Re: Gateways, Tel'aran'rhiod and Dreamspikes... - Edit 1
Before modification by DomA at 01/10/2012 09:05:00 PM
I have theorized before that all Gateways lead to TAR. Notice how the weave Egwene used to enter the dream world was tweaked very little to give the actual Traveling weave. I think what happens is that you basically make something of a double Gateway when you Travel. The Gateway actually opens into TAR, and another opens from TAR into the real world. The space between the two TAR locations is actually contracted to nothing (since such things are possible in TAR).
I agree there's obviously a relationship between Travelling and TAR, but I'm less sure of the mechanics, but it's possible indeed that the Gateway opens in TAR, and it's using the properties of TAR that two locations are made the same, or that a hole is made between the two. I suspect gateway size is a matter of strength/talent with Spirit, and perhaps strength of will. There is a corrolation between global raw strength and gateways, but it's even more a specific flow and talent handling it which would be the most important factor.
Based on what happened with Perrin in TAR, his incapacity to think himself out of the dreamspike zone, I had this notion that perhaps the dreamspike is some sort of AI reproducing "human will" and which shifts or twist in a small way the reflection of an area of the real world. It would mean the reflection between TAR and the RL isn't synchronized anymore in a limited perimeter (the dreamspike would have a limit of how far it can alter TAR and maintain these changes).
This would mean that if you know how exactly the reflection of the RW perimeter in TAR is shifted by the dreamspike - and they all seem to have a unique sequence - you could alter your Gateway weave accordingly to compensate, what Moridin referred to as "knowing the key", and thus you could Travel to and from the place normally.
For one thing, their size has less to do with OP strength than other weaves we've seen.
Another skill for which we've seen this is shielding, and again it's something of Spirit.
Now, if this is true, then the inconstancies over what can pass through Gateways is explained. Constructs are artificial beings into which souls have been brought in by human channelers. Entering into TAR might simply rip that human made connection.
I doubt it's the right explanation. Don't forget Trollocs breed normally, and Myrddraal happened naturally as a throwback. If there was any "soul binding" involved, it occured with the original specimens only and truth be told I doubt there's any "soul binding" involved... I think the geneticians simply created viable lifeforms and those being attracted a soul from the soul pool "naturally".
IMO, the reason why constructs can't use Traveling Gateways is that their souls doesn't correspond to what they really are physically. The problem might be when you exit: to "TAR" you're not a Trolloc but a human or animal. It can't hold you together, so to speak, it tries to revert you to what you should be, and you die. Moridin seems to have a trick to bring Shadowspawn to TAR (we could debate if those seen with Ishamael in the early series were real or TAR/dreamshards creations, but Aran'gar in KOD at least never questionned the reality of the Zomoran, perhaps snatching them there from their dreams.) It could also be that it's "double-gateways" which kill Shadowspawn, gateways opening in and out of TAR at the same time, but that they can pass through a "single-gateway" leading only to or out of TAR, not two locations. But it's doubtful as they can't use Skimming Gateways either.
That it usually doesn't is proof that there is inconsistency in how this works, which can be explained by this being under the control of the individual channelers.
It's pretty clear elements can pass through a gateway, the question is more why a difference in air pressure in the two locations doesn't create the physical phenomenons it should. This could be because the two sides of a gateway aren't connected physically as we could presume, as there's TAR standing in-between. Weather/elements act strangely in TAR.