Kevin's Watch

while at the Colosus, Elena or Triock Tells TC that she has been called back to wield the staff of law in Lord Fouls Service... and it goes on to say that Foul dare not use the staff himself or he would suffer the same fate as Drool Rockworm..

ok.. now how could the staff or anything else besides white gold do Foul Harm? how could using the staff of law Warp him in any way? Would the Staff make him crazy? would all his machinations become fouled in some way? it couldnt possibly cause him to age and become crippled like Drool could it, because he has no body to do harm to. since foul was outside natural law would using the staff make Foul somewhat mortal, binding him to the same laws Lords and People of the land live by?

so in short..how could the staff of Law Uncorrupt/Corrupt Foul in any way?

My best guess is, it would be harmful to him because, for one thing, he'd be using it for un-Lawful purposes (like Drool), but perhaps moreso because Law is something that fundamentally belongs to the Land's world and he is NOT of that world. (Remember, he's of the same kind and possibly related in some way to the Creator, according to the myths we've heard.) If you've read Runes of the Earth, you'll recall

Spoiler

the staff harmed Waynhim exposed to it for too long, because they were artificial beings. A similar, if not identical mechanism, might have harmed Foul if he was exposed to the Staff.

Which is why once the SoL was destroyed, Foul was able to heal himself with Earthpower between the 1st and 2nd Chrons.

I kind of agree with loresraat.

We know that the Staff of Law, in being used to support Law, became Law itself.

In the Gradual Interview, Stephen R Donaldson wrote:It's not a light switch, essentially distinct from the flow of electricity which it enables. In a certain sense, the Staff *is* both Law and Earthpower, just as white gold *is* wild magic.

... So. Even though the Staff was never essential to the original existence of either Law or Earthpower, the simple fact of its creation means that it participates in both, and can therefore: a) strengthen both, or b) weaken both (by being destroyed).

(12/20/2004)

Lord Foul is not "natural" to the world. Therefore, in some ways, Law is inimical to him. I think that, as long as he leaves it alone, it leaves him alone. But if he tries to involve himself in Law, as he would if he even used the Staff, then it would somehow cause him harm.

It's worth noting that although he is immortal, he's not a superman in all respects. He needed the Illearth Stone to even play on the same level as Covenant's white gold. And he could be reduced to an atom with mirth. So, yes, I think the Staff of Law is powerful enough to be a problem for Foul.

Drool's issue is a bit different. He isn't unnatural, like Demondim-spawn are, nevermind an alien being. But he tried to bend the Law to his will. It rebounded against him. Just as anyone who uses the Power of Command, altering the way the world works bites you in the hiney. He was insufficient in stature to weild the Staff.

I think Drool would have been okay had Foul helped him out with lore. But Foul intentionally didn't do that. He let Drool relish his power without ameliorating his ignorance. Drool was a pawn that Foul let kill himself with his own stupidity and arrogance.

I think if Foul had the Staff, he would have used it more wisely than Drool. But, limiting himself to staying within bounds and not trying to bend Law unnaturally, what use would he have made of it?

Did the book say it would harm Foul?
Or did Mhoram or Osondrea say the staff would resist him at all turns.
It is not "suited" to his hand.
He could use it. But it would be difficult. He'd had to resist some of his natural impulses to just send out raw burning power.
When Elena used it for him, she used it sort of in line with the Staff's general purpose.
It isn't there to always regulate the weather, but law does regulate it, so she made it bitter cold, etc.
Foul would just try to hurl death bolts at the Arch of Time, but the Staff just wouldn't do it.

SGuilfoyle1966 wrote:Did the book say it would harm Foul?
Or did Mhoram or Osondrea say the staff would resist him at all turns.
It is not "suited" to his hand.
He could use it. But it would be difficult. He'd had to resist some of his natural impulses to just send out raw burning power.
When Elena used it for him, she used it sort of in line with the Staff's general purpose.
It isn't there to always regulate the weather, but law does regulate it, so she made it bitter cold, etc.
Foul would just try to hurl death bolts at the Arch of Time, but the Staff just wouldn't do it.

it was during Elenas return with the staff.... Elena told Triock to tell TC the truth before he dies and he said:

Triock says:

"She made it possible for the master to call her back in her turn-and with her the Staff of Law. Therefore she is his servant. And in her hands, the Staff serves him- though he would not use it himself, lest he share the fate of Drool Rockworm."