1
Tamyrlin: 2002-11-14
This should probably be its own category.
Slayer was attempting to kill Lan and Nynaever right?
TITLE: Winter's Heart
CHAPTER: 22 - Out of Thin Air
"Do you want me to try again?" Luc asked.
"Perhaps. When I tell you. Not before. Remember, not a word of this to anyone."
"As you command," Luc replied, bowing, but the man was already making a gateway, a hole that opened into a snowy forest glade. He was gone before Luc straightened.
It really was a pity. He had rather looked forward to killing his nephew and the wench. But if there was time to pass, hunting was always a pleasure. He became Isam. Isam liked killing wolves even more than Luc did."
So, why would Demandred want Nynaeve and Lan dead? And why go to the trouble of disguising it?
2
pointyman: 2002-11-15
Ah, but hold on there, Tamrylin. When the scene starts, it is from Luc's POV. "HIS nephew". So he was attempting to kill Tigraine's son and "the wench".... Rand and Min. Having said that, it would have been very anticlimatic if he had succeeded.
I don't know about the patron... I think the matters surrounding Sammael's 'death' were a bit too clean and simple for my liking. I wouldn't be surpised in the slightest to see him again, in some shape or form.
3
Tamyrlin: 2002-11-15
Hmm, good point. I forgot he was Luc at the time. Thanks for keeping me honest. :)
4
WinespringBrother: 2002-11-15
I think Lan and Isam were cousins, anyway. They were both infants when Malkier fell, and both their parents wanted their son to be the next king. I can't locate the exact reference though.
5
Jeebus: 2002-11-17
Jordon has stated previously at book signings that Sammael is toast. But then again he could be trying to mislead the internet again! ;)
But I still think it is Demandred because in chapter 22 of WH, Kisman receives orders first from Taim to kill Rand, then Demandred to kill Rand, then finally Moridin to kill Rand if he must, but Rand's posessions he wants more. But he was knocked off by Fain straight afterwards. So I think Demandred goes to his next option in Slayer, but has to hide himself in case Moridin finds out. Moridin has no need to disguise himself as he is the big cheese of the Forsaken and Taim cannot command Slayer as he isn't one of the Forsaken.
6
WinespringBrother: 2002-11-21
There is the question of whether saidin can be channeled in the TAR version of Far Madding. We have seen instances such as Rhuidean not being reachable from TAR when Asmodean tried to go there, so maybe there is a similar effect with the ter'angreal that block channeling. However, there is no indication that the True Power is blocked by these ter'angreal. Which makes Moridin a good prospect for being Slayer's employer.
Why would Moridin hide himself & hire Slayer to kill Rand in apparent contradiction of his own orders?
For one thing, I think the killing was secondary as a motive. His main goal was to get the Choedan Kal to secure his power base and keep them out of the hands of his Chosen rivals.
His orders were basically to sit back while Rand used the Choedan Kal, then go after him. But why not make a pre-emptive strike and get the CK for his own use. Think of the Chaos he could create with those in his hands.
Also, Slayer was already working with him on the Fain case. Maybe if Moridin turned around and sent him after Rand, Slayer would start thinking something was going on. Slayer may report directly to the Great Lord, and Moridin wouldn't want this to get back to him.
It also seems that Moridin was most likely the last Chosen to make contact with Kisman, who may have reported Rand's current lodgings to him.
7
Callandor: 2002-12-11
Lan and Isam were cousins but Isam was taken away as an infant by his mother and assumed both dead. Luc went off to the Blight from a Aes Sedais orders. They met up, fought and one died as they came into one being: Slayer. This is all explained if you read the 6 lines writen in blood in TGH.
8
dionysus: 2002-12-13
I took the phrase "died" to be a bit more symbolic than physical. Both still exist in a single body, just one is more repressed than the other. Right now, Isam does most of the controlling although he looks like Luc in the waking world.
9
Callandor: 2003-01-09
Originally I was REALLY into the Demandred as the employer but when I started to think about it it made more sense to me that Taim would be the employer.
Ok, big thing is that Demandred uses proxies. Now if it is Demandred commanding Slayer thas a big enough proxy, but using Taim is an even juicer one in my mind. Plus that whole deal about how no non-Forsaken would dare try to command him is just WAY too teasing ;-).
Now Taim could easily learn how to contact Slayer, if my theory that he was taught by Ishamael and Demandred holds then all he has to do is ask Dem and thats it he knows it. More over he can be commanded by Dem to command Slayer for him because hes his teacher (duh).
And why would Dem order Taim? Duh again, he REALLY REALLY hates Rand.
Minor question is though does Taim know that Ishamael has been reborn in Moridin?
Any thoughts?
10
juitzhead: 2003-04-10
WH introduced Slayer's mysterious employer – a blurry man. There is also another 'blurry man' that we have seen before in TSR. (Ch50, Traps, pg 838)
Rand is having a dream and encounters Lanfear.
“Is this how you amuse yourself when I wonder where you have gone” a man's voice said contemptiously “Why should I hold to anything when you risk our plan like this?”
then
“Risk” she sneers “you fear risk as much as Moghedien don't you? You would creep about like the Spider herself. Had I not hauled you out of your hole, youd still be hiding, and waiting to snatch a few scraps”
“If you cannot control your......appetites” the blur said in a mans voice “why should I associate with you at all? If I must take risks, I want a greater reward than pulling strings on a puppet”
“What do you mean?” she said dangerously.
The blur shimmered; somehow Rand knew it for hesitation, uncertainty at having said too much. And then suddenly the blur was gone. The woman looked at him, still neck-deep in the pond; her mouth tightened with hestitation, and she vanished.
We find out this person was Asmo. Could this be Asmo returned? Not likely b/c Dem seems to think that hes well and truly gone. The ‘final death'. Hence, it is widely believed that he will not be making a comeback tour in Randland.
Asmo resurrected is still an option but Taim seems a better one. I wonder how they manage to hide their identity?
Also, why can only the Chosen command Slayer and where is it stated? i missed that bit.
11
Vaughn882: 2003-04-10
I think both Luc and Isam both became Dark friends in the Blight, and obviously one of them could channel(if not both), probably Luc, because there are a lot of channelers in Andor. Perhaps one of them died, and the DO placed his sole in the others body, or they both died, or he did it as punishment, or whatever, but i think the DO fused them, because he's the only one with power over the dead.
12
Callandor: 2003-04-10
Asmo isnt returning! RJ has said so. **Hes the cat that tried to cross the railroad tracks and didnt quite make it.** Thats what RJ said in one of the interviews.
The man in my opinion is Taim. Why? The quote when Slayer says **and nobody but the Forsaken would dare give him orders** or something of the like.
That is WAYYY too tempting of a quote not to be thought upon. Taim is a darkfriend/dreadlord for sure and a few replies up I give my reasons for how Taim was Forsaken trained.
And it seems for sure that Slayer is the Darks assassin in itself. So he seems to be under their command when they need him but hes free spirited when he isnt.
13
Anubis: 2003-04-10
slayer thinks that his services were begged and bought at great price, but the chosen just commanded him. i donnow, i think taim is a good possibility here. recall the little tidbit about a forest glade. sounds kinda like black tower. but then again who knows. demandred has been suspisciously absent from the series.
14
Callandor: 2003-04-11
From the post-ACOS signing at Vancouver, 24 August 1996, reported by Lara Beaton: **Slayer: Cant channel. ... He has certain *gifts* granted to him by the DO, but cant channel either the OP or the TP.**
15
juitzhead: 2003-04-08
Please correct me if I'm wrong (like you wont anyway).
I believe we have met Slayer? mysterious employer prior to WH. In TSR (Ch50, Traps, pg 838), when Rand encounters Lanfear in one his dreams, a mysterious person turns and talks to Lanfear. This person is described as a blur. ? thick man-sized fuzzing of of the air·
I just cant make the connection as to who it might be, but I can safely say it? not Lanfear/Cyndane, Aginor, Be?al, Balthamel and Ishy/Moridin. Since they are all either dead or in the Waste with Rand. I think it might be Asmo, but it is widely believed that he has ?ied the final death·or Demandred (hiding himself so as not to piss off the DO for diverting Slayer? attention from Padain Fain).
16
Callandor: 2003-04-12
It was Asmodean in TSR who was watching Rands dreams with Lanfear.
17
Dorindha: 2003-04-12
Just a thought, but I don't think we can read too much into the blurry man thing - if one forsaken can use it as a disguise, surely they all can and most people who can channel - it must be easier than a mask of mirrors...
