u/_flannels_

I’m re-reading IF and just got to the part where Brennan tells Violet (who thinks he speaks Old Lucerish) that he doesn’t know Old Lucerish. As u/iiamuntuii picked up in this super-clever thread, Trissa gives him a long look when he says this. And we don’t learn a lot about Trissa, other than that she is quiet and great at runes.

The consensus in that thread and comments is that Trissa clocked that he was lying and kept it a secret for some reason. But WHAT IF Trissa is the reason that he lied, and the look was a pointed one, to make sure he didn’t tell?

There are many reasons this might be, including that Trissa and Brennan are somehow in cahoots together with the venin. u/objectivestaff3333 compiled some compelling evidence on that score in the comments, particularly that venin have, in recent years, apparently gotten both more tactical (brennan’s specialty) and skilled with runes (Trissa’s specialty).

I don’t fully think Brennan is a Venin or a Venin sympathizer. I do, however, agree with the consensus that there’s something sketchy about the Naolin backstory, Brennan’s “death” and the rune scar.

Could Trissa be related to Naolin, and somehow controlling Brennan (or trying to) in Naolin’s absence? Violet describes her as rather young, so age-wise she could be a sister or even some kind of reincarnation of Naolin…she’s not listed as one of the most powerful riders at Aretia in IF39, but it’s Brennan who reports the “calculations,” so maybe Trissa is trying to keep the extent of her power a secret…

As I said, I’m still in the midst of the re-read. Can you think of anything else that supports this theory? Debunks it? Tell me your thoughts! :)

What if the venin are regenerating the Barrens By channeling in Navarre / Poromiel?

This would explain their motivations a bit better—just sucking up all that power from city walls, huge swaths of land, etc doesn’t otherwise make a lot of sense for any reason other than just greed, and they would not need to be so organized about it.

It would also play into the theory of “the balance,” as we are always reminded. PLUS, we know that it’s sometimes possible to ~redistribute~ magic. Early in FW, Kaori explains that “Naolin’s signet was siphoning.” And that “He could absorb power from various sources, other dragons, other riders, and then use it or redistribute it.”

Might make things a bit more interesting and continue the trend of turning the heroes/villains upside down from book to book.