[Rat Mentor]

I was wondering if anybody had an idea who Ardata is. It would seem that Mogora is "one of Ardata's" according to Cotillion (page 366). A new Elder Goddess? She seems to be in Hiding at the moment although Mogora has used her power to heal Mappo. She seems to be linked to the moon and possibly Spiders, Shadowthorne also seems to have knowledge of her and expects her allegiance (page 399). Another power on its way, and Erikson has told us nothing about her apart from hints. I suppose that's why we all love his writing.

NB Erikson must be a fan of Neil Young, hense the name of a certain God..

Thoughts welcome....

[Dolorous Menhir]

It was Ardata that Mappo spoke with as he was healed, yes? That was certainly a spider-webby scene.

[Rat Mentor]

Yep, thats my view too. Although Ardata's use of web may equal a position of Master of the Holds? Sorry did several jumps in thought. It is stated that before the Master of the Deck there was a Master of the holds yes...
We don't know if he or she is alive or dead. Shadowthorne seems to know of Ardata and expects her to move into the game so to speak. Using a web as is shown might indeed lead to someone being in the centre of things and able to feel what is going on. The magic/ritual used to heal Mappo has the feel of holds rather than warrens. Could Ardata be the Master of Holds???? Wouldn't Shadowthrone want her brought forward instead of hiding...

Of course I'm more than likley speaking bollocks...

Thoughts welcome....

[kettle]

when Paran is talking to Ganath, she tells us that The Errant was The Master of the Holds in her time, and he was an ascendant worshipped as a god.

[Morgoth]

Ardata was the "queen" of a region subbordinate to the kallorian empire as far as I can remember

[Valgard]

I thought the master of the holds of was the errant seem to remember paran being tolds this in tBH (afraid cannot remember when or where it is mentioned but am sure that this is said).

[Morgoth]

considering how their marriage opperates... yeah, i'd say so:p

[Imperial Historian]

Quote

Ardata was the "queen" of a region subbordinate to the kallorian empire as far as I can remember

In MOI there is an Ardatha subordinate to kallor, who fled the continent before he destroyed it. There's certainly a simmilarity but whether they are the same I couldn't comment.

[Dolorous Menhir]

Why wouldn't they be the same person? Ardata may well have become whatever she is now (Queen of Spiders?) since Kallor's time - just as Kellanved ascended from his position of worldly power to godhood - or she was both that and the disobedient ruler of a vassal state in Kallor's Empire at the same time.

I thought it was implied she was an Elder power though, so it seems likely to be the second option. The two Pearl's are the only example I can think of, where two different characters shared a name. I'm sure that both Ardata's are one and the same.

[Imperial Historian]

Ah I've not been clear... in MOI Ardatha is spelt with a h, while in bonehunters I believe its spelt without a h as Ardata (not sure on this as I can't find it anywhere) so they may not be the same person.

[Dolorous Menhir]

It is ArdatHa in MoI prologue...

BH

p 366 - Cotillion mentions Ardata (no H) to Mogara

p 398 - Mappo talks to maybeArdata during his healing. It seems he has travelled back to "Jacuraku, five years after the Fall [of the CG]" and maybeArdata is a queen who is about to lose her throne (her words). Both rulers, the same continent, the same time period...a pretty clear link, no?

As for the errant H, that could easily be a variation in godly names, as seen with Osric/Osserc, Anomander/Anomandaris, Trake/Treach.

Now that I've looked up those references I'm even more convinced they are one and the same. I'm more interested in why she has to hide, and doesn't even let Mappo utter her name. It seems she is a (reluctant) ally of Shadowthrone & the "good" guys...

[Imperial Historian]

Ok looking at the quotes I'd agree, they must be the same person.

[Tes'thesula]

I remain on covinced, just for the reason that the girl he talks to MAY be Ardata...then again, she might not be.

[Jimmy]

The Errant is the god in MT. The queen's consort.

[fortyseven]

Dolorous Menhir said:

As for the errant H, that could easily be a variation in godly names, as seen with Osric/Osserc, Anomander/Anomandaris, Trake/Treach.

"The errant h" LOL

[Tiger_sword]

Prehaps she was an older god (elder, maybe?) who decided, as many do, to live for a time as a mortal. Then when things started to get hairy she once again became a goddess again. Where is she now as well?

[Dolorous Menhir]

Given her words to Mappo, she still appears to be living in the time shortly after Kallor destroyed his Empire, in the distant past. Either she has a warren with a really messed-up timestructure, or she somehow travelled through time to heal Mappo.

[Sir Thursday]

Dolorous Menhir said:

I'm more interested in why she has to hide, and doesn't even let Mappo utter her name. It seems she is a (reluctant) ally of Shadowthrone & the "good" guys...

As Queen of Spiders, it's probably her style to remain hidden (Moghedien parallel, anyone?). Mogora seems to conceal herself very well, perhaps symptomatic of Ardata's tendencies. The urge to remain mostly unknown is a plausible reason to try and hide her position. On the other hand, if Shadowthrone is planning to remove the elder gods, perhaps she fears retribution if she becomes involved (that's assuming she is not elder herself).

Vox