verything you wanted to know about Stasis but were afraid to ask
by charliec: 2004-04-05 | Not yet rated
In response to a point made by Davian93 in the stasis box thread...
I've been thinking about where our friendly neighbourhood Gholam came from- at some point in the past someone managed put a gholam in a stasis box, but who?
I think we can safely assume it was not one of the forsaken- they don't seem to know much about the box, and I get the impression that the Gholam was a surprise find. Besides, whoever filled the box didn't see fit to include any angreal/ter'angreal/sa'angreal... from which we could suspect that they might not even have been able to channel (they only put in objects of monetary value, aside from the Gholam).
Now think about the motives for using a stasis box... it is a device which somehow preserves objects from the normal flow of time, for one of three reasons-
a) to provide objects of interest for future generations
b) to 'send' useful objects forward for future use (much as the Aes Sedai of the AoL left the Horn of Valere and the Dragon banner in the eye of the world for Rand)
c) to store objects temporarily until the owner retuns for them... possibly through a time of crisis.
This box was undoubtedly filled by a darkfriend, who would not be interested in reason a. It's contents are mostly objects of luxury or convenience... the Gholam is an oddity, so it seems unlikely that the box was intended for the DO's future use.
This leaves option c, a darkfriend was trying to preserve some valuable objects through a time of crisis (it would be safer certainly to have the Gholam stored than to be found with it) which they hoped would be over soon enough for them to reap the benefits.
The obvious crisis is the breaking of the world, in which case the darkfriend in question could not be one of the forsaken (as they were imprisoned), and is unlikely to even have been a channeler (the dreadlords would probably have met rather sticky ends, and besides there are no power related objects). This leaves them as a 'normal' non-channeling darkfriend.
Implications of this theory-
1. The Gholam can be controlled by non-channelers. Perhaps as has been suggested by the use of some kind of talisman/item (although I doubt it as that smacks of power use... and we know that doesn't work... maybe there's some kind of a-dam type device which gives its user a link of some kind to the Gholam) or perhaps the Gholam is just programmed to obey certain people, or the first person it comes across...
2. The Stasis boxes are mechanical in nature, and can be used and activated without the use of the power.
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1
Tamyrlin: 2004-05-31
I disagree with your assessment. First of all, I think the Forsaken were and are very aware of what stasis boxes are, and my guess would be that Forsaken guarded their valuables in such things. For example, if you don't want your Gholam running around, until you have a mission, then put him in a stasis box from which he obviously can't leave until you want him to. So, I think it is much more likely that this stasis box belonged to one of the Forsaken (one of the many, weren't there something like 26), and that Gholam was forgotten after the war and sealing. By the way, the Gholam doesn't seem to follow any orders that don't come from a Forsaken, so I doubt a non channeler, no matter a mystery talisman, would have much luck with the Gholam. If there is a talisman that controls Gholam, it wouldn't be a very effective assasin.
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Grady: 2004-05-31
I have to agree with Tam here. If you had possession of something like a Gholam and you were a channeler, the best place to keep it at all times while not in use is a stasis box. Remember that the Forsaken who were sealed in the Bore weren't the only Chosen, they were just a gathering of the most powerful of the Forsaken who were caught off guard. Any of the Chosen who were left could have stuck it in the stasis box for future use. The idea of a talisman is kind of a stretch to me too.
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Dorindha: 2004-06-01
I agree with the other posts, but one element you seem to have forgotton is that there is more than one stasis box that has been found in the 3rd Age - Grendael (she only admitted to finding streith) and Sammael each found (at least) one, and possibly Moridin.
There could be many reasons, and I do think yours are correct, although additionally, a stasis box does seem a great place to keep a gholem. I do agree with Tam when he says about it being most likely forsaken used - I doubt a non-channeller could control a gholem.
I do sort of agree with your final point, that they can be used without the power, but I do believe they were operated by the power, but in such a way that didn't necessarily require active channelling to use.
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a dragonburned fool: 2004-06-01
Sorry, Charliec, I also agree with Tamyrlin here. Why do some Forsaken keep Power items in a stasis box, a Forsaken will need these Power things for to use them. Exactly a non-channeller will put Power items in stasis box for preventing them come into hands of hostile channeller and to be able to trade it to channellers in better times. You are not right saying there are no Forsaken to fill the stasis box: RJ himself said, that those 13 were not the only Forsaken DO possessed, there were just the only ones sealed. Another Forsaken were free and they fought some time, but without DO they lose. They could fill the stasis boxes.
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mat1489: 2004-06-01
I dont remember exact quote but Sammeal mentioned sumthin to Graendal about looking in the stasis box's for angreal which probably means they expected trouble and sealed them away for future use wich conflicts with you saying they didnt store power related items
6
Elder Haman: 2004-06-02
I don't if I believe it myself- but has anyone considered the possiblity that the Gholam was imprisoned in the stasis box by Aes Sedai (not Black Ajah). After all- what do you do with a creature that can't be killed by any means- physical or One Power related. Stick it in a stasis box and drop it in the Ocean seems like a good idea to me.
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Zaela Sedai: 2004-06-02
Thatis a very good point Elder Haman. So simple that noone has ever brought it up that I know of. Bravo! I know the quote of mention, but I can never for the life of me find it on search. It does seem that Sammael had obviously found a statis box, the same one that that female angreal ring that Graendal took came from. I would have to say that that would be the best way to take care of a gholam. Then Sammael got his hands on the box and let the gholam loose to do his bidding. But that whole argument does not need a new thread ;)
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Anubis: 2004-06-02
haman, the other items in the stasis box indicated that it was a darkfriend who was the original owner. (i believe there was a game in which the pieces were captured souls). and besides, how do you trick a gholam into a box?
9
Brendan Reborn: 2004-06-04
**and besides, how do you trick a gholam into a box? **
Materials:
Slice of Cheese
Stick
Stasis Box
String
How:
Hold the stasis box up with the stick, put the slice of cheese under the stasis box. When the gholam goes for the cheese, pull the string which you attached to the stick, letting the stasis box surround the gholam.
You can then charge admission to other people to see the famouse Gholam.
10
charliec: 2004-06-06
Righty ho, here I come to make a few comments-
*You're right, there were other forsaken after the sealing of the bore, who could have used Stasis Boxes... BUT I stand by my suggestion that this box was filled by a non-channeler (as Graendal's may have) for the simple reason that the Gholam is the only special item included in it... NO ter'angreal, sa'angreal, or plain old angreal. Not much of a stash for a dreadlord.
*Someone might have been using the Stasis Box as a cupboard for the Gholam maybe, but why keep the other stuff in there? Why leave one of your most effective weapons in cold storage while the enemy close in on you? I still think this would have been happening after the sealing of the bore, when the Shadow was on the run, and a Gholam would have been a very valuable weapon.
Besides why use a Stasis Box for it? All the Gholam needs to keep it occupied is some blood to drink occasionally, not much of a problem for an important darkfriend.
*Controlling the Gholam... someone said they doubted non-channelers could control it, but how exactly would a channeller? If channellers can control the Gholam, wouldn't it rather diminish their efficacy as anti-channeller weapons? I dislike the Talisman idea as well, it seems a little clumsy, but it is plausible and you'd just have to take extra special care of the Talisman (although your enemy might not know what they had if they found it). I prefer the idea of the Gholam being inherently loyal (or compelled to obey) certain people, or types of poeple...
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Anubis: 2004-06-08
.............. ITS A FRIGGIN GHOLAM!!!
do you really need anything else?? My god, its like getting a viper and complaining about the stearing wheel cover.
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oniDahL: 2004-06-08
just a stray thought about how gholam are controlled. the link to the dark one. maybe all shadowspawn can feel it and have to obey the forsaken
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a dragonburned fool: 2004-06-09
Yes, Charliec, putting so powerfull weapon as Gholam makes it not so possible that one who can conrtol the Gholam well did it. Btw, Graendal's ring angreal comes from Sammael's collection, i.e. maybe from the stasis box (if not from Ebou Dar, where Sammael had less chances). So there are possibly angreals inside. A channeller will not put angreals in a stasis box but will use them in hard times.
However the angreals are male and female, and Sammael doesn't have male angreal (Rand would notice if he had), so a male DF channeller could fill the stasis box.
And placing Gholam there is maybe because controlling Gholam was just not the best option of the one who filled the box. Maybe he needed some work to do for retaining control, and he had not the time and conditions to do it, when the box was filled.
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charliec: 2004-06-11
A note- clearly the Gholam doesn't automatically obey Forsaken, or there wouldn't have been the unpleasant incident which one of them had (Moggy I think)... if it is 'programmed' to obey some people, then it's not as simple as just obeying the forsaken...
15
minalth: 2004-08-17
Remember, if you were a forsaken or a high up dreadlord, you would be hoping that you would live forever, whether you were on the run or not. This would mean that as a gholam only lives for 600 years (one of the RJ interviews i think) you would want to keep it in a stasis box inbetween missions so as to keep it for as long as possible...
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Stilicho: 2004-08-18
Wild thought--maybe Taim was an unsealed FS from the AOL who was put into a stasis box! Come on people, we can have fun with this one!
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ReDragon: 2007-10-07
Title : A crown of swords
Chapter : Promises to keep
[quote]"There were only six gholam made?three male and three female; at least, that's what they look like. Apparently even the Forsaken were a little uneasy about them. Or maybe they just decided six was enough. Either way, we know one is in Ebou Dar, probably kept alive since the Breaking in a stasis-box. We don't know if any others were put into that box, but one is more than enough.[/quote]
Mat talking to the women with information from Birgitte from the AoL
Title : Lord of chaos
Chapter : To understand a message
[quote]"Only a stasis box. I suppose people tried to save what they could in the last days."[/quote]
This is Sam talking to Gra in Illian, we know that the box included - Glowbulbs, a music box, an exchanger, several works of artworks on the walls including "tempo of infinity", and a zara board.
Gra than wonders "What else had he found?"
Title : Lord of chaos
Chapter : To understand a message
[quote]I found one as well, but beyond streith, it contained the most appalling collection of useless rubbish.[/quote]
Same conversation but this is one that Gra found.
Title : Lord of chaos
Chapter : To understand a message
[quote]]"on the other hand," he went on "think how awful it would have been to open a (stasis) box and rouse a nest of cafar, say or a jumara, or one of Aginor's other little creations[/quote]
This is Sam talking to Gra the () is my addition
Title : Knife of dreams
Chapter : At the gardens
[quote]Somewhere he must have found a stasis box stuffed with the things. He had dozens, although he seldom brought them out.[/quote]
This is Aran'gar's thoughts on the zomara.
Title : Knife of dreams
Chapter : At the gardens
Aran'gar had found a pair of stasis-boxes herself, but filled with the most appalling rubbish for the most part.
Again Aran'gar's thought's to self.
Now this makes 5 statis boxes. Sam 1 Gra 1 Aran 2 and Mor 1. At least, assuming that the gholem came from a different box than the one that was full of Sam's goodies, this would make 6, and if only one gholem was in a box, {there may be 5 more with a gholem inside each} pure conjecture there.
Also the implication is that the stasis boxes have a large capacity, especially if dozens of zomara can fit into one.
So 5 boxes at least have been found that we know about. At least 2 maybe 3 filled by those who followed the DO (Sammaels and Moridins
