Others' Island (spoilers all books incl RWC)

[Farseer]

There were 12 fingernails & 12 teacups.... wasn't there 12 runes on the pillars/runes game as well? maybe 12 is an important magical number in RotE, just as 7 was in Harry Potter

Yes, love it! I, too, have touched a little more on 'twelve' here if you'd like to take a look, Jidzin, though I am yet to reply to 'thul's most recent post there (sorry 'thul beings!) BUT I do have a response to add and have heaps more to ponder. It is so wonderful to have this opportunity to "ponder" together and, as a coterie, we just may work something out!!

The 3 performers/jesters/tumblers in the sphere made a few people (including me) think of Fool... therefore also White Prophets... and there are 3 White Prophets in the stories (Fool, Pilkrop & Pale Woman)

Yes to this, as well! I, too, have thought of these those not sure if I had mentioned it (sorry, no time to go back over posts!)...I also have been meaning to add the "rule of three" to my talk of 'twelve', as it does appear quite a bit in the RotE books, as it often does in the fantasy genre? eg Fitz, Fool, Nighteyes, the three facets of Sa that are known to us etc?

Not sure if I mentioned this earlier either but the tumblers also make me consider the role and connection between minstrels and Elderlings, as I have mentioned in some other threads...will check on a link when I return home. The motley that the tumblers wear is most certainly Fool-like...

Maybe the reason that Etta, Fitz & Dutiful were allowed to remove items from the beach without consequences, was that they did not specifically go there looking for treasure/their destinies, rather the treasure/destinies found them...
Etta didn't even realise that the baby was in her boot until she took her boots off back on Vivacia.
Fitz treads on the first 4 feathers, then while picking the fourth up, sees the 5th one glinting in the light, almost as if it was calling to him.
Dutiful trips over the chain attached to the statuette and when asked to drop it by the Others, tries to, but the chain tangles around his fingers, as if it doesn't want to let go.

While most of the items Kennit picks up, he has been deliberately seaching for and makes a conscious decision to pick them up, his taking of the ruby earring is described as being "instinctive", so maybe that relates more to his destiny than the other items

True!!! One thing that comes to mind that doesn't really have anything to do with all of this, but did make me think of the Treasure Beach nonetheless, is Amber and Althea in Amber's shop when Althea chose the serpent egg from the bowl of beads. This bead foretold her future in a similar fashion to the items found on the Treasure Beach. A connection, or no?

Another thought...possibly preventing humans from taking items from the beach means that Others prevent humans from having THAT future? By placing them within the alcoves they ensure they change (or even preserve) the course of time...for themselves, or someone else? More to add at another time re the significance of RH dreaming from an Other's pov and, during the dream, punishing humans who take items from the beach and don't place them in the alcoves.

Haven't thought about it much but just a little theory of the many I think on!