Why was Andelain special?

[amanibhavam]

I mean, in your opinion, what was the source/reason of Earthpower being so abundant in Andelain? Was there some secret source of EP somewhere? If so, one would rather expect Garroting Deep as there was Earthblood seeping constantly from Melenkurion Skyweir? And Andelain didn't even have a Forestal as far as I know. Or was it simply because it was geometrically roughly at the center of the Land? But then Mount Thunder was dangerously close to it.
What do you think?

[dANdeLION]

Well, technically, it did have a Forestal, at least in the 2nd Chronicles. And at least one Unfettered One in the 1st. As for secret extra powers, who's to say? Why are certain parts of any country more beautiful that others? Maybe the One Stone is buried there. Or maybe it's where the Ranyhin go potty.

[danlo]

It was fed by 3 of the loveliest rivers of the Land...and all sorts of good stuff straight from the spring of Glimmermere.

[Furls Fire]

The heart of the Land

I love this part in LFB, when Covenant enters Andelain for the first time.

He felt the change distinctly, but it seemed to go beyond the details which composed it. The trees were generally taller and broader than their southern relations; abundant and prodigal aliantha sometimes covered whole hillsides with viridian; the rises and vales luxuriated in deep aromatic grass; flowers bobbed in the breeze as spontaneously as if just moments before they had gaily burst from the nurture of the soil; small woodland animals -- rabbits, squirrels, badgers, and the like -- scampered around, only vaguely remembering that they were wary of humans. But the real difference was transcendent. The Andelainian Hills carried a purer impression of health to all Covenant's senses than anything else he had experienced. The aura of rightness here was so powerful that he began to regret he belonged in a world where health was impalpable, indefinite, discernible only by implication. For a time, he wondered how he would be able to endure going back, waking up. But the beauty of Andelain soon made him forget such concerns. It was a dangerous loveliness -- not because it was treacherous or harmful, but because it could seduce. Before long, disease, VSE, Despite, anger, all were forgotten, lost in the flow of health from one vista to another around him.

[aTOMiC]

Andelain is the Land's earthpower flipping off Mount Thunder.

[Revan]

amanibhavam got a good point, why is it so special? what makes it special? I don't think that it is because it comes off of Mount Thunder, because the Andelain Hills don't go all around Mount Thunder.

[Furls Fire]

I believe it comes from Glimmermere, like danlo said. Glimmermere flows into the White, then merges with the Soulease. The Soulease flows thru Andelain. But, I think it's more then just the power of Glimmermere. I believe that Andelain is, indeed, the heart of the Land. I think it has to do with the Wraiths as well. They, too, are Earthpower.

Under the Sunbane, CC kept Andelain free of its corruption, but I also feel that it resisted on its own as well. After he was slain to break the Law of Life, the Sunbane still did not penetrate it's heart. I'm sure, had Covenant and Linden failed, it would have eventually tore Andelain up, but it would have put up one hell of fight.

[Revan]

then why do they manifest in Andelain? Why there? Why not in the Gaint woods or Plains of Ra? There's something special about Andelain, but what the cause is I really don't know.

[variol son]

I'd say that the Wraiths manifested in ANdelain and not Morinmoss for the same reason that the Illearth stone was buries under Gravin Threndor and not somewhere in the Southron Range....just because that's where they are.

Of course, there could be something special in the Land's past about Andelain. Perhaps that is where the first Forestal was born.

Sum sui generis
Vs

[dlbpharmd]

Interesting question - I tend to agree with Furl's Fire, in that Andelain was the heart of the Land, so perhaps Earthpower was concentrated there. But that is pure speculation.

CC protected Andelain with his power, but I don't believe that Andelain would have survived had he not moved there during the early stages of the Sunbane -

Spoiler

Within about 36 hours of his death, the Sunbane was destroying Andelain.

Perhaps Andelain could've resisted the Sunbane during it's weaker period, when it was on a 7 day cycle, but as it progressed, Andelain would've fallen.

[Furls Fire]

I have no doubt it would have fallen without CC. I was just saying it would have taken longer for it to fall. Because of the power that was there.

[Revan]

But what power was there in Andelain?

[I'm Murrin]

Earthpower. Beauty and Earthpower are related, and an area of outstanding natural beauty would therefore be rich in Earthpower, and this Earthpower could be what attracts the wraiths to the area. On the other hand, you could say the large amount of Earthpower caused it's beauty, and so you are back where you started.
Personally, I think it is not that the Earthpower caused it to become what it is, or that the way it is caused it to have Earthpower, rather that the beauty and Earthpower both are, a natural good to balance places that are unnaturally ill.

[DukkhaWaynhim]

The context explanations given (Earthpower concentrated, beauty, Wraiths, CC's presence in 2nd Chrons, Unfettered in 1st Chrons) are good arguments for why Andelain is special.

Looking from the oustide in is the key to this one, I think. This is SRD ex machina, meaning that it was very convenient for SRD to have Andelain located where it was located, simply because it moved the story along.

I'm not trying to discount the many great reasons for it making sense within the context of the Chrons, but it just worked out best that way to have the Heart of the Land in a location where Covenant et al had to travel through or around it, with major plot motivators contained within.

Though it was a physical part of the Land, I think it's true power was symbolic. Without Andelain, neither Covenant nor Linden would ever have truly understood the impact of beauty/health, when they needed it most. Sunder and Hollian, though they did not go into it initially, were motivated by it as well, physical proof of what Covenant was selling them.
Who was it (Mhoram? Troy?) in the 1st Chrons that fought for the Land because they couldn't handle the thought that Andelain might be defiled?

Just my two cents (and I may be getting change back )

Cheers,
DukkhaWaynhim

[Gil galad]

Well put DukkhaWaynhim, the health of Andelain was a stark contrast to TCs health most times he travelled there.

[Loredoctor]

Maybe because it was the heart of the Land. The heart being the source of life being poured out into the world.