Gathering Storm question (spoilers)

[Ecliptic]

Doing a reread of the entire series and I currently just finished Natrin's Barrow and I was wondering...

Spoiler

Rand uses Nynaeve as a sort of test to see whether Ramshalan has compulsion and to see if the compulsion is gone after balefire... Only, when Nynaeve delves him the first time, she says that the compulsion weave is similar, though perhaps more subtle than the weave used on Kerb. How can she sense the nature and complexity of the weaves on Ramshalan if they were made by Halima using Saidin? And how could Halima's compulsion match Graendal's, with more subtlety?

 I've read the entire series a couple times, and may have forgotten some later tidbit.. So feel free to reveal any spoilers that could help explain this ?. 

 

Thanks! 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Ecliptic

[Andra]

As I understood the events at Natrin's Barrow ...

Spoiler

Nynaeve wasn't comparing the actual weaves, but their effect on the victims' minds.  Similar to the way she was able to detect and remove the madness produced by the Taint on Saidin.  Something no one else had ever been able to do.

 

As far as the "subtlety" comparison - Graendal was very adept with Compulsion, but was said to have used it like a sledgehammer, rendering her victims nearly useless for anything besides abject worship.  

We never hear about how well Halima/Aran'gar/Balthamel used Compulsion, but it wouldn't be particularly surprising for someone known as an intellectual during the Age of Legends to have used it with great subtlety.

[Andra]

Even if that was what Nynaeve actually did, it would just mean it was Delana's weave she read, not Halima's.

 

Spoiler

I don't believe the books ever say which of them was responsible for the Compulsion, and both of them died in the Balefire.  Since Graendal shielded them both so they couldn't follow when she made her escape.

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Andra