Notes (Organized)

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AND UNDER-DEVELOPED IDEAS

Outstanding Questions
If the Frostmarches are so inhospitable, how does Hal cross it from Izramark enroute to Isharea? (He is forced to traverse the Abyss)

Why was Rowan only able to retrieve such a limited amount of altyr?

Are the thanesfolk outstanding monotheists or poytheists?

Does Alesir retain the physical appearance of Balkaros, or does he resume a previous face (as a First Soul or, if they are mortal, his original face)?

Is Alesir guarding Eldäne, or is he guarding the Drémeleyn?

Dwarves, Abyss
The 'crescendo' of the dwarven empire was abruptly cut short with the call to cloister, and the dissolution of a dwarven central government in favor of a defense posture.

Dwarves began to use the Abyss to interconnect the Dwarfgates and form a centralized government because of it, and most of this society exists only underground, with men and elves gaining little to no benefit from them.

There are countless legends that tell of kingdoms made of gold beneath the earth, adding to the mysterious, reclusive reputation of Dwarves.

The dwarven relationship with the Abyss did not take on its 'dark' connotations until long after the Rebellion ended. Originally, they were tasked by keeping vigil over the Dwarfgates and ensuring the Abyss will never escape. Over centuries, dwarves become accustomed to the Abyss and begin to traverse it (ostensibly for the purposes of ensuring the Abyss was secured), which began their empire.

Only after dwarves began to traverse the Abyss did their cities become interconnected, creating a central polity connected by networks of Abyssmal roads (Dwarven empire). Without the Abyss, there can be no empire.

The Age of the Dwarven Empire is one of unrestricted access to the Abyss. Without the Abyss, there can be no dwarven empire.

Dwarves living underground is a pennance. They would prefer to live on the surface. It is in the living with this pennance that dwarves become the most devout to Balkaros (because it was he that punished them? For being the only race not to join the rebellion?)

'Mason,' as in stone mason, is an honorific/title for Dwarves along the same lines as the 'Magnate'

Dwarves are religiously/philosophically dualistic.

Abysmals are originally viewed as the series' antagonists, but they are simply a force of nature. It is the mortals/immortals who utilize them that are the true antagonists
 * -Effect of them living underground in close proximity to the shadow there. Dwarves create great things, and the shadow unmakes them
 * -Imagery of polarity, symmetry, equality, balance

Rosewood Elves
Rosewood elves' reputation as an elusive, secretive race originates from devotion to their sacred duty of keeping Solas-like hidden. The more outsiders learn about the Rosewood, the more likely that Solas-like's discovery becomes.

Quotes and Scenes
Late series scene: After many difficult campaigns and conquests to unite the north, Theseus is finally crowned King of Gazula. But there is no celebration, because Messiah will soon bring the war to a swift end, filling all of Westgard with dread. Theseus' coronation was sort of a 'dying wish' thing for the people of Menastir, knowing full well that Theseus and the entire kingdom will perish in just a few short weeks at the climactic battle.

Phonetic Relationships

 * 'Thor-' as in Thorzolban and 'Tor-' as in Tor'an (Torund-Yvan, Thorund-Yvan)


 * Magnate and Magralir?
 * Fallengod and the Fallwood

Balkaros
For Balkaros to have lived undisturbed amongst mortals, he likely would have needed to change his outward appearance. Balkaros is a shape shifter?

Hal
Hal's uniqueness as a baptized person extends beyond Legacy. When Harbinger was destroyed, the Greywell did not flow again as Rowan had anticipated. And so throughout the rest of the series, Hal is special and very important to all the mortal races because he is the 'Last Baptist'

Endasir
Endasir is either: -Magnanimous, when seeing that the Kingdom will be reborn thanks to Hal, decides that he will work towards the greater good of all mankind, and let Rowan's plan proceed (albeit without Hal dying) OR -Petty, when seeing that Rowan had lied and betrayed him, and planned to use Hal as a sacrifice, sought only revenge on Rowan, and decided to deny Rowan the only thing that he ever wanted in retribution: the Greywel

Baptism
Baptist Attributes The Music: -Hal alone can hear the music -Hal can clearly discern the song even when outside of the Dream. -Hal cannot hear the music, and is immune to any potential demons that would ensnare him.

Caláyne
Calayne is a well regarded person in the Northern Kingdoms (by means of him being a priest) before the civil war. When rumors begin to spread that this honorable man was eading an army south, many came to the conclusion that Calayne had lost his sanity as another victim of the Northbane. Rowan was the one who started this rumor, seeking to discredit Calayne. When Hal is captured by Calayne, he is revealed to be anything but insane, leading Hal and others to suspect Rowan's motives for insisting on the rumor.

Rowan
Rowan is very jealous that Calayne achieved magic.

Theseus
Because Theseus didn't naturally inherit the throne of Menastir, his political situation is exceptionally untenable throughout the series (similar to Roberts Rebellion in Game of Thrones). And while Reya and Hal spend their time combating the Fallengods, Theseus' focus is trapped in Menastir... which isn't necessarily a bad thing for the reader. It allows for an increased complexity of the human North as Theseus proceeds on his quest to conquer and unify the southern provinces into one kingdom.

Menastir
Menastir isn't one kingdom, from which the Northern Kingdoms are separate... Menastir is the union of the north with the provinces of Gazula into one centralized state.

Alesír
Alesir is a First Soul whom mortals can freely communicate with, and he vehemently denies his nature is at all related to some being named 'Divinity'. He knows of no such creature with that name.

Alesir has no memory of his existence before merging with Balkaros. However he does remember Balkaros' life before they merged. It is through the viewpoint of Balkaros hunting the First Soul that Alesir is able to infer on the nature of his life before Balkaros, but it is an imperfect method of understanding.

Ironies
Balkaros' actions resulted in the Fallengods being hidden away from the world; and after the Sacrifice, when Alesir remained in Westgard, he too had to be hidden by the Rosewood elves.

Post-Legacy
Rumors of the Rosewood elves hiding/protecting a Fallengod is what lures Hal there in the first place, resulting in him finding Alesir. By the start of Covenant, Theseus has begun the process of unifying the North. Andelas, which lost almost all of it's strength at the end of the 6th, entreats with Isharea for protection. Isharea's imperial ambitions makes them amenable to this possibility, but walks slowly as they must first learn more about the new political situation developing in the North. By the time Hal steals the Godsfire, Isharea uses the request for protection as causus beli to invade Menastir in retaliation. Andelas becomes the first battlefield of the war between the human kingdoms, and by its end, the former heartland of human strength, its imperial home, is reduced to ashes.
 * Hal et al are never sure whether he is a Fallengod or not, but he does share notable characteristics with the other Fallengods (ie the First Soul) which causes the initial uncertainty about Alesir's true nature.

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