King's Dark Tidings discussion

It has been a while since I have read these books (waiting til release of book 3 to re-read them in anticipation of Nick Podehl's narration) and I don't' remember if there was a timeline of the King's death that was mentioned. Maybe someone can clarify...which makes my comment mute. But has anyone thought that MASTER JAIARDUN is actually the king/Rez's father...would that be even possible?

Sorry, but unless Bordran faked his death then it's impossible Jaiardun is the king. Bordran was dead 2 years when the plot of book 1 picks up and Jaiardun dies. I guess if he faked his death? But if he thought he would be able to survive, it kinda of doesn't make sense why he would set Rez's training up.

I guess he could be his father, but as Rez is definitely related to Tieran, that would make Jaiardun either Tieran's uncle (more likely) or Deysius, brother of Bordran.

While it is possible, I'm betting that Jaiardun isn't from Ashai and we'll find out more in book 3.

Scott wrote: "Sorry, but unless Bordran faked his death then it's impossible Jaiardun is the king. Bordran was dead 20 years when the plot of book 1 picks up and Jaiardun dies. I guess if he faked his death? But..."

SPOILERS book 2

Where did you get the 20 years dead from? I cannot remember this being mentioned. Also when rez quizzes kai with tam on the boat about the strikers who trained him, striker adona is said to have "died" 17 years ago, striker farson 15 years ago, 7 strikers "lost at sea" 10 years ago and the number of striker trainers raised to a total of 15 5 years ago. Kai also confirms these strikers were sent on these suicide missions by bordran so he can't be dead 20 years or jaiardun. I think bordran died 2/3 years before rez graduates. Jaiardun=deyseus still possible though

I think he meant 2 years and just got a little mixed up. Ages are a little difficult to keep track of. If Bordran is the father of Rez and is the one who cast the spell over him it makes sense to have done it at birth before sending him to the strikers. It's possible to have been cast over time while secretly meeting Rex but I doubt he would have spent a significant amount of time there when he had a kingdom to run and to maintain the secret.

I think something shifty went on, Patyr (I don't care if it's spelt wrong) was trying to give Rez his final rules before he died which suggests he was still loyal to the king. The master who gave the order (J) to kill the strikers seemed to take them all by surprise, so this suggests to me he is in on the conspiracy, we don't see what happens to the masters but I assume that treasury started the fight when Patyr tried to oppose J.

Sorry for the miscommunication. 20 was a typo and I did mean 2. Regardless, Jaiardun has been training Rezkin for around 20 years while Bordran was ruling. I assume Deysius was with him in Kaibain. The masters are never described as leaving Rezkin, so it still seems unlikely to me that Jaiardun is Rezkin's father.

Scott wrote: "Sorry for the miscommunication. 20 was a typo and I did mean 2. Regardless, Jaiardun has been training Rezkin for around 20 years while Bordran was ruling. I assume Deysius was with him in Kaibain...."

Sorry my bad didnt think of typo no offence. I don't think its very likely with jaiadon/deysius seems too big a stretch but it could be possible

All makes good sense to me. So we can agree that Bordran died when Rez was at least 16. This spell that is on him, I'm assuming, was placed at the training facility and not before he left Bordran. I can't imagine Bordran foreseeing this much...unless Rez is a bastard child. It obviously appears that Rez doesn't know or believe he is a mage so wouldn't have put it on himself. Rez does explain other 'trainers' coming and going and I suppose one of them could have been a mage to cast the spell. I'm just trying to figure out this spell a bit and it seemed somewhat plausible that either Jaiardun or Patyr could be his father (in disguise). While that is probably out of the question with the facts you guys state, I'm finding it interesting to hypothesize what Kel will lay out for us in book 3.

This spell is tied to his past for sure and with us learning about this spell midway thru book 2, its power I feel, is still untapped and unused. As mentioned before, I am still weary of what happened with Bordran and how that ties into Rez...that story line will be critical in book 3. Kel mentioned more than 3 books, so I'd like to assume that Rez will become king and the plot will change directions at some point.

I'd be interested to hear your hypothesis on what book 3 will give us.

I am interested in the nature of the spell too. It could just be as wesson describes a really intricate and suptle spell cast on rez with the purpose to allow him to perform as previous shadow knights and adopt any role needed for a mission and sneak a round more easily letting him will guards ect. to not notice him in the shadows and with it hiding his striking resemblance to the kings and princes of ashai and mage power being fringe benefits.

If previous shadow knights were also of the royal line and therefor also had mage power and familial resemblance then these fringe benefits would have been of strategic importance. hard to play certain roles if mages can sense the shadow knights power or high nobles if they think you look like the king and princes of the time.

So i dont think the spell was cast on rez just to hide his identity until he was ready to claim his birthright as bordrans heir. Wheather or not the source of the spell is bordran, the masters or someone brought to the fort during training i just dont know but it will be fun to find out maybe in book 3

The other possibility is that it is not a spell at allb- at least not a spell someone else cast on Rez. It was suggested by Wesson that the other possibility is that Rez was a mage and he was responsible for the spell.

Just food for thought. Personally I like the idea of Bordran casting the spell on an infant Rez because he knew he would be special

Or Bordran could get someone else to cast the spell for him?

I do recall the same thing--about Wesson saying the spell he detected was something that would make Rez more efficient as a ShadowKnight or assassin or whatever Rez was supposed to be...