Questions remaining unanswered at the end of the series? **spoilers**

Wars of Light and Shadow
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I have done it i have finally finished this epic series i started reading as a teenager in the late 90’s. I have a lot of questions remaining after finishing TSOTM.

To ensure I left no stone un-turned, no crystal matrix left un-searched, and no ancient store of proscribed knowledge un-perused I re-read the entire series from start to finish with no breaks to read other things so that I kept on top of the timelines and revelations.

As such I kept a running mental list of questions I had about Athera, the universe, the history, and everything awaiting answers and some speculation of where things might go.

A lot was answered but there are some nagging questions not answered in the text and I have not yet found answers on the the Wiki or here in the forum so will ask everyone else if they have seen answers, if Janny has provided them, or if the answers are held in case of further writing within the universe.

World send gates: We found out the reason and use for three of them but i still have questions.

  • I don’t recall whether the North gate buffer world is mentioned at all, just the ultimate splinter world Scaithen Duin. With the pairing of other worlds wouldn’t we have something that acts as an additional bulwark against the drakes in the buffer world like the red desert is for the Krakens.
  • We definitely did not get told anything about the buffer world or second world through the East gate or its purpose. There were hints of jewels mined there but that’s all so very much still a mystery.
  • South gate is one we have a lot of info on but still missing some. Did we ever get told the name of the buffer world and whether it contained much human population?. When Arithon ended the threats of the free wraiths from Marak and the Mistwraith at the end, did that free those two worlds of the desolation and make them potentially habitable again?.
  • West gate we know most about since Dascen Elur and Racine Pasy are shown directly in the story. My questions about these worlds is whether the Koriathain could have travelled through the gates to them without their crystals being cleared. I knew they could not go to Marak for that reason but what prevented them from going to Dascen Elur?. Lastly when did they get settled by humans? and if they were exiles off Athera what was the reason they were sent there?.

We know that the refugees whom ended up on Athera were a rag tag bunch with star ships that weren’t able to last much longer and that is what led to the compact and everything including the relocation of the Biedar to Athera for thier own purposes.

  • Are there any worlds left out in the vastness of space that have remaining human populations that aren’t one of the splinter worlds of Athera or Scathac?.
  • If there are worlds with humans left, are any retaining technology that could lead them back to the stars or are they perhaps stranded and devolved back to pre-industrial level or without access to higher tech due to the worlds resources (like with Kelewan having very very little metal), or worlds like Dascen Elur where magic was possible and able to push boundaries that the compact and Athera restricts.
  • Are there other places where the Koriathain might have splinter chapters that still exist but without the access to magic that they had on Athera.
  • If there are other worlds with humans populating them could there be links one day to Athera through the mysteries considering Humanity is hinted to become the fourth race. Alternatively if there are humans on worlds with technology out there could their star-faring lead to danger for Athera and the splinter worlds?.
  • The Biedar returned to Scathac at the end leaving Athera and their business with the world and those in it completed. If in answer to the above that no other worlds remain with Humanity then that means the Biedar are the only human civilization remaining not inhabiting Athera and the splinter worlds and the only ones whom can travel through space without the world send gates.

Regarding the crown lineage’s and other bloodlines.

  • We got confirmation at the end that Arithon sired a s’Ffalenn heir whom the fellowship were monitoring the bloodline before deciding to call one up for kingship. will the crossing with s’Ahelas and everything prior cause complications or with the assumed reinstatement of the uncrossed s’Ahelas line to Shand dilute the inheritance from the distaff side.
  • We assume that both the s’Ilessid and s’Ahelas heirs were brought back to Athera chosen by Daliana and crowned leading to three of the five kingdoms with their line restored. With the s’Ffalenn line being monitored they will resume as well. What can they do about Melhalla?. Caithdeinen lines can and have been replaced, but the high kings can’t so what of Melhalla?.
  • Speaking of Daliana I am assuming that her correspondence with Lysaer and whatever future they have is being held for potentially a future short story. Lysaer is without his power of all kinds and finally humbled 4 centuries late. Offspring of his will be allowed to travel to and from Athera based on the fact that his son Kevor was still within the compact.
  • Do we know anything about the heritage of Elaira and Dakar?. I assume they both have clan heritage since that is the origin of most initiate talent on Athera. I was expecting some sort of revelation about Elaira’s heritage being outbred Biedar or a Cathdeinen line (always felt the theory she was a long lost descendant of the Melhalla royal line was too ‘neat’ with folding in royal lineages into subsequent descendants to work for this story) but we don’t have anything filling in the blanks. Same with Dakar, he was born after the rebellion and therefore the mistwraith but there is a lot we don’t know other than his rogue prophecy was linked to the seeress.
  • We saw the founding of two names lineages with s’Idir and s’Iyat-thos. We also saw mention of acknowledging the inheritance for a child of the other parents bloodline. Were there a bunch of families without names within all of the clan groups that could just marry into the named bloodlines? otherwise how is it chosen which name the child receives since it is not simply patrilineal descent?.

Do the bindings of immortality gifted by the dragons and the longevity spells (outside of the 500 year fountain) cause sterility or are they all still capable of having children?. By this I am meaning not just the 7 but also Elaira and Arithon after they are granted the same immortality, Siantra and Esfand after they became drakespawn, and the spellbinders.

  • The only ones of the above group we have seen have children are Arithon and Lysaer which is when they only have the longevity granted by the 500 year fountain. It’s assumed Elaira would be able to as well originally since she needed to prevent conception.
  • Dakar is a notorious womanizer and spends a lot of time with women, surely there are a lot of his descendants running about if he wasn’t rendered sterile by the longevity training or actively preventing pregnancy.
  • None of the 7 are shown to have romantic relationships of any kind let alone children other than memories of their prior lives.
  • Arithon when he is crowned the Paravian High King is advised that his kingship is for three generations of his descendants with his mate, so he and Elaira need to have grandkids for him to step down. Though I might be misreading that.

Kathtairr

  • The experiments of Davien and Seshkrozchiel have started life there again and that led to the rise of the resonance allowing the preservation of the mysteries. Why was it not possible for Seshkrozcheil to weave reality or any dragons to heal the land previously?.
  • There is mention of further encouraging of life spread there, but that is all. Is it possible in time for the continent now to sustain sentient life again, the Paravians or Humans?.
  • If this can be returned to a sustaining environment could it be used as a place that humans whom have not transgressed but cannot sustain contact with the Paravians and do not want to go to the splinter worlds can move to?.

Lastly, the ages.

  • I am speculating here but perhaps the fourth age is when humanity ascends in partnership with the Paravians and becomes the fourth race?
  • That the age we start the series in looking back is the 7th and each age starts on a massive change for Athera i am curious as to what the trigger for the next four ages are?

I think that’s it and that I have had all other questions answered or rendered moot. Would like to hear if anyone knows the answer to any of these or speculations as to the answers if none are found.

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Welcome, Aether. A lot of different avenues of discussion to tread!

I’ll start small – concerning the World Gates, I believe that Janny has been cagey about the remaining locales because she still has some story ideas that might take place there in the future.

I’m also curious about the succeeding Ages – not only what dramatic event triggered the new ages, but also what events caused the Sages to look back on the Third Age in the first place!

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I had thought that might be the case with the other worlds being hidden for now so my curiosity there will need to be patient.

The sages are an interesting tidbit as it’s completely unknown if they are Paravian or Human or a much later new race. I would have assumed if Paravian that they would have known directly without needing this review of history since there would be living Paravians and projections of those passed that were first hand witnesses of the last part. Humans having forgotten makes sense but that could be a misdirect.

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Hi Aether.

I find many of your questions interesting.

The only thing I feel comfortable commenting on is the crown lineage of Melhalla. If I understand correctly, the Fellowship had an ongoing awareness of the royal and clan bloodlines. Asandir would have immediately recognized if Elaira were of s’Ellestrion lineage. I suppose it’s possible that the Biedar might have been able to obscure that knowledge…

Regarding Dakar, I wonder if there’s a hint about his heritage in the revelation about the source of his prophecies.

EDIT: Admin corrected font size.

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Definitively: Elaira is NOT a descendant of any crown lineage. That lineage ENDED/died off. If there had been any survivor the Fellowship would Absolutely Know. More: if Elaira had been - then she COULD NOT have been affianced to Arithon. Royal lineages did not cross PERIOD…and it was a near calamty that a caithdein’s line did so (Meiglin s’Dieneval x last crown survivor/s’Ahelas.)

The s’Dieneval line WAS the cross with the Biedar…I have a story in progress to show how this happened. The caithdein’s line in Melhalla - changed bloodline - several times. s’Dieneval took over from an extinct one. And s’Callient took over after another extinct line…not only this kingdom, but others shifted lineage: the Fellowship would Always appoint the successor.

Neither is Dakar.

Gifted talent - is not Always heritable. Some out-crosses happened also. Koriathain were notorious for picking up initiates from the female births. SOME towns persons born with affinity DID marry or live with the clans - the ONLY perquisite was exposure to Paravian presence: any who survived sane, good to go. Genetic lines were not exclusive; the affinity was always TESTED. A lot of the isolation was self imposed - townfolk DID NOT WANT the responsibility. Some born to clan heritage didn’t either - there were no hard lines between cultures. This was mentioned and demonstrated clearly in the shorts - if you haven’t read them, lots of information there!

Ages change after Major shifts. The future after the series - is not straightforward as you think it MAY be…there was a lot of turmoil upcoming with the religion not content to die off (it became still more hardened into dogma) and the return of the Paravians was a major impact…there is MORE! I won’t say because I don’t know what I may write in the future…right now, writing Future Athera is off the board (except for file notes) because there are not enough people having finished up the series to support the time to write it…Black Bargain is almost unread, because I’ve warned readers to wait until after Stormed Fortress to pick it up to avoid spoilers - anything Future Athera would MASSIVELY languish unless the series gains a lot of momentum.

Why all the works involve BACK history which you won’t know until you know -because those stories do not spoil the Series.

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The Biedar: did not as a rule outcross, period. IF they did - they knew. They obscured Nothing.
The purpose of the Biedar coming to Athera was to pursue redress for their stolen knowledge. TWO bloodlines were held ‘responsible’ - Requiar, who swore surety that Jessian’s s survival would NOT compromise the heritage that she witnessed (she did not ever divulge, but BECAUSE she survived, other factions Knew she Knew - and they pursued it other ways). Hassidii was the lineage EXPLOITED for that knowledge - the way that happened is briefly mentioned in the series - it was pretty ugly.

THOSE TWO lineages were ‘responsible’ - and the cross into s’Ahelas’ royal line thru s’Dieneval is how that happened to involve Lysaer and Arithon.

Biedar - had lineages from Requiar and Hassidii - they were not the significant ones in the end…and s’Ahelas had descendants yet alive on Dascen Elur if Requiar’s lineage failed…there were descendants.

The Ages and Eras: are way bigger than you know. Era of Creation and Era of Destruction - Dragons ruled. Era of Redemption began with arrival of the Paravians and Ended after the 7th Age. What the picture looked like in the 7th Age - you will have NO idea as memory of particulars from the Third Age were historically obscured or lost…imagine what that would require…(I know, but not likely to reveal in Case there is fictional material written OR a compendium volume on Athera - history, art, cultures, lore - no plans but an author can Dream. The material DOES EXIST for this - just need the audience for it.

There are other Eras after this…all untapped on the page, but I have notes and timelines…

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