The Fal Dara Lockdown

[Luckers]

The Fal Dara Lockdown

 

On the twitter Wheel of Time Re-read (#wotrr), the question has come up about who ordered the lockdown of Fal Dara in The Great Hunt. A lot of people seem to assume its Ingtar, so I figured I'd detail the reasons why I think it's Moiraine.

 

The Lockdown

 

The Lockdown is first mentioned just after the Welcome.

 

"The order came down only a short time ago. Only moments." Tema's voice picked up strength. "All the gates are closed as well, my Lord. None may enter or leave without permission. Not even the city patrol, so Tema has been told."

 

Rand swallowed hard, but it did not lessen the feeling of fingers clutching his windpipe. "The order, Tema. It came from Lord Agelmar?"

 

"Of course, my Lord. Who else? Lord Agelmar did not speak the command to Tema, of course, nor even to the man who did speak to Tema, but, my Lord, who else could give such a command in Fal Dara?"

 

[tGH; 2, The Welcome]

 

Tema's question is a good one--who else in Fal Dara could issue such a command? Ragan repeats it.

 

"No one is to leave without a written pass. Too bad you did not ask a few minutes ago. The command just came down to bar the gates."

 

"But why would Lord Agelmar want to keep me in?" Masema was eyeing the bundles on Rand's back, and his saddlebags. Rand tried to ignore him. "I'm his guest," he went on to Ragan. "By my honor, I could have left anytime these past weeks. Why would he mean this order for me? It is Lord Agelmar's order, isn't it?"

 

Masema blinked at that, and his perpetual frown deepened; he almost appeared to forget Rand's packs. Ragan laughed. "Who else could give such an order, Rand al'Thor? Of course, it was Uno who passed it to me, but whose order could it have been?"

 

[tGH; 3, Friends and Enemies]

 

The fact that the question was repeated seems a clear attempt to underline that it was not Agelmar, and indeed, Ingtar states as much...

 

"I suppose Lord Agelmar's doubled the guard on all the gates."

 

"Tripled," Ingtar said in tones of satisfaction. "No one will pass those gates, from inside or out. As soon as Lord Agelmar heard what had happened, he ordered that no one was to be allowed to leave the keep without his personal permission."

 

As soon as he heard . . . ? "Ingtar, what about before? What about the earlier order keeping everyone in?"

 

"Earlier order? What earlier order? Rand, the keep was not closed until Lord Agelmar heard of this. Someone told you wrong." [tGH; 6, Dark Prophecy]

 

So, if not Agelmar, then who? The Shienaran hierarchy is solid, and difficult to get around...

 

Ingtar

 

Evidence For Ingtar

 

To some degree Ingtar gets around all the issues with hierarchy and commanding in Agelmar's stead--Rand himself points this out.

 

Rand shook his head slowly. Neither Ragan nor Tema would have made up something like that. And even if the Amyrlin Seat had given the order, Ingtar would have to know of it. So who? And how? He glanced sideways at Ingtar, wondering if the Shienaran was lying. You really are going mad if you suspect Ingtar.

 

[tGH; 6, Dark Prophecy]

 

There is irony there--but the point is well made. Ingtar had the authority to order the gates closed and have it appear Agelmar did so, and had he not been the one he should have at least known of the existence of the order--shouldn't he? I'll leave you to ponder that for a moment, and I'll point out the evidence against Ingtar.

 

Evidence Against Ingtar

 

The first piece is this--chances are that Ingtar was out of Fal Dara when the order was given.

 

The trumpets cried again. Like a singing serpent the column wound its way toward Fal Dara. The wind flapped the banner, taller than a man, straight out to one side. As big as it was, it was close enough now for Rand to see clearly. A swirl of colors that meant nothing to him, but at the heart of it, a shape like a pure white teardrop. His breath froze in his throat. The Flame of Tar Valon.

 

"Ingtar's with them." Lan sounded as if his thoughts were elsewhere. "Back from his hunting at last. Been gone long enough. I wonder if he had any luck?"

 

[tGH; 1, The Flame of Tar Valon]

 

Now that column does reach Fal Dara before Rand talks to Tema--but only just before. Tema states that the order had reached him just moments ago, and Ragan reiterates that, stating mere minutes before he could have let Rand out--so Ingtar was back within Fal Dara at that point, but consider that the order passed through many hands (to appear as Agelmar) before it reached either. Would Ingtar have had the time to set that in motion--particularly once the Welcome was already in action? Re-read the chapter and look at the time between the Welcome and Tema's comments and decide for yourself, but it seems very unlikely to me.

 

From there, some other points for you to consider--one, Ingtar doesn't actually lie all that often. For instance he blatantly tells Rand that the Fade escaped him. Another point is, why would the person who has usurped Agelmar's authority make clear that someone had usurped Agelmar's authority? All that does is increase the chance of someone asking questions and learning the truth.

 

My final point on Ingtar is this--what is the motive (for either himself or his shadowy bosses)? It wasn't so that Rand would be exposed to the assassin Ingtar had smuggled in through the gates--in his big confession at the end Ingtar states that "still [didn't] know if it was meant for the Amyrlin, or for [Rand]." One would think that if he had orders to keep Rand in Fal Dara, and to get an assassin into Fal Dara who almost killed Rand in Fal Dara he would make the connection. And the Lockdown was aimed at Rand--the only reason for it was to stop people from bolting from the Amyrlin Seat, and only Rand had that need. The Shadow could have only gained from Rand on the run.

 

Moiraine

 

The point I made above--that the only purpose of the Lockdown was to keep Rand from fleeing the Amyrlin Seat--is an excellent entry for Moiraine. Rand's point--that Ingtar should have known of the order--can be gotten around by Moiraine, who having stayed at Fal Dara would know the line of the hierarchy to be able to implement this order, and she also had better authority to do so. Ingtar was Agelmar's subordinate, and issuing this order was outside the bounds of the shienaran hierarchy, but Moiraine as Aes Sedai would have authority in that hierarchy whilst not being a part of it, and as such fits better. Indeed we see something similar occur earlier...

 

One of the black-and-gold-liveried servants bowed his way in with a blue washbasin and pitcher, a bar of yellow soap, and a small towel on a silver tray; he looked anxiously at Agelmar. Moiraine directed him to put them on the table. "Your pardon for commanding your servants, Lord Agelmar," she said. "I took the liberty of asking for this."

 

Agelmar nodded to the servant, who put the tray on the table and left hurriedly. "My servants are yours to command, Aes Sedai."

 

[tEotW; 47, More Tellings of the Wheel]

 

The timing fits Moiraine as well--whilst the idea of Ingtar being able to get this command through the Shienaran bureaucracy in a way as to hide who it came from in the few minutes he had is difficult to believe, Moiraine setting out to do so the moment that the Amyrlin was sighted fits almost perfectly.

 

So the logic of it is that Moiraine had the authority to issue this order, the familiarity with Fal Dara to conceal the fact that she had issued the order. She had the motive to keep someone from running from the Amyrlin (and perhaps more tellingly the knowledge that someone was going to run at all). But beyond logic is there evidence?

 

The Lan Evidence

 

From Lan we know that Moiraine was conscious of the Lockdown and that she had realised how Rand would feel about it.

 

Rand had been gaping at the Warder, but now he growled, "I have been trying. The gates are guarded, and no one can leave. I tried while it was still daylight. I couldn't even take Red out of the stable."

 

"No matter, now. Moiraine sent me to tell you. You can leave anytime you want to. Even right now. Moiraine had Agelmar exempt you from the order."

 

"Why now, and not earlier? Why couldn't I leave before? Was she the one who had the gates barred then? Ingtar said he knew nothing about any order to keep people in before tonight."

 

Rand thought the Warder looked troubled, but all he said was, "When someone gives you a horse, sheepherder, don't complain that it isn't as fast as you'd like."

 

[tGH; 6, Dark Prophecy]

 

Rand's questions are good ones, but for the start simply notice that this shows that Moiraine clearly gave thought to how Rand would react to the presence of the Amyrlin. Forethought isn't necessarily evidence that she acted upon them, but it still indicates that Moiraine was paying attention to the issue. From there notice that Lan is troubled here. Why? Because there was an earlier unofficial lockdown? Wouldn't he simply have asked questions about it were 'who the hell ordered that lockdown' the source of his ill ease? And that he didn't question the early lockdown either indicates he missed Rand's comment, or he already knew of it, and neither of those situations explains why he is troubled--at least not directly.

 

Moiraine's Manipulations

 

The reason Lan is troubled is that he doesn't like seeing Rand being played. His very next move toward Rand [in the next chapter] is to prepare him to face the Amyrlin, and he actually states as much in explaining why he did that.

 

"But at Fal Dara, I began to wonder if you were still wholly with me." A wariness entered his eyes. Lan, forgive me. I would not have cracked the walls you hold so hard, but I must know. "Why did you do as you did with Rand?" He blinked; it was obviously not what he expected. She knew what he had thought was coming, and she would not let up now that he was off balance. "You brought him to the Amyrlin speaking and acting as a Border lord and a soldier born. It fit, in a way, with what I planned for him, but you and I never spoke of teaching him any of that. Why, Lan?"

 

"It seemed . . . right. A young wolfhound must meet his first wolf someday, but if the wolf sees him as a puppy, if he acts the puppy, the wolf will surely kill him. The wolfhound must be a wolfhound in the wolf's eyes even more than in his own, if he is to survive."

 

"Is that how you see Aes Sedai? The Amyrlin? Me? Wolves out to pull down your young wolfhound?" Lan shook his head. "You know what he is, Lan. You know what he must become. Must. What I have worked for since the day you and I met, and before. Do you now doubt what I do?"

 

"No. No, but. . . ." He was recovering himself, building his walls again. But they were not rebuilt yet. "How many times have you said that ta'veren pull those around them like twigs in a whirlpool? Perhaps I was pulled, too. I only know that it felt right. Those farm folk needed someone on their side. Rand did, at least."

 

[tGH; 22, Watchers]

 

Lan was troubled by Rand being played by Moiraine. And that is the same cause as his trouble here--because in this situation Lan was being used as a tool to play Rand. Moiraine described her manipulations to Siuan...

 

"I have purposely let him think I no longer have any interest in him, that he may go where he pleases for all of me." She raised her hands as the Amyrlin opened her mouth. "It was necessary, Siuan. Rand al'Thor was raised in the Two Rivers, where Manetheren's stubborn blood flows in every vein, and his own blood is like rock beside clay compared to Manetheren's. He must be handled gently, or he will bolt in any direction but the one we want."

 

[tGH; 5 The Shadow in Shienar]

 

Moiraine has been letting Rand think she has no interest--but she cannot risk him fleeing at the sight of the Amyrlin, so she orders a lockdown--but that risks letting him realise that her disinterest is feigned so the second she knows he will stay--and of course he would with Egwene and Mat badly hurt (this is the answer to Rand's questions of 'why now, why not earlier')--she's back to making it appear that she doesn't care one way or another--and moreover making it look like she never did. It was for this purpose that she sent Lan, and it was being used in this manner which troubled Lan, and ultimately led to him making the play he made in preparing Rand in the following chapter.

 

Conclusions and Summaries

 

The Lockdown was ordered to keep Rand from bolting at the sight of the Amyrlin. Ingtar lacked motive to issue it, and the timing is at best problematic for him to be able to pull it off--plus lying about it to Rand, as we would then have to presume he'd done, is both counter-productive to his [presumed] mission is ordering the Lockdown, and against his nature. Moiraine had motive, means and opportunity. It matches her stated manipulations, and explains Lan's troubled feelings about the Lockdown.

 

In other words... Moiraine dunnit.

[blazetheearth]

I didn't even know that there had been an suspicion of Ingtar. Personally, I had always read it as Moiraine, and never had any reason to question it. Reading this, I find I still agree with myself. Moiraine did it. Good Summary Luckers.

[CorDarei]

Interesting. I had always read it as Liandrin, actually -- she used compulsion on Agelmar's sister and she can lie, which (I think) makes it easier to explain why every thought it was *Lord Agelmar's* order, and no one mentioned Aes Sedai.

 

The only problem I have with your theory is that Moiraine excepted Rand from the order, which ran the risk of him actually leaving. I don't have the books with me right now, but if I remember correctly the only reason Rand didn't leave was Egwene and Mat being hurt when Fain escaped. I'm not so sure Moiraine could have been 100% sure Rand wouldn't leave, so why give him the chance?

[Luckers]

The only problem I have with your theory is that Moiraine excepted Rand from the order, which ran the risk of him actually leaving. I don't have the books with me right now, but if I remember correctly the only reason Rand didn't leave was Egwene and Mat being hurt when Fain escaped. I'm not so sure Moiraine could have been 100% sure Rand wouldn't leave, so why give him the chance?

 

Ummm... from the original post...

 

Moiraine has been letting Rand think she has no interest--but she cannot risk him fleeing at the sight of the Amyrlin, so she orders a lockdown--but that risks letting him realise that her disinterest is feigned so the second she knows he will stay--and of course he would with Egwene and Mat badly hurt (this is the answer to Rand's questions of 'why now, why not earlier')--she's back to making it appear that she doesn't care one way or another--and moreover making it look like she never did. It was for this purpose that she sent Lan, and it was being used in this manner which troubled Lan, and ultimately led to him making the play he made in preparing Rand in the following chapter.

[herid]

why would Moiraine first give an order to stop Rand from leaving and then give another one letting him leave? By that point she hasn't talked to the Amyrlin yet. what changed her mind? And when she does talk to the Amyrlin the subject of the lockdown does not come up.

 

scratch that. I found your explanation for that one. sounds like a bit of a stretch but it's possible. I'm not sure that if I were Rand I would consider excluding him specifically of all people from the lockdown as a sign that she does not care. It's more of a sign that she does care but is manipulating him in some strange way.

[blazetheearth]

why would Moiraine first give an order to stop Rand from leaving and then give another one letting him leave? By that point she hasn't talked to the Amyrlin yet. what changed her mind? And when she does talk to the Amyrlin the subject of the lockdown does not come up.

 

scratch that. I found your explanation for that one. sounds like a bit of a stretch but it's possible. I'm not sure that if I were Rand I would consider excluding him specifically of all people from the lockdown as a sign that she does not care. It's more of a sign that she does care but is manipulating him in some strange way.

 

Personally I agree, I would have definitely been as suspicious of being 'exempted' from the order as I was of when the order came down to the gates, but then I'm not a sheepherder from a secluded village. I can esaily understand Rand thinking that it was a sign of her not caring because she is making sure he can leave period and not tying direct strings to him. At the time he had not learned enough about the Great Game to look for subtle indirect strings.

 

On a side note, while I was fairly certain that Moir ordered the lockdown, I was surprised to learn that it was Ingtar that released Fain. I had Liandrin pegged for that.

[herid]

 

 

On a side note, while I was fairly certain that Moir ordered the lockdown, I was surprised to learn that it was Ingtar that released Fain. I had Liandrin pegged for that.

do you know if there is anything in any of the books that indicates this? The only source I know is an RJ quote in TOR Questions of the Week.

The fact that Rand meets Ingtar on the way to the dungeon is a clue but is there more?

[LatifahAbdul'laah]

Rock on!

 

In my first few reads, I always thought this was just a lie Ingtar was telling about the order...

 

I do differ on one point..the Fade. I don't think it just outran Ingtar and I also know that not all darkfriends work together, but I still see the situation with the Fade as a deception on Ingtar's part.

 

Loved youe essay though.

[blazetheearth]

On a side note, while I was fairly certain that Moir ordered the lockdown, I was surprised to learn that it was Ingtar that released Fain. I had Liandrin pegged for that.

do you know if there is anything in any of the books that indicates this? The only source I know is an RJ quote in TOR Questions of the Week.

The fact that Rand meets Ingtar on the way to the dungeon is a clue but is there more?

 

I don't know of any evidence from the books, just the RJ quote.

[yoniy0]

Agalmar gave the order to seal the gates because he needed to find the culprit. Moiraine's party are clear from suspicion (Agalmar would never admit suspecting them, anyway), so having learned of his desire to leave, it's not weird for Moiraine to clear Rand with Agalmar, even if she doesn't particularly care about him. That's the way I read it, anyhoo. Not that I think she didn't care, but I can certainly see why Rand doesn't consider this evidence to the contrary. So, yeah, I'm in complete agreement with Luckers.

[herid]

Agalmar gave the order to seal the gates because he needed to find the culprit. Moiraine's party are clear from suspicion (Agalmar would never admit suspecting them, anyway), so having learned of his desire to leave, it's not weird for Moiraine to clear Rand with Agalmar, even if she doesn't particularly care about him. That's the way I read it, anyhoo. Not that I think she didn't care, but I can certainly see why Rand doesn't consider this evidence to the contrary. So, yeah, I'm in complete agreement with Luckers.

It still doesn't sound completely right. Lan doesn't mention that anybody else from their party is cleared to leave. Rand is the only one mentioned. That brings attention squarely to him as he is singled out among all others. But this is a minor point. Your and Luckers' explanation might well be correct. I'm not completely convinced though and I still tend to think it was Ingtar. I read some of the evidence he presented differently. First, motivation. Ingtar could have simply been ordered to do so (in order to peg Rand in for the Grey Man) and not given a clear explanation as to why. He carried out blind orders before as he admits when he mentions that he let the Grey Man in. Next, the fact that Lan was troubled when he learned of an earlier order to bar the gates could be just what it is on the surface - he didn't know about it (he wouldn't if Moiraine was not involved) and finds it strange and worrisome.

Lastly, the biggest argument in my mind has always been this line:

 

Rand shook his head slowly. Neither Ragan nor Tema would have made up something like that. And even if the Amyrlin Seat had given the order, Ingtar would have to know of it. So who? And how? He glanced sideways at Ingtar, wondering if the Shienaran was lying. You really are going mad if you suspect Ingtar.

 

Luckers' interpretation of this line doesn't feel right to me. and notice the italic. this is usually used to underline important parts, sometimes foreshadowings. My gut reaction on reading this was that it's an indication that Ingtar is, in fact, lying and Rand is right in suspecting him. The same device was used to underline Rand's many misgivings about Selene.

[yoniy0]

Oh no, the italic script isn't a way of underlining (pun intended) important bits. As I understand it (and this would be a good place to mention that I'm not a native English speaker) it's used to mark verbal strands of thought, as when someone thinks to himself. See here. The suggestion at the end is how I think most fantasy writers do it.

[herid]

Oh no, the italic script isn't a way of underlining (pun intended) important bits. As I understand it (and this would be a good place to mention that I'm not a native English speaker) it's used to mark verbal strands of thought, as when someone thinks to himself. See here. The suggestion at the end is how I think most fantasy writers do it.

Ah, yes, you are quite right. I'm not a native English speaker either and that certainly shows it . You learn something every day...

Well, even so, that's how I read that particular line - as a subtle confirmation that Ingtar is actually lying.

[mbuehner]

Uno. He's the only only one we have direct testimony against. And I've never bought into that eye patch either, that guy sees i've never been so sure of anything in my life.

[mb]

Encyclopaedia site confirms that it was not Agelmar. It also speculates Moiraine.

[Kiriath Til Asdod]

Wow I never once thought it was Moiraine, I figured it was Ingtar from the get.

 

From the prologue of The Great Hunt, after Ishy has shown his models of the three amigos to the gathering of dark friends:

 

"the Dragon Reborn! We are to kill him, Great Lord?" That from the Sheinaran, hand grasping eagerly at his side where his sword would hang.

 

The eagerness struck me as interesting. He must be in a position to know that Rand is in Fal Dara. And that could also explain why Ingtar was out hunting, (specualting that he is married and his wife would notice if he disappeared in the middle of the night for a dark friend party).

[Lacanos]

Am I missing something, or is it not true that the fact Lan said

"Moiraine had Agelmar exempt you from the order."

form pretty conclusive proof that the order didn't come from Ingtar, so therefore must have been Moiraine or Agelmar?

[Luckers]

Am I missing something, or is it not true that the fact Lan said

"Moiraine had Agelmar exempt you from the order."

form pretty conclusive proof that the order didn't come from Ingtar, so therefore must have been Moiraine or Agelmar?

 

That's the second, newer lockdown, which was actually ordered by Agelmar.

[Val Mickey]

We have only Ingtar's word that Agelmar didn't order the first lockdown, yes? The reasons which rule out Ingtar ordering the first could also apply for him not knowing about the first. Or he could be lying about that.

[yoniy0]

Don't we have Uno's word on it?