#full series spoilers

[blindradiant]

I’m having thoughts about how Szeth followed the Oathstone for so long, then finally came to the realization that it really was just a rock, and how that could connect back to what little we know of his past so far. I still haven’t worked it out in my head quite right, so I’m sorry if this is inconherent

First, we know that Szeth followed the Oathstone for over seven years. For most of that time, he didn’t allow himself to entertain conscious questions about what he was doing. If he did, it would lead to a collapse of everything he’d held to so unwaveringly, which would lead to the end of his own personal world. Of course, that came to a head both times he fought Kaladin in Words of Radiance. Him realizing that he was never wrong was part of what ended their second fight.

In Oathbringer, Szeth has to consciously remind himself that he was never Truthless a few times. When he’s conflicted over what he should choose as his Third Skybreaker Ideal, Nightblood is actually the one that directs him to make the choice he does. The sword reminds Szeth of his years following the Oathstone, and Szeth starts to justify it by saying that he had no choice. Then he realizes that, ‘it had always been nothing more than a rock.’ So Szeth makes a decision other than the one Nale expected him to make, and swears himself to Dalinar instead.

In Rhythm of War, Szeth confronts Taravangian after Taravangian bates him by asking for an Oathstone. Szeth ignores most of what Taravangian tells and asks him, demanding to know why Taravangian wanted an Oathstone. At one point, Szeth says something like, “My stone…was only ever a stone.” He goes on to hint at something his father said in the past, but Taravangian interrupts by saying that Szeth’s father is dead.

I find two things interesting about that moment. First, this is the first time since that realization at the Battle of Thaylen Field that Szeth has verbally stated, on page, that his Oathstone was just a rock. True, he does tell Navani that he was never Truthless earlier on in RoW, but that verbal declaration still feels important, especially since Szeth says it to Taravangian, who played a large roll in making Szeth’s mental state even worse than it was before.

The second thing that interests me is that Szeth mentions his father, and (presumably) something he might have said about the Oathstone. In the reading of a Szeth flashback Brando did at NYCC, it seems that Szeth’s family doesn’t share Szeth’s level of commitment/devotion/adherence to the teachings of Stone Shamanism. They’re more willing to leave things up to interpretation/bend the prohibitions than Szeth is. So I wonder if at some point, Neturo tried to encourage Szeth to think of the Oathstone in a different way. We don’t know how long it took for Szeth to be named Truthless or what might have been involved in that process, so I can’t say much more about this. I’m just intrigued that Neturo might have had a different view on things. Whatever it might have been, we’ll have to wait for KOWT to be released before the pieces come together.

If I had a main point to make with this post, I don’t remember what it was. I’m just still trying to put what we know about Szeth’s past and Shin beliefs together to find answers that haven’t been revealed yet. I’m very curious to see how much of my speculation is in any way accurate when KOWT comes out

[cha-faile]

ok!!! I have some exceedingly crackpot WoT show theories. Herein lies musings on Siuan Sanche....full book spoilers!

Since Siuan Sanche has been in the season less than I would have expected, and I keep seeing posts talking about her scheduling difficulties, I wonder if...

a. Siuan will be actually killed off in the coup. Moiraine has gotten pieces of Siuan's post-stilling plot points (being stilled (pseudo-stilled or no!); Logain and the Be Productive Now, Kill Yourself Later speech), so I wonder if Leane will take over all of Siuan and Leane's combined Salidar plots. It would be doable, and so very painful for Moiraine!!

b. If they don't actually kill off Siuan, I wonder if they're going to recast her and Leane and go with the whole "Stilled Aes Sedai are all-but-unrecognizable because they suddenly look young again" book plot. Either way, I don't know if Sophie Okonedo is going to be in the whole show. I would personally prefer a re-cast to Siuan being killed off, but it would make sense for the sprawling later cast to be condensed more and theirs are relatively easy plotlines to merge.

c. Less a theory, more commentary: I really really don't think they're gonna do the whole Siuan/Gareth, Moiraine/Thom endgames. My fingers are crossed for those relationships to be cut!!

d. Where is Thom, anyway? I would like to see him.

[buubuu-sedai]

Eye of the World Prologue - Dragonmount

Welcome and salutations various beings! I broke out this bad boy for the re-read and I feel all the warm fuzzies right now. I definitely have at least 3 different version of Eye of the World, 4 if you count the ebook, heh. A lot of my early books are pretty worn out from reading so this special edition is a really smart purchase. Also the cover design activates my brain in a really pleasing way so it's got that going for it. Oh! It's got a cloth bookmark, too. Pretty snazzy.

Ok so let's go over how I'm intending this to go. I'll post a chapter recap at the top with my impressions and keep all the spoilery rambling and musings at the bottom. I really thought about doing 2 separate posts - one spoiler free and one full spoiler - but I ultimately decided against. It is a re-read after all so I'm expecting most readers to be familiar with the full series. If there's enough interest maybe I can make a separate blog specifically to be spoiler free. But for now, here we are.

I'll post maps and images with notations to go along so we can follow along where the characters are.

Let's get into it, shall we?

Ok so we don't know where the Prologue actually starts, but we know for sure where it ends. Lews left a handy marker for us.

Prologue: Dragonmount

The prologue begins inside a palace that had been a recent sight of battle. A man named Lews Therin Telamon wanders the ruined halls looking for his wife Ilyena, stepping over bodies - including one of a sun-haired woman whose face is frozen in disbelief. Lews catches sight of himself in a mirror and laughs, calling for his wife to come see. Another man appears behind him from a ripple in the air - Elan Morin Tedronai. 

Elan knows Lews but it’s clear Lews has some memory loss and Elan asks if the ‘taint already has you so far in its grip?’ Lews remembers fractured things, like not saying Shai’tan and that Elan is known as ‘The Betrayer of Hope’, but he keeps losing his train of thought. He calls for Ilyena once more to come offer their guest welcome. Elan grows tired of this and uses Shai’tan’s healing to Heal Lews Therin’s mind. The pain of it sends Lews toppling over while he writhes in agony. When he can finally move again he sees his wife’s body and screams once more. 

Elan calls him Kinslayer and tells him the Dark Lord can bring her back if Lews will serve him. Lews thinks Elan must have slain his wife, but Elan demands he remember and taunts him. And Lews does remember, howling once more as he looks around, recalling hazily his trek through the palace, murdering everyone in it including his wife, children, friends, family and servants. Unable to handle this knowledge, Lews reaches out to the True Source, tainted Saidin, and Travels far away. 

In an empty field next to a river he still can’t escape the eyes of the dead. He calls out for forgiveness and pulls on True Source until the power of it consumes him in one searing beam of lightning from the heavens. The earth erupts, spewing magma into the sky and rising up a mountain in its place. The force bends the river, creating an island and when the land settles Elan appears on the island, contemptuously declaring “You cannot escape so easily, Dragon. It is not done between us. It will not be done until the end of time.” There’s a couple of blurbs that follow this prologue, written as if from a scholar looking at past events in flowery language. Both excerpts are from ‘Author unknown, Fourth Age’

Don’t worry for any new folks reading this - You’re not supposed to understand or know what’s happening here! The full understanding comes in later books but by the end of Eye of the World you will know the context of the events and what they mean to the story in general. 

I love this prologue so much!! Young me was fascinated by it. It’s so cryptic and bonkers, like who even are these people?! All the terms thrown willy-nilly like RJ is like ‘don’t worry about it, it’ll make sense later’.  In modern writing this would probably be such a no-no. You can’t introduce things without context clues, that will turn away new readers! Hahaha that’s what keeps me reading, baby! It feels very epic and mysterious.



Spoilery Bits Below - BEWARE

This got really rambly but I kinda enjoy it that way. What follows is my real time musings all mashed together into a loosely organized list.

I love all the tantalizing bits we get about the Age of Legends. Lews having worn the ring of the Tamyrlin and once summoned the Nine Rods of Dominion. I wonder if that ring was what the current Aes Sedai serpent ring was based on? The nine rods are usually associated with the oath rod, however the Big White Book talks about how the AoL handled criminals by binding them from repeat offenses. One of the forsaken at some point in the story says the current Age Aes Sedai ‘bind themselves like criminals’ in regards to the Three Oaths they take. Aaaand we also know oath rods can be used for obedience - that’s what Therava did to Galina later on. So the Nine Rods are pretty unknown. Perhaps something to do with interdimensional travel or something along those lines. It sounds cool anway.

Fitting how the story begins with Ishy telling the Dragon they’ve fought this battle a thousand times a thousand. One of my favorite quotes is “I win again, Lews Therin” (I like to say in a Waluigi voice and imitate his mannerisms. Omg I’m so weird)

We have Elan using The True Power here without the notable black specks floating across his eyes. I’ve always felt like the first 3 books follow a looser set of rules for magic, where in book 4 there are clearer sets of rules that hold the world together. Also it comes off more mystical with the grandiose speeches we get, the use of the True Source is more fantastical (Moiraine spinning her staff, the illusion of her growing and stepping over a wall, her wall of fire, Rand slamming the ground and disrupting the Shadowspawn army) Later on it feels more practical, but maybe that’s more because we get the perspectives of those using saidar/saidin so it seems less mysterious. 

This prologue establishes right away that you can hold too much power and it will destroy you - albeit very dramatically in this case. Also another indicator that Lews could handle a ridiculous amount of power if his overdraw is enough to create an entire fucking mountain.  Interesting that lews didn't like being called Dragon. I wonder if he disliked being the reincarnation of such a polarizing figure, someone who could just as easily destroy the world as save it. Lews did both essentially.

 Did the AoL have prophecies about the Dragon Reborn as well? We know they used portal stones and tel'aran'rhiod liberally. Reading the pattern was the specialty of the Aelfinn and the Eelfin and we know there were treaties in place to get that knowledge from them. No one even suspected a being like the Dark One existed so perhaps Dragon was just a name Lews felt uncomfortable with. Afterall, his peaceful society was forever shattered and he became a machine for war. The name Dragon must have felt really bitter for him.

Ishy was a philosopher before defecting. Which honestly makes so much sense. I can imagine he was already questioning the purpose of existence and then here comes the Dark One whispering in his ear telling him all about the endless cycle that will only end when the Dark One wins. 

Ty for reading if you’ve made it this far! Feel free to share thoughts, ponderings and your own reminiscing.

The AoL Aes Sedai had foretellings (at least those at the end of the AoL) - they knew where to leave things for the Dragon to find at the Eye, Rhuidean and the Stone of Tear. Was that a consequence of opening the bore? I don’t recall if the forsaken think or talk about foretellings in their time during any of their perspective chapters. Drilling a hole through reality could have some funky effects, though. Would be really neat if that bore allowed the pattern to be read similar to what the twisty red doorway boys do.

Oh boy I didn’t expect I would have so much to ponder just from the prologue, holy moly. This is some of my favorite stuff, however, thinking about what could have been in the Age of Legends. Robert Jordan made such a cool expansive world, it’s really a joy to read every time. I am happy to be back in this world once more.

[feelingtheaster99]

It is completely in character for Percy to say he has some dumb questions, then ask incredibly valid questions that no one has brought up till now

[hinamie]

in spite of everything, I had fun <3

[pemprika]

an untainted innocence

[trashcora]

shut up. this was gorgeous.

[thebrainrotsreal]

When I tell you I am still so speechless over this episode.

When I tell you I am thinking about Mark who we know really ingrained Nolan's speech back in s1, only see that Nolan looks like he meant every word. That Mark was replaceable, his mother was just a pet. When I tell you I'm constantly thinking about Mark, who only saw his father cry over a planet he's only known for months, and not the family he's had for years. When I tell you I'm thinking about Mark finally calling Nolan 'dad' again only to be immediately choked and yelled at. When I think about the parallels of s1's fight and this one.

[angelshizuka]

Despite these being obvious parallels, I love how they're still very different scenes. This is how you parallel right. To show progression and/or how two different characters handle the same/a simmiliar situation.

We've already discussed how Stolas tends to shut down and struggle more inwards, so his scene is him just calmly sitting down on the stairs and blankly staring at nothing.

Compared to Blitz's scene, who we've discussed is more prome to show his struggles outwards through anger and agression, so he literally screams up into the sky.

[galedekarios]

You truly are a soul that steels my own.

[pinky-lemon]

various doodles again

[blindradiant]

Best Szeth moment

[darth-memes]

[bowtiesarecool11]

DWM Episode Preview 'Rogue'

"And this time when the Doctor dances - he really dances"

[remxedmoon]

“the eternal wanderer…? even death cannot release it from its plight… hm. did i create a second copy of this card?”

tribeless

1 power - 1 health - 7 bones?

unkillable - when a card bearing this sigil perishes, a copy of it is created in your hand.

corpse eater - if a creature that you own perishes by combat, a card bearing this sigil in your hand is automatically played in its place.

brittle - after attacking, a card bearing this sigil perishes.

hidden trait - cursebearer

this card cannot be sacrificed at the sigil stones event.

[twohats spoilers below the cut!]

“callous, aimless, manipulative. this pitiful beast hides behind a mask of its own face.”

tribeless

2 power - 1 health - no cost

repulsive - if a creature would attack a card bearing this sigil, it does not.

bifurcated strike - a card bearing this sigil will strike each opposing space to the left and right of the space across from it.

hidden trait - shapeshifter

while in your deck or hand, this card will disguise itself as the wanderer.

SURPRISE BONUS CARD!!! or well. not really a surprise if you’re from the discord. still!!!! bonus card!!! writeup below!!!!

this is an ijiraq reskin!!!! or well. they were supposed to be one. their out-of-battle behaviors are pretty different but they work mostly the same in battles

the repulsive sigil is there because the ijiraq has it! but it also counts towards loop’s. general attitude towards themself i think. at least they can’t get attacked (if they don’t attack something with sharp quills that is). in kaycee’s mod, this sigil only appears on the ijiraq and starvation (which can only be played by leshy). probably for the best!

i added bifurcated strike both to set them apart from the ijiraq and because scissors craft! stats and sigils wise, they’re a sidegrade to the ijiraq. the fun stuff comes with their hidden trait!

so! shapeshifter!! originally just called. ijiraq. but it works a little different so it gets a different name shshhh. but i’ll just explain how the regular ijiraq works since it’s a kaycee’s mod card and kinda obscure. basically, it diguises itself as other cards in your deck! while on the map, it’ll show the card’s alt version with a red glow, but in battle, it’ll look and behave exactly like the card it’s mimicking. it only reveals itself once placed on the field! so it’s always a surprise! loop works similarly, but they only mimic sif’s card. because twohats :3

like the ijiraq, loop will swap themself with sif for most card events! though there’s a good few that they’ll just refuse to do. too much to talk about there, maybe i’ll post the talking card dialogue for them at some point? idk

oh, speaking of which!! like sif, loop is a talking card! they’ll still talk, even while disguised, but they’d have slightly different lines and portraits methinks. which does make it a little easier to figure out who’s who but that’s a sacrifice (heh) i’m willing to make. plus it’s just fun.

vulpecula is the name of a fox constellation! for fun parallels with siffrin! the constellation itself doesn’t have any mythology behind it though. just a fox. the reason loop’s holding a goose in their mouth(…?) is because the constellation is sometimes depicted with one! please look at the goose i’m really proud of that goose.

this was. probably the hardest card to draw Period. my usual way of drawing loops spiky face would’ve felt out of place with the inscryption style so i had to improvise! and BOY it was a struggle!! especially since i didn’t have a sketch prepared like i did with the others. i think this turned out pretty nice though!

NO PATCH!!!! REJOICE!!! loop can’t be selected for sigil transfers (because ijiraq) so they don’t have any!!!! i mean, i could’ve hypothetically given a patch to the sif disguise but no. i don’t want to even try to recolor the patch. that would be a nightmare. maybe if i ever find a blank png version of the patch.

if i were to give them a patch sigil tho, i think i’d give them hoarder? which lets you draw any card from your deck after placing loop on the field. as like, a nod to how much QoL they add in isat.

also as a little aside, you can attempt to fuse them and the wanderer at the mycologists. they won’t let you but you can try. similarly, they’ll be counted as kin in the trial of kin! because again. twohats

THAT’S EVERYTHING 🎉🎉🎉 rare cards wise, at least. trust me there’s a ridiculous amount of extra stuff for this au. i’m making an entire campaign. god have mercy on me

no extra alt card art so uh. thank you for reading these!!! isatscryption is like. probably the most self indulgent thing ever for me. thank you so much to everyone who’s responded to these aauauuaa i reread the responses like. every day!!! so thank you!!!!!! 💥

[cinnabarts]

One of these days when all my work is done I'm gonna rest in the lap of Abraham You will not see my face come morning I didn't come to set you free