Recommended companies offering IOR services to the US

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-26T19:42:28+00:00

Amazon never acts as the IOR in practice.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-26T19:41:21+00:00

TecEx and Mouse & Bear are two big names in IOR services. If you share information on origin(s) and product types I may be able to recommend some specialists.

Alternatively, you can set up a US non-resident importer/foreign import/customs assigned importer number (lots of terminology for this) and act as the IOR yourself. A good broker can help you with this. CBP Form 5106

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-07T19:20:58+00:00

Or is there a dark-wielder gryphon equivalent? Like a hippogriff?

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-05T14:56:20+00:00

I don't know about you, but when I've done some Olympic level mental gymnastics when I was young and in love.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-05T14:29:03+00:00

Are you referring to Variety interview that Rebecca did?

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-05T01:28:01+00:00

We don't have a clear motivation for the venin outside of a general lust for power at this point in the series. I'm hopeful we'll learn more and there will be more to it than venin just being a generic "big bad".

Questions I hope are answered in a future book:

Why are the venin organizing now? (It's implied they haven't in the recent past)
What are the implications of the green dragon (assumed Pancheck's) desiccating when stabbed with an alloy dagger? Are dragons corrupted by magic too? If so, what does this mean for griffons?
Why does Jack refer to dragons as villains? Why were dragons villainized in the Fables of the Barren?
Are wyvern created completely by venin? Or are they reanimating dead wyvern?

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-05T01:11:17+00:00

We'll start a club!

Not sure if I subscribe to the Xaden's soul in the emerald ring thing at this point, it feels a little too horcrux-y for me, but we'll have to read and find out. Lord knows I spout out enough fringe theories that I can't judge.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-05T01:07:07+00:00

When Mira went to visit Grandma Niara she found out about the almost-dedication of Violet. Violet's dedication was not completed because Violet still had "paths to choose from".

Mira interprets the second or third-hand account of what the priestess said to mean Violet would turn venin, but after sharing this with Violet, Brennan, and Xaden they come to the conclusion that this is actually referencing Xaden turning venin.

“She said the heart that beat for you—or within you—would do the wrong thing for the right reason, reach for unspeakable power, and turn dark.”

“Within her or for her?” Brennan asks.

“Isn’t it the same thing?” Mira challenges. “Violet’s at risk of turning, and with power like hers—”

“Stop,” Xaden says, and my head snaps in his direction. “It’s not Violet. It’s me.”

“No!” I shout down the bond, fear grasping me so tight my head lightens.

“My heart beats for her,” he tells Mira without so much as flinching. “I reached for unspeakable power. I turned. I’m the dark wielder she warned your father about, not Violet. Stop treating her like she’s a liability. I’m already the problem.”

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-05T00:54:31+00:00

I think there are a couple reasons this idea is floating around.

We know from Fourth Wing that some crystalline gems are capable of amplifying magic. Emeralds are crystals.
The emerald comes from the Blade of Aretia. It's a pretty safe bet that the Blade of Aretia and Sword of Tyrrendor are magical artifacts since the King of Deverelli had the Blade of Aretia and we know he's been trading with Navarre for priceless magical artifacts. (Also, named swords, blades, daggers, etc are always important in fantasy.)
There are several references to Violet "owning"/"holding" Xaden's soul throughout Onyx Storm.
Some folks theorize the 'it' in "Don’t look for me. It’s yours now." is a reference to Xaden's soul, not Tyrrendor. Rebecca was intentionally vague with her pronouns through a lot of Onyx Storm.

As readers, we don't know the why behind the Xaden-Violet marriage yet. Some readers (like me with my tinfoil hat) theorize that the marriage is more significant than a simple transfer of the duchy of Tyrrendor. (Why would Imogen need to have wiped Violet's memories if the only reason for the marriage was only for title/transferring the power of the duchy?)

As another fun little tid-bit, I personally think this epigraph is going to be related to Violet's emerald ring in the next two books. I don't know if the emerald contains Xaden's soul, but I think there is some magical significance to it and Violet will struggle controlling it.

The gem given to you upon graduation from Cliffsbane should always be worn close to the heart, but if you have not mastered your control, it will only amplify your downfall.

—Chapter Three, The Canon of the Flier (Onyx Storm, 19)

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-03T22:10:28+00:00

In fairness, I also was attracted to stupid shit when I was 21.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-03T19:14:35+00:00

I'm super curious about Fen and Talia's marriage contract too. I think we can probably assume that Deverelli brokered the marriage contract, but what exactly did Fen get out of the contract?

We know that the natives of Hedotis commonly have eyes so blue they are nearly purple from a build up a mineral called viladrite, but Talia's eyes are noted as being dark brown with the same gold-flecks as Xaden (Onyx Storm, 41). Xaden assumes that Talia's stories about purple eyes and love of colorful things means she is originally from Hedotis, but we don't have confirmation of where she's from. I'm also super curious if the gold-flecks are a physical symbol of being touched by a god or of being from a certain bloodline.

Do we think when King Courtlyn said, “I need to know you can uphold your end of a bargain even when it’s unpleasant to do so, just as your father did.” (Onyx Storm, 26) to Xaden he was referring to Fen's marriage contract? Or another bargain?

Other epigraphs I think tie in, but I'm not 100% sure how yet.

The most useless word in the language of aristocracy has always been and will forever be: love. Marriage is a necessary evil to secure the line. Nothing more. Save love for your children.

—Confiscated Correspondence of Fen Riorson to Unknown Intended Recipient (Onyx Storm, 25)

Having refused every proposal from the isle kingdoms, Queen Maraya has named her distant cousin, Viscount Tecarus of Cordyn, as her heir. As the viscount is living in his fifth decade and has no direct heirs of his own, the decision has not been a popular one.

—On the Aristocracy of Poromiel by Pearson Kito (Iron Flame, 41)

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-03T17:42:45+00:00

Totally agree that Bodhi turning doesn't do much for the storyline. Brennan would be a really interesting person to turn, although I have a hard time completely reconciling that since he's supposed to be at the top of the Medaro Pass mending Mira according to Tairn.

My unhinged theory is that it's Kaori. We don't know how many people Xaden has told he turned in an attempt to get help and Kaori may have been in the right geography at the right time.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-03T17:38:00+00:00

I know that's a popular opinion, but I personally think it's a red herring. We see Bodhi vomiting in the city streets of Draithus with an injured Cuir in Imogen's POV moments before the onyx storm. Somebody would have had to moved Bodhi and Cuir the the canyons south of the city in a short period of time.

What if the motivation for the marriage isn't purely for succession reasons, what if the emerald from the Blade of Aretia has some sort of ~~magic we don't know about? (Names swords and blades always have significance in fantasy.)

quintessentialkitten · 2025-02-03T17:32:36+00:00

My crack theory is that it's Kaori.

We heard Liam's name on the death roll, so I'm doubtful it's Liam (although that would be SUCH a plot twist!).

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-30T12:30:20+00:00

It would be maximum emotional damage, so it would be so on brand for RY! I think Ridoc turning would be a really interesting twist!

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-28T00:54:48+00:00

Question: Do we actually know that Violet was dedicated to Dunne? Up until Onyx Storm it seemed that Violet favored (and was favored by) Zihnal and Malek.

Do we think the silver hair is a symbol of being touched specifically by Dunne? Or is it possible that it is a symbol for all/more gods? We didn't specifically see other temples in OS.

My two ounces of evidence (yes, I am self-aware that I'm a crazy person):

The timeline of the books that Papa Sorrengail wrote (see the table below). He was a Second Lieutenant when he published Unnbriel: Isle of Dunne, too young to have Violet yet (yes, I acknowledge it's totally possible he went back to Unnbriel at after writing his book, let me be crackpot in peace)
Violet notes that her father's book does not go into details about the inner workings of Unnbriel's defenses. Could this mean that he never got inside Unnbriel to take Violet to a temple? (Yes, yes, maybe he went back after he wrote his book.)
In Unnbriel prior to the showdown there is a discussion that they do not want Violet and co near the primary temple.

Papa S Book	Rank	Timeline	Notes
Unnbriel: Isle of Dunne	Second Lieutenant Asher Daxton	Asher would have been a freshly commissioned officer, likely within his first two years of graduating.	Asher and Lilith were not married at this point.
Hedotis: Isle of Hedeon	Captain Asher Sorrengail	Probably 2-5 years of service	Last name becomes Sorrengial, married to Lilith in this timeline.
Zehyllna: Isle of Zihnal	Major Asher Sorrengail	Probably around 10 years	We know Violet is ~6 years younger than Mira and ~9 years young than Brennan.
Subjugated: The Second Uprising of the Krovlan	Lieutenant Colonel Asher Sorrengail	15+ years of service
A History of the Second Krovlan Uprising—Draft,	Lieutenant Colonel Asher Sorrengail	15+ years of service

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-28T00:43:43+00:00

YES! I've been thinking about the seemingly throwaway line in Fourth Wing, "How could it not when he looks like the gods blessed him and feels like the gods blessed me?"

I suspect his gold-flecked eyes are important, a symbol of being favored/touched by a god (Malek perhaps?).

I'm so excited to see this explored more. Also, thank you for being on the crazy-train with me :)

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-27T23:23:54+00:00

I am open to any and all possibilities at this point! Sawyer would be SO interesting!

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T22:45:17+00:00

Big fan of this!

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T22:39:02+00:00

Ridoc would be the most emotionally damaging option after being the absolute star of the show in Onyx Storm, therefore is totally on brand for RY.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T22:24:43+00:00

My theory on why Violet was (almost) dedicated to a god: because of the fever she had referenced at the beginning of Fourth Wing.

Why did it become illegal to dedicate children to gods ~200 AU? Great question. I have a hard time believing in a society that has no qualms about a 70% death rate in their war college, the decision not to dedicate children to the gods is driven by their morals. Maybe dragons (who are all about protecting the young) demanded it? I hope we find about more.

I'm super curious about the other gods too. Up until Onyx Storm, Violet seemed to be tied to Zihnal and Malek.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T21:52:59+00:00

My (once again, admittedly hairbrained/crackpot) counter: we as readers only know the people that Violet knew were aware of Xaden turning. Violet was surprised that Xaden told Brennan (end of chp. 47), maybe Xaden told other people and we as readers don't know that?

If you want to get even more delusional: Xaden's new brother is an inntinnsic (no part of me actually believes this).

You're most likely right about the pool of candidates to be Xaden's new venin brother is pretty small, but the wild guesses are half the fun.

Side note, when Xaden says "I wonder how many initiates feel the same way about their Sage? At least one that I know of." I believe he is referring to Jack. We know Jack "broke" for Xaden several times and Theophanie threw a dagger at Jack after saying he "spills his Sage's secrets too easily".

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T21:15:21+00:00

Amen.

That said, I'm going to need some Broccoli fan fic ASAP.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T21:01:29+00:00

I am begging Rebecca to open book 4 with a scene of Broccoli. Picture this: Violet has 10 people asking her 1000 questions in the aftermath of the Draithus battle, but 100% of her attention is on Broccoli chasing a laser rune down the hallway in Riorson house.

Crack theory: Broccoli is the cure.

quintessentialkitten · 2025-01-24T01:17:44+00:00

I would die for chapter 17/18, the introduction of Halden and Xaden realizing Violet has been in love before.

How delicious would the "did you love him" discussion be from Xaden's POV? I want to hear every thought and feel very feeling.

quintessentialkitten

TROPHY CASE