Jump to content
We have a Patreon! Support this website and get exclusive content

News

Manage articles
Show all categories

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: August 28-September 3, 2011

It's almost time for Dragon*Con! This means that some of your friendly neighborhood Dragonmount Admins, including me, won't be able to post things on our front page for a few days because we will be busy representing our fandom at the convention. You'll still see some of your favorite features during that time, but we won't have a Fan Art Friday this Friday or a Weekly Roundup next Tuesday. Everything will be back and better than ever after Dragon*Con, though!
 
I always enjoy it when our theory blog inspires people to post in our forums. If yesterday's blog made you hungry for more discussion of who the Broken Wolf might be, head to our A Memory of Light Non Spoiler Discussion forum and fill up with some hearty theories.
 
Whether you call them wizards, sorcerers, or something else, their magic is still fascinating. Who are your favorite magic-wielding characters in the fantasy genre? Come share your picks in our General Discussion forum.
 
It looks like the Ogier Social Group has some new entries in their haiku thread. Let's hear some of yours!
 
The White Tower & Warders Social Group wants to know everyone's thoughts about why a man would choose to be a Warder. It seems like they are having a riveting discussion so far!
 
More than just a nice story of an Aes Sedai and her Warder, Dancing Among Golden Leopards is a well-written role play that even features some original poetry. Come check it out!
 
If you checked our Twitter account today, you may have noticed that we posted a link to an amusing comic featuring Rand and Lanfear. Did it make you chuckle?
 
That's all I have for you today! Keep your eyes on this page, because we'll have plenty of exciting updates for you after Dragon*Con.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

It Works in Theory: Are You Afraid of the Dark Prophecy?

Salutations, my savvy sojourners of Dragonmount! Welcome to another weekly installment of "It Works in Theory", the new theory blog this gentleman has the giddy pleasure to write. I hope everyone's had fun so far in picking my brain apart; I know I've had plenty of fun (not as much sleep, however). I have enjoyed your comments so much, in fact, that I was inspired with what I think might be a great idea. Many of you who have left comments or have posted on our forums have very good theories of your own that often have my head nodding and my mind thinking of all the implications they would entail. So, I thought it would be serendipitous if some of you could send in some of your ideas, and I could pick one idea once a month (or perhaps several if they can fit) and elucidate on all the ins and outs on my blog. Just to clarify: I more than likely wouldn't pick one out that I disagree with just to pick it apart. It's more than likely I'll go with one I find to be interesting or provocative, and try to expound in other ways that the theory could be significant.
 
If this sounds like a good idea, or if you had any other suggestions or possible topics for my blog, you can either PM me here on Dragonmount or e-mail me at hazelkrs110@hotmail.com. If you think this is me being lazy and you don't feel like doing my work for me, feel free to pretend your computer monitor is my face and dash it, dash it good. Now, on to our weekly 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! "It Works in Theory" is not intended for human consumption. Should any hypothesis or presupposition come into contact with your skin or eyes, flush the affected area with a tepid saline solution for at least 10 minutes. Should a rash or itching persist, consult a physician or visit the forums.
 
I figured we'd go with something slightly different this week, both to give my fingers and my readers' eyes a rest. Instead of breaking down another one of my wacky, convoluted theories for umpteen paragraphs, I thought it might be nice to highlight an individual set of prophecies or viewings every now and again. We already have a great resource for general Wheel of Time questions in our Wheel of Time FAQ, and there you can find an explanation of what the prophecies might be referring to, so this is just another take on it. Today, we are going to examine the Dark Prophecies.
 
There's some uncertainty over one of the prophecies--the one introduced to us when Padan Fain escapes from the dungeons in Fal Dara, towards the end of The Great Hunt. It was written in blood on the walls of the dungeon, and we were lucky enough to have Verin record it down for us so that she could study it and give her thoughts on it. It was verified later to be a Myrddraal, possibly influenced by Ishamael, who actually wrote the prophecy on the wall. When asked about whether or not the Fal Dara prophecy was a true dark prophecy, Robert Jordan gave us a Read And Find Out response, leading us to believe that even if it's not true prophecy, there's still something we can gain from studying it.
 
 
The Daughter of Night is obviously Lanfear, and she walks again in the world after being released from the prison containing the Dark One. She fights his ancient war against the Light. I will say there might be subtle foreshadowing in the phrasing of "yet fights" relating to her capture and "death" in the land of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn, which she survives to fight yet again.
 
I talked about the next line last week in my blog when I spoke of the possibility of Lanfear gaining control of Rand through Callandor (here's the link in case you missed it). I think Rand is her new lover--new because he's not quite the same person she remembers from the Age of Legends--but others have brought up the possibility of her falling for someone else. I'm still not quite sure how Rand might serve her after dying, though, but I've got a theory (not to be revealed this week, however).
 
The last couple of lines are fairly important because part of them might be overlooked. "Who shall stand against her coming" could possibly be a reference to Moiraine, who stood up against Lanfear in The Fires of Heaven, but could also be foreshadowing of a future event. Then we come to "The Shining Walls shall kneel", which many take to mean that the White Tower (Shining Walls) will defer to someone else's authority, most likely Rand's. I contend that the line is both a metaphor and not one at the same time. "Shining Walls" refers to the White Tower, but when it says the "walls" shall "kneel", I take that to mean the shining walls and towers of the White Tower will fall.
 
We know the Seanchan are gearing up for a second attack on Tar Valon, and that the White Tower is lightly defended because so many forces are currently gathered at the Fields of Merrilor. There isn't any indication, however, that the Seanchan would want to hold the White Tower. They just want to capture as many marath'damane as possible, so it could very well come to pass that they simply demolish the Tower after they pillage it for whatever resources and treasures they can find.
 
 
This is the refrain from the prophecy we're currently reviewing, and I just wanted to address some things I felt were relevant. We have a good amount of references to the Dragon's blood having something to do with mankind's salvation, but nothing indicates why we might specifically need his blood for the Dark One to be defeated. I also have a theory on that (yes, I'm saving that one too), but I feel the last line of the refrain might be hinting at something. Blood is--Rand is the Dragon Reborn, and the Champion of the Light. Blood was--Lews Therin was the Dragon and helped seal the Dark One away for three millenia. Blood shall ever be--either the Dragon will always be reborn to fight the Dark One, or perhaps that Rand survives Tarmon Gai'don using his "blood"?
 
 
The channeling man is Rand, and the second line is referring to the callus way in which Rand uses those around him to get what he thinks he needs. He puts Mat and Perrin, as well as countless others he meets, directly in harm's way with little hesitation. The next part is very interesting because it can be interpreted in two completely different ways. The first way is from the perspective of Darkfriends: one path leads him to "death beyond dying" because either he's balefired, the Dark One grabs his soul, or his soul is destroyed in Tel'aran'rhiod; the second path leads him to life eternal, for that is what is promised by the Dark One should he come to rule the land.
 
The alternate way of looking at it is that Rand can either end up destroying the Pattern, which leads to "death beyond dying", or he can take the other path and seal the Dark One away. The last line is also very significant because it is ominous foreshadowing to both the hand that he lost when he captured Semirhage and to Rand's internal conflict as he wonders which hand was destroyed, the one that shelters, or the one that slays.
 
 
This whole stanza involves the origins of one of our most mysterious bad guys, Slayer. Perrin knows there is some relationship between Slayer and Lord Luc, who he met when he went to the defense of the Two Rivers in The Shadow Rising, because their smells are somewhat similar. One of the most interesting aspects of Slayer is the fact that both halves of his makeup have very interesting lineages that could have many possible outcomes in the last book: Lord Luc is Tigraine's brother, making him Rand's uncle; Isam is the son of Breyan, the woman known for having a large part in Malkier's betrayal, and through this line he is Lan Mandragoran's cousin. This is better than daytime soap operas, huh? The last bit we can glean from this particular passage is the reference to the Darkhounds' hunt, which Slayer is at least involved in, and more than likely leading. He's also been referenced as being given the task of hunting Padan Fain down, so he has plenty of possible confrontations in his future. The "time of change" simply refers to the last days before Tarmon Gai'don and the possibility of the Pattern being unraveled.
 
 
The "Watchers" are clearly the "Watchers over the waves", who wait for the return of Artur Hawkwing's armies from across the ocean. The "seed of the Hammer" refers to Hawkwing's descendants, the Seanchan, where he was known as "The Hammer of the Light". The Seanchan burned the ancient tree when they defeated Tarabon because Tarabon's sigil is a tree, which is supposed to be a sapling of Avendesora, the Tree of Life. The middle two lines are pretty cryptic and hard to discern, but the next line is somewhat enticing to me. One way to look at the "seed" slaying ancient wrong is by correlating the Seanchan with the earlier mention of seed. The ancient wrong that they would slay could potentially be the practice of leashing channelers as damane, or possibly even slavery in general. Another way to look at it is switching Rand out with the Seanchan, and his ancient wrong could be the Dark One himself. I see this possibility and other obscure references as hints to Rand's possible re-altering of the Pattern itself, in which he replaces the cyclical expression of time in his universe with a linear expression of time. This is very iffy, but I'll probably explore that idea further some other day.
 
Next, we have the grade "A" approved Dark Prophecy, found at the end of Towers of Midnight. This prophecy is misinterpreted earlier in the same book by Graendal, when she attempts to set a trap for Perrin and his army.
 
 
The seals holding the Dark One's prison are weakening, and the "limbs" more than likely refer to the the ancestry of the male channelers who created his prison, and how the skill and ability to use the One Power is being culled out of humanity. Channelers today aren't able to complete anywhere near the same type of feats as they were able to in the Age of Legends. The rest of the excerpt goes on to elaborate on how awful and dark things will get as the Dark One's influence grows.
 
 
The one-eyed fool is Mat, and the halls of mourning could possibly be when he went into the realm of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn to rescue Moiraine. The Aelfinn and Eelfinn feed on emotion, and it seems the particularly delectable morsels are the emotions drawn from those suffering and in agony. It also seems pretty clear that many have died in its halls, which is another reference to mourning. Lastly, they describe themselves as "the warriors of final regret".
 
The "first among vermin" is most likely Rand because it's a good play on the wording of Lews Therin's title in the Age of Legends: First Among Servants. There's other ideas relating the first among vermin to either Fain, Perrin, Moridin, or possibly Slayer, but Rand is the best option because he's the one who will be most directly responsible for freeing the Dark One when he breaks the seals.
 
As for the "fallen blacksmith", that most definitely is Perrin, but the fallen part might be more ominous than we realize. There is a chance that Perrin might be one of the characters who don't survive the Last Battle. Don't start throwing things at me yet! The great thing is that even after he died, he could still have a hand in shaping things, especially concerning his abilities in Tel'aran'rhiod. Many would say, though, that the part concerning "the fallen blacksmith's pride" was fulfilled when he quit trying to deny the mantle of leadership, which is a reasonable enough conclusion.
 
One idea I thought of, though, could be the possibility that the pride here refers to his wolf friends. We've had an image ready to visualize for a long time of Perrin riding into battle with thousands of wolves running with him and burning through the hordes of Trollocs like a brush fire in west Texas. They're his pack, not a pride as we normally think of with lions, and his connection to the wolves is where he gets a big source of strength, individuality, force of will, and pride. So, the line could refer to Perrin leading a very large number of wolves to their death, which would be heartbreaking because it would be the second time Perrin will have been responsible for that many wolf deaths (the first being Dumai's Wells). Wow, I really like theorizing about deaths of characters and races, don't I?
 
The way you interpret the last part of the passage depends on your idea of what "broken wolf" means. Some might think this would be Perrin, or a bunch of other alternatives that make less and less sense, but there's a much stronger case for Rand. There are a couple of comparisons made between Rand and wolves in the books, and he even has his own wolf-name, Shadowkiller. The point is that Perrin isn't the only one in the series who could be connected with wolves somehow. A much more thorough and elaborate argument is made by Terez in the Wheel of Time FAQ; she pretty much lays it all out very well.
 
Still, after all that, there is one line which is usually interpreted one way but could easily mean something else.
 
"His destruction" is generally considered to be his death, but it is very possible it could be referring to the destruction he will cause. There's still only one person who truly could be said to cause enough destruction that it could shake the very will of men. That's right, you guessed it, Dark Rand 2.0 came back to rear his giant, ugly, prophetic head. I actually meant to make this connection last week, but forgot in my sleep deprived, zombie-like state of mind. Imagine Rand going to the Midnight Towers to be used like a puppet, wreaking a wild, destructive force across the countryside, balefiring friend and foe alike. Yeah, that would shake the will of men alright.
 
 
The Lord of the Evening more than likely refers to Moridin, in that as Rand is known as the Lord of the Morning, Moridin as his arch nemesis would be the opposite. Being that the Lord of Morning will face the Broken Champion, it stands to reason that Rand would be the Broken Champion for a few reasons. No one else could really face Moridin and have a chance, unless they had some kind of sa'angreal or something, which would probably be referenced in the prophecy. Rand is the Light's Champion, and he refers to himself as being broken several times in the books.
 
Then we come to the last part of the prophecy, another reference to the spilling of Rand's blood possibly being a necessary catalyst for the freeing of the Dark One/defeat of the Dark One. I definitely want to contemplate this "Blood" issue hopefully in the weeks to come, so I might need a little more time for dramatic build up and eager anticipation to occur. You might or might not be seeing a blog from me next week, as the site will be busy handling the Dragonmount duties at Dragon*Con this coming weekend (plus it's my birthday next Monday), so it might be a good idea to emotionally, mentally, and physically prepare for a possible week of no theory blog. I'm sure you'll manage!
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Dragon*Con 2011 Round Up

Next weekend is the 25th anniversary of Dragon*Con, the largest fan run pop arts convention in the world. It also marks the 11th year of Wheel of Time programming at Dragon*Con. Here's some helpful links for Wheel of Time fans attending the convention.


 
Official Wheel of Time track website
Tentative Wheel of Time track schedule
Tentative convention schedule grid
Official Dragon*Con App

 
If you're planning on attending, please stop by our forums and let us know.
JenniferL
JenniferL

Thursdays with Tynaal: Book Review (The Way of Kings)

So, we Wheel of Time fans might start searching for a new epic once the Wheel of Time has finally come to a conclusion. Well, we need not go very far. Our very own Brandon Sanderson has recently published a novel by the name of The Way of Kings. The good news doesn’t end there, though, since it’s not a stand-alone novel or even a trilogy. It’s planned that it will be a 10-book series. I, for one, am very excited.
 
From the back cover of the novel:
I have found that there is nothing more disappointing than reading a book which was surrounded by great hype and excitement, then finding that you painted it to be so much more in your mind. AnyWheel of Time fan who thinks Brandon Sanderson has done a good job of finishing the last few books will agree that they expect a lot from the poor man.
 
Luckily, I can say that this was not the case with The Way Of Kings. I was immediately ensnared into the world that Brandon Sanderson created despite at first having a bit of a hard time imagining all the animals to be some adaptation of the crabs we commonly know. The world creation was so well-rounded and deep, and that's not all. We get to know the world through the eyes of the characters, its history, and the thoughts and beliefs that the people hold.
 
The leading protagonists are flawed characters. In this case, it makes it easier for us to relate to them. You howl and cry in frustration for their mistakes and rejoice in their victories.
 
The plot of the story could have been better, in my opinion. I found it slightly predictable at times, and then it caught me completely by surprise at other times. It was still great and a definite attention-gripping narrative.
 
All in all, it is a book that I recommend you definitely should read. You will come to love the world and the people in it.
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

Fan Art Friday: Open Thread

Alright, so I've been busy lately. I'm teaching again, which obviously keeps me busy all day. I'm also in my final semester of grad school (I'm getting my M. Ed. in Special Education), I just got home from WorldCon and I'm running the Wheel of Time track at Dragon*Con next week. So hopefully, you all can excuse my slackerness here recently.
 
To make up for it, I am working on something super cool that you'll get to see after Dragon*Con.
 
Anyways, I still don't have time to update here, but I didn't want to leave you hanging. So consider this an open fan art thread. Have an awesome piece of art (yours or someone else's)? Post it in the comments for all to see. I'll probably end up mining this thread later for ideas, so if you've ever wanted me to feature something, now's a good time to post it.
 
See you at Dragon*Con!
JenniferL
JenniferL

Podcast: #104 – The 4th Age Podcast – Nakomi and Other Oddities

<p>Nakomi, the mysterious Aiel woman Aviendha met in the Waste on her way to Rhuidean, and other oddities found is our topic for the 104th Episode of The 4th Age Podcast. Your hosts for this episode are Andrew, Virginia, Spencer, and Carrie.</p><p>(This episode, like most of our talks, is chock full of spoilers if you haven’t read Towers of Midnight yet!) <span style="color: #800000;">Warning: SPOILER ALERT!</span></p><p>Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dragonmount.com">Dragonmount.com</a> for forums, comments and all the latest news in the Wheel of Time world.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>ATTENTION! THERE ARE TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS in this podcast!</strong> </span><em>Also, spoilers on ALL the other books are VERY likely!</em> If you haven’t read all the way through the Wheel of Time, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS 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. There will be no guarantees, however.</p><p>Hosts: Andrew, Virginia, Spencer, and Carrie</p><h6>Editor for this episode: Ken S.
Editor-in-Chief: Spencer</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-104.mp3">Download'>http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-104.mp3">Download this Episode now</a>
</strong></h6><h5>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. We are usually in need of editing help – please, contact Spencer at <a href="mailto:podcast@dragonmount.com" target="_blank">podcast@dragonmount.com</a> if you are interested in volunteering.</h5><h5>Music by: Josh Needleman. His website is at <a href="http://www.joshneedleman.net/">www.joshneedleman.net</a> and he has the music available to hear on his MySpace page at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshneedleman">www.myspace.com/joshneedleman</a>. Its title is <em>Floodgate</em>. Thanks, Josh!</h5><div><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-104.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></strong></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/4thAge/~4/uQRxdXXCrAE" height="1" width="1"/>
Tialin
Tialin

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: August 21-27, 2011

It looks like it's that time of the week already! Let's see what's been happening on the boards.
 
Do you think Rand will survive the Last Battle? Terez has proposed an interesting theory about this in the General Wheel of Time Discussion forum.
 
Are you a Minecraft fanatic? The ongoing discussion of this popular game continues in our Games Discussion forum.
 
If you haven't read the Aiel Social Group's latest edition of their newsletter, "The Dedicated Spear," what are you waiting for?
 
The suspense caused by nominating and voting is finally over. The Shayol Ghul Social Group is announcing the winners of the Ghoulie Awards here!
 
Summer is almost over, which means it's time for some to head back to school. Come take a trip down memory lane with the White Tower Social Group's Red Ajah as they lead their Back to School Week.
 
It looks like our role players may have a new Warder on their hands soon. Come see what happens here.
 
Were any of you at WorldCon this weekend? Some of our members were there. You can see what shenanigans they got up to by visiting our Twitter account.
 
Have a great Tuesday, everyone!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

It Works in Theory... (Week 3)

Willkommen, various visitors of Dragonmount! Welcome to week 3 of Dragonmount's new theory blog, which I happen to have the privilege to write. I hope everyone brought their pipe, monocle, and smoking jacket so you'll be prepared to contemplate and philosophize about what we cover today! Due to the length of today's dissertation, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a pillow to get as comfortable as you can. Once again, before we begin, let's go ahead and get out our little 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! Any views and opinions expressed in "It Works in Theory" are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Dragonmount, any of the staff or members of Dragonmount, or of any sites affiliated with Dragonmount, Brandon Sanderson, any of Team Jordan, Herid Fel, anyone of the Fourth Age, or anyone with more than half a brain, for that matter.
 
This week I'll be continuing the ramifications of the theory I presented last week (Hand of Onyx) in which I theorized that there was a "Dark Callandor" which would counter the power of Callandor, and also possibly facilitate the transfer of souls between Rand and Moridin (click here for Body Swap Theory). The main focus of some of the effects that this theory will have will center on the phrase "Twice dawns the day...", which we get from prophecy. So, without further ado, let us begin!
 
Let's go ahead and get some of the preliminary quotes out of the way concerning this phrase and others that might relate to it:
 
 
 
and yet another one from The Great Hunt, out of the Prophecies of the Dragon:
 
 
There's actually some really good ideas out there for possible ways the twice-dawning day can come true. One of my favorites is the idea of an eclipse happening. This would be somewhat out of left field (in a good way) and would tie in fairly well with a lot of prophecies. The only problem I really see with it is it's harder to directly associate Rand with the eclipse ending. Why does the Dark One need to do an eclipse when he can shut the sun out with cloud cover every day? Another theory I've heard mentioned is that the volcano on Dragonmount, the mountain created by Lews Therin Telamon that is this site's namesake, will erupt. I'm less a fan of this one because even a massive eruption from Dragonmount wouldn't quite be enough to compare to the brightness of a second dawn. In addition, how would the "once for mourning, once for birth" line fit in there?
 
I'm going in a slightly different direction with my theory. I believe too many instances exist involving a link between Rand and dawn to dismiss. There's also another connection made in the books between something else and bright sunlight or dawn: objects of Power that are drawing on massive amounts of saidin or saidar.
 
 
This brilliant light is seen by non-channelers as well, as we find from the two random passersby who venture near the male and female Choedan Kal in the taint cleansing scene in Winter's Heart:
 
 
Now we know the Last Battle has begun. The Shadow reaches across the Pattern, and the Dark One's influence upon the world grows. It will grow even more when Rand breaks the seals. As it is, the Dark One has been able to make things, well, pretty dark for a while, both literally and figuratively. The skies of Randland have been cast over with cloud cover the past few months, only parting around Rand after his "Veins of Gold" epiphany. I think it's safe to say that he can make things even darker in Randland, even without an eclipse. I think a "tempest" of a dark thundercloud will explode above Shayol Ghul and blanket the skies with an even more impenetrable darkness. Under such conditions, the normal dawn isn't even noticed at all because the sky is so dark.
 
And yet, as Rand confronts Moridin, each wielding their sword sa'angreal, the amount of Power being channeled will become a beacon in the sky, a radiant sun on the horizon (more than likely the confrontation will happen at Shayol Ghul, which is far enough from any civilizations that it would appear on the horizon for almost everyone). Remember, Callandor blocks balefire, as we see in the fight at the end of The Dragon Reborn between Rand and Ba'alzamon. It is more than likely that the Dark Callandor will have the same property, so this won't be a quick balefire fight to the dea- erm, oblivion. In fact, this property of Callandor might even have something to do with the Body Swap.
 
So, BAM! The body swap happens, and Rand gets put in Moridin's body, while Moridin is put in Rand's. The circle of Alivia and Nyneave will now be controlling Moridin; however, in a big blow to the Light, Rand becomes controlled by the circle of Cyndane and Moghedien. Remember that first verse in the dark Prophecy we saw written on the wall of the Fal Dara prison cell after Padan Fain's escape?
 
 
The "Daughter of the Night" is obviously Lanfear, who has been transmigrated into Cyndane. We never really saw her make Rand, her "new" lover, serve her up to this point, even though she was manipulating him for a time when she was donning her alter ego, Selene. There's also other parts of prophecy that suggest he will be controlled:
 
 
The first reference has to with his destruction of the Aiel, and the second has to do with making the Seanchan submit to him. The "wound of madness" is most likely the taint on saidin, and I would speculate that the cutting of hope that he healed has to do with the internal struggle he was having up until "Veins of Gold". The chains he has broken could have to do with the bonds of all men he breaks with his coming, but I'm crossing my fingers that it means he gets the Seanchan to free all damane. That last part could be foreshadowing the chains that Rand will be put in because of the transfer. So, now we see the ultimate reason why there is always so much devastation linked with the coming of the Dragon Reborn. Yes, he is the world's savior, but for a time, he will be the ultimate weapon of destruction. He will truly break the world with his loss of control to the Shadow. There's many things I can see happening in this scenario, and almost none of them are good. One of the awful atrocities I think he definitely will commit will be confronting his own gathering of Aiel and unleashing massive destruction on his own people. I suspect Rand might even kill Lan in this mode; the irony of Lan surviving a suicide mission to the Blight just to be killed defending Nyneave from Dark Rand 2.0 would be too much to pass on. Nyneave's grief was very important in a viewing Min had of Nyneave; it might be the thing which finally lets her truly let her anger go. If she's able to forgive Rand for killing her love (this would be after Rand is resurrected again, of course, so then there's no need for her to hold up that defense mechanism wall of anger ever again).
 
You probably noticed I mentioned Rand's resurrection even though I hadn't covered his death yet. Don't worry, I'm getting there. This muddled spiderweb of a blog post has a purpose, and it should all come together perfectly in the end, I hope think.
 
We already know that Alivia is guaranteed to be one of the people that will "help Rand die". One of the others is almost certainly going to be Moiraine in my opinion, simply because we've had an indication from Moiraine starting all the way back in the first book, The Eye Of The World, that if she felt it was in the Light's best interests to take Rand out, she wouldn't hesitate. I strongly suspect that the last person in the circle to take out Dark Rand 2.0 will be Narishma, because he seems to have his own connection to Callandor after drawing it out of the Heart of the Stone. His dark complexion also makes him a perfect candidate for satisfying Egwene's dream of a dark young man wielding a very shiny object (A Crown of Swords).
 
It is at some point during this tirade of terror when Rand sees himself either killing or about to kill Aviendha that he suddenly has "a memory of light" and wrests control back from Cyndane, giving Alivia and friends time to kill him. I believe he will end up dying in the Pit of Doom, his blood spilling on the rocks of Shayol Ghul to satisfy prophecy. Now we come to why this dawn is the one for mourning. The Light just saw their Champion turned against them, pave a wide swath of destruction through their forces, and die before the Last Battle was done. Many would be devastated, others would rejoice that Dark Rand 2.0 is dead, or that the Dragon is dead. Overall, though, things would look very bleak indeed.
 
I suggest that if you haven't read Terez's writeup on "Blood on the Rocks" and all the mystery surrounding Rand's death and possible resurrection, do it now. It states very clearly how easy and practical it would be for Nyneave to "rip" Rand out of Tel'aran'rhiod, just like Birgitte was. She would most likely need some help from Perrin, Egwene, and others in fending off Slayer and other Shadowspawn, and possibly Rand's help in fighting off the Dark One himself reaching for Rand's soul. Rand would also need his three ladies waiting in the real world to bond him immediately to keep him from dying when he is ripped out of Tel'aran'rhiod. Once resurrected, he turns things back to how they should be very quickly, brings Sunlight to Shayol Ghul through pure willpower, and seals the Dark One away for another turning of the Wheel. This second dawning would represent birth, in that Rand has a whole new life, a new opportunity to find love without the world resting on his shoulders, and the birth of a new age.
 
It's possible that most Randlanders would perceive the two dawns as being the normal sunrise, and the brilliant explosion of light coming from Rand and Moridin's fight, but I feel in the philosophical and literary artistic sense that it is more fitting that the second dawn be the rebirth of Rand.
 
With that, ladies and germs, my mind is about to collapse so I must put a stake in this undying vampire of a blog's heart, and bid you adieu.
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Thursdays with Tynaal: Interview with Jennifer Liang

Hello, all! With pleasure, I welcome you back to my blog this Thursday. I've had the luck of getting to interview a very impressive woman. Some of you may know her personally, yet others may not. Nevertheless, you surely have heard of her. So, without further ado, I present to you--Jennifer Liang!
 
Q: Where are you from? What do you do?
 
A: I'm originally from Salt Lake City. When I was fifteen, my dad accepted a job transfer to Atlanta, Georgia, where I've been ever since. Currently, I teach language arts at a private school for teenagers with autism spectrum disorders.
 
 
Q: Are you married with a little horde of Trollocs to call your own?
 
A: I'm married to James Liang (Segurant on the forums) and we don't have any children yet.
 
 
Q: What do you like doing in your time off from your duties at Dragonmount?
 
A: Teaching takes up most of my time. I'm also working on my Master's in Special Education via distance learning at Western Governors University.  I also chair JordanCon, run the Robert Jordan track at Dragon*Con, and I'm the host of Tor.com's official Wheel of Time Facebook and Twitter portals. I also have a food blog where I post about what I'm cooking and places I like to eat: Northside Food.
 
 
Q: How were you introduced to The Wheel of Time? What about it has made you such a fan?
 
A: My mom bought me the first three (that's all there was) when I was in the sixth grade. What's grabbed me the most over the years was the characters.
They feel like real people to me, warts and all. I spent a lot of time in high school worrying about Rand and Egwene instead of paying attention in class.  I like the role of fate and prophecy and the puzzles that Jordan created for his readers. I'm not nearly the theorist that others are, but I still enjoy noodling around with ideas and reading others' thoughts.
 
 
Q: How far back do you and Dragonmount go? How did you find it and why did you join it?
 
A: I joined in 1998 about three weeks after Jason put the forums online. I found it because some guy kept spamming the Wheel of Time forums that existed back then with links to his super cool new Wheel of Time discussion site. A bunch of posters I knew from wheeloftime.com joined it and I followed them over.
 
 
Q: What is the best thing about Dragonmount, in your opinion?
 
A: Being able to interact with other fans. I'm old enough to remember the pre-Internet days when you usually knew absolutely no one else who shared your geeky interests. Being able to share my love for something with fans all over the world is not something I take for granted. 
 
 
Q: Have you always enjoyed reading books, even as a young child, or
were you a late bloomer?
 
A: Oh, I've always been a bookworm. My fifth grade teacher told my parents at a conference once, "In twenty years of teaching, I've never had to say this. Take the books away from your daughter and make her go outside!" 
 
 
Q: Are you proud to be a geeky person?
 
A: Absolutely. It's a lot of fun. 
 
 
Q: Have you ever dressed up as a character from the Wheel of Time or do
you have any Wheel of Time inspired tattoos?
 
A: Yes, I dress up as the Amyrlin Seat every year for the Dragon*Con parade. No tattoos, alas. Every time I start thinking about one, my husband talks me out of it. 
 
 
Q: Spear or Dagger?
 
A: Spear. Less chance of cooties. 
 
 
Q: What Ajah would you be in if you had to choose one and why?
 
A: Brown. I love history and I love books. 
 
 
Q: Who are your favorite and least favorite characters of the series?
 
A: My favorite is Egwene. My least favorite is Gawyn. She could do so much better. 
 
 
Q: What profession did you want to have when you were a kid?
 
A: I've always wanted to be a teacher. 
 
 
Q: Randland or our world?
 
A: As fun as it would be to channel, I'm awfully attached to indoor plumbing. 
 
 
Q: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
 
A: Too many places! I still haven't been to Europe. Perhaps in a few years. 
 
 
Q: What exactly is the position you hold on Dragonmount and how did you come by it?
 
A: My official title is "Project Manager". Originally at Dragonmount, I was an Org Leader, which is what we called Social Group Leaders back in the day. I eventually worked my way up to being Community Admin on top of that, which meant that I was ultimately responsible for everything on the forums except the RP. I did both these jobs for a number of years, until I founded JordanCon. The time demand of running a small business and chairing a convention didn't leave me with very much time to be active on the forums every day. So Jason and I agreed it was time to phase me out. We both still wanted me to be involved in Dragonmount somehow and Jason had gotten used to having an Admin who knew Team Jordan, knew the publishers, knew all the other Big Name Fans, etc. So we sort of created this idea that my job was now to work on all the weird odds and ends that kept cropping up, but didn't fit neatly into someone else's job description.
 
The first project I undertook was updating the Wheel of Time FAQ. That ended up taking more time than we initially expected, but we did finally get it out and updated in time for the release of Towers of Midnight. I also did much of the organizing of the Storm Leader and Tower Guard volunteer
programs. I help with other odds and ends around the site too, like keeping our Twitter and Facebook accounts updated.
 
 
Q: Wow, you do a mighty amount of work for the Wheel of Time fandom! How is it that you were involved in the WOTFAQ, and what exactly does your work for Tor.com entail?
 
A: When I took over the WOTFAQ, Leigh Butler had not been able to update it since Crossroads of Twilight was released. This meant that it hadn't been updated for either Knife of Dreams or New Spring. So my job was to go through the entire FAQ, find the articles that were now out of date, and revise them. I also had to identify which topics were now currently under discussion and what the most commonly accepted answers were. It sounds simple, but the FAQ has something like 80 unique articles, ranging from just a few sentences in length to the 30-page monstrosity that is the Asmodean murder mystery. You have the added challenge of the FAQ changing home communities as well. It went from being based primarily from the old rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan newsgroup to being based off discussion from the Dragonmount forums. So I wanted to update, but keep as much of the original document in place as I could. It was a balancing act. I had lots of help from Linda Taglieri, Matt Hatch, and of course Luckers, among others. I think we got it right, overall.
 
We intended to release the updated FAQ in time for The Gathering Storm, but by the time I could start working on the FAQ, I'd already read the book and was worried that I'd inadvertently spoil something. It also took Jason and me longer than we expected to get the WOTFAQ's database set up. So we ended up shelving it until the Towers of Midnight release. It gave us more work to do for that update, but it was the right decision. I would not have been comfortable releasing the pre-TGS FAQ.
 
As for Tor.com, Jason let me know back in February that Irene Gallo had approached him about starting up a Tor.com branded Facebook and Twitter portal. They'd been starting up other portals like Tor.com Art Department, Tor.com Fantasy, Tor.com Steampunk, etc. and they wanted one for JUST Wheel of Time links. Jason didn't have time to take on another project, but he knew I was unemployed and I do the lion's share of keeping the Dragonmount Facebook and Twitter accounts updated anyways. So he recommended me for it. Irene called me that week and we talked for a bit about the time commitment and how I'd be compensated. And that was it. My job is to spend about ten hours a week looking for interesting Wheel of Time related links around the Internet to post on Twitter or Facebook. It's a fun job and the extra money was quite helpful when I was unemployed.
 
 
Q: Was the beta version of the book very different from the final print that all other fans read? Were you excited about being able to read it before everyone else?
 
A: Oh, of course I was excited. I got a binder with the manuscript copy of The Gathering Storm at the first JordanCon. I was really glad I'd taken the day off from work after the con, because I spent all day reading it. I didn't need to take time off from work to read Towers of Midnight, because I was unemployed at the time, but I still spent all day reading it. The other beta readers who received it that day and I kept each other posted on what chapter we were on via email.
 
The Gathering Storm was much more polished. Brandon had been working on it for awhile at that point and had spent time revising already. There were some minor revisions, like "that's not a Wheel of Time word", but otherwise, I don't think there were any substantial changes.
 
Towers of Midnight was much rougher when we got it and Brandon made several changes at our suggestion, including adding a new scene that wasn't in the draft we saw. There were other changes we suggested, but Brandon said, basically "That's word for word what Robert Jordan wrote. I'm not touching it."
 
 
Q: What are Dragon*Con and JordanCon, and what is the difference between them (i.e. How would you describe them in a nutshell for people that have never attended either; Do you find the same amount of people going or is one more prominent than the other, etc.)? Also, how is it that Robert Jordan has his very own conference?
 
A: Dragon*Con is a very, very massive multi-fandom event. It has 30+ tracks of programming, around 400 guests, and tens of thousands of fans. Wheel of Time is just one of many things celebrated at Dragon*Con. Dragon*Con is also a much more media-centered event. There's lots of actors on the Walk of Fame and lots of folks standing in line for autographs.
 
JordanCon is obviously a much smaller event. We're focused mostly on the Wheel of Time series, but we do feature other authors.  We do not have media guests, which means that all autographs are free. All of Team Jordan attends, along with members of Robert Jordan's extended family. In some ways, it feels like a family reunion. Everyone sort of knows each other, and we all have similar interests.
 
There's been commentary in other places saying that the small, literature-focused con is dying off, crushed beneath the weight of behemoths like Dragon*Con or Comic-Con. Those people haven't been to a JordanCon. We're a very lively bunch and the convention gets bigger every year.
 
I think it really boils down to what you are looking for. Dragon*Con has far more choices for entertainment, but JordanCon is more intimate.
 
 
Q: Is there anything else you would like to tell the visitors of Dragonmount?
 
A: Click on the ads and buy things in our store. The money goes to pay for necessary software and equipment upgrades.  We have more traffic than any other WoT fansite (only Theoryland comes close to us in traffic, I think) and that's as much as a small commercial site. And we do it without anything even close to the resources that a commercial site might have. So supporting us like that means we can afford upgrades like the big one we did just before Towers of Midnight came out last year.
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

Podcast: #103 – The 4th Age Podcast – The Tower of Mat

<p><em><strong>Mat</strong></em>, our favorite “I am not a bloody Hero,” is our topic for the 103rd Episode of The 4th Age Podcast. Your hosts for this episode are Andrew, Virginia, Spencer, Carrie, and Daniel.</p><p>(This episode, like most of our talks, is chock full of spoilers if you haven’t read Towers of Midnight yet!) <span style="color: #800000;">Warning: SPOILER ALERT!</span></p><p>Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dragonmount.com">Dragonmount.com</a> for forums, comments, and all the latest news in the Wheel of Time world.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>ATTENTION! THERE ARE TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS in this podcast!</strong> </span><em>Also, spoilers on ALL the other books are VERY likely!</em> If you haven’t read all the way through the Wheel of Time, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS of all previous books! There also 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, Spencer</p><h6>Editor for this episode: Richard F.
Editor-in-Chief: Spencer</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-102.mp3">Download this Episode now</a>
</strong></h6><h5>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. We are usually in need of editing help – please, contact Spencer at <a href="mailto:podcast@dragonmount.com" target="_blank">podcast@dragonmount.com</a> if you are interested in volunteering.</h5><h5>Music by: Josh Needleman. His website is at <a href="http://www.joshneedleman.net/">www.joshneedleman.net</a> and he has the music available to hear on his MySpace page at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshneedleman">www.myspace.com/joshneedleman</a>. Its title is <em>Floodgate</em>. Thanks, Josh!
 
Edited August 21: We are aware that the wrong link was posted. Please go here to download episode #103.
Tialin
Tialin

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: August 14-20, 2011

Welcome back, everyone! You may have noticed that we now have front page content scheduled for your pleasure on Monday-Friday of each week. When you've finished checking out the fascinating new blogs on the front page, take a look at our message boards.
 
If you enjoyed the topic of yesterday's theory blog and want something to tide you over until next week's installment, head over to the General Wheel of Time Discussion board. Share your own speculations about what could be in the Blight here.
 
The people in our Movies Discussion forum are discussing the best movies of 2011. Do you agree with their picks?
 
Do you enjoy puzzles and riddles? The Ogier Social Group has an ongoing thread where you can test your cerebral fortitude.
 
The Shayol Ghul Social Group wants you to hurry and vote for your favorite members in the Ghoulie Awards. You only have a couple of days left to get in your votes, so do it now!
 
Whether you call it shapeshifting, transmogrification, or metamorphosis, you probably have fantasized at some point in your life about changing your form. The Wolfkin Social Group recently posed an interesting question: If you could change forms, would you rather change into a wolf or into a better-looking version of your human self? Let us know what you think.
 
Our role players are getting closer to finishing their "Eyes and Ears Saga." If you have been following this story and are biting your nails off waiting for the killer to be found, you won't have to wait much longer.
 
It looks like the Children of the Light Role Playing Group is up to something. Let's keep an eye on them and make sure they don't cause too much trouble on their excursion.
 
Our Twitter and Facebook accounts have been buzzing about NPR's picks for the top 100 science fiction and fantasy books. The Wheel of Time made it to #12 on the list. I think we should have scored higher, but I may be a bit biased. What do you think about the results?
 
Stay tuned for more exciting news next week!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

It Works in Theory...(Week 2)

Hello there, fellow denizens of Dragonmount! Welcome to another weekly installment of "It Works in Theory...", Dragonmount's brand new theory blog headed by yours truly! Before I begin, let me say that I was thrilled to read all the comments and responses to last week's premiere entry, and I hope to continue to find little tidbits and ideas for you to bounce around in your head a little bit. Also, let me put in this disclaimer for legal purposes:
 

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 free-flowing narrative that occasionally touches on immature subjects, and if you don't like that, then your mama wears combat boots.
 
There's one more thing I want to address before I move to the focus of this week's issue. Obviously, any theory I put out here is just one opinion or take on a subject. There's a good chance I'll be way off base with various predictions, but I occasionally will get lucky and hit the nail right on the head, and there's a chance I might spoil some big reveal for you. I know you're probably aware of this already, but I only stress this because I get the feeling I might have tripped onto the bombshell theory I was looking for last week.
 
So, what is the subject of today's article? It has to do with the "hand of onyx" that Min sees in a vision involving Callandor around Rand in Towers of Midnight. I was extremely excited to cover this topic because in earlier theories and discussions regarding the hand of onyx, Tel'aran'rhiod is usually brought up as a way of helping Rand replace the hand that Semirhage blew away. For a long time I believed something like this might happen, and I found it to be an amazing allusion to another favorite fantasy series of mine: The Chronicles of Amber, written by Roger Zelazny.
 
In The Chronicles of Amber, there exists a world/plane of existence known as Tir-na Nog'th, and there are huge similarities between it and Tel'aran'rhiod, the world of dreams in The Wheel of Time. Of course the names even look similar, but the overall feel of the two worlds, their relation to dreams/visions, and their use by the authors to reveal certain hints and foreshadowing all draw big parallels as well. There is also a main character in The Chronicles of Amber called Benedict, who is an amazing swordsman who loses a hand but later gains an artificial hand from Tir-na Nog'th that he uses to replace his lost appendage.
 
Unfortunately, even though it's still possible that Robert Jordan was alluding to Zelazny's epic fantasy series, I have come to a different conclusion regarding the hand of onyx. Before I go further, let's examine the full quote regarding the dark hand, found in Towers of Midnight, the last book to come out in the series:
 
 
There's also another viewing Min has, earlier in the same book, that seems very closely related to this matter:
 
 
In my quest to wrap my head around this issue and figure out what I thought it might be referring to, I started to look at different theories and discussion relating to Callandor. I still couldn't quite get a grasp on what I was looking for, so I started to venture to other subjects and focused on one in particular: The BLANK in the Blight.
 
 
At first I thought this was unrelated to what I had been researching, but suddenly I had a "Veins of Gold" type of revelation: There's a Callandor in the Blight. At least, there's a twin to Callandor in the Blight, a male sa'angreal most likely equal in power, which perhaps might even draw in the True Power instead of the One Power. This series has often examined the nature of duality (Light vs. Shadow, Saidin vs. Saidar, etc.) and the stage is set for the ultimate confrontation between the champion for the forces of Light (Rand) to face the champion of Shadow (Moridin). Both champions will have their sa'angreal swords, and both will have their two female companions to help them wield the swords (Rand has Nynaeve and Alivia; Moridin has Cyndane and Moghedien).
 
The only things we know about the _____ in the Blight are that it's something that would be very hard to unearth, that even Harriet didn't know about it, that it would be an instant shocker that must have huge implications, and that it would be hinted about in Towers of Midnight. I'd say the two Towers of Midnight quotes I provided would qualify for that, but there's even more hints:
 
 
The flaw Min speaks of, the blade binding by twain, has to do with the fact that there is at least an equally powerful sa'angreal which is the perfect antithesis to Callandor, and that wielding Callandor in the presence of that other sa'angreal will lead to the Dragon's fall. Needing two women in a circle is a red herring here; we have often seen that we will miss something big because we overlook a part of prophecy or foreshadowing in the novels, thinking it already has been fulfilled or explained. There is another reference to this sa'angreal in the fourth book of the series, The Shadow Rising:
 
 
One of the sa'angreal that Lanfear mentions is the male Choedan Kal, which is now kaput. As for the other, the one that supposedly is stronger than Callandor:
 
 
And here's another one four years later:
 
 
So, how does all of this apply to the black hand holding Callandor? Well, we all know that there is a link between Rand and Moridin (for more information see Rand/Moridin Link). If you take this one step further, and introduce the body-swap theory (here's the link for that one Body Swap theory) which essentially states that Rand and Moridin will switch bodies due to their link and the amount of Power they will be channeling in the vicinity of Shayol Ghul, you begin to see how a black hand might hold Callandor. When Rand and Moridin swap bodies, Moridin will find himself in Rand's body, and he will be held in a circle by Nyneave and Alivia, but he will be wielding Callandor. The black hand in Min's vision means the same thing meant by a "blade of black, held by a faceless darkness", that it will be someone from the Shadow.
 
There are other possibilities with this theory, as well as big implications in how this will effect the outcome of the series. Seeing as I've already covered a large chunk of material and rambled on for too long already, I will have to continue the rest of this theory next week, when I cover what is meant by "the day that dawns twice". Thanks for stopping by again, and please feel free to comment, whether you agree or disagree. Until next week!
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Rotating Feature Blog: Wheel of Time Jewelry

Hello, and welcome to the new rotating feature blog on Dragonmount. Allow me to give you an overview of how this blog will work. Every week on a Thursday, I will post a new column. As it is a rotating feature, there will always be something new, every week of the month. I will include such content as book reviews, interviews with the big guys around Dragonmount, or other interesting snippets about the Wheel of Time fandom in general.
 
Seeing as this is my first blog, I will answer one of those questions that I'm fairly sure everyone has asked themselves before: "Where can I get myself one of those?" The term "those" often refers to Great Serpent rings, but it doesn't stop there. There is so much Wheel of Time jewelry out there, be it Dedicated Sword Pins, Ajah pendants, Lan's Signet Ring, or even your very own Dream ter'angreal as a necklace. It's an easy way for you to bring a piece of your favorite fantasy series right into your home, or even as the perfect gift idea for a fellow fantasy fan.
 
So, by this stage, I'm assuming that you want me to get to the point and tell you where to find whatever Wheel of Time jewelry your heart desires. A site with a great variety of items and prices that are not too unreasonable, especially since whatever it is that you're getting is most often in sterling silver or quality gold, is Badali Jewelry Specialties, Inc. You can find their Wheel of Time product list here. For those people like myself who live in outlying countries, you should check the international shipping charges and availability. They are not limited to Wheel of Time jewelry and have most things that a fantasy geek can ask for! Another easy option, especially for people on Dragonmount, is the Dragonmount store itself, although we sell jewelry that is also crafted by the Badali Jewelry Specialists. For those of you who often buy items on the Internet, you'll know all about Amazon. Amazon, being the large online retailer that it is, will naturally have a selection. You can have a look at their products here.
 
Now, all that is left to do is to save up that little bit of money, decide on your gift, and spoil yourself!
 
Until next time, folks, when I bring another piece of fandom closer to you!
Tynaal Consen
Tynaal Consen

Podcast: #102 – The 4th Age Podcast – Listener Emails

<p><em><strong>Listener Emails</strong></em> form the basis for discussion for the 102nd Episode of The 4th Age Podcast. Your hosts for this episode are Andrew, Virginia, and Spencer.</p><p>(This episode, like most of our talks, is chock full of spoilers if you haven’t read Towers of Midnight yet!) <span style="color: #800000;">Warning: SPOILER ALERT!</span></p><p>Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dragonmount.com">Dragonmount.com</a> for forums, comments, and all the latest news in the Wheel of Time world.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>ATTENTION! THERE ARE TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS in this podcast!</strong> </span><em>Also, spoilers on ALL the other books are VERY likely!</em> If you haven’t read all the way through the Wheel of Time, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS 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, Spencer</p><h6>Editor for this episode: Richard F.
Editor-in-Chief: Spencer</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-102.mp3">Download'>http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-102.mp3">Download this Episode now</a>
</strong></h6><h5>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. We are usually in need of editing help – please, contact Spencer at <a href="mailto:podcast@dragonmount.com" target="_blank">podcast@dragonmount.com</a> if you are interested in volunteering.</h5><h5>Music by: Josh Needleman. His website is at <a href="http://www.joshneedleman.net/">www.joshneedleman.net</a> and he has the music available to hear on his MySpace page at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshneedleman">www.myspace.com/joshneedleman</a>. Its title is <em>Floodgate</em>. Thanks, Josh!</h5><div><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-102.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></strong></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/4thAge/~4/1-GWl0HK8GY" height="1" width="1"/>
Tialin
Tialin

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: August 7-13, 2011

I hope you all enjoyed the return of our podcasts and our brand new Wheel of Time theory blog. We have even more surprises up our sleeves, so keep your eyes here on the front page! In the meantime, let's take a look at what has been happening on the forums this week.
 
If you could have your way, whose point of view would you feature in the prologue of A Memory of Light? Visit our A Memory of Light Non-Spoiler Discussion forum to discuss this and speculate about whether Brandon Sanderson would use one of your ideas.
 
Which fighter from the fantasy genre has the greatest swordsmanship skills of all? Visit the General Discussion forum and share your picks.
 
What do you think might happen to male channelers after the Taint has been cleansed? The Black Tower Social Group has taken a vested interest in this topic. Come share your ideas with them here.
 
Calling all book fans! Since that likely encompasses everyone reading this blog, I hope to see many of you participating in the Kin Social Group's book swap.
 
The Wolfkin Social Group has been posting some amusing pictures of wolves lately. Come check them out here.
 
Remember the Sleepless in the Dreamworld role play I featured a few weeks ago? It looks like there have been some exciting new developments there since I last spoke about it.
 
The White Tower Role Play Division is writing a new role play about the Black Ajah Head. Witness some evil politicking in this thread.
 
Our very own Jennifer Liang chatted with The Unique Geek about The Wheel of Time in a recent podcast. Jennifer has done some amazing things for this fandom, and we are happy to have her with us. For more awesome news like this, you can follow us on Twitter or on Facebook.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

It Works in Theory...

Greetings, perusers of Dragonmount! I am happy to welcome you to "It Works in Theory..." (tentative title), Dragonmount's new theory blog headed by yours truly. This is my first blog on this site, so I suppose a short introduction wouldn't be a bad idea. I'm 25, an avid reader, an emerging writer, and a bassist in a band that shares my Dragonmount name. I'm getting married this fall, and generally enjoying life as it unfolds. Here's a fun fact about me: my band recently recorded its first EP, and one of the tracks we recorded was an instrumental I wrote called "Tarmon Gai'don." I hope to share a link with y'all soon.
 
Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's move on to the point of this blog. I was hoping the first idea I opined would be groundbreaking and shatter all preconceived notions anyone had about what was really going on in the Wheel of Time. Unfortunately, I soon found out that tens of thousands of fans who have been into this series far longer than me have put down just about any idea that I could hope to produce. That being said, I am still determined to put something out there that seems somewhat fresh. The subject we will cover today has to do with the fate of the Aiel as a people, and of Aviendha specifically.
 
Much deliberation has gone on in the forums about what might happen to the Aiel after Aviendha's visions in Rhuidean. The Aiel have been venerated by Wheel of Time fans since they were originally introduced, and the notion that what Aviendha saw may actually come to pass seems to have greatly affected many of us. Obviously, if we want to find a way that the Aiel's fate may be avoided, the first place to look would be the Aiel Prophecies. There happen to be a couple of them on which I would like to focus:
 
 
 
I'll go ahead and cut to the chase at this time: I believe the Aiel nation and Aviendha in particular will assume the roles of martyrs in the last book of the series, and that they will essentially be destroyed, except for that last remnant. Their sacrifice will be essential to the Light winning, and the manner in which they do it will be truly heroic. One thing to remember is that what saddened Aviendha most during her visions wasn't that her people would die, but that they would lose every last shred of honor. She will do everything in her power to prevent either from happening, but if given the choice, she would greatly prefer that the Aiel maintain their honor.
 
Aviendha has always seemed to be a perfect martyr in the series; her internal conflict and lack of arrogance has defined her. One of her first lines in the series is loaded with foreshadowing:
 
 
Of course, the rest of the Aiel have the same sense about them--the same fearless stance toward both death and fighting the Shadow--but Aviendha's character has many moments throughout the series when she considers the notion of sacrificing herself to help another to be expected. Then there's the fact that her relationship to Rand differs from Min's and Elayne's in important ways. Elayne already has his seed in her, so she has a lifelong connection no matter what. The intimacy shared by Min and Rand is considerably greater than what is shared by the other two. Aviendha and Rand's relationship seems much more complex. Part of this has to do with Rand's difficulty with seeing the Aiel as his people, but there has been somewhat of a distance between the two in all phases of their relationship. This distance can be observed as recently as Aviendha's conversation with Nakomi, when she is reluctant to reveal how well she knows Rand (even though she already trusts Nakomi at this point). Most significant, though, is her belief that the blame for her people losing all honor lies in her bloodline. It is apparent that she wouldn't have any problem assuming the martyr role to save her people; in fact, it might be necessary.
 
So, how will this occur? Rand will need help at Shayol Ghul when he breaks the seals. He already has hinted that he doesn't think he will be able to contain the Dark One, and after the Dark One has been imprisoned for another three thousand years following his short vacation of being released on the world, I highly doubt that he will be handled like a kitten that has escaped its litter. The Aiel will be the ones who will provide that aid, led by Aviendha.
 
The unique way in which Aviendha will assist with containing the Dark One has to do with somewhat of a controversial subject: the Talent of Singing. I know the idea of a particular "Song" has been put to rest, but I still believe that Singing will be the one thing which is able to keep the Dark One from completely escaping his prison once the seals are broken. We see hints of the powers of song and music throughout the series: in Loial and other Ogier's ability to Tree Sing, when Rand initially staves off the Forsaken from entering his mind by playing his flute, and when we hear about the lost ability of Aiel Singing used to promote crop growth. The Dark Ones represents chaos or disorder. The Light, on the other hand, represents order and harmony. In fact, there is a humorous theory that examines this idea more in depth on Theoryland: Wheel of Time: The Musical.
 
I'm not sure how the Talent will be rediscovered, but I would speculate that it might end up having to do with Tel'aran'rhiod, unless Aviendha gets another visit from Nakomi. Few Aiel probably have the Voice for Singing either; in fact, Aviendha might not even have it. Much like the Da'shain Aiel defense of Tzora, when 10,000 Aiel hooked arms and sang until the last one died, Aviendha will make sure the Aiel gather in mass to save Rand not through violence, but by finally restoring the Way of the Leaf in her people. The combination of even more Aiel than at Tzora and hundreds of Wise One channelers, including Aviendha, will create a force of harmony that will keep the Dark One from unleashing his fury on Randland, at least for a time. Assuming Rand's ruse works and the forces of the Shadow are all distracted while he does his business in Shayol Ghul, Moridin will show up to give Rand the fight of his and everyone else's life while Aviendha and her Aiel chorus will buy Rand more time.
 
Unfortunately, the other Forsaken will show up with other creatures of the Shadow, and the Aiel will start to get massacred. The Forsaken are, after all, true Aes Sedai, and the Aiel failing to fall into place in their schemes will earn their own destruction. As Aviendha is slain, Rand will feel the loss through his bond to her. He will then proceed to blow open the floodgates, defeat Moridin and whichever Forsaken are left, and wrap it all up by resealing the Bore along with both male and female channelers. Another way for that part of Prophecy to be fulfilled is if a Seanchan attack on the White Tower forces Egwene to ask for help from the Aiel. The Aiel won't be able to accommodate that request because they will have readopted the Way of the Leaf. This would lead to Egwene refusing to send Aes Sedai to help Aviendha and the Aiel contain the Dark One. In this scenario, a likely assumption would be that Egwene changes her mind in the end so she is able to lend female channelers to help seal the Bore.
 
I believe the remnant of a remnant that Rand saves will be the Tuatha'an, for they are a remnant of the current Aiel society, which is itself a remnant of ancient Aiel society:
 
 
Some may say that the Tuatha'an are not similar enough to the Aiel anymore, that their genetic pool has been "diluted" by non-Aiel blood. I say all you need for a remnant is for something to be descended from something else, and the Tuatha'an most certainly trace their origin and bloodline back to the Aiel. It is possible, though, that the remnant Rand saves will be some of the Aiel who are left at Shayol Ghul, and I really like the idea someone else proposed that their place ends up in Rhuidean helping that city to flourish. Another issue I wanted to address was Aviendha's death, which many might say can't happen yet because of Min's vision of Aviendha's babies. I am of the opinion that Min's visions are no longer foolproof because the Dark One's influence has grown and cast a shadow over the Pattern, which makes it difficult to read. That being said, it is possible that Rand comes in at the zero hour to save Aviendha when he feels her mortally injured through the bond. Either way, she and many of the Aiel would approach their death with no fear and gladly assume a martyr role in an attempt to alter their future. Their actions would make it possible for any surviving Aiel not to be persecuted in the Wetlands because it would become widely known that Aiel were partially responsible for defeating the Dark One. Their actions would also completely resolve any toh leftover from when they broke the Covenant, and would give them a much more fitting end than the one seen by Aviendha in the columns.
 
Thus ends my premiere blog. I hope it ends up being much more fun for you to read it than it was for me to write it.
hazelkrs1
hazelkrs1

Fan Art Friday: Random Things I Like

It's been one of those weeks, you know? So if it's cool with everyone, instead of doing a theme, I'll just be posting random things I like. Here we go!
 

 
Check this out. It's Dragonmount and the city of Tar Valon in what looks like salt dough. I'd like to see more detail, but considering how little Wheel of Time 3D art there is, I'm not going to be picky. This is by Ruggiero93.
 

 
I really like this poster by p-lukeThe layout is really nice and he picked nice art to go with it. I could see something like this hanging up in my house.
 

 
This is "United Against the Shadow" by Zephyrus in Dragonmount's gallery. These are fantastic portraits of the main characters. I love seeing this one every time it pops up in my art searches.
 
And that's it. I'm going back to bed. See you next week!
JenniferL
JenniferL

Podcast: #101 – The 4th Age Podcast – Listener Voicemails

<p><em><strong>Listener Voicemails</strong></em> is the topic for the 101st Episode of The 4th Age Podcast. Your hosts for this episode are Virginia, Spencer, and Carrie.</p><p>(This episode, like most of our talks, is chock full of spoilers if you haven’t read Towers of Midnight yet!) <span style="color: #800000;">Warning: SPOILER ALERT!</span></p><p>Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dragonmount.com">Dragonmount.com</a> for forums, comments and all the latest news in the Wheel of Time world.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>ATTENTION! THERE ARE TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS in this podcast!</strong> </span><em>Also, spoilers on ALL the other books are VERY likely!</em> If you haven’t read all the way through the Wheel of Time, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS of all previous books! Maybe 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. No guarantees, however.</p><p>Hosts: Virginia, Spencer, Carrie</p><h6>Editor for this episode: Ken S.
Editor-in-Chief: Spencer</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-101.mp3">Download'>http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-101.mp3">Download this Episode now</a>
</strong></h6><h5>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. We are usually in need of editing help – please, contact Spencer at <a href="mailto:podcast@dragonmount.com" target="_blank">podcast@dragonmount.com</a> if you are interested in volunteering.</h5><h5>Music by: Josh Needleman. His website is at <a href="http://www.joshneedleman.net/">www.joshneedleman.net</a> and he has the music available to hear on his MySpace page at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshneedleman">www.myspace.com/joshneedleman</a>. Its title is <em>Floodgate</em>. Thanks, Josh!</h5><div><strong><a href="http://www.dragonmount.com/Podcast/Media/dm-4thAge-101.mp3">Download this Episode now</a></strong></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/4thAge/~4/rWhxcre8hNk" height="1" width="1"/>
Tialin
Tialin

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: July 31-August 6, 2011

Can you believe it is already August? If the summer heat is too much for you, stay indoors and take a leisurely stroll through our message boards.
 
Let's talk about Taim! The General Wheel of Time Discussion forum invites you to share your craziest theories about this enigmatic character.
 
The people in our Sports Discussion forum are trying to form a Fantasy Football league. If you think you might be interested, check this thread.
 
The theme of the August Challenge in the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild is Dream. Come share your thoughts and art about this topic.
 
This month, the Aiel Social Group is discussing what might happen to the Aiel in A Memory of Light. You can make your own predictions in this thread.
 
The Shayol Ghul Social Group is accepting nominations for their annual Ghoulie Awards. You have until August 5th to nominate your favorite members of this Social Group.
 
It looks like Quibby has made several updates to his solo role play, Through the Fire and the Flame, since I last reported about it. Come check it out!
 
What makes a Green? Why would an Aes Sedai choose the Green Ajah? The White Tower Role Playing Group takes a personal look at these questions in Kathleen's Midnight Vigil.
 
Brandon Sanderson just moved his progress bar for A Memory of Light up to 36%! For more information like this, follow us on Twitter or on Facebook.
 
Have a good week, everyone!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Ta'veren Tees Contest

We have another exciting contest to share with you. This one is from our friends at Ta'veren Tees. Here is what they have to say about their contest:
 
 
That sounds easy enough. I know a lot of you love those shirts, so head over to Facebook and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Wheel of Time Poetry Contest

Calling all poets! I have just received word that AllPoetry.com is hosting a Wheel of Time poetry contest. This looks like an exciting way to gain recognition for your creative abilities as well as show appreciation for the talents of other fans.
 
According to the site, the sky is the limit on what your poem can be about:
 
 
Go here for the complete description of rules and procedures for the contest. Good luck to all contestants!
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Dragonmount Weekly Roundup: July 24-30, 2011

It's that time of the week again! Before we begin, I would like to give special thanks to Toraneko from the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild for making a logo for this feature. It looks fantastic!
 
Now that the Mat lovers have had a few seconds to wipe the drool off their keyboards, let's check out the forums.
 
Whether you love her, hate her, or fall somewhere in between, it's hard not to have an opinion about Egwene. Come to the General Wheel of Time Discussion forum and share that opinion with us.
 
Imagine that you went to a high school where an entire English class was devoted to fantasy literature. How would you like that class to be taught, and what books would be featured in it? Stop by the General Discussion forum and let us know.
 
Ah, romance. What book series would be complete without some form of lust, love, or limerence? The Aiel Social Group is discussing the best and worst couples in the Wheel of Time series. Do you agree with their assessments?
 
If you are looking for some new music or are simply curious about what other members are listening to, the Band of the Red Hand Social Group has the thread for you.
 
If you were a member of the Black Tower, what would you have done when the Red Ajah came calling? Stop by the Black Tower Social Group and show off your problem solving skills.
 
The Band of the Red Hand Role Playing Group has decided that irritating the Seanchan makes for a great story. Come watch this new tale unfold in this thread.
 
Here's something we don't see often on the forums: a solo role play. Stop by and let the amazing Quibby entertain you.
 
Raise your hand if you attended Comic-Con last weekend! Brandon Sanderson did, and he was kind enough to do this interview between panels and book signings. For more up-to-date fandom news, you can always check us out on Facebook or on Twitter.
 
That's all for now! With August just around the corner, we should have some fun things in store for you next week.
Dwynwen
Dwynwen

Fan Art Friday: Body Art

Secret confession time: If I ever got a tattoo, it would be the Flame of Tar Valon. I've seen lots of great Wheel of Time body art over the years. It's surprisingly popular. We had a henna artist at JordanCon this year and she spent all weekend painting chapter icons on anyone that would hold still long enough. Hopefully we'll have her back next year and even more people will get to sport some awesome body art.
 
Most of these are from the "Wheel of Time Tattoo" thread on our forums.
 

 
Lord Zupka posted this awesome colored version of the Snake and Wheel logo that a friend did. I love the detail and the shading on this one. The artist did a great job.
 

 
NicholasFallon has the Dragon on his calf. He says he decided to get a Wheel of Time themed tattoo after hearing about Robert Jordan's death in 2007. If you go to the thread, you can see pictures of his other one.
 

 
Our very own Wheel of Time Admin, Luckers has these on his wrists. He uses them to get free drinks from fanboys.
 

 
Norienne really, really likes the Aiel.
 
In other news, it was announced earlier this week that Micheal Whelan will be doing the "cover" art for the eBook edition of A Memory of Light. Longtime series artist Darryl K. Sweet will still do the cover for the US hardback and paperback editions.
JenniferL
JenniferL