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Your search for the tag 'mafo' yielded 45 results

  • 1

    Interview: Jul 19th, 2005

    Week 20 Question

    It seems that Elaida, leading the Sitters who arrest Siuan Sanche, must be a Sitter herself, yet she was just a few months returned from her position in Caemlyn. Was she actually a Sitter and if so when was she raised? Can you also clarify her change of heart on the Black Ajah from warning the three girls about them in The Dragon Reborn to violently denying their existence in later books?

    Robert Jordan

    Elaida wasn't a Sitter when she led the arrest of Siuan, but she had organized it, managed to arrange for a rump Hall of the Tower to vote on deposing Siuan and raising her in Siuan's place. By the time Siuan was arrested, Elaida was the "legal" Amrylin Seat, so of course she was leading the Sitters.

    As for her change of heart of the Black Ajah, she bounces on whether or not she believes in their existence. When she has convinced herself that they do exist, she is vehement on the subject, but uneasy over Darkfriend sisters, and so manages to convince herself that she was mistaken, whereupon she becomes vehement about their non-existence. But then she becomes uneasy over the possibility that they do exist after all and convinces herself that they really do after all, whereupon.... I have even had a character in the White Tower comment that sometimes Elaida doesn't seem to know from one day to the next whether or not she believes in the Black Ajah.

    ----Corrected version----

    CORRECTION: Answering these questions, I have always taken the assumption that I knew the books well enough that I did not need to refer to my notes. My answer for the Week 20 Question showed that I was mistaken. I said that Elaida was never a Sitter, but no sooner was that answer posted than my assistant Maria, who also is a fan, came to me with the relevant passage where Elaida is mentioned as a Sitter. I went to my notes, and after a lot of checking, I found the following in a file working out exactly how some points were to be structured and making sure that I had all the details covered. Somehow, I had never incorporated it into the base notes, perhaps because it seemed such a small matter, Elaida having been a Sitter for such a short time and then only as prelude to replacing Siuan and Amyrlin.

    “Returning to the White Tower, Elaida quickly became convinced that Siuan and Moiraine were engaged in a scheme that involved Rand al’Thor. Indeed, she had suspicions of this before departing Caemlyn for Tar Valon. Moiraine’s presence in Tar Valon had not escaped her, nor that Moiraine had been seen with Rand. If, as seemed the more likely, he was simply a man who could channel who Siuan and Moiraine intended to make use of as a false Dragon, then it was a scheme that was extremely dangerous to the Tower. Revelation of such involvement could easily shatter the Tower’s prestige, and with it the influence that was the primary cornerstone of the Tower’s influence in the world. And if he was indeed the Dragon Reborn, Elaida certainly had no confidence in Siuan’s ability to handle the him, as surely the Dragon Reborn would need to be handled, guided and directed, not to mention controlled. Helped by her long-standing personal animosity toward Siuan and Moiraine, Elaida came to the conclusion that Siuan must be removed for the good of the Tower. This was not something that could be accomplished by an ordinary sister, however the stepping down of a Red Sitter (Amira Moselle) gave her an opening, and she managed to get herself chosen as Amira’s replacement in the Hall of the Tower.

    In large part this was because of Galina Casban’s support as head of the Red Ajah, Galina having her own reasons to take any chance to pull Siuan down and, of course, favoring anything that would give the Amyrlin Seat to the Red Ajah again after so long. Galina made no attempt to attain the Amyrlin Seat herself because she knew she had little or no chance of being raised. Elaida, who had been so long away from Tar Valon and thus remained out of the political currents of the Tower, not to mention the favorable mention she had received for her guidance of Queen Morgase and Andor, was another matter.

    Once Elaida had a chair in the Hall, it was a relatively simple matter to identify the Sitters who seemed most likely to stand for deposing Siuan, since a number of Sitters were uneasy at best about what Siuan was up to. Her support in the Hall had eroded sufficiently by The Great Hunt that she had opposition to her journey to Shienar. As a Sitter, Elaida was able to call a sitting of the Hall while making sure that only the Sitters she wanted to attend actually received notification. Elaida is a forceful and effective speaker, and her arguments to this bare quorum in favor of deposing Siuan were also her campaign for being raised to the Amyrlin Seat herself, so the vote to depose Siuan was followed immediately by the vote to make Elaida the new Amyrlin. She did not expect the violent reaction that would come from this. She had not had access to the secret histories for very long at this point, so her view was that of most sisters. The Tower had always acceded to the will of the Hall however sisters might grumble. Like many others, she was blind-sided by what she thought she knew.”

    So there it is. I offer my apologies for giving an erroneous answer. From now on, I’ll be sure to check my notes.

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  • 2

    Interview: 2010

    Terez (10 August 2010)

    I thought of a Lan question. Did Elyas really teach Lan anything about the Blight? Or was that a TEOTWism?

    Terez

    I have a feeling you are going to MAFO that. Does @MariaLSimons play Magic? Surely we can bribe her with something.

    Brandon Sanderson (10 August 2010)

    I've never questioned that one, so I haven't thought to ask about it or look it up. Is there a reason I should wonder?

    Terez

    Only that Lan was practically raised in the Blight by the Malkieri. Wouldn't think Elyas could teach him much about it.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That is a good point. I'll go ahead and do as you said and MAFO that one. You might be right; might be an EoTWism.

    Maria Simons

    I can’t find anything to clarify this, either. I will just offer up anecdote: I have been reading WoT for 22 years, and went to work for its creator over 17 years ago. I could be said to live and breathe The Wheel of Time. But Terez has taught me much about WoT. It could be a TEOTWism, or Lan could have been thinking of some very specific things that Elyas shared that he found helpful.

    Footnote—Terez

    I thought about asking how Elyas could teach Lan anything about the sword, too, but I figured the Blight bit was the most incredible. TEOTWism: this was stolen from the fandom for Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series. The first book of that series is called Gardens of the Moon, and in that fandom, details that are particular to the first book—details that cause continuity issues later in the series—are referred to as GOTMisms.

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  • 3

    Interview: 2010

    Leth Filorn (13 August 2010)

    Could thirteen Aes Sedai linked shield Rand while he was channeling using Callandor? What about with Choedan Kal at full power?

    Brandon Sanderson (13 August 2010)

    I think I'm going to MAFO those. (Which means email me, say I said I'd ask Maria, and we'll add them to her list.)

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm pretty sure of the answer, but I don't want to take the time to sort though the notes and look it up for certain while editing.

    Maria Simons

    I really don’t think so, for either, but I cannot find it specifically stated.

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  • 4

    Interview: Oct 27th, 2009

    Question

    Was Ishamael partially, or was he responsible for the initiation of the Three Oaths? Was he a part of what brought them about?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a MAFO. Type that one out. That’s a MAFO.

    MARIA SIMONS (VIA LUCKERS)

    No. What is now the second oath (To make no weapon with which one man may kill another) was the first one that the Aes Sedai adopted. “It grew from an impulse within the Aes Sedai themselves coming from tales passed down regarding the War of the Shadow. The other two oaths certainly grew out of the suspicion of ordinary people towards these Aes Sedai.” (That’s a quote from the notes, btw). Sometimes things happen without an agent of the Dark One’s involvement, and sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

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  • 5

    Interview: Oct 27th, 2009

    Matt Hatch

    Did Robert Jordan leave a power to time comparison, as to how much time is burned back on a thread using balefire. Is there a calculation that says x amount of power will burn back x amount of time on a thread?

    Brandon Sanderson

    M.A.F.O—Maria and Find Out. What he did leave, he left a lot of stuff, there is discussion of these things in the notes. I need to look and see if there is an actual equation. He was very focused on strength of the Power and things like that. He has probably told you before, I think I’ve seen a copy of that on notes and things. He did leave scales on exactly how powerful each person is...

    MARIA SIMONS (VIA LUCKERS)

    RAFO. Sorry, but we are doing an encyclopedia, and I have to reserve some things in case we want to put them in there.

    Footnote

    This is answered in more detail below, at entry #5.

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  • 6

    Interview: Nov 10th, 2009

    Brandon Sanderson

    This is perhaps old hat by now, but Brandon has coined new term MAFO referring to Maria, one of the fact handlers behind Wheel of Time. She sometimes wears a RAFO hat and tips it for Brandon when he can't give someone an answer.

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  • 7

    Interview: Nov 9th, 2009

    Ted Herman

    Maria Simons

    About Gawyn's duel with Sleete, and the usage of real swords, she said she would have to look into that, since I had believed that normally practice swords are used. She said that perhaps sometimes they have to use real swords to keep their edge, so to speak, but will look into that.

    MARIA SIMONS (VIA LUCKERS)

    With novice swordsmen, the practice sword is very good because they can swing away with abandon and be swung at and at worse get a bruise. But there comes a time when a person must practice with a real sword, and not just shadow fencing. How does a sword feel when it hits another sword? How quickly can you come back from that? Practice with the weapon you are going to use in real combat is necessary. This is especially true if you are with an army in the field; you’re not playing at keeping in shape, you’re trying to make sure that you are at your absolute top form to keep from being killed when you come up against someone else with a pointy blade. These Warders are very, very good; they trust themselves to fight with real swords without damaging each other.

    So, often they practiced with practice swords, but sometimes they practiced with real swords. There is a type of practice with real swords in the books. We see it in New Spring: the Novel, where Bukama “took the other two a little distance away with talk of some game called “sevens.” A strange game it seemed to be, and more than dangerous in the failing daylight. Lan and Ryne sat cross-legged facing one another, their swords sheathed, then without warning drew, each blade flashing toward the other man’s throat, stopping just short of flesh. The older man pointed to Ryne, they sheathed swords, and then did it again. For as long as she watched, that was how it went. Perhaps Ryne had not been so over-confident as he seemed.”

    It’s not the same as when Gawyn faced Sleete and Marlesh, but it is experienced swordsmen practicing with real swords.

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  • 8

    Interview: Nov 9th, 2009

    Brandon Sanderson

    Defines MAFO—Maria and Find Out.

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  • 9

    Interview: Nov 21st, 2009

    Matt Hatch

    Ok...which brings up the following questions about the Wheel and its relationship to souls, Talents, abilities and channeling. Is the Wheel responsible for giving or weaving in Talents and abilities to a particular life, or are they like channeling, attached to the soul?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s an excellent question. I’m going to have to RAFO that...it’s actually more of a MAFO. What you're asking is would someone who is reborn into the Pattern have the same Talents again?

    Matt Hatch

    Right. Or does...the Wheel, we obviously know it is very capable of affecting the Pattern, so the question is does it give and take when it comes to abilities and talents it needs?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, right, I will have to MAFO that.

    Matt Hatch

    Ok, so can the Wheel give an individual life the ability to channel, if the soul does not come to that life with an inborn ability to learn or a spark? Can the Wheel give them that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Again, I will have to MAFO this whole thing. I will have to go and look. I don’t know if someone is necessarily always born with the ability to channel, if they are in every Age...

    Matt Hatch

    ...there is a quote I brought that we asked at DragonCon, Jordan said: “I don't think I have said if you are born with the spark you would have the have the spark again. I have said if you were born with the ability to channel, to learn or with the spark, you will, when your soul is born again, you will have the ability again, whether with the spark or without...” So, in essence he said it’s inherent you have the ability. Whether or not you spark or you can learn it that depends on the life.

    Brandon Sanderson

    My instinct knowing how Jim wrote and knowing the parallels in the notes would be that he would parallel the other Talents along the same lines. A Wolfbrother then would always have the ability to become a Wolfbrother and other things along those lines. I’m going off of instinct so that is an asterisked answer. I can MAFO that and look it up and we can see what we can find, but he did like to parallel a lot of these things...

    Matt Hatch

    ...ok, so at the end of that answer he said this...we were asking a specific question about stilling and burning out...he said, “And neither burning out or stilling affects that except in this lifetime, your current lifetime”. In other words...

    Brandon Sanderson

    ...that is consistent...

    Matt Hatch

    ...it doesn’t affect your souls ability, your soul’s connection. So stilling and burning out do not affect the ability to channel, which seems to be integral to the soul as it pertains to a new life. That being said, Aran'gar and Osan'gar, they were transmigrated and we see that they can channel in their new bodies, which makes sense because the ability comes with the soul...

    Brandon Sanderson

    ...and because of that if you were male before and reborn (in a female body)...you are channeling the wrong power...

    Matt Hatch

    ...exactly...he was transmigrated into a different body, but still channeling the same power the soul inherits. So considering Jordan's statement about stilling and burning out not affecting the channeling ability of the new life of a soul, is the same for the new life of a soul transmigrated?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m going to say that transmigrated...if you were burned out and transmigrated you would still be burned out, is my guess.

    Matt Hatch

    Is that a MAFO question? Or...

    Brandon Sanderson

    ...that is my guess and you can MAFO it if you want to send it to me, but that is a “I’m pretty sure” answer.

    MARIA SIMONS (VIA LUCKERS)

    Yes, you would. Jim said that “neither burning out or stilling affects that except in this lifetime, your current lifetime.” (DragonCon), but transmigration is not really a different lifetime; more than just the soul moves. The new person (I’m at a loss for words here) also has the memories of the previous person, and its personality, and such. So Brandon is correct.

    Jim says of Talents: “A Talent is a special ability with the One Power. While the name is used for other things, a Talent is, in truth, something which is inborn in the person and not something that can be learned.” And there is mention of the Wheel throwing out what it needs on occasion, and there’s the phrase, “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.” The Wheel can give and take as it needs.

    I believe that the potential for a Talent is there, but it doesn't necessarily manifest each time a soul is born. If the Wheel needs the Talent, the Talent is there. But if the Wheel doesn't need it, it lies dormant.

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  • 10

    Interview: Nov 19th, 2009

    SteelBlaidd

    Did Egwene squeeze Moghedien for information on the Dream World?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That was our First MAFO (Maria And Find Out).

    He also said that Egwene is a powerful Dreamer and it seems unlikely that she didn't squeeze her for the information.

    MARIA SIMONS (VIA LUCKERS)

    This one is basic enough that I feel pretty confident that Egwene would have certainly asked Moghedien about Tel'aran'rhiod. Egwene threatened to execute Moghedien if she lied; I would think that with the knowledge that Egwene gained from the Aiel Wise Ones she might use that as the occasional test, and see where it went. I think that Egwene asked Moghedien about pretty much anything that popped in her head.

    FOOTNOTE—LUCKERS

    Maria claims the right to amend this later.

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  • 11

    Interview: Nov 16th, 2009

    Question

    Can you clear up the timeline issues? How do Mat, Perrin, Rand, and Egwene all match up in the timeline?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Gathering Storm begins sometime in April. It ends around the end of June/beginning of July. However, Perrin advanced very little—only about two weeks. Mat advanced a bit more, but was still about a month behind Rand and Egwene (this gets an asterisk as a MAFO), but Mat traveled to Caemlyn about 30 days before the end of the book—he emphasized 30 days and asked if I understood the significance of that—I said that I do. (Interpretation: Mat will open Verin’s letter very early in Towers of Midnight).

    Tuon's timeline jumps around the most. In Knife of Dreams, she ended about a month ahead of everyone else. There were probably (MAFO) about two weeks between her meeting with Rand and the launch of the attack on the White Tower.

    Maria Simons

    That sounds about right to me.

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  • 12

    Interview: Nov 15th, 2009

    Question

    This was asked at a previous event, and you had to check with Maria regarding whether you should RAFO of give an answer. When Carridin recognized Mat in Ebou Dar, did that trigger some method by which Sammael showed up, like a pager, or was it coincidence?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Haven't heard yet from Maria on this one, so it is still a MAFO (Maria and find out).

    MARIA SIMONS (VIA LUCKERS)

    No, Sammael was not paged. Sammael had sent Carridin to Ebou Dar to find the cache of Power goodies. The notes say that Sammael became aware that there were other parties engaged in the same search, and decided that he had to light a fire under Carridin. Also note Sammael’s reaction to the news that Mat is in Ebou Dar—“‘Here?” Oddly, for a moment, Sammael seemed taken aback”. It seems to accentuate that Sammael is surprised; if he had been paged, it seems that his answer would have been different.

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  • 13

    Interview: Apr 23rd, 2010

    Terez

    When I was in line, I asked Brandon and Harriet (mostly Harriet, since she was signing my books) if the Andoran royal line is descended from Rand's Aiel line (see this post) [by Rhea, the Aiel daughter of Adan who was kidnapped along with several other women in Rand's Rhuidean visions]:

    Harriet McDougal

    I got a lovely smile from Harriet that told me she was pleased that someone had finally figured that out, and she said that she believes I am exactly right about that. She was a little sketchy on the details, though, and so was Brandon, so Brandon said it was essentially a MAFO. So I talked to Maria after that session, and she was taking a break so I didn't want to ask her about it just then, so I asked her if I could message her about it, and the other MAFO we got today, and she said yes, so I will hopefully be hearing more about that soon. Brandon asked me not to put that one in the interview database until I hear from Maria about it.

    Maria Simons

    Oops. I really have been terribly slow with these. I can’t find anything that says yea or nay on this one.

    Terez

    I think that Brandon got the impression Harriet was leaping on it too quick, and that's quite possible; I might have read too much into it.

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  • 14

    Interview: Apr 23rd, 2010

    Linda

    Who thought up the mindtrap? Any circumstances you can divulge...?

    Harriet McDougal Rigney

    I don't remember.

    Brandon Sanderson

    MAFO.

    Maria Simons

    I know nothing.

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  • 15

    Interview: Jun 10th, 2010

    Luckers

    Plot Related Q&A

    Footnote

    The new MAFO was included alongside the original question to avoid redundancy in search results. The same was done with Luckers' other MAFO report.

    Tags

    mafo,
  • 16

    Interview: Oct 9th, 2010

    Ted Herman

    Can a Dreamer access Tel'aran'rhiod if trapped by the 'Finns?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Tough question LOL, MAFO.

    Maria Simons

    I don’t know. I don’t think so, but I can’t back that up.

    Tags

  • 17

    Interview: Apr 17th, 2011

    blindillusion

    Did Aginor have anything to do with creating the Nym?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Not that I know of. I can MAFO that, but I'm like 95% sure on that.

    Harriet McDougal Rigney

    The Green Man? No...he was good!

    Terez

    You know, that's what I said to him last night, and then he was like, 'Well, you know, before the Bore was drilled, you know...that might have been what he was doing.' Because, you know, he had to get his experience in bioengineering somewhere.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah...

    blindillusion

    Yeah, where did he get his start?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is a good question, but I don't think so. I really don't. But, if you really want me to go to the notes and search it out, I will.

    blindillusion

    That works for me. Thank you very much.

    Maria Simons

    A quick search turned up nothing, I'm afraid. I'll try to remember to keep my eyes open for it.

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  • 18

    Interview: Oct 15th, 2011

    Ted Herman

    Why did Fain say he had to go to Caemlyn first before the White Tower, though he actually went to the White Tower then Caemlyn (as least as far as we see in the books)?

    Brandon Sanderson

    MAFO.

    Maria Simons

    The next time we see him he is in Tar Valon, it is true, but that doesn't mean he didn't stop by Caemlyn on the way. He could have gone to Caemlyn before Tar Valon, although the timing would be rather tight, I think. There are other possibilities: he intended to go to Caemlyn, somehow learned Rahvin was there, and decided to skip that for the time being. Or he intended to go to Caemlyn, but his baser instincts prevailed and he decided to get his dagger first. I can't find a solid answer.

    Footnote

    He might have gone to Caemlyn to use the Waygate there, which gives more leeway on the timing. His intention might have been to bring word of the "rebellion" in the Two Rivers: ["We ride for Tar Valon," he snapped. Hard riding, to beat Bornhald to the ferry. Manetheren's banner, raised again in the Two Rivers after all these centuries. How the Red Eagle had harried him, so long ago. "But Caemlyn first!" Scourge them and flay them! Let the Two Rivers pay first, and then Rand al'Thor...] (The Shadow Rising, Chapter 56)

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  • 19

    Interview: Oct 15th, 2011

    Ted Herman

    Did Nynaeve realize that Suroth was a Darkfriend from their meeting in Falme, and if so, why didn't she warn Rand after he got the invitation from her?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is possible that she didn't connect the dots from the note to the long ago meeting, possible brain freeze, MAFO.

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  • 20

    Interview: Oct 15th, 2011

    Ted Herman

    Why didn't the Seanchan invade Ghealdan?

    Brandon Sanderson

    MAFO. Brandon replied that it may be due to all the problems caused by Ituralde's raids, and possibly the issue with Galad's desertion as well.

    Alan Romanczuk

    Their plan was to push east quickly through Illian and eventually sweep north into Andor and beyond. Ghealdan was not a military threat to them for the time being, and it would fall easily to them once they had consolidated control of the southeast. There are only so many fronts on which an army wishes, or should wish, to fight simultaneously, even an army of great strength. History is littered with the corpses of generals who made that mistake.

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  • 21

    Interview: Aug 31st, 2011

    Reddit AMA 2011 (Verbatim)

    Isabel ()

    1. How many of the Heroes of the Horn are currently "in the flesh"?

    2. How did the Eye of the World's location move about?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, wow. You're going to make me dig into the notes, aren't you?

    Why don't I MAFO those? Send me an email and I'll dig through to get your answers, or will have Maria do it.

    Maria Simons

    1. Oh, the passage of time. If I had answered these back when I should have, I would have RAFOed. But now that A Memory of Light is out, at least I will say that there are fewer than there were. I don’t have hard numbers on all the heroes.

    2. I don’t know.

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  • 22

    Interview: 2011

    Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Krishnan Murali (14 November 2011)

    How Moiraine is able to able to learn which Forsaken is in power in Tear and Illian in The Dragon Reborn?

    Brandon Sanderson (14 November 2011)

    I believe, but am not taking the time to look it up, she used means more mundane than you're probably expecting.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Meaning good use of information networks. That said, I'll give a tentative MAFO and try to remember to look it up specifically.

    KRISHNAN

    Oh , what do mundane method do you think she used? She found which Forsaken was in power quickly and spot on in The Dragon Reborn.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    She is very smart, and she knew exactly what to look for. She knew they were coming, and what they would likely do.

    TEREZ

    One good theory is that she just eavesdropped.

    KRISHNAN (19 NOVEMBER)

    In #TorChat, you said that Moiraine probably eavesdropped in The Dragon Reborn to learn the Forsaken's identity; is this a theory in Theoryland?

    KRISHNAN

    I don't mean to ask whether it is a full theory (would be silly), I wanted to know whether it has been discussed in Theoryland.

    TEREZ

    I have seen it discussed at Theoryland and Dragonmount, and @zemaille might have also written something on it.

    LINDA TAGLIERI

    Moiraine did eavesdrop. Egwene saw her listening to Rand and Asmodean in The Fires of Heaven 'What can Be Learned in Dreams'.

    TEREZ

    Agreed, it seems the most logical and straightforward explanation. We saw it in The Eye of the World last POV too.

    Footnote

    Eavesdropping would also explain why Sammael detected her presence. See Maria's commentary here.

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  • 23

    Interview: Nov 21st, 2011

    Question

    Does the Oath Rod limit Aes Sedai age by using their life force to power the Oaths?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m 85% sure on this and you’ll have to ask Maria for confirmation, but no, the effect is not caused by draining the Aes Sedai’s life force. I’m not going to tell you what is causing the effect.

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  • 24

    Interview: Dec 15th, 2011

    Zas (Terez)

    When Lan tracked down Myrelle in Lord of Chaos, she used the bond to Compel him to come to her, in such a way that he wouldn't detect it. Did she have to use the bond to seduce Lan, or did he just go along because he didn't have anything better to do?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (laughter) I'd have to look that one up. I don't know. I'd have to look it up. I don't have the answer to that one. We'll call that one a MAFO though. I'm actually curious myself (laughter).

    Maria Simons

    The question poses a false dichotomous argument: was Lan "seduced" by the bond or did he have nothing better to do? [Terez: it was a joke.] Suffice to say that Lan was psychologically devastated at this point—not in his right mind, his will to live shattered. Myrelle took control of him to save his life; he really had no choice in the matter. And here’s a quote from the notes for you: “She had to use the bond to compel [notice lower case here] him, sometimes, which she found both odd and somewhat insulting.” But one has to put this in the context of her other Warders, who eagerly complied with her desires, carnal or otherwise.

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  • 25

    Interview: Dec 17th, 2011

    Loialson

    Was Verin was correct when she said that the Portal Stones predate the Age of Legends?

    Brandon Sanderson

    As far as I know...she is correct. That's one of the ones I could be wrong on, but as far as I know she's correct.

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  • 26

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Luckers

    Did Verin kill Barthanes?

    Brandon Sanderson

    *Goes to answer, pauses and looks thoughtful for a long moment, then said...* MAFO

    Footnote

    Maria said no.

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  • 27

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Luckers

    Who was behind the attack on Demira Sedai?

    Brandon Sanderson

    MAFO.

    Maria Simons

    Padan Fain and his corrupted Whitecloaks.

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  • 28

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Luckers

    Can someone who is leashed by an a'dam touch Tel'aran'rhiod?

    Brandon Sanderson

    *blinks at me* Umm. That's a really good question.

    Luckers

    I ask, because it's odd that Moghedien never tried to use the dream to escape, or to capture someone in Salidar and compel her to free Moghedien in the waking world, or anything like that.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, that's a good question. I'd guess no, but you can MAFO that.

    Maria Simons

    I believe that you cannot touch Tel'aran'rhiod while leashed, but I can't find anything in the notes that states so outright.

    Footnote

    When Brandon was first asked this question in 2010, he said "90% yes". In 2013 (after Luckers' 2012 interview), he said it was "not outside the realm of possibility". Maria answered the question later in 2013.

    Tags

  • 29

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Luckers

    Sammael claims to have a truce with Rand, even though we see Rand turn him down. Was Sammael lying, or did...

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m fairly sure he was lying. As in, I’ve seen something in the notes at one point, and I’m pretty sure it was... but my memory being what it is, I will say you can MAFO that. But I’m pretty sure he was lying.

    Maria Simons

    Sammael was lying in an attempt to manipulate Graendal.

    Tags

  • 30

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Luckers

    What was the stylized raven that Min viewed around Carlinya?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I thought that had already been answered. Did Jim not answer this?

    Luckers

    No. Everyone thought it referred to Carlinya being da’covale to the Empress. But no, it hasn’t been answered.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh. Oh, okay. Well, I will RAFO/MAFO it. You can email Maria and me about it, but I may have to RAFO it.

    Maria Simons

    The raven is a symbol of the Dark One as well as the Seanchan; Carlinya was killed fighting the Black Ajah.

    Footnote

    The reason why fans thought it was surely in reference to the Seanchan is because Min thought it looked like a tattoo. (See The Fires of Heaven Chapter 26.)

    Tags

  • 31

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Felix

    Who is Edorion's father?

    Brandon Sanderson

    MAFO.

    ELEANOR

    Amusing reaction upon the warning it was a Felix question.

    Tags

  • 32

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    JordanCon 2012 - Terez (Paraphrased)

    Question

    Is there any relationship between Perrin's dream visions and Min's viewings? Does she see into Tel'aran'rhiod?

    Maria Simons

    I don't know. I might be able to find out.

    Tags

  • 33

    Interview: 2012

    Twitter 2012 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Tor Nordam (30 October 2012)

    RJ said in a Q&A that 62.5% of women strong enough to be Aes Sedai, yet only 20% of 1000 novices are strong enough. How so?

    Brandon Sanderson (30 October 2012)

    That sounds like a question for Maria, I'm afraid. I don't have the notes handy to look into the discrepancy.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Email is probably best, or grabbing her at JordanCon. (Or sending the question with someone you know who is attending.)

    Brandon Sanderson

    Actually, the easiest way is probably to drop me an email through my website and let me forward it on to her.

    Tags

  • 34

    Interview: Jan 7th, 2013

    Brigitte Reed

    Hello. My name is Brigitte Reed; I'm from Kearns, Utah, and I just wanted to say that I started reading the series when I was thirteen, and I was in the 8th grade, and so I've been reading it over...about fourteen years, and it's the best series I've ever read, and I'm so thankful to you, Harriet, for being willing to give it over to Brandon so that he could finish it for us.

    And I actually have a question for Maria, and this is a question that I asked Brandon in November that he didn't know the answer to. [laughter] So he told me to email him, and he would email you. But I wanted to know if the women in Randland shaved. [laughter]

    Maria Simons

    I thought I had answered this one somewhere along the line. Um...not really. [laughter] This is...I went digging around in the notes, and...basically, in the...the razors the men shave with are just not really good for shaving legs...so, it would be dangerous. Also, we see how they brush their teeth in the Wheel of Time, and we see men shaving, and a lot of things. And I think if they did, at some point Jim would have had a woman with her leg outstretched, shaving.... [laughter] You know? So, I am reasonably certain they did not.

    Brigitte Reed

    Thank you very much.

    Harriet McDougal

    But I think, in the thousands of years since the Breaking, there's been a certain amount of blessed evolution, so that women no longer have hair on their legs. [applause, cheers]

    Maria Simons

    That was my other thought. [laughter]

    Tags

  • 35

    Interview: 2013

    Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Rich E (23 January 2013)

    Did Rand's third question to the Aelfinn involve whether/how the Dark One could be killed?

    Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)

    I think Maria and Harriet are planning to put these in the encyclopedia, but you are right on the third question.

    Peter Wikberg

    What did Moiraine ask Aelfinn/Eelfinn?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ooh, good question. And one I don't have the answer to that handy, but we can MAFO that and ask Maria.

    Maria Simons

    Everything I know about Aelfinn/Eelfinn questions/wishes will be in the encyclopedia.

    Tags

  • 36

    Interview: 2013

    Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Terez (23 January 2013)

    Who sent the attack on Algarin's manor?

    Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)

    I'm going to MAFO this one, since I honestly can't remember. I did get an answer from Maria as I was writing the books, though.

    Maria Simons

    I'm going to plead the encyclopedia on this one.

    Tags

  • 37

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013

    Terez

    Was Luc a Darkfriend when he went to the Blight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm going to have to MAFO this one, because this is one that I can never remember, and I've had to ask Maria like three times—the whole Luc thing—because I had it spelled out for me several times, but since Jim did a lot of the Luc scenes, I didn't need to remember it, if that makes sense. So go ahead and ask Maria. She's...there's a lot of stuff on that in there—and hopefully that'll end up in the encyclopedia—but there's a lot of cool stuff on Luc and Isam in the notes. It's one of the areas that isn't as sparse. But I can't remember. I want to say no, that neither of them were, but I can't remember when it happened, you know...

    Terez

    Well, I mean...Isam was a baby, you know?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, uh-huh. Yeah, and so....

    Terez

    So...I mean obviously he wasn't a Darkfriend when he went to the Blight...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Right, but he grew up on the streets....

    Terez

    Right, he grew up under that influence, right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, it's like he was...always...or was he? And when did they...when they...I want to say that Luc wasn't, but you'll have to ask Maria.

    Terez

    Okay.

    Tags

  • 38

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013

    Terez

    Um, was there any connection between Mat's luck and the dagger?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um, not that I know of. Good question, but we can MAFO that one, but you can give the, "not that I know of". I'm still kind of...you know, the Mat's luck being beyond him being ta'veren, is one that's very interesting to me, because everything that I know says that his luck does extend beyond his ta'verenness, but...

    Terez

    Well, it's like his whole plotline seems kinda designed as like this revenge story for Manetheren against Aridhol, you know?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, uh-huh. Yep.

    Terez

    And, you know, he starts speaking the Old Tongue right before they go into Shadar Logoth; that's the first time he speaks it...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Uh-huh. Yep.

    Terez

    ...you know, and then as soon as he wakes up from the Healing, he's got memories, he's got this luck, you know?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. Mmmhmm.

    Terez

    So...yeah.

    Tags

  • 39

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013

    Terez

    About—if you can estimate—how many Aiel were in the Town?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, boy. I think there is an estimate in the notes.

    Terez

    There is?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, so ask Maria, and if I say it, I will get it wrong because Jim has an estimate of how many Sightblinders were going to be in the Last Battle.

    Terez

    Okay.

    Brandon Sanderson

    And that would include, you know, ones born there and ones captured, and...yeah.

    Tags

  • 40

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013

    Terez

    Why didn't the bond protect Bryne's dreams?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Why didn't the bond protect Bryne's dreams!

    Terez

    The Warder Bond...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes! Um....(pauses to think)

    Terez

    Is it an active thing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    What's that?

    Terez

    Is it an active thing, like...she has to....Moiraine kind of phrased it like it wasn't...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. No, no no.

    Terez

    ...like, because of the bond, he's protected.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. (long pause) Why don't I MAFO this one so I don't say it wrong, because I had to go to Maria on this one.

    Terez

    Right. Yeah, okay.

    Brandon Sanderson

    ...if that makes sense. And so, I will tell you wrong. I will MAFO it, because it's one I had to talk to her about. So we'll go back to the source of me being...or me working these things out in the first place.

    Terez

    Okay.

    Tags

  • 41

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013

    Question

    From Freelancer again. Moiraine promised Thom to tell the names of the Red Aes Sedai (who gentled) Owyn. Does she ever do that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. It's not onscreen but it does happen.

    Question

    And is there anybody in that list that we would be interested in?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I actually asked that question to Maria, and Maria said no.

    Question

    OK.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Really what I said is, "Do we want to do this, is this relevant?" She said, "No I don't think this is relevant, and it's not worth jumping through hoops."

    Question

    OK.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Because there is nothing there that's going to, yeah.

    That was what came of it. Now whether that actually means, is there any name you'd recognize, you might recognize a name, but it wasn't relevant enough to jump through storytelling hoops to get that on screen, to bother with it.

    Tags

  • 42

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2012

    Question

    Can Cadsuane’s Aes Sedai, Merise, Corele, and Beldeine, use the bond to compel their Asha’man?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wow. Oh boy. I’m going to have such trouble with her questions. I have trouble with her questions when I’m steeped in the Wheel of Time lore and working on the notes every day, and now that I haven’t even looked at them in like ten months...

    QUESTION

    Tell her to ask Maria?

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    But that’s one I should know, is the thing. It’s not a hard question. It’s just one where I’m... I don’t think they can. But, you should really ask Maria. But I don’t think they can. I should know that one, you can tell her I should know that one, but I don’t think they can. I knew it at one point.

    Tags

  • 43

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2012

    Question

    Have Elayne’s axe and red-hot iron been fulfilled?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Axe and red-hot iron been fulfilled? You can ask Maria but I believe they have.

    Tags

  • 44

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2012

    Question

    Does Nicola’s Foretelling represent a single moment in time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Which one is she talking about?

    QUESTION

    Three on the boat, and he who is dead yet lives. The great battle done, but the world not done with battle. The land divided by the return, and the guardians balance the servants. The future teeters on the edge of a blade

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    MAFO. I’m gonna MAFO that one. I think I know that one, but I don’t think I want to touch it.

    Tags