| Thus Spake The Creator
The Oath Rod (and who's held it) Q: According to several of AOL's members in our discussion forum, you
stated at a Balticon conference that Verin Sedai had never held the Oath
Rod, or had circumvented the Oaths. I was wondering if that was true, and
if so, has Cadsuane also done so?
Q: Does using the Oath Rod shorten ones lifespan?
Q: How do you explain the longevity of the Kin?
Q: One of the Forsaken once said of the current Aes Sedai, "They bind
themselves like criminals." Was the Forsaken reffering to the Oath Rod?
Q: Would making all Aes Sedai reswear the 3 oaths
on an oath rod, and then asking them, reveal if they are Black Ajah? (It
should...)
Q: Once and for all end the ageless look thing. Is it obvious that it
is tied to the oath rod?
Reports from signings On if Aes Sedai damane can use the OP in battle he said that [ OBS! secondary source, I didn't hear him say this myself ] it is theoritically possible, basically by forcing the Aes Sedai to think that she does not use the OP as damane. It is though very hard to acheive. In the book next after CoS, this might become a factor. On the subject if the Oath Rod shortens lifespan or cause infertility he answered, not surprisingly, "Read and Find Out". Ageless look and OR - RAFO. (I thought Greebs was going to explode when he didn't answer that one directly.) The oaths: They are quite subjective, if an AS believes she is not lying, then the Oath doesn't stop her. So, that is what was going on in the torturing part of LOC. It depends on the psychology of the individual. It's like spanking a naughty child. Some people regard that as child abuse; some people regard it as reasonable punishment. He also said that AOL lifespans are not known in modern Randland. (Thus, I presume that Verin is NOT 300 years old.) He said something about "the effects of the Oath Rod," I don't know whether this was wrt aging, or effects on something totally unrelated. Greebs' persistent efforts to get RJ to admit to the OR==Agelessness were met with a chuckle and a RAFO. The Aes Sedai who beat Rand in Lord of Chaos did not necessarily violate the Three Oaths. Jordan explained that the Three Oaths are bound by literal intent and perception. He said that the Aes Sedai could have considered the beatings a just punishment rather than the use of a weapon. He also suggested that not everything that harms you need be considered a weapon. I think he gave the example of a whip used lightly not considered a weapon, versus a whip used to flay skin being considered a weapon. On the subject of the first Oath ("to speak no word that is untrue"), Jordan said that Aes Sedai can say something they believe to be true or something they don't mean literally. As an example of the latter, an Aes Sedai can employ hyperbole and say something like, "I'm going to tie yours ears over your head," when she means to do no such thing. My Comment: I should also point out that at least two of the women who beat Rand are people we know to belong to the Black Ajah. On page 683hb (in LoC), it is said that only Galina, Erian, and Katerine beat Rand more than once. We know that Galina and Katerine are Black Ajah, so they aren't bound by the Oaths anyway. Erian is the Aes Sedai whose two Warders Rand killed, so maybe she found some way to justify her punishment of Rand under the Three Oaths. I don't know who else beat Rand (ie, who beat him only once); the book may say, but I can't find a quote. One fan claimed that, at the convention, Jordan said that Verin had never held the Oath rod. Jordan later denied having said any such thing. |