Identity of the old woman/witch in Pale

#1 Steamer

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Posted 25 March 2019 - 09:25 PM

Hi all

Just a quick one regarding the identity of a character in Pale.

In Chapter 4:

Quick Ben meets an old woman in Pale, who refers to Quick Ben as a “snake of the desert".

Who is the old woman?

BTW, Im about 20% into my 2nd read of MoI and man it is even better than the first time.......amazing, amazing stuff!

Have a great day!

Steamer

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#2 MuskyTusk

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Posted 26 April 2019 - 06:56 AM

You mean the old woman who prefers to be cold??I'm pretty sure that's the "Witch of Tennes", as listed under Others in the Dramatis Personae. One of the few characters that doesn't have any description after the name in bold text.
I think Tennes is associated with Fener and the earth. She also refers to Quick Ben as a "many-headed snake"

Must be the same rag-wrapped woman that appears at the end of the book. That's all I know about her so far, I just started House of Chains.

"We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned, T'lan Imass. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance."

#3 Keysi

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 02:15 AM

I actually forget who she turns out to be, but I can think of one group of beings who are pretty old and like the cold..... I'm assuming those are the relevant parts.

#4 Aptorian

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Posted 28 March 2020 - 04:18 AM

No, that's a red herring. She is what Quick Ben says she is, probably the oldest Tennes witch in the world.

She speaks in riddles or shrouded truth's and as such, when she tells Quick Ben that she prefers the cold, she's sowing a seed that leads the wizard to find a way to cool down Burn's fever.