Robert Jordan FAQ
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From: joeshaw@info1.cc.vt.edu (Joe "Uno" Shaw)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan,rec.arts.sf.written,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
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Summary: This posting contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers) about the author Robert Jordan, his Wheel of Time series of books, and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan.
Keywords: Robert Jordan, Wheel of Time, FAQ, introduction
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[Added title for book seven to Section II.]
A compilation of
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
for rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan
Welcome to rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan. Before you rush off to
post, we request that you peruse this small document, which attempts
to answer the most Frequently Asked Questions about Robert Jordan, The
Wheel of Time series and the rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan newsgroup.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. History and Charter of this Group
Where this group came from and what its purpose is
II. MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ROBERT JORDAN.
Who is Robert Jordan?
What is the Wheel of Time? What are the book titles?
What's the title of the next book, and when will it be published?
How many books will the Wheel of Time series end up being?
Is Robert Jordan on the Net?
Are there any other books about the Wheel of Time?
III. General Courtesy, and Newsgroup Specific Conventions/Policies.
1. How to post so that you don't look like a fool or upset people
2. Spoiler Policy
3. The TAN Subject Header Convention.
IV. Common Abbreviations
How to decipher the cliquish jargon the veterans use
V. Newsgroup Resources & Archives
The Wheel of Time FAQ
FTP archives & World Wide Web Homepage
VI. Other Areas of Robert Jordan Fandom
1. Snailmail fan club
2. Online Roleplaying (MUSH/MOO/MUD)
VII. How to find the latest version of this FAQ.
* * *
I. HISTORY AND CHARTER OF THIS GROUP
This newsgroup, rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan, was created in July
1994 for the discussion of books written by contemporary author Robert
Jordan (a pseudonym, see next section). In particular, this newsgroup
is concerned with his ongoing "Wheel of Time" series, but also covers
past and future works by him. Fandom is specifically included within
the purview of this charter. The group is unmoderated.
The discussions in this group originated in rec.arts.sf.written (the
general group for discussion of all science fiction and fantasy books),
where they were carried on for upwards of two years before this group
was created.
II. MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ROBERT JORDAN.
Q: Who is Robert Jordan?
A: Robert Jordan is actually a pseudonym for James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under
which he has written the "Wheel of Time" fantasy series as well as seven
books of the "Conan" series. Other pseudonyms are Reagan O'Neal ("Fallon"
series; historic fiction), Jackson O'Reilly ("Cheyenne Raiders"; western),
and Chang Lung (contributions to various periodicals including Library
Journal). [Source: Contemporary Authors vol. 140]
Q: What is the Wheel of Time? What are the book titles?
A: The best fantasy series of book since Lord of the Rings!
The books in "The Wheel of Time" series are (so far):
The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
The first five are available in both hardcover and paperback. Lord of
Chaos is available only in hardcover thus far, and maybe trade paperback
(hardcover sized paperback) overseas). The mass-market paperback (small
sized paperback) version of Lord of Chaos should be published around
September '95 in the US (and usually earlier than that overseas).
All of the Wheel of Time books are published by Tor Books in the United
States and Canada. UK/International versions are published by Orbit.
Q: What's the title of the next book, and when will it be published?
A: Patrick Nielsen Hayden of Tor Books reports that the title of book 7
will be: <insert fanfare>
Crown Of Swords
The earliest it will be published is in the fall of 1995--"Be steadfast."
Q: How many books will the Wheel of Time series end up being?
A: Current estimates range from 8 to 10. Even Robert Jordan himself is not
sure how many it will take. In his own words, "as many as it takes to
reach the [end]. And not a book more. Sorry."
Q: Is Robert Jordan on the Net?
A: As best as we know, No. If you want to write to him, send a letter in
care of Tor Books:
Robert Jordan
c/o Tor Books
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Q: Are there any other books about The Wheel of Time?
A: Not yet, but soon. Jody Lynn Nye, Todd Cameron Hamilton, et al. are
working on a compendium titled "The Guide to the Wheel Time", which
is scheduled to be released with the paperback of Lord of Chaos in
the fall of 1995.
III. GENERAL COURTESY, AND NEWSGROUP SPECIFIC CONVENTIONS/POLICIES.
1) General Courtesy:
Before you post, read the newsgroup for a while. This is the best way
to see how things are done, and you'll probably find that whatever
question/point you wish to pose has already been discussed before.
You'll want to take this into account if and when you bring it up.
We urge all readers to follow these few points of "netiquette" to avoid
irritating people and to increase the likelihood that people respond to
your ideas:
a) Keep quoting to a minimum.
Only keep as much of the previous post post as is necessary for
people to know what you are talking about. Summarize wherever
possible (i.e. instead of 20 lines of included text, summarize it
in a sentence). Make sure you attribute the right things to the
right people, and ALWAYS DELETE .sigs WHEN QUOTING.
b) Use descriptive subject headers.
If you want to discuss the intermarriages of the royal houses in
Andor, use a subject line like "Royal Lineage in Andor". Threads
(lines of discussion) often drift from their original topic. When
this happens, subject lines might have little to do with the content
of the articles. Try to avoid this situation by using a new title
when you start a new thread, and try not to drift from the topic too
much within a thread. Drift is inevitable, though, and when it
happens, it's usually appropriate to rename the thread. To continue
the example above, if the topic shifts from royal lineage to Rand's
parents to intermarriages in the Two Rivers, you might rename the
thread "Two Rivers Genealogy (was Re: Royal Lineage in Andor)" or
simply "Two Rivers Genealogy". If it shifts to non-book related
material, include TAN in the Subject line (see Section III part 3.)
c) Avoid incendiary language and unconstructive criticism.
Words like "rip-off," "crap," and "semi-literate, brainwashed fools"
are likely to irritate people, even if that was not your intent. If
you disagree with someone, tell the group why you disagree; don't
just call that person names.
d) Read the Wheel of Time FAQ.
Before posting your brilliant new idea (e.g. "Hey! I think Shaiel =
Tigraine," or "Hey! Maybe Slayer = Luc + Isam!"), make sure it has
not been discussed to death months before. The collected wisdom of
the jordan discussions is available in the form of the Wheel of Time
FAQ. It is a huge document, and even if you don't feel like reading
it all at once, you should read it at some point, and at least search
it for keywords before bringing up something that has already been
discussed. Details on how to get this lengthy FAQ are found below
in section V.
2) Spoiler Policy:
When a new book comes out, some people obtain and read it before other
people do. People who have read parts of the book want to talk about
them, but people who haven't gotten that far don't want you to spoil the
surprises for them. When not everybody has read what you want to talk
about, be sure to include the keyword "SPOILERS" in the subject line
along with the title of the book you're talking about. For example,
Subject: LoC: Padan Fain (SPOILERS)
Just be sure not to spoil the book with the title! Spoiler warnings are
really important for the first few months after a new book comes out and
becomes less important after that time. You should also include a
spoiler warning at the top of the message itself, with either a form-feed
(control-L) or several (20 or so) blanks lines to hide the spoiler from
those who do not wish to see it.
Currently accepted practice is to use spoiler warnings for about three
months after the Hardcover release in the United States (usually October),
both to allow our overseas readers time to get the book since it usually
takes at least a month and often more for the book to become widely
available; as well as for the benefit of those among us who have to save
up our money to afford the hardback or who receive them as Christmas
gifts. Due to the inherent nature of Usenet and the types of discussion
typical on rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan, it is virtually impossible
to maintain spoiler warning for longer periods. Therefore, those of you
who wait to buy the paperback version are out of luck, unfortunately yet
unavoidably. Sorry... :-( Consider yourself forewarned, and exercise
due caution when/if you read rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan (unless
you don't mind spoilers, of course).
3) The "TAN:" Subject Header:
It is inevitable that there will be threads that do not directly pertain
to the books, and it is inevitable that this sort of thing will annoy
some people. In order to keep things civilized, it is suggested that
such discussions be labeled "TAN:" for "tangential." For example:
Subject: TAN: Warder Applications
Subject: TAN: Plot Contest
Subject: TAN: What did Lanfear give Roy for his birthday?
IV. COMMON ABBREVIATIONS
You may note that there are many strange and arcane acronyms and
abbreviations used on this group. Here are interpretations of the most
commonly used:
TWoT = The Wheel of Time (also just WoT)
TEotW = The Eye of the World (sometimes just EOW)
TGH = The Great Hunt
TDR = The Dragon Reborn
TSR = The Shadow Rising
TFoH = The Fires of Heaven (sometimes just FOH)
LoC = Lord of Chaos
r.a.sf.w = rec.arts.sf.written (also just "rasfw", sometimes "rasw" )
r.a.sf.w.r-j = rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan (also just "rasfwrj")
AOL = Age of Legends
AS = Aes Sedai (or Amyrlin Seat)
Asm = Asmodean
BA = Black Ajah
DF = Darkfriend
DFS/DS = Darkfriend Social (Two usages: The event in the Prologue
of TGH, or a real-life meeting of newsgroup members.)
DO = Dark One
DotNM = Daughter of the Nine Moons
Eg/Egw = Egwene
El = Elayne
Ish/Ishy = Ishamael
LTT = Lews Therin Telamon
Mog/Moggy = Moghedien
Mo/Moi/Moir = Moiraine
MPS = Mad Passionate Sex, (c) Mike Macchione
MT = Mazrim Taim
Ny/Nyn = Nynaeve
OP = One Power
PNH = Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Sr. Editor, Tor Books).
RJ = Robert Jordan (also referred to as 'The Creator')
SG = Shayol Ghul
SS = Siuan Sanche
TAR/T'A'R = Tel'aran'rhiod
TS = True Source
TV = Tar Valon
WC/WCs = Whitecloak(s)
WO/WOs = Wise One(s)
WT = White Tower
YKYBRTMRJW = You Know You've Been Reading Too Much Robert Jordan When...
(also IKIHBRTMRJ = I Know I Have Been...)
And a few of the most common Usenet-wide acronyms:
AFAIK = As Far As I Know (also AFAIR = As Far As I Remember)
FAQ = Frequently Asked Question(s)
FWIW = For What It's Worth
IIRC = If I Remember Correctly
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion (also IMNSHO, where NS = Not So; IMNAAHO,
where NAA = Not At All; IMAO = In My Arrogant Opinion)
ROFL/ROTFL = Rolling On the Floor, Laughing
RTFF = Read The Flaming FAQ!
YMMV = Your Milage May Vary
grep = (verb) search (from a Unix command to search files for words).
V. NEWSGROUP RESOURCES AND ARCHIVES
This FAQ isn't even the tip of the metaphorical iceberg of Robert
Jordan fandom accumulated on the Internet and other venues. We
strongly suggest that you download a copy of the Wheel of Time FAQ,
a much lengthier collection of questions, discussion, humor, and
fandom. We guarantee you'll enjoy the series much more after
reading the Wheel of Time FAQ. Your money back if not satisfied!
Pam Korda <kor2@midway.uchicago.edu> maintains the Wheel of Time FAQ
and posts it to rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan as her schedule
permits, which is roughly once every month and a half. You can always
obtain a copy by sending Pam email or by downloading it via anonymous
ftp from faser.cs.olemiss.edu. Note that there are TWO versions of
the Wheel of Time FAQ: one contains discussions (spoilers) for book
six, Lord of Chaos, and one only contains discussions through book 5,
The Fires of Heaven:
/pub/jordan/wot-loc.FAQ (through Lord of Chaos)
/pub/jordan/wot-tfoh.FAQ (through The Fires of Heaven)
faser.cs.olemiss.edu site is also an archive for rasfwrj (formerly rasfw).
In addition to this FAQ and the extended Wheel of Time FAQ, it contains
other creations such as the Dark One's Dictionary, results of various
plot submission contests and surveys, a collection of Wheel of Time
filksongs, and archives of lots of discussions from America OnLine and
Prodigy as well as UseNet. All of the archive is available via World
Wide Web (WWW) client:
http://faser.cs.olemiss.edu/jordan/jordan.html
Or, if you are in Europe, it might be quicker to use Helmut Geyer's
mirror WWW site:
http://polyhymnia.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de:8080/jordan/jordan.html
Versions of the Wheel of Time FAQ are also available on America Online,
Prodigy and Compuserve, though they may be out of date or modified.
On America Online, the WoT FAQ is in the Fantasy Library section of the
Fantasy and Science Fiction Area (Keyword: SF). On Compuserve, it is
in the Science Fiction Literature Forum Library in the Fantasy Section
(GO: SFLIT). On Prodigy, a variation of the Wot FAQ is posted on the
Science Fiction/Fantasy Bulletin Board in the Robert Jordan Topic about
once every two months in three parts, under the subjects, FAQ, GTW, and
JORDANFAQ. Info on Prodigy Exporting can be found by JUMPing: Bulletin
Boards under the section entitled "BB How To's."
VI. OTHER AREAS OF ROBERT JORDAN FANDOM
1) Fan Club:
Carolyn Fusinato is coordinating a fan club called The Wheel of Time
Club, "a forum bringing together science fiction and fantasy readers
for an unbridled discussion of fictional realms, particularly Robert
Jordan's Wheel of Time world." You can receive a free copy of their
newsletter, "The Chronicles", by sending a SASE to:
The Wheel of Time Club
P.O. Box 223022
Chantilly, VA 22022-3022
For more information, email Carolyn at <c.fusinato@mail.utexas.edu>
or <BJRK57C@PRODIGY.COM>.
2) Roleplaying Games
There are a few online roleplaying games on the internet that have Wheel
of Time themes or areas. For the MUSHS/MUDs/MOOs, basically, just telnet
to the site (e.g, "telnet sarcazm.resnet.cornell.edu 9000") and follow
the directions on your screen. For more information on about what a MUSH
actually is, check out the rec.games.mud.* newsgroups and their FAQ(s) at
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/games/mud-faq
Angreal MOO: sarcazm.resnet.cornell.edu 9000 (or 128.253.150.10 9000)
According to Paul Colbourne, Angreal MOO is "primarily roleplay
based, though there [is] a combat system. The 'news' will help
you get [started]. Feel free to page any of the staff for help."
Sanctuary MUD: 128.153.32.10 9000
Sanctuary claims to have "one or two Wheel of Time Areas", although
the majority of it is non-WoT based.
Tales of Ta'veren MUSH: Opening Real Soon Now!
For more information about Tales of Ta'veren, as well as for more
general information on MUSHs and similar roleplaying games, check
their WWW (World Web Web) page:
http://delphi.glendon.yorku.ca/~mush/tav.html
I've heard rumors of at least two other MUDs (one called Callandor MUD),
but I have yet to get any information on that worth reporting here.
As The Wheel Turns (ATWT):
As The Wheel Turns is "an online roleplaying game with a Wheel of
Time theme, [that] has been running semiweekly since June, 1994.
Casual observers and/or new potential players are always welcome,"
reports Ken Kofman, who runs ATWT. More information about the game,
entertaining summaries of the first 12 sessions and other related
information, look in the directory /pub/jordan/ATWT in the Jordan
archive site (faser.cs.olemiss.edu). Further comments, questions
and requests can be directed to Ken Kofman <ken@ictv.com>.
VII. HOW TO FIND THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS FAQ.
As always, the most up-to-date version of this FAQ can be obtained via
anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu (the official news.answers archive site,
where all FAQs that are posted to news.answers are kept), in directory
/pub/usenet/news.answers/sf as the file robert-jordan-faq.
On the WWW (World Wide Web), use the URL (Uniform resource locator)
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/sf/robert-jordan-faq for
a plain text version of the FAQ, or for a minimally HTMLized version:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/sf/robert-jordan-faq/faq.html
(It's also on the Wheel of Time home page mentioned above, but it is
not currently updated automatically every time the FAQ is posted.)
If you don't have access to ftp, you can use the news.answers ftp-by-mail
server. Send a message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the following
two lines in the body (not the subject) of the message:
send usenet/news.answers/sf/robert-jordan-faq
quit
Be warned that the turnaround time for the mail server can be rather
slow (close to 24 hours when I tried it).
Or, you can always send me email at joeshaw@csgrad.cs.vt.edu and ask
me for a copy.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This FAQ was created by Bill Garrett, Pam Korda and Joe Shaw, and is
maintained by Joe Shaw. The authors wish to thank the many people
whose have contribution information for this FAQ. This document was
prepared under strict supervision by the Secret Usenet Cabal and has
been brought to you by the letter U.
From: joeshaw@info1.cc.vt.edu (Joe "Uno" Shaw)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan,rec.arts.sf.written,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Supersedes: <3fvh72$83t@solaris.cc.vt.edu>
Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan
Date: 3 Feb 1995 03:25:31 GMT
Organization: The Trustees of the Jordan FAQ Association
Lines: 419
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
Expires: 24 Feb 1995 20:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <3gs7nb$f67@solaris.cc.vt.edu>
Reply-To: joeshaw@csgrad.cs.vt.edu (Joe "Uno" Shaw)
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NNTP-Posting-User: joeshaw
Summary: This posting contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers) about the author Robert Jordan, his Wheel of Time series of books, and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan.
Keywords: Robert Jordan, Wheel of Time, FAQ, introduction
Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan:20284 rec.arts.sf.written:83356 rec.answers:9958 news.answers:34324
Archive-Name: sf/robert-jordan-faq
Posting-Frequency: biweekly
[Added title for book seven to Section II.]
A compilation of
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
for rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan
Welcome to rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan. Before you rush off to
post, we request that you peruse this small document, which attempts
to answer the most Frequently Asked Questions about Robert Jordan, The
Wheel of Time series and the rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan newsgroup.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. History and Charter of this Group
Where this group came from and what its purpose is
II. MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ROBERT JORDAN.
Who is Robert Jordan?
What is the Wheel of Time? What are the book titles?
What's the title of the next book, and when will it be published?
How many books will the Wheel of Time series end up being?
Is Robert Jordan on the Net?
Are there any other books about the Wheel of Time?
III. General Courtesy, and Newsgroup Specific Conventions/Policies.
1. How to post so that you don't look like a fool or upset people
2. Spoiler Policy
3. The TAN Subject Header Convention.
IV. Common Abbreviations
How to decipher the cliquish jargon the veterans use
V. Newsgroup Resources & Archives
The Wheel of Time FAQ
FTP archives & World Wide Web Homepage
VI. Other Areas of Robert Jordan Fandom
1. Snailmail fan club
2. Online Roleplaying (MUSH/MOO/MUD)
VII. How to find the latest version of this FAQ.
* * *
I. HISTORY AND CHARTER OF THIS GROUP
This newsgroup, rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan, was created in July
1994 for the discussion of books written by contemporary author Robert
Jordan (a pseudonym, see next section). In particular, this newsgroup
is concerned with his ongoing "Wheel of Time" series, but also covers
past and future works by him. Fandom is specifically included within
the purview of this charter. The group is unmoderated.
The discussions in this group originated in rec.arts.sf.written (the
general group for discussion of all science fiction and fantasy books),
where they were carried on for upwards of two years before this group
was created.
II. MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ROBERT JORDAN.
Q: Who is Robert Jordan?
A: Robert Jordan is actually a pseudonym for James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under
which he has written the "Wheel of Time" fantasy series as well as seven
books of the "Conan" series. Other pseudonyms are Reagan O'Neal ("Fallon"
series; historic fiction), Jackson O'Reilly ("Cheyenne Raiders"; western),
and Chang Lung (contributions to various periodicals including Library
Journal). [Source: Contemporary Authors vol. 140]
Q: What is the Wheel of Time? What are the book titles?
A: The best fantasy series of book since Lord of the Rings!
The books in "The Wheel of Time" series are (so far):
The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
The first five are available in both hardcover and paperback. Lord of
Chaos is available only in hardcover thus far, and maybe trade paperback
(hardcover sized paperback) overseas). The mass-market paperback (small
sized paperback) version of Lord of Chaos should be published around
September '95 in the US (and usually earlier than that overseas).
All of the Wheel of Time books are published by Tor Books in the United
States and Canada. UK/International versions are published by Orbit.
Q: What's the title of the next book, and when will it be published?
A: Patrick Nielsen Hayden of Tor Books reports that the title of book 7
will be: <insert fanfare>
Crown Of Swords
The earliest it will be published is in the fall of 1995--"Be steadfast."
Q: How many books will the Wheel of Time series end up being?
A: Current estimates range from 8 to 10. Even Robert Jordan himself is not
sure how many it will take. In his own words, "as many as it takes to
reach the [end]. And not a book more. Sorry."
Q: Is Robert Jordan on the Net?
A: As best as we know, No. If you want to write to him, send a letter in
care of Tor Books:
Robert Jordan
c/o Tor Books
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Q: Are there any other books about The Wheel of Time?
A: Not yet, but soon. Jody Lynn Nye, Todd Cameron Hamilton, et al. are
working on a compendium titled "The Guide to the Wheel Time", which
is scheduled to be released with the paperback of Lord of Chaos in
the fall of 1995.
III. GENERAL COURTESY, AND NEWSGROUP SPECIFIC CONVENTIONS/POLICIES.
1) General Courtesy:
Before you post, read the newsgroup for a while. This is the best way
to see how things are done, and you'll probably find that whatever
question/point you wish to pose has already been discussed before.
You'll want to take this into account if and when you bring it up.
We urge all readers to follow these few points of "netiquette" to avoid
irritating people and to increase the likelihood that people respond to
your ideas:
a) Keep quoting to a minimum.
Only keep as much of the previous post post as is necessary for
people to know what you are talking about. Summarize wherever
possible (i.e. instead of 20 lines of included text, summarize it
in a sentence). Make sure you attribute the right things to the
right people, and ALWAYS DELETE .sigs WHEN QUOTING.
b) Use descriptive subject headers.
If you want to discuss the intermarriages of the royal houses in
Andor, use a subject line like "Royal Lineage in Andor". Threads
(lines of discussion) often drift from their original topic. When
this happens, subject lines might have little to do with the content
of the articles. Try to avoid this situation by using a new title
when you start a new thread, and try not to drift from the topic too
much within a thread. Drift is inevitable, though, and when it
happens, it's usually appropriate to rename the thread. To continue
the example above, if the topic shifts from royal lineage to Rand's
parents to intermarriages in the Two Rivers, you might rename the
thread "Two Rivers Genealogy (was Re: Royal Lineage in Andor)" or
simply "Two Rivers Genealogy". If it shifts to non-book related
material, include TAN in the Subject line (see Section III part 3.)
c) Avoid incendiary language and unconstructive criticism.
Words like "rip-off," "crap," and "semi-literate, brainwashed fools"
are likely to irritate people, even if that was not your intent. If
you disagree with someone, tell the group why you disagree; don't
just call that person names.
d) Read the Wheel of Time FAQ.
Before posting your brilliant new idea (e.g. "Hey! I think Shaiel =
Tigraine," or "Hey! Maybe Slayer = Luc + Isam!"), make sure it has
not been discussed to death months before. The collected wisdom of
the jordan discussions is available in the form of the Wheel of Time
FAQ. It is a huge document, and even if you don't feel like reading
it all at once, you should read it at some point, and at least search
it for keywords before bringing up something that has already been
discussed. Details on how to get this lengthy FAQ are found below
in section V.
2) Spoiler Policy:
When a new book comes out, some people obtain and read it before other
people do. People who have read parts of the book want to talk about
them, but people who haven't gotten that far don't want you to spoil the
surprises for them. When not everybody has read what you want to talk
about, be sure to include the keyword "SPOILERS" in the subject line
along with the title of the book you're talking about. For example,
Subject: LoC: Padan Fain (SPOILERS)
Just be sure not to spoil the book with the title! Spoiler warnings are
really important for the first few months after a new book comes out and
becomes less important after that time. You should also include a
spoiler warning at the top of the message itself, with either a form-feed
(control-L) or several (20 or so) blanks lines to hide the spoiler from
those who do not wish to see it.
Currently accepted practice is to use spoiler warnings for about three
months after the Hardcover release in the United States (usually October),
both to allow our overseas readers time to get the book since it usually
takes at least a month and often more for the book to become widely
available; as well as for the benefit of those among us who have to save
up our money to afford the hardback or who receive them as Christmas
gifts. Due to the inherent nature of Usenet and the types of discussion
typical on rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan, it is virtually impossible
to maintain spoiler warning for longer periods. Therefore, those of you
who wait to buy the paperback version are out of luck, unfortunately yet
unavoidably. Sorry... :-( Consider yourself forewarned, and exercise
due caution when/if you read rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan (unless
you don't mind spoilers, of course).
3) The "TAN:" Subject Header:
It is inevitable that there will be threads that do not directly pertain
to the books, and it is inevitable that this sort of thing will annoy
some people. In order to keep things civilized, it is suggested that
such discussions be labeled "TAN:" for "tangential." For example:
Subject: TAN: Warder Applications
Subject: TAN: Plot Contest
Subject: TAN: What did Lanfear give Roy for his birthday?
IV. COMMON ABBREVIATIONS
You may note that there are many strange and arcane acronyms and
abbreviations used on this group. Here are interpretations of the most
commonly used:
TWoT = The Wheel of Time (also just WoT)
TEotW = The Eye of the World (sometimes just EOW)
TGH = The Great Hunt
TDR = The Dragon Reborn
TSR = The Shadow Rising
TFoH = The Fires of Heaven (sometimes just FOH)
LoC = Lord of Chaos
r.a.sf.w = rec.arts.sf.written (also just "rasfw", sometimes "rasw" )
r.a.sf.w.r-j = rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan (also just "rasfwrj")
AOL = Age of Legends
AS = Aes Sedai (or Amyrlin Seat)
Asm = Asmodean
BA = Black Ajah
DF = Darkfriend
DFS/DS = Darkfriend Social (Two usages: The event in the Prologue
of TGH, or a real-life meeting of newsgroup members.)
DO = Dark One
DotNM = Daughter of the Nine Moons
Eg/Egw = Egwene
El = Elayne
Ish/Ishy = Ishamael
LTT = Lews Therin Telamon
Mog/Moggy = Moghedien
Mo/Moi/Moir = Moiraine
MPS = Mad Passionate Sex, (c) Mike Macchione
MT = Mazrim Taim
Ny/Nyn = Nynaeve
OP = One Power
PNH = Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Sr. Editor, Tor Books).
RJ = Robert Jordan (also referred to as 'The Creator')
SG = Shayol Ghul
SS = Siuan Sanche
TAR/T'A'R = Tel'aran'rhiod
TS = True Source
TV = Tar Valon
WC/WCs = Whitecloak(s)
WO/WOs = Wise One(s)
WT = White Tower
YKYBRTMRJW = You Know You've Been Reading Too Much Robert Jordan When...
(also IKIHBRTMRJ = I Know I Have Been...)
And a few of the most common Usenet-wide acronyms:
AFAIK = As Far As I Know (also AFAIR = As Far As I Remember)
FAQ = Frequently Asked Question(s)
FWIW = For What It's Worth
IIRC = If I Remember Correctly
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion (also IMNSHO, where NS = Not So; IMNAAHO,
where NAA = Not At All; IMAO = In My Arrogant Opinion)
ROFL/ROTFL = Rolling On the Floor, Laughing
RTFF = Read The Flaming FAQ!
YMMV = Your Milage May Vary
grep = (verb) search (from a Unix command to search files for words).
V. NEWSGROUP RESOURCES AND ARCHIVES
This FAQ isn't even the tip of the metaphorical iceberg of Robert
Jordan fandom accumulated on the Internet and other venues. We
strongly suggest that you download a copy of the Wheel of Time FAQ,
a much lengthier collection of questions, discussion, humor, and
fandom. We guarantee you'll enjoy the series much more after
reading the Wheel of Time FAQ. Your money back if not satisfied!
Pam Korda <kor2@midway.uchicago.edu> maintains the Wheel of Time FAQ
and posts it to rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan as her schedule
permits, which is roughly once every month and a half. You can always
obtain a copy by sending Pam email or by downloading it via anonymous
ftp from faser.cs.olemiss.edu. Note that there are TWO versions of
the Wheel of Time FAQ: one contains discussions (spoilers) for book
six, Lord of Chaos, and one only contains discussions through book 5,
The Fires of Heaven:
/pub/jordan/wot-loc.FAQ (through Lord of Chaos)
/pub/jordan/wot-tfoh.FAQ (through The Fires of Heaven)
faser.cs.olemiss.edu site is also an archive for rasfwrj (formerly rasfw).
In addition to this FAQ and the extended Wheel of Time FAQ, it contains
other creations such as the Dark One's Dictionary, results of various
plot submission contests and surveys, a collection of Wheel of Time
filksongs, and archives of lots of discussions from America OnLine and
Prodigy as well as UseNet. All of the archive is available via World
Wide Web (WWW) client:
http://faser.cs.olemiss.edu/jordan/jordan.html
Or, if you are in Europe, it might be quicker to use Helmut Geyer's
mirror WWW site:
http://polyhymnia.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de:8080/jordan/jordan.html
Versions of the Wheel of Time FAQ are also available on America Online,
Prodigy and Compuserve, though they may be out of date or modified.
On America Online, the WoT FAQ is in the Fantasy Library section of the
Fantasy and Science Fiction Area (Keyword: SF). On Compuserve, it is
in the Science Fiction Literature Forum Library in the Fantasy Section
(GO: SFLIT). On Prodigy, a variation of the Wot FAQ is posted on the
Science Fiction/Fantasy Bulletin Board in the Robert Jordan Topic about
once every two months in three parts, under the subjects, FAQ, GTW, and
JORDANFAQ. Info on Prodigy Exporting can be found by JUMPing: Bulletin
Boards under the section entitled "BB How To's."
VI. OTHER AREAS OF ROBERT JORDAN FANDOM
1) Fan Club:
Carolyn Fusinato is coordinating a fan club called The Wheel of Time
Club, "a forum bringing together science fiction and fantasy readers
for an unbridled discussion of fictional realms, particularly Robert
Jordan's Wheel of Time world." You can receive a free copy of their
newsletter, "The Chronicles", by sending a SASE to:
The Wheel of Time Club
P.O. Box 223022
Chantilly, VA 22022-3022
For more information, email Carolyn at <c.fusinato@mail.utexas.edu>
or <BJRK57C@PRODIGY.COM>.
2) Roleplaying Games
There are a few online roleplaying games on the internet that have Wheel
of Time themes or areas. For the MUSHS/MUDs/MOOs, basically, just telnet
to the site (e.g, "telnet sarcazm.resnet.cornell.edu 9000") and follow
the directions on your screen. For more information on about what a MUSH
actually is, check out the rec.games.mud.* newsgroups and their FAQ(s) at
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/games/mud-faq
Angreal MOO: sarcazm.resnet.cornell.edu 9000 (or 128.253.150.10 9000)
According to Paul Colbourne, Angreal MOO is "primarily roleplay
based, though there [is] a combat system. The 'news' will help
you get [started]. Feel free to page any of the staff for help."
Sanctuary MUD: 128.153.32.10 9000
Sanctuary claims to have "one or two Wheel of Time Areas", although
the majority of it is non-WoT based.
Tales of Ta'veren MUSH: Opening Real Soon Now!
For more information about Tales of Ta'veren, as well as for more
general information on MUSHs and similar roleplaying games, check
their WWW (World Web Web) page:
http://delphi.glendon.yorku.ca/~mush/tav.html
I've heard rumors of at least two other MUDs (one called Callandor MUD),
but I have yet to get any information on that worth reporting here.
As The Wheel Turns (ATWT):
As The Wheel Turns is "an online roleplaying game with a Wheel of
Time theme, [that] has been running semiweekly since June, 1994.
Casual observers and/or new potential players are always welcome,"
reports Ken Kofman, who runs ATWT. More information about the game,
entertaining summaries of the first 12 sessions and other related
information, look in the directory /pub/jordan/ATWT in the Jordan
archive site (faser.cs.olemiss.edu). Further comments, questions
and requests can be directed to Ken Kofman <ken@ictv.com>.
VII. HOW TO FIND THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS FAQ.
As always, the most up-to-date version of this FAQ can be obtained via
anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu (the official news.answers archive site,
where all FAQs that are posted to news.answers are kept), in directory
/pub/usenet/news.answers/sf as the file robert-jordan-faq.
On the WWW (World Wide Web), use the URL (Uniform resource locator)
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/sf/robert-jordan-faq for
a plain text version of the FAQ, or for a minimally HTMLized version:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/sf/robert-jordan-faq/faq.html
(It's also on the Wheel of Time home page mentioned above, but it is
not currently updated automatically every time the FAQ is posted.)
If you don't have access to ftp, you can use the news.answers ftp-by-mail
server. Send a message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the following
two lines in the body (not the subject) of the message:
send usenet/news.answers/sf/robert-jordan-faq
quit
Be warned that the turnaround time for the mail server can be rather
slow (close to 24 hours when I tried it).
Or, you can always send me email at joeshaw@csgrad.cs.vt.edu and ask
me for a copy.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This FAQ was created by Bill Garrett, Pam Korda and Joe Shaw, and is
maintained by Joe Shaw. The authors wish to thank the many people
whose have contribution information for this FAQ. This document was
prepared under strict supervision by the Secret Usenet Cabal and has
been brought to you by the letter U.
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