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Author Topic: Questions about gateway orientation- (not just the horizontal question)
KSB snow owl
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posted March 27, 2003 11:13 AM      Profile for KSB snow owl   Email KSB snow owl    Edit/Delete Post
Must the origin and termination of a gateway be oriented 'parallel' to each other? If I remember correctly, at some point in Rand's POV, he realizes that gateways do not have to face the direction that you are heading. (thus you could walk east into a gateway, and come out 500 miles to the west.) My question is, does this 'disorientation' go further? Could you walk east into a gateway and exit the gateway heading west? And pertaining to the original question; could you walk east into a gateway and come out heading north, or even down? So, to restate the question, must corresponding gateways be oriented in the same direction (eg- parallel planes)?

[ March 28, 2003, 11:41 AM: Message edited by: KSB snow owl ]

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From: Kansas City, MO | Registered: Feb 2002  |  IP: Logged
Xythlord
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posted March 27, 2003 02:59 PM      Profile for Xythlord   Email Xythlord    Edit/Delete Post
It has been many pages since the beginning of the series, and my memory if full of more holes than Matt's ( [Wink] ). Do you know where the POV for Rand's realization is?

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KSB snow owl
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posted March 27, 2003 08:18 PM      Profile for KSB snow owl   Email KSB snow owl    Edit/Delete Post
Alas, it's been a while for me too. I seem to remember that he was leaving either Tear or Illian (though I could be completely wrong). Perhaps it is in TPOD when they go to fight the Seanchan? I'll try to pinpoint the text in the next few days.

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The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
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[MainFAQ]-
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From: Kansas City, MO | Registered: Feb 2002  |  IP: Logged
Xythlord
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posted March 27, 2003 08:44 PM      Profile for Xythlord   Email Xythlord    Edit/Delete Post
Thanks, I thought it might be in there too, around chapter 22 or so. If I find it first I will post it and try to come up with a reasonable answer.

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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
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From: Denver, Co | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged
Moon-Hawk
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posted March 28, 2003 05:11 AM      Profile for Moon-Hawk      Edit/Delete Post
I would say no, they don't need the same orientation. For one thing, from the way RJ describes them, I really see no reason why they should have to be in the same orientation. The other thing has to do with the world being round. If they really had to be in the same orientation, when anyone made a Gateway a significant way around the world the corresponding gateway would have to be leaning in order for the two to be parallel. When Aviendha made a gate to Seanchan I bet that was at least a good eighth of the way around. That would put a 45 degree lean on the other gate. [teach]
The only real limitation I would put on gateways would be that you can't weave a gateway so close that they ends touch. (the edge of the exit touches the edge of the entrance) I would rule that that unravells the weave, with ensuing potentially nasty aftereffects. I figure it's that or have the universe explode. [Dubious]

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KSB snow owl
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posted March 29, 2003 03:33 PM      Profile for KSB snow owl   Email KSB snow owl    Edit/Delete Post
Indeed, the text to which I was referring is at the beginning of chapter 22 in TPOD(the first paragraph in fact). Good point about the world being round Moon-Hawk. I guess it would've been better to say 'the same degree from tangent to the world' rather than 'parallel planes'; either way I don't think it matters 'cause I don't think they need to conform to each other in any way.

Imagine opening a gateway directly in front of you that terminates directly behind you. You could reach through and tap yourself on the shoulder. You would also see an infinite number of you's in front of you - kind of like that 'instant video casettes' scene from 'Spaceballs.'

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The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.htm
[MainFAQ]-
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/er/er20021018a
http://www.liquidgeneration.com/sabotage/optical_sabotage.asp
oxxxx[==============-

From: Kansas City, MO | Registered: Feb 2002  |  IP: Logged


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