This contains the entries submitted for the "Plot Fires of Heaven Contest" held on rec.arts.sf.written a bit *before* TFoH was released. At the Third Darkfriend Social, we decided it might be nice to repost these for the newer people who weren't around for the contest. It's good for a few laughs in hindsight for us 'older' folks, too. Plus, it records the origin of the MPS in Sir MPS. Special thanks to Erica Sadun for coordinating the contest, ****************************************************************************** The Board of Trustees of the JORDAN FAQ ASSOCIATION proudly present V A R I O U S P L O T S F O R T H E F I R E S O F H E A V E N ****************************************************************************** The categories: * Most Plausible * Most Novel * Most Humorous * Best >Overt< References to Lanfear ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- HERE ARE THE PLOTS! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Lars H. Tombre] |\// Submission 1 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== The definite storyline to 'The Fires of Heaven': 1) Rand will use the Aiel to get rid of his problems in Cairhien. 2) The fake 'He who comes with the dawn' will try his best to piss Rand off. He will have support by the majority of Aiel. 3) Rhuarc will lay down his spear and join the Tinkers. 4) Loial will reach the conclusion : Enough is enough ! and run home to his mother who immediately has him married off. 5) Logain will be the centre of a sinister plot by Siuan Sanche to regain position as head of the tower. 6) Perrin will spend his time fruitlessly hunting Slayer. 7) Mat is kidnapped one night while out gambling, and taken by the Seanchan over the Endless(!) Seas. 8) Elayne spends ger time fawning over Rand. 9) Egwene spends most of the book lost in tel'arinrhod (sp?). She only gets out after promising Birgitte to join the undead champions. 10)Min runs away from Siuan and helps Gawyn search for the ex-seat. Gawyn is on a search-and-destroy mission sent by Elaida. 11)Lanfear sees the wrong of her ways and decides to try seducing Gaul instead of Rand. 12)Nynaeve spends her time muttering 'Burn that woman' (Else see 8, switch with Lan) 13)Lan is stoically brave as always, and won't let personal gratification come in the way of duty. 14)Bayle Domon will once again mysteriously enter the scene of action. This time he is the captain of a vessel hijacked by the Seanchan. (The vessel incidentally takes Mat to the New World. 15)Moiraine is her own mysterious self. She decides to forgo Rand for awhile to help Siuan in her quest. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Geoff Wiseman] |\// Submission 2 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== Rand chases down Couladin, faces his down, and gets that bit resolved, then brings the Aiel to war against the lands west of the Three-fold land. At the end of the book, he's married Elayne, and is on the throne of Camelyn. He also defeats Sammael, having learned from Asmodean. More sexual tension with Lanfear, but no coital activies (sorry, Roy). Perrin goes awandering again, with Faile & Aram, and ends up finding the song. Siuan Sanche and Leane catch up with Elayne/Nyneave/Seanchan and track the BA a little more. The escaped false dragon ends up with the BA (Taim? Is that who it was?). The BA continue to elude them. Elayne learns more about the dreamworld, and she and Perrin track down "Slayer" somewhat, but don't catch him. (Isam is going to have to have a showdown with Lan). Mat gets capture in the hopes of getting Rand to follow along, and is taken to the courts of the nine moons. Who am I forgetting? Lan meets up with Isam, Moiraine clashes with Eleida, and uh ... that's pretty much it. Now, 'bout the "fires of heaven". My best guess is that Rand (with the one massive sa'angreal) and Lanfear (with the other) have a little tiff. *grin* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Emma Pease] |\// Submission 3 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== Tam and Abell (Mat's father, I think I got the name right) are told what their sons have been up to. Haven't decided who will do the telling. Obvious candidates are Perrin, Faile, Loial, and Verin. Nasty one would be one of the forsaken or another of the DO's creatures who would put a particularly bad slant on it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Arthur Bernard Byrne] |\// Submission 4 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== Prediction: (obvious) the Seachan will get their hands on the sa'adam by capturing the ship before it goes overboard. (The deep spot it's to be thrown into is off of some islands, which the begining of the 4th book shows to be under Seachan control.) Prediction: The invasion of Cairhein will be completed by the end of book 5 or 6, and Rand al'Thor will seat Moiraine Damodred on the throne, whether she wants to be there or not. (Begining book 4, he says he has a candidate in mind.) Prediction: Faile is second in line for the throne of Saladea. (known) Her aunt, the Queen, is an Aes Sedai of the White Ajah, and her Father the Queen's warder. Both will be killed by the book's end, leaving Perrin Goldeneyes lord of Manetheren, ruling from the Blight in the north to the Manetherendrelle on the south. (Side guess: the manetheren crown jewels will be found behind the falls of Eldrene's veil.) Prediction: Gra'endal (sp?) is either suldam in the Court of the Nine Moons, or the suldam raised to the blood. Matrim, when he encounters her in book 6, will be protected by the amulet from the Aelfar, and will leash her. Prediction (Wild): One of the Hundred companions will return, having spent the last three thousand years sheilding himself behind the Mirrors of the wheel from its grinding, if not the dark one's taint. Prediction: Elaine will be threatened by one of the Forsaken, and Thom Merrilin, having overheard one too many lectures on the One Source, will discover his own trainable ability to channel, aiding Elaine in the capture of the Forsaken. Prediction: At least half of these predictions will be wrong. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Michael "Sir MPS" Macchione] |\// Submission 5 \//| [Winner: First Place, Best Lanfear References] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== The Fires of Heaven Plotline: Rand begins to get bored with his studying and repeatedly gets annoyed with Asmodean. Lanfear appears tries to convince Rand to continue to study with him. Rand repeatedly refuses. Lanfear seduces him. They have mad passionate sex. Rand changes his mind. After having been hung, Mat finds that his luck is changing for the worse. He eventually finds himself captured by the Seanchan. After getting himself in even worse trouble with the Seanchan, he is forced to marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons. After getting one look at her, Mat attempts to blind himself so that he won't have to look at that hideous face. He is stopped after only blinding one eye. On the night before the wedding Lanfear approaches Mat, and since she pities him, they have mad passionate sex. Mat's luck turns back around. Perrin and Faile have marital difficulties. She keeps wanting to go out and get into the thick of it all; He wants her safe and sound. After an intense argument, his animal nature breaks through and he, having lost control, runs off into the woods. Lanfear finds him and coaxes him back to humanity. At which point, other parts of his animal nature come through. They have mad passionate sex. Perrin learns to control his wolven nature. After spending so much time with the other 12 members of the Black Ajah, Liandrin comes to the realization that she, like all members of the Red Ajah, is a lesbian. At one point, Lanfear visits her, to give her some new orders. Liandrin attempts to seduce Lanfear. They _don't_ have mad passionate sex. Liandrin is toast. While experimenting with traveling, Rand inadvertently travels back in time to the First Age. He encounters a young man, and accidently brings him back to the Third Age. Lanfear attempts to console the poor misplaced man. They have mad passionate sex. Roy finally gets to know if Lanfear is good in bed. All of the major females in the story get upset that Lanfear has made out eith their men and try to cut her down. Galad, now Whitecloak captain, notices this woman being attacked by so many women who can channel and comes to her rescue. He spirits her away from the clash. They have mad passionate sex. During the orgasmic experience, Lanfear discovers that he can channel. She coaches him for a while (having seen Asmodean teach Rand), but soon the revolt finds them. They use the Kick-ass sa-angreals and cause fires to rain down from the heavens destroying all of the pesky females. Galad fears that he may have broken a rule someplace and goes into hiding. Logain makes his way to Tear, in an effort to grab Callandor. Lanfear stops him, telling him it would destroy him. He insists that he must grab the sword. She stops him the only way she knows how. They have extremely mad and passionate sex. And as he plunges his "sword which isn't a sword" into her, the two share an experience unlike any before. The experience ungentles Logain and in a combined uncontrolled outburst of the One Power from the two lovers a seal is broken and Ishmael is once again killed. Logain comes into his glory as the only man in Randland that can satisfy Lanfear. :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):*):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Judith Ellen Ghirardelli] |\// Submission 6 \//| [Winner: First Place, Most Plausbile] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== Here is my plot line for The Fires of Heaven : In the Waste : Asmodean teaches Rand to shield his dreams, to channel, to travel. He learns Couladin has taken an army of Aiel and is marching on Cairhein. Rand realizes that his army from Tear is in Cairhein, so he and his Aiel army set off for there also. Egwene, Moiraine, Mat and Lan go with him. In Saldaea: Fear runs rampant. Trollocs are everywhere, the Blight creeps closer. Queen Tenobia is viciously murdered; no one saw anyone enter her chambers, but that doesn't make her any less dead. Runners are sent out searching for the heir- apparent, who ran off some 8 months ago. Reward is offered for any info of where Zarine Bashere might be found... Near Saldaea: A faction of BA have helped Mazrim Taim to escape. His joy at being free is short-lived; he soon discovers he is a pet of the BA, and is forced to do nefarious things under the name of Rand Al'Thor. Rumors of Rand Al'Thor's "madness" and cruelty travel like the wind... In the Tower: Elaida's joy at being Amyrlin at last is also short- lived. She learns she is under the control of the BA (Alviarin and Danelle) and that Siuan Sanche and Leanne did truly walk in the Light. She is told they never could have pulled off the coup without Elaida's help, and when the BA finally get their hands on the 3 Accepted Brats, they will all be turned to the Shadow. Then Elaida is stilled... In Caemlyn: The armies of Andor are preparing to march to Cairhein under Lord Gaebril's orders. Morgase hears of the coup in the Tower, and is worried about Elayne, Galad and Gawyn. She confronts Gaebril. She orders that the troops stay at home and a small contingent escort her to Tar Valon. Gaebril/Rahvin decides he is tired of playing with this particular queen. He says no, they march on Cairhein. Morgase -"Just who do you think you are??!!". He responds "It's about time I told you. I am Rahvin, you stupid bitch! *I* am in control here. We march on Cairhein." Morgase is horrified. She sends a note via Tallvanor to Gareth Bryne. He reads it, and then is almost killed by a grey man. He flees Caemlyn, vowing to return to save his Queen... Meanwhile, back at home: Tam, Abel, the Luhhans, and the Al'Vere's sit Perrin and Faile down and ask them to tell them what is going on. What are they involved in? Where are Mat, Rand , Egwene and Ny, really? Why have Perrin's eyes changed color, etc. Perrin and Faile are forced to tell them the truth ("Perrin, they deserve to know".) Tam seems to be not too surprised. He *has* been out in the world, and knows the Prophecies after all. A peddler comes to town and announces the news out of Tar Valon, Tear and Saldaea - the Tower has fallen, the Tairen army marches on Cairhein, and good Queen Tenobia of Saldaea is dead, the Light protect her soul. According to the peddler, they are now looking for Zarine Bashere, who will be Queen. And the Dragon Reborn is outside Saldaea. He is called Rand AL'Thor, and has gone mad and started breaking the world, first with Saldaea. Perrin and Faile are stunned and overwhelmed. They decide to go to Saldaea to put Faile on the throne and for Perrin to try to reason with "Rand". ("how did he get from Tear to Saldaea??" "Well, he *is* the Bloody Dragon Reborn!!"). Now, when Perrin, Faile, Tam, Alanna and some others are about to leave, no sign can be found of Verin. Her warder is found dead... Meanwhile in tanchico: the Seanchan attack, taking the city. Elayne is captured and leashed. Ny fights her way free (with the Dream Ring). Ny tells Egwene about it through the DreamWorld. Offshore Egeanin and Bayle Domon are captured, before dumping the sad bracelets into the Mariana trench. Suroth knows what to do with those bracelets... Rand, while marching to Cairhein, learns from Egwene about the attack and Elayne's capture. He and Mat travel or portal stone to Tanchico. To cover up his Aiel looks, Rand disguises himself as a blind beggar. Mat is captured. Mat and Elayne are shipped off to Seanchan. There the daughter of the Nine Moons takes a liking to Mat, and inspects him. She finds the Raven and the Tower symbols on him. To save him, she marries him. It all happened too fast for him to follow... Gareth Bryne meets up with SS, Leanne, Logain, Min and others (including Sheriam and Anaiya). They sneak into Caemlyn to find that Rahvin has killed Morgase. Bryne kills Rahvin, whom they surprised. Padan Fain, although present, is not noticed, and he slips away... Now the armies of Andor have started marching, and there is no one to stop them. Where is that fool girl Elayne??? Gawyn hears there is turmoil in Andor and leaves the Tower. The Seanchan armies take all of the west coast, almost to Saldaea, and Mazrim Taim, who they think is Rand and the Dragon, is sad braceleted. Faile and Perrin, now in Saldaea, stop the advancing hoard. They think Rand has been captured. The Seanchan army now turns west, to attack the Tower, and salt the ground it stands on... Rand, who snuck onto the ship carrying Mat and Elayne to Seanchan, sneaks into Elayne's room. He finds her collared, but the bracelet is hanging empty on a peg. They embrace, while a sul'dam sneaks up on them, and puts the bracelet around Rand's wrist. They both start to die screaming. In their pain, they both touch the source, channeling enough to cause the earth to shudder. Back at home, Dragonmount errupts, and fires rain down from Heaven. A seal is broken somewhere. Back in Seanchan, Mat runs to their aid, kills the sul'dam, and cuts off Rand's hand with his spear. They cauterize it with a white hot iron. Meanwhile, Egwene and some Aiel have left the main army to head towards the Tower. they meet Gareth Byrne and Co. They proclaim Egwene Amyrlin. In walks Gawyn, who grabs her about the neck and asks "Where is my sister?". Egwene tells him, and convinces him that they fight for the Dragon and the Light. At his time, the ash from Dragonmount obliterates the sun, plunging them all into dark. When the ash subsides, and the sun shines again, Gawyn says "Then you just fight for the Light. Word comes from the Seanchan South of Saldaea. Rand Al'Thor is dead." They are all shocked. (Of course, *Taim* is dead now, killed by too much sad bracelet channeling; Rand just needs a hand about now.) The good Aiel (under Rhuarc) and the Tairen Army defeat Couladin's army before the Andor army arrives. Word is out that Morgase is dead, and so is Rand Al'thor. The sun is obliterated by ash, and when the ash clears, Rand and Elayne (having traveled) stand amongst them, shining like the sun. Thus is Elayne crowned Queen. Thus does the day dawn twice. Thus book 5 ends with Elayne Queen and Rand probable King of Andor. He places Moiraine on the throne of Cairhein. The Seanchan hold most of the west (except Saldaea) and Tar Valon. Mat is still with the Seanchan, not having been able to escape. Faile is Queen of Saldaea. She, Perrin and the Two-Rivers folk, along with Gareth Byrne's Company (SS, Logain, Egwene, etc) all believe Rand to be dead. Ending Prophecy : Thus when the time shall come, the Dragon will burn us for his pain, and the fires from heaven will rain down upon us. And in his pain shall be his joy, that his wounds of madness might be healed. What cutting of hope is this? Oh, People, pray for his pain, that we might have fire, and blood, and healing. And the Light will shine once more. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Erica Sadun] |\// Submission 7 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== PLOT PREDICTION FOR THE FIRES OF HEAVEN TFOH starts with Bayle Domon and Egeanin being taken by the Seanchin. The sad bracelets are taken at the same time. Min, Logain and SS are on their way to Tear. When Logain arrives in tear, he will pull the sword. Ordeith/Fain heads up from two rivers to Camlyn, spreading bad word about "Lord Perrin Goldeneyes", the upstart to Morgase through Rahvin/Gaebril. She orders Perrin's arrest. When Perrin & Faile arrive in Caemlyn, they are immediately arrested. Perrin makes it away and heads to Saldea, meets up with Faile's father Gen. Bashire and brings an army down into Caemlyn bringing that city to ruins. They then run off to the far far far east to escape retribution. Nynaeve and Elayne start back to Tar Valon, believing their mission is done. They head that way via Carhein, bumping into Rand and company who are arriving from the three-fold land. Rand has been in training with Asmodeus and is becoming far better at channeling and control. Mat, still with Rand, is sent with Elayne to the island of the Wind Channelers to spread the word about Rand however, since this island is controlled by the Seanchin already, they are taken captive and Elayne is collared. Berelain, proud descendant of Artur is clawing her way into becoming the next Empress. Mat is tortured because of his raven staff. [Alternatively: Nynaeve and Elayne do not meet up with Rand and are taken captive by teh Whitecloaks. Rand attempts to save them, is beat up by several Forsaken, has his hand cut off and is cut off from the one power as Logain pulls the sword]. Lanfear keeps looking out for all the good guys and begins to think that Logain isn't so bad looking himself. Nynaeve and Lan/Moiraine and Thom finally...well YOU know! Oh. And did I mention that Egwene, now turned to the dark, becomes the Amyrlin seat and deposes Elaida who was good after all? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Judith Ellen Ghirardelli] |\// Submission 8 \//| [Winner: Second Place, Most Humorous (tie)] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| [Winner: Third Place, Best Lanfear References] ======================== [Winner: Third Place, Most Novel] Plot - line for The Fires of Heaven In the Waste: Bubbles of evil burst forth, attacking Mat and Rand, who master them eventually. Back in the 2 Rivers: Perrin just awakens when a cock crows 3 times. Faile's undergarments come alive and attack him. Perrin fights them, while not making any noise to awaken Faile, who needs her sleep since she has PMS (probably morning sickness). Perrin, not wanting to damage her underclothes, finally masters them by grabbing them when they come close and putting them on. At last the fight is over. Faile awakens to her horror, seeing Perrin wearing her lingerie. She becomes the 1st woman in Randland to suspect her husband is a cross-dresser. In Tar Valon, the long lost Jaim Farstrider has finally shown up with the story about the Eye of the World. He got lost between the stedding and the Tower, turned east instead of west, and has spent the last 20 years with the people east of the Waste, for whom he was their love slave. At last he was freed, by some woman dressed in white and silver. The most beautiful and unsatisfiable woman he had ever met. She frees him, talking mysteriously about how some men just reach out and grab *things*, while for others it must be forced upon them. Very confused, he completes his trip to Tar Valon to deliver his story. The Aes Sedai don't even care since it is now known that the Eye is gone. There, he runs into Laras, whom he embraces! He never thought he'd find her again. We learn that Laras is really his long lost twin sister, Jain Farstrider! Jaim and Jain are reunited at last! Meanwhile in the 2 rivers, Aram the Tinker goes off on a kind of pilgrimage into the Mountains of Mist. There he finds a treasure - da Song at last! He is very confused though as to the meaning of da Song. It begins "Since my baby left me, I've found a new place to dwell...". Through very subtle hints by Jordan, we find out that the remains of Graceland lie in the Mountains of Mist, and that Aram is actually Elvis Reborn (This will become a new trilogy, the books being _The Hole of the Dougnut_, _The Great Hips_, and _The "King" Reborn_.) Meanwhile in Caemlyn, Padan Fain for some odd reason has started referring to the dagger from Shadar Logoth as "my precious". It is discovered that east of the lands east of the Waste live dwarves and elves. (the Net revolts!) Jordan gives hints to indicate that the great spike in the middle of the bowl in the mountain is actually the long lost Mars Observer. In Tanchico, Liandrin of course realizes at last that she is a lesbian. After meeting Suroth again, they fall in love. When Bors comes to visit, Suroth gets ideas about letting him into their love sessions. Liandrin is digusted and rejects Bors. Bors makes some disparaging remark which contains the words "dyke bitch". Liandrin *hates* to be called that, and toasts Bors. Logain and Co. make it to Tear, where he pulls the Sword from the Stone, and is ungentled in the process. After re-examining the Prophecies, it is discovered that *Logain* is the true Dragon Reborn, and that Rand is just another False Dragon on a Tar Valon leash. Book 5 ends, ending the Series with Logain dying and saving the world, and Rand being gentled and living happily ever after as Lanfear's love slave in the lands east of the waste. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Mark Looi] |\// Submission 9 \//| [Winner: Second Place, Most Plausible] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== My plot for the Fires of Heaven -------------------------------- Logain and Siuan find themselves developing a kinship (probably because they've both been stilled). Upon reaching Tear, Logain attempts to pull out Callandor. The traps Rand have set trigger. The traps were designed to redirect any use of the One Power back into the channeller, destroying the channeller in the process. The traps result in Logain being unstilled. Logain becomes the new leader of Tear. One of the first things that Rand learns from Asmodean is the skill of Travelling. Rand Travels to Cairhien to join up with the Tairen army primarily to remind them of their mission and to show them how powerful he is. He finds that the High Lords sent with the Tairen army have been disregarding his instructions and attempting to conquer the Cairhiens. In a fit of rage, Rand destroys the High Lords with balefire. Rand finds that he has been betrayed by Asmodean, and that his Travelling ability is imperfect and he is unable to Travel without the assistance of Asmodean. Rand is unable to return to the Aiel Waste. Asmodean escapes and hides, waiting for the shields to fade. Couladin leads some of the Aiel into Cairhien to destroy Rand. Egwene continues her studies in Dreaming and gets a message to Rand about Couladin's army. Rand instructs the Wise Ones (and Egwene) to bring the rest of the Aiel army to him. This army is led by Rhuarc. Mat, Egwene, Moiraine, Lan and Aviendha go with the army. In the ensuing battle between Aiel, all water oaths are forgotten and Aiel kill Aiel beyond the Spine of the World. The devastation is extensive, and only a handful of Aiel survive. Mat, Egwene, Moiraine, Lan and Aviendha all survive. Rand leads the remaining Aiel and the Tairen army onwards into Cairhien and takes control of the Sun Throne. Meanwhile, Bayle Domon sets sail for a deep part of the ocean. Egeanin sails with him. They sail right into the path of Lady Suroth's fleet, where they are captured. Because of her attraction to Domon, Egeanin saves him, by pretending that they were sailing to present the sad bracelets as a gift to the Empress - a method of controlling male channellers. They are taken to the Seanchan land. Elayne and Nynaeve can't find anymore of the Black Ajah in Tanchico and decide to return to the tower. They do find something that throws even more suspicion on Moiraine. They tell Egwene of their discoveries and their plans through their meeting in Tel'aran'rhiod, but urge her not to tell Moiraine. Their meeting is cut short by the arrival of some Black Ajah in Tel'aran'rhiod who are now hunting Elayne and Nynaeve there. Min finds out that Rand is now in Cairhien and immediately leaves Tear to join Rand. She carries word of the Tar Valon coup to the party at Cairhien. Egwene realises in dismay that Elayne and Nynaeve are walking right back into trouble. Unable to confide in Moiraine, she leaves Cairhien in the middle of the night, but is surprised by Lan. When Lan finds out that Nynaeve is headed for the tower, he finally breaks his bonds to Moiraine (emotionally, not Warderly) and joins Egwene in a mad rush to the tower. Elayne and Nynaeve too afraid to enter Tel'aran'rhiod again and as such are unable to meet Egwene there. In the tower, we find out that Shemerin (one of those involved in the coup) is really the Forsaken Semirhage. She is now trying to take over control of the tower. Elayne and Nynaeve arrive at the tower first, and are imprisoned by Elaida who is under the influence of Semirhage. Semirhage is afraid that she will be exposed by Elayne and Nynaeve and has them sentenced to be stilled. In desperation, Elayne enters Tel'aran'rhiod and manages to contact Egwene. In the ensuing attack, Semirhage is exposed, Elaida and Sheriam are killed, and finally Semirhage is killed by Egwene. In the confusion, it is assumed that the three girls have been raised to full sisters and Egwene is elected the new Amyrlin Seat. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Stephanie Mason] |\// Submission 10 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== ***************************************************************** A SUMMARY OF A PART OF THE FIRES OF HEAVEN as revealed to Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah Who has recently developed the Talent of Prophesy ***************************************************************** Egwene completes her training as a dreamer and returns to the Tower. On her way she hears about the coup. As she comes closer to Tar Valon she gathers many of the scattered Aes Sedai around her. They go on to take back the Tower. In the process we learn that Egwene's Accepted Test was fairly accurate because the ring Ter Angreal reacted with the Testing Ter Angreal forcing her into a world much closer to the one they currently live in. Elaida is "Blacker than the rocks of Shayol Ghul!" (How can this be reconciled with the glimpse into her mind in TSR? Simple!) Elaida has long been a power hungry Wench! Her first prophetic experience convinced her (in her natural Red zeal to defeat the Dark One) that the most powerful position for her was to guide the Andor line in its role against the DO. She set aside her aspirations to the Amyrlin seat to become the Aes Sedai appointed to the court of Andor. Shortly after her arrival in Andor she sent Red Ajah after Thom's nephew Owyn knowing that he would go to Owyns rescue without telling Morgase why. Thus she eliminated her only rival for most trusted advisor. Then after Morgase returns from Tar Valon mad as hell that SS would not tell her where Elayne was She sends Elaida packing. On her return to Tar Valon, Elaida becomes convinced that SS is up to something and maybe it is time that somebody else is AS. She confides in The White sister whose name I can't remember. (BUT we already knew all this. now for some completely new insight into the background on the coup) For her efforts in the coup Elaida is taken by her friend in white (who is BA) to a gathering of 13 BA and 13 Myrdraal where she is turned against her will to the DO. ***************************************************************** Now my brain is completely strained to remember anything so this is all for now maybe I'll send more later ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Christopher T. Flora] |\// Submission 11 \//| [Winner: First Place, Most Humorous] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| [Winner: Third Place, Most Plausible] ======================== The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Spine of the World. The wind was not the beginning. THere are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was *a* beginning. Rand al'Thor was trotting along, his horse underneath him. Aviendha was still spouting some nonsense about Elayne. The Light burn her! He wished that he had Perrin's knack with girls. Or even Mat's. Mat always seemed to get around with the ladies. In the background, one of those wretched Aiel was playing a set of pipes, while some others were dancing merrily. He recognized the tune as "The Weeping Willow," but they called it "The Dance of Death". He reflected on the vast differences in culture that he had discovered on his jouney, how the name of a song could be so indicative of the culture he was passing through, wreaking havoc and turmoil along the way. "Why do they have to play that blasted pipe?" he muttered angrily. Moiraine suddenly appeared and said,"The will weaves the wind mill, Rand. Tell me your dreams. Only I have anything like the strenghth of mind to unravel them. What are your plans? You cannot possibly be so foolish as to beleive that after you have come this far in your career, you could possibly not need me now. You _are_ a'tavern." Rand jumped. "Light, woman! Shut up. Get out of my sight." Perrin just could not understand Faile. It seemed as if she talked a different language. He wished that he had the knack with women that Rand and Mat did. Light, Rand had the daughter-heir of Andor hanging all over him. He never had the sort of problems that Perrin constantly had with Faile. But Light, Rand was the Bloody Dragon Reborn! How would Tam like to hear that? "Well, sir, Rand's doing fine, except that he's due to go crazy in, oh, say, a few weeks from now. Then he'll start blasting everybody across Hell and half of Georgia." Light! One of the villages looked at him. It always made Perrin jump when people looked at him. It didn't matter if they cared about his yellow eyes or not. He just hated it. The cravings he'd been getting lately didn't help much. Why, just last week, Master Luhhan had found him out in the stable, devouring a raw cow that he had recently ripped the throat out of. For some reason, though, every time he thought about his eyes or his connection to the wolves, the back of his mind itched. *Light! No! I _will_ not!* Angrily, he pushed it back. Everyone in the village thought it was strange that he had begun decorating his rooms with wolf skins and heads, but he didn't care. He watched warily as someone walked up to him. Light, just because someone was walking up to him didn't mean he was bloody a'tavern! "Perrin? I have these two sets of shoes. Which ones do you think I should put on?" Perrin responded slowly. "Well, which ones do you think you should put on?" "Well, this pair doesn't have any soles, toes, or heels. I was thinking of throwing them away and wearing my other pair." Perrin responded slowly. "Well, perhaps that is what you should do." "Okay. Thanks." Why did everybody continue coming to him with these stupid questions? "I'm _not_ bloody a'tavern!!!!!" Mat knew as the knife ran through his heart that his luck had run out. He wished that he had the knack with girls that Perrin and Rand did. He gurgled something under his breath around the blood that was trickling out. He heard someone mutter, "Light! The old tongue!" Egwene finally returns to the White Tower. She is immediately stilled, collared, and killed. Logain reaches Tear. He grasps Callandor. He feels the One Power coursing through his veins. He thinks, "the traps that Rand set must have backfired! I can channel again!" The traps come back on line, and he is fried, extra crispy. Rand decides it is time to really ruin some Forsaken's day. He makes a beeline to the one that he is least expected to go to, muttering about it the entire time. Ba'alzamon starts running, realizing that he's probably gonna have to die *again* at the end of this novel. Probably twice, two. Nynaeve and Elayne strangle each other. The White Tower exterminates all women within 100 leagues of the White Tower, including Leane, Suian Sanche, and Min. And themselves. And all the damane that the Seanchan were bringing. Rand finds some more Myrdraal and Trollocs and bastes them. The Final Chapter. "BA'ALZAMON!!!!!!!!!" "Look, can't we talk about this?" The Cat in the Barrel meets Dog in Heat. The Troubled Millpond meets Hurricane Hugo. The Mad Panicked Flight meets Death Incarnate. "Shit. Not again!" "BA'ALZAMON!!!!!!!!" Rand says,"I did it. I killed Shai'tan well and truly, this time!" Moiraine says, "You Fool! Do you dare mention his name?" Rand replies,"Piss off. Go somewhere." Lan twitches an eyebrow, which is the same as the death yawp in most men. "And it came to be that the Dragon Reborn kicked heap big ass." Chief Running Away, fourth age The End of the Fifth Book of The Wheel Of Thyme Book six: The Death of Rand - coming in December '99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Erica Sadun] |\// Submission 12 \//| [Winner: First Place, Most Novel (tie)] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| [Winner: Second Place, Most Humorous (tie)] ======================== PLOT SUBMISSION FOR TFOH Rand is approached by one of the Wise Ones. She gives him a ring that was left to him by his uncle. Together with his friends, merry Matrim and grinning Perrin, he go off to fight Sauron...I mean the evil one. The ghost of his desceased mother, who was really one of the bene gaes sedai leads him on his way as he becomes addicted to spice and rides the sand worms. Golem, I mean Padain Fain meets them on the way and slices Rand's finger...no! his entire hand off before plummeting into Shayol Ghul and his water is retrieved for all. Meanwhile when Egwene wakes up from the world of dreams with a broken leg and a concussion in a small resthome run by two wisdoms, she realizes that one of her eight sisters is out to get her to prevent her from taking over the throne that her real father has abandoned. She begins to believe that she has been suffering from amnesia, that the mayor and his wife are not really her parents and that, in fact, she is living in only a shadow of the Real World of which Tel'ar'rhiond is just a part. She keeps thinking about unicorns. She begins to understand that Lanfear has taken over Garnet...Sapphire...something like that and intends to keep her in this rest home forever. She overcomes the wisdoms, dresses in silver and black, the colors of house Jhereg, and begins the ShadowWalk home through the ter'angreal. Elsewhere, the Aiel freemen point Rand in the direction of his next conquest over the spine of the world. He has sired an illegitimate child on his hitherto unknown sister. His marriage to Avienda is on the rocks because of this seduction and because she was seduced by Lan and betrayed his trust. Meanwhile, he is uniting all the countries of the world and giving them the true law. Siuan Sanche, cut off from laran, decides to bed Logain now that fear for clogging her channels has passed. However, the fling is so electrifying that he is ungentled and starts calling himself Conan. Loial decides that he is sick of being just an Ogier and takes up assasination, and his best friend Kiera the Thief helps place him in the house of the Jhereg when Egwene arrives. Just as the Seanchin are going to blind her and throw her into the dungeon by the grace of Lanfear, Mat pleads for her life and sacrifices one of his own eyes for her. Bayle Domon learns that his true name is Beldomon and that he is heir to a small island country and is destined to rule the west. Egeanin reveals that she is not entirely human and is in fact part tree. Beldomon cuts her up and uses her to build a new ship. He hires crewmen Scotty and Bones to help him run this new schooner. Nynaeve is busy trying to establish herself as the twin sister of the ruler of Illian. She keeps trying to hide her claws and the other evidence of her Shanir nature. Lan, in penitence for his affair with Avienda, keeps showing up at the Catteracts, but is not permitted entrance into the forbidden tower. In the end, Sauron dies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Joe "Uno" Shaw] |\// Submission 13 \//| [Winner: First Place, Most Novel (tie)] |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| [Winner: Second Place, Best Lanfear References] ======================== _The Fires of Heaven_ plot summary: The story begins: "The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become as legendary as Roy's lust for Lanfear. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten, like our real work will be when the Fires of Heaven is finally released, when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in The Spine of the World as Lanfear blew a long-distance kiss to Rand. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time, as Lanfear's love for Lews Therin is eternal. But it was _a_ beginning. Born among snow-capped peaks that seemed to touch the heavens, the peaks glowing in the moonlight like Lanfear's thighs that time she was wearing one of Rand's shirts in tGH, the chill wind howled east and down, between rugged peaks of dark rock as smooth of vegetation as Lanfear's skin is smooth, the contrast between the rock and snow reminiscent of Lanfear's hair against her bare back. Over rock-strewn hills as confused as Rands thoughts about Lanfear, the wind blew itself dry of moisture long before it began to sweep over the vast scapes of the Aiel Waste, a land as barren as Lanfear's heart would be without her love for Lews Therin. Were it daylight, the wind would be heated by the sun as if in were passing through the furnace of Lanfear's passionate desire, but it was a cool, dry wind that made Jasin Nateel shiver, pulling his gleeman's cloak as many-colored as Lanfear has moods tighter around him as he sat to the left of a man that seemed oblivious to the wind with his red coat hanging unbuttoned, a man harder than the Aiel scattered around the camp and yet softer than Lanfear's busom, Rand al'Thor, the _Car'a'carn_, He Who Comes With the Dawn, The Dragon Reborn, and the object of Lanfear's affections..." The scene fades to black, and then we see a contemporary living room with two seedy looking youths sitting on a couch in what admittedly amounts to nothing but a cheap way to throw in another Lanfear reference: "heh heh heh... Lanfear is Babe-a-licious... heh heh heh" The story starts out with Rand et al. waiting at Alcair Dal for the rest of the clan chiefs to arrive, with Aviendha still shadowing Rand as closely as the mark Lanfear made on his neck. Moiraine is still being the same insufferable b*tch she always has. The night after the last clan chief arrives and acknowledges Rand as the _Car'a'carn_, the camp is attacked by Trollocs/Myrddraal as a diversion while Grey Men try to kill Rand, Mat and Asmodean/Nateel. (Why? Because _every_ book so far has started out with a Trolloc raid in the first few chapters!) Couladin, meanwhile, leads 'his' Aiel toward the Spine of the World, and takes them through Jangai Pass into Cairhien. Rahvin (aka Lord Gaebril) convinces Morgase to send forces into Cairhien. Of course, the armies Rand sent from Tear into Cairhien. There is a big battle among the three armies where "Morgase, by the Grace of the Light, Queen of Andor, Protector of the Realm, Defender of the People, High Seat of House Trakand, and not Lanfear" does something as dumb as believing one of Ishmael's lies when she tries the same stunt that Queen Modrellein did in Elayne's story in tDR ch 16. She dies with one of Couladin's spears through her chest before Rahvin, whose lust for Power is as strong as Lanfear's lust for Rand, decides to cut his losses while he still has any power, and tries to high-tail it back to Camelyn because he knows Rand bringing the rest of the Aiel into the battle. Rand, The Aiel and the forces of Tear defeat Couladin. Word arrives that Sammael, aka Lord Brend of Illian, whose envy of Rand is as strong as Roy's envy of Rand for being the apple of Lanfear's eye, is laying siege to Tear while everybody's away. Rand sends the Armies of Tear back to meet them, with Mat as their general. Moghedian, who escaped into _tel'aran'rhiod_ 'in the flesh', meets up with Slayer/Isam. Since Moghedian and Nynaeve are now arch-enemies, Moghedian falls in love with Isam in a remarkable parallel to Nynaeve falling in love with Lan. Nynaeve and Moghedian are destined to duke it out in the wildest catfight possible without Lanfear being one of the participants, but that doesn't happen until a later book. Egeanin and Bayle set sail, Egeanin steals the Collar and Bracelets and the ship, setting Bayle adrift in a lifeboat. In an amazing coincidence (since there no did be no _ta'veren_ around), Domon is rescued by the Sea Folk, specifically Coine and Jorin. The Seanchan return in force lead by the Empress, using Tremalking as a gathering place. High Lady Suroth is killed when she reveals her knowledge that _sul'dam_ can channel to the Empress. Egeanin returns to Tremalking, presents the bracelets to the Empress and is raised to the Blood and given High Lady Suroths position. When word reaches Ghealdan that the Whitecloaks want to kill Rand, Masema leads all his followers of the Dragon in a successful attack against the Fortress of the Light in Amador. Most of the Whitecloaks were away, near Tar Valon, where Galad becomes their new leader. Siuan, Leane, Min and Logain gather up the Aes Sedai who escaped from the White Tower during the Coup. They randomly head south toward Cairhien and meet up with Rand et al after Mat takes the army of Tear south. Rand makes Logain King of Cairhien, bringing Min's viewing of a "halo of gold and blue signifying glory to come" come to pass, since Cairhien's symbol is a golden sun on a field of blue. The Aes Sedai following Siuan elect a certain woman from the Two Rivers to lead them in reclaiming the White Tower that Lanfear called a "little farmgirl". Elayne and Nynaeve keep chasing the Black Ajah, catching and stilling Marillin Gemalphin and one more whose name we haven't been given yet. Perrin goes to visit his new in-laws in Saldaea with Faile (of course), Loial, the three Aiel and his "Companions" who refuse to quit following him around, like Lanfear refuses to quit following Rand around. Verin tags along so she won't miss a minute of _ta'veren_. They end up in a battle against Mazrim Taim and Demandred, the Forsaken who had freed him from the Aes Sedai bringing him to the White Tower. Demandred, who hate for Rand is as fierce as Lanfear scorned, has taught Taim how to use the One Power effectively. Perrin manages to kill Demandred with the help of Hopper and some other wolves in _tel'aran'rhiod_, but Mazrim Taim escapes. Rahvin declares himself King of Andor and forces the people into accepting it. Rand follows Rahvin back to Camelyn, where he and some of the Aiel sneak into the Palace where a battle ensues and Rahvin is killed in a battle reminiscent of Rand's battle with Ishmael in Tear. Lanfear shows up again and again tries to convince Rand that she really does love him. Mat, muttering some saying about luck in the Old Tongue, confronts Sammael. The foxhead amulet protects Mat from the One Power, and he stabs Sammael with his Raven Spear, injuring him badly but not a killing blow. Sammael escapes back to Illian. Mat becomes High Lord of Tear when he pulls _Calandor_ from the Stone; his foxhead amulet protects him from Rand's trap. Mat decides to store _Calandor_ back in the Stone; Rand's trap protects it since it was never disabled. The first signs of Rand beginning to go mad appear when he posts a story on r.a.s.w about a strange dream he had about meeting Robert Jordan. Finally, Rand gets sick of Lanfear following him around like a love-sick puppy, and tells her to "get a hobby". Lanfear, hurt and a trifle offended, tells him that "This _is_ my hobby!" Verin, Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah, makes lots of puns involving "FAQ" like FAQsimile, "just the FAQs, ma'am", etc. for no apparent reason, leading everyone to suspect that either there's _another_ prophesy that Verin knows about that Jordan hasn't bothered to tell his readers, or its just more evidence that Verin may be Black Ajah. "And it did come to pass that the Fires of Heaven did burn the land, did it no, as it did be written that the price of salvation would no be cheap; yet the price did have to be paid, as it did be paid in ages past and will do be paid in ages to come. Weep, unless ye no have no heart, for it do be written that only the tears of all may quench the Fires of Heaven, as it do be known that no but the Prince of the Morning may quench the passionate flame of the Daughter of the Night." Bayle Domon, _The Myriad Legends of the Atha'an Miere_, The Fourth Age. In the later books: Rand truly goes mad when he posts stories on r.a.s.w about how he lusts after Lanfear. Both Elyas and Perrin are accidentally killed by Rand in an event foreshadowed in TSR (when Rand melts the wolves on the fireplace mantel in Tear while Egwene and Elayne are trying to teach him about the One Power.) The 'luck' _ter'angreal_ stolen from the White Tower by the Black Ajah is used against Mat is battle. The armies under Mat's command come close to losing, but manage to win in the end because Mat understands the limitation of the _ter'angreal_. As Master Gill said in tDR after Mat tossed 'The Dark Ones Eyes', "That's the best toss or the worst. It depends on the game you are playing". ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Carl Traber] |\// Submission 14 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== We learned in tSR that Aielmen currently sing only when going into battle, and for funerals (Rhuarc stated this when the Taardad were singing the "Wash the Spears" song). But we also know that (a) Loial will be singing to the apple trees to honor Perrin's slain kinfolk, (b) Gaul, Chiad and Bain will be there to accompany Perrin and Faile, (c) Aram the Tinker is likely to be there too since he is sticking to Perrin as if Perrin is Aram's lifesaver, and therefore (d) all the necessary people and conditions are set for the song to be found. I feel sure that Gaul, Chiad and Bain will see this as a funeral, and thus will sing. And from the fact that many laments in our world are wordless (e.g. most of the mid-east ones I have heard) even if they are heart-felt expressions, the Aiel song has a high probability of fitting in with Loial's to form the "true?" song form that Rand learned of in Rhuidean via his ancestors' memories. Even though there is no Nym present to braid the song into a full field-enrichening one, as Rand "heard," it should be noted that only the Ogier and the Aiel actually sang even back at the breaking (at least as far as we know). Further, Loial also saved at least a part of the Green Man (as that final Nym was called) in tEotW, to the degree that the blight was again held back by that oak. So there is a reasonable chance that the Nym may be recovered as a race as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| [Roy Navarre] |\// Submission 15 \//| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ======================== I really need to reread SR before trying this! However, no time lately. My plot would be much better if SR was fresher in my mind. Thus, I give you this lame attempt, rather than no attempt at all. :) The Seanchan invade the mainland. Boyle is captured before he can dispose of the collar. Rand will finally lead his army into war. Somewhere in FoH Rand and his Aiel will fight a major battle. One of the Forsaken will be killed in the battle. The Dark One will play a much bigger role. He will be Rands major adversary by the _end_ of the book. The forsaken will finally mount a successful attempt against Rand. Lanfear will for one reason or another have to stand aside. Rand will be collared by the Seanchan, but a forsaken will be behind this. We will find out the there has been plotting by the Forsaken on a level we had not previously suspected. Mat will return to the realm of snakes and foxes and be blinded in the process. Rand will begin to feel more for Lanfear. He will realize that he _almost_ loves her, but because of what she is, he must oppose her. Lanfear will pursue Rand as a lover for the first time. Rand will be made to do horrible things while collared. He will turn on his own Aiel. An act of love will make it possible for him to break free. The Seanchan will capture Tar Valon. Rand and his Aiel will free Tar Valon. The Seanchan will become Vassals of the Dragon. The main threat will come from the blight by books end. A huge army will march out of the blight with creatures ffar more hideous than any we have seen thus far. Initially the forces of good will have to oppose them without Rand's help. Morraine will die. Lan will wed nynaevae. Rand will fall in love with Min. Egwene will be the new Amyrylin seat. Someone will actually have sex. (Most unbelievable prediction of all!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================== |//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//| |\ END OF SUBMISSIONS /| |\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/| ========================