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Theory: The Stones and The Well

Hello, all! I hope this is the right area to post this in, but I have a theory regarding the ancient stones and the first well that I'm looking to investigate further, and this seemed like the best category for that.

I had posted this on r/reddit, and one person offered a few helpful insights (now folded into the text below) but I was wondering if anyone else might be able to help me dig a bit deeper into this matter.

So, in the books, we learn about two magic sources of great power: the ancient stones and the first well.

Both are described as foundational to Aerwiar, and it is said of both that they keep the world alive and growing. Their magics are both described as and reported to be similar to each other.

But what I'm wondering is, *how* similar are they?

Beyond the report that they keep Aerwiar alive and growing, we see one magic act from each:

- The stones are used in melding creatures, and thus in the creation of fangs and cloven

- The water is used in healing, reviving (possibly even resurrecting, though that remains unclear), and maintaining good health

The question now becomes:

- Can the water be used for melding?

- Can the stones be used for healing? Considering Yurgen's tale and their being called ‘healing stones’ at one point, it certainly seems so!

We also see the power of music in this world, and how music was necessary to bring out the melding power of the ancient stones. Might there be *other* songs with different powers?

And following the concept of the power of music, does it interact differently with the stones than how it does with the water? That is to say:

- Do the stones always have to be triggered by music? If not, what power might they radiate without prompting?

- Can the water be triggered by songs just as the stones can?

Just some questions into the deeper lore that have got me thinking.

32 comments

32 Comments

J. M.

Jul 23

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To answer your questions:

Can the water be used for melding?

No. If it could have been, Ouster will wouldn’t have needed the stones, so the dragons wouldn’t have dug, and the Well wouldn’t be lost.

Can the stones be used for healing?

Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that they can heal wounds and probably even slow or reverse aging; but no, in the sense that they cannot do so without melding. This is part of why Fangs need to return to Throg to be re-melded (it’s mentioned somewhere in book 1 or 2, if I recall correctly).

The Water doesn’t need to be triggered by music, as evidenced by the people and animals healed by it.

The phrase “sing the blowing of the ancient stones and the blood of the beast imbues your bones” is probably just a mantra. This is because it is said multiple times in the presence of the stone and in two different ways without melding occurring (book 4, the melding room, and the Healing). I believe in book 2 it also mentions the beginning notes of the song, but never mentions any words — making me think that either there are no words, or that the lyrics are knowledge that we are not meant to possess.

Andreajoy4jesus

Jul 23

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Replying to

I don't think melding was the only purpose of the stones, if only because it wouldn't make sense for the Maker to create a whole bunch of melding stones and then bury them in the earth. And they were always buried, unlike the well that was once available to everyone and then was later lost.

B4, pg 383 says that Janner could feel warmth and energy surging in his fingers when he touched the stones, and that was without any music at all. They were doing something. The footnote in B1, pg 53 says that the stones were imbued with power to keep the world alive and growing, functioning much the same, it is assumed, as Water from the First Well. In this case, we might be able to assume that the main function of each of these things is to keep the world alive and growing, and the healing and melding are secondary functions.

J. M.

Jul 23

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Replying to

I actually considered mentioning that in the original post — the original ‘function’ is for them to keep the world alive, but it is the Maker that does that. I feel like it’s more that the Maker keeps the world alive, and those stones are changed because they are just so constantly near Him. I do think the Well’s main purpose was to keep the world alive — but it did so by keeping people alive.

Actually, now that I think about it… the stones were meant to keep the world alive, and the Well was meant to keep people alive. But both were misused, which allowed for the evil that happened.

Oakley G

Jul 23

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Replying to

Huh. That's very interesting. If the stones are made for the world, and the water for people (and/or living things as opposed to the inanimate), that makes me wonder if their powers are meant to be reflective of that.

I'm also still wondering if they have other powers, lol

Though by this point, I think the answer is: "Maybe, but we have nothing to tell us if they do, or what those powers might be."

Andreajoy4jesus

Jul 23

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@ember wingfeather and @J. M., a Throne Warden (that has ADHD and sometimes acts a bit more like a High King) to two sisters, a tinkerer/fixer of things, and a science, engineering, and aerospace aficionado extraordinaire have some very good theories about the stones and water! I don't entirely agree with them because it somewhat contradicts another theory I have that I think is supported by the books, but they're very logically sound!

My theory regarding where the song came from is that Dwane learned about it from the Maker (though I can't imagine any melding going on back then), and Ouster Will sneakily learned it from his father - maybe a twisted version of it, though. Gnag would have learned the song from Will and then learned better how to use the song more effectively. Maybe the original version of the song didn't meld in the same way? Maybe it allowed one person to share their health with another without melding their essence? I'm coming up with this off the top of my head now...

That would be really interesting if there was a song that affected the use of the water! Maybe there was, and memory of it was lost after Dwane and Gladys died! Maybe Leeli stumbled upon the song while they were at the well waiting for you-know-what to work! Maybe that's the key to getting the water to do even more than heal!!!

It's also my theory that being in such close proximity to the stones is what kept Amrah young for so long, even though she didn't song the song.

Edited

Andreajoy4jesus

Jul 23

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Replying to

Yeah, that was just a mantra. I always thought there were lyrics, too, but Andrew Peterson confirmed on several livestreams that there were no lyrics. But that makes sense - if there were lyrics, they would probably be in a language no one spoke anymore. As it is, anyone can learn the song easily!

J. M.

Jul 23

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Replying to

I’d like to hear your theory, and how it is supported by the books.

I’ve read some of the comments under yours, and I find them interesting. But I do want to hear the evidence behind the theories.

Edited

Andreajoy4jesus

Jul 23

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Replying to

Just regarding my theory that the well does bring Janner back, and that it also restores Artham to full humanity. I just reread your theory, and I'm probably getting your theory and Ember's mixed up and combined in my head! I remember that Ember doesn't think the well would restore a fang/cloven, which led to her most recent fanfic! 😂😬

Sam the Ridgerunner 🍎

Jul 22

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I wonder where the song of the Ancient Stones came from. Maybe the Stone Keepers wrote it, but if so I wonder why it has such unusual effects.

Oakley G

Jul 23

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Replying to

😂 But some that is actually good!

Or... are Folk and Country completely unrelated? I know Folk can be nice. I may be mistaking some of it as country 🤔

Sam the Ridgerunner 🍎

Jul 23

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Replying to

Folk music is one of my favorite genres. Country is a whole different think I thing.

Oakley G

Jul 23

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Replying to

Ah, gotcha

Azog the Cucumber🥒

Jul 22

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Janner used the Stone to heal all of the Cloven. The Stones weren't "healing" in the typical sense from what we see in the book, that is to say that they wouldn't heal an injury, but with proper sacrifice they could be used to mend what Gnag and Ouster Will had marred.

Sam the Ridgerunner 🍎

Jul 22

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Replying to

I think I remember something in The Warden and the Wolf King that mentions Janner feeling a slight "healing" sensation when he was holding the holoél. I might be remembering incorrectly though.

Oakley G

Jul 22

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Replying to

Oh?? That would be quite interesting! Would that be when he escaped the melding chamber? Mayhaps I should go reread that section

Azog the Cucumber🥒

Jul 22

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Replying to

Yurgen was instructed by Ouster Will to seek the Stones, if I remember correctly. Maybe Ouster was lying, maybe he was not, but it's evident that he used them for his own ends. (Also, welcome to the thwaphouse.)

Edited