Was Mother Darks Shadow incarnate as Teylia? Arithons daughter. He doesn’t yet know of her. Will he recognise her if he meets Mother Darks Shadow?
Has Dakars affliction of Prophecy all along been due to use by Mother Dark? If so that is unnerving. Considering how much suffering it has bought him.
Well there have been little alarm bells ringing for some time, snippets dropped throughout the series, but Arithon has been up to all the previous challenges, just get the stockpile of tissues ready, this is what all those tempering experiences were building up to. Lysaer is not the only one who will be crying before we get to the end.
I forget who knows about Arithon’s daughter. Koriani, F7 and Biedar? Does Elaira suspect?
if Dakar really is afflicted with visions from bieder i wonder where free will fits into this? Has Dakar consented in the past in the interest of helping paravians?
Dakar seems to get visions from a variety of sources, not sure his free will consent was necessary, it is maybe just due to his talent? Or perhaps as a Fellowship Spellbinder, he has given his consent for something that allows it.
Elaira certainly suspects, after the her talk with the Biedar Eldest in Initiate’s Trial.
I hold out for Lysaer to be redeemed ultimately by his own merits. He has time to recover and make his way to Paravian prescence to ask forgiveness and healing. There will be 200 years of narrative before the finale. Unless the Beidar contrive to bring other S’Islessids through the world gates, they have an interest in keeping Lysaer alive.
Arithon has proven time and again to be a man who takes the reins of his own life come what may- the Beidar may finally recognize he cannot be manipulated, which is why they do not seem too choosy about who continues the bloodline for Mother D
Lysaer has many merits, but none that are likely to lead to self redemption once Arithon is dead. We are waiting this long so Lysaer can be saved, from his own inherited justice. Just freeing him of the curse is going to doom him to becoming his own judge, jury and executioner. Davien and Arithon seem to have a plan in mind, but they were not yet ready back in Stormed Fortress, or Arithon was not yet ready.
Lysear might make some amends if he survives being freed of the curse, but as already mentioned by Daliana, Lysaer could not bless the arse end of an ox!’ In order to have a chance at surviving, Lysaer must first be redeemed by someone else and he has to presumably reach a state of mind where he would accept redemption. Ath’s adepts, the Fellowship, the Paravian’s even his own son Kevor have all tried and failed.
The Biedar will have nothing to do with Lysaer, and Lysaer has no way to make his way to Paravian presence even if he wanted to, he is not Arithon. The Biedar are not interested in the s’Ilessid line on Dascen Elur only those that descend from Lysaer. It is another of the s’Ahelas line left on Dascen Elur they would prefer if Arithon cannot overcome the problems he will face. Lysaer is the only S’Ilessid who is of s’Dieneval descent. Kevor would qualify by blood, but has chosen to be an adept of Ath’s Brotherhood so would not be a choice. Lysaer might yet have more children, and a happy life married to Daliana. But I doubt Mother Dark’s chosen one is going to fail, we just have to wait and see how he overcomes the problem.
Unless Arithon will be depending on a freed and very regretful Lysaer indeed turning Fate’s Wheel backward to undo past actions. Seems daft even for Arithon, he mastered everything else he faced, why not just master the wheel and do it himself. Certainly we have proof the Biedar can alter/bend time to undo things, when they want to. We will have to wait and see what surprises Janny has dreamed up.
But since the glimpse of the future we started with has Arithon known in the seventh age, I expect him to survive the next book, one way or another.
The princes’ story is discovered by the seventh century sages looking into the deep history of Paravia . I presume we are coming to the end of what those sages uncovered with Songs of the Mysteries. Arithon and Lysaer were given a 500 year life span at the end of which they will no longer have the protections the fountain afforded them.
Lysaer will be judged and redeemed by the Paravians- now whether Arithon will need to intercede on his behalf remains to be seen. The only glance we have of Lysaer in the immediate future, shows him to be furious but in control as the tailors take his measurement. That tells me that grave physical disability, captivity, and loss of dignity are enough to quell the mistwraith’s geas in and of themselves, in which case the curse will reassert itself as Lysaer continues to heal, or he is gaining more control despite his afflictions.
Well in the case of Arithon, since Davien’s plans for the future seem to involve him, there is no reason why Arithon could not return to the 5 centuries fountain and have another sip.
I have doubts Lysaer will be seeing any more of the 3 races of Paravians this side of the wheel. Now a Paravian sword he might see, close up, in all it’s glory, Arithon did want to give it to Lysaer way back at the start, might yet.
While under the influence of the curse, Arithon had something to say about Lysaer and music, it was at Riverton in Fugitive Prince, that might be relevant to that. While under influence of the curse, Arithon perhaps, would not see the truth where Lysaer is concerned.
“My half brother isn’t going to lie down and die from the glorious rapture of music.”
I don’t think Lysear will meet with a Paravian sword. The story is surely going jn the direction of redemption for him. Arithons death has given him freedom from the curse. Maiming injury and captivity will give him prespective. And Dalianna’s loyalty will push him to confront his prejudice against women. Lysaer will be a changed enough man to hopefully heal from the curse.
But the problem is once Lysear is free of the curse his own gift of justice will run true once more. We saw how he was at Alestron while the curse was dormant, and how he reacted when he thought Arithon had died in the last book. Think, why is Arithon the key to Lysaer’s redemption? Why is it if anyone else kills Arithon, it would not save Lysaer? Lysaer would be free of the curse no matter how Arithon dies, what will happen once Lysaer realizes the truth?
Sulfin Evend once had a comment on the matter, concerning what would happen if Lysaer was responsible for his own death.
‘Don’t try me. If you win, the regret would become your destruction.’
Lysaer being freed of the curse is going to destroy him, his own gift of justice will be his judge, his own power of light his executioner, unless he can accept redemption.
And where will Lysaer find such redemption? If he is truly sorry will he accept self redemption? How is Arithon the key? The Fellowship, Ath’s adepts, Paravians even his own son Kevor tried to get Lsyaer to accept redemption, they all failed. Alithiel seems the most obvious solution, although Arithon would have to be alive and holding the sword, bit of a paradox that. Why was the Biedar instructions to Elaira to give the stone knife into Arithon’s living hand, is he not usually living? Perhaps he dies and returns? Might be the wrong time for that, might be a few occasions it could apply to with the biedar knife. But for Alithiel, does it apply to Arithon or Lysaer? Arithon is not the one that needs saving.
"The bearer who wielded her conjured strength could draw the line across time and space that opened the way for forgiveness. Her stroke, handled under initiate awareness, would cut free the constricting, old patterns and unbind the pain of the past.
The sword shaped the key to open the mind: that the flow of water could nourish; fire could burn the residual debris and spark rebirth; and earth element, finally and fully, might bind change into manifest being." - Traitor’s Knot
Or if not the sword, Arithon could duplicate the sound within himself, but Alithiel is usually passed on to a successor at the end of the current bearers line, who is left to pass it onto? Lysaer is Arithon’s only blood relation on Athera, and we have seen a trappers child named as a successor to the s’Ffalenn royal line, who was not related to Arithon by blood.
There is also what happened to Tarens, how he was saved when his spirit and identity became lost. Arithon can pass on his Initiate knowledge.
What could Lysaer become if Arithon is determined to save him? We know that is what Davien and Arithon are planning. And just how sorry is Arithon going to make Lysaer feel, he has to be sure Lysaer will accept redemption, so no quick and easy death would do like what he was aiming for on Amroth. Even what happened at Daenfal would I think not have been enough, Lysaer would not have likely accepted redemption over that. What will it take? How much is too much for Lysaer to bear?
‘If Arithon suffers harm, Amroth’s king will wish Fate’s Wheel could turn backward, and past actions be revoked. I will repay every cruelty, in kind, on the mind and body of his firstborn.’
How long does that mage’s curse last? Was it a curse? Was it even necessary. We have seen where blood ties are close among those with talent, experiences can be shared, and the half brothers are also tied by their elemental mastery. Lysaer has been growing more and more aware of Arithon’s presence, either because of the curse or for some other reason. I doubt Arithon would be depending on Lysaer turning fate’s wheel backward to restore him, there would be other ways to do that. But Lysaer once freed of the curse, is likely to know EXACTLY, first person perspective what Arithon suffered, Lysaer’s version of Kewar. I doubt Mak’s curse was needed.
Better get the tissues ready! I doubt it will only be Lysaer that breaks down and cries over it.
Wow! You pulled a lot of strands together. I will reply when i have more time to mull this over. Alithiel and the biedar knife are mentioned too oftento not play a role, i think you are right. The knifes power seems smaller and moreintimate, while Alithiel has a grander air, heritage and even look. The former may be the key to redeeming Lysaer, and the latter for entire populations.
The Biedar knife is not made for redeeming though, Lysaer has already made use of it’s warding protection, Sulfin Evend used it when he swore oath to the land, the Biedar Eldest used it on her successor, Arithon is likely going to be using it on himself. But the living hand thing was interesting, although we had Elaira, the knife and a restored Arithon at the end of the last book, it might not have been the appropriate time for Elaira to give Arithon the knife. He is not yet free to swear any oath to the land, if the story goes that way, will not be looking for that sort of protection from necromancy yet, maybe never, and I at least was never sure why the knife was used that way by the Biedar. Janny never explained why Sulfin Evend felt betrayed when he used the knife on himself, that flash of light? I figured the answer would turn up eventually.
Trying to answer all the points raised, forgive me if its rather disjointed.
I think Sulfin Evend being naturally suspicious of magic was simply taken aback by the flash of light as proof of real magic taking place, as he couldn’t ignore how irrevocably difficult his position was becoming. I don’t tend to read deeper than that, especially when it comes to certain character emotions. And Sulfin Evend is a quite emotional character. The man has no chill.
The Biedar knife seems to be made to reverse necromancy, since the Biedar claim necromancy was invented using secret knowledge stolen from them. The mistwraithe’s posession can be seen as a type of necromancy, a person is posessed by a wraithe. In the beginning of the series the curse was too wrapped up in Lysaers phsyce to ‘extract’ it without damage to him. But maybe with the changes Lysaer has gone through it will be possible to use it to depossess him as it were.
The curse is abated because Arithin passed fates wheel
Lysaers has grown, being maimed is part of that
The fellowship of 7 may dissolve the Royal family gifted geas this will help Lysaer because the curse uses the Justice geas as an in.
Or I could be wrong and he could already be free.
Athera seems such a complex sprawling world, with so many factions it seems impossible to predict what comes next. The Koriani need their reckoning. The clans need thier resolution.
Did Saroic break charter law and maybe wven the compact when he burned the free wild forest to escape the town army. What will be the repurcussions for that? He was selected for office by Asandir himself for his intelligence.
His name means ‘full circle’ as in to come full circle. That to me is very suggestive. Will he be leading a mixed population of clan and townborn to a new planet as his ancesters once arrived on Athera?
Sulfin Evend was familiar with magic had spent time with the Koriani, he well knew how powerful magic could be, and his reaction was out of place for it just being that.
As the flow of let blood wakes a flash of raw light, his shocked outcry reflects an anguished note of betrayal. ‘Oh yes, my fine man,’ whispers Enithen Tuer. ‘You have in fact consecrated that knife’s arcane properties. A binding act, born out of necessity, since that blade alone will enact your primary line of protection!
– Traitor’s Knot
Although we have seen the knife give a flash of light at other times, when Lysaer misused it, and the knife burned him, I think we missed something when Sulfin Evend used the knife on himself to swear oath. He had not sworn the oath yet, but he was bound already. Possibly a search of all the books might give a clue. Or another look at the properties of the knife itself. Something to watch out for as we re-read the series.
I think it will be a fair while before humanity is ready to leave Athera and settle else where, in the 7th age they might be ready, in the third age they will be lucky to avoid causing their own destruction. It would take a few ages to rebuild and finally get back on the path that was planned for them, and for Lysaer’s false religion to lose it’s hold.
Where Saroic burned the forest was not a site of the mysteries, and not likely to have any impact on the compact, the clans being wiped out would have had impact, they survived. Saroic’s name would have meaning, but it is not that apparent, maybe he will be Tysan’s last Caithdein?
Not being able to there to experience Sulfin Evend’s death broke me. He was the only ally Lysaer had - and I miss him a lot. Daliana is cool and all, but…
This preview was very very cool and by Ath, we are almost at the end, I can’t believe it!
I feel you about Sulfin Evend. We saw him develop on page for 16 plus years from an arrogant young aristocrat to a mature man tempered by compassian. But we kind of did find out his end, which was kind of sad and ugly. Poisoned by the true sect, slowly loosing co trol of his body. I was shocked how soon his end came about. Only about 10 years after the end of Stormed Fortress.
I also have a tendency to get attached to sude characters. And this series is more about the grand progression if humanity at the human and social level rather than small stories or characters. I want to know about Meanol and Ianfar. I suspect they saw a heartbreaking increase in hardship rather than an uplifting story. Also Ellaine. Jeynsa, Mearn, Glendien to name a few.
I don’tknow about mankind being ready to leave. They might not have a choice
I am a bit out of my depth trying to discuss this with you. I haven’t re read the series in a few years, not having the time or energy to focus.
But to me things seem to be set up for the compact to break and a section of humanity to voluntary leave or be exiled. I think that is in line with the themes if the series.