Kevin's Watch

On the GI just the other day, someone just asked how the Power of Command could be used again if Amok dissolved after the first time, and SRD replied "Since Amok was unmade by leading Elena and Covenant to the EarthBlood, I think we can safely assume that he was a one-time-only offer."

We also know that Amok is needed to "unlock" Damelon's Door, and that the knowledge Amok possesses in this respect isn't in any of the Wards.

This makes me wonder two things:

1) Is Damelon's Door something that was put into place by Kevin or Damelon, or did it exist naturally? If it existed naturally, then there could be some hope of entering there again if someone could figure out how it worked...

2) Why would Kevin believe that it made sense to make the Power available once but never again? Isn't that just sort of random?

I had wondered about that myself.

Is it stated that once Damelon's Door was opened, it would automatically shut again? I figured Amok's unlocking was also a one-time-only phenomenon as well. If the tests were passed and the Lords were ready to be granted access to the EarthBlood, then presumably they should remain qualified. (Kevin didn't count on Covenant & Elena to muck things up.) Presumably, if all had gone as planned, it would have been up to the new Lords who mastered all 7 Wards to arrange for the future security of the EarthBlood afterwards.

Note that Amok, having perceived the signs of readiness and been given the password, was ready to lead the High Lord to the EarthBlood immediately, but there is IMO little reason to believe that the Lords would happen to need to use it one time only, just when they had figured out the sixth ward! So I would guess Amok's mission was to reveal something that would remain accessible and available to them afterwards.

As to the origin of Damelon's Door, I figured it was artificial. I wonder why it was named for Damelon; presumably he constructed (or discovered?) it. Maybe Damelon was more modest and cautious than his father and took thought for securing the Power of Command from misuse, and Melenkurion Skyweir seems a rather inhospitable place to establish a fortress and garrison. It could be that he passed the knowledge of unlocking to his descendants, & Kevin in turn thought of the innovation of "automating" the process in the person of Amok, who would respond to the signs of readiness and the speaking of the name.

Damelon's Door probably still exists, but I don't think that means anything now, since Earthroot was destroyed during Elena's battle with Kevin. IMHO we've seen the last of the Earthblood.

Another question as well. The Earthblood is a natural phenomenon (im assuming). So a) who first discovered it (that may be answered in TIW)
and how

b) Was there no way of accessing it before Kevin made Amok?

c) The Earthblood was one of, if not the, most powerful Earth-born substance so how did Kevin conceive of a way of preventing others from using it without having access to Amok?

I guess in the same sort of way that Berek set the Guardian of the One Tree but Berek had the advantage of assistance of Pure Earthpower. Kevin wasn't that priveliged. The concept of the Earthblood did always bother me as there were too many unanswered questions.

On another track here, Im guessing Elena made the choice to call Kevin because she believed any command would be carried out to the letter; ie if she ordered Kevin to destroy Lord Foul, the command would be carried out exactly to her wishes (Foul would be destroyed) so there was no idea in her mind that it could fail.

I feel like throwing some random thought out today:

Just because it's called Damelon's Door doesn't mean that he created it.
It could be name to honor Damelon.
Berek for his son or Loric named it for his father.

Who knows the extent of the Old Lords powers?
Some Unfettered and Anele can read stone.
Many the Old High Lords could do the same to a much larger degree.
Perhaps they could discern the location of the Earth Blood from a distance or even from within Revelstone.

Amok was created by Kevin but Bannor said that Kevin never visited Rivenrock with any Bloodguard.
Perhaps he was there before the Haruchai arrived?
No I think Kevin created Amok and imparted upon him the location of the Earthblood from a distance, if you will.

But somebody had to put that boat there though.
Damelon was a Giantfriend after all.
Sounds like a Giantish kinda thing.
Boats that require stories to move.
All the rock work to make the Door, lake and passageways.
I bet a Giant could have unlocked Amok.
Too bad they were being slaughtered.

Amok was created after the Haruchai became the Bloodguard.
And if Amok is the only one that could get through the Door that says that Kevin was able to manipulate the Earthpower used for the Door from quite a distance!

Let's remember to take into account Kevin's trepidation of the Power of Command. He dared not use it himself. He was probably very close to deciding that he would reveal it to no one.

I think Amok's nature represents Kevin's indecision between keeping it a secret and making it generally available. He didn't want the secret lost to the Lords, who must battle Foul if he fails. He didn't want it readilly available either, as it was too dangerous. So he created a one-time key which would make the Power accessible in dire need (e.g. the krill is charged up). Conflict resolved.

( Interesting side theory ... could Kevin have been frightened of the Power of Command because he knew something of the future? )

Damelon's Door cannot be 'natural'. It must have been made by some Lord. Kevin need not have been the one to find the Earthblood, or to have made the Door. He or his fathers might have had the lore needed to traverse the Door - in themselves. However, rather than pass that lore on, he encapsulated it in Amok, where it is inaccessible to disclosure.

Wayfriend wrote:
( Interesting side theory ... could Kevin have been frightened of the Power of Command because he knew something of the future? )

I remember reading something about only Berek being both an Oracle and a Prophet.
Kevin was only an oracle.
So Kevin didn't know for sure.
Or something like that.

(Although after I looked both words up they do sound the same.)

High Lord Tolkien wrote:

Wayfriend wrote:
( Interesting side theory ... could Kevin have been frightened of the Power of Command because he knew something of the future? )

I remember reading something about only Berek being both an Oracle and a Prophet.
Kevin was only an oracle.
So Kevin didn't know for sure.
Or something like that.

He might have been passed a note from his great Granddad.

Just because it's called Damelon's Door doesn't mean that he created it. It could be name to honor Damelon. Berek for his son or Loric named it for his father.

That's precisely what I was wondering.

Damelon's Door cannot be 'natural'. It must have been made by some Lord.

I'm interested to hear why you say this. The Fire-Lions don't rampage down Mount Thunder without being "unlocked" by the Staff of Law, but as of yet we have no reason to believe that they were artificially bound to the mountain (although I suspect that Runes might shed some light on that). So why couldn't Damelon's Door be a natural phenomenon, perhaps named after the one who discovered it?

Also, I can't remember whether Kevin was described as being <u>any</u> of the following: seer, oracle, or prophet. I'd love a quote from the book if someone can find it. If he was any of these, then his foresight of the misuse of the Power might explain its one-time use (i.e. he couldn't see precisely enough to know the exact danger, so basically "hedged his bets" by making it accessible just the once)

One wonders, too, how Bannor and Covenant escaped Earthroot. I don't think they went out the way they came in, suggesting that there's another way in besides Damelon's Door...

(I had also briefly wondered about what would happen if a Lord reached the Earthblood, learned what it was, and then needed to go back to Revelstone to consult with the other Lords. But of course a Lord who had gained Earthblood via mastery of the Sixth Ward would know in advance what the power was and how it worked).

Borillar wrote:
One wonders, too, how Bannor and Covenant escaped Earthroot. I don't think they went out the way they came in, suggesting that there's another way in besides Damelon's Door...

(I don't have the books handy so I'm going to butcher the names I fear)

The exit wasn't there before Kevin and Elena started fighting.
Bannor knew that they were at one of the sources of the river that flowed through the Deep.
The battle between Elena and Kevin was blasting the mountain up pretty badly.
Mhoran and Troy could HEAR it miles away.
It must have been a spectacular battle!
The whole structure of the mountain was damaged and the lake started to drain.
The exit that they used wasn't there before Kevin and Elena started fighting.
I assume that even that way out was closed as the battle went on.
Even then didn't TC unknowingly use a little WM to keep them both alive?

One wonders, too, how Bannor and Covenant escaped Earthroot. I don't think they went out the way they came in, suggesting that there's another way in besides Damelon's Door...

That is explained in TIW. Bannor brought Covenant back to the boat on the lake and began to recite something in Haruchai. The battle between Elena and Kevin soon damaged the walls of Earthroot, and the lake began to flow through the damaged areas. Bannor and Covenant were taken by the current, and eventually emerged at the mouth of the Black River, and on to Gallows Howe.

TIW, chapter 24:

Amok halted before this narrow gap. He waited until his companions were close behind him. Then, speaking over his shoulder in an almost reverential tone, he said, "Behold Damelon's Door - entryway to the Power of Command. For this reason among others, none may approach the Power in my absence. The knowledge of this unlocking is contained in none of High Lord Kevin's Wards. And any who dare Damelon's Door without this unlocking will not find the Power. They will wander forever lorn and pathless in the wilderness beyond. Now hear me. Pass swiftly through the entryway when it is opened. It will not remain open long."

[skipping forward]

With slow solemnity, the youth extended his right hand, touched the blank plane of the gap with his index finger. In silence he held his finger at that point, level with his chest.

A fine yellow filigree network began to grow in the air. Starting from Amok's fingertip, the delicate web of light spread outward in the plane of the gap. Like a skein slowly crystallizing into visibility, it expanded until if filled the whole Door.

So, we first see that if someone had actually gone to Rivenrock, found the entrance to Melenkurion Skyweir, they would have been lost forever without the knowledge of Damelon's Door.

Next we see that Amok does nothing special to open the Door - it's as if he simply knows where to push the right button, so to speak. This reminds me of the secret doors in Foul's Creche or the door to the Aumbrie of the Clave (I'm not implying that Foul had anything to do with creating Damelon's Door.) So, hypothetically speaking, it's possible that another Lord, led by the Bloodguard, could have found their way to Damelon's Door and then activated the Door simply by doing as Amok did.

Here's a thought to the creation of the Door - perhaps Damelon himself traveled to Earthroot and discovered the Earthblood. Damelon was a prophet so it's possible that he would understand the nature of the Power of Command and the hazards of using it. He then drank the Earthblood, and commanded that a secret entranceway be created to protect the Earthblood from those who were not prepared to use it wisely.

HLT snuck his post in.

That is explained in TIW. Bannor brought Covenant back to the boat on the lake and began to recite something in Haruchai. The battle between Elena and Kevin soon damaged the walls of Earthroot, and the lake began to flow through the damaged areas. Bannor and Covenant were taken by the current, and eventually emerged at the mouth of the Black River, and on to Gallows Howe.

Sorry, I didn't phrase my musing very carefully. When I said "one wonders how they escaped", it was semi-rhetorical; I was pretty sure they took an alternative route (one that would only exist due to the battle damage), and so I more was suggesting that there is now another way in to Earthroot besides Damelon's Door.

Oh! Sorry.

I likethe Theroy that the Giants were present in the construction..I'd imagine that it was Damelon who put the door there, or got the Giants to do it, and they named it after him.

Amok being a one time offer makes sense; for if the New Lords were ready for the seventh Ward, then they'd only need Amok to show them were it was, and unlock the door the first time.

Someone who was completely Lorewise (ie: Thourough knowledge of the first six wards) would be capable to open it again, if needed.
But Kevin was the Lore-wisest of the Lorewise, and he knew enough not to use it...I think just knowing that it's there would be pretty impressive to the New Lords...they'd know that Earthpower acctually CAN do ANYTHING.

Borillar said: Also, I can't remember whether Kevin was described as being any of the following: seer, oracle, or prophet. I'd love a quote from the book if someone can find it. If he was any of these, then his foresight of the misuse of the Power might explain its one-time use (i.e. he couldn't see precisely enough to know the exact danger, so basically "hedged his bets" by making it accessible just the once)

I think in LFB Lord Tamarantha said that because Kevin was an Oracle he had the foresight to combine all his knowledge into Wards etc but because he was not a prophet he could not forsee the consequences of his actions. Only Berek was both Prophet and Oracle.

I know I butchered the quote a bit there but it goes something like that.

OOps did the quotes in the wrong bit!

drew wrote:I likethe Theroy that the Giants were present in the construction..I'd imagine that it was Damelon who put the door there, or got the Giants to do it, and they named it after him.

Amok being a one time offer makes sense; for if the New Lords were ready for the seventh Ward, then they'd only need Amok to show them were it was, and unlock the door the first time.

Someone who was completely Lorewise (ie: Thourough knowledge of the first six wards) would be capable to open it again, if needed.
But Kevin was the Lore-wisest of the Lorewise, and he knew enough not to use it...I think just knowing that it's there would be pretty impressive to the New Lords...they'd know that Earthpower acctually CAN do ANYTHING.

There must be some reason the Door was named for Damelon, & it may well have had some relationship to his friendship with the Giants. However, I don't see the Giants as being the architects of the Door, as it is IMO clearly an instance of obscure Earthpower-based Lore, & Giants didn't use such lore (except in some very restricted pre-packaged implementations such as the Gildenlode aquatic propulsion systems provided by the Lords). IMO the most likely explanation is that Damelon made it, using the Staff.

Amok seems to have made it pretty clear that the first six Wards, per se, do not tell how to unlock D's Door, which would mean there were indeed matters Kevin chose not to pass on to his successors.

Maybe the Sixth Ward explained the ramifications of summoning Amok and accessing the Seventh Ward, and the Lords could simply keep the knowledge in reserve and refrain from doing so until they felt the need. I was indeed mindful of Kevin's trepidation, as Wayfriend pointed out. Perhaps Kevin did indeed believe the EarthBlood would only need to be used once, if ever.

Or, maybe in the closing chapters of the Sixth Ward there was an important cautionary note for the lorestudent:

CAUTION: When you follow Amok to the Seventh Ward, use it to Command Damelon's Door to remain "open" (You will understand when you get there), otherwise you may not be able to gain access to it again.
Be sure to guard the Seventh Ward from unauthorized access after the Door is opened.

What's interesting and I didn't notice it until just now is that we've forgotten the Krill.

It was the "activation" or use of the Krill that summoned Amok.
He didn't know who activated it or even seem to care.
The fact that it was done by Wild Magic didn't seem to be an issue either.
Just that it was "fired up" and ready to go.

So did the 6th Ward contain the knowledge that would have show how to use the Krill?
It was "discovered" with the return of Ward II.
So it could be assumed that it could be used after gaining the 2nd Wards knowledge.
Mhoram got a gleam of blue Lords Fire from it and he only had partial knowledge of Wards I and II.
So it seems to be a *very* important item in High Lord Kevin's "arsenal" and was *expected* to be in use from Ward II through Ward VI

Just what the HECK is this Krill anyway?!!

Most likely, the sum of all knowledge contained in the first 6 Wards would have led a Lord to "activate the Krill." IMHO, that knowledge would have led the Lord to the secret of the Ritual of Desecration. Mhoram intuitively came to an understanding of the RoD on his own, and by using this power he brought the blue gleam from the Krill.