The Band of the Red Hand ORG’s Battle of the Bands Tournament now moves into the main business aspect of the competition - the knock out stage as we determine the overall winner. Below you will find the draw for the 2nd Round.

1. The White Stripes (GARAGE) vs. Ray Charles (R&B)
2. The Chemical Brothers (ELECTRONICA) vs. Aretha Franklin (SOUL)
3. Louis Armstrong (JAZZ) vs. B.B. King (BLUES)
4. The Beastie Boys (HIP HOP) vs. Metallica (METAL)
5. Bob Marley (REGGAE) vs. Armin Van Buuren (TRANCE)
6. Modest Mouse (INDIE) vs. Bob Dylan (FOLK)
7. Led Zeppelin (ROCK) vs. The Beatles (POP)
8. Johnny Cash (COUNTRY) vs. Madness (SKA)

As you can see, there are some very tasty ties here, especially number 3 (Louis Armstrong againt B.B. King) and number 7 (Led Zeppelin take on The Beatles). The winners of these ties go into the Quarter Finals. The whole draw can be viewed here, which contains the dates for all the rounds left.

We look forward to seeing you take part in this stage of the competition, and hope to see you around for the Grand Final at the end of August as we determine the first ever winner of the Battle of the Bands.

Also, don’t forget to take a look and vote in the latest “Tune or No Tune” thread up on our public boards. It is The Final Countdown by Swedish glam rockers, Europe. Click here to go and vote and have your say.

Also, the latest edition of The Hornsounder has been published for your reading. Click here to go and have a read.

We look forward to seeing you around the Band’s boards getting involved with these fun activities.

Corki
Marshal-General
BotRH ORG Leader

Hello everyone. Empy here with some updates with the going ons (or is it goings on…hmmm) from the great Seanchan Org. Before you stop reading, let me get right to the main purpose of this update. The Seanchan org is pleased to host the return of AOL High written by Justen Diablos. If you are unfamiliar with this work, it is the lost chronicles of the 13 Forsaken while they were in High School. I really suggest you stop by and check it out on the public board.

Episode 1
Episode 2

I would also like to point out that while we do host movie, TV and gaming talk on our public board for all to join in on, we do have other types of discussions on our private board. Join up now if you want to check this out.

In the coming weeks, Seanchan will be hosting DM’s official Fantasy Football league. Please check the public board for the announcement as well as the link to sign up. Speaking of Fantasy sports, Seanchan is also hosting a Baseball league. At the moment, Soy Boyo is in first place, but I would remiss if I did not point out he lost last week to the last place team.

I am also going to shamelessly plug the Ask the Chosen column. If you enjoy reading it, please send your questions to askthechosen@gmail.com .

Empy…. out!

I have been looking recently to see if I could find any more information on the author who was going to finsih the last book in the series. I can’t find anything recent. If you have any further information(more recent than April) it would be greatly appreciated.

Bert

Of course the all knowing Chosen will have the answers you seek. The title of the book is Memory of Light which is an obvious reference to the Light losing the last battle, hence if being a memory. I also read that the very last chapter has Rand waking up and realizing this whole story was just a dream.

If you want real answers, I would suggest checking out Brandon Sanderson’s blog which was just updated yesterday with info about the new book. It took me all of 2 seconds to use this new fad called google to find it. http://www.brandonsanderson.com/index.php

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Ishamael: Google has such potential as a weapon of mass destruction. Apparently thats a political term these days. I remember when when it just meant making big booms.

Asmodean: It has certainly made it easier for me to track down the whereabouts of some no-talent “musicians”.

Mesaana: I have it on good authority that the Amrylin is a Google addict. I tried a weave or two, but I think I need to find a good hacker, instead.

Better yet, anyone want to help throw the “musician” into the servers?

Moghedien: I cannot think that a good idea, Mesaana - he’d probably cause them to break down from corrosion.

Tossing him in with mad cow meat, though… no one will ever be able to tell the difference. Heh heh.

Asmodean: My dear Moggy, you’re not in much better shape than I. Remember, if you throw me to the dogs, you’re not far behind.

Moghedien: I have some scant protection. Now, shoo - don’t you have a Big Brother house to get thrown out of or something?

Asmodean: Didn’t you get the memo? I won immunity this week!

Male Chosen,

Similarly, if you were bent to the will of the light and forced to serve as a warder to one of the female chosen. Who would you chose and why?

-Anonymous

 —————————————- Dear ‘Mous,

Your question makes very little sense. If I were bent to the light, why would the light force me to serve as a warder for a female Chosen? What would that do other than provide a very competent, capable warder to their enemy? If you mean that all of us Chosen were turned to the light, including the females, then again, it would not serve the light well to assign me to one of my female counterparts, as they are far more capable than almost any of the so-called Aes Sedai of the current age. They would be better off sending me to work with one of the less competent channelers so that they might have a better chance of being protected. But even then, the light is not usually interested in forcing people to its will. That’s really more of the sort of thing the Great Lord of the Dark would do. And I don’t mean that guy who posts in the book discussion threads. He’s a poser.

So. Long story short - you did not think through your question thoroughly, and therefore I cannot answer it to the extent that you most likely require in order to feel fully validated. Perhaps you should spend less time picking belly button lint and sniffing glue, and more time reading, writing, and educating yourself to be less of a drain on society. Sincerely,

Puff Demmy

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Moghedien: Who screens these querients?!  I swear, can’t hire or compulse good help these days…

Ishamael: Really, Demandred’s just afraid of becoming whipped if he ever gets bonded to any of our female counterparts.

Sammael: Asmodean.

Asmodean: It’s all part of my master plan, Sammy.  I induce crippling aneurysms with mind-numbingly foolish questions, then climb your still-twitching bodies to my rightful place at the Great Lord’s right hand, metaphorically speaking.  You’ll be spared this humiliation, though; you’re too short to be useful as anything more than a footstool.

Moghedien: I might believe that if you put down the smack… is that a fools cap on your head?!

Asmodean: Yes, it is.  I borrowed it from your closet.  You don’t mind, do you, Moggy?

Moghedien: It actually belonged to the former occupant; I couldn’t be bothered to remove his artifacts once I took over. And what did I tell you about telling people about coming over?  It’s supposed to be our little secret… numbskull.

Asmodean: Sure, just blurt it out and remove any chance of plausible denial!  You suck at keeping secrets!

Ishamael: Look, you think anybody didn’t know this already? You know that sneaking around is not the best way to look inconspicuous, especially with Asmo sneaking out of Moggy’s bedroom window in the morning.

Demandred: So Moggy’s a lesbian. Huh.

Moghedien:   Wait, when did Asmo turn into a girl?!  I mean, it’s hard to tell under the dreadlocks and all, but still!

Mesaana: We should start a livejournal called “The Forsaken Diaries” for things of this nature.

For those of you who frequent the Dragonmount Artist’s Gallery, you’ll probably recognize these two talented WoT fan artists. The Illuminators Org, has asked them to come and visit with us about their craft, and their love of the WoT.

Jeremy Saliba was raised in the bay area and has always loved comics and animation. He tired to learn how to draw by going to school in san francisco, and low and behold he realized he couldn’t…..so now he’s doing his stubborn best to make cool images anyway. One day a mysterious man in a dark road worn cloak (also known as my cousin) gave him a copy of a book called “the eye of the world,” and his life was doomed from then on to read and re-read the WoT series over and over again, as well as pass it on to anyone stupid enough to listen……

Seamus Gallagher originally came from a small village in a mountainous region of northern california, where he was raised by ill-tempered squirrels after a camping incident–after several embarrassing failed attempts to become a superhero, he finally decided that perhaps pursuing a career in art was the next best option–after moving to san francisco to attend the academy of art college, he managed to graduate–possibly due to some administrative error–currently he lives in the bay area with his wife and newborn son, where he masquerades as an ice cream truck driver to mask his true identity as a concept artist for a video game company…

We will be welcoming this pair of talented artists to the Illuminator’s Org the evening of June 20th, and we’ll keep them around as long as we feel like asking them questions, and as long as they feel like answering them.

Drop on by and check it out!

(BTW this is like my favorite picture ever…)

Dear Chosen,

In your opinion, how moral is TOO moral?

A fan,
Jelly.

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‘Dear’ Jelly,

Too moral is anything that interferes with getting what you want out of life, whether that’s the last donut, or being the Nae’blis.

And forgive me if this is short - I get the whole being a fan thing, but did you really have to find my secret volcano lair and camp outside for a month? I really do hate having to send minions that could better be helping me destroy the rest of my ‘friends’ amongst the Chosen getting restraining orders filed because you’re not worth my time spent balefiring, but seriously… go harass Asmodean instead. You’ll find him at your local coffee shop poetry night pretending he’s still got a lick of talent, and loves having people follow him around.

Moghedien

Female Chosen,

Obviously you are keen supporters of the Dark One (who in their right mind would not be?!) but if you were forced to serve the light and join the White Tower, which Ajah would you chose and why? (not including the black ajah)

Dear person who believes that no one knowing your name will help you remain anonymous,
Forced is the right word. Walk in the Light, indeed. I was older than those brats when they sealed me into the Bore and they are all weaker than I am, to boot!

I have toyed with this idea, as that is where I am, currently. Since I am “hiding” in the White Tower with these Light blind fools, I cannot tell you which Ajah I actually did choose. I can tell you that I could not go with my original choice in Ajahs. As a teacher, I would have personally chosen the Brown Ajah, I believe. I might have even been able to hide there, as long as no one found anything from before the Sealing of that big hole I was sealed in for so long. I did not think that was a chance I could afford, so you can bet I am not hiding there. I thought of being Red Ajah, just for the fun of hunting male Aes Sedai and feeding them their own idiocy. “Gentling” them the way those women do is just boring, however. I considered the Gray Ajah, for I could easily hide there. I just couldn’t stand to wear gray all day. Have you seen the drab potato sacks those women wear? Then I thought of the Yellow Ajah, at the opportunity to pass a little pain along in my “Healing” weaves and punish those who dared enter my care. I hate the smell of sick people, though. Then, there was the White Ajah where I could easily pass some time by not bothering to be cheerful or happy to be there. Then I saw the wrinkles in the faces of the women there. I am not ready to look that old, just yet. So I looked at the Green Ajah. It did not take but a moment to see that they have no time for research with all of their practice and working out. While the things they weave together were interesting, there was not much room for experimenting. How else do you learn anything but to experiment? Which left only the Blue Ajah. Just watching the Blue Ajah made me tired. They are always flitting from one place to another. They hunt for the slightest little nuance and some of them keep better records than researchers I used to study with! If anyone would figure me out, it would be the Blues. So, that nixed that idea.
I was left with a problem, since I seemed to have found a reason not to be in any of these Ajahs. You ask which one I would have chosen were I one of these witless idiots and I would have to say Brown, if any of them. My next choice would probably be Blue, but only if the question of being found were not an issue.

I could always be the Amrylin, of course. Then the question of which Ajah I would prefer would not be an issue. Then the whole White Tower would be properly educated in the ways of the Dark Lord’s power. I believe the rings would appropriately signify another generation of My Children, do you not agree?

Significantly Yours,
Messana

P.S. While others may not know your name, I do. If you read much in the way of Fantasy these days, you will know this gives me a certain amount of power over you. Do not think I will not use it when it suits me. We will meet again, curious child.

Ishamael
after three thousand years of knock-knock jokes, what’s the best one you’ve heard?
Also Since you’re obviously a good author, I wanted to know how does a author write a good book?
an admiring fan of Narg:the little Trolloc That could

Dear admiring fan,

Narg was a failure, within minutes of that book being published, he was put in a cook pot because he couldn’t hold his own against several thousand Trollocs and 6 Mydraal. That said, there was only 1000 copies of that book ever made, and exactly 3 of those copies sold. I burned the rest. With my mouth. You think I don’t have a good use for these flames hidden away behind my face?

There are no good knock knock jokes. Well, there is one, but as you are unworthy of hearing my utter such a joke, you shall have to live without. Or die without, I don’t care either way, but if your going to die, make it creative without being annoying. If your going to live, well, start groveling.

Now, you claim that I am a good author, but you seem to think I have written something other than fake prophecies to seal two dooms with. However, since you seem to think that I am a good writer, I shall bestow my extensive wisdom of “writing” upon you.

First, don’t stop because you’ve run out of words, else you might never come back to it. And thats not good. Finish what you are doing, but do it well. There is nothing worse than a person who has cut their ending short and made it bad as a result. I kill kittens when I read such horrible endings. Mind you, I kill kittens anyways, just more than usual then.

Also, never write using short forms, such as i c u and whatnot. First, this is a surefire way of making sure your story makes it nowhere, and second, it makes me want to punch a puppy. Of course, I punch puppies anyways… oh wait, I already went along that train of thought. Oh well, I will continue it and you will laugh, for you are puny mortal and I am Ishamael, Nae’Blis of the Great Lord of the Dark.

…but I punch them more often when I read short form. And I know you weak hearted fools can’t stand to see a puppy punched.

Ishamael
Did not write that Narg book. Had Narg killed for writing such a terrible book, although suspects that Asmodean wrote it. Know’s Asmodean to be a fool that can’t write.

Hello most luxurious of Chosen,
my sister has started dating, but she often leaves the house using makeup that makes her look like a corpse. I thought I might get her decent make up for her upcoming birthday, that doesn’t make her look dead. since you know so much about being beautiful I thought you could send some advice.

nonconformist.

Dearest nonconformist,

From what you’ve described to me, your sister’s state is indeed severe. I believe in the easy way out and so at this point, I’m afraid making your sister an actual corpse would be easier than uncorpsfying her. She’ll be happier where she’s going. Or she might not. What’s most important is that she dies with style. And if you want to be a good brother, give her a push in the right direction. Down a 9th floor building would be the safest bet.

Take care, handsome. And stay in touch! *winks*

Graendal

Dear Chosen,

\”Money can’t buy happiness, but it can certainly rent it for a few hours!”

Dear Le Blackadder

First, adding one word of French in your post, as part of your name is cheesy. Get over yourself fool. French is not cool. If French were cool, then everyone would want to be a part of Quebec or France, not in the better English speaking England and Canada.

Now, you asked some questions, and since I’m bored, I’ll go ahead and answer them. Maybe I’ll add a random word of French of my own just to spice my answers up. Imbécile.

Personally, what do you think of our Age, and world we live in currently?

All things considered, I don’t think there’s been a better age. I mean, the weapons, the women, the people who can serve my ever whim!

I can be as evil as I want, and people will start wars with me! The bloodshed! I can wreak havoc, cause mass murder, and all around be a generally awesome person, all in the name of not liking westerner’s!

I do have my beefs with this age though. For example, American Beer. Who came up with that crap? Its not even deserving of being called beer. I take that stuff (never buy, fools of this age can’t stop me from taking what I want) just to pour it down the sink. And I laugh while doing it too.

What do you think of our society in general and politics?

Your society has murder, crime, fools, starvation and generally every bad thing that my own society, pre-bore lacked. Semirhage must be in heaven, just watching all the suffering. Myself, I see profit in it, and women. Imagine how many women I can get. I enjoy women. They are quite pleasurable to have around… and I especially like those ones that simper and don’t think too, how much easier is it to get things done than that?

I care nothing for this ages politics, aside from the bit where its really easy to start war’s. All I have to do is take a picture of a nuke and plant it in the Iranian presidents office, and take a picture of his office, and send it to a western leader. And then I can get creative in framing these people.

How has your transition been from your Age to our own current Age?

Rather sudden, being as I went to sleep one day in my own age, and woke up to this world. Its like you going to bed in your room, and waking up in the poorest dirtiest parts of China. Transition? You might as well get hit in the face with a rock repeatedly for an hour and try to function normally after that.

And finally,

How long have you served the Dark One for?

Longer than your mortal mind can comprehend. Imbécile.

- Rahvin