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So I finished Dancer's Lament this week. It was decent. Fun to look at young Kellanved, Dancer, and Dassem. Initially I was like 'WTF, I don't think I want to see teen angst versions of beloved badass characters' but Esslemont really nailed the dynamic they had. I remember almost nothing from Return of the Crimson Guard, so probably a lot fun stuff regarding Silk, Ryllandaras, and Ho went above my head. Also, I liked the thought of Gothos being the mastermind of all masterminds and him originally putting the wheels in motion.
What I find especially interesting is a couple of short passages that tie into Kharakans trilogy. Curious about your thoughts.
First, there is this little thing K'rul says about Errant in Chapter 3, when he speaks with Nightchill:
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‘It is true that he yet remains capable of meddling. Strange how those least fit to hold or wield power lust after it the most.’ K’rul turned his hands in the warmth and she knew it as a gesture purely for her benefit. ‘That is a mystery that remains beyond even me. However, another is in place to keep an eye on the Errant.’
I'm wondering who is the one keeping an eye on Errant. I see two options: first would be Mael. He's in proximity to Errant and there's this little exchange from Midnight Tides suggesting Mael might be keeping tabs on Errant:
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Bugg grunted, then said, ‘I wondered when you’d finally stir yourself awake. If.’
‘Better late than never.’
‘Here to give things a nudge, are you?’
‘In a manner of speaking. And what about you?’
‘Well,’ Bugg considered, ‘that depends.’
‘On?’
‘You, I suppose.’
‘Better late than never.’
‘Here to give things a nudge, are you?’
‘In a manner of speaking. And what about you?’
‘Well,’ Bugg considered, ‘that depends.’
‘On?’
‘You, I suppose.’
But in FoL K'rul reveals that they are not allies with Mael (As for Mael, well, we are not on speaking terms for the moment.). Much could have changed over the span of 300k years, but still the other option seems more interesting. It would be Quick Ben, or whatever form and name he/she has when Dancer's Lament takes place. In Forge of Darkness it's mentioned that Draconus has made sorcery for Korya. Then in FoL Haut explains to Varandas that Korya is a weapon and this is what he later tells to Korya herself:
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‘One day, the Azathanai Errastas will seek domination over the sorcery now suffusing this realm. And he will make it a thing of spilled blood, and should he succeed, magic will prove the cruellest gift of all.’
‘You would set me against an Azathanai?’
Haut offered her a wry smile. ‘Already I pity him.’
‘You would set me against an Azathanai?’
Haut offered her a wry smile. ‘Already I pity him.’
It would be fun to see in the next novel after DL an earlier incarnation of Quick Ben working to counter Errant's meddling. And with Korya being prepared for her role among the Jaghut, it would be another proof that Gothos is playing a really long game.
Another thing I've been wandering about is the champion of Emurlahn, mentioned in DL. For example here, when Koroll explains to Silk who Edur are:
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That homeland, or place of their power – the translations vary – was known as Emurlahn. Into it were exiled all the daemons, beasts, and horrors of that great war and it was irrevocably sealed off, and a guardian was set upon its borders to keep watch over them. A champion who could not be defeated. And so has it been inaccessible to all.’
Is this guardian Edgewalker? If so, then I'm even more convinced that Edgewalker = Yedan Narad. I mean, KEEP WATCH, wink wink. Or I'm just reading too much into things :F
I've also been thinking if Shalmanat is someone we've already met. There are fragments that hint that she either appears in Fall of Light or will be present in Walk in Shadow.
This is Shalmanat telling her story to Silk:
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‘I was a staff aid to – well, to one of Osserc’s officers. They used to call them the Daughters of Light, unofficially. The Andii never did become accustomed to war, you know. But we did. We had the tradition of an older legion to guide us. Yes, we Liosan took to war far too well.’ She clenched her lips then, and lowered her gaze. ‘I, however, lost my taste for it. I came to . . . admire . . . one of the leaders of the Andii. In time I came to see the struggle as . . . self-defeating.’
There's also her conversation with Nightchill:
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‘The Son of Darkness.’ She gestured to the night sky. ‘I do not think I could bear to face him. Will his Keep blot out the sun above and blast us into rubble?’
Face him, Sister Night wondered? There are few today who . . . ah, I see. Oh, Shalmanat. After all this time. And he probably does not even remember you. She shook her head. ‘He does not guard the borders of Emurlahn.’ There is another who sees to that.
‘Yet he will be angered by this breach.’
‘Will he? Who is to say? Times change. People . . . change.’
Shalmanat pressed her hands to her face. She whispered, nearly choking, ‘So many dead – and for what?’
‘A long time ago, Protectress.’
The hands whipped down and Shalmanat glared, her eyes swimming. ‘Not to those who lived it! We can’t just make it disappear!’
Face him, Sister Night wondered? There are few today who . . . ah, I see. Oh, Shalmanat. After all this time. And he probably does not even remember you. She shook her head. ‘He does not guard the borders of Emurlahn.’ There is another who sees to that.
‘Yet he will be angered by this breach.’
‘Will he? Who is to say? Times change. People . . . change.’
Shalmanat pressed her hands to her face. She whispered, nearly choking, ‘So many dead – and for what?’
‘A long time ago, Protectress.’
The hands whipped down and Shalmanat glared, her eyes swimming. ‘Not to those who lived it! We can’t just make it disappear!’
And here is Juage talking to Nightchill after being toasted with Liosan magic:
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‘Yes, I sensed that, of course. But a priestess of the cult? Able to unveil true Kurald Thyrllan?’ His tone turned chiding. ‘Admit you were as shocked as I.’
So Shalmanat was an officer in Liosan army, who probably fell in love with Anomander and thus abandoned her duty. But she might also be tied to the temple of light. I'm wondering if we've seen her at all. The Daughters of Light bit seems interesting, especially that Menandore and Sukul Ankhadu are later referred to as daughters of Osserc. And on top of that, Shalmanat releases Kurald Thyrrlan at dawn, which is Menandore's aspect.
