I don't have much to say re: Cuendillar, so most of this post will be 'angreals. All I can guess is that Cuendillar was ethically discouraged during the AoL due to it's permanence, and most of it got buried in earth or water. Flimsy, I know.
And yet Elayne doesn't construct ter'angreal that easily. She can make cheap copies of existing ter'angreal, or really, really simple originals. She's not churning out the balefire rods or anything.
And she hasn't made angreal. She gets frustrated that she can't.
I don't think it is a time issue, but an equipment issue. In the AoL, I think angreal, sa', and complex ter'angreal took high-tech facilities utilizing other ter'angreal, highly skilled technicians, and definitely mixed gender circles.
More like electronics and military-grade weapons. Simple ter'angreal might have been as inexpensive as microwave ovens, and as "cheap" as smartphones. Angreal might have been as commonplace as bazookas and tanks, Sa's as accessible as nukes.
I'd mostly agree, but I do think they'd still wear disguised 'angreals. Sort of a concealed weapon.
Yes, and Barak Obama has his own jet airplane, a large, highly-trained personal security force, and the ability to end the world.
Agreed. I don't doubt that each of the Forsaken and other Chosen had impressive arsenals. But I would be very surprised if the Dark One allowed a single 'angreal into his presence.
More like a regular RPG character with a standard-issue bottomless backpack.
My bad. I didn't see this before I posted above.
I had not heard this theory. ToM seems to have killed it anyway.
The way I see it, it'd be like taking the top ~100 greatest minds alive today (shorter lifespans), freezing them for 3000 years while the apocalypse comes and goes, and then 2-3 other slightly less damaging apocalypses pass by, with semi-constant warfare before, during, and after. Then let them out, and see just how much that can get rebuilt in 2-3 years. I'd be impressed at a single city with indoor plumbing and electricity, not disappointed at the lack of TVs and cell phones, much less howitzers, fighter jets and Tomahawk Cruise missiles.
After the Forsaken got out, they were probably told to make infiltration and conquering a higher priority than power multipliers. The DO needs competent generals and leaders, he can use the natives for most of the fighting.
By having Elayne construct ter'angreal so easily (and by association angreal as well), and by having Egwene construct Cuendillar so easily, RJ renders absurd the idea that these two items could have been rare in any way back in the AOL.
And yet Elayne doesn't construct ter'angreal that easily. She can make cheap copies of existing ter'angreal, or really, really simple originals. She's not churning out the balefire rods or anything.
And she hasn't made angreal. She gets frustrated that she can't.
I am not rejecting the idea of Elayne or Ewgene having these two respective Talents. But it would have been far more logical if even with these Talents, it should take Elayne months to construct a ter'angreal and that it should have taken Egwene an equal amount of time to create a small goblet of Cuendillar, rather than constructing an entire Harbour chain in a few days.
I don't think it is a time issue, but an equipment issue. In the AoL, I think angreal, sa', and complex ter'angreal took high-tech facilities utilizing other ter'angreal, highly skilled technicians, and definitely mixed gender circles.
The entire world should have been full of permanently indestructible Cuendillar objects in that case. And ter'angreal and angreal should have been as cheap as plastic is in our world.
More like electronics and military-grade weapons. Simple ter'angreal might have been as inexpensive as microwave ovens, and as "cheap" as smartphones. Angreal might have been as commonplace as bazookas and tanks, Sa's as accessible as nukes.
I also reject the notion raised elsewhere on this thread that the Forsaken would have been unwilling to openly carry angreal, out of some sort of pride or unwillingness to admit weakness.
I'd mostly agree, but I do think they'd still wear disguised 'angreals. Sort of a concealed weapon.
Lews Therin had a well publicized paralis net. He had his own personal Sa'angreal. *Cut*
Yes, and Barak Obama has his own jet airplane, a large, highly-trained personal security force, and the ability to end the world.
Even the weakest of angreal appear to come close to doubling a channeler's strength. In a time of war, every advantage is sought after. Especially in an environment such as the ranks of the Shadow, where it is each man for himself.
Agreed. I don't doubt that each of the Forsaken and other Chosen had impressive arsenals. But I would be very surprised if the Dark One allowed a single 'angreal into his presence.
The Forsaken should have been carrying angreal like a Mafioso carries guns.
More like a regular RPG character with a standard-issue bottomless backpack.
The only reason why they did not have them at Shayol Ghul, is that the Dark One probably forbade them bringing any along. But in all other circumstances I am sure they carried loads of the stuff.
My bad. I didn't see this before I posted above.
Incidentally, this also invalidates the theory that Lanfear somehow had a strength augmenting angreal hidden on her person. If the others were not allowed to bring along angreal to Shayol Ghul, she would not have been allowed to either.
I had not heard this theory. ToM seems to have killed it anyway.
The way I see it, it'd be like taking the top ~100 greatest minds alive today (shorter lifespans), freezing them for 3000 years while the apocalypse comes and goes, and then 2-3 other slightly less damaging apocalypses pass by, with semi-constant warfare before, during, and after. Then let them out, and see just how much that can get rebuilt in 2-3 years. I'd be impressed at a single city with indoor plumbing and electricity, not disappointed at the lack of TVs and cell phones, much less howitzers, fighter jets and Tomahawk Cruise missiles.
After the Forsaken got out, they were probably told to make infiltration and conquering a higher priority than power multipliers. The DO needs competent generals and leaders, he can use the natives for most of the fighting.
"And it breaks my heart to look around, and see the unimpressed; who can't believe the emperor is dressed"~Fastball
2-7-1
2-7-1
How come every Forsaken wasn’t loaded with angreal when they were sealed in the Bore?
- 07/05/2011 02:35:18 AM
2239 Views
Several reasons exist
- 07/05/2011 08:49:41 AM
1275 Views
Re: Several reasons exist
- 07/05/2011 03:09:51 PM
1146 Views
Or another question
- 07/05/2011 04:07:31 PM
971 Views
There's no reason to pack heat for a meeting at SG
- 07/05/2011 06:08:53 PM
1146 Views
They probably left them all at home.. .and not by choice...
- 07/05/2011 08:48:50 PM
1175 Views
Uh whatever!
- 11/05/2011 07:35:54 AM
1349 Views
Re: Uh whatever!
- 11/05/2011 10:02:40 AM
1103 Views
But the Dark One could control what the One Power did in Shayol Ghul
- 11/05/2011 07:14:43 PM
980 Views
it could also be that he told them to, because he could.
- 11/05/2011 10:18:34 PM
960 Views
Re: it could also be that he told them to, because he could.
- 11/05/2011 11:50:27 PM
923 Views
I was under impression they weren't very aware of the "destroying reality" part
- 12/05/2011 06:06:56 AM
882 Views
RJ stuffed up...
- 08/05/2011 02:13:15 PM
1050 Views
Re: I don't think so
- 08/05/2011 03:09:29 PM
1113 Views
Good points
- 08/05/2011 03:13:57 PM
931 Views
well, given that we don't really KNOW how Cuendillar was made...
- 09/05/2011 06:11:32 AM
987 Views
Re: well, given that we don't really KNOW how Cuendillar was made...
- 09/05/2011 10:57:45 AM
961 Views
I suppose that depends on what you want to get out of a fantasy book. *NM*
- 09/05/2011 10:28:48 PM
525 Views
Not plastic, more like electronics.
- 11/05/2011 03:26:53 PM
1055 Views
my personal theory with other thoughts
- 09/05/2011 08:10:34 PM
994 Views
Re: my personal theory with other thoughts
- 10/05/2011 08:07:50 AM
903 Views
Some people would.
- 11/05/2011 02:42:25 PM
953 Views
Re: Some people would.
- 11/05/2011 03:01:01 PM
847 Views
It definitely wasn't common.
- 11/05/2011 03:45:45 PM
1005 Views
My personal theory is that angreal and sa'angreal require Circles of male and female channelers
- 11/05/2011 07:24:34 PM
940 Views
Re: My personal theory is that angreal and sa'angreal require Circles of male and female channelers
- 11/05/2011 07:45:03 PM
868 Views
Er, though -
- 16/05/2011 06:08:55 PM
902 Views
Re: Er, though -
- 17/05/2011 12:38:14 PM
820 Views
Don't think so
- 17/05/2011 01:09:36 PM
1008 Views
Re: Don't think so
- 17/05/2011 01:15:53 PM
852 Views
I imagine they could
- 17/05/2011 01:45:03 PM
939 Views
Re: I imagine they could
- 17/05/2011 01:49:53 PM
897 Views
That makes sense
- 17/05/2011 02:16:05 PM
930 Views
Re: That makes sense
- 17/05/2011 03:46:04 PM
832 Views
Re: That makes sense
- 17/05/2011 04:21:11 PM
859 Views
Re: That makes sense
- 18/05/2011 01:18:43 PM
892 Views
We don't really know how the a'dam are made (I see this brought up in the other posts, though)
- 23/05/2011 03:11:18 PM
1016 Views