Discussion:
WOTFAQ: It exists
(too old to reply)
Leigh Butler
2005-10-03 18:24:39 UTC
Permalink
Hi, everyone.

I've noticed, over the last few weeks, that there seem to be a bunch of
newcomers to the group, as is usual when the release of a new book is
imminent.

I want to welcome you all to the group. We're glad you're here.
However, there are a couple of things I want to point out before KOD
comes out and my life becomes... interesting.

First of all, I *strongly* suggest that anyone who has not yet read the
Wheel of Time FAQ, to do so as soon as possible:

http://linuxmafia.com/jordan

The WOTFAQ is a compendium of over a decade's worth of discussion,
theorizing, and speculation about the events in the Wheel of Time
series. In other words, any theory that you may have about various
mysteries or conundrums in the series, I can practically guarantee you
has already been thought of, and is probably at least mentioned in the
FAQ.

The reason this FAQ has been put together in the first place is to give
everyone a solid knowledge of what discussion has gone before, so that
we are not all just repeating ourselves over and over, and the
discussion in the group remains fresh and interesting.

While I understand that the temptation is strong to rehash old stuff
again anyway, I ask that you try to avoid this. KOD will be providing
plenty of fresh material for everyone to sink their teeth into; in the
meantime, read the FAQ. These sections in particular may be of
interest, given recent topics on the group:

http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html

http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.4_whats-up-dark/1.4.09_ispan-whodunnit.html

Please read. Thank you.

Secondly, I ask that everyone please try to follow posting etiquette
when posting to this group. If you don't know what that is, the basics
are:

- Quote the text of the message you are replying to, and attribute,
which means indicate who you are replying to.

(Most newsreaders will include attributions and quote text
automatically; even the craptastic Google Groups will do this, if you
hit "Show Options" and then "Reply" at the top of the message, rather
than just the reply button below it.)

- Do not top-post. Replies should go under the (quoted) text being
replied to, and the quoted text should be edited for length if
necessary.

- Generally speaking, your reply should be equal to or longer than the
amount of text quoted. If you are replying to a 100-line post with one
line of text, know that you are (a) being rude and (b) pissing people
off. Also, it makes you look like a total noob. Don't do it.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Once KOD comes out it's
probably going to get a little crazy in here, so for the sake of my
sanity and for the greater good of All, please, please, pretty please,
do these things.

Thank you for your time and attention. We now return you to your
regularly scheduled newsgroup.
--
Leigh Butler
WOTFAQ Maintainer
D. Todd Caslick
2005-10-03 22:51:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
Hi, everyone.
I've noticed, over the last few weeks, that there seem to be a bunch of
newcomers to the group, as is usual when the release of a new book is
imminent.
<snip>
Post by Leigh Butler
While I understand that the temptation is strong to rehash old stuff
again anyway, I ask that you try to avoid this. KOD will be providing
plenty of fresh material for everyone to sink their teeth into; in the
meantime, read the FAQ. These sections in particular may be of
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html
Can you boil the Asmodean section down to: "He's been dead for over
five books/ten year...get over it, dammit!!" That's what I'd like to
see. Lets all take a deep breath and let it go....



Todd
Leigh Butler
2005-10-04 00:01:54 UTC
Permalink
D. Todd Caslick wrote:

http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Can you boil the Asmodean section down to: "He's been dead for over
five books/ten year...get over it, dammit!!" That's what I'd like to
see. Lets all take a deep breath and let it go....
Dude, are you kidding? The Asmo section by now deserves to stand as a
monument all its own - to the group mind at work, to geek
obsessiveness, to pure bloody-minded stubbornness - on all sides - to
whatever.

Not to mention, as a tribute to the sheer amount of work that has gone
into compiling and writing and editing the damn thing for so many
years. If I have my way, that puppy'll stay up till either RJ answers
the question, or the Internet dies and hell freezes over, whichever one
comes first.
--
Leigh Butler
Davian
2005-10-04 00:05:03 UTC
Permalink
"Leigh Butler" <***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:***@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

(Asmodean)
Post by Leigh Butler
Not to mention, as a tribute to the sheer amount of work that has gone
into compiling and writing and editing the damn thing for so many
years. If I have my way, that puppy'll stay up till either RJ answers
the question, or the Internet dies and hell freezes over, whichever one
comes first.
The sad part is, based on the Vegas odds spread, hell freezing over has the
best chance of the three.
--
Jeff

Davian / Dearic
D. Todd Caslick
2005-10-04 00:43:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Can you boil the Asmodean section down to: "He's been dead for over
five books/ten year...get over it, dammit!!" That's what I'd like to
see. Lets all take a deep breath and let it go....
Dude, are you kidding? The Asmo section by now deserves to stand as a
monument all its own - to the group mind at work, to geek
obsessiveness, to pure bloody-minded stubbornness - on all sides - to
whatever.
Not to mention, as a tribute to the sheer amount of work that has gone
into compiling and writing and editing the damn thing for so many
years. If I have my way, that puppy'll stay up till either RJ answers
the question, or the Internet dies and hell freezes over, whichever one
comes first.
Partly kidding, partly serious.

You've got to admit though, he's been dead for a decade...does it
really matter anymore who killed the bastard? I certainly don't mean to
put down anyone/anything related to the WOTFAQ. Leave it in there for
posterity. But how is Asmodean's death or the "mystery" surrounding it
(Graendal obviously killed him) important to the plot five books later?

All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.


Todd
Aaron Clark
2005-10-04 01:20:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
Zach Davis
2005-10-04 04:54:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Aaron Clark
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
De-lurking for a moment here, but...
I think we *do* know why the bowl of petunias thought that, or at least
can make a reasonable inference. That is, if we've read the other books
in the trilogy.
--
Zach Davis

"With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps."
-George Harrison, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

"You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!"
-President Merkin Muffley, _Dr. Strangelove_
Dan Weiner
2005-10-04 05:24:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Aaron Clark
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
De-lurking for a moment here, but...
I think we *do* know why the bowl of petunias thought that, or at least
can make a reasonable inference. That is, if we've read the other books
in the trilogy.
It's quite obvious what the petunias were thinking about.

It's NOT obvious that Graendal is Asmo's murderer, and I don't care what
anyone says. The WOTFAQ (1.1.6) says it best:

The strongest argument in favor of Graendal, though, is that she
is the only suspect without any major points against her. The
only requirements which she seems to fail are 7 and 8. Namely,
there is no reason for RJ to have kept it a secret for almost a
decade, and there is no way Graendal is obviously the killer--
the case in her favor is mostly a process of elimination over
the books following TFOH.


--D
Zach Davis
2005-10-04 06:15:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by Dan Weiner
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Aaron Clark
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
De-lurking for a moment here, but...
I think we *do* know why the bowl of petunias thought that, or at least
can make a reasonable inference. That is, if we've read the other books
in the trilogy.
It's quite obvious what the petunias were thinking about.
Yes, having read the third book, I agree. I might've missed some
sarcasm in the post I responded to, perhaps. It's late.
Post by Dan Weiner
It's NOT obvious that Graendal is Asmo's murderer, and I don't care what
anyone says. The WOTFAQ (1.1.6) says it best: [snip FAQ quote]
I don't disagree. I don't even remember who I thought of as suspects
when I first read the series (some time after tPOD)... I think it was a
"WTF?" when I read it but then as I picked up the next books it slipped
to the back of my mind while trying to keep the growing number of minor
characters straight and such. I don't think my dad had an answer either
when I asked him who he thought did it shortly after he finished tFOH.

Ah well, as Leigh and others mentioned, this resembles a deceased
equestrian. I, for one, will cease bludgeoning it.
--
Zach Davis

"With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps."
-George Harrison, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

"You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!"
-President Merkin Muffley, _Dr. Strangelove_
Mark Erikson
2005-10-04 05:25:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Aaron Clark
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
De-lurking for a moment here, but...
I think we *do* know why the bowl of petunias thought that, or at least
can make a reasonable inference. That is, if we've read the other books
in the trilogy.
That was, quite possibly, the best bit of retconning in the history of
mankind.

And then it's use in Mostly Harmless was also fairly brilliant.

-Mark Erikson
Zach Davis
2005-10-04 06:07:18 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Aaron Clark
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
De-lurking for a moment here, but...
I think we *do* know why the bowl of petunias thought that, or at least
can make a reasonable inference. That is, if we've read the other books
in the trilogy.
That was, quite possibly, the best bit of retconning in the history of
mankind.
Do we know that was a retcon for certain? Or was he actually thinking
that far ahead? I haven't seen evidence one way or the other (and I'm
not really sure how to google that one).
Post by Mark Erikson
And then it's use in Mostly Harmless was also fairly brilliant.
By the way, I wouldn't normally nitpick, but it's a pet peeve of mine:
"It's" with an apostrophe means "it is"... The possessive of "it" is
"its" with no apostrophe.
--
Zach Davis

"With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps."
-George Harrison, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

"You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!"
-President Merkin Muffley, _Dr. Strangelove_
Mark Erikson
2005-10-04 06:49:49 UTC
Permalink
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Aaron Clark
I find it more reminiscent of the HHGttG and the Bowl of Petunias, "Oh
bother, not again" .... existence would make so much more sense if we
knew why he had said that comment off screen...
De-lurking for a moment here, but...
I think we *do* know why the bowl of petunias thought that, or at least
can make a reasonable inference. That is, if we've read the other books
in the trilogy.
That was, quite possibly, the best bit of retconning in the history of
mankind.
Do we know that was a retcon for certain? Or was he actually thinking
that far ahead? I haven't seen evidence one way or the other (and I'm
not really sure how to google that one).
Well, yeah. But it hardly seems likely that he thought of that one
while he was actually writing the petunia scene.
Post by Zach Davis
Post by Mark Erikson
And then it's use in Mostly Harmless was also fairly brilliant.
"It's" with an apostrophe means "it is"... The possessive of "it" is
"its" with no apostrophe.
Oh, I'm a stickler for correct punctuation and grammar as well. So I
have no problem with someone pointing out my own slipups.

-Mark Erikson
Leigh Butler
2005-10-04 17:21:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Post by Leigh Butler
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Can you boil the Asmodean section down to: "He's been dead for over
five books/ten year...get over it, dammit!!" That's what I'd like to
see. Lets all take a deep breath and let it go....
Dude, are you kidding? The Asmo section by now deserves to stand as a
monument all its own - to the group mind at work, to geek
obsessiveness, to pure bloody-minded stubbornness - on all sides - to
whatever.
You've got to admit though, he's been dead for a decade...does it
really matter anymore who killed the bastard? I certainly don't mean to
put down anyone/anything related to the WOTFAQ.
Honey, if you're under the impression that I actually care who killed
Asmodean, allow me to disillusion you. I don't.

But what I do or do not care about is not really the arbiter of what
goes (or stays) in the FAQ. Would you care to guess what percentage of
email I get about the FAQ is *still* about Asmodean? Would you venture
to guess how often the topic is still brought up in here?
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Leave it in there for posterity.
Thanks, I will.
Post by D. Todd Caslick
But how is Asmodean's death or the "mystery" surrounding it
(Graendal obviously killed him) important to the plot five books later?
It's not. It even says so, right in the section. That is also not the
arbiter of what goes into the FAQ. If it were, we wouldn't have an
"Absurd Trivia" section either. Or a "Sources" section. Or half the
FAQ, really.

If people argue about it or are confused by it, in large enough
numbers, then it goes into the FAQ. The End.
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
Actually, I don't think RJ expected it to generate anything near the
amount of hullabaloo that it has. Not originally, anyway.
--
Leigh Butler
D. Todd Caslick
2005-10-04 22:41:41 UTC
Permalink
<snip>
Post by Leigh Butler
Post by D. Todd Caslick
But how is Asmodean's death or the "mystery" surrounding it
(Graendal obviously killed him) important to the plot five books later?
It's not. It even says so, right in the section. That is also not the
arbiter of what goes into the FAQ. If it were, we wouldn't have an
"Absurd Trivia" section either. Or a "Sources" section. Or half the
FAQ, really.
That was a tongue in cheek dig at Asmodean conspirators.
Post by Leigh Butler
If people argue about it or are confused by it, in large enough
numbers, then it goes into the FAQ. The End.
Okay.
Post by Leigh Butler
Post by D. Todd Caslick
All right, I'm starting to whine. I'll end with this: Asmodean's death
was a cheap plot device designed to get people to buy the next book or
two in hopes of finding out who did it. It obviously worked, because
people are still obsessing over it.
Actually, I don't think RJ expected it to generate anything near the
amount of hullabaloo that it has. Not originally, anyway.
Probably not, but it is still a plot device that is frequently used in
any type of serial storytelling.

For TV, the season ends and everyone has no clue who shot JR. Of course
JR didn't die like Asmodean did. In fact, maybe the whole series so far
has been just a dream, and in the end everyone wakes up back in Emond's
Field. But who would be the chartacter in the shower...? Or does that
even matter? Crap, I'm confusing myself with my own _Dallas_
references.

Does anyone remember who shot JR anyway? I can't remember.




Todd
Rajiv Mote
2005-10-05 01:27:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Does anyone remember who shot JR anyway? I can't remember.
DALLAS SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

SPOILER *
SPACE *
FOR *
DALLAS *

Kristin shot J.R. I forgot who Kristin was, but it was her.
Jamie Bowden
2005-10-05 12:52:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Does anyone remember who shot JR anyway? I can't remember.
I did.

Jamie Bowden
--
"It was half way to Rivendell when the drugs began to take hold"
Hunter S Tolkien "Fear and Loathing in Barad Dur"
Iain Bowen <***@alaric.org.uk>
D. Todd Caslick
2005-10-05 17:15:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jamie Bowden
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Does anyone remember who shot JR anyway? I can't remember.
I did.
Can we pin Asmodean on you too?



Todd
Jamie Bowden
2005-10-07 14:19:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Post by Jamie Bowden
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Does anyone remember who shot JR anyway? I can't remember.
I did.
Can we pin Asmodean on you too?
If it will make you happy, but I'm pretty sure someone would have heard me
shooting Asmodean.

Jamie Bowden
--
"It was half way to Rivendell when the drugs began to take hold"
Hunter S Tolkien "Fear and Loathing in Barad Dur"
Iain Bowen <***@alaric.org.uk>
Alex Goddard
2005-10-07 15:49:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jamie Bowden
If it will make you happy, but I'm pretty sure someone would have heard
me shooting Asmodean.
No way. I've seen the footage. Asmodean's head went back and to the
left.
--
Alex Goddard
alex at sparkletone dot net
http://sparkletone.net
"Go back to bed, Rasfwr-j, the Author has figured out how it all
transpired. Go back to bed, Rasfwr-j, your Author is in control again.
Here, here's _New Spring_. Read this. Shut up. Go back to bed, Usenet.
Here is _New Spring_, here is 56 chapters of it!
Duncan J Macdonald
2005-10-07 18:38:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alex Goddard
Post by Jamie Bowden
If it will make you happy, but I'm pretty sure someone would have heard
me shooting Asmodean.
No way. I've seen the footage. Asmodean's head went back and to the
left.
Hell no! Nobody could fit in that culvert and aim a long gun!
--
Duncan J Macdonald
***@navy.mil
***@comcast.net
Jasper Janssen
2005-10-05 18:00:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jamie Bowden
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Does anyone remember who shot JR anyway? I can't remember.
I did.
But you did not shoot the deputy.


Jasper
Ranger Fan
2005-10-04 18:32:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html
Post by D. Todd Caslick
Can you boil the Asmodean section down to: "He's been dead for over
five books/ten year...get over it, dammit!!" That's what I'd like to
see. Lets all take a deep breath and let it go....
Dude, are you kidding? The Asmo section by now deserves to stand as a
monument all its own - to the group mind at work, to geek
obsessiveness, to pure bloody-minded stubbornness - on all sides - to
whatever.
Not to mention, as a tribute to the sheer amount of work that has gone
into compiling and writing and editing the damn thing for so many
years. If I have my way, that puppy'll stay up till either RJ answers
the question, or the Internet dies and hell freezes over, whichever one
comes first.
It'll probably go like this:

RJ, appearing at the 2017 WoTCon, takes questions from the audience.

Reader: "Sir, I've read your just published 12th and final volume of
the WOT series, all 16 prequels, all 5 versions of the WoT
Encyclopedia, and all 12 years of your blog. I still don't know who
killed Asmodean."

RJ:"Read and Find Out."

Reader: "But I did read."

RJ: "Oh, right, you said that. Well the answer is simple. I killed
Asmodean."

Reader: "As the writer, yes, you were responsible for the act-"

RJ: "NO, *I* killed him. I decided to incorporate an idea I had been
working on for the last 30 years, and write myself into the novel."

Reader: "I don't understand how that was supposed to be apparent to
us?"

RJ: "Look, I don't write books for simpletons. I shouldn't have to
explain the obvious. Next question."





=======================================================
<Insert Pithy Saying Here - it's apparently required on Usenet>
Phil Boswell
2005-10-05 17:18:23 UTC
Permalink
Ranger Fan <***@nospam.verizon.net> wrote:
[insane but funny theory of RJ writing himself into the story and
killing Asmo snipped]

Been done, sort of.

"An Old-Fashioned Mystery" by Runa Fairleigh.

HTH HAND
--
Phil
Jasper Janssen
2005-10-05 17:29:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
If I have my way, that puppy'll stay up till either RJ answers
the question, or the Internet dies and hell freezes over, whichever one
comes first.
I don't think it should go away just because RJ answers the question,
either.

Jasper
Mark Erikson
2005-10-04 02:30:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
Hi, everyone.
I've noticed, over the last few weeks, that there seem to be a bunch of
newcomers to the group, as is usual when the release of a new book is
imminent.
I want to welcome you all to the group. We're glad you're here.
However, there are a couple of things I want to point out before KOD
comes out and my life becomes... interesting.
First of all, I *strongly* suggest that anyone who has not yet read the
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan
Has the FAQ been trimmed down recently? I seem to remember a whole
section called "What did Rand ask the Aelfinn?", which still seems
fairly important to the plot, which is no longer there.

Is it hidden in some subsection that I'm missing? Has it been so
conclusively answered in the books that it no longer needs a section (I
don't remember any such thing, though)? Am I just imagining the whole
thing, and there never was that section?

-Mark Erikson
Oliver Daniels
2005-10-04 09:14:13 UTC
Permalink
No, I think you're right. The WOTFAQ gets updated after each book and
bits do get trimmed. Perhaps Leigh will direct you to an older version
of the WOTFAQ that features said section, if you ask her nicely enough.


Hmm, I haven't thought about what Rand asked the Aelfinn for a while.
I'm sure he asked how to survive TG. I believe the answer was, "You
must die first, if you would live again," or some such.

My best guess for the other two questions would be:
- How to cleanse saidin
- How to defeat the DO
(He and Mat didn't get Moiraine's warning *not* to ask questions about
the Shadow until after they had been through the doorway ter'angreal.)
namo
2005-10-05 01:57:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Oliver Daniels
(He and Mat didn't get Moiraine's warning *not* to ask questions about
the Shadow until after they had been through the doorway ter'angreal.)
Actually, Mat did : it was Egwene who told him about the doorway, making him
promise not to enter it unless his life depended on it. Rand learned about
it in a book though, so he didn't get Moiraine's bits of knowledge.
loial
2005-10-05 11:11:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by namo
Post by Oliver Daniels
(He and Mat didn't get Moiraine's warning *not* to ask questions about
the Shadow until after they had been through the doorway ter'angreal.)
Actually, Mat did : it was Egwene who told him about the doorway, making him
promise not to enter it unless his life depended on it. Rand learned about
it in a book though, so he didn't get Moiraine's bits of knowledge.
It seems pretty much impossible that any question Rand would be likely
to ask would NOT touch the shadow in some way, anyway.
Leigh Butler
2005-10-04 17:25:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Leigh Butler
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan
Has the FAQ been trimmed down recently? I seem to remember a whole
section called "What did Rand ask the Aelfinn?", which still seems
fairly important to the plot, which is no longer there.
Since that section (AFAIR) did not exist when I took it over, in 2001,
I think you might want to rethink your definition of "recently".
Post by Mark Erikson
Is it hidden in some subsection that I'm missing? Has it been so
conclusively answered in the books that it no longer needs a section (I
don't remember any such thing, though)? Am I just imagining the whole
thing, and there never was that section?
It's here:

http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc

Third one down.
--
Leigh Butler
Mark Erikson
2005-10-04 18:44:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Leigh Butler
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan
Has the FAQ been trimmed down recently? I seem to remember a whole
section called "What did Rand ask the Aelfinn?", which still seems
fairly important to the plot, which is no longer there.
Since that section (AFAIR) did not exist when I took it over, in 2001,
I think you might want to rethink your definition of "recently".
I wasn't meaning to offend. And this is more a trick of memory than a
ill-defined term. Don't you find that when you start reminiscing your
WOT-related activities, your brain snips out all the non-WOT stuff?
That's how five or six years can seem like only one or two?

Although, given that you're the custodian of the FAQ, it's probably
safe to say that's you've spent a far greater chunk of your time than I
have on WOT related stuff.

And did you ever get that advance reading copy of KoD?
Post by Leigh Butler
Post by Mark Erikson
Is it hidden in some subsection that I'm missing? Has it been so
conclusively answered in the books that it no longer needs a section (I
don't remember any such thing, though)? Am I just imagining the whole
thing, and there never was that section?
http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc
Third one down.
Reading this makes me wonder, was there ever such a section, or was it
just located here? There was a time when I poured over the FAQ
meticulously, rather than just giving it the odd browse, as I do these
days.

-Mark Erikson
Leigh Butler
2005-10-04 21:20:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Leigh Butler
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Leigh Butler
http://linuxmafia.com/jordan
Has the FAQ been trimmed down recently? I seem to remember a whole
section called "What did Rand ask the Aelfinn?", which still seems
fairly important to the plot, which is no longer there.
Since that section (AFAIR) did not exist when I took it over, in 2001,
I think you might want to rethink your definition of "recently".
I wasn't meaning to offend.
I wasn't offended, just kind of "eh?".
Post by Mark Erikson
And this is more a trick of memory than a
ill-defined term. Don't you find that when you start reminiscing your
WOT-related activities, your brain snips out all the non-WOT stuff?
That's how five or six years can seem like only one or two?
Well, I can't believe I've been maintaining the FAQ for almost five
years, if that's what you mean.
Post by Mark Erikson
Although, given that you're the custodian of the FAQ, it's probably
safe to say that's you've spent a far greater chunk of your time than I
have on WOT related stuff.
That's probably the safest thing you ever said, yes.
Post by Mark Erikson
And did you ever get that advance reading copy of KoD?
Nope. I didn't really expect to.
Post by Mark Erikson
Post by Leigh Butler
http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc
Third one down.
Reading this makes me wonder, was there ever such a section, or was it
just located here? There was a time when I poured over the FAQ
meticulously, rather than just giving it the odd browse, as I do these
days.
Well, if you want to poke around the older FAQs and look, feel free:

http://linuxmafia.com/pub/jordan/wot-pod.FAQ

http://linuxmafia.com/pub/jordan/wot-cos.FAQ

http://linuxmafia.com/pub/jordan/wot-loc.FAQ

http://linuxmafia.com/pub/jordan/wot-tfoh.FAQ

http://linuxmafia.com/pub/jordan/OLD-FAQS/

Oddly, I can't seem to find the WH version of the FAQ (which is the
first one I was in charge of), but I know that the section you think
you remember is definitely not in that version, so.
--
Leigh Butler
ireadRJordan
2005-10-06 02:01:54 UTC
Permalink
GEEZ.
Someone says the word Asmodean and suddenly the topic bursts into 100
posts of theories. All of which I have heard at least 100 times.

So to add to another unwritten rule. Never Bloody mention the bloody
word Asmodean.!!!!!!
Wil Hunt
2005-10-05 21:17:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by ireadRJordan
GEEZ.
Someone says the word Asmodean and suddenly the topic bursts into 100
posts of theories. All of which I have heard at least 100 times.
So to add to another unwritten rule. Never Bloody mention the bloody
word Asmodean.!!!!!!
Personally, I think he walked into the bathroom and saw his reflection
in the mirror. "You! No!" ..and killed himself. Quite simple, really. :P
--
Wil Hunt
Geek in training.
Jack of few trades, master of none.
Dan Weiner
2005-10-06 15:41:20 UTC
Permalink
Leigh Butler wrote:
http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc

... which says:

So we're never told explicitly what the questions are, but over
the course of the books since TSR they can be logically deduced:

1. Q: How do I cleanse saidin?
A: [Something about the Choedan Kal, perhaps, or Shadar
Logoth, or both.]

2. Q: How do I survive [or is there a way for me to survive]
Tarmon Gai'don?
A: "To live, you must die."

3. Q: Should I go home to the Two Rivers? [to protect it from
Fain]
A: [Apparently, "No."]

Whoa! How were these "logically deduced"? I mean, they seem
reasonable, but where is the logic that led to them?

--D
Frank van Schie
2005-10-06 16:32:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc
So we're never told explicitly what the questions are, but over
1. Q: How do I cleanse saidin?
A: [Something about the Choedan Kal, perhaps, or Shadar
Logoth, or both.]
2. Q: How do I survive [or is there a way for me to survive]
Tarmon Gai'don?
A: "To live, you must die."
3. Q: Should I go home to the Two Rivers? [to protect it from
Fain]
A: [Apparently, "No."]
Whoa! How were these "logically deduced"? I mean, they seem
reasonable, but where is the logic that led to them?
The "To live, you must die" was given, and what would give that answer?
"How do I stay alive".

The rest also have quotes from Rand's thoughts as their basis.
--
Frank
Leigh Butler
2005-10-06 17:23:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc
So we're never told explicitly what the questions are, but over
1. Q: How do I cleanse saidin?
A: [Something about the Choedan Kal, perhaps, or Shadar
Logoth, or both.]
2. Q: How do I survive [or is there a way for me to survive]
Tarmon Gai'don?
A: "To live, you must die."
3. Q: Should I go home to the Two Rivers? [to protect it from
Fain]
A: [Apparently, "No."]
Whoa! How were these "logically deduced"? I mean, they seem
reasonable, but where is the logic that led to them?
They were derived from various comments Rand made, to himself and to
others, about both the Snakes and those three subjects in general.

I think at some point there was a thread that picked some of those
quotes out, but either I lost it or I imagined it (the thread, I mean).
Either way I don't have the quotes to hand.

If anyone would like to gather them, of course, I would be happy to be
more specific.
--
Leigh Butler
Tim Bruening
2010-04-06 00:57:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Leigh Butler
http://www.arkane-systems.net/faqs/WOTFAQ/4_prophecy/4.3_misc-proph.html#loc
So we're never told explicitly what the questions are, but over
1. Q: How do I cleanse saidin?
A: [Something about the Choedan Kal, perhaps, or Shadar
Logoth, or both.]
2. Q: How do I survive [or is there a way for me to survive]
Tarmon Gai'don?
A: "To live, you must die."
3. Q: Should I go home to the Two Rivers? [to protect it from
Fain]
A: [Apparently, "No."]
Whoa! How were these "logically deduced"? I mean, they seem
reasonable, but where is the logic that led to them?
tGS: One of Rand's answers was that the south and west must be as one, the north
and east must be as one, and then those two sections must be as one. Hence,
Rand decided that he must get the Seanchan on board.

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