Quote Originally Posted by Cleretic View Post
And to your Halmarut thought: I don't think Zoraal Ja would've been part of her decisions, for simple reason that I don't think he's that subtle or all that motivated by the Golden City itself. Now, Sereel Ja I could buy, but he's definitely gone off the reservation by the time of the alliance raids, and is completely outside the Winterers' organization now, if he was ever inside them.
Then, doesn't it just feel too convenient that Zoraal Ja's plan happened to greatly benefit Calyx's own? Or is it just that the Ninth always knew about this link to the Source, and waited for the perfect moment to use this connexion for their own benefit (which is the Winterer's benefit too)? Maybe this has been explained in the MSQ, I just don't remember it that well.

Otherwise yes, I agree with what you said about Azem, I remember we discussed this when 7.4 came out. That's what led me to think that the key has some other purpose, and it "just happens" to allow to travel between shards too. Or perhaps, while it wasn't made by Azem, it might have been inspired by Azem's power.
That still leaves the motive for the Ancient to create such a key in the air though. Unless it was made by someone opposed to Venat's plan, and hoped they could use it for the Rejoinings (thus an Ascian, although I still have doubts about who knew what Venat was doing)
I imagine most of September's MSQ will focus on the Ethos, how it came to Tural (and how to use it to send our companions to the Fourth too I guess)