#Emond Valda

[asha-mage]

I feel like I am going to be having random WoT Finale thoughts for the next six months, but one I especially want to hit up now:

The actual logistics of the Whitecloak attack on Falme, from the military tactics to the geo politics of it all are so perfectly on point that it's like something Jordan would have written himself.

In the books the Whitecloaks are on Tomon Head for unrelated reasons to the Seanchan (ones that would be hard to establish properly in a tv format where we don't have the time to follow Bornhold Sr for six odd scenes), so the show runners shifted it so that they are explicitly answering a call for aid from a foreign throne. The Whitecloaks are a autonomous military body beholden to no nation that operates with pseudo-legality in most places that are not under their influence, and the idea of expanding that influence to another nation is far to tempting to resist, especially when no other power is answering the Falme's call for aid, including the White Tower, who are the Whitecloak's primary rival. On principles it seems like they are stepping up to help a victimized nation that the 'witches' have abandoned, or even orchestrated the fall of.

And then on a practical level, the actual tactics they employ are fiendishly clever. Using incense burners to create a fog to hide their approach and blunt the effectiveness of the enemy channelers (who need to be able to see something to target their weaves). This also makes sense on a world building level- the Whitecloaks probably have a dozen tactics in their back pockets to deal with an outright war against the Aes Sedai if it ever breaks out. Then once the Whitecloaks close up to the walls, they send in their cavalry first, to overwhelm enemy defenses before they can get the gates shut, then send in the infantry to secure and pacify the remaining resistance not taken out by the shock charge. At this point the Seanchan have to focus their fighting to the streets of Falme, and the best way to do that is to gather their damane on the nearby tower and rain down artillery fire in an attempt to break the Whitecloaks into retreat- a brutal strategy likely to result in the deaths of their own troops and civilians, but necessary if they are going to have any hope of holding the city.

And then is where things get INSANE. See, conventional medieval military wisdom dictates that in a situation where the gates are breached already siege engines have no use. Their too clumsy, taking to much time to aim and fire to be much use in a melee brawl like this. Siege engines are useful for breaking fortifications, toppling walls, etc, so if used offensively almost always come out first. That means that no one is expecting them to roll out of that fog and hurl stones at the damane's position. In one strike Bornhold Senior decapitates the enemy's primary advantage over him and tilts the battle in his favor. (And even if the damane had managed to counter the strike, they would be weakened significantly, having to focus on blocking further attacks and counter attacking the siege engines- not easy with the fog- instead of keeping the fighting in the streets under control).

This might be one of those things that only I care about, but good employment of medieval military tactics combined with magical fantasy elements always makes me go

#WoT #Wheel of Time #WoT On Prime #Wheel of Time on Prime #Geofram Bornhald #Dain Bornhold #WoT s2 e8 #Emond Valda #This is the kind of shit Jordan would have done and it makes me go BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR #Geofram Bornhold out here gunning for Great Captain status #Seanchan #Wot Musing #Wot Meta #Wheel of Time meta #Children of the Light #Whitecloaks

[444names]

american, swedish and tolkienesque forenames + theological angels and demons

(experimental: length of names limited to maximum of 6 letters)

Adien Adkir Adony Aell Agie Agol Agor Ahie Aland Alarl Alas Alat Alava Albez Aldwae Aldway Aleril Alia Alin Aline Alius Ally Alto Amene Amil Amildë Aming Ana Ance Andi Andola Andong Ang Annes Anoc Apoc Aprin Ara Arah Araph Arcel Arick Arist Arjos Armel Arris Arth Arver Asmus Audvid Auri Azou Badrie Bahta Bakil Bald Baraim Barch Barim Bart Belie Belina Beron Bery Borony Brac Brana Bras Brax Bres Bron Brotte Cala Calawn Calite Campur Cara Card Cata Charm Chas Chedri Ciri Clah Clason Clauri Clim Cola Colie Coline Colly Corah Coree Cothus Crac Croch Cubi Culor Curtz Curut Cusha Dandar Dart Deah Dealto Delin Dell Demmie Denbus Deremy Dini Diraik Dolor Dona Drie Dui Déota Ebah Ebol Eddiel Edim Eirë Elevin Eley Eliam Elica Elicia Elio Elma Elmold Elron Emion Emod Emolas Emond Endama Ene Erant Erion Erman Erna Erry Esil Este Esth Euge Eune Eusie Evin Eärene Eärt Far Farry Faur Fela Felda Fer Filmae Finard Findor Fingo Flach Flaur Fold Fora Framog Franc Fregon Fremy Fren Frenny Fril Fuil Fília Gabno Gador Galick Gama Gamael Gamel Gamiah Gamie Gamra Ganeil Gant Gardia Gelie Geor Gil Gine Glas Glorin Gold Gomor Gonia Gor Gorla Gracey Grie Guadan Guelie Guson Guste Haas Hab Halie Hally Hamer Haminy Han Hany Hary Haug Hell Hellie Herego Heren Heris Heryl Hewil Hiel Hil Hirk Hiry Hugle Hyari Hámo Húrina Iandia Ingold Irya Isa Isida Ista Isth Istif Ivriel Jach Jalas Jamiah Jamina Janise Janita Janto Jarest Jeank Jeata Jefine Jerth Jese Jessak Jikton Jili Johtam Joryl Joseir Josion Juldë Junír Karesa Karie Keenet Kella Kelm Kenrim Kevian Khardi Khâl Kiene Kinia Klia Klil Kris Krob Kryl Ladûn Lanie Lecton Lennia Leodo Leos Lepal Lestë Lette Levad Liah Linne Llyne Loin Lokel Lomody Lor Lorin Loth Lovery Luce Luchus Lumbur Luzu Lúthin Maci Mader Maed Mael Manne Mannyë Mard Maron Marve Maryas Maus Maynne Meel Mels Menex Mephir Mictha Miel Mil Milie Milla Min Mine Miny Minya Minyë Molie Nanákh Nargie Narvey Nie Niel Niston Nita Nolë Nor Nordan Norenn Nárick Níni Nólime Nómin Olil Olis Ond Orgim Origne Oriney Ornel Ornen Oshad Palph Pamir Pamy Pate Pattia Peand Pedha Peld Pendë Pene Periel Phie Phiel Phimor Phir Phis Phuori Pithe Poce Prinan Rancy Randin Rasta Razôn Redhas Riche Rogo Ronien Ronon Ros Rosey Ríana Rúth Sabrio Sach Saendi Sale Samen Saraci Scolim Seara Shee Shel Shesa Shil Sieta Siggo Sili Sitin Son Stann Stelm Stie Stiel Strie Syan Syla Tamept Teron Thelin Thir Thrist Théodd Tracil Triel Tuele Tzach Uglod Ulmoth Uord Uros Vain Valam Valda Vard Velmer Verta Viara Vice Vindra Vines Viste Vistel Vive Wadûn Walat Wandy Warah Wilor Wisy Óine

#444names #444 names

[cannoli-reader]

"Eye of the World" vs "Wheel of Time, Season 1": Two meetings with Whitecloaks

A prominent character from the Children of the Light encounters a pair of Emond’s Fielders and the whole party. As a result, he confronts the group, after recognizing the Emond’s Fielders the second time.

In the book, this is Dain Bornhald. He encounters Rand, and unbeknownst to him, Mat, who causes him to be splashed with mud. Rand openly laughs at his discomfiture, and when Bornhald confronts him, Rand all but challenges him to a fight. Bornhald declines due to the possibility presented by Rand that he is capable of taking the fight to a lethal level and the public scrutiny the incident is attracting. Later, Bornhald catches the Fellowship attempting to leave the town in a hurry and in secrecy, and recognizes Rand, and attempts to detain them. Moiraine reveals herself to be Aes Sedai and uses the One Power to intimidate and distract Bornhald while Lan leads the Fellowship to safety.

On the show, the Fellowship encounters a group of the Children on the road led by Eamon Valda and Geofram Bornhald (Dain’s father, in the books). Moiraine evades their inquiries about the Fellowship’s origins and the Children notice her wound. Bornhald recommends she seek Aes Sedai Healing for it. Later, Valda leads a group of the Children who accost the Tuatha’an caravan with which Perrin and Egwene are travelling. He recognizes Perrin and Egwene, and decides to arrest them. The Tinkers attempt to form a human shield, the Children of the Light beat them down and purse the Emond’s Fielders despite Aram’s attempts to lead them to hide.

In the books, Bornhald’s reasons for accosting a group with Rand in it are somewhat spurious but there is a logic behind it. He had a confrontation with Rand who mocked and implicitly threatened him. While this hardly constitutes probable cause, from a certain perspective it could be perceived as sinister, especially in the context of the group attempting to leave town in the night, during a time of elevated security. Taken together, these are somewhat suspicious circumstances, and you can see how and why a Child of the Light might see this as cause to stop and search, and especially see a chance for some payback over his semi-public embarrassment earlier.

As this incident is through Rand’s point of view, the narrative significance is that he was acting out of character and has drawn undesired attention. Furthermore, he himself recognizes the oddity of his actions at the time of the first meeting and now feels bad about bringing problems on his friends. It also sort of shows how the Two Rivers folk are ignorant of the world, as in between the two encounters, Thom had to explain the Nynaeve the dangers represented by the Children, especially in light of their association with an Aes Sedai. Finally, it demonstrates the relative power of an Aes Sedai to the Children of the Light as Moiraine handily runs them off despite the restrictions of the Three Oaths and the disparity of numbers.

On the show, Valda’s pretext to stop the Tuatha’an is to ask for word of the False Dragon. Why this is of such concern to him is never resolved, it’s just something the writers have him say to fill an empty space until he spots Perrin and Egwene and demands they be brought to him. No rationale for their arrest is ever given, nor a reason why he should be suspicious, except as he later states when they are captive in his tent, the Light brought them before him, twice. Running into a pair of young people twice, a month apart, is reason to assume they are an Aes Sedai and Warder and arrest them and start a program of torture to induce her to confess her ability to channel.

In their first meeting, initially Bornhald appears in charge, with simple questions about strangers they may have encountered, and is prepared to let them go their way until Valda steps up and signals his interest. Whereupon Bornhald asks Moiraine and company to answer some questions but pointedly warns Valda to keep it brief. Valda’s priority is clearly finding Aes Sedai from a comment he makes and by his searching Moiraine for the ring she gave to Lan to hold when he warned her of the Whitecloaks’ approach. The focus of the show during his questions is on his intrusive behavior, his familiar touching of Moiraine, with Lan even warning him off and threatening to cut off his hand for touching her, and his hypocrisy as he accuses the Aes Sedai (referring to individual Aes Sedai as “sisters” rather than “witches”, curiously) of meddling in other’s business as he carries on a meddlesome search of a stranger who has done nothing to warrant such attentions. 

Valda locates Moiraine’s wound suffered in the Trolloc attack on Emond’s Field. Moiraine states “You would not believe me if I told you,” about the cause of her wound. In a prior scene in this episode, she told Egwene of the Three Oaths and her inability to speak a word that is not true. So she must sincerely believe that Valda would not believe her account of how she got the wound. She proceeds to truthfully describe the Trollocs and where they encountered them. Bornhald recognizes the wound as Trolloc-work, and says something I shall not repeat because he would not say it, Valda promises he will not forget their faces should they meet again, while Moiraine grins sycophantically. Valda tells Bornhald he will take his questioners south to Bornhald’s surprise, as the other man seems to indicate he will be responding to Moiraine’s news of Trollocs.

With Egwene, Valda has a theological opposition to trappings of status, rebuking her for addressing him as “sir” stating that the authority is the Light’s. Yet, this man who self-identifies as an instrument of the Light in both episodes, addressed Bornhald as “sir” despite clearly not being part of Bornhald’s chain of command. Actually that chain of command is unclear. He has the right & authority to demand Bornhald detain Moiraine’s group for his own questioning, without even an explicit request or verbal order, merely jingling his trophy chain, but at the same time, Bornhald can indirectly order Valda to be quick. Valda can also unilaterally decide to go his own way with the Questioners. This isn’t entirely out of line from the books, where there are contentions of authority between the Children and the Inquisition of the Hand of the Light. But while the head of the Children has been known to mix and match commands for his own purposes, he also tends to make the chain of command clear, because he’s a Great Captain and understands the importance of that. The occasional bits of confusion encountered among the Children in the field has to do with pernicious outside influences.

In any event, another incongruity in Valda’s interrogation of Egwene is that he is well aware of the Three Oaths and believes that Aes Sedai cannot lie, accepting Egwene’s statement that she is not. He also understands a great deal about channeling and its limitations, even if some of them are exclusive to this medium.

But the important thing is that despite Valda’s preoccupation with Aes Sedai and apparent random suspicions of women he encounters of being channelers (with 100% accuracy on screen so far), he does not ask Moriaine if she is Aes Sedai or can channel. He, despite his title and own emphasis on “questions”, asks her little more than Bornhald did, and never makes any use of the inability of Moiraine to lie. She never even needs to use the cover story she preps her companions with. Where mention of Trollocs in Bornhald’s presence in the books made him more suspicious, here it completely derails the Whitecloaks’ investigation. Despite their sure recognition of Trollocs from Moiraine’s description, they never think to ask how she does not know the name for the “monster” when she is in the company of a self-admitted Borderlander whose skills would naturally be assumed to be the reason she escaped the Trolloc who wounded her, if she cannot channel.

All in all, the portrayal of the Children, the Questioners and Valda is very incongruent and inconsistent, not just from book to show, but from the two different episodes (with two different individuals credited as “written for television by” and two different directors). The intention of these two encounters seems to be to show them as credible threats to channelers but also utterly contemptible and without redeeming qualities. The books gave a balanced view, demonstrating the attitudes of the Children and their hostile intentions, while also making it clear how little threat they truly posed to capable channelers. When, later on, Egwene comes to their attention, she is threatened because has sufficient associations that she might fall under their attention, but lacks the ability to defend herself from them. In later books, the Children pose scant threat to the channeling characters and it is not particularly necessary to establish them as such. Other dialogue in unrelated scenes strongly suggests the show writers want to have a female-persecution narrative, which also tracks with how Egwene’s captivity under Valda is a later shown, but which does not particularly fit with the themes and ideas of The Wheel of Time novels.

The book effectively and efficiently achieves the limited objectives it has for the characters’ first encounter with the Children of the Light. The show overreaches, aiming for venting scorn on the Children for perceived misogyny, and at the same time trying to make them credible enemies, at a moment when it is inconvenient for them to interfere with the plot, so they fail to ask any of the questions they are later established as knowing to ask. And it fails, under closer scrutiny to really present a threat that is credibly dangerous without a plot-mandate.

#wot tv #book vs show #eye of the world #children of the light