Fain and the Fade

[Feral]

In the 2nd book we see the Fade Fain killed. Not only did he kill it, he nailed it to a door while it was still alive, if I remember correctly. Do the books explain how he did it? I've re-read all the early books recently and can't remember getting an explanation.

[trakand_01]

No so far I dont believe we've learnt how he did it, other than to learn that Padan Fain is a man of many resources. I wouldnt be surprised to learn that he'd encouraged the Trollocs to hold the Fade whilst he drove daggers through each of the 'eyes' - I believe the books say that the Myrdraal had a knife driven through where each of it's eyes should be.

[aussie_ashaman123]

they were nails driven into the place the fades eyes should be. big heavy nails. And I think Fain has the ability to shock and stun his victims, he does after all, manage to capture and chain down a second fade.

 

The method is meaningless, its meant to show us what sort of person Fain is. This is supposedly normal DF, who gets broken out of Fal Dara Keep, then nails a fade to a barn door.

[Guest Dreadlord]

Fain has never been a normal Darkfriend even in book 1, way before he went to Shadar Logoth. He was altered by the Dark One, made into a hound to hunt Rand. That might sound like nothing but we know it is definitely something. It says in Fains description that Fades feel fear in his gaze in the same way men feel fear at a Myrdraals gaze. Any normal guy is rooted on the spot when he meets a Fades gaze. So all that happened, in my opinion, is Fain found the Fade, it was terrified to the point where it couldnt move, and Fain nailed it to the door. Nice and simple.

[Guest tree-brother]

What every happened to the Fade Fain had straped down in the tent in book 4 I think.

[trakand_01]

He was altered by the Dark One, made into a hound to hunt Rand.

 

That's interesting, because in the prophecy relating to the Isam/Luc blending, they are referred to as the Hunt;

 

Luc came to the Mountains of Dhoom.

Isam waited in the high passes.

The hunt is now begun. The Shadow's hounds now course, and kill.

One did live, and one did die, but both are.

The Time of Change has come.

 

 

[Guest Dreadlord]

Yeah thats different though. Fain in book 2 thinks to himself that he has been made into a hound to hunt Rand. He goes on to describe his need to find Rand, a physical need that was put into him by the Dark One. That prophecy does indeed refer to Luc and Isam. But Fain uses the word hound for himself in his thoughts, if I remember right. I wasnt referring to that prophecy.

[Luckers]

He was altered by the Dark One, made into a hound to hunt Rand.

 

That's interesting, because in the prophecy relating to the Isam/Luc blending, they are referred to as the Hunt;

 

Luc came to the Mountains of Dhoom.

Isam waited in the high passes.

The hunt is now begun. The Shadow's hounds now course, and kill.

One did live, and one did die, but both are.

The Time of Change has come.

 

 

 

Its more commonly suggested that that part of the prophecy relates to the Darkhounds, given Slayers relationship to the wolves, and the sudden appearence of new Darkhounds--the first newly made Darkhounds in a very long time.

[sunshine + gasoline]

Didn't Fain also have some method for causing Fades some kind of pain just by looking at them? I can remember something about it from his POV after the cleansing of Emond's Field where he had a Fade captured.

 

Fain has some intresting abilities and I have a bad feeling that when all is said and done in AMoL, he'll still be around in the world.

[Guest Dreadlord]

Not pain, but fear. Like I said earlier, when Fain looks at a Fade it feels the same as a man does when a Fade looks at him. He has teh same effect, but only on Fades. It says that in his description in the later books.

[mothersmilkinacup]

Don't forget that Fain got some sort of powers from his stay in Shadar Logoth, whilest following Rand and co. in TEOTW.  He may also have gained some powers in the Ways from the Black Wind.  The extent of those powers are difficult to say for sure...  Is there a thread somewhere that discusses these powers??? Perhaps he has some freaky powers over dark friends and shadowspawn due to his "melding" with Mordeth at Shadar Logoth.  Mordeth does hate folks n' beasts dedicated to Shai'tan <buzz, buzz, buzz, wackle, snork>... Damnation, I did it again, I named the Dark One and have drawn his evil, buzzing ire and attention.

[sunshine + gasoline]

Not pain, but fear. Like I said earlier, when Fain looks at a Fade it feels the same as a man does when a Fade looks at him. He has teh same effect, but only on Fades. It says that in his description in the later books.

 

Yeah, I assume so but it's the following Pain POV below that threw me off and I still think that it hints at some special form of torture that only Fain extorts on the Fades. Notice how the Myrddraal only begins to sweat after he starts talking to it about arrangements. It's not in any way confirmation of what I'm saying but I always took it as a subtle hint on such an ability.

 

Wouldn't surprise me either since this guy has quite a few powers by now which most Jedi would call "Unnatural" - spotting darkfriends, bringing dead people back as illusions, commanding/communicating with Machin Shin etc.

 

In fact I remember that when that bubble of evil in "A Crown of Swords" showed up during Rand's little duel, I was utterly convinced that it was Fain who had somehow summoned a small Mashadar on steroids. In fact I'm still not entirely sure it wasn't Fain - no matter what has been said.

 

Fain sure is a cool villain tho. =D

 

With a sigh, he seated himself on the edge of his bed. The lamps were already lit, more than a dozen, leaving no shadow anywhere. The tent was as bright inside as noonday. “Have you thought over my proposal? Accept, and you walk free. Refuse . . . I know how to hurt your sort. I can make you scream through endless dying. Forever dying, forever screaming.”

 

The chains hummed at a jerk; the stakes driven deep into the ground creaked. “Very well.” The Myrddraal’s voice was dried snakeskin crumbling. “I accept. Release me.”

 

Ordeith smiled. It thought him a fool. It would learn. They all would. “First, the matter of . . . shall we say, agreements and accord?” As he talked, the Myrddraal began to sweat.

 

 

[Guest Dreadlord]

We do know that Fain can tell if someone is a Darkfriend on sight, and he can even tell if someone has THOUGHT about becoming a Darkfriend. And he can do Illusions.