Others' Island (spoilers all books incl RWC)

[Lord Punctual]

I like the idea of skill falsies. Although, wonder if the Skill is as dangerous, on contact, for an Elderling as it is for a human? After all, drinking even a small amount is deadly for a human, whereas it is unly dangerously intoxicating for an Elderling. (I still assume that larger amounts are deadly.) So, perhaps topically it is also less deadly?

Did not Fitz also have a ruby pin given to him by King Shrewd that was later instrumental in convincing his former friends and family that he was dead? (When that Forged One stole his shirt.)

And of course, we all know that Blue is the colour of the Farseers and Buck Duchy. Is red the "national colour" of any place? Like say Jamaillia? I do not remember.

[Nuytsia]

OH bummer I made a post that I think got lost and it was a couple days ago and now I'm not sure if I put it in another thread!!!!!
Ok totally ignore me if I've posted this elsewhere and am crazy.......
A few people have mentioned/speculated on whether there's any connection between those drowned kittens washed up on the beach on Others Island AND the fact that Thick dreams of himself as a drowned/drowning kitten on the boat to Aslevjal (oh dear too lazy to check the spelling)

SO anyhoo I just had to ask Robin on her newsgroup about this one. (sort of suspecting it was something that was just a coincedence or something with no hidden meaning) BUT she indicated oooooh there might well have been something to that!!!!! But the thing is, she may never write any more books continuing that story (as she has said on her blog) ........ BUT then again she didn't reveal to me what the meaning of the connection IS so that says to me there is SOME hope she may write on this one day .....(or am I clutching at straws?)
Anyway, speculate away fans!

The only thing I can think of right now - as I'm sure has been mentioned somewhere by someone sometime - the Others may be frightened of cats due to some prophecy about them coming unstuck in some way in relation to a cat or cats. So maybe something to do with Thick will be their undoing......

Ok something else - maybe some significance to the timing of WHEN he dreamed that .... there may be another island on the way between Buck and the Outislands that is also a possible (or past) dragon hatching island.... erm but I can't say why kitten symbolism = dragon hatching island...... cats were the protectors of the dragon hatching grounds and Others killed them to capture SWR !!!! hmmmmm nope.

[Farseer]

...A few people have mentioned/speculated on whether there's any connection between those drowned kittens washed up on the beach on Others Island AND the fact that Thick dreams of himself as a drowned/drowning kitten on the boat to Aslevjal (oh dear too lazy to check the spelling)

SO anyhoo I just had to ask Robin on her newsgroup about this one. (sort of suspecting it was something that was just a coincedence or something with no hidden meaning) BUT she indicated oooooh there might well have been something to that!!!!!

Good one, Nuytsia !!!

On that little insight (though it could just be a wild goose chase!), I am going BACK to my theories on Thick and Kennit re

...you'd be surprised how many different times I've tried to come up with a connection between Thick and Kennit!

* sigh * Here is my trouble with the RWC books...I have so many cool things still to unearth from the rest of the RotE books that it's SO HARD to keep up and delve as deeply into the newest installments as well!!

Am still thinking, compiling info on Shrewd's pin etc, Lord Punctual !

[Nuytsia]

I know! It's a full time occupation..!!!
I feel better thinking about this little mystery knowing at least there is something there to be discovered....
Gee I'm a bit stumped on what a link between Thick and Kennit could be - they seem pretty well geographically remote from each other. Then again I guess we don't know for sure that Thick's family were originally from the 6 duchies? (I cannot recall - I remember his memories of being with his mother but cannot remember if it was specified as to where they were from)

[Farseer]

I have a couple of very sketchy theories (regarding Kennit and Thick etc) but will go over them again before I share...!

I have only just returned from a trip to Townsville (again!) and so spent the last 100+kms driving myself nuts wondering if Kitten-Thick's blanket could possibly be blue and red...haven't found anything relating to its colour yet (and most likely won't!). Interestingly, Fitz had thought that Kitten-Thick initially appeared to be a black colour but then his colour had changed to orange and white once Nettle calmed him...no mention of blue though (no, that would have been too EASY!).

As well as thinking along the lines of Lord Punctual re that the blue could be associated with dragons, I have also wondered once or twice if the blue of the drowned kittens could possibly stand for Buck blue and the six kittens could represent the Six Duchies OR could represent the six members of the Skill coterie - Fitz, Dutiful, Chade, Thick, Nettle and even Fool (not that Fool was ever really a part of the coterie let alone when Nettle joined, but anyway!), with Thick being the 'runt'...though as far as Skill-ability goes, he is no more the runt that I am a man ! That Kennit stole the ruby earring from the runt is not that unlike Thick having his red whistle stolen...

So much for not wanting to share sketchy theories...these ones are just as sketchy !

[Farseer]

I like the idea of skill falsies. Although, wonder if the Skill is as dangerous, on contact, for an Elderling as it is for a human? After all, drinking even a small amount is deadly for a human, whereas it is unly dangerously intoxicating for an Elderling. (I still assume that larger amounts are deadly.) So, perhaps topically it is also less deadly?

Have been thinking on this a little (in the car today!)...possibly Elderlings etc didn't require a visit to the Skill River to assist with their crafting of the simulacra etc as they already may have had as much Skill-ability as they needed after having been correctly moulded by their dragons? Seeing as all was in 'order' back then? They also would have had enough helpers eg other Elderlings to assist them in their work...possibly Verity and Kettle only visited the Skill River as they had no other choice due to a lack of an available coterie, and also due to Verity having already used most of his strength/memories?

Still, if the fingernails were used as my Skill theory suggested, and Elderlings DID have need of a visit to the Skill River, the use of fingernails to store Skill would explain why they never appeared with silver on their hands or left traces of Skill silver everywhere they went. Even if the silver touch of the Skill itself (applied topically) was not as harmful to the Elderlings, if they used it as Verity and Kettle did (just put their hands and arms into the Skill River and off they went), shouldn't there have been silver left on their skin thereafter and then transferred (such as what happened with Verity and Fool, and also pecksies)?

Am changing this thread to *spoilers all books*, seeing as we sort of need to add in what we know about Elderlings etc post-RWC?

[Nuytsia]

I have a couple of very sketchy theories (regarding Kennit and Thick etc) but will go over them again before I share...!

I have only just returned from a trip to Townsville (again!) and so spent the last 100+kms driving myself nuts wondering if Kitten-Thick's blanket could possibly be blue and red...haven't found anything relating to its colour yet (and most likely won't!). Interestingly, Fitz had thought that Kitten-Thick initially appeared to be a black colour but then his colour had changed to orange and white once Nettle calmed him...no mention of blue though (no, that would have been too EASY!).

As well as thinking along the lines of Lord Punctual re that the blue could be associated with dragons, I have also wondered once or twice if the blue of the drowned kittens could possibly stand for Buck blue and the six kittens could represent the Six Duchies OR could represent the six members of the Skill coterie - Fitz, Dutiful, Chade, Thick, Nettle and even Fool (not that Fool was ever really a part of the coterie let alone when Nettle joined, but anyway!), with Thick being the 'runt'...though as far as Skill-ability goes, he is no more the runt that I am a man ! That Kennit stole the ruby earring from the runt is not that unlike Thick having his red whistle stolen...

So much for not wanting to share sketchy theories...these ones are just as sketchy !

Geees I like these - fits very well!
Oh oh I better get cracking on Dragon Haven before the spoilers !! heheh I'm half way through.

Update: I was just checking something in Dragon Keeper and I noticed the following (which I can't imagine how it relates to the above, except for 'blue could be associated with dragons' - I couldn't find the comment by Lord P about that though? (Hmmm sorry if I'm repeating the original source! I may well be...)

In DK when the keepers are all meeting for the first time it's mentioned that all the keepers blankets are , you guessed it, blue. (after Rapskal says his favourite colour is blue and how lucky he is to get a blue blanket .....)

[Farseer]

The only thing I can think of right now - as I'm sure has been mentioned somewhere by someone sometime - the Others may be frightened of cats due to some prophecy about them coming unstuck in some way in relation to a cat or cats. So maybe something to do with Thick will be their undoing......

That would be cool...Thick showing himself to be an even worthier hero than he already has (and could achieve it without having to get in a ship !)

After searching through the RWC for confirmed links between dragons and their keepers these last 24 hours (!!), I've been thinking on the theory re that the mother-of-pearl fingernails are an Elderling accessory... *End of Dragon Haven major spoiler if you haven't finished it yet, Nuytsia!*

Spoiler

Thymara's wings being likened to 'fingers' protruding from her back was very interesting, and they were even still likened to fingers once they had been brought right out into the light by Rapscal.

This use of the term 'fingers' instantly made me think of the fingernails and would definitely suit the theory if a fingernail with stored poison could be attached to each of Thymara's wing tip (up to six per wing as there was a dozen nails). With this in mind, possibly the fingernails were a prophecy to Thymara's existance and future role as an Elderling queen (the very first to have been given the honour of wings?)

Loved the references to 'blue' re Rapskal...I also found something else interesting but it's a spoiler so will wait! Off to an Astronomy night !

[Nuytsia]

Now I'm finished though yay! So massive spoilers follow!

Thanks for hiding that spoiler though! (but it would be my own fault if I saw it as the thread is marked all books! ) (actually when i read something weird sticking out her back about half way thru the book i thought WINGS!)

Not sure if the poisoned fingernails would be a prophecy of Thymara's wings.....

Now that I've finished the book maybe the reference to Rapskal's fav colour being blue is just kind of a hint to him liking Thymara (her dragon is blue, and I think she has blue scales? could be wrong.) (and HE and his dragon are RED! they have to get together now!)

[Chrischa]

May I just throw in a through that will probably add absolutely nothing to the discussion? (wow) The only other time I have read about human fingernails, seperate from the body, is in the Harry Potter books when an old, evil witch carrying a tray with human fingernails for sale addresses Harry in Knockturn Alley. Now, I know that's a totally different world but it still made me think about the significance of human fingernails in mythology and fairy tales. I even did a quick Google search but so far nothing. No-one here happens to remember any references in any other stories?