The Boxes of Orden

[Kish]

Chainfire spoilers and, correspondingly, spoilers for the rest of the
series.





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As far as I can figure out, the Sisters of the Dark's plan can't work.

They're relying, as Darken Rahl did, on the words at the beginning on
the Book of Counted Shadows--that the words can only be verified by the
use of a Confessor, unless the reader of the book is also the person who
wants to use the Boxes. They're counting on being able to avoid Darken
Rahl's mistake because he told the Keeper about it--but nothing Darken
Rahl could tell the Keeper would change the simple fact that Richard's
love protects him from Kahlan's Confessor's touch. If Richard had
forgotten she existed when everyone else did then it might work, because
Richard would have no feelings for her to shield him from her magic, but
as it is, the Sisters are in a bind, though they probably don't realize
it (if anyone is likely to discount a magical effect connected to love,
it's the Sisters of the Dark). Verification of the words can only be
confirmed by the use of a Confessor; the only living Confessor can't use
her power on the one man who knows the words. Richard might not be able
to fool the Sisters as he did Darken Rahl, but they can't force him to
tell the complete truth either, not if the only way to do so is with a
Confessor's power.

If Darken Rahl had remembered and told the Keeper all the text of the
book--everything Richard recited--then the Sisters' plan could work.
But then they wouldn't need a Confessor, and apparently they do need
one. Knowing that it's supposed to be the box with two shadows won't do
them much good; the boxes undoubtedly need to be arranged in a different
pattern than before to account for the differences in time.

That doesn't mean their plan isn't dangerous. Any number of terrible
things could happen as a result of it, from Richard getting killed as he
nearly was in Chainfire, to Ulicia getting desperate, opening a box at
random, and not picking the one that kills just her. But their plan
actually succeeding as they've made it appears to be beyond the realm of
possibility.

[Zedd]

Well let me ask you this.

If Richard sees that Kahlan has no memeory of hom, do you think that might
introdice a little doubt into him abotu whether her power may work ir not?
All it takes is a litle doubt.

Zedd

[mfpwelch]

Post by Zedd
Well let me ask you this.
If Richard sees that Kahlan has no memeory of hom, do you think that might
introdice a little doubt into him abotu whether her power may work ir not?
All it takes is a litle doubt.
Zedd

Absolutely wrong. How many books has it been reenforced over and over
Richard's unconditional love for Khalan? And it is Richard's love for
Khalan - not the other way around - which protects him from Khalan's power.
In this book alone you think after months of being the only person to
believe Khalan exists despite pretty strong evidence to the contrary that
Richard will suddenly start to doubt that he still loves her just because
the Chainfire spell had some effect on her also? If this is seriously what
you think is the four "free" Sister's of the Dark's plan for success, you
are, I think, underestimating the author's writing skills.

(Nicci's plan for escape from the Wizard's Keep hinging on the hope Zedd
makes a tactical error comes to mind)

[Phil Da Lick!]

Post by Kish
Chainfire spoilers and, correspondingly, spoilers for the rest of the
series.
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As far as I can figure out, the Sisters of the Dark's plan can't work.

I agree but for different reasons...

Post by Kish
They're relying, as Darken Rahl did, on the words at the beginning on
the Book of Counted Shadows--that the words can only be verified by the
use of a Confessor, unless the reader of the book is also the person who
wants to use the Boxes. They're counting on being able to avoid Darken
Rahl's mistake because he told the Keeper about it--but nothing Darken
Rahl could tell the Keeper would change the simple fact that Richard's
love protects him from Kahlan's Confessor's touch. If Richard had
forgotten she existed when everyone else did then it might work, because

Here's the key. The way I read it is that the sisters are assuming that
Richard has also forgotten Kahlan. Even he didn't understand the reason
the spell didn't affect him until right at the end of the book. There
would be no way for the sisters to know that the SoT would protect
Richarc from Chainfire.

Post by Kish
That doesn't mean their plan isn't dangerous. Any number of terrible
things could happen as a result of it, from Richard getting killed as he
nearly was in Chainfire, to Ulicia getting desperate, opening a box at
random, and not picking the one that kills just her. But their plan
actually succeeding as they've made it appears to be beyond the realm of
possibility.

One thing I don't get: they can't have sent the Blood Beast after him,
they need him for when they open the boxes. So who sent it?

[Kish]

Post by Kish
Chainfire spoilers and, correspondingly, spoilers for the rest of the
series.
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One thing I don't get: [Ulicia's Sisters of the Dark] can't have sent the Blood Beast after [Richard],
they need him for when they open the boxes. So who sent it?

Jagang. He's still there. He's still dangerous. He's an enemy to
Ulicia's three, as much as each of them is an enemy to Richard.

[Phil Da Lick!]

Post by Kish

Post by Kish
Chainfire spoilers and, correspondingly, spoilers for the rest of the
series.
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
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9
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One thing I don't get: [Ulicia's Sisters of the Dark] can't have sent
the Blood Beast after [Richard], they need him for when they open the
boxes. So who sent it?

Jagang. He's still there. He's still dangerous. He's an enemy to
Ulicia's three, as much as each of them is an enemy to Richard.

But he's not capable of creating something like that. All through the
book the implication is that its Ulicia's lot that created it.

[Kish]

Post by Phil Da Lick!

Post by Kish

Post by Kish
Chainfire spoilers and, correspondingly, spoilers for the rest of
the series.
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

One thing I don't get: [Ulicia's Sisters of the Dark] can't have sent
the Blood Beast after [Richard], they need him for when they open the
boxes. So who sent it?

Jagang. He's still there. He's still dangerous. He's an enemy to
Ulicia's three, as much as each of them is an enemy to Richard.

But he's not capable of creating something like that. All through the
book the implication is that its Ulicia's lot that created it.

Try page 89, when Nicci is telling Richard all about how Jagang created
the beast, or page 416, the passage that begins with, "I believe that
the core of the knowledge was discovered by Jagang in ancient books on
weapons that originated during the great war."

The Sisters of the Dark provided the Additive and Subtractive magic to
create it--but Ulicia doesn't have the Sisters of the Dark. She has
herself and three (two, now) other Sisters. The majority of the Sisters
of the Dark are firmly under Jagang's thumb.