the Future of the Land

[Lord Mhoram]

Im sorry, but I wouldnt want High Lords Elena or Kevin to tutor my children. Foamfollower and Mhoram, yah, but some of the other Lords had some problems....And if LF is alive, wouldnt he be able to have a hand in the Dead themselves?

[Tohrm]

Even Elena and Kevin did have their good points. But you have to remember that TC seems to have become something above and beyond the two of them. He seems to have reached the stature of Mhoram himself with a foreknowledge of what must transpire in the future to achieve the desired end. And I tell you that Berek and Damelon would be more than a match for Kevin. I'm not worried about Elena at all, because if you think about it, she has her fondest desire. She has TC by her side for all eternity. And TC will be able to rein her in now in ways that we can not even begin to imagine.

[Tohrm]

One other thing that I forgot to point out. It seems that yes, LF can dismiss the dead. But does that extend to Andelain? Or is it sort of like the law of summoning, that the person who does the summoning has to release the one who is summoned? I believe that as soon as Elena found out that TC was dead in the land, that she would summon him in a spectral heartbeat, so it would have to be her to send him back. And even if LF forced her to send him back, then Mhoram could recall him at any time that he wished, simply to debate with him and to try to explain the many things of the land that TC had not truly understood.
I also think that the haruchai will take a hand in many things that we will have to wait and see just what will transpire. As well as the possible offspring of the merewive/haruchai union that seemed to be destined to occur.

[Lord Mhoram]

Theres something about the Breaking of the Law of Death that I havent seen anyone on the Watch comment on. That is that even though that Law was broken, it might be "repaired" by the creation of a new Staff of Law. Is that possible?

If it isnt, and the Dead remain accesible to the living, then Covenant will be a different kind of Dead person(sounds weird), 'cause hell be wild magic incarnate. Hell probably be able to appear more and have more influence on the Living, if the Law hasnt been repaired...

[CovenantJr]

I believe we have it from the mouth of Mr Donaldson himself that the Law of Death is still pretty much knackered...which, as you say, leads to all kinds of intriguing possibilities with the late TC...

[danlo]

A couple of speculations. It seems the Old Lords such as Berek and Damelon had different circumstances and issues 2 deal with. Berek had all sorts of madness coming @ him from the split btween the King and Queen--and set the precedent 4 unleasing major forces (not necessarily controlable) in The Land. Yes Damelon had his trials, but also enjoyed the "Golden Age of Revelstone" after befriending the Unhomed. In helping 2 create the fruition of the Bloodguard's vow--from lore & earthpower--that creation must have taken a certian toll on Kevin. Not 2 mention Foul messing w/his head and behind the scenes, as a Lord @ Revelstone way b4 the RoD. And then there was all that work of consolidating and hiding the 7 wards. Whew 'ol Kev was really busting butt! We kno how he went mad-but I guess my point is, in defending him, that Kevin threw out a heck of alot of energy in his time--he still, obviously, has alot of energy in death as we saw @ Earthroot--and again that depends who is manipulating his spectre. But in Andelian in the 3rd Chorns he may have some deeper secrets per: Lore and understandings of LF's weakeness than we have here24 not been privy 2.
My 2nd speculation, in this has been hinted @ in posts above, is that Sunder & Hollihan's child might b born w/the ability 2 communicate w/TC in death. Am I wrong or wasn't the child inside Hollihan when she was temporarily "deceased" in Andelian b4 Caer brought her back? Possibly that "talent" and especially if combined w/the Staff of Law could allow the child 2 communicate w/TC as the Lords communicated w/the lomillialor in TIW. By the same token what if TC could transfer the wild magic 2 the Staff of Law from death through the child? Then u might have a mini "anti-sunbane", in a weird sorta way... I can see it now--the child is played by Haley Joel Osmet saying "I see dead lepers....!"

[Lord Mhoram]

With regards to Hollians child, I have no idea what she/he will become. Granted, it(the child) will have some special abilities, but we dont what they will be. Maybe the ability to talk to dead people(Danlo) or maybe some uncanny ability to wield the talismans its parents posses. Well fnd out when the 3rd Chronicles come out, if they do????

Now, with regards to our favorite Landwaster, he had his ups and downs. Sure, he was a "Lore Master" and was able to wield the Staff very well. I have a theory regarding Kev, I think, and know he was corrupted by LF, but my theory is that he went insane with power. He had the Land, and LF presumably, under his thumb, he had 7 sweet Wards, and his cool Bloodguard. He had it all. I think its easy to go insane or a little cocky w/ all those cool things. I dunno, maybe Im wrong.

[danlo]

Sending the Bloodguard away for there own safety and 4cing them 2 forsake their vow, after all that work! Hideously complex issues w/Kev...absolute power corrupts absolutely...the Bloodguard call LF Corruption...hmmm...but I suspect Lord Kevin's issues were much more complex than we r hinting @--oh, well back 2 the books...

[Caoimhin]

I think that since hollian and sunder could weild corrupted earthpower they should be able to utilize their tools.
I also think that Lord Kevin was a genius!
He didnt destroy the land out of dispair,rather he dispaired because it was the only solution he could find.
I think the RoD was well thought out and planned by Kevin,and we see this is true because he very nearly succeeded in destroying LF. (yea,yea,he couldnt have actually succeeded,but he came so close!)
If he was truly so destraught with dispair he could not have taken all the time to make and hide the wards,and warn all the people. He deserved alot more credit for his near success,failure though it was. Elena was onto something like this once and she was right. (sure shes not a very reliable sorce what with her own madness,but she was right about that)
Thats what I think.

[danlo]

Very good points Caoimhn! I heartily agree--perhaps he did evrything he could w/out help from our world or the white gold...very cool name, btw--Welcome 2 the Watch!! **in deep Sean Connery voice ala: "Welcome 2 the Rock..."**

[BraulioB]

I have to agree with High Lord Mhoram, I always thought that once the new Staff Of Law was created, that it "reset" the laws that were broken. As we all know, these Laws were fundamental to the Land (or even the whole world!), and I don't think that it would pick and choose which Laws it really wanted to enforce.

But I have to disagree with High Lord Mhoram, about Kevin and his "Lore Master" status. In regards to how Kevin felt, think about what Covenant was saying all along: if you have power, people are going to expect you to use it to save them. That's a lot of pressure for people that have the most power, because once you don't have enough, people aren't going to understand why you don't have enough. Even Troy, in the first chronicles came to this realization, when Foul's army was so damn big and he had made so many promises!

Great points everyone!

B

[Lord Mhoram]

I think good old Kev was corrupted by all his power and got a bit...cocky and trusted the Despiser.
Welcome BraulioB! (I really wanted to use that lol)

[CovenantJr]

I too would agree with Caoimhin regarding Kevin and his actions/motivation. Performing the RoD was an act of desperation, but that does not mean it was rash or ill-advised. Kevin must have been a strong and wise person to have reached the post of High Lord. The Ritual was the only remaining option he could see, no doubt after much deliberation and soul-searching. He then made sure that all the people were safe, and would have the knowledge to restore the Land (the Wards), then took a course of action that made use of all Kevin's power and lore, and should theoretically have killed the Despiser. Kevin could not have known that LF is unkillable. It was a very well-planned course...

As regards the Staff of Law restoring all the Laws of the Land - that was my assumption too, when I read the book, but SRD himself has confirmed that the Law of Death is still broken... Perhaps the Staff merely makes restoration of Law possible. Or perhaps something must be done with/to the Staff to heal the various Laws...

[Brinn of the Haruchai]

I agree with covenant Jr here. I believe that the staff was used to help "uncorrupt" the earthpower. I t could not undo some of the broken laws, because they were(are) broken. However, It could shape or stop the corruption (ie perversion) of the Sunbane.

[amanibhavam]

As I see it the Staff of Law is a tool for wielding Earthpower, and Earthpower only; it has little to do with other cardinal laws as the Law of Life or Law of Death. So restoring the might of the Staff will not restore other broken laws in the Land.

[Lord Mhoram]

I dont agree. The Staff wielded Law, therefore protecting the Earthpower itself. By creating a new Staff to wield the Law, maybe the Laws will be healed, I dont know, either, but it could happen.

[danlo]

I think we'll see a SoL that we're not used to, that could possibly tap in2 the power and lore of the dead. At least communicate w/them from time 2 time. I bet SRD has all sorts of neat little surprises in store 4 us!

[Dromond]

I agree with Amy here. Elena wielded (presumably) the most potent form of Earthpower when she drank the Earthblood and gained the Power of Command. The Staff o' Law was intact then and for some years after.(it was in her possesion but not used during the breaking of the law of death.) I don't think that law can be fixed by the staff.

[Skyweir]

pooh pooh!!! .. .. I also have to agree with amy and drommond .. the lore can not be fixed by the creation of a new staff ..

and why would we want Kevins Lore .. High Lord Mhoram identified the flaws in it ..

[caamora]

Let's also not forget that this is a new staff - without the runes carved on it. A staff - made by LA! She poured more than just Law into it. She put in health and love if I recall correctly. This was a living staff joined by the Sun-Sage of two living things. I think this Staff of Law can do much, much more that the old staff. I always felt that the old staff was for the old way of life - for High Lord Kevin's era. It was useful, but didn't have a place in the new order of things after the RoD. We don't yet know what it is capable of. It could very well be able to right the Law of Death.

I do like the take on Kevin, Caoimhin. I never thought of it that way before!