Destiny's Conflict: Speculation SPOILER WARNING!!!

[aussie500]

The Law of the Major Balance is also not in question, providing the spirit is willing, and a means willingly provided, it can cross. The Biedar ancients are one lot who seem to cross over a fair bit, as spirit. The centaur in Kewar is another example.

Summoned, living, that presence had crossed the veil by free will, straight out of bygone history.

He knew he was dead, had crossed the wheel and now resided in Athlieria, Jieret had called his spirit from the past, how is it he appeared embodied in Kewar? There is an example in an earlier book where the necromancers also call back spirits from the other side, but that was not a willing return, so would not have been in accord with the Law of the Major Balance. The Koriani Prime can also stop a spirit from crossing the wheel, but not bring one back who has crossed as far as we know. Nothing Seliedie Prime would do would be in accord with the major balance. But Elaira has set off on a journey to discover her orders secrets, at the time she might be able to help, although I would think it more likely Elaira would be sleeping through that experience, so she would not feel the bond break with Arithon, and would not be tempted to cross with him, and would not have to experience what Arithon has to go through, till after she has him back and knows he is safe.

Davien had been made discorporate, but like the other two discorporate sorcerers, his binding to the dragons had kept him on this side of the veil. The dragon then later redreamed him back into corporeal existence, he is not exactly the same as he once was, a few changes occurred. When the Fellowship were originally brought to Athera, they changed. I have not seen any clues a dragon could return a spirit from the other side of the veil though. But Arithon's spirit has wondered off a few times and got lost, the Biedar helped returned him in some of them. Ath's adepts can spin dreams into form, using prime power. Arithon might already have everything he needs to return, with a bit of help perhaps from some ancients or Mother Dark.

Lysaer has that agreement to protect the trees, not sure, but it sounded pretty binding. He has the same potential as Arithon, once freed of the curse. Arithon could help Lysaer in a similar way to how he helped Tarens return. And he could also imprint his experience and training if Lysaer was willing. What might Lysaer become? Would Arithon depend on Lysaer to return him? I doubt it, but there still seems no knowing which way Janny is going to go with it. Lysaer would be able to do grand conjury, even with no training. Kevor had no training. Lysaer has mastery of light, elemental mastery. And certainly he is going to be very, very sorry when he finally is freed of the curse and realizes what he has done. How sorry? Well at Althain tower he cried but he never really understood why, what it was he had lost. Mak had some thoughts on how sorry s’Ilessid might be. And that promise would directly affect Lysaer, the curse would no longer blind him to what Arithon went through.

‘If Arithon suffers harm, Amroth’s king will wish Fate’s Wheel could turn backward, and past actions be revoked. I will repay every cruelty, in kind, on the mind and body of his firstborn.’

Lysaer and Arithon are connected by blood, by talent and by their elemental mastery, the warning given to Amroth's king was to treat the half brothers as one.

"Flesh, bone, blood and mind, you are warned to treat my two sons as one."

Lysaer will no longer have the curse blinding him, if Arithon crosses the wheel, he will need no Kewar to experience what Arithon went through. That geas of justice will run true, he will be his own judge. Ath's adept described what Lysaer would face.

"Let us see, in the hour that Arithon’s blood stains your hands, whether conviction for your fellowman or overweening pride is your master."

Lysaer promised to protect the townborn from darkness, look at how he always stuck by that promise, that promise will come due. What is Lysaer going to do to protect them? I believe he was sincere, cursed or not he will keep that promise. Lysaer kills himself, he likely dooms them as well. If he is still sane, he would not leave them unprotected.

Erdane was keeper of a very interesting prophecy, that Lysaer mentioned.

“I’ve read the musty old records of the uprising kept at Erdane. They speak of retribution and vengeance to be claimed for the blood of the murdered high kings. Yet five hundred years have passed. Nothing happened.”

 

[Grimward]

‘If Arithon suffers harm, Amroth’s king will wish Fate’s Wheel could turn backward, and past actions be revoked. I will repay every cruelty, in kind, on the mind and body of his firstborn.’

Amroth's king is long dead (unless time marches MUCH slower on Dascen Elur), and won't be wishing anything at this point. Further, there's some question whether will of Arithon's grandfather (possibly ALSO long dead) and would withstand the potency of Davien's Five Centuries Fountain (the two spells DO have different aims, but the efficacy of Davien's Fellowship art almost certainly would surpass that of Rauven. Agree with your point about the warning, but have questions about its lingering "teeth".

As for the rest, it makes one wonder, if the high kings were overthrown, who exactly was left in Erdane to write the musty old scrolls and even more intriguing, under what premise would a townborn archivist bother to keep them, to say nothing of any mayor learning of their existence?

 

[aussie500]

Well Amroth's king never really had much to do with the workings of the curse, it was Lysaer who was going to be the one affected, his father is long dead now, only Lysaer will be the one wishing he could turn back time and undo the harm he caused. Especially if he gets to feel what Arithon had to go through. And being a mage, that curse of Mak's would I think, not be affected by time, or whether he was still alive, the workings would presumably occur on the other side of the veil, outside of time. Bit like that experience Lysaer had at Althain tower when he was made outcast, it occurred outside of time.

The necromancers were based at Erdane, they might know something of what was to come, and have made record of it, or there could be another of those many prophecies floating around, everyone seems to have one, someone might have recorded it. Or Royal Justice was well known back then, but most of the royals were either dead, or in hiding, why would they expect a king to return to do them in? Havish has stayed out of the fighting till recently, and Havish's king is not likely to pass judgement on those in Rathain or Tysan. In the Decoy Janny's short story in Unfettered II, there were a few clues that might be related. There was also made mention a few times, that only Arithon could arbitrate on some things that occurred in Rathain. Selidie's necromantic doings in initiate's Trial being one. Arithon has been absent most of the time, and seems a poor choice for retribution and vengeance, although he did promise his sanctioned royal justice at least once if his feal leigmen disobeyed an order.

Now a royal line who's geas was justice might seem a more likely prospect, and Erdane is in Tysan, but they have had no king for some time, and certainly true justice has been absent. Did not Dakar predict the return of a king? We will have to wait and see how it works out. I am expecting Destiny's Conflict to pretty much start with Lysaer burning a few temples, but that is not related to the spilled blood of any royals. Arithon dies, something is bound to happen, but it might not be Lysaer burning the guilty, could be a dragon, or something else.

There is some reason Janny has made note of all those places around Paravia people might hide if they needed protection, although it is not likely to be the townborn taking preventative action, they would not listen if Arithon or the clanborn warned them they were in danger of being toasted for the compact failing. Lysaer cannot burn such a large area, although he might burn his own new city. The dragons doing some cleaning up might be more likely, if the compact falls, maybe the dragons return home? Then there is the question of what the Fellowship might have to do, although I suspect they will wait it out. Maybe the original warning in Erdane was in relation to the compact falling, if all the royals were dead? Lysaer being outcast would not count as a royal, he cannot be high king under the compact, I suspect Arithon might arrange to be the last surviving Fellowship sanctioned royal, even if a scion of Havish manages to survive.

Asandir perhaps, might not be able to sanction the next heir for Havish's throne? There would be good reason Arithon has a babe under his protection. Whether it is a s'lornmein or a s'Valarient. You would think if the baby was Cosach's he would have made mention of it. Selidie Prime seems unlikely to be wanting someone so young as her next victim of possession, but you never know with someone as desperate as she is likely to be.