Inefficient Seanchan testing

[Wulf]

Is it ever shown 'how' the Seanchan test women?  How is it that the suldam weren't caught in any reasonable testing method?

 

If they just walked through crowds 'feeling' for women who could channel, they'd find the suldam.  Several Aes Sedai report being able to tell they can channel, so that can't be their method.

 

The most obvious method is to just slap an adam on everybody.  Anybody that can walk a step, you're free to go.  But they obviously don't do that or the suldam would've been found out immediately.

 

I can't think of any test that wouldn't catch both groups at once.

 

On a related note, what's up with the male adam?  Can somebody refresh my memory on their history?  There's the first one in the early books, completely separate from the Seanchan.  In some museum.  They try dump it in the ocean, fail, Seanchan get it.  Which is supposed to matter, but then several books later it's implied that the Seanchan already have a bunch, and Cadsuane's loss of hers didn't matter because they could've just gone to the Seanchan "Male Adams 'N More Bulk Barn" and grabbed a bunch more.  And weren't adam unthought of in the AOL (*you've got mail*), yet Semi somehow understands the functioning of the rarest of the rare, the male "Dominator Band" or whatever she calls it?

Edited August 9, 2018 by Wulf

[BFG]

9 minutes ago, Wulf said:

Is it ever shown 'how' the Seanchan test women?  How is it that the suldam weren't caught in any reasonable testing method?

 

If they just walked through crowds 'feeling' for women who could channel, they'd find the suldam.  Several Aes Sedai report being able to tell they can channel, so that can't be their method.

 

The most obvious method is to just slap an adam on everybody.  Anybody that can walk a step, you're free to go.  But they obviously don't do that or the suldam would've been found out immediately.

 

I can't think of any test that wouldn't catch both groups at once.

 

 

They test everyone yearly (for the ages that a woman would have naturally started to channel). The only people affected by the collar are those that have already channeled (hence sparkers, learners won't channel naturally so will always pass the collar test). If they can walk with the collar they test the bracelet to see if theres an affinity (or i guess if the damane can move lol). As they spend time as Sul'dam this effectively comes from the forced bond which is why the collar holds experienced suldam. 

[Sabio]

The BWB says young women are tested each year for the ability to channel or the ability to wear the bracelet each year until they pass the age of manifestation.  Those who have the ability inborn become damane and are immediately leashed.  So every woman in the empire will get tested every year from say 12 -18.  It will always catch the people like Egwene who was going to channel someday regardless.  It won't catch the people who will only learn to channel if someone taught them how.

[DemandredFO]

I don't think it's ever said but I guess the Male A'dam was created after the strike on Shayol Ghul to control mad male Aes Sedai. I think Moghedien explains some of this to one of the wonder girls I think.

[MrMatrim]

On 8/9/2018 at 2:45 PM, Wulf said:

Is it ever shown 'how' the Seanchan test women?  How is it that the suldam weren't caught in any reasonable testing method?

 

If they just walked through crowds 'feeling' for women who could channel, they'd find the suldam.  Several Aes Sedai report being able to tell they can channel, so that can't be their method.

 

The most obvious method is to just slap an adam on everybody.  Anybody that can walk a step, you're free to go.  But they obviously don't do that or the suldam would've been found out immediately.

 

I can't think of any test that wouldn't catch both groups at once.

 

On a related note, what's up with the male adam?  Can somebody refresh my memory on their history?  There's the first one in the early books, completely separate from the Seanchan.  In some museum.  They try dump it in the ocean, fail, Seanchan get it.  Which is supposed to matter, but then several books later it's implied that the Seanchan already have a bunch, and Cadsuane's loss of hers didn't matter because they could've just gone to the Seanchan "Male Adams 'N More Bulk Barn" and grabbed a bunch more.  And weren't adam unthought of in the AOL (*you've got mail*), yet Semi somehow understands the functioning of the rarest of the rare, the male "Dominator Band" or whatever she calls it?

 

I think the implication is that the Seanchan made more from the one that they seized from Domon.  I always figured the damane who could make a'dam were set to make them.

 

[Sabio]

Since the Seanchan simply kill any male they find who can channel it seems unlikely they had any on hand or knew of them beforehand.  My guess is either Suroth or Semi had to known the people who can make the a'dam make these.  Since the Seanchan knew exactly where to find the people who were to dispose of it and tuon knew nothing of it.  My guess is Suroth was ordered to aquire it.  Both Moghi and Semi seemed to know a lot about the item.  

Edited August 26, 2018 by Sabio

[Orderofolde]

The "Test" is only effective in singling out women born with the spark, who will channel regardless.  That is why they leap on RM's forkroot tea.  It is far more effective and likely faster.  It seems to work on any woman who can or can learn to touch the source.  There are many references of women fainting or going weak after drinking it.  Most likely never knew they could touch the source or could learn.  The collar is only effective on suldam who have worked long supervising and being linked to channelers.  

[Sabio]

Here is the issue then, if the tea works on any who can touch the source or be taught to tough the source.  If they use the tea as the way to test women they will then catch everybody, so who then will be Sul'dam?  Since the people who became Sul'dam because the collar wouldn't work on them will now be discovered by the tea.  I still say one of the lamest things in the series is all the OMG this knowledge will rock the empire and then when it became known it was pretty much no big deal.  Tuon's explanation of so what I choose not to learn to channel so no big deal was pretty weak.

[BFG]

Sul'dam able to channel isn't widely known still, although I imagine Aes Sedai will spread rumours as soon as they can

 

I suspect it would have been a greater plot point in the outriggers :/

 

It's interesting to consider how much it would matter though. Randlanders likely wouldn't care, and the true Seanchan are ingrained with obeying orders from those higher up, so if Fortuna proclaims it doesn't matter, maybe they carry on as normal?

[Sabio]

Eg and Fortune spoke openly about it at their meeting. so word should spread.  Just with those around there wasn't any shock.  Suroth was all we need to keep this quiet and Tuon didn't even try to keep it quiet or even seem disgusted she could learn to channel.  It does seem since Tuon doesn't care no one else does.  Maybe just some shock and panic with the Sul'dam, or word some Sul'dam had fled would of made it mean something.  You would think since the collar works on Sul'dam they at least would be worried.  I so wish we would of gotten the outriggers,

[Talmanes]

I think it would be a huge blow overall, but that's why Suroth was trying to cover it up. Tuon is a whole different breed, there's not much that would break her. Most people, especially the Sul'dam would be horrified (and were horrified). I agree it probably would have been a bigger plot point later (and maybe even the end of the Sul'dam and damane as we know them in the future).