Ronan's Ordeal

[the_afterlight]

I was going through the errantrywiki tonight and came across something that made me particularly curious. (And I apologise if this should have gone in AWoM spoilers, but I don't think it would necessitate that? And if it should have gone somewhere else entirely... Don't shoot me, I'm new? ^_^;; )

According to the Abstainee page, a wizard would be considered an Abstainee if they don't encounter the Lone One in the course of their ordeal. (Among two other distinctions, but that's the one in question.) As far as I can recall, Ronan didn't have such an encounter -- his ordeal involved taking in the ocean, and when he was finished, and the 'invaders' saved, he returned to his own time.

This, from what I understand, would make Ronan one of the eleven current Abstainees. Can anyone think of any details I'm forgetting that would exclude him from this category of wizards?

Of course, with my luck, even though I searched first? This has already been talked to death.

[dorotheia]

It does look as if Ronan's Ordeal was Abstainee. Didn't notice that before. Of course, maybe Ronan's was a bit like Rhiow's in that it hadn't quite finished when he thought it ended, until he met Balor... But assuming that Ronan's Ordeal was as he said and nothing more, his Ordeal must have been Abstainee of the first kind.

[the_afterlight]

I think it would have to have ended at that point; there's no way he'd have been on ordeal all the way through to the encounter with Balor. After all, we've already had evidence of one ordeal gone on for an extended period, and that was only months. To extend through to the battle with Balor, Ronan's ordeal would have to have gone on for years. And Nita would definitely have noticed it when she looked at his listing in the Manual.

Of course, there's also the possibility that there was a later part to his ordeal that we're not aware of, in which he encountered the Lone Power, but if you agree that I'm not forgetting anything, it does look like Ronan's an Abstainee. I wonder if that's going to come up at any point?

[Nights Mistress]

I actually assumed that Ronan wasn't telling all of it. Naturally we don't know for sure (unless it does come up in the next book) but I assumed that Ronan's encounter with the Lone Power was of the more subtle kind, wherein it played off Ronan's already existing prejudices against "invaders" of Ireland taking up residence. If that's so, then his Ordeal was essentially acknowledging, despite the LP's best efforts, that the Romans were people just like him and he should save them if he could.

After all, "the Powers tested to see if I was too bigoted to be a wizard" does not impress a girl

[Silverclaw]

My personal theory is that while an ordeal is basically about fixing something in the universe, it's also about the wizard "fixing" something in themselves, kind of making them ready to be a wizard. Nita's ordeal helped her gain self confidence, while Darryl's forced him to stop hiding from the world. I'm not sure what Dairine learned from her ordeal, but maybe the powers just recognized that she was impossible. I'd say Ronan's ordeal was essentially about tolerance. It's possible that the Lone Power was involved indirectly, possibly just in the form of his prejudices. But anyway, I think his ordeal was mostly about his choice.

[SilveredBlue]

Dairine learned truly CARING, sacrifice, and the meaning of wizardry in her Ordeal. At least, that was the sense I got. And I think the same went for Ronan.

Both, you see, were rebels who looked out for number one foremost. They didn't seem to care much about anything social and cared about power,in Dairine's case, and possibly 'coolness' in Ronan's. (I'm not sure about the last one at all- we don't know much about Ronan-as-a-kid)

In Ronan's Ordeal, his eyes were opened to another person's plight. I'm fairly sure that before this, he was not in a 'saving another's life' situation- how many 11 or 12 year olds are?- but at this point he was almost forced to see and decide to save these Romans by making a sacrifice- a wizardry that he didn't know he'd survive.

That, it seems to me, was a life-changing moment. He realized what 'guarding what lives and grows' meant for him, and how he couldn't be selfish anymore.

Which is where I agree with Silverclaw- it was his choice, rather than a big LP struggle. The LP was probably the orginator of the storm, though, and I would guess that there was some component of fighting the LP for control of the sea. Which would make it a non-Abstainee Ordeal.

But if it WAS an Abstainee Ordeal- would he have mentioned it? Or was he leaving out that part?

[Wizardprincess]

when he was talking about his ordeal i felt that he was leaving something out on purpose but that could be just me

by the way what is an Abstainee, like do they do different things then normal wizards who fight against the lone power?

[Silverclaw]

Yes, you're definitely right about Dairine. I don't think Ronan would care much about "coolness", he seems more angry to me then anything else. I'd really like to know more about him, we never see his family or much of his life.

[SilveredBlue]

Thanks Silverclaw! And yes, it would be more likely that he was angry at everything.

Reminds me of myself at nine. My mom says I went through teenage rebellion three years too early. Lucky I got it all out then.

Wizardprincess: 'Abstainee' on the Wiki

[Wizardprincess]

thanks! so there like normal wizards okays!