[Khellendros]

So I've gone through a few topics and noticed the identity of Old Man being discussed, but I didn't come across my particular interpretation. Apologies if someone has said it already and I missed it.

Old Man is the god who lives on the Moon (Grallin I think he was called by Apsalar in GotM). Why do I say this? Because he's got a BIG SHINY MOON FLOATING BEHIND HIM!

Okay, admittedly, it doesn't explicitly say that, but first there's the cold airlessness, and then the object behind him is described thusly:

Quote

The figure then stepped out from the doorway, and a light came with him. It was not a warm light, not a light to drive back the gloom, and it hovered over the man's left shoulder, a pallid disc or ball, larger than a man's head, and if the man reached up, it would have remained beyond his touch, just past his fingertips.

Come on, none of you tried to reach up to the moon as kids? And then there is also this observation from Draconus:

Quote

"I never understood why you were content with mere reflection, Old Man."

And, of course, the moon but reflects the light of the sun.

The child who approaches which the Old Man is waiting for could either be the actual moon, or perhaps the world of Wu itself. Admittedly, I'm more hazy on that part than the identity of Old Man.


As a side note, I quite enjoyed FoD. I do somewhat agree with the opinions that it petered out, but I enjoyed it because it was not at all what I expected. I wasn't much looking forward to this new series, as I didn't see the point of just expanding a bit on the events we already heard about and knew, but the way everything was turned upside down, and the mythos shown to be exactly that, blew me away. once again with SE, nothing was quite as it seemed

[Imperial Historian]

That's a pretty good suggestion, and since it's been suggested that the k'chain nah'ruk come from the moon, I wouldn't be surprised if he was linked with them.

[spim]

Can someone bring up the Brys Beddict monologues in DoD or TCG? There's a part where he's remembering his time in the Guardian of Death realm or whatever and he talks about cold airless moon guy etc etc that strnogly reeks of Old Man.

[Abyss]

Khellendros, on 08 September 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

So I've gone through a few topics and noticed the identity of Old Man being discussed, but I didn't come across my particular interpretation. Apologies if someone has said it already and I missed it.

Old Man is the god who lives on the Moon (Grallin I think he was called by Apsalar in GotM). Why do I say this? Because he's got a BIG SHINY MOON FLOATING BEHIND HIM! ...

...

Rep'd. This is a great theory!

[Morgoth]

It fits well with the K'Chain races using sorcery that seems aspected to gravity.

[tiam]

Only problem is Olar Ethil later claims to be Grallin in DOD or TCG and we know shes a reliable source...

[Seatiger]

My first reaction is K'rul made another puppet body .. who else would want to warn Draconus about Kallor besides K'rul and or Nightchill?

[CowboyYojimbo]

Khellendros, on 08 September 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

So I've gone through a few topics and noticed the identity of Old Man being discussed, but I didn't come across my particular interpretation. Apologies if someone has said it already and I missed it.

Old Man is the god who lives on the Moon (Grallin I think he was called by Apsalar in GotM). Why do I say this? Because he's got a BIG SHINY MOON FLOATING BEHIND HIM!

Okay, admittedly, it doesn't explicitly say that, but first there's the cold airlessness, and then the object behind him is described thusly:

Quote

The figure then stepped out from the doorway, and a light came with him. It was not a warm light, not a light to drive back the gloom, and it hovered over the man's left shoulder, a pallid disc or ball, larger than a man's head, and if the man reached up, it would have remained beyond his touch, just past his fingertips.

Come on, none of you tried to reach up to the moon as kids? And then there is also this observation from Draconus:

Quote

"I never understood why you were content with mere reflection, Old Man."

And, of course, the moon but reflects the light of the sun.

The child who approaches which the Old Man is waiting for could either be the actual moon, or perhaps the world of Wu itself. Admittedly, I'm more hazy on that part than the identity of Old Man.


As a side note, I quite enjoyed FoD. I do somewhat agree with the opinions that it petered out, but I enjoyed it because it was not at all what I expected. I wasn't much looking forward to this new series, as I didn't see the point of just expanding a bit on the events we already heard about and knew, but the way everything was turned upside down, and the mythos shown to be exactly that, blew me away. once again with SE, nothing was quite as it seemed

Huzzah sir!
I just came by the forum to post this very theory.
When they described his aspect, I thought "Space? Well that can't be there's no - OH! THE MOON!"

I always thought the moon would get brought up a lot more than it did in the last books. Hopefully this paves the way for change.

[Khellendros]

Having now read Blood and Bone, that book gives more information on this topic.

Spoiler

Yes, Old Man is aspected to the Moon, and no, we haven't seen him in MBotF before as he's been hanging around Himatan on Jacuruku the whole time seemingly

.

This post has been edited by Khellendros: 11 January 2013 - 02:25 AM

[Spoilsport Stonny]

Khellendros, on 11 January 2013 - 02:25 AM, said:

Having now read Blood and Bone, that book gives more information on this topic.

Spoiler

Yes, Old Man is aspected to the Moon, and no, we haven't seen him in MBotF before as he's been hanging around Himatan on Jacuruku the whole time seemingly

.

This is not to say that I disagree with you,

SPOILERS!!!!!!!

SPOILERS!!!!!!! Perhaps even move this to BaB forum just in case.

Spoiler

for there are very many reasons why these two are one and the same, but I think there is a possibility that it could be left open that they are different people. Their personalities were WAAAAY off from each other. Could be just millennia to go crazy or he could be an offspring or something. Could have changed. But they just didn't seem the same.

I don't know if it really matters though, if they are or are not. Either way, both served their purpose for each story.

This post has been edited by Stalking Stonny: 14 January 2013 - 01:29 PM

[Khellendros]

Stalking Stonny, on 14 January 2013 - 01:26 PM, said:

Khellendros, on 11 January 2013 - 02:25 AM, said:

Having now read Blood and Bone, that book gives more information on this topic.

Spoiler

Yes, Old Man is aspected to the Moon, and no, we haven't seen him in MBotF before as he's been hanging around Himatan on Jacuruku the whole time seemingly

.

This is not to say that I disagree with you,

SPOILERS!!!!!!!

SPOILERS!!!!!!! Perhaps even move this to BaB forum just in case.

Spoiler

for there are very many reasons why these two are one and the same, but I think there is a possibility that it could be left open that they are different people. Their personalities were WAAAAY off from each other. Could be just millennia to go crazy or he could be an offspring or something. Could have changed. But they just didn't seem the same.

I don't know if it really matters though, if they are or are not. Either way, both served their purpose for each story.

Spoiler

Or they're the same character written by two different authors Some differences are bound to emerge, as with all the crossover characters

[D'rek]

Stalking Stonny, on 14 January 2013 - 01:26 PM, said:

Khellendros, on 11 January 2013 - 02:25 AM, said:

Having now read Blood and Bone, that book gives more information on this topic.

Spoiler

Yes, Old Man is aspected to the Moon, and no, we haven't seen him in MBotF before as he's been hanging around Himatan on Jacuruku the whole time seemingly

.

This is not to say that I disagree with you,

SPOILERS!!!!!!!

SPOILERS!!!!!!! Perhaps even move this to BaB forum just in case.

Spoiler

for there are very many reasons why these two are one and the same, but I think there is a possibility that it could be left open that they are different people. Their personalities were WAAAAY off from each other. Could be just millennia to go crazy or he could be an offspring or something. Could have changed. But they just didn't seem the same.

I don't know if it really matters though, if they are or are not. Either way, both served their purpose for each story.

Spoiler

Well yeah, but it's not like Osserc, T'riss, Rake, Hood, Brood, Olar Ethil, Orfantal, Sandalath, Mother Dark, Spinnock, Errastas, etc etc don't all act quite differently in FoD than they do in all the other books

[Spoilsport Stonny]

You both make an excellent explanation of why they are probably the same person. I just think sometimes we, if I may include myself, go wild with speculation before we really know the character's history. Old Man's personality in FOD was right in line with the tone of the book...

Spoiler

In BaB he was way over the top as the pseudo Pust-ian Old Man we see there and completely different from FoD.

Still, I agree, par for the course with these books...

This post has been edited by Stalking Stonny: 15 January 2013 - 12:44 PM