It is the binding of the F7 by the dragons that would force them to destroy humanity in order to save Athera’s mysteries, not the compact. To prevent that Arithon would maybe remove everything else that still threatens Paravian survival? What they still had to do before all the human refugees turned up. He would still need some guarantee what happens when he deals with the human problem cannot break the compact, or the F7 would not join the conflict, the ruins of Earle might have something to do with that problem.
I do not believe the Fellowship would act to protect humanity from the consequences of their own folly, so Arithon, Elaira, Dakar, Tarens and possibly even Lysaer after he is freed of the curse would be most likely to be doing that, or attempting to do it, along with what ever help they can get. But at the time they need help the most, Arithon is likely to be absent.
Althain’s warden was always Paravian before the fall of the high kings, Sethvir only took over the post when the Paravian’s left. The Fellowship also took over protecting other wards at that time.
I would think the Koriani would stand to gain the most if Arithon abdicates, or fails to solve the challenge of surviving. The necromancers should be gone by then one way or another.
The compact reinstated the binding (Asandir in GC) - only humanity is a serious threat it seems now…Ciladis saw no need hasten the end of the methuri. Arithon has mastered Iyats. I wonder whether he would end up involved with the methuri (for good or ill)
Why would a paravian warn arithon not to abdicate? Davien did not seem to see koriani as a serious threat compared to the necromancers (“pack of hen-pecking jackals”)
Perhaps he foresaw the fall of morriel?
True the F7 free of the need to deal with grimwards and the like would have a lot more resource. What would they do with it? Help Lysaer more?
The Mistwraith also threatens paravians so Arithon might try to figure out a way but will need Lysaer’s help (and what will be the impact of L being outcast?)
The true sect also poses a problem
And davien has become - the biedar foresaw - firehands…
I also had this silly idea that the Mistwraith curse was influenced by parts of traithe (or at least limited) that is within the Mistwraith
Additional threat to paravians is the fact that arithon knows where they are? And curiously the F7 were not trusted to know where the paravians were?
Kraken (water drakespawn) were sent to to the water splinter world - is the desert world inbetween a means to keep them out of Athena if they did ever try to return?
Could the 2 remaining necromancy cults be related to the northern and western league of headhunters? With the biedar/reiyaj watching from the south (ie keeping some distance away?) would the remaining cults be more careful now they might have seen the kralovir be destroyed? Are there 2 left as a plot device to have one align/trap with arithon and the other Lysaer?
There were 12 stages to initiate mageship (mentioned I forget where already?! In perils gate perhaps? I did not see the reference the first few rereads)
I had wondered about Elaira’s crystal but figured it’s dousing in salt water ended that line of possibility. Yet; not a word is wasted. It occurs to me now that salt is crystalline. It might be a long shot, but might not salt in water be able in some way to cooperate with protection or transfer of energy? Perhaps the Koriani didn’t know as much about crystal as they thought. Didn’t they consider it a tool to be wrestled and dominated rather than a presence to entreat? Elaira learned and practiced a respectful way of interacting with stone.
One cult could still be in Erdane, the other might not have been active at the time? Kralovir used blood for their rites, Dakar was indicating bone might be used for one in the last book. The light’s priests are probably going to be corrupted if they are not already, and even if they are disposed of, the next lot will probably go the same way.
Delurking after several years (Pandemic, work stuff, kids growing up, etc.)…Clansman is back!
Thought I’d look around for while just to see what people have been posting. The speculation pages always get me thinking, but I’ll refrain from comment at the moment, as I need to read through and have my thoughts sparked…
Good to be back, and hello to everyone on the Forum! Beautiful work, by the way.
I had the crazy idea today where the compact is broken, mankind is threatened and arithon uses the knife to break the drake binding of the F7 to buy time so not to have to destroy humanity immediately …have the paravians foreseen this? I still don’t quite see how F7 were seen as masters of destruction (more so than drakes’ abilities?)) but perhaps a drake has never destroyed a planet? Or a sun/solar system (a little extreme or hard work even for them?) and it seems like the F7 could battle a drake? Or at least young ones?
Arithon is still key - I was wondering about him battling the other 2 cults but I think this may be Mistwraith and Koriani?
But I wonder what the story even is now? Perhaps resolution of the Mistwraith is enough and rathain crownship ? I assumed the fourth age was end of the Mistwraith (although in DC we have “ A Fourth Age, when our species learns, as a whole, the expansive ability to tap and harness the flux.” So perhaps the story is more the resolution of various obligations?
I need to reread peril’s gate - just saw 2 new things on a brief browse. Arithon knew about Moriel in peril’s gate - luhaine told him. And the reiyaj had a daughter (kharadmon jokes about it)
If there were women on the original F7’s team were they left behind (or even killed?) to avoid the risk of koriani infiltration? Did they ever meet Jessian?
The idea about the Fellowship being freed from the drakes’ binding (via the knife) is really interesting. Would that also end their access to supernatural abilities? Would Traithe need to be restored first?
You have not read Destiny’s Child? The name says it all Fellowship of 7, they are the original 7, there would not have been any others I think. And they would probably not have been aware of the Koriani back then, being mere fallible mortals.
The Fellowship would need to be freed of the Drakes binding by all the conditions of it being met and dealt with. They agreed to it, they would not want to be freed any other way and risk humanity being destroyed. Arithon would be more likely to use the knife himself than use it on anyone from the Fellowship against their will. If Arithon accepts kinship under the compact presumably the Fellowship would have to stay on Athera, if Arithon takes the path Davien prefers, the Fellowship would be free. Davien wants his freedom. I would think part of that would be Arithon taking over the earth link from Sethvir, but we will have to wait and see. As king of Paravia or Athera, I do not think Arithon would be able to take on the earthlink as well. Arithon would have likely seen the branching paths and has not seemed likely to accept kingship now, although he might offer to accept kingship a third time just to have peace, and something might as usual happen to intervene.
“Destiny’s Child” brought to mind Beyonce’s former girl group.
For me, it’s not that Arithon WOULD cut the binding without Fellowship consent, but the concept that the knife could potentially be used in that fashion. Just some light idle speculation. There is so much depth to this series that it’s challenging to keep up with all of the connections and the cause and effect.
I wonder how much about the 7’s origins might be revealed in Song of the Mysteries. There’s only so much detail that can fit in one volume. Well, I can hardly wait to Read and Find Out.
My bad I was not able to check the short story name at the time, it was Sundering Star that showed the origins of the F7. I am not sure we need to know any more about their past, we might only get what they are doing with their future, once they are freed of commitments on Athera.
Janny mentionned on a you tube video that there were women on the team at one point before they became drake-bound I assume? She asked “what happened to the women?” (Laughing at us to guesss I feel We know Kharadmon had a partner? Carline? I was just wondering: would women have been a risk to their wellbeing/escape from the worlds before Athera (due to koriani infiltration?) It is kind of odd how the Koriani are female (and are not officially allowed to have children? why ever not? Conflicted loyalty? Or longevity conflicts when you outlive your children who might be less high ranking) and the F7 are all male…well, we will get some answers soon. But this might just be a style choice from Janny.
If humanity all gain awareness of the planet, then they hopefully won’t take big risks to Athera / with paravians and F7 would be free and the compact redundant.
I do not believe Arithon would be able to take on the earthlink… at all…it is a big ask and it is doubtful whether any of the other F7 could have done it? If mistwraith can be dealt (which is perhaps now doable by Arithon and Lysaer working together…perhaps the biedar knife can be used to free Lysaer from mistwraith…but this does not feel like the knife’s purpose foreseen by Biedar for 18000 years… they just want necromancy sorted out. Perhaps the paravians can help Lysaer? It is in their interests…feels like they will let humanity deal with its own self-created issues though (perhaps it is the only way to learn by fixing their own mistakes) and the F7 continue to help Lysear via Daliana) with then a paravian could return and take on the earthlink/althain tower burdens…Arithon will likely accept kingship of Rathain (otherwise why have the Chekov’s gun of Asandir/Sethvir spending a day hiding his jewels abilities back in CotM…but presumably now he has grown so that he may notice?) As High King he is legally bound to relocate the population of Etarra. Curious that the sunchild paravian warned him “beware of who most stands to gain if you abdicate”
But we already know how Lysaer is going to be freed from the curse, in the way he wanted to be freed, we have known that since reading chapter 3 of Fugitive Prince. So Lysaer is not going to be taking any further part in dealing with the Mistwraith, he will be the last remnant of it, Arithon would never risk his failure meaning the Mistwraith would be free again. Not that I think he will fail, but he would have it all planned out, to make sure there were no loose ends.
Ah yes. Sethvir the surgeon; no light matter. But I think Lysaer’s freedom from the curse was only discussed as not happening because it would kill him. If the mistwraith is redeemed (and won’t we still both brothers to achieve this?) perhaps the curse on Lysaer continues? He can only live 500 years. Without the Mistwraith humanity are still a risk until they can learn to understand Athera a little more and see how to not overstep?
The biedar request of arithon was likely an obligation to destroy the koriathain… since this would impact elaira oathbound as she is via Skyron crystal.
You missed it, read carefully what the adept has to say to Lysaer. And what Sethvir in the paragraph starting with “Beware false prince” said about what choice Lysaer would have in the matter. Nothing changed his course, it is already too late, his false religion will doom him to the fate he wanted so badly. Lysaer might temporarily regain control of his false religion, and slow down the inevitable, the Fellowship might intervene to keep the brothers apart, but in the end, Lysaer will get what he once wanted, only to discover when freed of the curse in the worst possible way he could be, the way he himself wanted it, that he never really hated Arithon, it was the curse.
Ok so killing Arithon would also end the curse. Are any human factions on Athera a match for Arithon now? Feels like he has outsmarted them all by now? Could he fall to necromancy next time or be forced to align with a cult or use the knowledge? (Still a fear of his?) The preview conversation (Arithon with biedar crone) seems to suggest koriani and their multiple records are still an issue not to be underestimated?
The Mistwraith to me is hate and insanity but also intelligence / understanding through time so perhaps setting the two brothers against each other was the best way to create the most chaos for athera and the Mistwraith survives longer that way?
Not that Arithon currently has his knowledge of necromancy, but still I do not think he will be aligning with any such evil. He might use the knowledge if he ever gets it back before he needs it, but he has plenty of other options some of which were looked at in Destiny’s Conflict. Arithon has also no yet embraced his Biediar heritage and we know he is due to encounter the Biedar Ancestry and likely hear the full prophecy which would I think concern his future.
Who do we think will be threading the maze at Earle (Grand Conspiracy) to arrange for Athera’s protection? I think we only have the choices of Arithon, Elaira and Dakar, Tarens might not have evolved enough for that one, they would have to be able to spirit walk, and have some wisdom.
And then the person doing the asking probably has to know what hair brained scheme Arithon is going to be trying, which I think leaves Arithon and Elaira, Dakar is usually clueless or too chicken. Arithon gets my vote, I think only he is going to be able to work out what he is doing, and how Athera might be protected from any consequences till things settle down.
I wonder how much time will have passed between Sword of the Canon and Song of the Mysteries
Dakar has matured noticeably from one arc to the next. He has his innate flaws as does everyone, but his experiences since the arrival of the brothers have, perhaps, changed/enhanced the trajectory of his life path. In SOTM, will he still be officially separated from Fellowship agency?
At this point, as intriguing as is the speculation, I’m glad we’ll soon be able to Read And Find Out. Just rereading Fugitive Prince chapter 3 on a standalone basis reminds me how much detail has been crafted into this series. What an amazing journey it’s been.
We know Kharadmon had a partner? Carline? I was just wondering: would women have been a risk to their wellbeing/escape from the worlds before Athera (due to koriani infiltration?) It is kind of odd how the Koriani are female (and are not officially allowed to have children? why ever not? Conflicted loyalty? Or longevity conflicts when you outlive your children who might be less high ranking) and the F7 are all male…well, we will get some answers soon. But this might just be a style choice from Janny.