The insequent and the elohim

[Fullmetal660]

We know quite a bit about the elohim, earthblood, shadows in their heart, blah blah blah. But What about the history of the Insequent and their relation to the elohim, they seem to have some sort of fued going on.

The elohim are also known to the people of the land as they wander it from time to time, but no one knows anything about the insequent. How come?

So far we know of 4 insequent (harrow, mahdoubt, vizard and theomach) and their personnal apparel, but what does these accesories do/mean?

Any body have any thoughts about the insequent themselves, their history or their relation to the elohim?

[sweetbread]

I think that they are the opposite of the Elohim, so, in essence, an incarnation of the opposite of Earthpower. They are also self proclaimed seekers of knowledge (the Unfettered?) who have apparently been around since time began.

So, the question that we need to answer first is, what is the opposite of Earthpower?? Wild Magic?

[Rigel]

I don't think it's anything as clean as a duality; if it were, the "banes" hidden in the earth would be more appropriate as the opposite of the Elohim.

More like they are individuals who, through study and learning, have attained a certain level of knowledge. That in itself is a stark contrast to the Elohim, who are basically born with "ultimate" (in their eyes) power.

[Beyondthebreach]

The question of the Insequent and the Elohim is a puzzle that I am eager to see unravel.

There is a quote that I think holds some significance. When the Vizard tells his tale of the Theomach's victory at the Isle of the One Tree he states:

". . . there he defeated the hated Elohim . . . "

After reading his tale several times, something occured to me: What exactly does the Vizard mean by this? Elohim is both Singular and Plural.

So, to say that "he defeated the hated Elohim" would imply that he either:

1) Defeated the race of Elohim.

or

2) Defeated a specific Elohim - one that was known to them.

If he had simply defeated an Elohim that was guarding/Appointed to the One Tree then the sentence would read:

"there he defeated one of the hated Elohim . . ."

I guess that either sentence of the above could be true: The victory at the One Tree was so signficant that it was a defeat for the entire race or that the particular Elohim who was guarding it was especially despised by the Insequent (or at least by the Vizard).

I would guess that the Insequent's hatred of the Elohim stems from an ancient "wrong" done to them in the past. At least in our own world, hate between races is usually the result of perceived "wrongs" and it is often the case the the more two different races hate each other, the more they are alike and share a common history. It could be that the guardian of the One Tree was the main cause of this hate.

Are the Elohim the Eloi of the land? Maybe then, too, the Insequent might be the Morlocks (metaphorically speaking, of course). Perhaps there were separate classes or power levels with the Elohim - maybe not all of these beings of Earthpower came to be as the Elohim are now. The name implies that the Insequent are "out of sequence" (maybe "Out of Time").

[Fullmetal660]

Good disocvery about the plural/single of 'elohim' Beyondthebreach, it raises many thoughts and I think that this Insequent and elohim business is gonna have major dealings in how the series is ended.

[wayfriend]

Is there any indication that any Insequent other than the Theomach cares much about any Elohim?

Certainly the Insequent know about them - more than the Lords did, anyway. They would naturally consider the Elohim the epitome of individual power. It seems therefore also natural that some might choose to test themselves agains them, or others to consider them rivals. But not all of them.

(Being powerful enough to protect the Earth from some kinds of dangers, the Elohim and the Insequent probably disagree on their approach to this task, too.)

The Insequent are just regular people. Wizards, as Jeremiah says. As their race produced many such Wizards, you might grant them a high status, or attribute them with a very successful world view. Then again, their need to test themselves against the Elohim, or to feel a rivalry, shows that they are somewhat insecure in themselves, too. No Lord ever desired to prove themselves against an Elohim.

I don't think there's anything mythical about the Insequent that mandates that they have aan antagonistic relationship with the Elohim. The Elohim were born to be what they are, the Insequent not. The Insequent exist to meet some other need in Donaldson's story.

Finally, it's unclear whether the Theomach wished to defeat an Elohim merely for the sake of defeating an Elohim -- as the Vizard seems to imply -- or if he's playing some even longer game. It may be that the fate of the Earth rested upon his assuming the Guardianship. He can, after all, see the future...

[Beyondthebreach]

Is there any indication that any Insequent other than the Theomach cares much about any Elohim?

The Vizard, at least, hates them . . . if Roger and the Croyel are to be believed (and I think in this instance they are), then the Vizard desired Jeremiah to create a structure to imprison all of them.

Perhaps it is the Vizard's dislike that is coming through, but it has given me the distinct impression that all the Insequent are at odds with the Elohim . . . to one degree or another. But again, it could just be the Vizard who feels this way.

[Damack]

I guess that either sentence of the above could be true: The victory at the One Tree was so signficant that it was a defeat for the entire race or that the particular Elohim who was guarding it was especially despised by the Insequent (or at least by the Vizard).

I would guess that the Insequent's hatred of the Elohim stems from an ancient "wrong" done to them in the past. At least in our own world, hate between races is usually the result of perceived "wrongs" and it is often the case the the more two different races hate each other, the more they are alike and share a common history. It could be that the guardian of the One Tree was the main cause of this hate.

I think what you mentioned about the victory being significant is correct. Because the Guardian wasn't just any Elohim, but if I recall correctly, he was an Appointed. And if I understand the Elohim correctly, the Appointed are, if you will, the badasses among the race who for some reason get some really crappy duty like keeping the skurj in check (Kastenessen), watching over Vain (Findail), and guarding the One Tree.

A similar anology is how the Haruchai "redeemed" themselves against the Insequent when Brinn (was it Brinn?) defeated the Guardian and thus proved themselves worthy again. The Guardian in this case was the Theomach. The Haruchai were redeemed because it was one of the Insequent who bested the Haruchai (namely the Vizard) in their early encounter way before TC came around.

At least this is how I remember it. Someone correct me if my facts are off.