[Agraba]

I reread #2, and still, I don't think I got a clear answer of how it just came up. What would make many soletaken and d'ivers from around the world just suddenly want to ascend at the same time, and go towards the gate that they believe holds that promise? It coudn't have just been emailed to them. There couldn't have been a guy roaming the streets with a bell yelling "hear ye, hear ye, the path to ascendancy is open for all shapeshifters!" Was it just a major coincidence that they were all pondering on Kellanved's ascension, and all came to the same conclusion at the same time?

Heboric said it may be related to the Whirlwind rebellion, yet he didn't elaborate on that at all, and the very notion was dismissed by Kulp, I think. And I don't see how it could be related.

Anyways, was there something I'm missing?

[Monoch Ochem]

The promise of power would make them want to ascend, I would have thought. Immortality (subject to being murdered) is something any soletaken would crave after the massacre by the Imass. Moreover, wasn't there the promise of god-hood....was it that Iskaral Pust's fake trail was supposed to lead to some sort of throne?

[Trotts]

the gate caused the desire, like a wanderlust, or biological clock, they just felt a desire to go to raraku; to where (i think) the first empire that spawned them was.



also the whirlwind is differant from raraku

[Agraba]

Well I never mentioned that Raraku had anything to do with it... did I?

So what: is it that there was a position needed in the Deck of Dragons, and the gateway in Iskaral's temple set off a mental alarm clock in each of the affected from the first empire, so that the position could be filled by the first attendant? Perhaps was it looking to fill a replacement for Fener's position?

Also, your signature was extracted from No Leaf Clover, a great song if I may say.

[Trotts]

Quote

Heboric said it may be related to the Whirlwind rebellion

maybe heboric thought it was the whirlwind but in reality it was raraku

[Tiger_sword]

basically there was a lot of power up for grabs and as we know:

"power attracts power"

[Malaclypse]

Kimloc: '...The Prophecy of the Path of Hands. Soletaken and D'ivers. A gate promising...something. They are drawn as moths to a flame...I do not think even the Soletaken and D'ivers are fully aware of what they seek. Like salmon returning to the waters where they were born, they act on instinct, a visceral yearning and a promise only sensed...There is no unification among shapeshifters. Each stands alone. This Path of Hands...is perhaps a means to Ascendancy - for the victor...Domination of its own kind...'(DG, UK MMPB, p.92)

[Tiger_sword]

to become the ruler of Soletaken and D'ivers. Now thats POWER

[Dolorous Menhir]

I thought the Path of Hands led to the Beast Throne, and whoever completed it would take that throne and become God of Beasts (and by extension, Soletaken & D'ivers).

As to how they knew about it, the quote above shows how. All Soletaken are magical people, if you think about them as a kind of mage (Gryllen was pretty handy with his spells) they would have sensed the "path" opening or whatever and been drawn to a new source of power.

A similar deal if you consider them as beasts. Some sense led them to the Path to Ascendancy, and as Kimloc said they may not have fully understood it themselves. They did all seem pretty unbalanced by the time they got to Tremorlor, and even before that Messremb had an "edge of madness", or something like that. They were driven.

So why is it called the Path of HANDS? Hands not being a consideration for most Soletaken/D'ivers.

[Illuyankas]

Dolorous Menhir said:

So why is it called the Path of HANDS? Hands not being a consideration for most Soletaken/D'ivers.

Because the Path of Scent Glands, while more accurate, is stupid.
I'd put it down to mystical unexplainable powers, because sometimes things happen in books because the author says so.

[Tes'thesula]

i think because it was marked by a path of hands...funnily enough

as in pictures of hands marked the way to the gate

[Trotts]

i think the path of hands is just a name, although theres prolly some deeper meaning

if i remember correctly, the hands that were all over were just planted by pust to mislead the soletaken/divers right?

[Folken]

K I'm going to go ahead and move this thread to Deadhouse Gates. As it deals specifically with that novel and it also seems like a good question newbies to the series would like answered. And I'll edit the first post for a that HoC spoiler