Warmaids, how are things now?(spoilers)

At teh end of the last book, the warmaids get one of their own on the council made of the barons, the king and a representative of the wind riders. I wonder if each war maid settlement gets a representative in those house of commons that was mentioned.

I would suspect that the War Maids would only get a single representative. Giving every WM town a vote would change the political landscape too drastically.

Markhos is savvy enough to understand the riots that will occur from giving them just one vote, and even if there are only a dozen war maid towns, that is a lot of new pull to be throwing around, even if the GC is 100 people right now (which is unlikely, I'd guess it would be more like a modern-day executive branch cabinet, like the heads of U.K. ministries or U.S. departments).

I'd guess the Exchequer, each of the Barons, the Prime Councilor, a Wind Rider vote, likely Prince Yurokhas, and another half-dozen people could make up the Grand Council right now. A single war maid voice would throw out the balance a bit already.

If you also factor in the fact that Tellian would have been providing the Exchequer with 15 to 20% of its coffers with just the Derm Canal revenue alone, plus the Wind Riders siding with him, plus Cassan's meddling with dark wizards (which will likely extend to Yeraghor by association), PLUS all the nobles that will see that the Dark Gods are working against him and be inclined to side with Tellian, plus Yurokhas, Tellian would likely have a COMMANDING voice in the Great Council. A War Maid voice would very much know that Tellian's own daughter is subordinate to it, and would therefore bring them into at least and understanding with each other. Tellian would be sympathetic to their issues, and they would be inclined to think that he knows his actions would impact his daughter and would factor that in. Also, his progressive attitude towards them would make them like him more. This would be reinforced with Trisu of Lorham's newly enlightened attitude to both Kalatha and Quaysar.

You have to remember that over 80 years have past. Ever Human, Halfling, and Course in WMC is long dead. It is their grandchildren that are the current rulers. Even Bahzell father if still alive should have stepped down by now.

Leeana will never rule in the South Riding, nor will any of her children.

Kenhodan and Border Warden are a more likely pairing then Gwyanna is.
A. Age difference and maturity
B. Shared interest and skills between Kenhodan and Border Warden
C. Who and what Gwynna has become. Her skills and abilities are very different from Kenhodan. He and the Border Warden could be her physical guards and protectors. Gwynna is very dangerous in her on her own. I wouldn't want to get her mad once she is fully trained.
D. and other reasons you have to read the book for

Wencit and Bahzell are still a powerful force to be recon with.

Chief-CWH wrote:You have to remember that over 80 years have past. Ever Human, Halfling, and Course in WMC is long dead. It is their grandchildren that are the current rulers. Even Bahzell father if still alive should have stepped down by now.

Leeana will never rule in the South Riding, nor will any of her children.

Kenhodan and Border Warden are a more likely pairing then Gwyanna is.
A. Age difference and maturity
B. Shared interest and skills between Kenhodan and Border Warden
C. Who and what Gwynna has become. Her skills and abilities are very different from Kenhodan. He and the Border Warden could be her physical guards and protectors. Gwynna is very dangerous in her on her own. I wouldn't want to get her mad once she is fully trained.
D. and other reasons you have to read the book for

Wencit and Bahzell are still a powerful force to be recon with.

I agree, Chief. It was already stated that not even Trianal is the Baron of the West Riding. It's obvious that Chernion/Elrytha has some role in the future, be it as a bodyguard or potentially as a source of information to assault the Church of Sharna.

However, it kept stating that Gwynna is hiding something, and after her mage crisis, she said that she had the memories and understanding of an adult as well as her own. Kenhodan is also facing a memory issue.

My current theory is that Kenhodan is Torren Sheildarm, and although Torren let himself "die" and let Kenhodan "live" as personalities, Gwynna still has her own major knowledge secret. My theory is that the knowledge she carries is tied to Kenhodan somehow, and that will draw them together. The way he speaks to Bahzell in South Keep after the dragon fight shows that he has a draw to her (not in a creepy way). My current theory is that he recognized that Gwynna is somehow connected to Torren's former wife, Serianna (mentioned on page 393 briefly), and that connection is what caused him to say "That's going to upset Gwynna" after he was burned by draconic acid.

I agree, Chief. It was already stated that not even Trianal is the Baron of the West Riding. It's obvious that Chernion/Elrytha has some role in the future, be it as a bodyguard or potentially as a source of information to assault the Church of Sharna.

However, it kept stating that Gwynna is hiding something, and after her mage crisis, she said that she had the memories and understanding of an adult as well as her own. Kenhodan is also facing a memory issue.

My current theory is that Kenhodan is Torren Sheildarm, and although Torren let himself "die" and let Kenhodan "live" as personalities, Gwynna still has her own major knowledge secret. My theory is that the knowledge she carries is tied to Kenhodan somehow, and that will draw them together. The way he speaks to Bahzell in South Keep after the dragon fight shows that he has a draw to her (not in a creepy way). My current theory is that he recognized that Gwynna is somehow connected to Torren's former wife, Serianna (mentioned on page 393 briefly), and that connection is what caused him to say "That's going to upset Gwynna" after he was burned by draconic acid.

I tend to think that Gwyanna's secret is some for knowledge of what is to come and how she needs to prpare for it.

To me there already seems to be signs of romantic interest between Kenhodan & Gwyanna and that was the basis of his comment that Gwyanna wasn't going to be happy.

Other points are:
1. when Wencit was given the necklace, he says that it will be woren again by another special lady.
2. He tells Torren (Kenhodan), that he will have a hard life, but there will be love in it.

Just my thoughts anyway

Gwynna's knowledge is what she got when Wencit saved her during her mage crisis. She knows that she holds his knowledge as well as all the risks of disclosing that information early. A great deal is made of this during the training scenes where she can't share her knowledge with her mentor and even tries to kill him after he breaks her barrier to save her from the Dragon panic.

I agree. I believe that is why the 12 to 1 ageing because she knows that they will return in 7 months and she has to be ready to channel the additional power that she has available right now but can't (yet) handle properly.

Dan

Chief-CWH wrote:You have to remember that over 80 years have past. Ever Human, Halfling, and Course in WMC is long dead. It is their grandchildren that are the current rulers. Even Bahzell father if still alive should have stepped down by now.

Leeana will never rule in the South Riding, nor will any of her children.

Kenhodan and Border Warden are a more likely pairing then Gwyanna is.
A. Age difference and maturity
B. Shared interest and skills between Kenhodan and Border Warden
C. Who and what Gwynna has become. Her skills and abilities are very different from Kenhodan. He and the Border Warden could be her physical guards and protectors. Gwynna is very dangerous in her on her own. I wouldn't want to get her mad once she is fully trained.
D. and other reasons you have to read the book for

Wencit and Bahzell are still a powerful force to be recon with.

Sorry Chief,

Border Warden will be outed at some point in time. She may be pardoned for her past but Bahzell is sworn to kill the person she was (the one who killed a wind rider), all wind riders & coursers are sworn the same, Byrchalka will try to stomp her when she finds out with Walsharno to help if she needs it. Kenhodan hates the guild and it's actions and will have no love for her.

What her role will be and where it goes will be interesting but I anticipate a noble death or as a sworn vassal or both.

dwileye13 wrote:

Chief-CWH wrote:You have to remember that over 80 years have past. Ever Human, Halfling, and Course in WMC is long dead. It is their grandchildren that are the current rulers. Even Bahzell father if still alive should have stepped down by now.

Leeana will never rule in the South Riding, nor will any of her children.

Kenhodan and Border Warden are a more likely pairing then Gwyanna is.
A. Age difference and maturity
B. Shared interest and skills between Kenhodan and Border Warden
C. Who and what Gwynna has become. Her skills and abilities are very different from Kenhodan. He and the Border Warden could be her physical guards and protectors. Gwynna is very dangerous in her on her own. I wouldn't want to get her mad once she is fully trained.
D. and other reasons you have to read the book for

Wencit and Bahzell are still a powerful force to be recon with.

Sorry Chief,

Border Warden will be outed at some point in time. She may be pardoned for her past but Bahzell is sworn to kill the person she was (the one who killed a wind rider), all wind riders & coursers are sworn the same, Byrchalka will try to stomp her when she finds out with Walsharno to help if she needs it. Kenhodan hates the guild and it's actions and will have no love for her.

What her role will be and where it goes will be interesting but I anticipate a noble death or as a sworn vassal or both.

It will be extremely inconvenient and annoying for many lead characters, not to mention unexpected by the readers, if Kenhodan takes up with Border Warden and not Gwynna, and then matters stand revealed, that being exactly the sort of surprise event that the author pulls with some frequency.

Given all the hints RFC has dropped about how attractive Kenholden and Elrytha find one another, I suspect that they will wind up as a couple soon. However I doubt their relationship will be permanent. She's a sociopath and while that might not be obvious in initial phases of a relationship as the relationship progresses, it will become apparent to him that she's missing her heart. Eventually he'll wind up with Gwynna. How that happens could be rather interesting, will the Border Warden revert to master assassin and try to kill Gwynna? Or will she just pragmatically accept the loss of the relationship as a necessary sacrifice to maintain her power?

I do suspect that Elrytha will be outed at some point. It will be interesting whether they choose to banish/kill her or whether hey choose to keep her onboard for her undoubted abilities.