originally posted by Hunter
Regarding the Mistwraith, there are plenty of details in the text… some key items:
1. The Paravians refused to Name the Mistwraith's myriad entities.
2. The start of Warhost when Kharadmon returns with nine wraiths in tow gives as much insight into the Mistwraith as we know at this stage.
3. Sethvir's comments that "once, they were human" shows the origin.
4. Kharadmon's comments that it was a "weapon created by frightened men" that tried to merge technology with human spirits. This back fired when the entity escaped the mists, laying waste to two planets before entering Athera via the Southern Worlds End gate.
The Mistwraith's entities have gone mad and forgotten their human love and compassion, resembling in many ways the methuri that Verrain looks over at Meth Isle. It is assumed (always very dangerous with this series) that Arithon's masterbard skills may be able to recall for the Mistraith's spirits their humanity and ease their passing through the veil, as Sethvir did. The how and whys of Arithon and others making this happen is yet to unfold, if it does at all.
originally posted by neil
My point was that in rereading the "curse of the mistwraith" (only!) I expected to find more information since there was contact with the mistwraith. The scenes don't give much away - unsurprising in restrospect. But I expected to unearth a few more "defining characteristics" than just malevolent/evil/insane/human origin/brooding.
Moriel seems to believe that Arithon as a masterbard could redeem the wraiths. Howevern she tells the F7 that it is a slender hope (or something like that?) A vision by Dakar relates to this also no? Decades/Arithon's best syle, etc.
In COTM I did stumble on Elaira with a farming community when she see stars for the first time - I'd forgotten that (unless I just dreamt it…) It seems that apart from Towns/Clans/desert/Vastmark/Ettinmere/drifter factions there is a "farming faction" that fell afoul of the towns after the rebellion?
Also, I remember that Davien seems to have committed betrayals (plurial) not sure whether this means anything?
originally posted by skeoke
quote:resembling in many ways the methuri that Verrain looks over at Meth Isle
In my opinion, the mistwraith also bears an astonishing resemblance to the Waystone.
Anybody else.
originally posted by Kitsune
Well, like everyone else, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of "Traitors Knot". Thanks for keeping our appetites whetted with the sneak previews, Janny! You make the waiting almost bearable!
Just thought I'd chime in a recommend a few other authors/books I've been reading of late (I have many, many books in queue):
–"Wicked": A truly staggering tale about the Wicked Witch of the West, told from her POV. A must-read, if you haven't already!
–"Inkheart" and "Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke. A great authro from Germany (her stores are translated into English). These fairly light-hearted stand-alone stories remind me a little of Harry Potter, in that they're ostensibly for children, but a closer reading reveals greater depths.
–"The Fox Woman" by Kij Johnson. I'm a sucker for fables and mythology of any kind, and this is on the top of my list.
For series, I'm currently enjoying (some mentioned before, others not):
"A Song of Fire and Ice" by George RR Martin
"Tales of the Otori" (Forget the author offhand, sorry!)
the "Otherland" quartet and the "Dragonbone Chair" series by Tad Williams. TW is probably my favorite fantasy author next to Janny. He is one of the few authors whose work I splurge on and buy in hardback.
the "Wraethu" trilogy by Storm Constatnine
the Dark Tower series by Stephen King (Reading Book 6, Book 7 on hold.)
Of course, "Traitors Knot" will go immediately to the forefront of my queue.
Actually, as an Xmas gift for a hard-headed friend, I picked him up the whole series to date. We have similar tastes in books, and I continually mentioned the WoLaS to him, but he never got to picking it up. Now, he has no excuses for not joining the ranks. 
originally posted by Hunter
Sorry Neil… missed your point that you thought that CotM would actually give you information on the Mistwraith!!
Skeoke - the Waystone has some similarities, although it could be asked whether the spirits in the Waystone were mad before they were sucked into it!
originally posted by R’is’n
I'd love to know:
Why wouldn't the Paravians name the wraithes?
Just because they were evil?
Or is there some redemptive purpose to that choice?
Neil: I'll also jump into the fire. (again? ) It is interesting to observe the anxiety expressed in the drive to prevent the proliferation of atomic weapons, given past history.
It's a bit like my experience of learning martial arts: in the process I changed my attitude to become more 'assertive'. I used it once in a mild form, in a disagreement, and experienced unpleasant consequences of using it. I learned the value of the alternative way of peaceful means of achieving understanding, and to respect the power of the knowledge I gained.
Then, in trying to push this lesson onto others, I realised that that the best way to teach others (e.g. my future kids) is not only to lead by example; but also to allow them to make their mistakes, offer advice if asked, but let them learn for themselves, through consequence.
Now, if I could just be as understanding of my own mistakes!
originally posted by Neil
R’is’n, no fire from me today…just some comments I picked from the board…
Janny writes (FAQ Fellowship): [Traithe] could not grapple Name for the wraiths. Did not recognize their consciousness as human, as Sethvir and Asandir did, much later (and Paravians did AT ONCE. But being as they are, they had no word for what these consciousnesses had become - no shared paradigm - and the ramifications of this are coming later…)
- Curious to see a limitation of a paravian. I tend to see them as "superbeings" who seem to be able do almost 'anything' but they are not infallable. They are simply different and perceive differently…
As to "why", well Paravians don't label "evil" (see FAQ) maybe "redemptive purpose"/change process for mankind is a possibility.
The way the townborn are going, their days are limited: The F7 are obliged to ensure Paravian survival (whether they currently have the time/resources is in doubt but *time* is not a limitation for the F7 if push comes to shove and Athera's forces themselves in all their dizzying dimensions can be asked to aid the Fellowship, I guess!).
Janny writes (FAQ Paravians): Paravians do NOT perceive linearly - they do not perceive inside Time/space. Therefore a linear analog - of cause to effect - will not be a straight line… it will be dimensional. And multi dimensional - beyond space/time.
originally posted by Izzy
Hey all,
I've learnt well reading Janny's work that you have to read what she writes VERY carefully. I've only seen one slip up in this text so far where Kharadmon says to Lysaer that his flesh died 500 years past(scene where Kharadmon delivers the news that Arithon has taken Talith as a hostage for ransom in WoV). That was actually Luhaine according to info in later books and the Glossary.
Back on to the very carefully note…
Sethvir does say that the wraiths were once human. However, he could have been referring to the bulk of the entities that make up Desh-Thiere. The original set of entities broke loose from their containment and possessed all the remaining life "on two worlds". I'm assuming that means Marak and the stepping stone world that links to Athera (similar to Dascen Elur and the Red Desert planet). The text (to my knowledge) never explicitly says whether or not the first set of entities were human ones. If someone does find that confirmation, I'd love the volume/page However, it could be assumed… but we all know what it's like to assume with Janny's work
Neil, when did Morriel say that? I'm assuming in the scene where she visits Althain to have the limitation removed from the Waystone? I haven't gotten up to that part in WoV yet (I'm doing the pre-TK re-read). I know that the concept of Arithon being able to release the wraiths was discussed by the F7 in WoV. I think Luhaine said it. But the qualifier was that each individual wraith would have to be separated from the collective mass first.
Anyways, enough rambling from me for the moment.
Regards,
CJ
originally posted by Neil
Izzy,
In COTM, Sethvir muses that Arithon could build on his training and free the rockfell-imprisoned mistwraith but that he is one of the persons most unlikely to do so. This seems to logically foreshadow the fact that in Peril's gate the mistwraith, using Arithon's knowledge, given time could escape on it's own! (In fact, Kharadmon admits that nearly all things imprisoned there escape sooner or later, except the Iyats that Davien released! This is actually pretty scary…)
But I guess you were talking about redeeming the free wraiths… 
When Moriel visits Althain Tower, she says something like "depending on a masterbard to redeem the free wraiths is a thin straw to clutch at" - so she believes, at least, it could be done.
The F7 seem to believe at that point that Arithon's life is worth many other deaths. Kharadmon say something like "we are talking about saving all life on Athera"
I also stumbled on a passage 30-50 pages later when Moriel concludes that since Arithon is so important to the F7, it is worth having him as hostage in order to control the F7.
From Fionn's birth prophesy, I am guess that Fion will have to sacrifice himself to save Arithon at some point…but it will be Elaira's choice to make? Presumably if Fionn reaches old age, Arithon doesn't and cannot "save the planet" (the biggest "threat" is currently the free wraiths (?)
originally posted by Trys
Sylvia,
I moved your post to the Spoiler Topic (subtopic Musings) as it contained a pretty big spoiler for anyone who hasn't read TK.
Jeff
originally posted by Silvia
Jeff,
Sorry about that! Hope no one got hurt…will try to do better!
Silvia