And the more I think on it, the more I'm inclined to believe that the sword is part of the prologue (and it may be only in passing, noting that the DR was given a gift by locals or some such, or a quite detailed ceremony). I think we'll have a better idea next thursday.

However, I have to say (and not trying to trump myself here) that of all the ideas presented, my seems the simplest and most logical, based on pertinent events in the series. The others simply rely too much on convoluted ideas/events having to magically come together outside of what's actually going on in the books. I try to follow the KISS theory for the most part. And of course, my theory may be blown apart in the near future with a little more info from the book

As for being as big as Asmo.....nah. It may well turn out that this entire subject is a mere footnote in WOT history. The bottom line is it's a couple of paragraphs from the 1st chapter of an enormous book. However it's all we've got to work with right now, and we've been dying for things to work with....so off we go!