The Skill and The Wit (spoilers all RotE books)

[joost]

It sounds more like a place. But it's probably Robin Hobb's version of Queen Berúthiel's cats: a random tidbit of folklore, not explained any further (at least not now, but perhaps in her own Unfinished tales).

[o0Ampy0o]

Satan's place.

[Thick]

Yes, just found this from Chade, speaking to Fitz, in Chapter Eleven of FE, 'Chade's Tower':

...But others point back a time, to the Piebald Prince and several other oddlings in the Farseer line, to say, "No, the taint is there, down in the roots, and Prince Dutiful is a shoot from that line."

It's after this that they mention that "the Piebald Prince died without issue" (confirming what I said earlier) but of the 'other oddlings' there is no mention. This suggests that there were other Witted ones who popped up earlier in the Farseer line.

Not sure if this is the quote you were after, SwiftWitted? I know that Fitz talked about the Witted in other areas such as the little chapter intros...

There is Wit in the Farseer line, the book The Piebald Prince and (something) Princess explains the story of the Piebald Prince and his mother. And it also explains the origin of the hate of witted people.

I don't think that King Wisdom was an Elderling, I think he'd be too far down the line from Taker, who I think has a chance if being an Elderling.

I hadn't occured to me that King Wisdom had met real Elderlings... But it would explain how the old coteries knew about carving memory stone - which we know the Elderlings did. I think Malta sees this in a remembered scene when she's trying to rescue Tintaglia...

I wonder why Out islanders don't have a knack for the skill...

I think Wintrow was tapping into the skill when he does his healing, his art etc.

[IvebeenaFool]

This just made me think of something. So, Fitz concludes that all coteries eventually go and make their "dragon". Is this just based on his limited understanding of the skill or is this a real thing? Perhaps it really is how Elderlings would choose to end their lives. Maybe the elderlings would choose to do this instead of dying of old age, it's more like a noble sacrifice to honor the dragons one final time. Or maybe he just concluded this because it is what all the coteries have done, and therefore he thinks that must be the way it is.

I also wonder about how the skill swallows people up in it. How people get lost in it like Fitz almost has many times. This sort of thing doesn't seem to happen to Rain Wilders who have the skill, unless you accept the "being lost in memories" thing, which seems similar. I wonder if it is because Fitz and the other Six Duchies skill users are more aware of their Skill and train it, and are therefore more susceptible to it's pull. Although I think the monks where Wintrow was training are probably just as in tune as far as training their skill goes. Or perhaps they are missing half of the picture. Perhaps being an elderling does more than alter your physical state but makes you stronger mentally.

It reminds me of Rapskal in City of Dragons

Spoiler

telling Thymara that the city is not for people like Alise and Leftran, but is for the elderlings, and therefore he will not be lost in the memories of the city, but rather his mind will be filled with the city's memories.