Fool's Quest **spoilers***

[solarus]

Hello, The Plenty.

I've been lurking in the shadows for a good while now, but have decided to make like Chade and step into the light.

So, on to my discussion points.

In one of the chapter prefaces we are informed of the dangers of taking unconscious people through a pillar, which Fitz does during his return to Buckkeep from Withywoods. He loses time and his Skill is greatly enhanced, with a corresponding loss of control, for the period immediately succeeding, before returning to his normal level.

Could the healing that Fitz performs at Kelsingra be a result of this temporary enhancement? He extended his awareness in ways he hadn't previously in trying to hold Chade together and this may have expanded his Skill abilities without him being aware. Dutiful stated at the time that "[Fitz] rings oddly against his Skill."

Or is it an "upgrade" to Skill-healing never attempted previously? Potentially boosted by the Memories of Kelsingra and the proximity to dragons?

On another point, Beloved is becoming an Elderling. Discuss.

[Mervi]

Welcome, solarus!

Good questions. This might sound a bit gloomy, but I almost feel like by the end of this book both Fitz and the Fool have taken a step in their respective "magical paths" that they can't undo and that will take them to their ultimate destiny/end. Like previously there's been a certain amount of control, or balance, or ability to hang back. Like they've been travelling on a river that has a huge waterfall and they've now reached the point where the water flows too quickly and you can't turn back? Robin has often said that the germ for Assassin's Apprentice was the thought "what if magic was addictive and that addiction was destructive?" And while both of them have the strong motive of avenging Bee and destroying Clerres to justify travelling through the pillars and using dragon blood, there's always a price for using magic in this world.

I'll add another question. Why does it seem that Fitz can Skill-heal other folks in the same way as previously (it's taxing but nothing more than that) but if he does that to the Fool, some of the affliction seems to physically move to him? Is that related to the whole "sharing the essence" thing? Couldn't he just Skil-heal it off himself? And did Fitz accidentally give the Fool a little bit of his eyesight there at the very end, because he mentions his vision going a bit fuzzy or something?

[solarus]

Welcome, solarus!

I'll add another question. Why does it seem that Fitz can Skill-heal other folks in the same way as previously (it's taxing but nothing more than that) but if he does that to the Fool, some of the affliction seems to physically move to him? Is that related to the whole "sharing the essence" thing? Couldn't he just Skil-heal it off himself? And did Fitz accidentally give the Fool a little bit of his eyesight there at the very end, because he mentions his vision going a bit fuzzy or something?

Thanks for the welcome, really pleased to finally join the discussion.

I had wondered about that too, but I put it down to their "mingling." I had not, however, wondered why these transferred afflictions were not simply healed over night, as Fitz claimed happens when he takes injuries during Fool's Assassin. Hmm, more questions.

And, discussed elsewhere - and related to your own points - how much of what the Skill can do mirrors "Dragon-magic?" Does the Farseer predilection for the Skill make them closer to Ancient Elderlings than the current crop? And while there have been some inklings of Skill-like abilities amongst the Keepers, none of them have shown the raw power of the Six Duchies Skill users.

I seem to have asked yet more questions, without offering much in the way of answers. Mea culpa.

[destiny477]

Welcome, solarus!

I'll add another question. Why does it seem that Fitz can Skill-heal other folks in the same way as previously (it's taxing but nothing more than that) but if he does that to the Fool, some of the affliction seems to physically move to him? Is that related to the whole "sharing the essence" thing? Couldn't he just Skil-heal it off himself? And did Fitz accidentally give the Fool a little bit of his eyesight there at the very end, because he mentions his vision going a bit fuzzy or something?

Thanks for the welcome, really pleased to finally join the discussion.

I had wondered about that too, but I put it down to their "mingling." I had not, however, wondered why these transferred afflictions were not simply healed over night, as Fitz claimed happens when he takes injuries during Fool's Assassin. Hmm, more questions.

And, discussed elsewhere - and related to your own points - how much of what the Skill can do mirrors "Dragon-magic?" Does the Farseer predilection for the Skill make them closer to Ancient Elderlings than the current crop? And while there have been some inklings of Skill-like abilities amongst the Keepers, none of them have shown the raw power of the Six Duchies Skill users.

I seem to have asked yet more questions, without offering much in the way of answers. Mea culpa.

Hi there! My first post on this forum.
I also put down the "mingling" as reasons why the Fool's skill healing causes injuries to Fitz.
As far as the Skill-magic/Dragon-magic question, I believe this can be answered in the Rain Wild books. There is a short story about the origins of dragons and elderlings that I have not read. I do intend to remedy that, however here is my take on it.
I think that dragons where at some point just very smart animals. They found the Skill or Silver and are able to consume it and become dragons we now know in the books. From there they make elderlings.
In Blood of Dragons (I could be mistaken) Mecor tells the keepers that some elderlings where able to work silver and to perform healings. The current dragons do not have all the memories they should. In fact Icefyre is the only dragon left that clearly recalls what happened to both dragons and elderlings.
I think that the Farseers are descended from silver workers and healers. They have also been using the skill and wit through the years. I think skill and wit where at one point the same magic or that skill was from the silver and wit a natural magic and the Farseers separated them. The use of skill through the years and the bloodline they carry give them much more natural ability. The current elderlings are descended from immigrants of Jamaillia, and thus do not have natural abilities that we see in the Six Duchies. Dragon-magic is simply Skill/Silver and the abilities that dragons and elderlings developed from it. It was established in the Rain Wild books that dragons would revert to a different sort of being without Silver.

New question:
The Fool is being changed by a dead dragon's blood. If his changes threaten his life will Fitz become his "dragon" and guide his changes? If so then how would this affect Fitz do to the mingling they underwent in Fool's Fate?

[Snapdragon]

Ok just finished fools quest so now I had to register here to just discuss it with someone. Some things I wonder about:

In the end in Bees dream journal, it is Verity that is the dragon that protects her right? Do you think he will wake up from the garden and protect her from the servants? Maybe Fitz and the rest will reach Clerres before she does.

When it comes to the healing in Kelsingra I'm thinking it is easier for Fitz to heal because he is surrounded by memory stone and the skill river runs right beneath them. Also the dragonkeepers have silver/skill in their blood from the dragons (as they consumed some of their blood to become elderlings) so that might make it even easier for him to connect and understand how to heal them. However I think he only perceives it to be easy but he is actually about to loose control and be completely swept away by the skill river, which the fool notices and tries to stop. What do you think?

Does anyone know which dragon the blood the fool drank came from? Someone said it was one they long thought dead? Maybe I missed it but I have no idea who it is? Could it be one of the dragons that hatched and did not survive?

[Snapdragon]

I have to add that I was soo happy when she mingled in some of the characters from the rainwild chronicles and liveship traders books. Will Fitz meet Paragon?? Ahh can't wait to read about that.

[joost]

Will Fitz meet Paragon??

He needs a ship to go to Clerres....

[destiny477]

Does anyone know which dragon the blood the fool drank came from? Someone said it was one they long thought dead? Maybe I missed it but I have no idea who it is? Could it be one of the dragons that hatched and did not survive?

Not sure which dragon but it IS dead. Chade has said that the dragon the blood came from was dead.

[jon95]

Would Fitz be able to consume silver from the well.

[Snapdragon]

Would Fitz be able to consume silver from the well.

I'm thinking no, but I'm not sure. I think only dragons can actually drink the silver. Even Verity did not drink it right, only coated his hands and arms with it.