Source
r/wheeloftime•
SamGropler

Seanchan origins

SpoilerA Crown of Swords

In TSR, when Rand is in Rhuidean, we see that the origins of the Aiel are revealed to him in the ter'angreal forest of columns. In that revelation, >!there are soldiers wearing what is clearly the same armour as the 'modern' Seanchan officers wear!<

So... We know that the Seanchan lands were separated from Randland during the breaking of the world. Is >!the Seanchan officers' armour a holdover from before the breaking of the world, or is the armour from Artur Hawkwing's time, taken to Seanchan by his descendants?!<

Posted Jun 13, 2023, 10:39 PM UTC

109
eliechallitaRandlander•

I'll need to look up the quote to be sure, but I don't think the armor is described the same way: They're both described as insectile, but the armor from Rand's vision sounds more like the sleek, futuristic kind of armor you'd see in sci fi (which makes sense, given the time period he's seeing).

23
charlatanousRandlander•

The armor described in the visions is not "clearly the same" as the Seanchan armor. Read the descriptions again.

8
grumpymuppettOgier •

It’s been a while since I’ve read the later books I’m pretty sure they say that they are the descendants of one of Artur Hawkwing’s kids (hence the whole The Blood thing) and got cut off from Randland during the breaking

Edit for clarity - they are also descendants of said royal dudes army so they just kept making the same kinda armour

5
AwakeAtNightsAsha'man•

Yes, but not all the people in Seanchan were from Luthair Hawkwing's expedition.

What happened was there was a native population, and that population was conquered by Luthair Hawkwing and his army. Hawking's army became the Blood and the native peoples became their subjects.

So I think what OP was wondering was if the aesthetics of insectile-like armor was a hold over by the native peoples from the Age of Legends, and then was incorporated by Luthair Hawkwing's men when they took over that land.

4
Mysterious-Use-1164•

Pretty sure they sailed to seanchan after the breaking

1
SamGroplerOPRandlander•

Yes, I know all that, that wasn't my question, though.

-2†
LordAshurRandlander•

I think the most logical answer here is that a similar looking style of armor as to what was used in the Age of Legends was still in use in what would become Seanchan before Hawkwing’s son sailed over with an army

5
King_Esot3ricRandlander•

The breaking happened around ~2000 years prior to Hawkwing IIRC.

1
SamGroplerOPRandlander•

I know.

1