the black stones

[fitzyfitz]

Yes but they are used differently because if they weren't the Elderlings in CoD and BoD would have teleported like Fitz, Verity and Dutiful....

['thul]

nope. They were made for elderlings, but only for emergencies, because they were just as dangerous for them.

[fitzyfitz]

Yes this making sense, but how do you think these stones work? For the Elderlings and rain wilds traders they are used to store memories, for the Skill-Users they are used to teleport to other of thoses stones... Verity says it's more sensitive to the Skill, but if they are, only the most powerful (or eldest) Elderlings could have used it if they way to communicate with dragons is, in fact, Skill. And I don't think it works if you want, for example, to teleport, because Fitz and Verity, wich are strong Skill-Users (more than the youngs elderlings I think), when they first use the stones doesn't know what will happen and they are teleported

['thul]

Some few stones were made to permit traveling, but most were made to store memories. As for how they work? isn't it obvious? Magic.

The reason only the most powerful used the stones to travel is that they were dangerous to one and all, even Elderlings. As for magical strength, that is quite probable, as the younger elderlings

end of BoD class spoiler

have until recently lacked access to Silver.

[fitzyfitz]

Some few stones were made to permit traveling, but most were made to store memories. As for how they work? isn't it obvious? Magic.

The reason only the most powerful used the stones to travel is that they were dangerous to one and all, even Elderlings. As for magical strength, that is quite probable, as the younger elderlings

end of BoD class spoiler

have until recently lacked access to Silver.

By Magic, you mean Skill?

['thul]

the skill is one aspect of magic, yes.

[Norma J.]

Elderlings made the first simulacrum dragons, that much has been mentioned in the books. Some of them might be young, while others might truly be ancient. Also, with the disappearance of dragons, many Elderlings might have taken that route as escape from the loss of dragonkind.

I thought that any accomplished elderling silver-worker who attempted a project of enough difficulty would dip the hands and arms and wear the silver. Then, since that made them dangerous to other's but they didn't want themselves stored in ordinary memory stone, they made and went into a dragon. If they had stored themselves any other way, the secret of the silver would have been accessible to any who could read the stone. The same may have been true if they had been ordinarily buried -- spreading the secret wherever the sub-atomic particles of the mass ended up.

[fitzyfitz]

Yes, but did the elderlings knew that would wake the dragons they have carved? And if they did I think they should have used them (maybe for war) And I remind that when fitz goes in Kelsingra he sees the statue of the dragon at "dragon-size" That may be too a stone carved dragon elderlings used to decorate their city?

['thul]

the elderlings knew well that Silver was (and still is) harmful. It is indicated how some worked it in BoD, but these beings are not going to delve into that.

The Dragon statues were made as the ultimate expressions of art, not as escape from foolishness...

[Norma J.]

Remember the stone dragon Althea saw in the far north with the wizardwood arrow in it's breast? I imagine that inspired Fool to make and give the arrow to Swift Witted, with which he killed The White Woman's stone dragon.l