Estelyn Blackfyre
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| Estelyn Blackfyre | ||
| Real Name | Cass | |
| Location | Austin, TX | |
| Birthday | July 6 | |
| TarValon.Net Information | ||
| Affiliation | Gray Ajah | |
| Rank | Aes Sedai | |
| Title | ||
| Join Date | April 24, 2020 | |
| Bonded to | ||
| Link to Forum Profile | ||
Estelyn Blackfyre is an Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah.
Contents
Tower History
- Joined TarValon.Net: April 24, 2020
- Joined Tower: November 17, 2020
- Raised Accepted: April 11, 2021
- Aspired to the Gray Ajah: June 15, 2023
- Raised Aes Sedai: February 25, 2024
Tower Involvement
Current
Previous
- Tar Valon Times Staff: March 4, 2021 - June 24, 2022
- City Council Architect: July 29, 2020 - January 1, 2021
Awards
Merits
Silver
Tower Relationships
Bonding
Mentoring
- Mentor
- Mentees
Gray Ajah
- Graytling
- Beaver
- Gray Guide
- Siera
Other Tower Relationships
- First-sister
- Jahily al'Karee, Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah
Official Event Attendance
- Anniversary Party 2023 - New Braunfels, Texas, USA
Tower Sworn Interview
- Ajah Questions
- Why did you choose Gray?
I found the Gray Ajah pretty early on and found there was a lot to be admired. The no drama policy, constant support, and the almost shocking degree of acceptance were all extremely attractive. It remains so. I couldn't ask for a more caring group and that is why I decided to make the Gray Ajah my home.
- Are you like the Grays in the books? Do you enjoy following politics and mediating disputes?
Yes, I follow politics. I also embrace them. Wherever there are people there is always politics. Mediating disputes is only part of that. It is equally important to drive change or build a consensus before things break out into full blown hostility. I think if I had to pick a book Ajah, it would be safe to say it would still be the Gray.
- Do you have a favorite Gray Ajah character from the novels?
Sadly, RJ had to populate all the Ajahs and not all Ajahs are not equal. One of the things that annoys me most is that our leader is the First Clerk. The First Clerk. Really? The Gray Ajah is responsible for the Compact of Ten Nations but their leader is the First Clerk. Pretty insulting really. I suppose we are lucky he didn't go with the First Janitor.
- Book Questions
- How long have you been a fan of the Wheel of Time series?
I started the series in 1995.
- How did you first get into the series?
A friend of mine ran a Wheel of Time themed DikuMUD.
- Who is your favorite "hero"?
I think all long term fans go through cycles of who they really like. I know that my view of which main character is the best has changed as I've gotten older. After my last reread the clear winner was Cadsuane Melaidhrin. Cadsuane is like the Chuck Norris of Aes Sedai. Sharp lessons in courtesy are always on offer, and mercy is most definitely not. The sheer amount of shade she throws around is a joy. I would say she is the perfect character, if only she was Gray instead of Green.
- Favorite bad guy/gal?
Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan. It is easy to say that Elaida is stupid but I think it is more fair to say that she becomes somewhat feral. She is also set up as a foil to the main characters, so she is intentionally written to be a hateful plot device. The thing is that her point of view isn't initially out of line with what many of the Aes Sedai already believe. It isn't a civil war because Elaida is bad and just made half the Tower do bad things. They agreed with her so much they conspired to make her Amyrlin.
Her pride and pride in her Ajah lead her to make very poor decisions that quickly get out of hand. She doesn't start from a completely bad place though. To me her arc is more understandable than many of the Marquee villains. I mean, so many villains are motivated by their hatred of Lews Therin. We hear their internal monologues and they boil down to I like LTT but he didn't text me back. LTT is cooler than I am and I can't stand it. LTT gets more press than I do, ect. Gah.
Elaida starts from a position that she is tired of Reds being looked down on and sidelined. Also, conventional wisdom says that the Dragon Reborn is bad. The entire world believes that by default. Circumstances just get completely out of hand and her only response is constant escalation. To me that is what makes her compelling. You might know an Elaida but if you're not careful you might become an Elaida. The Forsaken on the other hand are just mustache twirling villains from central casting.
- Favorite book and scene?
The Battle of Dumai's Wells. In some ways it is more satisfying to me than Merrilor. Everyone gets in on the action from the Wolves to the Wise Ones. It's the first appearance of the Asha'man and a foretaste of what unrestricted warfare with the Power would look like in later books. It also has a ton of great moments and quotes. Page for page it might be the best action sequence in the series.
- If you were set down in Randland, who/what would you see yourself as? An Aes Sedai? Innkeeper? Seanchan Captain?
I'd want to be a Wise One. They have a great look, don't suffer fools and rules against hurting are for games. Wise Ones are serious business.
- General Questions
- How did you find TarValon.Net and what convinced you to stay and become a Senior Member?
I found a printout from the Wheel of Time FAQ from the fall of 95 and thought, I wonder what WoT is like on the internet now. I had a choice between Dragonmount and TarValon. Honestly the idea of senior membership was itself a major draw. I especially liked that we dropped the gender requirements. I was also lucky enough to meet several people who were really welcoming, not the least of which was the Mayor at the time, Jahily. We've been First Sisters ever since.
- What do you do in "real life"?
I'm a network engineer.
- Do you have any hobbies?
Yeah, I have a number of geeky hobbies. I play Warhammer 40k, Dungeons and Dragons, and LARP. I'd like to have a "normal" hobby but I don't have the time.
- What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
Almost everything from the 90s, most of the 2000s, The Pretty Reckless, and Taylor Swift make up most of my playlists. Pretty basic really.
- What are some of your favorite movies / television shows?
Too many to list here, but I can start with Dredd, Prometheus, Casablanca, and L.A. Confidential. Some of my favorite shows are Buffy, Battlestar Galactica, and House of the Dragon.
- Aside from The Wheel of Time, what are a few of your favorite books/series?
Tolkien of course, The Elenium, Neuromancer, Anathem, Dune, and The Horus Heresy.
- What profession did you want to have when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a teacher. Sadly, the tech industry found me first.
