so a random and not super interesting question.....but why does the oath rod (fka a binder or some such) make the person who swears on it appear to be ageless? what is the point of making a criminal's face look that way or even why did they want them to look different from the rest of society? it doesn't make any sense that in the AoL, when civilization was at its peak, they would have branded criminals, so to speak.....
I figure it is by design. Age of Legend society seems to have put a lot of stock into service to the people and such. The third name given to those who had done great individual works for society for example was a highly coveted honor.
I figure in such a society, being marked in your face as a criminal would have been a very serious thing. That is what I believe the ageless look is. It is a mark of shame and the opposite of the third name. Something that lets everyone know that the person with the ageless look betrayed his status as an AS and committed a crime serious enough to warrant binding.
Think about how Aviendha feels during TGS when she is made to do meaningless things and the dishonour she feels. I figure the ageless look had much the same kind of effect in AoL. As such it would have served as a significant deterrence to crime. Perhaps better in some ways than the reduced lifespan.
It's like law enforcement a few hundred years ago - jail was only a punishment, nobody was concerned of the inmates' future. If you commit one crime and are branded for it, that'll lead to bitterness and hate. Why bother trying to atone for your crime, everybody will still see you as a criminal whatever you do?
Maybe as a repeat offender yes, but as the average citizen would be scared of getting an ageless face and would thus be less inclined to commit a crime that would lead to binding. I guess its akin to if you know your hand will be cut off for stealing, will you steal? Some people still might, but others will think twice I suppose.
Anyway RJ said in one of his answers that the face requires more than one Oath (if I recall it correctly). Therefore an ageless channeler is a very serious criminal with more than one serious violation. Even Semirhage was listed to be bound only once.
Wheel of Time board admin
Fan of Lanfear
Fan of Lanfear
purpose of agelessness?
- 18/10/2010 03:13:17 PM
1011 Views
It's a brand
- 18/10/2010 03:24:44 PM
637 Views
but why? and why agelessness? and the oath rod is only for use on channelers.... *NM*
- 19/10/2010 04:26:41 PM
204 Views
It's not certain whether this was a side effect or an intended consequence of Binding criminals
- 18/10/2010 03:48:02 PM
568 Views
Re: purpose of agelessness?
- 18/10/2010 04:33:50 PM
583 Views
Deterrence to crime? How is that?
- 18/10/2010 05:13:07 PM
681 Views
Re: Deterrence to crime? How is that?
- 18/10/2010 07:51:35 PM
506 Views
Re: Deterrence to crime? How is that?
- 18/10/2010 08:32:39 PM
497 Views
Imagine being told you were going to have to swear on this device that will make it impossible
- 19/10/2010 04:17:29 PM
460 Views
but why does it take a while to achieve the agelessness then? why isn't it immediate? *NM*
- 19/10/2010 04:27:41 PM
191 Views
does it require a purpose?
- 18/10/2010 07:12:16 PM
460 Views
i would imagine that the AoL had very little in the way of inexplicable side-effects....
- 18/10/2010 10:16:07 PM
439 Views
The purpose is thematic and scientific; & keep in mind that most were bound from just one thing...
- 19/10/2010 12:45:03 AM
469 Views
Maybe the weaves the Binding Rod utilizes are similar to the Keeping weave, in terms of ...
- 19/10/2010 04:09:49 PM
438 Views