pre-Third Chronicles loose threads remaining after FR

[Borillar]

FR does an amazing job of tying up loose threads from the past Chronicles: Ak-Haru, the Seven Words, etc. But I thought it'd be interesting to think about what things we still haven't had explained. Here are a few:

1) The Lurker, and its relationship to the Ravers. This is somewhat alluded to in Runes, but I sense there's a lot more to come.

2) Whether Linden's healing of Pitchwife has any implications (she said she did it "so that she would trust herself later", and I have no idea what that means)

3) Whatever it was that Covenant made rise out of the Wightbarrow in WGW.

4) The Colossus of the Fall. Again, I think we're going to hear more about this.

Feel free to add others, or comment on the ones I've listed!

[Krilly]

Hmm, maybe #2 has something to do with Longwrath's lust for Linden's blood?

Can you (or someone) describe #3 to me? I don't seem to remember that.

[Starkin]

3) Whatever it was that Covenant made rise out of the Wightbarrow in WGW.

I was Drool Rockworm; The Cavewights were going to use Covenant's blood to bring Drool back to life.

[Borillar]

Actually, Covenant says that he made *something* arise out of the Wightbarrow, but he doesn't say it was Drool. And Linden at one point comments that whatever it is that the Cavewights were going to resurrect, it wasn't going to be Drool. The fact that it received so much airtime made me feel like it was significant.

[King Elessar 8]

Actually, Covenant says that he made *something* arise out of the Wightbarrow, but he doesn't say it was Drool. And Linden at one point comments that whatever it is that the Cavewights were going to resurrect, it wasn't going to be Drool. The fact that it received so much airtime made me feel like it was significant.

But he also said it didn't last long, whatever it was. It was just a way to divert the cavewights attention, I don't think we are going to hear any more about it.

[iQuestor]

Actually, Covenant says that he made *something* arise out of the Wightbarrow, but he doesn't say it was Drool. And Linden at one point comments that whatever it is that the Cavewights were going to resurrect, it wasn't going to be Drool. The fact that it received so much airtime made me feel like it was significant.

But he also said it didn't last long, whatever it was. It was just a way to divert the cavewights attention, I don't think are going to hear any more about it.

agreed.


I think the Lurker will play heavily in the next two books, we have never truly known exactly what was going on here, only that it arose from the vileness coming out of all the evil things going on under Mt Thunder.

Here are some other loose ends:

1. What about Kevin's Wards 4,5 and 6 -- where and what are they? And did #2 ever become useful?

2. Lord A-Jeroth - IIRC in FR we had confirmed this was Lord Foul's name when he became Kevin's right hand man. I wonder if we will find out exactly how Foul took the mortal guise of a Lord and was able to avert the Haruchai's suspicion of him, and also how he could be able to function and use EarthPower and do things like drink springwine (distilled form Aliantha) or eat aliantha, as lords are known to do.

[King Elessar 8]

There are still quite a few questions in regards to the Durance. When Findail is telling the story of the "fire in the north" that was ultimately capped by an unwilling Kastenessen, he says something along the lines of that he isn't going to say what caused the fire (which I assume would be the Skurj themselves) in the first place. So, that means whatever caused it must be of some importance. Actually, I am still rather vague on what exactly the skurj are, where precisely they escaped from, and the exact nature of the Durance.

Donaldson has also been not too subtly hinting in the GI that the Lords only using 6 of the 7 Words in the First Chronicles is important in some way. And I think we will probably find out a lot more about the Croyel over time.

Oh, and whatever Foul's "deeper plans" are. We know he wants to destroy the Earth and break the Arch of Time and resume his rightful (to his way of thinking) place as an immortal all-powerful god in eternity, so... what more is there to do than that?

[King Elessar 8]

Here are some other loose ends:

1. What about Kevin's Wards 4,5 and 6 -- where and what are they? And did #2 ever become useful?

Thats a loose end, but I would be surprised if it comes up. Kevin's Lore is of no use to Linden or Covenant, so I can't see a discovery of one of the Wards playing any role in the story beyond just satisfying simple reader curiosity. Probably over time the other Wards were genuinely lost - its also notable that it was said sometime in the First Chonicles that the Wards were hidden in such a way that they couldn't be unearthed until the previously found Ward was mastered.

2. Lord A-Jeroth - IIRC in FR we had confirmed this was Lord Foul's name when he became Kevin's right hand man. I wonder if we will find out exactly how Foul took the mortal guise of a Lord and was able to avert the Haruchai's suspicion of him, and also how he could be able to function and use EarthPower and do things like drink springwine (distilled form Aliantha) or eat aliantha, as lords are known to do.

Its like the test of truth - if the power of the test taker surpasses the power of the test, the test is useless. Foul could drink springwine or eat aliantha or be given orcrest as a gift because he is more potent than all of those things. He probably hated all of them immensely, but he could endure them.

[The na-Mhoram]

And did #2 ever become useful?

The New Lords were able to create Trothgard and Revelwood thanks to the 2nd ward, but that was about it.

[High Lord Tolkien]

2. Lord A-Jeroth - IIRC in FR we had confirmed this was Lord Foul's name when he became Kevin's right hand man. I wonder if we will find out exactly how Foul took the mortal guise of a Lord and was able to avert the Haruchai's suspicion of him, and also how he could be able to function and use EarthPower and do things like drink springwine (distilled form Aliantha) or eat aliantha, as lords are known to do.

We don't know if the Haruchai joined the Lords before or after Foul left the Council, I'm betting on it being after Foul left.
And if an Elohim joined the Council, the Lords wouldn't think it odd if he/she never ate or slept.
Foul was a being of power too.
He could have explained it away with any story about himself that he liked.

I don't think that Foul used Earthpower at all during his time on the Council.
He has his own power independent of Earthpower.
As we've seen in the 3rd Chronicles, knowledge is power.
His knowledge alone made him powerful.
Maybe that's all he used.

They clearly saw him as a threat or ill in some way because they gave him the test of truth.
Why would they do that if he was using Earthpower in wondrous ways?
He was probably as "closed" to them as TC was to the New Lords.

[iQuestor]

2. Lord A-Jeroth - IIRC in FR we had confirmed this was Lord Foul's name when he became Kevin's right hand man. I wonder if we will find out exactly how Foul took the mortal guise of a Lord and was able to avert the Haruchai's suspicion of him, and also how he could be able to function and use EarthPower and do things like drink springwine (distilled form Aliantha) or eat aliantha, as lords are known to do.

We don't know if the Haruchai joined the Lords before or after Foul left the Council, I'm betting on it being after Foul left.
And if an Elohim joined the Council, the Lords wouldn't think it odd if he/she never ate or slept.

I don't think that Foul used Earthpower at all during his time on the Council.
He has his own power independent of Earthpower.
As we've seen in the 3rd Chronicles, knowledge is power.
His knowledge alone made him powerful.
Maybe that's all he used.

They clearly saw him as a threat or ill in some way because they gave him the test of truth.
Why would they do that if he was using Earthpower in wondrous ways?
He was probably as "closed" to them as TC was to the New Lords.

Actually, I thought we knew for a fact the Haruchai joined prior to Lord Foul, because he sent them away when he went to meet him to utter the ritual of desecration, so I just assumed that they were there and knew Lord Foul as a Lord. Maybe I need to rethink that? Anyone want to comment on that? Fisty has an answer, I bet!

[Starkin]

Actually, Covenant says that he made *something* arise out of the Wightbarrow, but he doesn't say it was Drool. And Linden at one point comments that whatever it is that the Cavewights were going to resurrect, it wasn't going to be Drool. The fact that it received so much airtime made me feel like it was significant.

Ah, okay. Interesting... Gonna have to find that part in WGW and re-read it.

[dlbpharmd]

I believe that the Bloodguard served Lord a-Jeroth like any other Lord, and were just as surprised by his betrayal as anyone.

[Borillar]

I'm almost certain that another loose end that will be addressed is the failure to give Seadreamer a caamora.

[renny]

but if they served him like any other Lord, which Bloodguard warded him ?

and wht happened to him?

[iQuestor]

I'm almost certain that another loose end that will be addressed is the failure to give Seadreamer a caamora.

Oh, thats good!!!!

renny said:

but if they served him like any other Lord, which Bloodguard warded him ?

and wht happened to him?

I think we may find out in AATE...

[dlbpharmd]

but if they served him like any other Lord, which Bloodguard warded him ?

and wht happened to him?

No way to know, but wouldn't it be great if it was Bannor?

[emotional leper]

but if they served him like any other Lord, which Bloodguard warded him ?

and wht happened to him?

No way to know, but wouldn't it be great if it was Bannor?

Owned. BOOM! Headshot.

Man. How could Bannor have lived with himself?

He "did not suffice" if that's true.

[Fist and Faith]

Fisty has an answer, I bet!

Well, uh... *clears throat*

Heh. Actually, it's largely unknown. Nothing was ever said. Here's my own theorized timeline:
-a-Jeroth left Revelstone, going to Mount Thunder to get evil crap rolling.
-Kevin "doubted Lord Foul without knowing why." (This could have actually happened before or after Foul left Revelstone. Doesn't really matter.)
-The Haruchai came to the Land, and swore the Vow. a-Jeroth was not there, so they never warded him. They probably thought, "When this a-Jeroth returns, one of us will be assigned to him."
-Kevin's friends were ambushed and slaughtered at Treacher's Gorge.

[King Elessar 8]

Fisty has an answer, I bet!

Well, uh... *clears throat*

Heh. Actually, it's largely unknown. Nothing was ever said. Here's my own theorized timeline:
-a-Jeroth left Revelstone, going to Mount Thunder to get evil crap rolling.
-Kevin "doubted Lord Foul without knowing why." (This could have actually happened before or after Foul left Revelstone. Doesn't really matter.)
-The Haruchai came to the Land, and swore the Vow. a-Jeroth was not there, so they never warded him. They probably thought, "When this a-Jeroth returns, one of us will be assigned to him."
-Kevin's friends were ambushed and slaughtered at Treacher's Gorge.

I guess it depends on how long the time was between events. If there was a long gap between when A-Jeroth left and the betrayal at Treacher's Gorge, then possibly. But if it was only a few days or weeks, for the Haurchai to show up in that interval would be odd.

One thing I am hoping for in the remainder of the series is a scene in the past with Linden and/or Covenant meeting Kevin and his good buddy A-Jeroth. How that could happen without the Arch being endangered I don't know, but it would be fantastic to see.