The Eye of the World: Chapter 24
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Author: Arn Oakenskye
Chapter Icon: A Harp
Point of View: Rand
Setting: Rand's dream and aboard the Spray
Characters: Rand, Mat, Thom, Domon, Ba'alzamon
Contents
Outline
Rand, Mat and Thom travel on a boat.
Summary
Rand dreams of walking through a maze of spires and bridges that go on forever. Ba'alzamon is within the maze as well and searching for him.
Rand pricks his finger on the thorn bushes that make up the maze wall, letting Rand know this place is dangerous. Trying to escape the maze, Rand comes face to face with Ba'alzamon. Rand begs for the Light to save him and Ba'alzamon answers back the "The light will not save you and the Eye of the World will not serve you."
Ba'alzamon reaches for Rand and Rand shouts that this is a dream. Ba'alzamon, surprised, fades away.
Rand turns full circle and stares at thousands of reflections of himself staring back. Ba'alzamon appears in each of the reflections behind Rand's own image staring at him, their faces merging together.
Rand starts awake and searching around with his eyes realizes he is aboard the Spray. He is relieved at first until he notices his finger - pricked on the thorns in the dream - is bleeding. Rand's breath catches.
The Spray continues down river, Domon drives his crew hard trying to make good speed, all the time reminding them of the Trollocs that attacked them days earlier. Domon hangs up the Trolloc weapons for all to see whenever the crew begins to feel like the danger has passed.
Gelb tries causing trouble for Rand, Mat and Thom, but the crew won't listen to him thinking that it's Gelb's fault in the first place that the Trollocs attacked the ship. Rand is concerned Gelb will cause them trouble but Thom thinks they have more to worry about from the crew if they mutiny.
Thom entertains Domon's crew and at the same time teaches Rand and Mat to be his apprentices teaching them some of the easier stories, some tumbling and juggling.
Rand watches the shores pass by and notices a tower of polished metal. Domon makes a few comments about the tower, that it's two hundred feet high and has no mark or opening on it. Mat says he bets there's treasure inside. Domon agrees that there may be and then goes on telling about a few other strange sights in the world. He makes a comment about when the Emond's Fielders go back to their home that it'll be too small to contain them. Rand disagrees and says he will go home some day and raise sheep like Tam. Rand then asks Mat if he's right and Mat, pulling himself away from looking at the tower says of course they'll go home, then walks off muttering about treasure.
A few days pass and Rand sits upon the mast of the ship watching the crew and everything else. He nearly falls at one point and laughs about it. Thom and the crew watch him, thinking that Rand has gone mad and tell him to come down. Rand slides down the mast and jumps to the deck right in front of Mat. Rand stares at Mat and what he held - a curved dagger with a gold scabbard and a ruby the size of Rand's thumb nail. Mat notices Rand and stuffs the dagger back in his coat. Rand asks if it came from Shadar Logoth and Mat tells him that Rand cannot tell anyone about the dagger.
Rand also asks Mat if he has had dreams lately. Mat has, but doesn't want to talk about them.
Thom comes over before Rand or Mat can say anymore about dreams and tells them that he convinced Domon that Rand's fool stunt up on the mast was part of his training. Rand looks up at the mast and is shocked that he was up there. Thom begins teaching them more gleeman arts.
Notes
Character Development
- Mat
- He has taken a dagger from Shadar Logoth
He is beginning to be distrustful of everyone
- Mat thinks Bayle is trying to put them off so he can get treasure for himself
- Mat doesn't even trust Thom.
- Rand
- Rand is reckless
Places
- First Mention
Tremalking, Panarch's Palace in Tanchico
Mysteries
- What are lightsticks,razorlace and heartstone?
- What is the hollowed out mountain with a spire 100 spans high that kills anyone who goes within a mile?
- What is the gleaming tower?
- Who carved the 100ft tall figures on the high bluffs and when - enough time between the oldest and youngest that the oldest are featureless
- What is Ba'alzamon up to and where?
- Why are the Sea Folk searching for their Coramoor?
Spoilers
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Character Development
- Mat
The lack of trust is linked to the dagger, which is already manifesting itself
- Rand
- Rand's recklessness is actually a result of channeling, he also has a second bout of sickness - the dizziness
This is likely from when he released the boom to escape the Trollocs at Shadar Logoth
Mysteries
- What are lightsticks,razorlace and heartstone?
Heartstone is cuendillar
- What is the gleaming tower?
The Tower of Ghenjei
- Why are the Sea Folk searching for their Coramoor?
Their Jendai prophecy, though we don't know the signs
Miscellaneous
- Domon states that there have been other empires as large as Hawkwings since the Breaking
This seems unlikely, we know enough of the history of the land that there doesn't seem time to fit any of these
