cannoli-reader

[cannoli-reader]

All particularly notable omission in the next chapter when Rand's claim to have met Elayne is not believed.

Also, it shows how badly medicine is failing as a science in WoT. Elayne is a capable enough Healer to remove a severe contusion from Nynaeve's face. That means she can Heal small blood vessels and cleanse blood from interstitial tissues to reduce swelling. Anybody with medical knowledge want to explain how useful she could be in a surgical ward, especially given her aptitude and interest in medicine (and skill with sewing)? Her facility with Air could turn every surgery into a positive air pressure room, and that's only if she can't create a ward that keeps out bacteria.

TIDBITS AND FUN № 53

The Eye of the World

Chapter 40

 It is interesting that Elayne carries a veritable medical kit in her cloak but later turns out to be really lousy at Healing. Also, the scarf used as a bandage vanishes after this chapter and is never mentioned again.

[cannoli-reader]

Toy guns will not make your children violent.

Celebrating the successes or accomplishments of historical figures is not going to roll back your children's worldviews to a previous century.

Allowing students to pray in a group, in public, with the support or leadership of the adults, is not going to turn your kids into zealots, prudes or homophobes.

[cannoli-reader]

Will someone please explain to me how Brandon Sanderson has a reputation for worldbuilding? Because all the politics are a clown show in the last three books.

#wheel of time #brandon sanderson #sanderson critical

[cannoli-reader]

EXTREMIST MILITIA TAKES OVER RURAL COMMUNITY, EXPELLS "FOREIGN" RELIGIOUS GROUPS

Borderlander Proxy Conflict? House Chiendelna military advisor out, House Bashere political advisor now in highest councils of regional leadership

One family's tragic story inside: "We cannot stay in a land where our grandson was radicalized by a charismatic militant leader and led astray from our faith"

Op Ed: Could sexist conservativism be motive for rejecting national government right as power changes hands?

Letter to the editor: Why do 'simple farmers' need such high-velocity, long-range, weapons with such a rapid rate of fire? - From a concerned mother.

IS MAZRIM TAIM A DARKFRIEND???? OR JUST A POWER HUNGRY NARCISSIST?

[cannoli-reader]

"Not today, Shai'tan" with the symbol of the half of the forces of the Light who were not the ones to stop Shai'tan, the last two times. The Flame of Tar Valon is the symbol of the janitors at the after-party when the Dragon defeats the Dark One.

Seriously, just about anything would be better. The unified symbol, the Dragon, the Dragon's Fang, the Golden Crane, the heron mark, the Aiel buckler and spears, the Leaf, the Horn of Valere, the sunburst of the Children of the Light, hell, even the ravens of Seanchan! The Flame of Tar Valon is the symbol under whose watch the Dark One came closest to winning. Under its protection the most powerful group of his followers, south of Shayol Ghul was nurtured and concealed from the scrutiny of the general public for 2000 years.

It's a very nice tapestry, though.

Custom woven blankets made by u/Equivalent_Pay901

[cannoli-reader]

Wouldn't Finrod have come back with the hosts of the West in the War of Wrath? We know he came back to life right away in Valinor. I figured at the very least, he and dad would take advantage of the opportunity to help out the place/people that included Artanis, their only daughter/baby sister, and maybe check on her.

I like to imagine that when Sauron is asking for mercy of Eonwe, he's in the camp of the army of Valinor and at one point, he encounters Finrod all glorified and powered-up a la Gandalf the White, and resplendent in the best Noldorin armor straight from the master forges in Tirion, set with all his favorite jewels that he didn't manage to haul to Middle Earth the first time, and Finrod's all "'Sup, bitch? Remember me?"

This might either explain the willingness of Sauron to plead for mercy, or his hesitation to return to Valinor for the judgment of the Valar.

Like, when do you think Sauron found out this elf that died in his dungeons was Finrod? None of Finrod's company ever gave up his identity, so he definitely had no idea at first. After Beren and Luthien succeded, his death would become common knowledge among the elves since there's no way Beren would keep his glorious sacrifice secret, but I'm not sure if these news ever reached Angband, I mean, it's not like Morgoth could sent his orcs to disguise themselves as elves and spy on them, so they probably didn't know a lot of what was talked about in elves cities, especially since it kind of wasn't important for the war anyway.

So imagen how hilarious it would be if Sauron never hears of this through the entire first age and then one day in Eregion Tyelpe is being all sad, so Annatar acts all sympathic and concerned which he only does because he needs Celebrimbor to trust him, of course he doesn't care how he feels and he especially isn't concerned and Celebrimbor is just like "uncle Finrod died today" and Annatar's like "yeah, that makes sense, by the way how did he die I think I never heard the specifics" and Celebrimbor just says "he got killed by Sauron after sacrificing himself for Beren, how did you never hear about this" and Annatar's just like "he WHAT!?"

[cannoli-reader]

He doesn't hate rich people, he hates nobles. There is a difference, and one that Mat is aware of, showing as much at the racetrack, in aCoS. He notes how merchants who might actually be wealthier than some nobles, and even creditors to certain aristocrats, still have to defer to them in public, which is a clue to his problem with nobles.

Mat has never had a problem with wealth, just with people who act like wealth makes them better, just as he has a problem with nobles assuming they are inherently better than other people. His first act against any particular people, was to prank the Children of the Light, because of the attitude he ascribed to them. This probably also informs his attitude toward channelers and the Power to a degree as well.

I welcome any quotes to prove he hates fancy things. The closest you get is his attitude toward Rand's clothing in tGH, but that was just a synecdoche for Rand's perceived (and briefly affected) superior attitude. Later, in the Tarasin Palace, where he definitely did not want to move, he takes a moment to appreciate the nice furnishings and fixtures and is even disappointed that the chamber pot is strictly practical, instead of being gilded. If Mat expresses a disdain for any trapping of wealth or luxury, the context will almost certainly be as a symbol for what the owner does with it.

For example, we know that Mat likes horses, but he has zero empathy for the Murandians who attempt to punish Olver for messing with theirs. Mat is all about priorities. You want to cruise around town in a solid gold carriage, that's fine with Mat, as long as you don't think that carriage makes you better than the next guy, or that you aren't so into your carriage that you'll use violence to keep people from splashing mud on it. Nor will it stop him from commenting on the practical idiocy of such a thing.

The key thing about Mat is, like his fellow ta'veren (which is probably not an accident), he has a good sense of what is important, and his priorities are in the right place.

Mat is really funny because he’ll be like “I hate rich people and I hate fancy things.” While wearing the fanciest frilliest outfit money could buy and drinking the most expensive wine on the continent. He has Taste. Style. He’s an Icon.

#mat cauthon #wheel of time

[cannoli-reader]

Wow. How wrong can you get?

There is clearly only one correct interpretation.

I am happy to provide it , on any given topic, upon request.

You're welcome, world.

Some thoughts:

The Wheel of Time is a piece of literature and it’s okay for people to interpret things in different ways or have the text resonant differently for you than another fan. And that even if you find some interpretations/ships/character arcs that people are interested in distasteful, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are right and the other person is wrong, and vice versa.

Sure, some opinions might be based more in canon than others, but RJ was an author that was deliberate in leaving room for ambiguity, misunderstanding, and critique in his characters, relationships, plots, and cultures. He also was creating a framework of the world in WoT that might have not completely reflected his own beliefs but rather an attempt to create an interesting world and power system. Canon should of course be the stable foundation of any fandom and it’s important to remember what is canon and what is not. But is also important to remember that canon can be interpreted or critiqued in many different ways.

If someone is not actively taking a bad faith approach to the text (ex: blatantly misogynistic takes on Egwene, Elayne), I feel like we have to allow multiple interpretations of the text because two contradictory views can be true at once, especially in a work as complex as the WoT.

Some examples:

- RJ’s tendency to pair women characters up with a heterosexual partner by the end of the series can be critiqued for being misogynistic. However you could argue that he was trying to fit the theme of balance between genders. You can also find a particular ship out of these pairings interesting and want to explore it more through analysis or fic. ALL three of these things can be true. You can also not agree with some or any or all of these points without completely invalidating that other fans see it this way.

- Some fans find polyamory representation they relate to in Rand having three girlfriends/wives. Other fans critique it as a misogynistic trope. Both interpretations can be valid.

- Similarly, in different wot fandom spheres Elayne and her relationships are seen different ways. Some fans insist she’s straight, some that she’s bisexual, and others that she is a lesbian who experienced compulsory heterosexuality in her relationship with Rand. These fans all have their own reasons (namely, in order: her only canon relationship is with Rand; her first sister bond and relationship with Aviendha can be interpreted as romantic in addition to her relationship with Rand; and some find the difference in chapters/care/detail that RJ gave Elayne and Avi’s relationship compared to hers with Rand to be a compelling argument for comphet). The text and a healthy fandom allows for all of these interpretations, even if you may personally disagree with some of them.

In short, consensus in fandom is great, but allowing for differing opinions and healthy dissent is better, especially with a text as rich as the Wheel of Time.

[cannoli-reader]

What's the one where the girl is all pissy about how great the guy's girlfriend is, and tries to spin the fact that the girlfriend actually puts in some effort, as a negative quality?

What I know about Taylor Swift is her current dating status and ongoing efforts to deprive someone of songwriting royalties, and a couple of songs my brother sang while we were doing some winterizing stuff on the roof years ago, and I couldn't get away from it. He still tells the story of my reactions to people like our niece who is insane about Swift.

Anyway, I remember the one song is about this female equivalent of the Nice Guy, who thinks she is entitled to relationship rewards for being nice to a guy, while seething with resentment that the guy like an attractive girl who dresses up and gets involved, while our "heroine" is sulking on the sidelines in casual clothes. The lines I remember are "she's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers" and "she wears high heels, I wear sneakers". Like, step off, bitch. It doesn't make you more deserving. I've got no idea whom this song could apply to. Maybe Lanfear, except she would have flipped it around, because she's the ideal girlfriend on paper. And also, the minute she suspected he preferred someone to her, she'd kill her, so ...

I guess it would go with Elayne in the Stone before the events of tSR, except, again, she's one the "relatable" girls would be jealous of. Aviendha would totally be singing this song, "she wears slippers, I wear work boots" about Elayne, at Rand, but with the exact opposite intention as the narrator in the song.

Oh, there is also the one about the girl who thinks she is Juliet in the infamously eponymous Shakespeare play, not understanding that we are intended to see her and Romeo as fucking morons who literally cannot keep it in their pants for a week, but start a murder-suicide cult as soon as they found out what each one looked like under their party masks. Again, I only know a few words, which include the admonition "Marry me, Juliet".

So beyond that, I got nothing.

Wot Characters and the Taylor Swift song I most associate with them and their favorite Era!(excluding Debut and Tortured Poets Department)

Rand: You’re on Your Own Kid, when asked he consistently says Speak Now

Mat: Cruel Summer, he insists he’s only really listened to Reputation-this is a lie- Midnights is his favorite album

Perrin: Paper Rings, the Lover Album is by and large his favorite- however Fearless is a close second- he just thinks the songs are pretty

Egwene: Wildest Dreams, she’s a Reputation girly first and foremost

Nynaeve: Treacherous, Folklore zero elaboration needed

Elayne: Mastermind, 1989 is her favorite album by far

Min: You Belong With Me, she’s a Red girly and was the one who got Mat to listen to Taylor’s entire discography

Avienda: Red, Avienda isn’t very familiar with all the eras but after Elayne showed her all the albums she picked Evermore

Faile: Stay Stay Stay, just like Egwene she’s a Reputation girly(secretly her favorite is Lover)

Tuon: You’re In Love, Tuon claims to not have any preference but catch her listening to Folklore on repeat

Morraine: The Lucky One, Evermore without a doubt

Siuan: Lavender Haze, she’s a fan of the classics and loves Fearless

Lan: I Know Places, his favorite album is folklore because it’s Nynaeve’s

Thom: Exile, he appreciates the storytelling of Folklore

Brynn: Epiphany, he does not know the names of the albums but he liked most of the songs on Red

Gawyn: Anti-Hero, he insists he doesn’t like Taylor Swift but the answer is 1989

Galad: Karma, without hesitation he says Midnights

Berelain: Slut!, this is a woman who listens to Red, A Lot

[cannoli-reader]

Excellent.

The thing is, I am pretty sure the Aiel mission was just a pretext to get them to engage in some self-preservation. The Aes Sedai have clearly foreseen their necessity in bringing about the Dragon's Rebirth, which feels like the kind of thing you'd mess up by telling them, and it seems pretty clear that the Aiel will not act solely to preserve themselves, without a clear purpose. But in WoT, you are supposed to tell the truth and the Aes Sedai lie instead makes the Aiel obsessive about their mission. I don't think her line warning them to keep the Way of the Leaf had much impact, it was more personal for the PoV guy (Jonai, I think?) , and the point was that he found her admonition bewildering, because in his mind, you can't separate them. The really damaging thing was telling them to find a safe place for the objects of the Power they gave them, which, with the Aiel zealotry, caused them to fixate on the objects over and above what is, or should be, most valued, the people themselves. How many sacrifices were made that cost lives, in prioritizing their cargo? How much necessities were left behind to keep as much wagon space for the various __greal? How much did lugging all those wagons slow them down, when they might have moved faster if their priority was human lives and the things that would keep them alive?

You can always hypothesize that some specific Foretelling or other is guiding their choices, but WoT is also pretty clear that those things don't necessarily work out like you'd expect. Jordan has stated that the Eye of the World was not intended to be used as Rand did. This doesn't diminish the sacrifices made to bring it into being and set its protection up, because Someshta seems pretty clear that it was by their choices, and for something they believed was necessary, even if incorrectly, but whatever they had in mind when setting him up as the guardian of those objects, seems not to have been what came to pass.

And with the Aiel, their well-intentioned lie butterflied into a whole lot of crazy choices driven by fanatical belief in a mission they did not know the truth of. Maybe if they knew why they were supposed to keep the Way, if it actually was important, and not just Solinda expressing a personal wish, things might have worked out better for them. Or maybe not. The fate of the Jenn Aiel suggests they weren't actually fulfilling their purpose in the big picture, and might just have been too damn stubborn to abandon their course of action and integrate more with the fighters. They spent their waning years stubbornly building a city they would never finish, that they knew would never be used, since no one could get to it, and which, it turns out, there was no real purpose for in the long run. Rhuidean was important because of the tree and the objects of the Power, not the structures. Its future importance will have a lot to do with the water sources, which means if it has some great destiny as the capital of the Aiel or something, the buildings were unnecessary, because people would have come there anyway.

When you get right down to it, the Jenn became a McGuffin. They turned into the focus of the warrior Aiel, the thing they were committed to protecting and seeing to a place of safety, just as the Jenn were to the __greal and chora cuttings. And the group that was dedicated to protecting human lives is the one the Pattern preserved, while the group whose entire focus seems to have been material objects passed into oblivion. That's the irony of their fanaticism, that they lost track of the positive aspect of the Way of the Leaf - its respect for life. Ultimately, the warrior Aiel developed a greater resect for human life, by embracing the need to take it.

Basically the two ideas - the Way of the Leaf, and the Aiel mission to find a place of safety for the relics of their old civilization - synthesized in an unhealthy way. The acceptance of whatever comes, especially with regard to death, taught by the Way led to accepting that their lives were not as important as the Way, and then not as important as their mission. Because it's easier to sacrifice for something tangible than for an abstraction. So even if they were still thinking in terms of the tenets of the Way when the split began, by the time a couple generations have passed, they have, at least according to an apostate (who is the narrative's only window to what the Jenn are up to, and thus has a certain degree of credibility), begun to focus on the things they are carrying. Or maybe that is the result of the warrior Aiel's protection giving them the breathing space to contemplate their purpose and philosophize about it some more. The warrior Aiel would also have provided a release valve for the skeptical and the malcontents, allowing them to join the protectors without having to completely turn away from their people and customs, so the Jenn became insulated in their bubble.

And to a certain extent, the warrior Aiel are the ones who rejected this fanaticism and said "No, people are more important, life is more important, and if defending them requires killing then I will pay the price."

Oh, and for the record, my perception of the Aiel in the Age of Legends is that, based on what they say about the Way of the Leaf requiring them to offer hospitality to everyone, in the AoL, they were seeking to serve everyone. In a post-scarcity utopia, there would not have been a need for them to freely offer food, shelter & medical care to travelers they encountered, and given the AoL values of service, I would say that the Aiel belief system was one of self-abnegation and total acceptance of fate, all for the purpose of serving others, or humanity as a whole. What did it mean to be dedicated to peace, as the name Da'shain asserts, in a world without war? I think it means they were AT peace, they were not going around trying to do great works and build wonders, they were at peace with being the helpers, the subordinates, those "who only stand and wait" in the words of Milton. Perhaps they chose this lifestyle in reaction to the hubris that had to have come into play in the AoL culture near the end (I am assuming hubris was a significant thing, because that's the whole narrative point of the sort of fall represented in the collapse of their civilization).

Anyway, I would say they chose to serve, by attaching themselves to the Aes Sedai, the Servants of All. And the Old Tongue was the every day speech of those people. They were not addressing their leaders as Lews Sedai or Mierin Sedai, but as Servant Lews and Servant Mierin. They did not think of the Aes Sedai as a name, but as the Servants of All. They served the Servants, the crowning act of humility. Or maybe the Aes Sedai appropriated their service to keep them from being exploited by others. But having a subordinate ethnic servant caste doesn't really fit with what else we know of the AoL, even stipulating the rot that had set in by the times we see in the last of the Wayback vignettes.

do you ever think about Solinda saying, "Keep the Covenant, Jonai. If the Da'shain lose everything else, see they keep the Way of the Leaf. Promise me" and just lose your goddamned mind over it

because every future clan chief and every wise one apprentice who enters the glass columns looks at the past through the eyes of their ancestors, they all understand that Aiel once followed the Way of the Leaf

but only Jonai is the one who is given these last and final instructions by Solinda

"If the Da'shain lose everything else, see they keep the Way of the Leaf."

in the end, only Rand knows that even Tuatha'an are more truly Aiel than Aiel themselves

[cannoli-reader]

Another aspect to the "it's not actually Elaida's fault" issue, is the garbage in Tar Valon. Egwene makes a big deal about this, citing it as a failure of the Amyrlin's duty to maintain the city. Amazingly she keeps on harping this position well after she herself has destroyed the harbors of a port city (if Elaida is failing to change the baby's diaper, Egwene is starving it by putting cuendillar duct tape over its mouth). ANYWAY, we see in Elaida's PoV that she is actively trying to do something about the garbage, but the citizens themselves are refusing to comply with the ordinances and orders. If this is some sort of mass protest against Elaida, it's a very odd and self-destructive way to go about it. Aside from opposition to an aspiring ruler, the only other manifestation in WoT of mass negative behavior seen in the population of a large city, is the effect of a Forsaken secretly exercising authority in the city. We see the Andorans becoming scheming and paranoid in Caemlyn under Rahvin, the Illianers being violent and angry under Sammael and the Tairens exhibiting despair and malaise under Be'lal. And now, the Tar Valoners have given up on maintaining order and hygiene under Mesaana. It's rather fitting, too, when you consider what she was known for, setting up schools where she taught children to reject and discard civilized values.

Yet another thing Elaida is wrongly blamed for.

A detail about Elaida (Spoilers)

I was rereading the Egwene (EGQUEEN) parts in books 11/12 yesterday when I was struck again with how drastic Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan’s descent into monomaniacal tyranny is. I was frustrated with how wildly internally-inconsistent she seemed.

Anyways. I did some research and it turns out that Robert Jordan accounted for this. Tucked away in one sentence about the white-cloaks, there’s this little detail I missed in Lord of Chaos. “Unlikely Niall would have ever supported al'Thor any more than Elaida would have, but it was best not to take too much for granted with Rand bloody al'Thor. Well, he had brushed them both with what he carried from Aridhol; they might possibly trust their own mothers, but never al'Thor now.” , - Padan Fain LoC; ch28 Letters. ELAIDA ONLY GOES NUTS BECAUSE OF FAIN AND THE DAGGER! HOLY SHIT! HOW DID I MISS THAT?!  FAIN CORRUPTS ELAIDA WITH WHAT DESTROYED SHADAR LOGATH!  This also makes her ending even more tragic. Poor Elaida.

[cannoli-reader]

4. Tyrannosaur arms were about 3' long. They'd be the best, because you would not need to size up the Dracon beams or other tech very much for them. Yes, on the scale of that size, they aren't super useful weapons, but snakes, crocodilians and wolves, among other creatures, do just fine without combat-capable forelimbs.

And dinosaurs aren't that big, you could do pretty well with a Pool ship or Nova-class. The Jurassic movies (both part 2s) utilize standard human cargo ships to get dinosaurs from the island to the mainland.

6. I don't see how smaller dinosaurs are much of an upgrade over Hork-Bajir. Those are basically raptors with blades all over, not just the feet, plus opposable thumbs and brachiating ability.

I am now thinking more about the Jurassic Park/World - Animorphs crossover AU (Dinomorphs?). It has stuck in my head like a bad song and I can't get it out.

InGen and any of the other companies involved with making the dinosaurs would be taken over by the Yeerks almost as soon as the Yeerks arrive. These companies have biological engineering capabilities approaching the level of the Arn, but on a much better planet. The Yeerks would be salivating over that.

Following on from this: Hybrid dinosaurs like the Indo-series Rex and Raptor or the Stegoceratops from the video games are probably Yeerk projects. The Yeerks are looking for ways to create more shock troops to unleash on the Andalites.

Similarly, we could expect to see even more interesting hybrids involving alien DNA. Velocihorks and Pterotaxxons and Geddosaurs. I imagine most of these hybrid projects would be failures that illustrate the depravity and utter inhumanity of the Yeerks, like the failed Aquatic Hork-Bajir project.

Dinosaur-controllers, mostly with medium-sized dinosaurs that can function as guards or shock-troops but aren't too big to fit inside of Yeerk ships. As much as Visser Three would love to have Tyrannosaur-Controllers on the payroll, they're just too big and their arms too tiny to be useful to the Empire on a day to day basis. (I imagine this is the same reason the Yeerks can't deploy the giant monsters on the Hork-Bajir homeworld to other planets - their spaceships just can't hold the critters, there's not enough room.)

Visser Three, of course, would have all the big dinosaur morphs. He can bypass the "too big to fit" limitation thanks to Alloran's morphing ability.

Because the Yeerks have to use smaller dinosaurs in their ships and Yeerk Pools, the Animorphs could still use their regular battle morphs (or in Ax's case, his normal Andalite body) for a lot of the fighting, if they aren't able to acquire dinosaurs themselves. And if Visser Three turns into something too big for them to handle, they can do what they usually do and run.

If the dinosaurs have escaped into the wild before the Animorphs get into the war, then smaller dinosaur morphs could be acquired at Cassie's barn.

Following on from the last point - if Cassie has any mid-size theropods at the Barn, or if there are any at The Gardens, then Tobias definitely gets stuck as one of those instead of a hawk.

How would the chimeric DNA of the dinosaurs affect morphing allergies? What if Rachel burps up a Baryonyx or an Ankylosaurus because it has the part of the crocodile DNA that she's allergic to in it? Is this how we find out Jake is allergic to Tree Frog DNA?

Toby and the Free Hork-Bajir adopt a dinosaur early on. I don't know what kind yet.

[cannoli-reader]

Oh.

My.

Light.

He... he thinks that the version of Mat that appears on page is the good version?

TIDBITS AND FUN № 47

XENOKAOS

Do you have any regrets about the Wheel of Time?

BRANDON SANDERSON

I do wish I’d managed to either get it all into one book, or managed the split between The Gathering Storm/Towers of Midnight better. Also, I might have tried to work Fain in more if I’d had more time. Also, there are some little continuity errors here and there that I wish I would have caught.

It’s hard to say. For example, would I have written Mat differently in The Gathering Storm if I’d had the time? Perhaps. But it was writing Mat the way I did that helped me understand him, so perhaps not. There are mistakes in the books I did, as there are in all the books I’ve done, but I’m not sure if the right thing to do is change them. Otherwise, we get into a Lucas-style revision-fest.

#also Disney has elevated Lucas's “revisions” #to among the best Star Wars content by default

[cannoli-reader]

Nah, one open and honest conversation between them about women would have put an end to all of this rather hilarious stuff. Look at LoC, where Rand goes on a late night tirade about women, among other things, to Mat, and then Mat gets a close-up look at Rand (not) dealing with his feelings for Aviendha, while sending Mat on a mission concerning Elayne, and sees Rand (not) dealing with his feelings there, too. So when he gets to Salidar, and Thom speculates about women he says Perrin knows about women, and he used to think Rand did, but not anymore. In the prior book, he was attributing the drama with Aviendha to an OoC misstep by Certified Women Expert Rand, but halfway through LoC, he's all, "Nope, Rand's an idiot." One more such conversation, but with Perrin, would shatter the rest of his illusion, and similar frankness on his part to either or both of them would shatter theirs of him.

The whole woman issue is what it is precisely because they never talk about women.

Warmup of a humming boy. I’ll get the hang of the this painting thing just yet #wheeloftime #rand #lewstherininthebackthere

[cannoli-reader]

How is Lothor an indicator of the Brunes' alignment, much less the rest of Crackclaw? He has no relationship with them, they don't acknowledge him as one of them, and IIRC, he is rather bitter about that. Also, we know how he came to serve at the Blackwater, he was working for Littlefinger. I think that's even how he was identified when he was rewarded for defeating various Fossoways, as a free rider in service to Baelish. Littlefinger's thing, to my mind, seems to be recruiting or coopting talented people who are balked by the aristocratic structure, exploiting their marginalization under The Rules, to get them to help him in ways that fly against Westeros' expectations of servile obedience to the crown, and devoted service to one's noble patron, in exchange for basic protection and the occasional crumbs or a reward. That's what he means when he tells Sansa he has lots of friends at court, who don't wear his sigil - that he does not rely on the traditional forms of loyalty, but rather gains their support by making it worth their while. It's how he is able to get away with his financial shenanigans by getting people who are beholden entirely to him appointments in what we might call the Treasury or Exchequer.

Lothor Brune's backstory fits with this, IMO, when as a warrior theoretically related to a minor noble house, his expectations of the traditional reciprocal feudal loyalties are thwarted. Since he lacked the cred of a noble Brune, and had to learn to fight "the hard way", Petyr's service would have been one of the rare ways he could rise to be in a position to gain a knighthood. This might explain why, given his favorable perception in Sansa's eyes and general portrayal as a decent sort (as well as the gay pun), he is willing to commit murder for Littlefinger.

tl;dr, What we know of Brune & Baelish only tells us that their relationship is based on mutual profit & benefit, and completely unrelated to whatever allegiances "his" people might have.

That being said, since most of the continental crownlands seem to have backed Joffrey, while the island and sea-oriented crownland lords went with Stannis, the supposition is probably right. Brune is just the wrong tool to demonstrate it.

Hello, I have a question regarding Brienne IV, AFFC:

“He agreed. "Brune's too old to go climbing wallwalks, and his sons and grandsons went off to the wars. No one left in there but wenches, and a snot-nosed babe or three."

It was on her lips to ask her guide which king Lord Brune had espoused, but it made no matter any longer. Brune's sons were gone; some might not be coming back.”

Based off this brief passage, who do you think the Lords of Crackclaw Point likely supported during the War of the Five Kings?

Lothor Brune was knighted for his service during the Blackwater, so probably very tepid support for Joffrey.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[cannoli-reader]

Like what?

I have always attempted to write theories an whatnot in a dispassionate fashion, in other words, a complete absence of style.

Great discussion of ji'e'toh.

#Robert Burns had no idea

[cannoli-reader]

Egwene a few books later:

"You are a shepherd! How dare you act like you are more than a small town farmboy!"

Egwene at the start of the series

#DoneWithThisPoorProvincialLife XD