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Your search for the tag 'three oaths' yielded 35 results

  • 1

    Interview: Jan 25th, 2005

    Week 21 Question

    Just how can an Aes Sedai be a damane? Aren't they bound by the Third Oath: to not use the One Power as a weapon except to defend their lives, their Warder's life, or another sister's life? Wouldn't they be useless as damane to the Seanchan?

    Robert Jordan

    The Aes Sedai captured by the Seanchan are indeed useless as weapons, except against Shadowspawn or Darkfriends, because they are bound by the Three Oaths, and that limits their value considerably since being weapons is a major use for damane. Damane are used for other tasks, however, including finding ores for mining (Egwene was tested for this, remember; it's a very valuable, and fairly rare, ability), for some mining operations where it would be too dangerous or uneconomical to use human miners (bringing ores out of the ground and refining them using the Power), and in some construction projects, especially where something very large or with a need for added strength is envisioned. The first two both require a high ability in Earth, which has faded considerably on "this" side of the Aryth Ocean and to a smaller degree of the other side, but construction projects and others things, such as producing Sky Lights, are well within the abilities of collared Aes Sedai. The Three Oaths don't inhibit them there at all.

    Tags

  • 2

    Interview: 2010

    yoniy0 (29 July 2010)

    Did you consult Maria before deciding Egwene shall attempt to fall fleeing raken? Would she be able to do so Bounded?

    Brandon Sanderson (30 July 2010)

    I'm a little confused at what you're asking. Do you mean "Fell?" And what do you mean by Bounded?

    yoniy0

    Sorry. There has been some discussion around the Third Oath and Egwene attacking retreating raken...

    yoniy0

    I was asking if you think she could have done the same now, after taking the Oaths (and whether you asked Maria to weigh in).

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    We did talk about this. I think it's iffy. Depends on Egwene's mindset. I don't think most Aes Sedai could have done it.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    In fact, it's good her circle was with those who hadn't taken the Oaths yet...

    LUCKERS

    I think Yoniy0 meant 'would Egwene be able to kill (fell) fleeing to'raken were she bound by the Oaths?'

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    I don't know that she would have been able to. Depends. The Oaths depend on how you view what you're doing.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Elaida got around them (or to the side of them) by convincing herself Egwene was a Darkfriend.

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  • 3

    Interview: 2010

    Leth Filorn (12 August 2010)

    How does the Oath Rod work? Does it accelerate the aging irreversibly, or add years that you get back upon Oath removal?

    Brandon Sanderson (13 August 2010)

    A good question that people in world don't know the answer to yet, and only time will tell.

    Tags

  • 4

    Interview: 2011

    Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    jwiedow (7 January 2011)

    I have been thinking about the Aes Sedai First Oath on the oath road "Speak no word that is not true"...

    JWIEDOW

    How do they get around that oath when telling others a different name; Moraine=Mistress Alys?

    JWIEDOW

    Has anyone done a theory or a blog on the use of names and the oaths?

    TEREZ

    They say 'you may call me Mistress Alys'. It's not a lie unless she says 'My name is...' which she doesn't.

    JWIEDOW

    I am trying to remember if they are all that way which is why I brought it up.

    Brandon Sanderson (7 January 2011)

    I don't know. If you really name yourself that, then you might be able to say it. Depends on internal rationalization.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    It's easy to say "I'm called Alys" because she is. You can even say "My name is Alys" if you have named yourself that.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Otherwise, a Sister could never go by a nickname, a different name than she'd chosen for herself, etc.

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  • 5

    Interview: 2011

    Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Aaron Oster (17 January 2011)

    How could Verin write that note if she hadn't taken poison yet?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 January 2011)

    An excellent question, one I'm surprised I haven't seen talked about yet. (Though I'm sure it has been.)

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Basically, it's for the same reason that an Aes Sedai can kill if she puts herself into a situation where she's in danger.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    It involves mental gymnastics and lots of requirements. In the end, she put so many on that the note didn't get read.

    MAX (19 JANUARY)

    What would have happened if someone were to balefire Verin's cup of poison to remove its existence when it was consumed?

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    So far, I believe we've only see balefire used to remove living things from the Pattern that way. Am I wrong? @Terez27

    TEREZ

    There has been some serious debate over Nynaeve and her boat. Some think the rowers caused...

    TEREZ

    ...the temporal anomaly, while some think it had to be the boat itself. I forget the arguments...

    TEREZ

    I remember the argument now. The boat was filled with water at the moment of balefire, which rowers don't explain.

    FOOTNOTE—TEREZ

    Over a month later sleepinghour discovered an old letter from RJ to a fan in which RJ confirms that inanimate objects do get burned back just like living things. I suspect now that Brandon knew this from the notes, though, and that's why he used the words 'so far' and redirected the question to me. This was probably one of those things that Brandon and Maria had to piece together from the notes, and from the wording of his following tweets I'd be willing to bet that Maria won an argument.

    TEREZ (27 FEBRUARY)

    We just found an old letter from RJ to a fan in which he confirms that balefire DOES burn back inanimate objects in time.

    TEREZ

    Thanks to @sleepinghour for that. Though I know this probably drives you crazy, lol. It's almost like retcon!

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Well, good to know. You'd think he'd mention some of these things in the notes...

    TEREZ

    I know, right? lol. Wasn't it you that said that he didn't put many things in the notes because he kept it all in his head?

    TEREZ

    We observed @Theoryland that your descriptions fit his claim better than his own descriptions re: inanimate objects.

    TEREZ

    And your assumption about living things only fit his descriptions perfectly...aside from the stupid boat!

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Yeah. We get lots of fragments of things he jotted down, but they are more notes to himself, so he leaves things out.

    Tags

  • 6

    Interview: Apr 5th, 1996

    Robert Jordan

    The Aes Sedai who beat Rand in Lord of Chaos did not necessarily violate the Three Oaths. Jordan explained that the Three Oaths are bound by literal intent and perception. He said that the Aes Sedai could have considered the beatings a just punishment rather than the use of a weapon. He also suggested that not everything that harms you need be considered a weapon. I think he gave the example of a whip used lightly not considered a weapon, versus a whip used to flay skin being considered a weapon. On the subject of the first Oath ("to speak no word that is untrue"), Jordan said that Aes Sedai can say something they believe to be true or something they don't mean literally. As an example of the latter, an Aes Sedai can employ hyperbole and say something like, "I'm going to tie your ears over your head," when she means to do no such thing.

    FOOTNOTE—BILL GARRETT

    My Comment: I should also point out that at least two of the women who beat Rand are people we know to belong to the Black Ajah. On page 683hb (in Lord of Chaos), it is said that only Galina, Erian, and Katerine beat Rand more than once. We know that Galina and Katerine are Black Ajah, so they aren't bound by the Oaths anyway. Erian is the Aes Sedai whose two Warders Rand killed, so maybe she found some way to justify her punishment of Rand under the Three Oaths. I don't know who else beat Rand (i.e., who beat him only once); the book may say, but I can't find a quote.

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  • 7

    Interview: Apr 5th, 1996

    Robert Jordan

    The oaths: They are quite subjective; if an Aes Sedai believes she is not lying, then the Oath doesn't stop her. So, that is what was going on in the torturing part of Lord of Chaos. It depends on the psychology of the individual. It's like spanking a naughty child. Some people regard that as child abuse; some people regard it as reasonable punishment.

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  • 8

    Interview: Apr 5th, 1996

    Robert Jordan

    Verin: Considerably older than anyone expects. (I presume he was talking about the characters, not the fans, considering that our guesses range up to 3000 years old.) He also said that Age of Legends lifespans are not known in modern Randland. (Thus, I presume that Verin is NOT 300 years old.) He said something about "the effects of the Oath Rod," I don't know whether this was with reference to aging, or effects on something totally unrelated.

    Well, that's that.

    —Pam

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  • 9

    Interview: Jun 26th, 1996

    Compuserve Chat (Verbatim)

    Bill Powers

    One of the Forsaken once said of the current Aes Sedai, "They bind themselves like criminals." Was the Forsaken referring to the Oath Rod?

    Robert Jordan

    Read and find out! (He twirls his moustache maniacally.)

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  • 10

    Interview: Jun 16th, 1995

    Robert Jordan

    On if Aes Sedai damane can use the One Power in battle he said that [OBS! secondary source, I didn't hear him say this myself] it is theoretically possible, basically by forcing the Aes Sedai to think that she does not use the One Power as damane. It is though very hard to achieve. In the book next after A Crown of Swords, this might become a factor.

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  • 11

    Interview: Jun 16th, 1995

    Robert Jordan

    On the subject if the Oath Rod shortens lifespan or causes infertility he answered, not surprisingly, "Read and Find Out".

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  • 12

    Interview: Aug 23rd, 1996

    Robert Jordan

    Ageless look and Oath Rod—RAFO. (I thought Greebs was going to explode when he didn't answer that one directly.)

    Tags

  • 13

    Interview: Oct 9th, 1996

    Question

    Once and for all end the ageless look thing. Is it obvious that it is tied to the Oath Rod?

    Robert Jordan

    RAFO.

    Tags

  • 14

    Interview: Jun 28th, 1997

    Kjell

    Would making all Aes Sedai reswear the Three Oaths on an Oath Rod, and then asking them, reveal if they are Black Ajah? (It should...)

    Robert Jordan

    There are certain difficulties with this. It might answer the question but how many sisters do you think will meekly submit to being asked to do such a thing? Being asked to do it is in effect an accusation.

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  • 15

    Interview: Nov 21st, 1998

    John Hamby

    There was something about Black Ajah and the oaths. I am not sure if this was part of the Warder question or not.

    Tags

  • 16

    Interview: Dec 9th, 2002

    Question

    How is it possible for Aes Sedai who have taken the Three Oaths to become damane and use the One Power as a weapon?

    Robert Jordan

    They can't use the One Power as a weapon, not in any conventional sense. This presents some problems for the Seanchan, but then, damane are used for more than just weapons. And from the Seanchan point of view, at worst, an Aes Sedai who has been collared is one less marath'damane running around loose and doing the horrible things that their history tells them such women inevitably do. Remember, Seanchan history records a time under Aes Sedai rule, when no one could go to sleep at night with the certainty they would wake in the morning and Aes Sedai took whatever they wanted and killed anyone who crossed or opposed them. To the Seanchan, just removing these horrors from the board is a win.

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  • 17

    Interview: Apr 27th, 2004

    Wotmania Interview (Verbatim)

    Wotmania

    What happens to objects left in Tel'aran'rhiod? Could an Aes Sedai free herself from the Three Oaths in Tel'aran'rhiod by creating an Oath Rod?

    Robert Jordan

    The only way for an object to enter Tel'aran'rhiod would be for it to be carried there by someone who entered physically rather than through a dream state. If left there, it would remain until it was retrieved by someone else who entered physically. And, yes, an Aes Sedai could free herself of the Three Oaths with an Oath Rod created in Tel'aran'rhiod, but remember that relatively few sisters actually have access to the World of Dreams, and for those who do want to remove the Three Oaths—sisters joining the Black Ajah—there is the Oath Rod in the White Tower to serve that purpose.

    Tags

  • 18

    Interview: Apr, 2003

    Budapest Q&A (Verbatim)

    Question

    Are gholam immortal?

    Robert Jordan

    No.

    Question

    Because they were in...a box?

    Robert Jordan

    Stasis box. A stasis box is an artifact of the Age of Legends, and is in effect an artificial vacuole. Time does not move inside a stasis box. It is a thing devised for storing things that are fragile or that might decay in some way.

    Question

    So the gholam can die by a natural death?

    Robert Jordan

    I don’t know if you’d call it a natural death, but yeah, they can decay. You saw what happened with Mat’s medallion—it just fell on the gholam’s cheek and branded it.

    Question

    But do they die of old age?

    Robert Jordan

    Yeah, they do, but they live a little longer than you’d like them to, let me tell you (laughter)—not as long as an Aes Sedai, but...not as long as an Aes Sedai that hasn’t sworn the Three Oaths, anyway...not as long as a strong Aes Sedai that hasn’t sworn the Three Oaths.

    Tags

  • 19

    Interview: Apr, 2003

    Budapest Q&A (Verbatim)

    Question

    Is it true that the Three Oaths is why Aes Sedai [mumble mumble] I thought it might be because, when you try to avoid the Three Oaths, you get a lot of dangerous situation [mumble mumble]...

    Robert Jordan

    No...now you have to be careful with this, because this is a kind of spoiler for people that haven’t read far enough, but the Oath Rod is what was in the Age of Legends called a binder. It was used on criminals. If you committed a violent act, or some sort of criminal act, with a binder, someone who could channel could be constrained from ever doing that again, and the result of having three of the Oaths, is the ageless appearance. One would not produce agelessness, but even one would shorten life, and three of them put a cap on Aes Sedai’s lives, on how long they could live.

    Question

    Does this mean that the Black Ajah has also at least three oaths sworn on the Oath Rod?

    Robert Jordan

    Yeah, they do. Just not the same ones.  [laughter]

    Question

    Of course. Does this imply that the Oath Rod is definitely not one of the Nine Rods of Dominion?

    Robert Jordan

    Oh yes, definitely. No. I don't think it was. No, the Oath Rods are not the Nine Rods of Dominion, no. There were a fair number of binders available around the world.

    Question

    Were they numbered?

    Robert Jordan

    Yes, they were numbered.

    Question

    Because we've seen two so far and they had numbers on them . . .

    Robert Jordan

    Yeah, they were numbered.

    Tags

  • 20

    Interview: Sep 3rd, 2005

    Question

    Quoting from Tamra in New Spring, "You will tell no one about this, not for any reason, if necessary lie, even to a sister, Gitara died without speaking, do you understand me?" How is it that Tamra can tell Moiraine and Siuan that Gitara died without speaking, when she knows full well that she did speak?

    Robert Jordan

    It's simple. It is part of her instructions. There are a lot, thousands of loop holes, about that thou will speak no word that is not true. This is part of her instructions, she is telling them what they are to say. She is not saying something she believes, and thus she was able to say it.

    Question

    I have a follow up to a question you just answered. Based on the Oaths, if a sister asked them, if they were instructed, as to what they have to say, would they be able to say it after taking the Oaths?

    Robert Jordan

    After taking the Oaths they would find it hard to say, even with instructions, they might not be able to say it at all, because they know it is a lie. That is the key you can't knowingly tell a lie.

    Tags

  • 21

    Interview: Sep 3rd, 2005

    Question

    Are the Aes Sedai ever going to try to use cuendillar to make it into armor? Since they can't make weapons, does that restriction extend to making armor?

    Robert Jordan

    Read and Find Out.

    Tags

  • 22

    Interview: Oct 21st, 2005

    Question

    One question was for a role-playing group, and they asked, "Would an Aes Sedai who has sworn the Three Oaths be able to link into a circle, but not lead it, that would be used to kill someone (not Shadowsworn or attacking)?"

    Robert Jordan

    He answered that no, an Aes Sedai wouldn't be able to join the circle or participate in any way with anything that was against the Oaths.

    Tags

  • 23

    Interview: Jan 20th, 2006

    Robert Jordan

    For Majsju, the oath against lying does leave room for sarcasm. It is intent and result that matter. No sister can intentionally speak an untruth either with the intent of passing on false information or with the belief that false information might be passed on. Thus the careful slicing and dicing of words. But if someone were to hold up a piece of white cloth and ask whether it was black or white, someone who had sworn the Three Oaths would be capable of saying that it was black as a matter of sarcasm. But not if, for example, the person asking the question was blind and thus might well take the statement for truth rather than sarcasm.

    Tags

  • 24

    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.

    Tags

  • 25

    Interview: Nov 11th, 2009

    Question

    Is Mesaana still in the Tower?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Egwene makes some deductions about this at the end of the book. Egwene is not incorrect.

    Question

    She could swear that she's not a Darkfriend on the Oath Rod, right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    As long as she believed it to be true. Every remaining Aes Sedai in the Tower has retaken the Three Oaths. You should be thinking about ways to defeat the Oath Rod. There is a way to do it.

    Tags

  • 26

    Interview: Dec 19th, 2009

    Question

    Moiraine words the Third Oath, "I vow that I will never use the One Power as a weapon except against Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme of defending my life or that of my Warder or another sister." (New Spring 11) This ...wording of the Oath is supported by the reswearing of the Oaths by Pevara and Seaine (The Path of Daggers 26), and the BWB (24), among other sources.

    Egwene words the Oath, "I vow that I will never use the One Power as a weapon except against Darkfriends and Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme of defending my life or that of my Warder or of another sister." (The Gathering Storm 43) The 'Darkfriend clause' is supported by Sheriam (The Great Hunt 23), Alanna (The Shadow Rising 31), Niall (The Dragon Reborn Prologue), Rand (The Fires of Heaven 2, 41), and also implications by Moiraine (New Srping 2) and the BWB (14).

    RAFO, or error? And, if error, which is the correct wording?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Brandon said he had to make sure he got the wording right for the oaths, so he went back and copied it word for word from the previous books. Maria was the one that changed it, saying RJ decided that Darkfriends should have always been included in the oaths.

    Tags

  • 27

    Interview: Jun 10th, 2010

    Luckers

    When were the Oaths implemented? Were they all done at the same time? If not, when were each put in place?

    Maria Simons

    From the BBoBA: "These oaths were not always required, but various events before and since the Breaking caused them to be necessary. The Second Oath was the first adopted after the War of the Shadow."

    And according to Sheriam, "Once, Aes Sedai were not required to swear oaths. It was known what Aes Sedai were and what they stood for, and there was no need for more. Many of us wish it were so still. But the Wheel turns, and the times change. That we swear these oaths, that we are known to be bound, allows the nations to deal with us without fearing that we will throw up our own power, the One Power, against them. Between the Trolloc Wars and the War of the Hundred Years we made these choices, and because of them the White Tower still stands, and we can still do what we can against the Shadow."

    So we have the Second Oath was adopted first, and the other two added between the Trolloc Wars and the War of a Hundred Years (if we believe Sheriam, anyway, and I can see no reason for a lie on this one).

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  • 28

    Interview: Jun 10th, 2010

    Luckers

    Was Egwene's one-eighty on the issue of the Oath Rod a natural change of mind, or was she influenced to it by Halima?

    Maria Simons

    That was Egwene, influenced by Siuan, doing her best to be the best Aes Sedai EVAR.

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  • 29

    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.

    Tags

  • 30

    Interview: 2012

    Twitter 2012 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Andrew Harrington (23 January 2012)

    How do the a'dam circumvent the Aes Sedai oaths to force them to channel against non-Shadow, i.e. Whitecloaks?

    Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2012)

    I don't think the a'dam can. However, if the Aes Sedai believes that the person is a Darkfriend, they can channel against them.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    So conditioning their mind right, can do it. (The oaths have a provision for Darkfriends, though some editions left this out.)

    Tags

  • 31

    Interview: Apr, 2012

    Luckers

    Are the negative effects of the Oath Rod cumulative? Like the diminished life...

    Brandon Sanderson

    As far as I know, no.

    Footnote

    RJ said it takes three to get the ageless look, so from that and the descriptions of the tightening of the skin, it seems that at least is cumulative.

    Tags

  • 32

    Interview: 2013

    Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)

    Kamarile Sedai (23 January 2013)

    Brandon, does the Oath Rod continue to be used in the Fourth Age? If so, for what purpose?

    Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)

    So far as I know, yes. And for the same purpose.

    Raj Iyer

    Do other groups start using the Rod too?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Do you think the Aes Sedai are likely to let others manhandle one of their ter'angreal?

    Kamarile Sedai

    Did men start to use the Oath Rod too, or did it continue to be only women?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No men. Neither group would like that. The Asha'man are NOT male Aes Sedai. RJ was clear about this in the notes.

    Keith Martin

    Will the White and Black Towers reunite to form one Aes Sedai again?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RJ was clear to me that the Asha'man were not Aes Sedai, and were not going to become them.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That said, a united male/female Aes Sedai will come again someday.

    Footnote

    Brandon is probably not referring to the 4th Age in his last tweet; more likely he's talking about the next turning of the Wheel.

    Tags

  • 33

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013

    Question

    What about Cadsuane being summoned to become Amyrlin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Cadsuane was going to give up the three Oaths, and go live forever. Cadsuane's fate was not my idea.

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  • 34

    Interview: Apr, 2013

    Question

    What are the three oaths which bind Darkfriends?

    Maria Simons

    1) I shall obey all commands given by those placed above me in service to the Great Lord. 2) I shall prepare for the day of the Great Lord's return. 3) I swear not to betray the Great Lord, to keep my secrets until the hour of my death. It should be noted that these were taken straight from Robert Jordan's notes, where he had added "May vary the wording a little."

    Footnote

    Verin says "You can double-cross other Darkfriends, you can turn against the Chosen if you can justify it." To justify turning against the Chosen, you could argue that a specific Chosen was not placed above you by the Great Lord himself.

    Tags