Date: 2011-12-17
Type: Verbatim
Location: Orem, UT
Reporter: Loialson
Okay, here’s the Q&A from Brandon’s signing I went to a couple hours ago. I edited out most ums and vocal stumbles and what not, but this is nearly a word-for-word transcription of the recording I made.
It’s quite long, so Wall Of Text Warning!
Question from guy in front of me (named Sean):
I had a question—feel free to RAFO this if you need to—but, will we find out what the Book of Translation is?
Send me an email.
I can PM you on Reddit.
Alright, PM me on Reddit…. That’s like, something I think that’s more appropriate for the Encyclopedia, personally; but I’ll see if I can make that work.
PMing Brandon on any site (Facebook, etc.) is usually not a good way to try to get in touch with him.
Hey Brandon, I got a bunch of questions from the Wheel of Time Re-read.
Okay! Alright! So Wetlander and people.
Yes…Are the impressive displays of power that Rand makes in Towers of Midnight (i.e., stopping the Trolloc army and having no concern over being able to leave the White Tower) a result of his integrated knowledge or his ta’veren nature?
Umm…Both, though, one thing you have to keep in mind, is…Rand, as a result of power level…Robert Jordan was specifically not using him very often because his power had grown so powerful even by the end of Knife of Dreams . I mean, you look at Knife of Dreams —if you go reread the fight in Knife of Dreams he is laying waste to nearly as many Trollocs as he has when he does the battle at the temple—which is not actually called that in the books—that’s the one with the Trollocs and things [referencing Rand’s big single-handed fight in Towers of Midnight ]. And so…yes, some of these things have changed, but he’s really powerful now.
Now, the thing about in the White Tower is something different. [Brandon smiles]
Someone needs to ask Brandon about that ‘temple’ thing.
Is the glow in Rand’s head that Nynaeve sees upon delving Rand linked to the nature of him being ta’veren , or because of the nature of him being the Dragon?
(laughs) I’m gonna RAFO that one.
In Towers of Midnight it was mentioned that Mesaana had traded Graendal an angreal in exchange for information. Did Mesaana put that information to use yet?
I believe that she…she did what she could with it. It wasn’t as useful to her as she had hoped it would be. I mean, I wanna give you more, because Mesaana’s basically out of the picture at this point….
Did Nynaeve inform Egwene that according to Rand, the Dark One can resurrect the soul of a Forsaken killed by any means other than balefire?
I honestly don’t know if she’s told her yet.
Can Rand still access the True Power through Moridin?
That’s a Read and Find Out. A big one.
Brandon has said that Rand can still sense it, but he is resisting using it. So the ‘big’ RAFO was for the idea that Rand channels the True Power via Moridin .
Can the True Power can be used against the Dark One?
That is a big RAFO.
Was Verin was correct when she said that the Portal Stones predate the Age of Legends?
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.
Aviendha told Rand in Lord of Chaos that ji’e’toh was who the Aiel were, at their core. Do the Aiel need to find some other purpose/faith besides ji’e’toh to avoid the calamitous future that Aviendha saw in the Way-forward ter’angreal ?
I would say that…a half yes. They don’t need to abandon ji’e’toh or find a new ji’e’toh but they may have to adapt ji’e’toh to certain other things….
In Lord of Chaos , Nynaeve and Elayne searched for something that would tie the Salidar Aes Sedai to Rand via Need in Tel’aran’rhiod .
Need led them to three things. First it led them to the White Tower, (where Elayne glimpsed Egwene briefly), then Need shifted Nynaeve and Elayne to a locked storeroom within the White Tower (they thought that was useless). After that, Need led them to the Bowl of the Winds. My questions are regarding the first two things Need brought them to.
On the first thing, was Need bringing them to Egwene?
I believe it was Egwene.
On the second thing, what was the item Need brought them to in that storeroom?
RAFO.
Was that something besides the Horn of Valere?
It could be.
[I felt that this question was grasping at straws here a bit from the impression I got from him, i.e. it’s not that important regarding what the item is, but that it will come into play. And it’s not the Horn of Valere in this case. I could be wrong, that’s just the vibe I got.]
Is the Dark One’s touch still on Fain?
Umm…yes, you don’t abandon it that easily, but, the other touch on Fain is far more dominant.
That would be Mordeth?
Yes.
Is Fain still a Darkfriend?
I don’t know if Fain counts as a Darkfriend anymore. I think Fain is his own faction.
How is Fain getting Trollocs and Myrddraal to follow him if he is not a Darkfriend?
He is using…other means…they aren’t following him because he is a Darkfriend. Certainly not [he smiles a bit here].
Is Mat still attached in any way to Fain’s dagger?
Read and Find out.
On Elaida—Did RJ leave notes about the rapid downward spiral that is Elaida’s personality? First she seems like a mean but competent Aes Sedai, then it all goes sideways with a taste of power happens and Elaida becomes an egomaniac. Did RJ and Brandon do this to give Seanchan knowledge of Traveling? Only a nutbar would do something with such huge ramifications to betray her sisters.
He left specific notes regarding Elaida and her downfall.
Can Rand consciously control his ta’veren pull to any degree? Specifically referencing to his meeting with Tuon to will her to submit to him, and when he threatened Cadsuane to will her dead.
He, um, believes that he can.
Still, even after the The Gathering Storm reintegration?
He has a more zen view on it now, but he still believes that he can have some influence.
Was the stone Aviendha slept near during Towers of Midnight a portal stone?
No. Nice try! That’s eliminating one theory, I’ll give you that one.
Was Aviendha in Tel’aran’rhiod or in a mirror/portal world when she met Nakomi?
RAFO.
Is Nakomi Jenn Aiel?
[laughs and grins] I should RAFO that shouldn’t I?
I’d appreciate it if you didn’t.
[laughs] I want Nakomi….We’re gonna RAFO that for now. Nakomi needs…there’s gotta be a few things I don’t answer. I’m so bad, I answer everything Robert Jordan put an answer [for, to?] [bunch of people laugh]. Track me down another time, after A Memory of Light is out.
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