The Seven Words

[Relayer]

Come meet me at Melenkurion Valley, um I mean Deer Valley... I'll be there starting Friday.

And I do intend to see if I can find out who named that run Argus...

[MsMary]

Wish I could, but I don't have the time or money to go skiing right now. Have fun yourself, though.

[Relayer]

I will, thanks

[Bran Pendragon]

I haven't checked into this forum in a while. I'm thinking about rereading FR. Some parts, I just can't get out of my head. Actually, it might be fun to reread Runes and FR back-to-back.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I wanted to come here and say that Linden using the 7 words at the end of Part 1 was one of the coolest scenes in all the Chronicles. I know I've had my problems with the motivation and plot structure up to this point, but from sheer narrative force, pure dramatic achievement . . . that's a cool scene. Of course, the fact that it's a culmination of something which began two Chronicles ago, adds to its force. The recent revelation of the 7th word and how Linden learns the whole string while in the past, ties together this almost "cinematic" depiction of Linden screaming these words while wielding an Earthblood-powered Staff of Law, with the rich history of those words in terms of Donaldson's mythology. That scene reverberates, both in its own right and throughout the entire canvas of Donaldson's creation.

But more than anything, I was amazed how the recitation moved me. We've gotten so used to seeing wizards recite spells, speaking a bunch of nonsense that we're supposed to take seriously, that the whole technique has become ironically mundane. But as a means to depict badass-character-moments, this scene reinvented the whole idea of using spoken spells to enact one's will. It felt like Linden was reclaiming the technique, justifying the use of this highly melodramatic character action by making it dramatic. Showing every other author out there: that's how you use magic words in a battle.

Great post. I'm ambivalent about finding out things like this. I do like the mystery and fun of imagining how cool it would if X or Y happened, whereas normally when authors go back and fill out those mysteries, they don't do them justice. That said, this one was reasonably well done.

I thought SRD walked a fine line on making Berek out to be a less than we'd all always thought he was, but I think he treaded that line to show that while he might not have been the faultless miracle man of myth, in a way that made him even more impressive.

[SGuilfoyle1966]

I think Berek, when he appears among the Dead to Linden, has become the person of myth we thought him to be.
We caught him in the offing, as it were.

[SGuilfoyle1966]

I came across a bit in the G.I. that says it isn't a real accident that harad isn't in the Wards the Lords have found.

[Lordsfire]

I think Berek, when he appears among the Dead to Linden, has become the person of myth we thought him to be.
We caught him in the offing, as it were.

When does this happen? It's been a while since I've read everything, and you just made me think of something. If anyone has a book/page that would be fantastic.

[Dirty Whirl]

Re-reading The Wounded Land after FR, the scene where TC fights off the firespout lurker was a lot more interesting in light of knowing the 7 words. TC 'silently shouts' the 6 words that he heard from the lords in his throat, and along with the light of the krill, this seems to snap the lurker's power. It was rather convenient that TC said them silently so Linden couldn't have heard.

[Würd-o]

Heaven and Earth!

I'm afraid I'll have to disagree completely with those who think the reveal of the the Seventh Word and the whole phrase's translation was harmful to the backstory / mythology of Earthpower lore. Translating an invocation is a bit like translating "Amen", but let's think about it in context.

A dreadful paraphrase of the seven in English would now be "Source of creation endure! The theurgy of the earth, from the foundation of the earth, I invoke! With fidelity to the earth I wield!"

The understanding the author gives us is very much in keeping with the story as I've read it. But, what makes the final reveal so interesting is contemplating what was left out before, and how this lack is symbolized in the new Lords struggles with Kevin's Lore. Harad, the word missing until now, is the word that binds the wielder to the service of the earth. Read the same dreadful translation above, and leave out "With fidelity to the earth." Without harad, the invocation is might without constraint, as unwieldy as knowledge without wisdom. Lacking Harad, the new Lords could not bind themselves completely to the power they were invoking, thus necessitating the contemplation of despair in the exercise of earth's power. Also, harad is the reason the Seven Words were not spoken at the Ritual of Desecration. Despite cannot utter the phrase, yet we know Lord Foul enacted the ritual with Kevin, and they spoke it together. Kevin had to go beyond the lore of Earthpower, and twist it, to desecrate the Land, while the Seven Words remain untainted. It helps explain his fall from grace. Finally, and most interesting, harad is the word that was most "lost" after the desecration of the earth, further bolstering the symbolism / backstory / mythology.

Personally, I find the symbolic lack of Harad until now, and the reveal for Last Chronicles, both relevant and satisfying to the backstory of Earthpower's lore.

And thirty years in coming! I'm glad it was a good reveal.

[Mr. Broken]

In order maintain suspense the hope that the land will survive has to at least remain possible, ( in essence there has to be a future for the story to continue ) and the survival of the land depends on Earth power, and Lore. Whether they wish to admit it, or not the Masters have continued the work of the Clave, in helping to eliminate the use, and knowledge of either. The Theomachs revelation planted the "Seeds" for Bereks future, but also for Lindens ( as well as the Lands )possible future. The brilliance of the Theomachs strategy is that it serves established history, while at least having a definite effect on the possible future, a place that the Insequent at least up until this point seem loathe to go.

[Würd-o]

The Theomachs revelation planted the "Seeds" for Bereks future.

True, paradoxical, and thought provoking. The Theomach -- outside of Time -- at once gives and restores the Seven Words to the knowledge of those who can use them. In fact, he restores them to knowledge (giving Linden Harad again) BEFORE he first gives them (as tutor to Berek). Is there any doubt The Theomach's particular contemplation of Time has led him to a theurgy of paradox.

[Hellbinder]

ad: "- It destroys the mythology of the back story of the series, by exposing what happened directly and eliminating much of the cool stuff (such as the Earth speaking to Berek)"

It doesn't, not in my book. It provides a wholly plausible story to see how those legends came into existence, that the Earth didn't actually speak to Berek just the poor blighter could not interpret it otherwise. We know now an answer to the perplexing question how the legend of the white gold came was born in the first place when white gold per se cannot be found in the Land except the two Covenant-rings: Berek saw/felt it on Linden's neck, did not understand a bit of it perhaps but it was enough to create a legend.
The Land/the story is full of magic anyway, begging us to suspend our disbelief at nearly every corner. It is _nice_ to know that some things have an everyday explanation after all. For me, anyway.

The problem is she was not there in the origonal time line.

Virtually every case of you guys being posotive on this issue and similar issues is you cant see the forest though the trees. Linden was never there in the first history. Theomach was never there in the first history. Apparently none of those things happened that way in the first history.

Many people seem to be totally blinded to the utterly catastrophic damage the narrative has suffered because of this event.

I dont see where this is a matter of opinion. Any more than the sky is blue.

[Unfettered One]

Actually, I think the Theomach was there in the first history. FR says several times that the Theomach was going to help Berek, LA being there just made his introduction easier.

Also, he became the guardian of the One Tree already, so he must have been there.

[Seppi2112]

Theo was in the original timeline... the fact that he has knowledge of the natural flow of time (I think that's the nature of his knowledge anyways) does not mean he can just circumvent it totally.

[Ur Dead]

There no absolute proof that the Theomach or Linden was there. But there is no proof that they weren't. From LFB the only thing told
was Berek was fighting a war for his queen. He said the seven words. He call the Fire Lions. Nothing said about what came immediately after that event.

By rights from what being said above, that after the calling on Mt. Thunder, Berek won the war , started the high lords then got the staff, set the guardian and lived happy ever after untill he died.

The stories told about Berek were from legends. Legends tend to misplaced the fine detail of events. Berek didn't have his historians writing down what was happening. And even if he did have historians,
he would have placed a sword in their hand and told them to fight.

I see no conflict at all. Just because it wasn't in the first two chronicles doesn't mean it couldn't have happened. If you want to dismiss that part of FR then you must dismiss Stave's story when the Haruchai met the
Insequents race. Their encounter with the Harrow. But in TOT Brinn pleads with Covenant to fight the Guardian and cite legends that were older than their meeting with Kevin.
Brinn had full knowldge of the meeting with the Harrow but SRD never wrote in detail at the time because it would have an impact on the chapter. TC was trying to get to the one tree and some bit of ancient history
would have been extra weight.

The mythos of Berek, with the sections of FR, you can see the dynamic leader placed within extraordinary events, given astonishing gifts and creating a community dedicated to Earthpower, increased in magnitude.

[sweetbread]

I think Berek, when he appears among the Dead to Linden, has become the person of myth we thought him to be.
We caught him in the offing, as it were.

When does this happen? It's been a while since I've read everything, and you just made me think of something. If anyone has a book/page that would be fantastic.

Fatal Revenant, page 582, about eighth paragraph down:

One of them walked out of the west. With a shock, Linden saw that he was Berek Halfhand. But he was not the Berek whom she had met, embattled and weary, baffled by nameless powers. Rather he was High Lord Berek Heartthew, limned in victory and lore. Under the Theomach's tutelage, he had transcended himself. His eyes were stars, and he gazed upon Linden with somber gladness, simultaneously concerned and gratified.

How could you forget that?

[shadowbinding shoe]

We also see Berek at the end of TPTP when he comes to gloat over Lord Foul's defeat and is made to laugh instead.

[SGuilfoyle1966]

The only real problem I see in all of this is that Brinn, knowing Covenant is going to the One Tree, knows he might encounter the Theomach/Guardian.
The ak-haru was supposed to be found by someone not seeking him.
Brinn went there in Covenant's service, to be sure. But he knew damn well where he was going when he hooked up with Covenant. He had no map, but he knew his quest would take him, in all probability, to the ak-Haru.

[Seppi2112]

How did Brinn know ak-Haru was guarding the one tree?

[Llaura]

New to this forum, so bit nervours and not sure if this is relevant.

Having read FR and found it impossible to read anything for ages have just started re-reading 1st Chronicles. High Lord Elena has just used the 6 words when the Lords were trying to release dukkha Waynhim from the Illearth stone in TIW. Up till this point, I had thought the Lords had known 5 words and that Duroc had not been used before this moment. Not sure what point I'm trying to make, but thought it was interesting that's all!