People have thrown around many theories about which exact aspects of a person determine their ability to channel. It's hard to pinpoint because the Wheel can often be blamed for "adjustments" of certain parameters to fit with the criteria.
The best example of this is the strength of channelers we know have been re-spun throughout time. The Dragon's soul, for example, seems to carry with it the ability to channel strongly--in two Ages in a row, he's the strongest channeler of the time, across from Ishamael/Moridin (although, in that case, the soul has spanned 2 ages). The Wheel, however, might have specifically selected a body for the Dragon's soul with strong channeling ability--this is why it's hard to say the soul carries any channeling weight. There's some evidence that points to this fact, namely the transmigrated Forsaken. One could easily say that the DO simply found bodies with comparable channeling ability, but the fact that the Forsaken compose some of the strongest channelers in the world suggest that the soul does carry some weight--there might just not be bodies lying around with such ability! Other evidence is that of Aran'gar, whose soul is obviously connected directly to saidin and whose body is thus irrespective of which power i uses.
There's plenty of evidence that there are physical structures in the body that can tune channeling ability. The best, of course, is Siuan and Leanne, who have identical souls as before but differing channeling abilities. Other evidence is Cyndane (why does Brandon pretend we don't know? We saw concrete evidence from Cyndane's PoV duing the Cleansing that Cyndane is Lanfear), who has the same soul, different body, and different channeling ability.
I'm under the impression that the body is responsible for the majority of channeling ability, and the soul is indirectly responsible in that it affects the Wheel's choice of body.
The best example of this is the strength of channelers we know have been re-spun throughout time. The Dragon's soul, for example, seems to carry with it the ability to channel strongly--in two Ages in a row, he's the strongest channeler of the time, across from Ishamael/Moridin (although, in that case, the soul has spanned 2 ages). The Wheel, however, might have specifically selected a body for the Dragon's soul with strong channeling ability--this is why it's hard to say the soul carries any channeling weight. There's some evidence that points to this fact, namely the transmigrated Forsaken. One could easily say that the DO simply found bodies with comparable channeling ability, but the fact that the Forsaken compose some of the strongest channelers in the world suggest that the soul does carry some weight--there might just not be bodies lying around with such ability! Other evidence is that of Aran'gar, whose soul is obviously connected directly to saidin and whose body is thus irrespective of which power i uses.
There's plenty of evidence that there are physical structures in the body that can tune channeling ability. The best, of course, is Siuan and Leanne, who have identical souls as before but differing channeling abilities. Other evidence is Cyndane (why does Brandon pretend we don't know? We saw concrete evidence from Cyndane's PoV duing the Cleansing that Cyndane is Lanfear), who has the same soul, different body, and different channeling ability.
I'm under the impression that the body is responsible for the majority of channeling ability, and the soul is indirectly responsible in that it affects the Wheel's choice of body.
Some interesting new RAFOs and information from BS
23/11/2009 12:13:37 PM
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Thanks! I hadn't made the connection between Rand's paranoya and the dagger wound. *NM*
23/11/2009 12:50:42 PM
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Yes, and apparently...
23/11/2009 02:35:12 PM
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I tried to suggest that Elaida had been corrupted by Fain and I was practically ridiculed
23/11/2009 06:29:48 PM
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me too
23/11/2009 06:33:23 PM
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Re: me too
23/11/2009 06:43:40 PM
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Thank you.... I have a feeling that we haven't see the last of Elaida after Brandon's recent comment
23/11/2009 07:33:24 PM
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Yeah, good work... I tried to find that thread but I couldn't... it must have been on wotmania *NM*
23/11/2009 07:39:21 PM
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Very interesting, but they wasted a lot of time on questions they knew would be RAFO.
23/11/2009 02:17:47 PM
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I think, though...
23/11/2009 02:33:29 PM
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He seems to indicate that RAFO doesn't necessarily mean we'll ever get an answer, though.
23/11/2009 03:43:26 PM
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Nice answers on Cyndane
23/11/2009 04:06:20 PM
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Maybe...
23/11/2009 04:27:44 PM
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Less capable body...interesting.
23/11/2009 05:11:16 PM
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This idea originated...
23/11/2009 05:43:21 PM
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Yes, I've often pondered on the body size and One Power strength link...
23/11/2009 05:51:07 PM
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The rule is certainly...
23/11/2009 06:01:41 PM
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I like that idea...and I've explored it before...
23/11/2009 06:07:29 PM
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Re: Yes, I've often pondered on the body size and One Power strength link...
23/11/2009 06:08:04 PM
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I think it's a combination of the two
23/11/2009 09:02:06 PM
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I like the Padan Fain questions. Also, Lanfear / Cyndane discussion was exciting.
23/11/2009 05:12:14 PM
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Lanfear/Cyndane angreal
23/11/2009 05:17:35 PM
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The Lanfear/Cyndane stuff is at least good - a few theories killed here
23/11/2009 05:20:47 PM
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I'm convinced Moiraine's going to enjoy a Gandalf effect with her strength...
23/11/2009 05:49:07 PM
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I'm also entertaining that idea
23/11/2009 06:23:30 PM
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Hmm, but how?
23/11/2009 06:26:00 PM
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I'm not going to argue the theory, but, Moiraine won't give a crap about deference after her ordeal. *NM*
23/11/2009 09:13:30 PM
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Says who?
24/11/2009 07:02:30 AM
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Moiraine has always been somewhat of a rebel, and what you say is sort of in agreement
24/11/2009 07:55:16 AM
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This would be... funny. And Mat already said he'd probably save Lanfear
*NM*
23/11/2009 09:12:46 PM
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That makes one wonder...
23/11/2009 11:57:55 PM
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Indeed...
23/11/2009 06:06:23 PM
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The Likelihood, if she had been stilled
23/11/2009 06:12:55 PM
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Re: The Likelihood, if she had been stilled
23/11/2009 06:15:43 PM
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If stilling is Healed, you come back at about 1/3rd of your former strength...
23/11/2009 06:18:20 PM
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Not ot mention, that's only if you're healed by someone of the same gender. *NM*
23/11/2009 08:44:14 PM
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But...
23/11/2009 06:22:43 PM
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Re: But...
23/11/2009 06:33:41 PM
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Ok, the difference between stilling and burning out could be his loophole
23/11/2009 06:42:39 PM
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Re: Ok, the difference between stilling and burning out could be his loophole
23/11/2009 06:50:05 PM
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But if we assume...
23/11/2009 07:06:32 PM
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It seems that Lanfear may have been excluded as a candidate for killing Asmodean
23/11/2009 08:02:48 PM
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The Finns Killed Asmodean?
23/11/2009 08:39:08 PM
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I don't think is beyond the realm of possibility, but did Lanfear actually have any wishes left?
23/11/2009 08:53:38 PM
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Maybe that's what they meant by all of those "Interventions" they wanted me to attend...
23/11/2009 09:14:22 PM
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And some other counter-arguments
23/11/2009 09:12:18 PM
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This may also explain how the Finns hung Mat from the Tree of Life
23/11/2009 08:04:32 PM
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