Kevin's Watch

The feature of having no eyes is a dominant theme throughout the Chrons, it is obvious (something I need to ask about in the GI if it hasn't yet been asked) -- HT, ur-viles, Waynhim, Sandgorgons etc. Even Stave loses one eye.

So what do you think will it have any significance later in the story that Mahrtiir is not just simply blinded but seemingly loses both of his eyes? Will he be made into some sort of revenant of HT? Or are we going to end up with a bunch of eyeless folks the same way everybody seems to be a halfhand now? I almost expected Linden losing two of her fingers at a point in the story:)

(There is an old thread also started by me, way back -- here

Good point to bring up. Caer Caveral (HT) was blind and a Forrestal. Mahrtiir is now blind. But havn't he recieved any hurtloam? I know that Linden healed him but it may be hurtloam that gives him a sight like HT.
Where he may become a new type of Forrestal or something totally unknown to us. Due to his training.

Plus the prophecy of a geas upon him may be a character to watch in the next books.

It wasn't Hile Troy's blindness that made him a Forestal, it was Caerroil Wildwood's direct intervention. There are no Forestals in the 'present' of FR.

That said, it will be interesting to see what SRD makes of Mahrtiir.

Stave's loss of one eye immediately called up Odin and Warden Dios in my mind - and we know how much SRD draws from that whole mythos.

Oh, Mahrtiir is definitely a character to watch in the coming installments.

That voice that was channeled through Anele in "A Defense of Revelstone" said to Mahrtiir: "You'll have to go a long way to find your heart's desire. Just be sure you come back. The Land needs you."

He's in for something big, something important. It's going to be crucial to the solution to big problems looming about.

He must go a long way...? But SRD has said that he won't be traveling outside the Land in these Last Chronicles, right? Maybe that's a figurative statement. And what is his heart's desire? I can't recall what he said about this. Was it in Runes? He said something...

The Land needs him...? His correlation to Hile Troy is uncanny. Not only is he blind, but he has two gapingly open eye sockets ( ), just like HT did. No, there are no Forestals in the present of FR. But there is a new forest.

Hhhmmmmmmm...

Not the only character in modern sci-fi/fantasy either, I think immediately of Paul Maud-Dib and Neo in the Matrix.

I think you aredefinitely onto something there Variol.

I don't think Muad'dib quite fits more with Troy than he does with Mahrtiir, as Muad'dib's loss of his eyes really didn't matter to him -- he had his Oracular Visions to guide him.

Rereading this thread, it occurred to me. That Mahrtiir could become a new type of Forrestal. A Forrestal of Salva Gildenboure. What better place could he be educated at. In Andelain where the new forrest's creators reside, Sunder and Hollian. With Loric's Krill embedded and free access to those who know. Hile Troy can be summoned anytime because he was human and was one for 3500 years. The previous Forrestals were created by the One Forest and never died (Theres a ref in TWL) but faded from the Land. HT was summoned and died by Sunders act.

It has a possibility.

Okay... Im sure i'll have more to say on this subject later, however i just have one small bit to reflect on from finn's post.......

"Not the only character in modern sci-fi/fantasy either, I think immediately of Paul Maud-Dib and Neo in the Matrix."

....Okay.... the idea of relating ANYTHING halfway decent (Which is roughly how i view the new chronicles with the startling addition of so much loosely tied back story and new characters - But we shall see if they vindicate themselves in the end) I cannot in good conscience even begin to attach any similarities of TCTC with something as god-awful as the matrix sequels. They were without a doubt the most horrid addition to the sci-fi genre and i wish to the very marrow of my bones that they had never come into existence. That being said, Great posts guys, and yes.... I am really wondering myself whether hurtloam would restore some vestige of site to Mahrtiir in the same fashion that it did for Hile Troy. Peace Lords and Ladies.

I was not making a comparison between the characters within their discreet plotlines, but to characters who lead/give directions who are blind of ordinary sight, but lead with or through extra-sensory vision. Mahrtiir clearly senses his surroundings and reads and understands what and where to go to achieve the company's ends and the Company are content to follow those directions; a Company with few clues to what direction they should take following a blind man.

In Herbert's work, you could probably find some religeous correlation in Paul Maud'Dib's blindness, its probably a device for the Brothers with Neo to show just how "out there" he is. I think that Variol is heading in the right direction and there is probably and eventually a New Forestal in town, tho' I am a bit concerned that its a triffle too obvious, ie, a new forest and a blind man...wow what a useful co-incidence????

Let's just hope he doesn't stumble across any sunglasses.

He won't need them. His bandages will suddenly turn into a Geordi LaForge-type enhancement device

With a name like Relayer, I must be an Insequent ....

....or a very poor carpeter!

So *those* are the next set of new characters who will show up in AATE!!

"We are the Carpeters. Revelstone is beautiful but lacks warmth. We shall upholster the entire fortress."

Then they must be British. One of the biggest shocks I had when I moved to the UK was that they love to put carpet in the most impractical places, practically anywhere in the house, be it the bathroom or the kitchen. In the cottage weáve bought there was carpet in the garden shed

And y'all wonder why the Empire crumbled.

But it tickles them(Brits) pink when they find that a house has laid shag carpet.

Carpet is the worst invention since 16 year old girls. Seriously. The Carpeters must be servants of the Despiser.

Ur Dead wrote:But it tickles them(Brits) pink when they find that a house has laid shag carpet.

Haven't we already been told Mahrtiir's heart's desire?
To be a player in a story that they Ramen will forever recount, like Lithe?
That was a warning from Covenant, wasn't it? He's telling him the land needs him.
I would like that thing for which he is needed to be as important as the next Forestal, but I hope it's not that. i hope new forest, blind guy is a red herring.
There will be a new forestal, i am sure. But I can't see who.
As intractable as the old ones were, a Haruchai would serve better.

Well it seems that Mahrtiir wil have 'a long way' to travel yet... Further than the rest of the group.. And does that imply that he will venture off by himself then??

I feel the Haruchai wouldn't make a good forestal as they don't use any forms of power.. just Fist and Faith.