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Interviews: JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria

Summary:

Entries

42

Date

Apr 20th, 2013

Type

Verbatim

Location

Roswell, GA

TourCon

JordanCon 2013

Reporter

Terez

Links

Theoryland

  • 1

    Terez

    The (transcription of the) Memory of Light panel is still forthcoming, and the report on our meeting with Brandon, but for now here is a Q&A I did with Maria mostly based on some questions sent to me by my friend Colin. I was expecting she wouldn't know the answers to many of them, but I was hoping for some tidbits, and I got some. Even some of the "I don't know" answers are interesting. If sometimes it seems like I'm talking too much when I should be waiting for an answer, keep in mind sometimes I cut out the whole *pause* *Maria face* *tries to be helpful* sequence.
  • 2

    Terez

    Why does Mordeth suddenly fall back in the room under Shadar Logoth (in The Eye of the World)? Was it because Mat picked up the dagger, or was it something different?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

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  • 3

    Terez

    Brandon has said that Rand killed Aginor. (It was also in the BWB.) I think he was kind of iffy on it, but I tended to think that Rand killed him; some people say that Aginor overdosed, but I always thought that it was Rand taking the Power of the Eye from him that killed him, you know? It's like the shock of having it taken away...do you know?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know. I always thought it was Rand too, but I don't know.

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  • 4

    Terez

    The thick black cord that was attached to Ishamael at the Eye of the World (technically it was at Shayol Ghul or in Dreamland) that Rand saw...is that different from the black wires?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

    Terez

    I asked Brandon about that one too.

    Maria Simons

    I would have to really look at it and check the notes; it's not something that I know right off the top....

    Terez

    It's described a little bit differently. I thought maybe one was a connection to the True Power, and the other was protection from the taint, but RJ couldn't decide if that was the same thing or not.

    Maria Simons

    I recently saw something about that in the notes, but I'm not remembering exactly what it said.

    Terez

    Do you happen to know anything about Ishamael's plan with the Eye, because it seems like he was trying to lead them there; why did he keep mentioning the Eye? Did he have a dream about it or something? You don't know?

    Maria Simons

    No.

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  • 5

    Terez

    RJ said that Fain was responsible for the fly trap thing; it's in The Great Hunt, in that little village...

    Maria Simons

    He did?

    Terez

    Yeah. Because a lot of people thought it was Lanfear, and RJ said it was Fain.

    Maria Simons

    *looks surprised*

    Terez

    So I guess you don't know the answer to that question. (repeats self) ...and that kind of blew everyone's theories out of the water...

    Maria Simons

    Yeah, because I thought it was Lanfear.

    Footnote

    It's possible Maria is right that it's Lanfear; we only have paraphrased reports of RJ saying it was Fain: two reports from the same signing in 2005 that might actually be written by the same person.

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  • 6

    Terez

    Does the Horn work whenever it's blown, or are specific circumstances required?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know that one either. Because I answered that for somebody; I think it was one of Luckers' questions way back...it was a different version of the question, you know, was the banner really required?

    Terez

    So why is the Horn of Valere linked to Illian?

    Maria Simons

    That's another good question that I don't have the answer to.

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  • 7

    Terez

    When the girls are kidnapped in Cairhien in The Dragon Reborn, several Myrddraal arrive to collect them. Who were they working for?

    Maria Simons

    I should know that. I think if I go to the notes, I could find that.

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  • 8

    Terez

    How did Moiraine identify Sammael and Be'lal? How did she know their names?

    Maria Simons

    I'm assuming research; I don't know.

    Terez

    My theory was always eavesdropping.

    Maria Simons

    Oh yeah, that's another good possibility.

    Terez

    And that would be a reason why she tipped Sammael off to her presence.

    Maria Simons

    Yeah.

    Terez

    How did she rediscover balefire? Assuming research again?

    Maria Simons

    Assuming.

    Marie Curie

    That question always comes up, about whether you can learn a weave by reading about it.

    Maria Simons

    Yeah, I think it can help, and then you have to experiment and hope for the best.

    Footnote

    Maria answered the question about Sammael again later.

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  • 9

    Terez

    In The Dragon Reborn, Perrin sees Ishamael, Rahvin, and Be'lal in a place that looks like the Ways—and of course we see that place in The Eye of the World, in the boys' dreams too—is that a construct that Ishamael makes in Tel'aran'rhiod?

    Maria Simons

    I am assuming so, but again, I don't know.

    Terez

    I got the impression (because of this conversation) that Brandon kinda tried to explain that one.

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  • 10

    Terez

    Who had Herid Fel killed?

    Maria Simons

    That was A Crown of Swords right?

    Terez

    It was in the epilogue of Lord of Chaos. They found out about it in A Crown of Swords. And it was the gholam. So it had to be—

    Maria Simons

    Sammael, yeah. That was Sammael.

    Terez

    Do you know the reason?

    Maria Simons

    Because he somehow learned that Fel was helping Rand and didn't want the information...?

    Terez

    A friend of mine has a theory; he believed that Herid Fel was Asmodean in disguise, because he didn't believe Asmodean was dead.

    Maria Simons

    That's a good theory! I like that theory.

    Terez

    I like it too! Because it would explain a lot... (including why a gholam was sent to kill a non-channeler)

    Maria Simons

    Yeah.

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  • 11

    Terez

    So who was responsible for the murdered Tinkers (in Lord of Chaos Chapter 22, discovered by Vanin)?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know that one.

    Terez

    It's not in the notes?

    Maria Simons

    Not that I have found. Searching the notes is....it's an imperfect science. Like if it's a rare character, it's real easy, because I open my desktop search, and I put in that name and not much comes up, but you put in "Tinkers"...you know, there are hundreds of files where the Tinkers are mentioned. If I had one of them's name? You know. I'm hoping to find out; I'm still finding new little bits and pieces here and there, so...

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  • 12

    Terez

    Do you know the name of the third Blue Sitter that died (in Elaida's coup)?

    Maria Simons

    I have it somewhere in my computer—I am almost positive—but I can never remember it.

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  • 13

    Terez

    Why are some of the heroes of the Horn referred to by the name of their last incarnation, while others seem to have archetypal names...like Birgitte, who I think has lived more recently than Birgitte. I might be wrong about that though, because we don't really have the details on that.

    Maria Simons

    I have no clue.

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  • 14

    Terez

    Is the Bowl of the Winds found in Ebou Dar the same one that was lost by the Sea Folk?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

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  • 15

    Terez

    Why wasn't Osan'gar given another chance, since he wasn't killed by balefire?

    Maria Simons

    I think he had just been so....kind of useless. Why bother? You know...you don't get "three times, you're out"; it's "two times, you're out", you know?

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  • 16

    Terez

    Who gave Slayer the orders to kill Rand in Far Madding? And do you know who sent him to the Two Rivers?

    Maria Simons

    I think I know who sent Slayer to Far Madding.

    Terez

    I always thought it was Taim...

    Maria Simons

    Yeah...

    Terez

    Because why else would he disguise himself?

    Maria Simons

    Yeah. That one I know.

    Terez

    Yay!

    Maria Simons

    Yay!

    Footnote

    At this time the no-kill order had been temporarily lifted in an attempt to prevent the Cleansing, so there was no reason for the Forsaken to order Slayer in secrecy.

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  • 17

    Terez

    Rosara Medrano appears in the Sun Palace at the beginning of Crossroads and seems to be an Aes Sedai. Was she part of the White Tower Embassy or did she arrive with Cadsuane?

    Maria Simons

    I'm almost positive she was with Cadsuane, with Cadsuane's faction. I think I asked Jim that when we were actually working on the book.

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  • 18

    Terez

    So, sul'dam usually have to tell the damane what to do, but Tuon doesn't have to do that when we see her in Knife of Dreams...is that a matter of Talent, skill...something else? So it's like, you know, after they work with the Power for a while, they can see the weaves, right? Is it kind of along the same lines? After a while you don't actually have to tell the damane what to do; you can do it yourself through the damane?

    Maria Simons

    That would be my assumption. I don't know it positively.

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  • 19

    Terez

    Which Forsaken was manipulating Masema? Brandon told us it was a woman. Well, he told us it a woman who was actually making the Illusion; it might have been somebody taking orders from someone else; we don't know.

    Maria Simons

    I think I know, but I'm not sure.

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  • 20

    Terez

    So, what happened to Talene?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

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  • 21

    Terez

    So how is it that Egwene was able to override the a'dam in the dream world when Moghedien couldn't? Was she just not as good as she thought she was?

    Maria Simons

    Yeah, pretty much. She thought she knew everything, but you know, when Perrin went in and was, "It's just a weave..." it kind of changed the parameters.

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  • 22

    Terez

    So it's not clear whether Tuon accepted Egwene's condition to release damane who wished it. Did she, or was the agreement just Tremalking in exchange for allowing Seanchan ambassadors?

    Maria Simons

    The latter I believe. I would really have to look at is closely.

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  • 23

    Terez

    Was Luc already a Darkfriend when he went to the Blight?

    Maria Simons

    That came up in a panel yesterday.

    Terez

    Did you answer it?

    Maria Simons

    We talked about it. I don't think he was a Darkfriend when he went into the Blight, but I don't know.

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  • 24

    Terez

    What happened to Liandrin after Suroth got arrested? She had that crazy shield on her, you know, so she was conspicuous.

    Maria Simons

    I'd like to know that too. Some things occasionally get overlooked...

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  • 25

    Terez

    What happened to the Black Ajah that were with Rand after the Purge? Was that another thing that got overlooked? Because I know there was at least one—Fera—besides Elza, who obviously got blasted.

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

    Terez

    (later in email she told me that she had answered this for someone else, with time to think about it.)

    Maria Simons

    I believe that any Black Ajah da'tsang got the Black Ajah signal that the jig was up, and scarpered. I don't know anything else.

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  • 26

    Terez

    Min predicted a tempestuous love affair for Sarene, and a lot of people said after the book that was a mistake, because it wasn't mentioned, and I was like, "Her Warder, Vitalien..." because she wrote poetry comparing him to a leopard. (laughter)

    Maria Simons

    Yeah. There's a line somewhere about, she was always incredibly calm except when her Warder was around, or something like that...

    Terez

    Some people thought that it referred to Graendal...(laughter) And I'm like, "No....that doesn't count."

    Maria Simons

    Yeah....no....

    Terez

    You know, Compulsion, tempestuous love affair, same thing...

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  • 27

    Terez

    Which Forsaken was it that visited Isam at the beginning of A Memory of Light?

    Maria Simons

    I'm not going to answer that one.

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  • 28

    Terez

    Did RJ leave any notes about the future work of the Red Ajah?

    Maria Simons

    Not that I've found.

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  • 29

    Terez

    Will there be anything more about the Land of Madmen in the Encyclopedia, or is the Guide all we get?

    Maria Simons

    To the best of my knowledge, the Guide is all you get. There might be a sentence more somewhere, but not extensive information.

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  • 30

    Terez

    Why was Demandred's face familiar to Gawyn?

    Maria Simons

    It seems like there was a reason, but I can't remember.

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  • 31

    Terez

    In Winter's Heart, Aran'gar says that Demandred was meant to be watching Rand, along with Aginor/Osan'gar, and how was he doing this if he was in Shara? I figured he was just doing the normal spying thing, but it seems like it was supposed to be a clue about where he was, which is why we always focused on it, but it wasn't.

    Maria Simons

    Yeah, he was using other people.

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  • 32

    Terez

    Does Rand still have Lews Therin's memories?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

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  • 33

    Terez

    Was Merilille with Talaan?

    Maria Simons

    We don't know.

    Footnote

    Most fans seem to believe that Brandon just put Talaan in A Memory of Light because a lot of fans were asking about her; RJ probably didn't leave any notes about where she and Merilille went.

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  • 34

    Terez

    Is turning (to the Shadow) reversible?

    Maria Simons

    I don't think so. I wouldn't swear by that.

    Tags

  • 35

    Terez

    Was a glossary every written for A Memory of Light?

    Maria Simons

    No. We decided pretty much right off the bat that we wanted to end with the end. How do you follow that ending anyway? And we're doing the whole Encyclopedia; that would just be like a separate glossary.

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  • 36

    Terez

    So why do Aviendha's children have this special power of being able to channel at birth?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

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  • 37

    Terez

    Did Aviendha tell Nynaeve that Rand is still alive?

    Maria Simons

    I think that's an open question that we don't really know.

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  • 38

    Terez

    Was there ever a Black Amyrlin?

    Marie Curie

    That's not the way the Black liked to work usually...

    Maria Simons

    Yeah, I'm thinking not, but I don't know that.

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  • 39

    Terez

    I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but in the Age of Legends, was the middle or the third name the honorific? Like, Lews Therin was his first and last name, and Telamon is the third name that he got when...

    Maria Simons

    Yeah. Like Berid Bel, and then Medar.

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  • 40

    Terez

    Were the Seanchan originally controlled by the Shadow after the War of Power, or was it just Ishamael meddling at random times?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know.

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  • 41

    Terez

    Who led the Blue Ajah before the split? Do you know?

    Maria Simons

    I did. I can't remember.

    Terez

    It's not Lelaine?

    Maria Simons

    I'm not sure.

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  • 42

    Terez

    Lanfear's dream palace, with all the white hangings...was that a dream place, or a real place?

    Maria Simons

    I don't remember that.

    Terez

    Yeah, I think we only see it when she opens a gateway. And we saw it that once when she cut off that dude's head with her gateway in Winter's Heart. (Actually, we didn't see it there; I remembered it wrong.)

    Maria Simons

    Oh, right. I don't know; I would have to look at that one, and I might figure it out.

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