The Illearth War Chapters 3 & 4

[Vain]

It's a cacaphonic assault on the senses and it's a miracle that TC manages to endure the emotional overload.

From the summonsing in dramatic fashion and seeing Elena (though he knows not who she really is), the introduction of the infamous Hile Troy (who surely must be miffed that someone else was called in and his preparedness called into question as a consequence) to the introduction of Dukkha, the twisted and tortured Waynhim and all this while all that TC wanted and pleaded for was to be sent back because Joan had called him.

Nice to know that TC is watchful and mindful of his words (even though this is only a dream)

"You put that stuff on my head, and before you know it the feeling comes back into my fingers and toes, and I go around ra...."

He barely caught himself.

"Hurting people"

And this was just the beginning.

The most interesting part for me was the history of the Ravers - three brothers who despised earth and tree and existed before time itself almost. Interesting that they existed without the knowledge of Lord Foul - they were an evil unto their own.

The history of the One Forest and The Colossus of the Fall that prevented them from entering the upper land until man destroyed the One Forest and the Colossus of the Fall was no longer able to restrain them. This is surely a tale that needs to be told in a far grander fashion.

I really enjoyed the interplay between Lord Mhoram and TC where TC asks them why they are so weak and Lord Mhoram throws it right back at TC - aserting that if this really were a dream then surely TC had the ability to make them strong.

It is strange - however - that with all their effort, they are barely able to scratch the surface of Kevins Lore - although even when Kevin Landwaster had it at his disposal, Lord Foul was still able to defeat him....this is still my favourite book of the Chrons

[danlo]

In 2 the Land once more! 2 really bastardize a phase. "It's all fun and games till a Waynhim loses an eye..." (...ala Gilbert Godfrey...ala Bevis...)

I think I better start a notebook on the series of dreams I had in 80-82 that I was, @ 1 point, convinced occured in the Illearth War. Has 2 do w/TC @ Glimmermere and what happened w/the Unfettered One...the part we never see...

The Raver history is very important and intense, 2 say the least, and relatively ez 2 let slip by...in retrospect. 42nately some new "Servants" on the Watch have been talking about it 4 some time now. That was 1 of the main reasons I got so xcited about TIW Group Read. So xcited that I put this quote in the intro 2 the SRD 4rum at the Hangar:

"It was samadhi, now named Sheol, who mastered the heart of Berek's liege--Sheol who slaughtered the champions of the Land, and drove Berek, half-unhanded and alone, to his extremity on the slopes of Mount Thunder. It was turiya and moksha, Herem and Jehannum, who lured the powerful and austere Demondim to their breeding dens, and to the spawning of the ur-viles. Now the three are united with Lord Foul again--united, and clamoring for the decimation of the Land. But alas--alas for my ignorance and weakness. I cannot forsee what they will do. I can hear their voices, loud with the lust for the ripping of trees and the scorching of soil, but their intent eludes me. The Land is in such peril because it's servants are weak."

[Infelice]

Argh! The inability of the Lords to unlock Kevin`s Lore is a continual source of frustration to me.

I agree that it is curious that the three Ravers existed without Foul`s knowledge and find it even curiouser that when they were unleashed upon The Land that they would become servants to Lord Foul.
The Ravers clearly had Foul out numbered - what stopped them from subduing Foul and making him one of their servants?

I agree that the histories of the Ravers, The One Forest and The Colossus and the Lords of old requires much embleshment - reading those sections leaves me longing for more.

[Vain]

No kidding danlo. It's probably the first time I have paid attention to the history of the Ravers.....

[Dag son of Dag]

Maybe the Ravers just were weaker then Lord Foul? After all, mr. Foul was the brother of the Creator..the Ravers where just the offspring of some nameless mother (who must have been quite unable at raising her sons to be responsible citizens).

[Infelice]

Yeah, makes you think who sired them and what kind of woman would raise three naughty boys like that?
I enjoyed getting "back to the Land" in these two chapters - I`d probably make a terrible leper - I`d much prefer to live in the delusion of the Land than the reality of the Real World.

[Fist and Faith]

I really enjoyed the interplay between Lord Mhoram and TC where TC asks them why they are so weak

My favorite line:

"Ah, my friend - I had forgotten that you ask such questions."

I agree that it is curious that the three Ravers existed without Foul`s knowledge

It just says they were in the Land first. Foul may have been busy elsewhere, messing with other people, before he came to the Land. But he might have known about them. In fact, he may have decided that he didn't need to hurry to the Land because he knew they were there doing his work for him.

And now that I think about it... Foul may have actually created the Ravers. Even if not directly and intentionally, although that's possible too, it could be that one of the banes that he "buried deep in the Earth," when the Creator was creating, warped some of the beings, resulting in either a race of Ravers, or the hideous birth of these three.

and find it even curiouser that when they were unleashed upon The Land that they would become servants to Lord Foul.
The Ravers clearly had Foul out numbered - what stopped them from subduing Foul and making him one of their servants?

Foul is much stronger than the Ravers. At least in the ways that count - manipulation, corruption, and all that. They probably went at him full-force. I'll bet he let them think they were beating him quite easily, then showed them how tiny they are in his sight. And, like whipped dogs, they put their heads down and obeyed.

[duchess of malfi]

I've always wondered about that nameless mother -- who was she? What race was she from? Was she an elohim to have immortal spirits as children?? Who was the father? Was there a father?? Too many questions!!

[Infelice]

I've always wondered about that nameless mother -- who was she? What race was she from? Was she an elohim to have immortal spirits as children?? Who was the father? Was there a father?? Too many questions!!

And not enough answers, Duchess. Oh, that there were a "Silmarillion" equivalent to the Chronicles.

[danlo]

As long as her name wasn't Infelice, Eve, Joan or Lena, we should b ok...makes u wonder who the dad was, tho...

[Infelice]

What? Wouldn`t those women make good mothers?

[danlo]

Infelice--it's a good thing we chatted the other night! Bsides welcome 2 the Watch, welcome 2 my warped sense of humor!

[Infelice]

Danlo - I live with people that have no sense of humour so any sense of humour will be refreshing .

[Fist and Faith]

Hmmm, I'm not sure we should ask about that

But anyway, maybe Foul is their father! *gasp*

[duchess of malfi]

Even if Foul is the father, still leaves open the question of the mother. What sort of being was she? And what were the circumstances surrounding their birth?

Spoiler

Was it something as horrendous as when they were born to the Giants???

[Infelice]

As long as they weren`t born of an Elohim mother - Foul is definitely not Elohim-dating material ..EW

[Skyweir]

.. why would Foul be the dad??

cool the IEW .. now I can catch up and join in .. got some speed reading to do first but

[duchess of malfi]

This will probably seem like a silly question, but it's something I've always wondered about and maybe someone can help me find an answer...

Does there seem to be something wrong, ill, in the very summoning of TC this time around??

The wide roar modulated slowly, changing the void of his sight. On the surge of the sound, a swath of gray-green spread upward until it covered him like a winding sheet. The hue of the green was noxious to him, and he felt himself smothering in its close, sweet, fetid reek- the smell of attar.

What's with all of the death imagery -- the winding sheet, the odor of death, the smothering? And doesn't that green make you think of

Spoiler

The Illearth Stone

?
Is Lord Foul doing something that causes this effect, or is there an ill at work with the Lords/High Lord Elena? I can't recall that any of his other summonings had imagery of this sort associated with them, though in Lord Foul's Bane there were those red lights that I associate with Drool.

[I'm Murrin]

Perhaps the green was Foul reaching out to detect the moment they summon Covenant so he can work out exactly when to send his army. He knew they would summon him, and he knew when they summoned him, so that may be how.

[Fist and Faith]

.. why would Foul be the dad??

heh Just a random thought. Knowing next to nothing about them, we don't know if they had a father at all. Was the information about them being born of one womb, that Mhoram got when he and samadhi touched, literal? Possibly not. But if they DID have a father, who better? The Ravers possess, forcing the bodies of others to do what they want. Foul manipulates, corrupts, and reduces others until they have nowhere to turn but him - and then they do what he wants. Maybe his ability just took a new form with the next generation?

Hey look, I'm just throwing out ideas here!:)