The Gathering Storm Read-Through #19: Chapter 16 - In the White Tower

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Egwene in novice white is serving White Ajah Servants of All, although she doesn’t realise one of them, Ferane, is Ajah Head as well as Sitter. Ferane was subtle enough that Egwene doubted her original judgement that her serving was a pretence and they wanted her there to question her. So... she was not serving the Whites in truth until she did them an unexpected service with the quality of her answers.

Aes Sedai now ignore Egwene’s disregard for the rules – which shows that the only discipline that would be effective would be execution or exile. Later in the chapter she is ‘exiled’ through hard labour.

What with the siege and the administrations’ mis-management and neglect of the city, Tar Valon is stinking now, which it never used to be; and no one remarks on the change, they just accept it.

Egwene says Elaida’s leadership and the Hall’s compliance have created the White Tower’s problems. Even if she renounced all claims in favour of Elaida they would still exist. She is trying to get all sisters to see that they are all responsible for the divisions. Egwene herself won’t sit by and do nothing about the division. She lets the Whites know how she has been working to reunite the Tower by making the most of the fact that novices can go anywhere – fateful words considering what Elaida and Katerine are planning.

Ferane, as Ajah Head, takes up Egwene’s points. Egwene will arrange for Sitters to meet together amicably in public. Ferane dismisses Egwene but the two women bow to each other as equals. She offers Egwene a place in the White Ajah despite Egwene making it plain she would have been Green. Bennae offered her a place in the Brown, and Suana wants her to join the Yellow. Yet her favoured Greens are uninterested in Egwene joining them. It is a sign that she would be of all Ajahs and none. If Egwene were weak in the Power I wonder if the Ajahs would be so interested in wooing her or accept that the rebels made her their Amyrlin. Of course, the rebels would never raised Egwene Amyrlin if she were weak. It really drives home how little rank is earned among Aes Sedai.

The presence of the Black Ajah makes a subtle appearance in this chapter. Miyasi’s preference for, and insistence on, consuming whole walnut halves, with their brain-like appearance, is made to seem sinister. She is later shown to be a Black sister (who also possibly has OCD.)

The red and charcoal tiles in Reds’ quarters are a sign that the infiltration of the Black is strong there. A higher percentage of the Red Ajah is Black compared to the other Ajahs (see The Black Ajah article).

For once the Black sister Katerine is not wearing the black slashed or dark clothing she usually wears and which is such a typical marker of Darkfriend Aes Sedai. Instead, her red dress is described as “a flash of red cloth, like the blood of a dead rabbit in the snow”, associating it and her with violence and death.

Most of the Aes Sedai, including Egwene, still assume the White Tower must control the Dragon in order for the Last Battle to ‘proceed’. They don’t seem to realise that the Tower has been largely irrelevant (though independent individual sisters have made important contributions) so far, yet the Last Battle is ‘proceeding’ apace - without their control or guidance.

Egwene thinks it is illogical to have a Red Amyrlin when the Dragon is around. However in over two thousand years the only time Red Amyrlins have been elected is when Dragons, false or real, are active; and they failed miserably each time. Talk about not learning from history. Ferane tells Egwene why they are raised: to deal with the Dragons. Egwene says the Aes Sedai should work with, not ‘deal with’, the Dragon.

One Aes Sedai attitude Egwene does agree with is that Rand should not have been left to run free, but she means he should not be left to make his own decisions. Elaida’s embassy should not have abused or kidnapped Rand. Aes Sedai should be subtle and manipulative.

Egwene recites the “Rand needs guidance” mantra. Rand already gets some – from those he trusts or have been shown to be trustworthy. Rand should have ‘relied’ on the advice of Aes Sedai according to Egwene. She thinks he shouldn’t be allowed to realise the Aes Sedai think he is behaving like an unruly child when/if he does. Cadsuane is more direct and leaves Rand in no doubt of her opinion of his childish behaviour, when he disregards courtesies, flies into a rage, breaks bargains, etc.

For Aes Sedai, the major bugbear of Rand’s actions is the bonding of Aes Sedai by Asha’man. (Though some Whites, eg Tesan, still didn’t know of it. Miyasi knew because the Black Ajah were ordered to spread the news to undermine Elaida and fracture the Tower further.) If Aes Sedai had not been captured by Asha’man Egwene would have much less justification for ‘managing’ Rand. Nevertheless Egwene insists dealing with or managing Rand has to wait until the Tower is reunited.

Ferane’s first question is a challenge to Egwene to put her money where her mouth is and show how she would have done better than Elaida in handling Rand. After all, it’s easy to criticise, but harder to propose a viable alternative. Egwene would study him, then send three Aes Sedai (Grey, Green and Blue) to honour him. This is the standard embassy to kings, nothing more. As Egwene says it is modest and not lavish considering who Rand is. Nor is it threatening.

Katerine and Elaida are going to limit Egwene’s access to sisters by making her do only chores 15 hours per day. Egwene cuts short Katerine’s gloating by walking off to kitchens. Inside she starts to panic though. She considers pretending to be humbled, but realises such and act will be taken as victory anyway. Thereafter Elaida would use the same method to force Egwene to adopt any behaviour. It would be the thin edge of the wedge so she decides not to bend at all.

Laras sneaks up to Egwene and takes her to a secret hiding place to wait for garbage collection. She has arranged for Egwene to be taken across the river and has friends among the guard. It appears Laras has gotten misfit novices and Accepted out before; she is confident she can bluff Egwene’s captors and that they won’t find her hidey hole. Her motivation this time is disgust at the attempts to break Egwene:

I've served loyally these years, I have, but now they've told me that you're to be worked as hard as I can push you, indefinitely. Well, I can see when a girl has moved away from being instructed and into being beaten down. I won't have it, not in my kitchens. Light burn Elaida for thinking she could do such a thing! Execute you or make you a novice, I don't care. But this breaking is unacceptable!"

The Gathering Storm, In the White Tower

Egwene is exasperated that she is stuck doing menial labour when the Dragon Reborn ‘runs free’ and the Last Battle is approaching. She refuses to take Laras’ offer of flight and stays to fight Elaida by refusing to bend.

After one session of work Elaida changes her mind and summons Egwene to serve in her rooms because she wants to exhibit Egwene as a trophy to Sitters. Katerine disagrees with Elaida’s decision. She is a better tactician or judge of character.

Egwene plays Cinderella in the kitchens and Elaida’s quarters and there’s no doubt who the ugly stepmother is... She questions Elaida on her tactics for Rand and proves with quotes from the prophecies to Elaida’s guests, but not, unfortunately, Elaida herself, that Elaida’s plan would be a failure. However all Aes Sedai have wanted to follow this plan (or a variation of it) including Siuan and Moiraine. Elaida says in reply:

"Bah," Elaida said, "you ask meaningless questions. The prophecies would have to have been fulfilled. There was no other way."

- The Gathering Storm, In The White Tower

Elaida sees no other tactics as viable and believes that somehow the prophecies would have been fulfilled anyway. This sounds like what Taim said to Rand (and note that Taim has a similar attitude to massaging history as Elaida does):

All I had to do was fulfill just one of the Prophecies."
"Like managing to be born on the slopes of Dragonmount?" Rand said coldly. "That was the first Prophecy to be met."…
"Victors write history. Had I taken the Stone of Tear, history would have shown I was born on Dragonmount, of a woman never touched by a man, and the heavens opened up in radiance to herald my coming.”

Lord of Chaos, A New Arrival

That is why Rand never came to the Tower and why Siuan and Elaida were deposed and the Tower broken. To fulfil the prophecies.

Elaida’s idea was to show Egwene as a servant in front of the Sitters. So little regard do the Servants of All have for service, that, for some at least, to be a servant to the Servants is to be demeaned. In fact Elaida dismisses Egwene’s quote of an Amyrlin saying the Amyrlin serves all as nonsense. Her tactic shows Elaida knew who Egwene was influencing.

Elaida was not under Alviarin’s or the Black Ajah’s influence here. No Blacks were even present. Her arrogance leads Elaida to promote the divisive attitude and decrees the Blacks began.

Egwene has to speak up to Elaida to prove her courage and determination. She then provokes Elaida by saying she is too cowardly to answer her question of what is Elaida doing to heal the rift in the Tower. Elaida is going to condemn Egwene without trial or charges.

Elaida is quite a violent woman. Here she uses the One Power to force others to do what she wants. Strength in the One Power is the only power or authority Elaida recognises; she has taken the Aes Sedai ranking to its logical extreme. This is an excellent example of why this ranking is not a good idea. Elaida can beat Egwene senseless with the One Power (despite her Oath not to use the Power as a weapon and the law against using the Power to abuse an initiate of the Tower) because she believes she is Tower Law ie as Amyrlin she can do what she wants. She warns the Sitters to take her abuse of Egwene as an example of what she will do to them if they don’t show true deference and obedience to her. Not good tactics; it is now very much in the Sitters’ interests to unite against Elaida. Even Tower staff think Elaida’s behaviour is unacceptable.

Egwene says she follows the spirit of the Three Oaths, whereas Aes Sedai are forced by the Oaths to follow the letter of them. It is what the Wise Ones like about Egwene and find objectionable about the Aes Sedai.


Errors

The White Sitter (and Ajah Head)’s room is on the third level of the White Tower. The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time says the lower half of the White Tower is for communal rooms, the upper half for Ajah accommodation:

Slightly wider at the base than at the top, the Tower was designed to house the Ajahs in the top half; each within its own pie-shaped section, while leaving the wider bottom to general purposes.

Also in The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time Balladare is listed as the first Brown Amyrlin of the New Era, not the first Brown of all Amyrlins as Egwene stated.

Post #29 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

In this post of the Wheel of Time costume series I look at the fashions of the distant past in the Third Age in the form of what Aes Sedai ghosts "wore" in Knife of Dreams. This is the final post of this very long-running series. I hope you have enjoyed it.

How appropriate to end on a prime number (29), since primes feature a lot in Jordan's number symbolism.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #18: Chapter 15 - A Place to Begin, Part 2

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Min POV

Min is reading Fel’s history books; in particular, Pelateo’s Ponderings which would be a reference to the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s writings. I’ve summarised a few relevant works of Plato here. The first few detail the last days of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was executed for not believing in the state gods, but in “other daimons that are novel”, and for corrupting the young. Plato wrote a version of the speech Socrates gave when he unsuccessfully defended himself against these charges as The Apology of Socrates. Ishamael is a philosopher who rejected the Creator of the Pattern and followed the Dark One. He has corrupted many with his words, action and channelling. Some of the population have ambivalent feelings about the Dragon, claiming he is as bad as the Dark One, but extremists such as Elaida regard male channellers as “unbelievers” (see Aes Sedai Attitudes to Male Channellers: The Unbeliever).

In the dialogue Euthyphro, Socrates and the self-proclaimed religious expert Euthyphro attempt to define piety. Euthyphro claims that the Socrates had charges brought against him because he claimed that a daimon (god) or divine sign indicated to him courses of action to follow. Rand himself is a divine sign to the pious and he and Min are studying the prophecies to work out what course of action Rand should follow against the demonic Dark One.

Crito is a dialogue between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito on justice and injustice. Socrates rejects Crito’s offer to help him escape from prison even though his sentence is unjust because that would also be unjust and two wrongs don’t make a right. Crito tells Socrates that he is impressed with how calmly Socrates accepts his approaching death sentence. In The Gathering Storm, Rand became increasingly dark about his prophesied death and contemplated destroying everything, but had a change of heart and in Towers of Midnight appears to accept his sacrifice calmly.

In the dialogue Phaedo, Socrates discusses the nature of the afterlife and the nature of the soul before being executed the next day by drinking hemlock (a parallel of crimsonthorn used by the Black Ajah to kill Adeleas and Ispan, perhaps at Moridin’s orders). One of Socrates’ arguments for the immortality of the soul is that people have in-born knowledge, which implies the soul existed before birth and brought this knowledge.

In Timaeus Plato discusses the nature of the physical world, the eternal world, and human beings. Crucial to the outcome of the battle against the Dark One is the nature of the Pattern and the role of the If worlds, the parallel worlds and Tel’aran’rhiod.

In Critias, Plato tells of how the island kingdom Atlantis failed in its attempt to conquer Athens, because the Athenians were too ordered and strong a society. Plato wrote that the gods divided the Earth among themselves and each tended the humans in their regions like livestock or possessions, although using persuasion rather than force.

Currently there are two invasions that may succeed if the mainland society is too disordered: that of the Shadow and that of the Seanchan. As Fel said: “Belief and order give strength” so if the nations don’t have this they are doomed. The Seanchan enslave female channellers and those who rebel or commit crimes. The Shadow uses people ruthlessly and with force.

Plato’s Laws discusses the interaction between divine revelation, laws and rights. These are questions at the heart of the series.

(It is a moot point whether Min is literally reading any of these writings, and if so how much they have changed over the Ages, or whether she is reading some other works now ascribed to an author whose name is similar to Plato. The allusion to Plato is meant to remind those readers who are familiar with Plato’s works of the applicability of Plato’s writings to the situation here.)

Min is reading Fel’s books because she thinks they hold answers to the Last Battle and the Seals on the Dark One’s prison. She thinks she might be thinking along the same lines as Fel – but it is not good news and she wonders how Rand will react. He’s fine with it, and so is Perrin, but many others, notably Egwene, will not be. Min realises that when Fel wrote that Rand has to clear the rubble before he can build he meant that Rand would have to destroy the Seals to open the Bore. Rand agrees, and says the others (almost everyone else, it seems) won’t like it, due to the danger. Min sees vague clues in the prophecies and the history books about how to stop or contain the Dark One. Rand is determined to kill the Dark One or at least seal him away long term (for longer than Lews Therin did.)

Min persuades Rand to open up to her. She is very intelligent and has excellent judgement and people skills. However she panics when Rand’s life is at stake, such as when she saw in Lord of Chaos that Aes Sedai would hurt Rand (Min's Viewings).

Min understands Rand’s mental illness probably better than he does:

Light! He let the voice in his head wield the One Power? What did that mean? That he let the mad part of his brain take control?...
Was this how it happened to all of them? Each one assuming that they were really sane, and that it was the other person inside of them who did horrible things?

The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

As we shall see later in The Gathering Storm, this is exactly how it happens. Rand has been able to claim that he won’t do the mad, evil things that Lews Therin did, no matter what the prophecies appear to say, until his attempt to kill his own father forces him to realise otherwise.

Rand thinks Lews Therin is a separate soul from him; Min that Lews Therin is a memory of a past life. Semirhage told Rand that Lews Therin is a hallucination, a psychosis. Rand thinks he can’t be because Rand is not insane and won’t be a Kinslayer. It is the shock that he could be a kinslayer that drives him first to contemplate genocide and then to destroy the world, until he is able to fight off his despair on Dragonmount – the axis mundi that is Rand’s and Lews Therin’s death and birth place - and apparently reintegrate the personalities.

Rand admits the possibility that Min is right about Lews Therin:

Lews Therin knows things. Or ... or / know things. Whichever it is, the knowledge is there.

The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

Rand seems a bit softer here thanks to Min, a respite from the harshness he displays all through The Gathering Storm.

Aviendha POV

Amys tries to upset or anger Aviendha by shaming her with pointing out her punishment, and thus get her to make a stand. It doesn’t work; so Amys hints that it is Aviendha’s duty to think about what she hasn’t done. By this stage I was getting as impatient with Aviendha as the Wise Ones were.

Aviendha looks down on Flinn because he volunteered to learn to channel before the taint was cleansed.

The Aiel are angry about treating with the Seanchan. They think Rand is pandering to them when he should be fighting them. It is a pointer to how the Aiel will react to Aviendha’s news of her visions of the future in Rhuidean and gives background to Aviendha’s opinion that the Aiel should return to the Waste after the Last Battle and live according to their traditions. Aviendha agrees with Rand’s actions that the battle against the Shadow takes precedence. The Shadow is trying to distract people from the Last Battle by setting up invasions, civil wars, and chaos. The Aiel have selected the most palatable parts of their prophecies and expect Rand to lead them to glory – demand it almost - rather than battling the Shadow with him and being broken by him. He has broken the Aiel some, but not enough yet ( see The Aiel Need to Adopt the Way of the Leaf Before the Last Battle theory).

The Seanchan’s collaring of Aiel as damane have the Aiel in a fury. By custom, Wise Ones cannot be made gai’shain. Of course, they never fought in battle either, until Dumai’s Wells. Amys says they will be avenged after the Last Battle. The unity of the Aiel and their obedience to Rand is being undermined. It is an obvious strategy for the Shadow to take. Are Aiel Darkfriends, especially Wise Ones, promoting this? I fear this will be worse after Aviendha’s news, with more open objection and debate.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #17: Chapter 15 - A Place to Begin, Part 1

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

There's a lot in this chapter, so I've split my discussion into 2 parts and will post Part 2 later in the week when I've had time to edit it.


Rand POV

Rand comes to in Tel’aran’rhiod in a place he’s met Ishamael twice before - in The Eye of the World The Stag and Lion, and The Eye of the World Against the Shadow. The story arc comes full circle, and this time he is not afraid. However, he nearly loses himself in the dream. The Wise Ones don’t speak of Tel’aran’rhiod much to Rand, and Lews Therin isn’t prominent in Tel’aran’rhiod either, so he’s more or less on his own there.

As the striated sky and boiling, burning red clouds indicate, this is a special part of Tel’aran’rhiod strongly under the influence of the Dark One and probably near Shayol Ghul. Clouds of tortured faces and the molten lava look to the stones are new, as are the rats being burned by the heat in the stones and the flames depicting tortured bodies.So typically of anything made by the Shadow, the fire holds cold comfort.

Rand has no visions when he thinks of Mat and Perrin in Tel’aran’rhiod; they only appear in the main waking world. Perrin had none of Rand either in the dream, nor did Mat in the *Finns’ world in Towers of Midnight.

Rand’s link to Moridin is more close, more physical, than his links to Mat and Perrin. It is more limiting too, which is why their channelling is affected. Mat and Perrin are not limited by their link to Rand. The three ta’verens’ fates are intertwined, and they are connected by bonds of friendship, as well as by this spiritual link.

Lews Therin did not react to the mention of his kinslaying. In this part of the dream Rand appears to be more integrated:

Oddly, Rand felt more stable—somehow—here in this place where all else appeared fluid. The pieces of himself fit together better. Not perfectly, of course, but better than they had in recent memory.

- The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

and also less influenced by his various links.

Rand recognises Ishamael’s soul, but Moridin seems to reject being Ishamael and identifies himself to Rand. Rand thinks his name (Death) is irrelevant. Wrong. Just as he did when he was Ishamael, Moridin tells Rand that many dreams are more real than the waking world. This is a somewhat “Platonic” philosophy and ties in with the book Min is reading during this scene as we shall see in the next post. I’m not sure Rand accepts Moridin’s statement.

Rand sees the saa in Moridin’s eyes but doesn’t appear to know their significance. He is not interested in Moridin’s offer of sanity, which would mean being touched by the True Power.

Moridin tells Rand he and other Forsaken were restored to life by the Dark One – except those that were balefired. Presumably he wants to use Rand as an instrument of punishment and to vanquish his rivals. It’s less risky for Moridin to get someone else to do it; someone the Pattern is taking pains to keep alive, and someone the Dark One would accept as killer of his henchmen. And if Rand is killed instead or as well, that’s not too bad either.

Moridin says it is a wonder the balefired can be remembered. But that is the point: balefire undoes actions, but can’t undo the fact that actions were done or erase the memories of those actions. If balefire could undo events completely seamlessly, perhaps it wouldn’t disrupt the Pattern as much as it does. As the paradox goes: if a tree falls and nobody witnesses it, did it happen?

Moridin is suffering from the link to Rand – he is over whelmed by tiredness, physical and psychological, and perhaps pain. Certainly despair. Rand is better in comparison, or perhaps bears it better due to his accepting character, whereas Moridin is selfish and has not had practise in bearing adversity. Again, while Rand is used to being very close to people yet not being overwhelmed by that closeness, Moridin can’t seem to separate his feelings from Rand’s.

The two champions have both been reborn: Rand naturally, Moridin unnaturally, as reflects their respective deities. Rand assures us that they will have a final duel. Moridin is not certain what the outcome would be if he and Rand killed each other – as Arthur (parallel of Rand) and Modred did and as the Norse gods and giants did at Ragnarok (a parallel of the Last Battle).

Rand is determined to defeat the Dark One. Moridin thinks the attempt is pointless long-term:

"Perhaps you will," he said. "But do you think that matters? Consider it. The Wheel turns, time and time again. Over and over the Ages turn, and men fight the Great Lord. But someday, he will win, and when he does, the Wheel will stop.
"That is why his victory is assured. I think it will be this Age, but if not, then in another. When you are victorious, it only leads to another battle. When he is victorious, all things will end. Can you not see that there is no hope for you?"
"Is that what made you turn to his side?" Rand asked. "You were always so full of thoughts, Elan. Your logic destroyed you, didn't it?"
"There is no path to victory," Moridin said. "The only path is to follow the Great Lord and rule for a time before all things end. The others are fools. They look for grand rewards in the eternities, but there will be no eternities. Only the now, the last days."

The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

Moridin despairs. He had a nihilistic philosophy in the Age of Legends:

He called for the complete destruction of the old order - indeed, the complete destruction of everything.

The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time

and still does. In The Eye of the World, Against the Shadow, which significantly was when they last met in this part of the dream, Moridin told Rand that he will gain unimaginable power from the death of Time. However, Moridin now doesn’t seem to look forward to this at all; his despair is such that he just wants Nothingness.

Is Rand stupid, as Moridin believes, to think he can kill Dark One? The Pattern has to have both Light and Shadow to be a Pattern according to Moiraine (The Dragon Reborn, Within the Weave) – the Dark One and the fight against him is a, or really, the, major part of the Pattern.

Rand wonders how he got to Tel’aran’rhiod when his dreams are warded. Moridin doesn’t understand their bond, but deduces that is how and why Rand came to Tel’aran’rhiod. If they were both dreaming at the same time, and Moridin went to Tel’aran’rhiod, perhaps Rand would be pulled there too, despite his wards. Or maybe it was arranged by the Pattern. Rand was able to pull himself away by seizing saidin, even though he was distant from it.

Post #28 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

In the second last post in the Wheel of Time costume series I look at the fashion sense of Birgitte, Min and Mordeth, three very influential individuals - and more than just sartorially.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #16: Chapter 14 - A Box Opens

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Cadsuane is surprised that her equal among the Wise Ones is one who can barely channel. Sorilea is strong and capable in Cadsuane’s opinion. She arrived recently with a group of Aiel reporting to Rand on Bandar Eban. This would be at the time of Chapter 7 or later, ie within the last 5 days. It’s Sorilea’s first (and only?) visit to see Semirhage. Despite being a weak channeller, Sorilea copies a weave she has seen only once. This impresses Cadsuane.

Bair thinks pain will break Semirhage. Cadsuane doesn’t. Cadsuane saw that Semirhage reacted to Sorilea dismissing her as disappointingly human and felt somewhat outdone by Sorilea.

Semirhage is very knowledgeable about the Aiel and their descent from the Da’shain and reverence for blacksmiths. While this makes the Forsaken seem more powerful and omniscient in the eyes of her captors, a little thought would reveal to them that the Shadow has good intelligence gathering through Darkfriends, including Aiel Darkfriends. After all, until the last few books no mainlander knew much about the Aiel and their customs, let along their origins –and few do so now.

While Sorilea suggests Semirhage be killed out of hand and not kept for her secrets, she already knows that Cadsuane doesn’t agree because she would otherwise have done so long since. Sorilea also knows that Rand might not permit it anyway, since the three women discuss his reluctance to harm women in this scene. Cadsuane is keeping Semirhage alive because she wants information on Age of Legends weaves. It’s a reasonable strategy for battle preparation and one dear to Cadsuane’s heart since she researches weaves and thus thirsts for such knowledge.

Cadsuane’s obligation to Sorilea showing her the travelling weave leads her to accede to Sorilea’s request to be shown where she keeps a male a’dam. She also needs their help in handling Rand, because she knows Rand is not ready - or more correctly, is too dark - for the Last Battle. So both Sorilea and Bair learn its location. Note that it was only after Sorilea (and Bair) saw a) its location and b) the weaves protecting it, that the a’dam was raided. But more of this in subsequent chapters of the read-through.

Cadsuane is not interested in gold or glamorous surroundings beyond reasonable comfort and security. The trunk is a decoy for where the real valuables are stored: in a battered documents box. She disarms the box’s traps while Sorilea closes the door.

Cadsuane innovates with the Power in a relatively safe way. Most Aes Sedai don’t at all. During their training, just about all desire for experimentation is squelched out of them in the name of safety. This is a laudable motive but is it taken too far? Few Aes Sedai take up weave research and experimentation when they are raised. Cadsuane recently developed the weave over the box which restrains an intruder and sounds an alarm. The traditional weave would have destroyed the box’s contents of male a’dam and access key, but Cadsuane doubts that it would work on the a’dam. It wouldn’t, since it’s cuendillar and she should have known that. The weaves are inverted so no one can see them.

The women largely ignore the access key (as does whoever raids the box) and concentrate on the a’dam. It implies that the thief perhaps did not know its function – as a Wise One would not, because Rand had not used it after the cleansing of saidin, and the mechanics, indeed the cleansing generally, has not been widely discussed among characters. If the thief believed that no male should use it, then they likely would have taken it. Shaidar Haran would know what the access key was and taken it as the highest possible inducement or sign of favour for a male Forsaken, or to prevent an ambitious Forsaken from trying to supplant the Dark One. Therefore I don’t think Shaidar Haran raided the box. This would be discussed further in Chapters 22 and 23 of the read-through.

Cadsuane has studied the bracelet of the male a’dam with her group and she wants to test the collar on a man, so she kept one. However Rand won’t allow her to because of his own trauma from captivity. Egwene would agree with him, as we see in her reaction to Elaida’s enslavement. Bair thinks testing it is too dangerous, however Sorilea agrees with Cadsuane. Cadsuane tested a female a’dam earlier but was unable to escape the collar and had to be released by the bracelet holder. This was quite brave and dedicated of her; it could easily have resulted in her losing face among the Aes Sedai or in her leashholder revealing herself to be a Darkfriend.

Sorilea and Cadsuane are agreed that the male a’dam is evil. Nynaeve told Cadsuane there was only one and it was supposed to be thrown into the deeps. She did not explain how she knew. Sorilea and Bair fear Rand being enslaved with it. Sorilea says the Seanchan can’t be trusted and implies Rand shouldn’t treat with them. This is attitude is increasingly prevalent in The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight and Aviendha witnesses in the glass columns where it will lead to.

Cadsuane told Sorilea and Bair that the other a’dam are stored elsewhere and are being studied by retired Aes Sedai. She did not say they also have Callandor. Cadsuane believes Callandor has secrets that need to be researched and she tells more of this towards the end of The Gathering Storm: that it probably has other flaws besides magnifying the taint and lacking a buffer to prevent overdrawing the Power ( see Callandor section of the Sa'angreal article). Moreover it appears to feature extensively in the prophecies, which is what has spurred Cadsuane to research it (see Prophecies of the Dragon).

Sorilea suggests that they need to work out a plan to manage Rand for the good of all and Cadsuane agrees. They meet in the Wise Ones’ tents in the next day and the a’dam is burgled while Cadsuane is out. But, as I said above, this is for Chapters 22 and 23.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #15: Chapter 13 - An Offer and a Departure

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Chapter 13 is Gawyn’s POV and follows on naturally from Egwene’s POV of the previous chapter. Egwene thinks Gawyn is too independent in his thinking. We see he’s not comfortable at all about his situation and is only content when he’s sparring because then he can stop thinking. Like Aviendha, Gawyn is a person of action. He finds peace and stillness in working the sword, which is great for his military prowess but not so good for planning a course of action or for self awareness. The Pattern is holding Gawyn in stasis until sheer frustration forces him to change.

Gawyn’s admiring recount of Sleete’s tale is interesting. Apparently someone (of the Shadow) wanted people from the Dumai’s Wells battle:

The villagers there had been tempted to sell Sleete to a local band of bandits—their leader had visited earlier promising them safety as a reward for revealing any refugees from the nearby battle. However, the mayor's daughter had argued for Sleete's life, convincing them that the bandits must be Darkfriends if they were seeking wounded Warders.

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

Male or female, channeller or non-channeller was not specified, and the word ‘revealed’ indicates that the bandits may also have been after information – say of the location of an Aes Sedai or an Asha’man.

Gawyn admires Warders for their humility and dedication. He has neither and this is a pointer to where his sub-thread is headed in The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight. He is prophesied to be Egwene’s Warder yet is currently unsuitable to be one, not in fighting ability, but in character.

But then Moiraine complained that Lan, the best of the Warders, was lacking in humility:

Moiraine sniffed. "Your humility, Lan Gaidin, has always been more arrogance than most kings could manage with their armies at their backs. From the first day I met you, it has been so."

The Great Hunt, Watchers

and when he fell in love with Nynaeve she started to doubt his dedication too.

Gawyn’s resentful dig at Rand (as well as Aes Sedai):

While Aes Sedai manipulated the world and monsters like al'Thor got the glory,

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

shows another important issue in his thread: his envy of Rand which has developed into hatred. The full extent of this comes out when he talks with Elayne in Towers of Midnight.

Gawyn is described as a creature of light and shadow, an ambivalent figure because he has aided evil as much as good; the very thing he rails against Rand for doing.

In his efforts to secure Gawyn as Hattori’s second Warder Sleete says Gawyn belongs with the Warders, that he is one of them. This is not yet true as Gawyn himself recognises:

That was one reason that Gawyn wouldn't make a good Warder. He didn't trust Aes Sedai. His mother had, and look where that had gotten her. And how the White Tower had treated Elayne and Egwene . . . well, he might support the Aes Sedai, but he certainly didn't trust them... Sensible men stayed away from them when possible, and obeyed them with alacrity whenstaying away was impossible. Gawyn had trouble doing either; his bloodline prevented staying away, his pride interfered with obeying them.

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

Gawyn is briefly tempted by Sleete’s offer but thoughts of Egwene stop him from committing.

Sleete says Hattori would have herself assigned to Andor to be Gawyn’s Aes Sedai. He pointed out to Gawyn that all decisions were bad on the day of the coup, which consoled Gawyn because he respects Sleete. Sleete is convinced that there are wise women in the Tower who will end the division. He seems to know Aes Sedai politics and certainly is aware that Hattori is low-ranked because she is a weak channeller:

”But she's also not influential, so the others don't listen to her. Aes Sedai. Sometimes, all they seem to care about is who carries the biggest stick."
Gawyn leaned closer. One rarely heard talk about Aes Sedai ranking and influence. They didn't have ranks, like the military, but they all instinctively knew who among them was in charge. How did it work? Sleete seemed to have some idea, but he didn't talk further on it, so it would have to remain a mystery for now.

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

Hattori sounds almost more Brown than Green in that she chose a Warder who is more natural than polished, and is too “busy with other tasks” to find another Warder. Perhaps she is a good delegator and trusts Sleete’s judgement - although trusting a man’s judgement to that extent is also unusual, even in a Green.

According to Sleete Hattori disliked the divisiveness of Elaida’s regime and wanted out of the Tower. After the failure of the Embassy she was concerned to report to the Greens about Elaida’s “true plans” but was kept from telling senior Greens what Elaida’s orders were as long as possible, and had to send her report via message, rather than in person.

Gawyn’s consciousness of the responsibility to pay workers a fair wage is one of the few times he appears in a positive light. In contrast, Elaida’s Aes Sedai are woefully arrogant and ignorant about it.

Katerine returned to Dorlan to show the Aes Sedai there Travelling so they and the Younglings can raid the rebels. She deliberately let Gawyn overhear that Egwene is being abused in the Tower as punishment for being rebel Amyrlin. Gawyn is convinced that Egwene is being tortured (true) and will be stilled and executed. In a flap he rides off for the rebel camp. Sleete deduced his intentions but let him go because a) he sympathises with him and b) he thinks Gawyn might find a way to help end the conflict.

Post #27 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Tuatha'an and the Whitecloaks were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. The Whitecloak uniform is medieval in style, whereas the rest of the current mainland nations have costumes dating from 1500s to 1800s in the real world. Thus Whitecloak dress is 300 years or more 'out of date', reflecting their old-fashioned views.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

I am almost at the end of this series. There are only 1 or 2 more posts to go.

Post #3 for JordanCon 2011

By Linda


Goldwork Embroidery Workshop
























First thing on Sunday morning was my workshop on how to apply gold and silver thread and coils (purls) onto fabric to embellish costumes, particularly dresses (I'm wearing an example of my work, see photos above) and coats. In earlier times the gold coils were real gold wire and the thread was made out of thin strips of gold wrapped around a silk core, and only nobles could afford such expensive materials and the skilled needleworker that applied them. The silver tarnished eventually and turned black after some years. These days we have synthetic gold thread, usually metallised polyamide or similar.

My students all were experienced at embroidery and they learned the techniques quickly. They were a lovely class and I really enjoyed demonstrating for them.


Black Tower and Red Blood

The dark doings at the Black Tower have spawned almost as many theories as the death of Asmodean. Most attendees agreed that channellers are being turned to the Shadow by a circle of 13 with 13 Myrddraal. Some think that Taim was one, if not the, first of these. But Taim’s eyes are not dead as the turned channellers are. Logain said in Knife of Dreams News for the Dragon that Taim was so eager to learn where Rand was that:

His eyes were practically on fire.

We also talked about Logain being missing, and the six Reds and Androl. Tarna has been turned and Javindhra is probably Black.

Many readers are exasperated that Rand has not gone to the Black Tower to find out what is going on. Most of what is happening there is very obviously being held over to the last book.


Last Theory Panel

The last WOT panel for JordanCon was billed as the Last Theory Panel Ever, but since A Memory of Light is not likely to be published before the next JordanCon it won’t be. It was the place to discuss anything that fans felt the previous panels didn’t touch on enough. The role of Lanfear/Cyndane in the next books and the degree to which Moridin is controlling her was a major topic of discussion.

I finished JordanCon quite exhausted but had a great time. The only thing I wish was that we all had more time to sit and chat.

Now I’m in New York for about a week to walk a lot, and visit museums and (book) shops. Less than 4 months until WorldCon in Reno!

Post #2 for JordanCon 2011

By Linda


This recount of day 2 at JordanCon is brought to you from New York City where I will be holidaying/resting for a week or so.

Bright and early on Saturday I helped costumer Pinky Shear on her “The Devil’s In the Details” costume panel. She is a brilliant designer and creator of costumes as was evident in the work she displayed. Her aim was to give advice on how to make a more authentic-looking, yet flattering, costume:

• Take into account your body type and personality when choosing the character or national dress you wish to emulate.


• Appropriate accessories are essential for a really believable look. Pinky recommends using my costume article and the period paintings it contains.


• Drapery fabric is a good choice for costuming because it stands up to the wear well. Besides, in earlier times they used heavier fabrics than we do these days.


• Using a lot of a cheaper fabric and highlights of a more expensive fabric makes costuming a lot more economical. So you can make more costumes! Or buy more books!


• Appliquing motifs, stripes, braid or decorative ribbon can add interest or contrast. A small amount of a different colour in your costume can really give it a lift.

Aviendha’s visit to the Waste panel

Matt Hatch, Amanda Keene and I discussed Aviendha’s trip to Rhuidean in Towers of Midnight. We had heaps to say, and so did the audience, which is as it should be! We could have gone on twice as long.

For instance, was Nakomi really there, or in Aviendha’s dream, or in Tel’aran’rhiod? Is/was she a Wise One, or Verin, or a Forsaken? Myself, I think she was a Wise One.

And what of the glass columns? Amanda made the great suggestion that they have sentience. Others think they work via need, as Tel’aran’rhiod does.

Were Aviendha’s visions a Foretelling or a possible future? Do the Seanchan take over the world no matter what Aviendha does?

I think that the Aiel will break over whether to be warriors or peacekeepers and the Seanchan will break over sul’dam being able to learn to channel and whether to continue to collar damane.


News of A Memory of Light

I was not surprised to learn that A Memory of Light will probably be out later in 2012 rather than earlier. (Northern hemisphere autumn/fall, say, rather than spring). Not rushing the book is a very good idea.

Post #1 for JordanCon 2011

By Linda


What with 20 hour flights, jetlag and the onrush of events at JordanCon, I’ve had little time to post anything since Monday.

I’m delighted to say that I’ve met up with so many WOT friends from last year, plus some new ones. At dinner on Thursday I sat next to the JordanCon guest of honour David Coe, who is awesome, and also met the ever entertaining Leigh Butler or Tor.Com. Among the many things discussed over dinner was publishing trends in fantasy, especially changes in book length, something of great interest to Brandon Sanderson. I was amazed to learn that David Coe and his family spent a year in my own home town in Australia (which isn’t a major city, so that is quite unexpected). Good news is that Brandon is coming to Australia about May/June next year.

The Con was opened on Friday afternoon by Richard Fife with lots of really fun participation from guest participants and Con goers.

Jason Denzel, Leigh Butler, Amanda Keene (of Tarvalon.net) and I were on the Towers of Midnight review panel straight after. One thing we were asked was whether we liked Towers of Midnight or The Gathering Storm more than the other. Jason loved the close focus on two characters of The Gathering Storm. Leigh liked Towers of Midnight. It’s a tough call though, because neither book is independent of the other. There was lots of audience participation, which was great and many good points were made. All agreed that Perrin’s hammer forging was the best scene. Many thought that Mat’s scene was predictable because it was foreshadowed so much.

The next panel I attended was the Boom Boom panel, where Alan Romanczuk and I talked about historic development of cannon and gunpowder versus how this is being shown in the series. In the Wheel of Time world, it’s the military organisation which is furtherest behind in development. The Whitecloaks are from the medieval era and so is the lack of gunpowder weapons. Other technologies and organisations are further along: there are a few renaissance influences, but most are 17th to early 19th century. The audience had lots of creative ideas for using channellers to protect the gunpowder weapons or to make gateways to assist in their deployment. The appropriate length and thickness of the cannon were also much discussed.

Next there was an interlude for dinner during which we had spectacularly stormy weather, with hail and very heavy downpours. Some people flying to the Con that evening suffered lengthy delays to their flights.

The Looney Theories panel – brought to us by Theoryland and Team Moiraine - matched up to last year’s inaugural version. The two top looney theories were 1) that the Song will be used to kill the Dark One and 2) that Min will conceive babies which will gateway into Aviendha’s womb to join Aviendha’s two already there (2+2...) to fulfil her viewing that Aviendha will have 4 babies at once. Third most popular was that Cenn Buie is the Dark One.

Three Days to JordanCon!

By Linda


In nine hours' time, at dawn, I shall be off to the airport to fly to Atlanta and JordanCon. My husband accompanies me this time. Consequently, what with being in transit, then recovering from the journey and jetlag, I shall not be posting until JordanCon starts on Friday. I will then post regular short updates on what is happening at the convention and hopefully what new information is revealed about the series.

After the convention we have a weeks' holiday in New York, plus we shall meet up with Old Salt, who posts here on the blog sometimes.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #14: Chapter 12 - Unexpected Encounters

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

In her confinement, Egwene rightly feels at risk of being distracted by the long list of problems the various Aes Sedai have:

Keep focused, she told herself. Clean the patch of floor you're working on first before you move on to the rest of the house.

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

An appropriate metaphor for the servant of the Servants as well as an inn-keeper’s daughter.

The White Tower is divided and Rand’s men Bond sisters. How could Rand allow it, Egwene wonders. The same way that Aes Sedai could allow division: by being subverted by the Shadow. It works because no one speaks up. Even Egwene hasn’t said: stop the division, you are being subverted while the fate of the world is at stake.

Egwene thinks Gawyn is competent at looking after himself. This is not what she usually says about men. Perhaps this is to stop herself worrying about him. She thinks Gawyn might be too competent at looking after himself, possibly a reference to his founding of the Younglings to serve Elaida. I’m not sure that Gawyn would agree with Egwene’s assessment.

Egwene consoles herself that the rebels would deal with Asha’man Bonding. This is not so; no one has achieved anything yet. The rebel Aes Sedai are just penned outside the Black Tower where they can be taken and turned to the Shadow.

Bennae’s room is full of books and skeletons – some still being constructed – symbolic of the Aes Sedai depositories, and the skeletons in the closet that is the thirteenth depository. Bennae has made notes on the bones of the human skeleton and she took note of all Egwene said about the thirteenth. Her room also contains mummified birds and astronomical instruments. The latter refer to Bennae needing aid to find her way out of her predicament. Birds symbolise wisdom and intelligence, here preserved in secret where few can access it.

Egwene bends her head for a model of the Sun, a reference to her future acknowledgement of Rand, who is the solar character (see Rand essay especially here). Then she moves the dusty skeleton of a rat. Rats are creatures of the Shadow and the Forsaken were long preserved in the Bore. In Towers of Midnight Egwene moves the infestation of rats that is Mesaana and the Black Ajah from the Tower...

Bennae tests Egwene with her own problem that she can’t solve. Her very question shows why she is in trouble. Bennae’s not circumspect or subtle enough. As the symbolism of her room anticipates, the Brown’s council are upset she knows about the thirteenth depository. Naturally the Council suspects someone of the Brown in the know has blabbed. Egwene suggests Bennae reassure the Council no one has been indiscreet and put herself forward as trustworthy enough to join the select group that looks after the depository. This means Egwene is condoning the existence of secret archives. She never questions whether they are a good idea or right. In contrast, Rand, until he came under the influence of the Shadow, revealed such secrets so that people would know why things were and what they were fighting for.

Egwene gives Bennae some good advice:

"Unjust punishment sometimes cannot be avoided, but it is best never to let others forget that it is unjust. If she simply accepts the way people treat her, then it won't be long before they assume she deserves the position they've placed her in." And thank you, Silviana, for that little bit of advice.

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

which she takes; advice which came from Silviana, who was duty bound to discipline Shemerin for accepting her unjust punishment. Bennae’s situation is not as fraught as that of Shemerin: an Amyrlin gives Bennae helpful advice, whereas an Amyrlin gave Shemerin her unjust punishment.

Egwene proved this was not a fluke by advising Nagora. Then she went to Suana, who is the first Ajah Head to show Egwene she wants her in her Ajah. All these scenes show Egwene is being accepted as Aes Sedai by other Aes Sedai. Egwene will be of all Ajahs, in the sense that nearly all of them feel she might fit in their Ajah. Egwene’s situation is rather like that of an apprentice Wise One: she declared herself an Aes Sedai and they are coming to accept her as one. Note that Wise Ones are not divided into formal groups. They are not even touched by clan feuds.

Suana’s room is full of life and fertility, but affected by the Shadow’s Blight. Suana is here described as plump and round-faced, but later in The Gathering Storm Sealed to the Flame, she is bony and lanky.

Meidani’s rooms symbolise all nations – in fact, all continents except Seanchan – by containing examples of their weapons and crafts.

Egwene stares down Meidani until she becomes uncertain, then questions her, rather than accept Meidani questioning of her authority. She thinks that Meidani should have run even if this betrayed to Elaida that she and the other ferrets knew that Elaida was onto them.

Egwene describes the hallway under the Tower as spiralling like the Great Serpent. It could represent another serpent, a Forsaken, since Mesaana has rooms down here in Tel’aran’rhiod.

Secret meetings in the basement, and oaths administered without a warrant are crimes. Egwene points out that the Tower Aes Sedai are committing crimes as much as rebels are. In retaliation the Sitters threaten to order Meidani to send Egwene for penance. Egwene uses this to prove they are using the oath road as a tool of division and bullying. This is why an oath of obedience is a bad idea. Yet she made rebel Aes Sedai swear to her.

An Amyrlin is not a bully:

"Is the Amyrlin Seat's authority, then, in her power to channel?" Egwene asked. "Is she nothing more than a bully, obeyed because she can force others to do as she demands?"

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

A large part of Elaida’s status comes from her strength in saidar, as it does for all Aes Sedai. Egwene doesn’t go down this path far though to reconsider the justness of Aes Sedai ranking.

If the Amyrlin couldn’t channel she wouldn’t be Amyrlin, so Egwene is not entirely right.

Since Siuan’s removal is “unorthodox” Elaida was not “properly” raised. Even worse, as Egwene deduces, the Black Ajah hunters found a Black Sitter, so Siuan’s deposition is invalid. Egwene thinks it is worth considering the validy of Elaida’s election:

"You call us false, Yukiri? Which Amyrlin would you rather follow? The one who has been making novices and Accepted out of Aes Sedai, banishing an entire Ajah, and causing divisions in the Tower more dangerous than any army that ever assaulted it? A woman who was raised partially through the help of the Black Ajah?”

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

From which Egwene decides that it is wrong to raise or depose an Amyrlin without the full Hall sitting. This is one belief that Egwene does follow up in Towers of Midnight.

Egwene’s most telling point is one few Aes Sedai have openly realised, even though it is obvious:

"I think we all are serving the interests of the Shadow," Egwene said sharply, "so long as we allow ourselves to remain divided.”

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

Egwene congratulates the four Sitters of different Ajahs for working together and orders them to work for unity and to release Meidani from the fourth Oath of obedience. They do both these things. They might have done the former unasked, but probably not the latter.

Post #26 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Tear were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. Tairen nobles wear clothing strongly influenced by 16th century Europe, notably "Spanish fashion" for the men. The commoners wear clothing with South East Asian and Mediterranean and Armenian influences. Spain once owned colonies in East Asia.


For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

I am almost at the end of this series. There are only 2 or 3 more posts to go.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #13: Chapter 11 - The Death of Adrin

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

In Aviendha’s POV we get a completely different cultural perspective on recent events and on mainlander society. The Aiel are not worried about the overcast sky because it is shade to them; whereas mainlanders feel oppressed by it. What upsets the Aiel is if there is no fighting, or the hunt was unsuccessful.

Aviendha and Maidens are careful not to step on each others’ dignities, careful to play their assigned roles properly. Like the Seanchan, the Aiel have defined roles and obligations in their respective societies with sanctioned and formalised movement from one station to another.

The Aiel are affronted that Rand did not take Aiel guards with him when he met with Ituralde. As Rand should have explained to them, had he done so, at the least the Domani would have been unreceptive to him, considering Ituralde’s comments on Aiel. At worst, the Domani would have attacked Rand’s group. Rand uses people as tools rather than accepts their aid or works with them.

Useless labour is extremely shaming to Aiel. Aes Sedai use Labour, too, for discipline, but it is low-ranked rather than useless labour. Note though, that when Sulin worked as a servant for a few weeks she found it extremely shaming.

Aviendha accepts the mainlanders’ fondness for complaining because Elayne does it - and Elayne does it a lot! She thinks it is a way of bonding or showing humility. Elayne laughed at this misunderstanding and Aviendha misread that too. Now Aviendha thinks complaining is a mainlander way of showing honour. It is unthinkable to an Aiel that some people don’t care about honour at all, or that some actions don’t affect honour.

Aviendha wants to think over problems more as Elayne does and not be so much the woman of action. A double irony here: many of Elayne’s actions are impulsive, and Aviendha thinks over her problem of why she is being punished for many days and only solves it when she is goaded into snapping and acting.

The Wise Ones’ “tests” show Aviendha that they are consulting her as a Wise One and effectively meeting her half-way. All she has to do is have the confidence to say she is one of them. In a way she is as overly concerned with rank as with honour. In this she reminds me of Elza:

Elza was always very conscious of where she stood with respect to other sisters, perhaps too much so.

Winter’s Heart, Bonds

The Saldaean soldier Adrin turns to bitumen and spontaneously combusts. This evil fire – hellfire? – resisted Aviendha’s attempts to put it out with a direct weave. She had to use indirect weaves to pull water from the river to quench it ‘naturally’.

The bubble of evil makes Rand fly into an intense rage and yell challenges at the Dark One. Aviendha remarks on his erratic moods. Mental instability would be more accurate but she cuts Rand slack because she loves him and because he has earned so much honour.

Melaine faces down Merise when she gives Aviendha a back-handed complement on her channelling; falsely claiming that Aes Sedai teaching could improve her weaves further. Interestingly, Melaine thinks that Cadsuane might have been able to do what Aviendha did. It’s true that Cadsuane is next in strength in saidar in the camp, but presumably she’s next in dexterity as well.

Melaine wonders aloud to herself what the Aiel will do after the Last Battle, broken as they are prophesied to be. Aviendha takes this in; she has not considered this much before now. This will be crucial once the penny drops on why she is being punished and she is sent to Rhuidean.

Aviendha reacts negatively to mainland comforts because they would lull an Aiel into a false sense of security and thus would be too risky. This attitude too will crop up in her visit to Rhuidean.

The violence and feuding in Aiel society is evident here and explains much of what Aviendha will see in the glass columns in Rhuidean. The Aiel need to change or else the Peace after Armageddon will not include them and they will bring everyone else to the brink with them.

JordanCon 2011 panels - a couple to whet your appetite!

By Linda



Here are fuller descriptions of two of the Wheel of Time panels at JordanCon 2011 Atlanta from April 15th-17th.

Black Tower and Red Blood

Bullying, cronyism, impenetrable barriers, mysterious disappearances and even more mysterious identities: it’s all happening at the Black Tower. Who is Taim really? What is going on in his palace? How will the Tower be rent in fire and blood? Come and tell us your theory and hear ours.


The Boom-Boom Panel

Gunpowder itself, matches, early grenades, and mortars have been developed so far. True cannon are just around the corner. What other brilliant things will Aludra invent? What brilliant tactics will Mat use to deploy them? What problems will they face? Will cannon be used against damane as well as Shadowspawn and Dreadlords? Have your say.

Details on JordanCon are here.


Hope to see you there!

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #12: Chapter 10 - The Last of the Tabac

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Ituralde is holed up in an abandoned stedding instead of gradually retreating further into Arad Doman as originally planned because he fears encountering Aiel (Rand’s Aiel). He feels pinned between the 100K Aiel and the >300K Seanchan. Actually he’s pinned where Rand could find him.

We get to see Graendal’s letter she wrote back in Lord of Chaos to manipulate Ituralde, though he has probably used it more cleverly than she anticipated:

" 'Strike hard against the Seanchan,' " Rajabi read. " 'Push them away, force them into their boats and back across their bloody ocean. I'm counting on you, old friend. King Alsalam.' "

The Gathering Storm, The Last of the Tabac

Now, though, Ituralde, while having achieved much, feels his time is running out, which is why he is smoking the last of his Two Rivers tabac, his best tabac. Ituralde remembers seeing Thom perform when Elayne was a young child over 15 years earlier, which shows how good a performer Thom is.

Just as Ituralde decides to force the Seanchan into a siege and die with dignity, Rand arrives. Rand apparently doesn’t know why Graendal wants Ituralde fighting the Seanchan. Her goal is anarchy, wars, weakening nations and armies, and distraction from uniting to fight the Shadow. Rand himself starts to bring the nations and armies together effectively in Towers of Midnight, once be becomes life-affirming instead of death-affirming.

In the same way the Domani officers, even Dragonsworn, follow Ituralde, believing he can do the impossible, so Ituralde believes in Rand:

Only one such as the Dragon Reborn himself could stride into a war camp like this, completely alone, and expect to be obeyed. Burn him, if that fact by itself didn't make Ituralde want to believe him.

The Gathering Storm, The Last of the Tabac

Rand’s lack of fear in the stedding, where he is among a potentially hostile army yet is unable to channel by normal means, is interesting. He has not drawn the True Power yet, so his confidence should not stem from its accessibility through his link to Moridin. Nor has he obtained the male access key back from Cadsuane so he would not think that he could somehow override the stedding barrier by entering it while drawing on the male Choedan Kal. Perhaps he’s just convinced that the Pattern will keep him alive to face the Dark One, or that he can pull Ituralde and his forces into doing what he wants by sheer force of will. Later in The Gathering Storm, Rand will use the power of his will to menace people into obedience. Perhaps he would have done that here if Ituralde was unwilling,

Rand openly says he remembers the Forsaken personally:

"I remember each of them—their faces, their mannerisms, the way they speak and act—as if I've known them for a thousand years. I remember them better than I remember my own childhood, sometimes.”

The Gathering Storm, The Last of the Tabac

This is before he sees his past lives on Dragonmount.

Rand’s calmness about the Last Battle or in offering the Amadician throne draws Ituralde in, as does his similarities with Ituralde’s beloved King Alsalam:

There was a way about this man, the way he discussed events like the Last Battle—events that mankind had been fearing for thousands of years—as if they were items on the daily camp report.

The Gathering Storm, The Last of the Tabac

Ituralde wants proof, but Rand acts as though the very request for proof means he has him.

What Ituralde sees is but a small part of how Rand will appear after his epiphany. Here he has the potential to inspire others; then he will actually do it. As Egwene says:

"The man I saw wouldn't need to destroy such a place," Egwene said. "Those inside would just follow him. Bend to his wishes. Because he was!”

Towers of Midnight, A Good Soup

I loved the exchange when Rand offers Ituralde 100 Asha’man:

"What could you do if I gave you a hundred men who could channel?"
"Madmen?"
"No, most of them are stable," al'Thor said, taking no apparent offense.

The Gathering Storm, The Last of the Tabac

The bargain is that Rand will see the Seanchan out of Arad Doman in exchange of Ituralde holding back the Shadow in the Borderlands. Ituralde thinks this is an opportunity to keep on fighting with honour. Rand fails with his side of the bargain while Ituralde does his considerable utmost to keep his. However Rand ultimately does the job for him in Towers of Midnight, A Force of Light, although it is only a temporary measure.

We see the beginnings of dragon legends in the Wheel of Time world, ones with resemblances to those of real world dragons. The dragon is claimed to be ten feet tall, have glowing eyes, and appear in the sky. Only one of these beliefs is true. The alteration of history to legend and myth is one of Jordan’s major themes.

Characterisation is good in this chapter; the only misstep is “hunker down”, which grates. It is not an expression used prior to The Gathering Storm.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #11: Chapter 9 - Leaving Malden

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Perrin is having trouble settling down after rescuing Faile, mainly because he can’t express himself to her. In a way he’s still in wolf mode and can’t talk intimately to humans. It’s one reason why he chose examining wagons while granting an audience. His fear of remaining a wolf is actually holding him in limbo; he’s neither one nor the other. He should be both.

Balwer wanted to question the Wise Ones but the Seanchan got these. He’s so desperate he even suggests sending questions for the Seanchan to ask the Wise Ones. Surely that would tell the Seanchan too much about what Balwer (and Perrin) know and would like to know. Just like many Aes Sedai, Balwer’s thirst for knowledge leads him into unwise actions. Perrin says Balwer can question the gai’shain. Perhaps the Aiel will agree to that, although reminding Aiel of their change in status is shaming.

Perrin’s shrewd observation on the difference rank makes to how people regard you is that when Lords are slow in thinking they are being careful and clever; when commoners are slow they are just slow. He promptly figured out that Forsaken met with the Shaido and were probably disguised, yet he considers himself a slow thinker.

Tam warns Perrin that most of the Two Rivers men will follow him to Shayol Ghyul. This makes Perrin brood on his leadership abilities:

He hadn't been a good leader lately. He'd never been a model one, of course, not even when Faile had been there to guide him. But during her absence, he'd been worse. Far worse. He'd ignored his orders from Rand, ignored everything, all to get her back.

The Gathering Storm, Leaving Malden

I don’t think Mat would describe any of the tasks Rand gave him as orders. Perrin takes his responsibilities seriously and not for granted as some nobles do – when they feel their responsibilities at all. He feels guilty about those people who died helping him and those he did not help, like Aram.

It strikes me that the last people waiting to consult Perrin are the most competent. I guess there was no rush for them to inform Perrin of completed tasks rather than ask for things or complain. Perrin feels empty now that he has achieved his goal of freeing Faile and hasn’t another one to replace it. He is a driven man who needs practical activity. Feeling Rand’s ta’veren pull again for the first time since Faile was captured, he decides to make returning to Rand his next focus.

Whenever I read about the wolf-head banner, it reminds me that the wolf head was a sign of an outlaw in Germanic and Anglo-Saxon society. The value of an outlaw’s life was equivalent to a wolf’s, meaning it was considered a benefit to society to kill him and a price was put on his (‘wolf’s’) head.

In the early Middle Ages a sentence of outlawry often expressed a society’s inability to enforce its legal codes; it was invoked when an accused lawbreaker fled justice. Because the sentence of outlawry placed a person beyond the protection of the law, it was in effect a death sentence. Later, as the systems of law enforcement grew more effective, the punishment of outlaws became less severe, and a sentence of outlawry often resulted in exile rather than death…Outlawry as often indicated political disfavour as it did criminal behaviour.

- Carl Lindahl, John McNamara, John Lindow (eds), Medieval Folklore

Rand banished Perrin as part of a ruse to ensure his movements were disregarded and the Whitecloaks considered Perrin an outlaw for escaping their death sentence. Considering that outlaws were called “wolf’s heads” in earlier times Perrin’s wolf’s head banner is doubly apt. See Perrin essay for an analysis of Perrin’s character including his lycanthropy or shape-shifting.

Two Weeks until JordanCon 2011!

By Linda

In a couple of weeks’ time, at JordanCon 2011 in Atlanta, I will be demonstrating metal thread and purl (coils of metal wire) embroidery for costuming. My contemporary embroidery "Tree of Life" (Yep, it's Avendesora as World Tree!) shows metal purls. Such decoration was for high status clothing which is why Rand’s clothes are almost exclusively embroidered in metal thread rather than silk or wool (see Rand's coat sleeve embroidery).

Using a blademaster’s heron motif as an example, I’ll show how to prepare the fabric, how to use the metal threads and purls and the stitches and effects that are made with them. The motif is about 3 inches high.

I will supply the metal threads and purls and have spares of a few other requirements icluding fabric. If you are going to the Con and are interested in joining me, bring:

• A 15” square of medium weight fabric basted onto the same size calico square, choose and buy your fabric in a solid colour that you like and that would look good with the metal on it,


• 8” embroidery hoop,


• a reel of Guterman sewing thread #968 for gold or #8 (pale grey) for silver depending on which metal you chose (or a similar brand, the idea is to have matching thread for the metal),


• Embroidery or craft scissors,


• Fine embroidery needles (eg size 10)


• Thick darning needle.

I can email a scan of the heron motif to be traced on before class. Just comment below if you wish me to send you one.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #10: Chapter 8 - Clean Shirts

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Siuan cannot Listen to the Wind, but watches the weather constantly, a relection of her origins in a community of outdoor workers. The length of time the sky warns of danger indicates the strength of the storm coming; the further ahead the storm is foreshadowed, the worse it will be. Should Siuan put to sea or stay in safe harbour? Later in the book she will definitely “put to sea” and Egwene’s captivity will be the impetus for it. Siuan relates Egwene’s captivity to the lowering sky, since like the sky it could be a great catch or a great disaster. Mostly it was a success and prevented, or more properly mitigated, a disaster.

Siuan thinks Aes Sedai are good at creating order. In the previous chapter Rand said Arad Doman is beyond the ability of Aes Sedai to fix. So, as we will see, might the Tower itself be.

The rebel Aes Sedai are shocked that Egwene leads in her own right, so much so that even when not there, and moreover held captive, she has not been ousted. Ironically, Lelaine did her own bit for this by holding the Hall to Egwene’s commands. Lelaine is a better, or more ruthless, politician than Romanda and wants to be seen supervising Siuan and consulting with her. She has adopted Egwene’s policies as her own; for instance, she pretends to accept old novices. Siuan fears if Egwene doesn’t return soon Lelaine will take Egwene’s place and the rebels will crumble. The first will cause the second. Egwene says if she doesn’t return, then Lelaine will indeed have to be it. Lelaine considers her position strong enough to openly speak of Siuan as her attendant now. Using Siuan as an attendant gives Lelaine status since Siuan is not only Egwene’s aide but a former Amyrlin.

The scene highlights the flaws of the Aes Sedai system – the manipulating, the scheming, the prejudices etc. Siuan is learning from the bottom all the mistakes she made while Amyrlin, such as dismissing women because they lacked visible power, and being manipulated because of it. Will this newfound insight play a role in Siuan’s career in the future?

Among Aes Sedai, weakness can give freedom. Hattori’s Warder Sleete explained in Knife of Dreams that if other sisters are uninterested in what an Aes Sedai does because she is so low ranked, she can pretty much do what she likes, so long as strong sisters don’t think it interferes with what they want to do. Siuan is looking forward to being free to live a normal life with Bryne after the Last Battle.

In love Siuan is emotional and defends those close to her, such as Egwene and Bryn and manipulates Lelaine rather clumsily at first. This is causing her to lose influence among cold and ambitious Aes Sedai and if it continues her loyalty will be in doubt too.

Siuan wants to earn Bryne’s respect. She does not want to be in debt to Lelaine, so she resorts to manipulating Lelaine by playing on Aes Sedai stereotypes of men as untrustworthy, even though she just finished thinking of how trustworthy Bryne was:

Light, the man was strict enough to make Warders look sloppy in keeping their oaths.

The Gathering Storm, Clean Shirts

It is Aes Sedai hypocrisy to label men as untrustworthy when men don’t need the Power to keep their word, but Aes Sedai don’t keep their word if they can help it even when bound by the Power.

Siuan actually manages to make Lelaine feel obliged to her, thus showing some of her old skill. She realises she is using her skills more now that she is weak than she did when she held a position of strength.

Full of emotion herself, Siuan banters with Bryne, trying to needle him for a reaction. I loved this thrust and parry:

"Light, woman," he muttered, almost under his breath. "If I'd known you were Aes Sedai before chasing you to Salidar . . . if I'd known what I was doing. . . ."
"What?" she demanded. "You wouldn't have hunted me down?"
"Of course I would have," he said indignantly. "I'd have just been more careful, and perhaps come better prepared. I went off hunting boars with a rabbit knife instead of a spear!"

The Gathering Storm, Clean Shirts

Siuan was looking for him to admit that he would have been frightened off by her being Aes Sedai, but he manages to outdo her easily and manipulates her with openness and sincerity into explaining her oathbreaking. Like many who demand answers to leading questions, he found them pretty sobering. He still would have hunted her down though.

Siuan feels she has gained the upper hand as well as his respect, although she is shocked she opened herself to him and told such a secret. She has always been a fisher of secrets, and tends to hoard her catch. Then Bryne shocks her by revealing how much he has deduced about how she communicates with Egwene and gains the upper hand. The two lovers are evenly matched.

Now that the Land has become Blighted, Siuan regrets not appreciating the fertility of the Land more. This parallels her questioning whether she should have joined the Green Ajah when she was reinstated. The Green Ajah is focussed on love and life, which is why they will defend the Land at the Last Battle. Siuan’s appearance in Tel’aran’rhiod, wearing a skimpy slip, then a green dress – a reference to Greens, who can marry their Warders – show how much she longs for him.

The violent storm in the sky in Tel’aran’rhiod, contrasting with the oppressively overcast sky in the waking world, reflects what is soon to come. Siuan doesn’t recognise it as the future (or likely future) though, so she misses the opportunity to “read the dream”. Egwene never remarks on the sky either.

When told of Halima being a Forsaken who probably wielded saidin and escaped capture, Egwene was calm, as she also was about saidin being clean. She realises there is probably a Forsaken at the White Tower if one was with the rebels.

Egwene thinks Asha’man bonding Aes Sedai an atrocity; and that Rand is responsible whether he knew of it or not. (In Towers of Midnight, A Good Soup, Nynaeve points out that by a similar token Egwene is responsible for the Aes Sedai who chained and beat Rand.) Siuan thinks bonding equal numbers of Asha’man is not a fair trade:

Did this Asha'man say who gave Rand permission to commit such an atrocity?"
"He's the Dragon Reborn," Siuan said, grimacing. "I don't think he feels he needs permission. But, in his defense, it appears he didn't know it was happening. The women his men bonded were sent by Elaida to destroy the Black Tower."
"Yes." Egwene finally showed a sliver of emotion. "So the rumors are accurate. All too accurate." ...
Siuan just shook her head. "We've been offered forty-seven Asha'man to bond as restitution, of sorts, for the women al'Thor's men bonded. Hardly a fair trade, but the Hall decided to accept the offer nonetheless."
"As well they should have," Egwene said. "We shall have to deal with the Dragon's foolishness at a later date. Perhaps his men acted without his direct orders, but Rand must take responsibility. Men. Bonding women!"

The Gathering Storm, Clean Shirts

I really shook my head over this exchange. Especially after thinking of the number of Warders over the centuries who were manipulated into being Bonded without really knowing what they were agreeing to. Hypocrisy is raised to a fine art among Aes Sedai.

Egwene sees that Lelaine is building Egwene up in order to take her place. She is more astute than Siuan, who has become so partisan that she is not inferring as well as she used to. When Egewne frowns over Siuan’s remark that there would be advantages in having less strength in saidar and therefore less rank, she may be thinking of her own situation, dosed with forkroot, yet still displaying the leadership qualities of an Amyrlin.

Siuan feels that being in love for the first time in twenty years is very remarkable and in honour of the occasion will not take revenge on Gareth for outsmarting her about the ter’angreal. She seems very young in this scene.

The original dream ter’angreal is not with the rebels as was stated in this chapter. Nynaeve and Elayne took it with them to Ebou Dar and used it to meet with Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod (Lord or Chaos, Weaves of the Power). Later, in Caemlyn, Elayne lent it to Aviendha to take with her to Arad Doman (Knife of Dreams, A Different Skill), since Elayne apparently could not make it work when she became pregnant (yet it does not require channelling). This is a long running error.

Post #25 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Tarabon were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. Taraboner dress and hair fashion has a strong Arab and African influence.


For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #9: Chapter 7 - The Plan For Arad Doman

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Nynaeve, like Siuan, keeps constant tabs on the weather, as does anyone who lives in communities whose living is based on out-of-doors work. Nynaeve has the Talent of Listening to the Wind, whereas Siuan does not (otherwise she might have sensed the Tower coup before it happened.) Listening to the Wind is a passive Talent of Air and Water (The Eye of the World, Listen to the Wind); the channeller doesn’t actually channel a weave. It is a mild type of precognition in which the channeller is aware that good or bad events are upcoming (The Path of Daggers, To Keep the Bargain). It may not be particularly rare, since Moiraine was quite familiar with it. In the Two Rivers, Nynaeve mainly sensed the weather and the state of the crops – important events in a quiet farming community. Since then she has sensed far more dangerous events, such as upcoming attacks. Right now, Nynaeve is hearing the gathering storm – not actual weather, but the Dark One’s storm, heralded by Rand’s emotional storm.

Nynaeve and Daigian, the weakest and strongest Aes Sedai, have an interesting conversation. Both are not fully accepted by the mainstream Aes Sedai; one because she only just made it, and the other because she hasn’t proven herself yet. In the next book Nynaeve herself will only just make the grade. (Although the test was unfairly harsh).

Nynaeve understands that she has weakened status in common with Daigian:

Unfortunately, Nynaeve's position was still questionable. Egwene had raised her to the shawl by decree, just as she'd raised Elayne: there had been no testing, nor had Nynaeve sworn on the Oath Rod. To most—even those who accepted Egwene's place as the true Amyrlin— those omissions made Nynaeve something less than Aes Sedai. Not an Accepted, but hardly equal to a sister.

The Gathering Storm, The Plan for Arad Doman

Nyaneve is not a ‘proper’ Aes Sedai in her attitudes:

She was Aes Sedai now, but that didn't mean she stopped being who she was.

The Gathering Storm, The Plan for Arad Doman

In Towers of Midnight Rand will tell her it’s OK to be as she is and pressure her not to change.

Nynaeve does as Daigian wishes out of consideration for her grief. Corele manipulated Nynaeve into learning the one hundred weaves for the test for the shawl and thus keep Daigian busy. It was a wise move. Nynaeve needs to know the weaves even if she doesn’t do the test; the fact that she knows them strengthens her position. The weaves are almost too easy for Nynaeve. She never has to have a second go.

Daigian uses “dear” when she speaks to Nyaneve because using Nynaeve’s name would imply equality. Accepting an almost Aes Sedai as her equal would drop Daigian even lower in the eyes of other Aes Sedai. No one shows Nynaeve any mercy in Aes Sedai ranking.

Nynaeve cannot control her feelings as well as Daigian. Nor does she truly understand Daigian’s feelings about Eben. Because they are not a spousal or blood tie, but one of aunt-like affection, Nynaeve thinks they are not strong. I really thought this very immature and arrogant of her, even judgemental, and it was quite right of Daigian to patronise Nynaeve a little.

Nynaeve suggested she Heal Daigian to remove the grief of the broken Warder Bond because she thinks grief borne of the Bond is less genuine. The Bond was made first, true, but affection grew on both sides and was strong. Love doesn’t have to be from marital or blood relationship to be genuine. Also Nynaeve doesn’t consider that her own case of wishing to Bond a man because they love each other is not unique. Siuan and Gareth are another such couple.

Nynaeve impulsively speaks her mind to Daigian about the unjust and faulty Aes Sedai system of ranking by strength in the Power. Daigian is at first insulted at the reminder, but says nothing because Nynaeve is so far above her, and then when Nynaeve continues her point which is the opposite of offensive, Daigian becomes embarrassed since she so rarely gets praise. (The only other time was from Cadsuane.) Nynaeve only stops because she doesn’t want Aes Sedai to stand up to her. In some ways she still wants the ranking to continue so she is the tallest poppy whether she merits or not. It’s rather hypocritical of her. Yet she politely excuses herself to Daigian, a courtesy which many other Aes Sedai would not bother with, proving her genuine respect for Daigian, and after that Daigian treats her as an equal and refers to her by name.

Nynaeve rushes off to Rand’s meeting mistakenly feeling defensive that Rand didn’t think to include her. She considers herself more experienced than he and criticises the number of times he’s been hurt and trapped due to his rashness. Yet she has her own list of narrow escapes – Falme, Tear, Tanchico, Amadicia, Tel'aran'rhiod...although fewer recently.

She still has illogical feelings about Rand’s situation:

I should never have let that woman take him from the Two Rivers, she thought. Look what it's done to him.
She immediately frowned at her own foolishness. If Rand had stayed in the Two Rivers, he would have gone mad and perhaps destroyed them all—assuming, of course, the Trollocs, the Fades or the Forsaken themselves hadn't accomplished the task first. If Moiraine hadn't come for Rand, he'd now be dead. With him would have gone the light and hope of the world. It was just hard to abandon her old prejudices.

The Gathering Storm, The Plan for Arad Doman

but caught them this time. In some ways Nynaeve’s prejudices are what is best about her – her moral values in particular – but it contributes a lot to her hypocrisy too. And to the way she looks down on men in general.

And speaking of abandoning her old prejudices, here she is conceding that Moiraine did something absolutely right and vital.

Rand’s mood now makes Nynaeve fearful of him:

Nynaeve eyed him, surprised at how tight her own nerves had become. He was just a wool-headed villager, no matter how much influence he'd found. He was.
But she could not shake away that look in his eyes, that flash of anger. Holding a crown was said to change many men for the worse. She intended to see that didn't happen to Rand al'Thor, but what recourse would she have if he suddenly decided to have her imprisoned? He wouldn't do that, would he? Not Rand.

The Gathering Storm, The Plan for Arad Doman

Earlier she lectured Rand that he should marry Min. He won’t because he says it will bring Min more pain. (Rather like what Lan said to Nynaeve...) Nynaeve denies this in one breath and thinks Rand has a point in the next.

The female Choedan Kal frightened Nynaeve and she wants Rand to not use the male one. She’s right that it is too great a temptation, as we will soon see.

Nynaeve competes with Cadsuane and is always on the defensive around her. Many readers take Nynaeve’s part against Cadsuane but both women have similar attitudes and a blunt way of getting their point across and getting their own way. Cadsuane sets a high benchmark for Nynaeve and as a consequence Nynaeve feels she is her true rival. She really desires Cadsuane’s approval. Despite what Nynaeve says, Cadsuane doesn’t order people about on account of her age – for a start, as Nynaeve knows very well, age is a secondary factor in Aes Sedai ranking. Cadsuane is a living legend due to what she has done. True merit, really, although her strength helped. She earned her ter’angreal in some way so that they too came through merit. In fact, her power was useless against their original owner (see Cadsuane's Ornaments article).

Nynaeve learned from the girls’ mistakes with Moghedien that Semirhage should have been stilled immediately. She and Elayne were greedy for knowledge and as a result Moghedien ultimately got away. Semirhage doesn’t get away but she damages Rand (and the world) to a terrible degree before he kills her.

In The Ways of Honour the Aiel thought Rand would be pleased with what they have achieved in Arad Doman, but to their dismay he is harsh, arrogant and unreasonable. Rand’s dark mood swings remind Nynaeve of the storm she can feel in the north, the Blight. It is Rand’s link to Moridin, the Shadow’s chief henchman, that she senses. Cadsuane forces Rand to be reasonable. Nynaeve regretted not daring to do so herself but she’s not up to it. For instance, she shivers at Rand’s familiarity with Graendal’s habits. Like the Wise Ones she’s an observer here.

Bael is complimentary of Ituralde, saying he draws the Seanchan’s ire better than Rand does.

Aiel and Bashere want Rand to seize Arad Doman for his own. Rand thinks it won’t work because it would take too many resources. Yet he commands them to pacify the nation and restore order with even less resources and little force.

Rand wants the merchant councillors seized to keep them safe from Graendal and to get them to choose a new king. Like many nobility, they’re more interested in gaining power for themselves.

Starting at the coast, the Aiel are to work their way inland pacifying the country. Rand thinks the Domani will soon flock to the Aiel if they offer food and safety since there is none anywhere else. The Aiel ask for some Saldaeans to ease Domani concerns about following Aiel. Nynaeve is complementary about Rand’s plan.

Rand insists that the Aiel are what he says they are:

"You are what I say you are, Bael," Rand said quietly.
"We are still free people, Rand al'Thor," Rhuarc said.
"I will change the Aiel with my passing," Rand said with a shake of his head. "I don't know what you'll be once this is all through, but you cannot remain what you were.”

The Gathering Storm, The Plan for Arad Doman

That’s true. The Aiel are destined to take back their places of old, and also to be destroyed (see Aiel Prophecy article). I think that at least some will readopt the Way of the Leaf, while others may become keepers of Rand’s Peace. As Aviendha will see in Towers of Midnight if the Aiel remain as they are they are doomed.