sexist attitudes throughout their society, but by creating separate Ajahs within themselves, they have prevented themselves from being more efficient in aiding the people of Randland. All this has helped create the perception many have when reading the books that the Aes Sedai are all a group of bickering old politicians, or worse. Personally, I find them to be a charming bunch of little old ladies who just so happen to have a few more tricks up their sleeves than most.
 
On the other hand, besides the fact that it is being controlled by a maniac in Mazrim Taim, the Black Tower is suffering because of its lack of checks and balances. It could benefit from the stricter bureaucratic nature of the White Tower. Unfortunately, I'm not really sure if it will have the chance to gain more stability since there will most likely be some kind of climactic confrontation in the last book. Knowing how well the Asha'man are trained in destructive weaves, I don't expect to see much of the Tower standing in the aftermath.
 
In fact, I see kind of a funny comparison that can be made between the White and Black Towers and the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States. The White Tower members are the elephantic Republicans, with their conservative policies and traditions. The Black Tower members are the burro-like Democrats, being a little more idealistic in nature, but lacking the organization to hold themselves together well enough.
 
So, what does this have to do with Taralan and Great Arvalon? Well, both the Aes Sedai and the Asha'man will need a new home once both of theirs are damaged. Doesn't it make sense for them to learn to coexist once again, build a new tower that they can share together, and work together once again in helping to aid the people of their land? Not a White Tower or a Black Tower, but instead a "Gray" Tower. If you say the name of one of the Fourth Age cities, it even seems to be some subtle foreshadowing of this society. Great Arvalon, Great Arvalon...Gray Tar Valon?
 
I imagine the new Tower will be built on the site the White Tower sits right now. The two cities I mentioned seem derived from Tar Valon, so it might be that the island of Tar Valon gets split in two in some kind of catastrophe, which would explain why two cities become founded with such a similar name. It could even be that they aren't both cities, but one has sprouted off the other. Perhaps the Gray Tower even gets its name because of the fact that the walls of the White Tower themselves might become stained with said catastrophe, be it an attack from Seanchan or Shadowspawn, or even an eruption of Dragonmount. Either way, the new Gray Tower would hopefully represent more of a university and learning center instead of the political entity that the White Tower represents. It would strive for advancement of society as a whole, instead of seeking to manipulate the nations of Randland to achieve its own ulterior goals. There is already a hint of Asha'man and Aes Sedai working together, which we see when Egwene visits Tel'aran'rhiod to meet with several allies:
 
 
The window Egwene is referring to is the one that was constructed to hide the eyesore of a huge hole that was blown into the wall during the Seanchan attack. When it was built, however, it contained only the Flame of Tar Valon and didn't include the Dragon's Fang symbol like it did in her dream. At the Thirteenth Depository, there is a page that examines and discusses all of Egwene's Dreams, and it suggests that this is a symbol for how the world will eventually respect Asha'man on the same level as Aes Sedai. What if this vision should be taken more literally, however? Perhaps the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai will be brought back once again and restored as the proper symbol that will unite both men and women once again. They will be united again, not just in channeling the One Power, but in wielding power and influence in general so as to help recreate the proper balance that existed in the Age of Legends. Now, if only we can get some true gender equality in our own world, then we'd really be on the right track to utopia!
 
Like I said, this might have not been some huge eye-opening revelation for some of you. Luckily, however, I decided to play some of my cards close to the chest this week and make this topic a two-parter. I can hear some of you groaning already! Don't worry, I'll make sure to make it worth the wait. Until next week, my fellow fans of fantasy, when we will cover "The Amyrlin's Anger".
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: November 20-26, 2011

Welcome back, everyone! Things likely will continue to be a bit quieter than usual this week because it's almost Thanksgiving in the USA, but I'm sure activity will pick up again once December has started.
 
If you are anxious for updates on Brandon Sanderson's progress with A Memory of Light, you are far from alone. Join other excited fans in our A Memory of Light Non Spoiler Discussion forum to stoke the fires of anticipation.
 
Attention video game fans! If you are enjoying the new Batman: Arkham City game, come to our Games & Tech Discussion forum and let us know what you think of it.
 
The Aiel Social Group will be commencing their first Wasteland Auction soon. Instead of trading with coins or points, you can trade in honor and obligation. This looks like it will be entertaining, so go sign up!
 
The holidays are upon us, and the White Tower & Warders Social Group is taking advantage of this opportunity with their annual Holiday Cookie Exchange. If you're fond of gooey, sweet, crunchy, crumbly, flaky, fruity, fluffy, or festive treats, be sure to check this out. You have until November 30th to sign up. Please make sure to read the guidelines in the thread before deciding if you can participate.
 
Being a new novice is hard enough, but it is even worse when you must remain in the White Tower after hearing distressing news from home. Read Silent Tears for a heartfelt role play that might even make you shed a tear.
 
There are still ten days left to enter the JordanCon fundraiser drawing for a chance to see your name in A Memory of Light. For more updates like this, be sure to visit our Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ pages.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Thursdays with Tynaal: Wheel of Time Recipes

After a particularly boring episode of Come Dine with Me, I started giving the whole idea of dinner parties some thought and came to a conclusion that I thought might interest all of you out there. I decided any Wheel of Time fan would be a spectacular host. Just look at it this way: How often do you encounter an Oriental or Exotic theme? I personally have never heard of anyone having a Wheel of Time or Lord of the Rings inspired meal. It would be quite the experience to geek out in all parts of your life.
 
To enable such an experience, I spent some time trying to find places on the Internet that seemed to have respectable Wheel of Time inspired recipes. For some general recipes written by the members of the site, I suggest you check out TarValon.net's Library. If you would prefer to cook something up on the dark side of life, have a look at tWoTcast's old-fashioned Trolloc recipe and their recipe for Muradin's eyes. And for those of you needing a laugh today, here's a recipe to brew up your very own Forsaken.
 
Sadly, there weren't many places I could find recipes, but a great idea would be to simply let yourself be inspired by the Wheel of Time as others have been. Find something in the books that you think sounds superb and just create your very own version of it. I, for one, am definitely going to try my hand at making some honey rolls. If you manage to make your special Wheel of Time treat, let us know about your story of success.
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

It Works in Theory: Safety tips for handling Callandor

Dia dhóibh, my deft disciples of Dragonmount! Welcome to another week of "It Works in Theory," Dragonmount's fun little theory blog in which I get to mess around. In case you hadn't noticed, we've changed things up a bit and you'll now be able to find me on Tuesday instead of Monday. I hope the alteration doesn't throw any of you off too much; personally, I'm kind of excited to get to change things up a bit. Hopefully, I'll be able to use this new-found energy to stand and deliver another entertaining entry for you today. And now, for this week's disclaimer:
 

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!!


 
This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! All information contained in this blog is correct at time of publishing. Immediately following that moment, however, all bets are off. In fact, by the time you actually read anything here, it is most assuredly incorrect and completely false. There might be a brief window where the information can suddenly become correct again after being processed inside your cranium; unfortunately, this window usually passes without you realizing or even getting the chance to acknowledge it.
 
Alright, so the topic I thought we should cover this week is actually coming in from a personal request, and it's a topic I was happy to cover anyway, so we should be able to have some fun with it. We are going to be discussing the nature of the flaw that Cadsuane revealed to us in The Path of Daggers, when she told Rand that to wield Callandor safely, he would need to link with two women and relinquish control of the flows.
 
 
So, the big question is, which two women? The thing is, so much can happen between now and then in the last book, that this is actually a tough issue to narrow down to two candidates alone. You know what that means: we get to do another list this week! I know, I know, that seems to be my thing lately, but honestly, even though I think I have a fairly good idea about who it may end up being, I don't want to miss the opportunity to write about some of the other candidates. To make things a little easier this time, I'll try to group the candidates together according to their likelihood that they'll end up being in the circle with Callandor. Some of the main attributes I'm looking at with these candidates are strength with the One Power, impact on the storyline so far, relevance to prophecy/foreshadowing, level of trust earned with Rand, and possible dexterity in being able to manipulate saidin through Callandor.
 
On the point of strength in the One Power, there is an extremely comprehensive and well-deduced ranking of female channelers within the series on The Thirteenth Depository, and you will probably see me reference this list when comparing strength in saidar. You can find a link to that article here: Saidar Strength Ranking.
 
Group A: The Really Dark Horse Candidates
 
Sharina Melloy
 
Just to refresh your memory, Sharina is the imposing old member of the Kin who joins the Salidar Aes Sedai in The Path of Daggers and quickly becomes an important member of the group when it comes to organizing novices and generally keeping the camp in order. The main reason I'm bringing her up is that the main front-runner candidates are often brought up because of their strength in the One Power, and yet Sharina is one of the strongest female channelers in the entire series. She at least has more potential than Nynaeve, who herself is already on par with the weaker female Forsaken. However, it doesn't seem likely that she'll take part in this circle, mainly because as powerful as she is, she'll more than likely be both organizing and Healing during the Last Battle, as this is where her true strengths lie.
 
Incidentally, there are only three female channelers that we know of who are stronger than or as strong as Nynaeve besides any of the Forsaken. Sharina is one, and I'll cover another later in this blog, but the third, Talaan din Gelyn, could possibly have a major role to play in the last book. She is a Windfinder for the Sea Folk and is said to come "very close" to Nyneave's strength, but based on the last we saw of her in Crossroads of Twilight, it appears she was kidnapped. It could be possible that she already was a Darkfriend, or she perhaps has been turned to the Shadow since then.
 
Egwene al'Vere
 
Egwene is certainly strong enough in the Power, and she's definitely had a major impact on the series so far. However, I don't find it likely that she'll be in the circle with Callandor. She'll probably be busy with a lot of other things in the last book, considering she IS the Amyrlin Seat after all. I wouldn't completely dismiss her, though, because she showed how capable she can be leading a circle when she defended the White Tower against the Seanchan attack, so she could bring something else to the table with her iron will and dexterity. That was with saidar, not saidin, but still.
 
Cadsuane Melaidhrin
 
This ancient battle-axe of an Aes Sedai wouldn't hesitate to get her hands dirty helping Rand whoop up on some Forsaken butt, and she definitely has a lot of advantages that others on this list lack. She has considerable strength in the One Power, being only one level below Egwene, but has FAR more experience with actual weaves and how to apply them than pretty much any other non-Forsaken channeler in the series. More importantly, she seems to have intimate knowledge of Callandor, since she was the one who uncovered the flaw in the first place. I actually feel somewhat hesitant putting her in this group, but I just don't see her as an obvious choice for the linking. Rand trusts her now, but there's still a weird vibe between the two of them, and she did mess up pretty badly letting the male a'dam slip into enemy hands. She seems to enjoy more of the advisor role now anyway, and I find it more likely that she'll be helping watch Rand's back during the encounter.
 
Group B: The Middle of the Pack
 
 
Aviendha/Elayne Trakand
 
From the quote above, we see that Rand has decided that Nynaeve will definitely be one of the women in the circle (more on that later), but he also throws out Aviendha and Elayne as possible candidates for the second women in the circle. They both definitely have a ton of things that help make them good choices as potential candidates. They're both very powerful at channeling, basically equal to Egwene's strength. They both have unique talents regarding angreal that could possibly help in the situation. Elayne is able to create ter'angreal, and could probably craft an angreal as well if she tried hard enough. She seems to be particularly adept at studying the inner workings of ter'angreal, which allows her to replicate them; this could come in handy if she was allowed to study Callandor before the event. Aviendha has a Talent for being able to surmise the true purpose of a ter'angreal, so she too might be able to have slightly more understanding of the sa'angreal were she to be chosen. Obviously, Rand trusts them both completely. They could even be connected to the circle because of their relationship to the prophecies, which vaguely could be referring to a linking with Rand that turns out catastrophically.
 
And yet, they don't really seem to be front-runners. First of all, both of them could be busy with their own plotlines. Elayne is Queen to her people and might choose their safety over linking with Rand, and Aviendha could be seeing to the future of the entire nation of the Aiel. Second, Elayne is pregnant, and Aviendha could be pregnant by then as well. The last thing Rand would want during the fateful encounter against the Dark One is for Elayne or Aviendha to not be able to properly channel because of the difficulties that come with being pregnant and trying to hold onto the Source. Not just that, but because of their love for Rand, they might compromise the situation at an important moment, and Rand will probably realize this. Still, either one of them could very well be one of the women who link with Rand; it wouldn't surprise me too much since he already suggested it himself.
 
Tuon Athaem Kore Paendrag
 
Some of you might be thinking, "Huh?" Others might be sputtering in outrage, yelling, "You stole that from Terez!" Don't worry, calm down everyone, and I will explain. Terez did give me permission (as if that was necessary haHA!); in fact, I have proof: Terez acknowledges one of my posts. That's from a thread on our forums where other Dragonmount members are also discussing who the women who help to wield Callandor could be. Please feel free to join in on that discussion as well. Okay, now there's probably still a group of you who are confused, being that Tuon herself has never directly channeled in the series. It's already been revealed to the readers that any sul'dam also has the potential to learn how to channel, a secret that will eventually send great reverberations throughout the Seanchan Empire once it becomes more well-known. Tuon is described as a particularly skilled sul'dam who has worked her entire life refining her ability to control damane. In fact, she is the only sul'dam we've seen who is able to direct the weaves herself through the damane instead of commanding them to do it themselves. We know this because of the scene in Knife of Dreams in which Tuon controls Joline and Teslyn Sedai through a'dam that are placed on them before they can react, then attempts to send flows towards Mat. All of the channeling that is performed during this scene was done without any verbal commands.
 
So, we know that Tuon has the potential to channel, and possibly might even have a dormant spark in her. She more than likely wouldn't have a lot of strength once she did begin channeling, but strength might not be as big an issue as many think. After all, there would be PLENTY of raw strength in the One Power coming from Rand and Callandor itself. Tuon also has an interesting connection to the prophecies as well; it could be said that having her link with him could be a form of Rand "binding the Nine Moons to serve him" since Tuon is the Daughter of the Nine Moons. She also believes herself to have an extremely important role to play in the Last Battle, according to her interpretation of the Seanchan prophecies. She also might have a particular skill in leading a circle because of her skill as a sul'dam.
 
All that being said, I decided to put her in this group instead of the front-runners because it does seem to me that Tuon has some big marks against her. She still has to be forced to confront the fact that she can channel, and then would probably have to train somewhat to be able to get comfortable with channeling directly. Then there's the fact that after her impending second attack on the White Tower, it will be hard to believe that Rand will find it easy to trust her as much as he would need to in order to link with her. Also, she might be busy leading Seanchan troops into battle. She would be a nice surprise as one of the Callandor wielders, though.
 
Group C: The Front-Runners
 
Nynaeve al'Meara
 
We know from that quote I referenced that Rand has already asked Nynaeve to be one of the women in the circle with him; in fact, he's certain that he wants her to be one of them. We know he trusts her completely as well, and has already used her help before in similar circumstances during the cleansing of saidin. So, if her position is essentially guaranteed, why are we even questioning whether or not she'll be in the link? Well, as I said already, a lot can happen before that epic confrontation for which Rand will need Callandor. First of all, she could die, and should Lan end up dying himself, Nynaeve very well may want to die. She might just end up being preoccupied; perhaps she goes off to save Lan when Rand needs her, so he has to blow his whistle and sub in one of his replacements off the bench. Either way, there is enough reasonable doubt to speculate about others who might end up filling her place.
 
Alivia
 
Alivia is immensely powerful in the One Power; in fact, she is only second to Cyndane/Lanfear and might even be Cyndane's equal. Rand trusts her and she's been part of his inner circle for quite some time. The main reason that so many have her in mind as being one of the Callandor wielders is the vision Min had about her that told her Alivia would "help Rand die." If Alivia were to be in the link with Rand, there's a good many potential situations in which she could end up helping Rand die, be it to end his link with Moridin, or to stop Dark Rand 2.0 from terrorizing the countryside (it's not an official Despothera blog without a reference to Dark Rand 2.0). I also particularly like her in this role because of her ability to detach her emotions from the situation. She was a damane for 400 years and yet was still able to keep her individuality and free will intact, which is an incredible feat considering how sul'dam usually handle their charges. This ability to remain detached from the situation and still do what needs to be done could be what ends up saving the day at the right moment.
 
Lanfear(aka Cyndane, Mierin)
 
This is another addition to the list that might have some of you scratching your heads. After all, if you buy the epilogue scene at the end of Towers of Midnight completely at face value, I've got a section of bridge I'd like to sell you. In that scene, Mierin had somehow broken through to Rand's dreams and was pleading for his help, and seemed to be in immediate danger. Rand Therin Telamon feels somewhat compelled to rescue her, but you can't help but be skeptical. Ever since Lanfear was resurrected as Cyndane, she has voiced nothing but complete hatred for Rand and his cadre of women. They always say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and whoever first said that probably never read Lanfear's point of views in the Wheel of Time (the famous line is paraphrased from William Congreve's The Mourning Bride).
 
I covered the likelihood of Lanfear redeeming her soul and returning to the Light in a past blog, "No man can stand in the Shadow so long he cannot find the Light again". While it's definitely a possibility, I highly doubt that Rand will trust her enough for this task, or that Lanfear would be okay with linking with Rand and another woman. However, she does have some very strong things working in her favor. First of all, she is more than likely still the strongest female channeler in the world, and also has far more experience than pretty much anyone else when it comes to difficult weaves. More importantly, she is the ONLY one on this list who more than likely has actual experience guiding flows of saidin because during the Age of Legends, men and women were linked quite regularly. The biggest piece of evidence in my eyes, though, is the fact that right after hearing about Callandor's flaw from Cadsuane, the first woman he thinks of is Lanfear:
 
 
That last part of the quote is referring to the comment Lanfear made to Rand about using the Choedan Kal's immense power to challenge the Creator himself (or herself) in The Shadow Rising.
 
Moiraine Damodred
 
In case Lanfear does end up being one of the women who link with Rand, it would truly be kismet if the other woman ended up being Moiraine. Both women have had a strong hand in influencing Rand throughout the series, one trying to guide Rand towards the Light, the other towards the Shadow. Plus, after their last confrontation which resulted in both of them being imprisoned in the Tower of Ghenji for a time, there could be some chances for truly epic moments of terse hostility between the two. Perhaps Moiraine could be some kind of balancing force against Lanfear, and she definitely has Rand's trust, so it could possibly work. It would work on a grand artistic level for sure, and likely satisfy many fans. There is also an absolutely brilliant caveat to the possibility of Moiraine linking with Callandor as well, and I shall preclude it with a memorable quote from the first book:
 
 
Should the body swap occur, and Dark Rand 2.0 spawn anew to become the Dark One's champion, I would put ALL of my money on a new linking of Callandor constituted of Moiraine, Alivia, and Narishma going out to take him down. Alivia would be an obvious pick to help Rand die, and Narishma would be the young dark man with a glowing object in his hand that Egwene sees in a dream in A Crown of Swords. Before writing this blog, I was fairly certain that the two women who linked with Rand would be Nyneave and Alivia. Now, I'm not so sure. I really get this strong feeling we're going to see some sort of body swap, and it just makes way too much sense for Moiraine to be the one who leads the circle that takes Rand down. So, perhaps she's part of the original circle as well, and is the first one to pick up the pieces after the disastrous encounter comes to fruition. Either way, now I really can't wait for the last book!
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: November 13-19, 2011

Some of you may be wondering why you are seeing a roundup on a Monday instead of a theory blog. Not to worry, for the two features have simply swapped days. You will now see the roundups on Mondays and the theory blogs on Tuesdays.
 
Here's a topic from our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum that seems to have exploded in popularity over the last couple of days. Which Wheel of Time characters are still virgins, and what implications would that have for them?
 
Have you been playing along in Brandon Sanderson's Great Hunt this year? If so, stop by our A Memory of Light Non Spoiler Discussion forum and put your heads together to figure out the clues.
 
The Aiel Social Group is discussing ancient Egyptians this month. If you are fascinated by ancient Egyptian tombs, mythology, hieroglyphics, and more, be sure to stop by and participate.
 
Join the Wolfkin Social Group for their November Game: Cookpot! It's basically like playing Twenty Questions, and it's Wheel of Time themed. Give it a try!
 
What are an Aes Sedai and a mysterious man doing in the Blight? Find out in the role play Time to Put the Pieces Together.
 
Our very own Jason Denzel and Jennifer Liang joined other prominent Wheel of Time fans for Tor.com's first Wheel of Time Roundtable. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter accounts for news like this. We also just got a Google+ account.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen