unconventional uses for a'dam: what would happen?

[king of nowhere]

I was wondering on what would happen if a'dams were used in some ways different from what they are intended. it is of course intended that all women involved can channel

1) a woman wears the a'dam on herself, binding her wrist to her neck

2) a woman hold another by the a'dam. that woman has another a'dam on her wrist, connected to another woman. and maybe more women, connected like a chain.

3) a woman has an a'dam on one wrist and another a'dam on the other, both connected to different women.

4) two women with 2 a'dams are holding each other, both having one leash on his wrist to the neck of the othern woman.

5) a woman has two a'dams on her neck, held by two different women

6) as 5, but with both a'dams held by the same woman

Did jordan ever answered those questions at signings? do anyone has some notion on what would happen?

[Aethling he/him]

1 would be a moot point. she could control herself, but she already does that without the adam.

2 that might be practical with the one holding the original leash having circle like abilities. I think one of the forsaken actually stated that an adam was a way to force a woman into a circle.

3 should present any problem other than the leashholder having to remain very good concentration

4 would result in some form of stasis as neither woman would be able to do something without the consent of the other.

5 would probably result in near constant pain as it is already hard to work for two bosses each wanting you to do something different with the same idea

6 would be rather pointless except for causing increased pain.

[Lady_Yasha she/her]

1. I don't think it'd work anyway. My guess is it's like linking where'd you only Channel your own Power. A'dam at my best guess is a forceful linking.

2. I'd imagine the a'dam is topological, one controls the one below, that controls the one below that, and so on...

3. It's mentioned in The Great Hunt when Nynaeve straps one on to a captive suldam, she becomes aware of the suldam's emotions in a bundle and by pressing on it inflicted pain. Aes Sedai are aware of their Gaidin's emotions and whereabouts in much the same way. The first a'dam was created by an Aes Sedai, probably using this connection as a template, adapting it to work with others that Channeled.

4. What Aethling said. Unless it worked like some mutual shock treatment and could be used in carnal masochism...

5. A suldam only inflicts pain by actively doing so. If two suldam leashed the same damane I'd expect they'd have some agreement. A suldam that can't do anything for conflicting orders and near-constant agony would be useless in combat. Even then it would be redundant because suldam would just trade a single bracelet between themselves.

6. Pointless.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Lyrebon

[frozndevl]

#3 - I believe that Tuon demonstrates this when she releashes the formerly captive Aes Sedai when she is traveling with Mat and Valan Luca's menagerie.

[lDanielHolm he/him]

1) a woman wears the a'dam on herself, binding her wrist to her neck

The bracelet would be non-effective on the damane's wrist--you cannot be linked to yourself. If she moves, she'll be incapacitated, as if the a'dam hung on a peg.

2) a woman hold another by the a'dam. that woman has another a'dam on her wrist, connected to another woman. and maybe more women, connected like a chain.

That could potentially be dangerous. Burning out (or dying in pain, similar to when a man who can channel is brought into the link) is a definite possibility, for all the women involved. Unless the chain starts with a woman who is not controlled by an a'dam, the circle would be... flawed. I would also not increase the circle to more than 13. It is dangerous to test the known limits.

3) a woman has an a'dam on one wrist and another a'dam on the other, both connected to different women.

The woman is linked to both at once, forming a three-manned circle. The sul'dam is in control, but given the peculiarity of the a'dam link, both damane would still be able to channel. Unless the sul'dam is aware she can channel, she would likely not realize that the two damane are also linked to each other through her; she would just treat the situation as having control of two damane.

4) two women with 2 a'dams are holding each other, both having one leash on his wrist to the neck of the othern woman.

Not a good idea. Seems to me it would result in a sort of feedback loop. Burning out is a likely possibility. You cannot have two people be in control of a circle.

5) a woman has two a'dams on her neck, held by two different women

Again, dangerous to mess with. The sul'dam is in control of the circle an a'dam creates. You cannot be linked to two separate circles at once. Perhaps if the sul'dam were already linked with each other... no, still probably not something to mess around with.

6) as 5, but with both a'dams held by the same woman

I doubt anything would happen.

[AyeJay she/her]

2) Conga line. They would all be compelled to dance in a conga line.