Asmodean's Shield

[Luckers]

Ok, so im going to ask that if at all possible this not turn into a who killed him discussion. I know thats asking a lot, but still...

 

Anyway, when Asmodean was captured Lanfear claimed to have shielded him to a certain degree, and that the shield would fade. She claims that 'he will not be able to challange you for months'.

 

However, a little over two months pass between then and Asmodeans death, and ostensibly we notice no change in the degree to which he could channel.

 

So my question is this, did we see any signs of his ability increasing that i missed? Do you think Lanfear was lying? Or was Asmodean hiding it?

 

It's a fairly pointless subject, i know. But its been irritating me like an itch under the skin.

[deathgate]

I don't remember that he hid anything. I don't guess his shield would have been influenced by Lanfears fate either would it? If so i would seem he would have taken pretty immediate advantage and didn't.

[SBoydW]

I think that Asmodean was probably hiding it. I think that if Rand go any hint that Asmodean was getting his power back he would have probably killed him. Asmodean knew, that as long as he as no threat to Rand, he was fairly safe from the other forsaken. Fairly being the optimal word there.

 

So my theory is that he was just hiding it. But I don't think that I've read anything one way or another that says he was getting his power back or just simply hiding it.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Rand actually thought about that too. He thought that maybe Lanfear was lying, and the Lews Therin part of him chimed in that it would be like her. I'll try to find the quote.

 

Also, Lanfear mentioned that unravelling a shield required being able to accept pain. Maybe Asmo's tolerance was even lower than Lanfear thought.

 

But there may be some subtle signs that his power grew slightly. In TFoH ch 3, Rands thinks to himself that moving a goblet across a room is the full extent of Asmodean's strength. Later he is able to use the invisibility shield to enter Rand's rooms when Aviendha Travelled to Seanchan, which I have to believe is more difficult than moving a goblet across a room.

[Luckers]

Well it has been said that lifting things with the power is amongst the hardest things to do, requiring pure strength, whilst other, seemingly more tricky things, require talent, but very little strength. Concider the making of cuendillar, for instance.

 

That being said, Rand compares Asmo's strength to a Wise Ones, and those Wise Ones would have easily been able to lift more then a goblet.

 

One other question, how much do you think Aviendha knew or guessed about Asmo?

[Beckon]

Something that just popped up in one of the who killed him threads was this:

 

In Rhuidean Asmo channels a goblet of wine across the room to Rand and Rand explodes at him. He thinks to himself that's probably all he can manage.

 

Later he thinks to himself Asmo would be hard pressed to match one of the wise ones who can channel. Amys and Melaine can certainly float a goblet across a room with ease.

 

In the first Rand is being derisive of Asmo, and being so strong himself he's not the most objective judge. Could be a clue though.

[Beckon]

Something that just popped up in one of the who killed him threads was this:

 

In Rhuidean Asmo channels a goblet of wine across the room to Rand and Rand explodes at him. He thinks to himself that's probably all he can manage.

 

Later he thinks to himself Asmo would be hard pressed to match one of the wise ones who can channel. Amys and Melaine can certainly float a goblet across a room with ease.

 

In the first Rand is being derisive of Asmo, and being so strong himself he's not the most objective judge. Could be a clue though.

[Beckon]

sorry double post...forums are being goofy for me atm. :P

[Beckon]

Rand actually thought about that too. He thought that maybe Lanfear was lying' date=' and the Lews Therin part of him chimed in that it would be like her. I'll try to find the quote.

 

Also, Lanfear mentioned that unravelling a shield required being able to accept pain. Maybe Asmo's tolerance was even lower than Lanfear thought.

 

But there may be some subtle signs that his power grew slightly. In TFoH ch 3, Rands thinks to himself that moving a goblet across a room is the full extent of Asmodean's strength. Later he is able to use the invisibility shield to enter Rand's rooms when Aviendha Travelled to Seanchan, which I have to believe is more difficult than moving a goblet across a room.[/quote']

 

At the end of tPoD when Rand is chasing the rogue Asha'man through the Sun Palace he uses the invisibility thing and thinks how it uses so little of the power that a man would have to be almost on top of you to sense you were channeling.

[Luckers]

Yeah, ive noticed the wonkiness of the forums too.

[Toman Zahere]

From what we know of Asmodean, I'm fairly certain if his strength in the power was returning he would have done all he could to hide it until a time came that he could benefit the most from it.

His staying with Rand certainly kept him safe from the other Forsaken. He also very aware that if he stepped out of line and was caught by Rand, he'd be dead.

Of course we don't know what plans he would have had, once his strength had fully returned, it would have still been in his best interests to align himself with Rand. Unless of course, he was a very fast talker and could convince one of the Forsaken otherwise, they would kill him on sight(which probably happened).

[Beckon]

Yeah' date=' ive noticed the wonkiness of the forums too.[/quote']

 

I think "wonky" is one of the bestest words in the English language. I need to use it more.

[Trib4l]

Don't forget "hinky"!

[Luckers]

I like 'mozy'.

[Beckon]

One other question, how much do you think Aviendha knew or guessed about Asmo?

 

What do you think Avi guessed? I think she would certainly wonder about him. It's a rather odd arrangement. I can't think she wouldn't have said something to someone if she really suspected anything though.

[Luckers]

Would she? The Aiel are a strange people when it comes to males channelers... its almost as if to them, they dont exist. Certainly they have none of the issues of the Wetlanders...

[Beckon]

I spose she might have just blown it off as one of those strange wetlander things.

[Iceman]

Yeah, the amount of power it takes to do things caught me ackwardly when reading KoD.

Egwene is drinking mild forkroot and can only channel a tiny bit of the power.

Her first class as a novice has an accepted telling her to make a ball of fire. She says she wants to smack the gal with a flow of air, but "she'd barely be able to feel it".

Instead, she makes 7 small multicolored balls of fire surrounded by 7 multicolored bands all moving in different directions and swaying about.

 

One certainly sounds like it would take more of the power to me... but not what I'd have thought. Ah well...

[Beckon]

That seems like a dexterity vs. strength thing. She could make a paddle out of Air but doesn't have the strength to hit her with any force with it.

[Someshta]

Later he is able to use the invisibility shield to enter Rand's rooms when Aviendha Travelled to Seanchan' date=' which I have to believe is more difficult than moving a goblet across a room.[/quote']

 

Didn't he also maintain the gateway until they returned? I recall him being exhausted from the efforts of it, though I don't remember if he kept it open or just kept it hidden.

[Beckon]

It was hidden. All they were able to see from the Seanchan side was gray instead of the room on the Cairhien side.

[Brad]

Didn't he also maintain the gateway until they returned? I recall him being exhausted from the efforts of it' date=' though I don't remember if he kept it open or just kept it hidden.[/quote']

Rand tied the gateway open when he went through. I seem to remember Asmo saying something about only Samm or one of the other Forsaken being strong enough to hold a gate open, implying that he wasn't able to, even unsheilded.

[Guest Barmacral]

Demandred, Semirhage and Lews Therin were I believe the three that could do it.

[RobertAlexWillis]

I recall him being exhausted from the efforts of it, though I don't remember if he kept it open or just kept it hidden.

 

Yes, he just concealed it. Rand blocked it open and tied off that weave, as Brad said, and Asmodean thought that only Demandred or Semirhage could have blocked a gateway open like that. Besides Lews Therin, of course.