This the bit you're talking about?
The figure seems to perpetually sink for the constellations rising about him. He speaks, but his face cannot be seen.
I war not with Men, it says, but with the God.
"Yet no one but Men die," the Aspect-Emperor replies.
The fields must burn to drive Him forth from the Ground.
"But I tend the fields."
The dark figure stands beneath the tree, begins walking towards him. It seems the climbing stars should hook and carry him in the void, but he is like the truth of iron - impervious and immovable.
It stands before him, regards him - as it has so many times - with his face and his eyes. No halo gilds his leonine mane.
Then who better to burn them?
Thanks, Duskweaver. Specifically, "
I war not with Men, it says,
but with the God." and "
The fields must burn to drive Him forth from the Ground."
So, the Ordeal only serves Ajokli in the sense that it delivers Kellhus to the Golden Room, but I don't think it was part of a larger plan on his part.
I mentioned it before in this or the other thread but as per profgrape's suggestion, Ajokli has the benefit (?) of planning backwards. If the Ordeal serves to deliver Kellhus to the Golden Room, Ajokli has always been able to plan around that - among all those other unexplained subtle manipulations over the series (though, I'm not yet able to yet discount Anagke on a good many moments).
What still disappoints me is when Akka tells Kellhus about his dreams and when Akka doesn't divulge them, Kellhus just shrugs it off. So much about Akka facing Kellhus again that just drives me bat shit crazy. A wasted opportunity for some legendary scenes there.
I actually loved that scene. It's more for real that much other Fantasy.
More importantly, aside, Kellhus was
interested in how and why Achamian's Dreams were changing... as am I.
So, how many people believe Cnaüir or Kellhus is Ajokli? I'm genuinely curious. Who and why do you believe that to be the case also?
Not I. They're Ajokli's doorways to Earwa, as per Bakker's comments on Walking-Topoi/Ciphrang-in-Life, the Most-Damned Soul and the Second-Most Damned (sorry, Inrilatas).
it wasn't even Bakker saying that, it got to us from the ZDC thread, as far as I can tell.
Well, your discussion with MSJ aside, I heard Bakker say it (or at least, I did later when listening to the recordings as I was not in the room) and will release the recording/transcript to that effect if/when I have permission to do so.
To go back to the thread title, Ajokli is the trickster. Maybe his motivation is that he finds the whole thing amusing.
I like this, though I do wonder if the God of Gods, the Ultimate Shard/Ground, isn't really just a huge asshole (in Bakker's mind) for forcing existence in the first place and Ajokli isn't wrong to oppose him.
Though, as Ken Wilbur (and others) have said - maybe the Absolute just gets bored/terrified by having tea alone with itself. The Existential Scream could be real.
Being the greatest sorcerer in the world is easily undone by one chorae or hell even a sniper shot from an Inchoroi weapon of light. Kellhus couldn't know what he was up against. Makes sense that he'd make a pact with the Pit. No other way to condition the ground of the Ark without surveying it.
Ajokli's assistance was, imo, one hundred percent necessary. Kellhus just assumed ultimate his reason would allow him to maintain control. And then maybe he could betray Ajokli later and run some sort of additional scheme with heads and poles and whatnot.
But it failed.
Anyhow, that's just my two cents, as someone who hasn't gotten so deep into the crazy speculation game and hasn't caught up on all the deeper theories y'all are pondering yet.
Welcome to the Second Apocalypse, Practical Lobster. I like the monicker.
While I disagree with much of what you posted, I do like the bolded line. Too many readers seem to forget this. One intellect, two hands, however disproportionate they may be to his worldborn disciples.
Nah. Kellhus is a prodigy among the Dûnyain, his son is described as being the one closest to the Absolute ever. Definitely the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk Eärwa.
I feel I have a very different understanding of the word "prodigy". The fact that you can do some things better or faster than most people doesn't make you infallible or invincible, or even strictly more powerful. For example, very well-trained musicians would demonstrate the same level of proficiency as the prodigious ones, they just have to work harder to achieve it.
I do agree with SmilerLoki, Kellhus may very well have been overmatched by the Few Mutilated. And certainly, the Few Mutilated overmatch all other Earwan sorcerers unless the Mbimayu and their fetishes have any special significance - though, I suppose if Meppa were to take on one Mutilated directly, he might be able to do so.
And Serwa and Mimara, of course. The former might be able to hold her own with sorcery and the latter already having convinced Koringhus of the "Dunyain error."