[blackzoid]

So, if Kruppe is narrating the book, it means he and Krul survived the events.
As well as a grey and gaunt Kallor/Duiker/someone else.

[Dancer+]

Why would Kallor have a wan expression, full of sadness. It seems hugely tenuous based on that description. Has Kallor finally realised he can't ascend, for example?

[blackzoid]

Maybe Kallor had a 100,000 year old puppy that died recently. It would go along with the whole dog sub-theme of the prologue.
Maybe not.
Its probably not Kallor anyway, unless hes had a MAJOR personality change.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

My appetite has been so thoroughly whetted I think I could stab someone with it.

I have to say, the thing that intrigues me most is Gnaw as Karsa's kids- for the first line or two I thought the dog was Bent, but then I realised and was just as pleased, I've got a soft spot for dogs. But what role are the daughters going to play? Will they serve to temper Karsa's martial lust now he's a father? Will they even meet?

Im also fairly confident that Apsalar will escape (definitely an Imass btw), and somehow bump into Sorry/Apsalar, which should be amusing.

Thankyou enormously by the way, Hets.

[Flawed]

The whole raining Jade thing could be the fall out from when the Jade statues crash landed at the end of the last book.

As to Karsa'a daughters and his old dog. I read from the prologue that the dog senses his masters homecoming and goes off to meet him. The kids see this exchange a silent agreement and go off to meet dad too.

I think its going to be in the next book that we see the sword shattered. A convergence of epic proportions is on the way.

Shadowthrone, edgewalker and.....hood all meeting together is a good point. What is Hood disgusted about? The CG? Or the level of dead that he is welcoming recently due to all sorts?

And i think we had a small hint into edgewalkers history too. Hood was the same height and build as edgewalker........

[Dancer+]

Hood must be a Jaghut, just like Edgewalker!

Or did I get that the wrong way around? Which races are similar heights and builds to Jaghut? I can't think of many if any, a stunted Teblor (very tenuous)? It's tempting just to say Jaghut.

Good point Flawed.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Jhag, maybe? Edgewalker could be Iccy's twin!

Maybe one of the less pure blood TTT strains? Barghast, Fenn, etc?

[Illuyankas]

BOOYAH

[Jorram]

Edgewalker seems too ancient a creature to be a Jhag.

Now, this might be greatly far-fetched but this quote:

Quote

The newcomer answered in a deep voice, "… pushing into the cracks, there to abide.’”
And the Elder God sighed.

suddenly got me thinking whether "Elder God" refers to K'rul or to the stranger here...

Does someone remember Draconus' description from MOI?

[Dancer+]

Thelomen Toblerone;265966 said:

Jhag, maybe? Edgewalker could be Iccy's twin!

Maybe one of the less pure blood TTT strains? Barghast, Fenn, etc?

Ah, I don't think it's possible. I was just thinking over the facts, Edgewalker is incredibly ancient. He was almost certainly born before the TTT strains started to develop.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Ok, so not TTT blood, and Jhag arent old enough. I'd suggest FA, but his skeletal structure/movements dont seem to be consistent with the multi joints.

A tiste, perhaps?

[Jorram]

Look, it's been all but confirmed that Edgewalker has been around since the time of the Elder Gods by himself in the Cotillion conversation in BH. There is about 99% a chance that his origin is none of the other races we know.

JUST because he's got the same height with a Jaghut (and Hood is technically not even confirmed as such yet!), why are you now trying to match him with any of the familiar races, and even if you were for some reason inclined to do that, why not simply Jaghut?????

[Dancer+]

Jorram;265975 said:

Look, it's been all but confirmed that Edgewalker has been around since the time of the Elder Gods by himself in the Cotillion conversation in BH.

JUST because he's got the same height with a Jaghut (and Hood is technically not even confirmed as such yet!), why are you now trying to match him with any of the races we know, and even if you were for some reason inclined to do that, why not simply Jaghut?????

Hood is certainly a Jaghut. That was my first suggestion of Edgewalker's heritage, mere speculation however.

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Because Im messing around and having some fun maybe? But oh now, prish the thought.

Hood is definitely a Jaghut, btw. Edgewalker seems to be taking ona role of growing importance, so understanding his background could aid in the understanding of what drives him, and ultimately, better comprehension of the books. Through eliminating other races, thus working out what he is, we could do that. Is that a sufficient reason for you, majesty?

[Jorram]

Ok, I'm not trying to be bossy, it just seemed weird
Personally, I'd prefer Edgewalker to be something entirely different and eldergod-ish.

About Hood being Jaghut - Yes. I know. (I wrote the article on that in the wiki, after all ;p). That's why I said "technically".

[Vengeance]

WOW, Fantasic...


Now as to what edgewalker is I am going to go with a TT. Just cause....A really old TT from before when they had an empire. In fact he might have been the TT emperor.

[Obdigore]

...

Anyone else think that last scene might hint that Kruppe is an elder god, and they had another elder god, who we hadn't seen before, come sit with them to talk?

[stejen]

Edgewalker was once ruler of the shadow realm right?

if he was he was either an edur or he did not rise to power until after the realm was fragmented?

Or was he the ruler of it before the edur left mother darks realm and moved to it?

[Abyss]

AHHHHHHHHH

*head explodes in joy*
*eventually reassembles*

Quite possibly the best prologue ever. Or it's just the deprivation speaking, either way, YAY!

Hetan, you are my hero for the next week or three.

Mad stream of consciousness speculation follows:


The opening sequence with the woman and the priest...
well, if Edgewalker was there is has to at least be a part of Shadow. ST showing up with the Hounds seems to confirm it, but he wasn't even sure where he was! That dead souls were there too suggests it may touch on Hood's realm or a related warren. The dead priest.... i want to think of Heboric or Itkovian, but NONE of the hints (belt, cloak, manner) support this - his comment about the singing in storms suggests a link to Beru or Mael. I love that his dog won the fight, yet he gives his leash to the dead woman whose dead dog is dead.... i don't even know what that means but it blew my mind.

The entire sequence in Dragnipur was AMAZING...
Right there, right there is why SE hits levels few/no other authors match... using a wizard of Pale as a viewpoint, having Pearl (likely/presumably - curiously my other thought was Lilac from MT) show up, all of them wondering what happens if they stop... and omg, the description of the chains dragging behind with the souls that have given up/failed.... that is INSANE.

Apsalara...
was an interesting addition, the notion that she found a niche under the wagon and is endlessly trying to escape, the whole steal the Moon/fire thing... fascinating...

The Teblor...
Recognizing Karsa's dog (always wondered post HoC if he made it) and his two daughters was SUCH a kick... of course they look like twins, they have the same father and their mothers are mother and daughter respectively. It's amazing that SE brings back such sideways obscure characters... and it certainly looks like Karsa's on his way back.

Krul's bar...
I want the figure who joined Kruppe and Krul to be Duicker, tho the deep voice seems to suggest it's someone who didn't have their body die and be reassembled. The comments that Krul isn't in the war but is the prize are just staggering in implication... Krul's blood forms the warrens, he seems to be aspected to dreams.....


AHHHHHHHHHH

- Abyss, mind, blown.

[Flawed]

It is a very ambiguous prologue and either I'm still desperate for more or its one of the shortest ones so far.

I'm going to try an think about all the points in there logically. If logic can be applied to such things and by someone who is ridiculously handsome. We will see.....

So it starts with the random man and the random woman in that dead crumbling town. From their comments and actions of the dogs we can theorise about a few things......... i don't think that the man or woman are actually important and are just a link and required suggestive need to make the point that they are in a dead place. this helps link to the hooded dude as being Hood although his name isn't mentioned. Another inclination to this is the fact of the meeting, and S T being involved who has already collaborated with Hood. There are no times so this could actually be the first time they get together and that is why Edgewalker is required as a mediator?

Anyway, back to the two randoms in the dead town. The links to dogs seem very purposeful. This coupled with the Toll of the Hounds cover art would lead me personally to theorise that there will be a bit of a bust up between the dera goth and the hounds of shadow or perhaps the hounds and some other dog like entity? the whole fighting things would make this suggestion to me. that with the unrequired need for the hounds of shadow to accompany ST to the meeting. another suggestion to the hounds importance or future requirement in the book.

The dude in the dead town makes a couple of suggestions as to the fact that everything repeats in the town and it seems to be a cycle of repetition perhaps with the dogs fighting or with particular actions that happen within the town. there ARE ALSO REFERENCES TO HOW SOME THINGS ARE NEW AND IT SEEMS THAT IN THE TOWN AFTER THE GODS VISIT THINGS MAY CHANGE. sorry caps lock was knocked and i cant be bothered to retype the last bit.

anyhow. the two character's at the beginning probably end their existence within the book after the meeting.

now the next stage is the meeting itself. Edgewalker, ST and most probably Hood. Who is the 4th person coming? Its somebody coming in a Carriage. The woman seemed especially scared of this person coming? As if they could feel them? So thinking back on past books i thought who has such a presence? The first thought i had was Rake. But why the hell would he rock up in a carriage? He wouldn't. He would sail in on leathery wings and land all menacingly like. So i figure he is out of the picture as the 4th. So I'm thinking carriage, and stuff. If its in some random place that's hard to get to then I'm thinking tryguild. from daru. Who is resident there? Paran. and who has made a pact or an agreement with Hood.?? Paran. So i think the 4th person is Paran.

I mentioned earlier that perhaps the meeting is the first and that's why edgewalker is there? Perhaps with all the jade raining down it is actually a later meeting after Heboric has saved the world through hood and paran. after the agreement was made? and paran is now rocking up to do his part of the bargin?

I did hope that the agreement between hood and paran was something to do with travellers daughter as paran can go where he likes and could of picked up the body and taken it to hood where he would hopefully heal her or give her soul back and make reparations with traveller? but that's a different thing.

As to why edgewalker has to mediate? who knows. Perhaps him being an elder god gives him some extra reverence or his knowledge of things will help, or he is the elder god of law and judgement? That's why he's so desiccated etc cos its all gone tits up and there is basically no law at the moment with the cg's chaos running wild?

I know, i know crazy theory post of the decade.

Right so next is the stuff that happens within the sword. Ditch and Apsal'are i think will be pivotal in the book. Especially with the whole breaking of the sword.

Perhaps that is the reason for Hood etc meeting? To discuss a way to break the sword, to bring back balance so they can then lay down the ground rules for getting rid of the CG.

Perhaps before the sword is broken Apsalare and Ditch and Draconus will work together and she will steal them away. Perhaps all 3 will be enlisted by Paran. I think they need to get out of the sword before it is broken. As when it is purposefully broken i think it will be within or near an azath to contain all the masses of powerful beings who will be released. also a fair few ascendents will be around to do them over as it will be too dangerous to have them around. Mother darks gate needs to be let loose to go back into its own cycle its true, but they don't want a bunch of crazed weirdos suddenly let loose in the world.

and lastly. is kruppes dream with krul. its a revelation that krul is the prize. perhaps that's the cg's ultimate goal to get krul and poison the world of magic directly? perhaps by removing him somehow totally the warrens will become null and void and he will be loose whatever.

As to kruppe narrating the story, he may narrate a tale of himself but i do not think he will be narrating the whole book. Mainly due to kruls invitation to him to confide his sadness to him, and because why would krul say he is the prize if things have already happened? Which they must of if Kruppe is telling the story???

as to the 3rd person who comes along to the fire in the end. I think this is edgewalker coming from his meeting with hood etc. If he is a mediator, who's to say its between hood and st etc? They already are working together. Perhaps Edgewalker is the mediator to other parties or teams of ascendents trying to get them all working towards the same goal, and its the division that is, " disgusting " Hood?

And lastly.... When Kruppe says " witness "...... is this just a saying within the land of Wu when someone is going to do or say something of great import? Or is it a blatant link to the first chapter being about Karsa coming home to his offspring and dog, to lead his secret minions and the gathered minions in lether and the normal teblor etc into mass destruction of the children who have wronged them for so long????

As i said in my first post earlier. To me when the dog gets up and goes, it smacks of it sensing his master and going off to meet him. The children see this and go along too. that's all that is.

I think Karsa will feature heavily once more in the next book. Among the breaking of the sword and the coming together of various ascendents lead by hood to duff the CG up proper. or heal him and send him on his way back to his own domain?

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.GASP!

What say you?????