ooking South
by Rhodric: 2003-06-30 | Not yet rated
This is a bit of a prediction rather than a theory or maybe just stating the obvious but:
ALL of the powerful military forces of this age are focused on the southern area of Randland.
it just seems to me that all of the orders from the DO to create Chaos, which have been carried out since tLoC have eventually lead to the Asha'man, the Aes Sedai, the Borderlanders, the Seanchan, the Shaido, all looking at the southern regions of randland. that is, Andor, Cairhein, Amador/Ghealdan, and the coast.
I think this was the whole purpose of the forces of the DO in all books since tLoC; to cause all the people in Randland who are not Darkfriends to squabble amongst themselves, neglecting the fact that TG is coming. All the AS and Rand and any other good-hearted knowledgeable chap think 'the last battle is coming' but no-one seems to act on this anymore; it is just mentioned as something vague in the (not too) distant future.
This leads me to believe that the Trollocs have already begun their move, taking the Light guys unawares. trollocs have taken a village here and there from the borderlands, but no pigeons have yet arrived to any major characters, so we have heard nothing about it yet.
Well, maybe they haven't moved yet but basically i'm just praying for some Trolloc action in the next book.
Feedback would be nice.
You cannot rate theories without first logging in. Please
log in.
1
Tamyrlin: 2003-07-02
Interesting idea. I wouldn't be surprised if your theory is correct. The one thing I can't believe is the Borderland army. Are they nuts? It seems that Jordan is setting something up by sending them South, but I hadn't considered it in regards to the Forsaken focusing on turning the events south and westward. An add-on to your theory would be that Ishamael pushed the Seanchan to return at this time, so the world would be focused on the Return, and the DO could prepare and strike, crushing Rand and the forces that would fight for the Light between the Seanchan and the DO's armies.
2
Mairashda: 2003-07-02
"What I've left behind can guard the Blight short of the Trolloc Wars coming again," Ethenielle said in a firm voice. "I trust you've all done as well." (...),(PoD, Prologue)
while it would make sense, I do not think that the village here and there tactics will be it. it will be exactly what Ethenielle (Shield of the North, etc...)describes: the Trolloc Wars coming again- with a vengeance.
3
Tyr: 2003-07-02
Inn the past three books, maybe more, we've had no word coming from the Borderlands, other then the Heads of the area moving South and gathering. In all likeliness trollocs are gathering. For all we now the blightborder might have been pushed bak quite a bit south, to incompess all of the borderlands. Its quite a possibility, and an interesting point. Which begs for the question, in neglect of all the preachings of the last battle approaching, why on Earth would the borderlanders abandon their posts?
4
Callandor: 2003-07-02
If anything the Blight is retreating right now and is quieter then ever before.
**TITLE: Path of Daggers, CHAPTER: Prologue-Deceptive Appearances
"The Blight seems almost asleep," Terasian muttered, whiskers rasping as he rubbed his fleshy chin. "I've never seen it so quiet."
**TITLE: Winter's Heart, CHAPTER: 9 - A Cup of Tea
The Queen of Saldaea was still on her long retreat in the country, which Elayne already knew about, but it seemed the Queen of Kandor had not been seen in Chachin for months, either, and the King of Shienar was supposedly still on an extended inspection of the Blight border, though the Blight was reported quieter than any time in memory.**
Also, the Borderlanders know that Rand is ignoring the Blight, thats why they left (or the reason that they give at least):
**TITLE: Winter's Heart, CHAPTER: 27 - To Surprise Queens and Kings
Easar had taken no wine, and he stood with his fists on his hips. "The war against the Shadow is fought along the Blight," he said grimly. "The Last Battle will be fought in the Blight, if not at Shayol Ghul itself. And he ignores the Borderlands and concerns himself with lands that have not seen a Myrddraal since the Trolloc Wars."**
It does seem to be a major calm before the storm, but its not building little by little yet.
5
Rhodric: 2003-07-02
hey thanks for this quote, Mairashda
6
Rhodric: 2003-07-02
oops! anyway, the quote
"What I've left behind can guard the Blight short of the Trolloc Wars coming again," Ethenielle said in a firm voice. "I trust you've all done as well." (...),(PoD, Prologue)
that sums it up. the blightborder is quiet, but the Trollocs will be coming very soon, in numbers like those of the Trolloc Wars (hundreds of thousands)
yeah the 'village taken' idea i said was meant to be kind of a joke... i just wanted to point out that all of the major military powers have been distracted by southern affairs, ignorant of activity in the along the blightborder. the quiet Blight is part of this plan. And none of the characters seems to actually realize that its just the calm before the storm.
7
Anubis: 2003-07-07
i know that... i think demandred, on his way into shayol ghul has mentioned that the myrdraal are gnashing there teeth because raids have been curtailed. the shadow is lulling the light into a false sense of security. course with gateways the whole borderland containment strategy just kinda becomes inneffective...
8
Shadow Bane: 2003-07-07
"The Blight seems almost asleep," Terasian muttered, whiskers rasping as he rubbed his fleshy chin. "I've never seen it so quiet."
Like they say 'quiet before the storm' The TROLLOCS ARE COMIN OUT! Yep and no one is there to stop them, at least till the Ashaman find out and travel to the Borderlands.
9
Pendragon: 2003-07-08
Randland might not be in such danger of the Blight as one may think. Remember at the end of the latest book, Rand gets a message that someone wants to visit him, he asks who it is, and they say "Daughter of the Nine Moons" (sorry to those who haven't read it, but if your here, I'm pretty sure you have). RJ is setting up an alliance between the Seanchan and Rand. Don't get me wrong, I'm not naive enough to think that this will work right off the bat, especially with the whole damane/sul'dam business, but I'm sure Mat can work something out. Or RJ is messing with us and its someone posing as the DotNM, since last I knew Mat was far from where Rand was (that and you'd think he'd know Mat was in the area with the whole tavern thing), but only the great the horribly sneaky RJ knows.
10
Rand-althor: 2003-07-08
"What I've left behind can guard the Blight short of the Trolloc Wars coming again," Ethenielle said in a firm voice. "I trust you've all done as well." (...),(PoD, Prologue)
As has been said, forshadowing, or we all deserve to be shot for completely missing the point. As i see it this means that neglecting large attacks, the blight is as secure as ever. I believe that the borderlands will begin to be broken through just as the White tower and Black tower battles happen, and near when the Borderland armies meet Rand. They will get a message, and go crazy because they didn't leave enough troops. Either that, or there are armies of trollocs and fades slowly growing all over, whether by gateways or the ways, and that Randland is about to be attacked internally as well as externally. I believe that the Borderlands will be broken by at least Trolloc Wars amounts of troops, and at the same time a lot of small groups will spring up all over, meaning that there will be trollocs all over, which would explain the silence of the blight.
Just a side note, does anyone know how trollocs are created? Is there a breeding machine somewhere? What creates them, cause I just can't see trollocs mating with each other, cause they would more likely bash each other's heads out, and this wouldn't allow the strengthening of the human strain to create Fades.
11
Dorindha: 2003-07-09
It says about trollocs in the BWB - trollocs reproduce "naturally", and female trollocs spend most of their time pregnant, and don't do anyhting else - it is only male trollocs that fight.
12
Rhodric: 2003-07-15
I forgot about gateways, or at least that the forces of the DO use them.
this kinda makes the whole light forces in the southern area irrelevant.
13
Aelfinn: 2004-01-29
***I forgot about gateways, or at least that the forces of the DO use them.
this kinda makes the whole light forces in the southern area irrelevant. ***
What do you mean by that?
Sure, all those Forsaken can Travel, but so can: the Aes Sedai and Asha'man strong enough to (DArkfriends among them as well), maybe some Wise Ones will learn, and I think, the Sea Folk.
The problem with Travelling is... it kinda like needs a channeller or two. They aren't so common [on either side] that every army can afford to move quickly, but if someones lucky, they might be able to get one.
From what we know, only a [living, strong enough] channeller can do Travelling. That "nar'baha" (or "fool box!") of Sammael's was just that: a fool box. It was him holding the weaves all the time.
Nyah, I'd say that the option of Travelling is pretty much spread over both Light and Shadow, with every Aes Sedai and Asha'man who can, learning.
14
Rhodric: 2004-05-23
to clarify my last post:
my original theory was that the DO was trying to lure the forces of the Light away from the Blightborder. That way the DO can release hundreds upon thousands of Trollocs onto the borderlands, without warning, and destroy the borderlands without opposition.
in my last post i meant that by using gateways, the DO can send hundreds of thousands of trollocs and fades ANYWHERE without much warning, with (relative) ease.
so the fact that no-one is guarding the borderlands isn't as big a deal as i first thought...
though it is certainly something worth noting, that RJ has written that the Blight is left unguarded, as well as the foreshadowing from Bashere et al. IMHO that is how the last battle will start - a large offensive of dark forces sweeping over the bordelands and heading southwards.
15
snakes-n-foxes: 2004-05-23
Hmmm...I do have one problem with this theory...the timing of it.
oooh...wait...I was going to say, wouldn't you wait until AFTER the major battles before attacking (ie probably the Seachan Vs whoever - white tower)...but....the Seachan don't believe in Trollocs...so you could wait until battle was engaged...invade...and the forces of the light would be helpless to head north (presuming they do want to invade the north first, and not travel elsewhere).
16
Brendan Reborn: 2004-06-08
**in my last post i meant that by using gateways, the DO can send hundreds of thousands of trollocs and fades ANYWHERE without much warning, with (relative) ease.
**
Actually, given the number of channelers we have seen in the last few book, (a good many) I don't think it would be easy to transport the trollocs anywhere. All the forsaken are too busy scheming on rand and each other, they are already in places far south. And dreadlords...haven't seen any yet, so we'll wait. And thats a perfect time for a big push from the blight. No one guarding it, and no channelers needed. Once they take the borderlands, they can move on.
17
fistandantilus: 2004-09-13
snakes, I think your first opinion was right. The forces of the Dark wouldn't want to strike while the battle was engaged, as that would give the Seanchan and the Dragonsworn and the Aes Sedai and the Asha'man and anyone else involved in the fight a common enemy. If I were leading the Forces of the Dark, I would wait until the battle was almost over, when all forces are depleted, and begin by attacking the rederves. Once the fresh and rested troops are out of the way, then I would launch the full assault on the forces already engaged. The Confusion would be at its height due to the exhaustion of the fighters, and the lack of reserve troops would cause morale to drop to an all time low. The Forces of Light would be easy to mop up then.
