Which major cities will destroyed in A Memory of Light?

[Charlz Guybon]

Which major cities will destroyed in A Memory of Light? I'd say that Lugard, Jehannah, and Far Madding are locks to be sacked and burned. I'd also think that at least one Border capital and one Seanchan held city will be destroyed.

[Majsju]

Interesting choices, but I can not see any of the named cities being in that much of danger. The Shadows main onslaught will come from the north, which means in order to get to the cities you mentioned they would pass by Tar Valon and Caemlyn. Two cities that would be far more likely to be high priority targets. Cairhien would also be a much more likely target.

 

I would say that Tar Valon, Caemlyn and at least one borderland city faces the greatest risks of destruction. Tar Valon and cemlyn because thay combine being strategical targets as strongholds for the Light, as well as being relatively easy to reach for an army, without too much risk of opening up the rear for reinforcements from the light.

And one or more borderland cities simply for being in the way.

[Tyrell]

An attack through the waygates on the shadow coast could be very nasty.

[Charlz Guybon]

Interesting choices, but I can not see any of the named cities being in that much of danger. The Shadows main onslaught will come from the north, which means in order to get to the cities you mentioned they would pass by Tar Valon and Caemlyn. Two cities that would be far more likely to be high priority targets. Cairhien would also be a much more likely target.

 

I would say that Tar Valon, Caemlyn and at least one borderland city faces the greatest risks of destruction. Tar Valon and cemlyn because thay combine being strategical targets as strongholds for the Light, as well as being relatively easy to reach for an army, without too much risk of opening up the rear for reinforcements from the light.

And one or more borderland cities simply for being in the way.

 

There are plenty of waygates on the Shadow Coast, the Mountains of Mist and elsewhere.

 

I chose Lugard, Jehannah, and Far Madding because they are not protected by formidable forces. I chose Amador because it's the major city that's closest to the Shadow Coast. I chose Shol Arbela, not for any real reason, a border capital will surely fall and I want to see some scenes set in the city of ten thousand bells.

 

Caemlyn will be attacked but with so many soldiers and women who can channel there I don't see how it can possibly fall.

[Cockta]

Bah, I think Emondsfield could stand against the all the trollocs and myrdraal in the world.

[DemandredFO]

I believe several borderland cities will be destroyed, though I am unsure as to whether they will have people in them or not.  Amador is a pretty good choice; I am unsure what will happen to Murandy.  Tar Valon will be partially destroyed, I mean between the Seanchan and the Trollocs which are most probably coming there can't help but be some destruction.  This just occured to me but could Rhuidean be attacked simply because it is Rhuidean.  I don't think it likely but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

[Majsju]

 

There are plenty of waygates on the Shadow Coast, the Mountains of Mist and elsewhere.

 

I chose Lugard, Jehannah, and Far Madding because they are not protected by formidable forces. I chose Amador because it's the major city that's closest to the Shadow Coast. I chose Shol Arbela, not for any real reason, a border capital will surely fall and I want to see some scenes set in the city of ten thousand bells.

 

Caemlyn will be attacked but with so many soldiers and women who can channel there I don't see how it can possibly fall.

 

Sure, there are waygates. But their usefulness is limited. Machin Shin may be behaving rather odd these days, but sending a million trollocs through the ways is basically inviting it to dinner. So, the shadowspawn would have to be sent in smaller groups, which means they would have to have a relatively long presence on the shadowcoast, if that is where they are headed. Now, how long can you keep a couple of hundred thousand trollocs in one place before they start to eat eachother? Any major raiding would have them enter Seanchan controlled territory, and the Seanchan holds enough forces in and around Altara to wipe out quite a considerable shadow force.

 

Now, even if they did manage to keep a huge force hidden away, why would they chose to attack cities that are basically irrelevant to the war? Jehannah does not pose a threat, their army could not even kick out a ragtag gang of dragonsworn. Far Madding is basically a city state, whatever "army" they could field would at the very most be about 1000 soldiers more trained for policing the city than fighting a war.

And to reach any of them from the shadow coast, the shadow would be forced to fight their way through the territory that is the Seanchans stronghold on this continent, with Illian, Andor and in Far Maddings case, Tear all able to send reinforcements relatively quickly.

 

I deliberatly left Lugard out, since noone knows what the deal is with the mysterious new king who appeared out of nowhere and united a nation that used to resist any such attempt. I do not buy the somewhat popular theory that the king would be Demandred, but he, or some other forsaken might have been involved somehow.

 

I rather think that the shadow would thinkg more strategical. If they do have a massive force on the shadow coast, use it to launch an attack on the Seanchans main force. They would not have a chance of actually defeating the Seanchan, but they might keep them occupied long enough sp they will not be able to interfere elsewhere. Same with Tar Valon and Caemlyn, both holds considerable forces that would help Rand. Attack them, keep them busy.

It is after all not like the shadow really cares about how many trollocs that dies, as long as the goals are achieved.

[Charlz Guybon]

A hundred thousand Trollocs were sent through the ways to attack Rand and company. If it could be done once, it can be done again.

 

All major cities are relevant to the war. They are potential rallying points and the economic center from which prolonged war can be wage. Far Madding for example is a major city with a quarter million people. It's a major economic center that sits astride trade routes between Caemlyn, Illian and Tear. That's reason enough to destroy it. The fact that it is currently lightly guarded is all the more reason to attack it.

 

Better to obliterate states/cities that are in chaos or unprepared for war and then move onto targets who are already mobilized, than to bypass them and get into a struggle with the strong powers and give them time to pull themselves together and become a nuisance. It also sows fear among the enemy if you do this. Anyways, I don't think the Shadow will have to do much hard thinking about how to divide their forces. They will have enough Trollocs to attack simultaneously on all fronts.

 

I don't think the Seanchan are going to have as easy time as you think slowing the Trollocs down. In the portal world where the Seanchan conquer the whole of the west, they're totally incapable of stopping the Trolloc armies.

 

Roedran might be under the influence of Demandred but he isn't the man himself. Though if Demandred had great influence in Murandy, one would think Sammael would have mentioned or thought of it, unless Demmandred has only recently moved in.

[Snowy Dawn]

``A hundred thousand Trollocs were sent through the ways to attack Rand and company. If it could be done once, it can be done again.''

 

This assumes that Elder Haman, being moved about by one or more of the Asha'man, doesn't get there first and have the waygates ``sealed''. That is the word that Rand uses in describing what he wants done (in Chapter 20 of <i>The Knife of Dreams</i>), and I assume he means that the two avendasora leaf keys be removed, after which only use of the Talisman of growing will allow the gates to be opened again. [What Lolial did to the Manetheren waygate, in order to prevent more Trollocs being brought into Emonds Field---<i>The Shadow Rising</i>, Ch. 27, within the ways.]

[Charlz Guybon]

``A hundred thousand Trollocs were sent through the ways to attack Rand and company. If it could be done once, it can be done again.''

 

This assumes that Elder Haman, being moved about by one or more of the Asha'man, doesn't get there first and have the waygates ``sealed''. That is the word that Rand uses in describing what he wants done (in Chapter 20 of <i>The Knife of Dreams</i>), and I assume he means that the two avendasora leaf keys be removed, after which only use of the Talisman of growing will allow the gates to be opened again. [What Lolial did to the Manetheren waygate, in order to prevent more Trollocs being brought into Emonds Field---<i>The Shadow Rising</i>, Ch. 27, within the ways.]

 

The Forsaken can easily cut a hole open in a sealed gate.

[DemandredFO]

Like Charlz said, any dreadlord could just blow it outward, I'm sure they'd have to do more than Moiraine because I can't see a million or two trollocs ducking out of a Waygate.

[Charlz Guybon]

I wonder if we'll see machin shin again? We haven't seen it since the great hunt when it tried to escape the waygate. It would be cool if it managed to escape.

 

Alternately, I wonder if one of the Forsaken could figure out how to get rid of it? Can't be more difficult to do than cleansing Saidin. One would think it would be a priority if they wanted to use the ways.

[Cockta]

Is there any proof that Machin Shin actualy can get put of the Gate?

[Charlz Guybon]

Is there any proof that Machin Shin actualy can get put of the Gate?

 

In Cairhien it seemed to be bulging out of the gate, but Rand pushed it back with fire. We don't know if it can actually escape.

[Ahaz Flagg]

What is there to stop the Asha'Man with The Elder, placing wards like Rand has palced to kill any shadowspawn that walks through them?  Rand despite what Lan thinks, is like a pointed arrow at the last battle.  He knows what can be done to open a the gates, I am guessing that we have little to fear of these waygates left unguarded now.  And why on earth would one of the Forsaken risk his or her life at these way gates.

 

The only cities that need fear getting blown off the maps are the ones that are in their path out of the blight.  If you remeber the chapter when the forsaken meet, Ishy was not pleased that someone moved 100,000 Trollocs out of the blight.

 

The way gates may play a small part of movement of some trollocs, but enough to destroy one of the major southern cities?  I think not, The last battle is here,and it will more than likely be foucused in the blight and the borderland cities.  If the trollocs make it to Tar Valon, or Camelyn, than the light would have already lost.

 

[Hybrid]

Destroying the Trolloc hordes is likely not the way the Light will win the Last Battle.  I forsee a desperation strike at Shayol Ghul while the armies of the Light attempt to stall the massive hordes of Shadowspawn.  Thus do I Foretell.  ;)

[Cockta]

Lol, thus do I foretell.

 

But anyways, I always wonder how many trolloc there are, because we can always estimate approximately how many soldiers there are in tyhe world, but never trollocs, and that saddens me a bit.

[Kaznen]

Keep in mind that in the War of Power and Trolloc Wars there were darkfriend armies as well as shadowspawn.  And many DFs are probably placed to do the most damage at an order.

 

The only armies not to have DFs are the Band and Legion of the Dragon....

 

And I'm not to sure about the Legion of the Dragon.

[Charlz Guybon]

What is there to stop the Asha'Man with The Elder, placing wards like Rand has palced to kill any shadowspawn that walks through them?   Rand despite what Lan thinks, is like a pointed arrow at the last battle.  He knows what can be done to open a the gates, I am guessing that we have little to fear of these waygates left unguarded now.   And why on earth would one of the Forsaken risk his or her life at these way gates.

 

The only cities that need fear getting blown off the maps are the ones that are in their path out of the blight.  If you remeber the chapter when the forsaken meet, Ishy was not pleased that someone moved 100,000 Trollocs out of the blight.

 

The way gates may play a small part of movement of some trollocs, but enough to destroy one of the major southern cities?  I think not, The last battle is here,and it will more than likely be foucused in the blight and the borderland cities.  If the trollocs make it to Tar Valon, or Camelyn, than the light would have already lost.

 

 

What's to stop Demandred from checking the gateway for wards and disarming whatever trap was set up? 

 

Also, 12 out of 22 think that Tar Valon is going to be destroyed!? Seriously? When I say destroyed I mean burned to the ground. 55% here really think Tar Valon is gonna be razed?

[Kaznen]

Every one is planning a attack on Tar Valon right now.  Even the AS.

[Charlz Guybon]

Every one is planning a attack on Tar Valon right now.  Even the AS.

 

The Aes Sedai are unlikely candidates for the destruction of their own capital. Egwene can hardly unite the Aes Sedai and make them stronger than ever over the ruins of the White Tower and the bodies of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

 

Even the Seanchan, who will surely be thwarted in their attempt to take the city are unlikely to attempt to raze the city and sow it with salt like they did in one of Rand's portal lives. Toun wants to see the city and speaks of making it her capital after hearing Luca's description of it.

[Cockta]

Lol, dont think Tuon will be able to take Tar Valon.

[Ahaz Flagg]

What is there to stop the Asha'Man with The Elder, placing wards like Rand has palced to kill any shadowspawn that walks through them?   Rand despite what Lan thinks, is like a pointed arrow at the last battle.  He knows what can be done to open a the gates, I am guessing that we have little to fear of these waygates left unguarded now.   And why on earth would one of the Forsaken risk his or her life at these way gates.

 

The only cities that need fear getting blown off the maps are the ones that are in their path out of the blight.  If you remeber the chapter when the forsaken meet, Ishy was not pleased that someone moved 100,000 Trollocs out of the blight.

 

The way gates may play a small part of movement of some trollocs, but enough to destroy one of the major southern cities?  I think not, The last battle is here,and it will more than likely be foucused in the blight and the borderland cities.  If the trollocs make it to Tar Valon, or Camelyn, than the light would have already lost.

 

 

What's to stop Demandred from checking the gateway for wards and disarming whatever trap was set up? 

 

Also, 12 out of 22 think that Tar Valon is going to be destroyed!? Seriously? When I say destroyed I mean burned to the ground. 55% here really think Tar Valon is gonna be razed?

 

If I remeber correctly, the weave Rand used can only be seen by the maker not anyone else. It is safe to assume that Rand would have taught the Asha'Men setting the weaves to do the same.  I am pretty certian that Samamel only new Rand had set a trap is because the trollocs that used that way gate died and did not go where they were supposed to. So, that is what would stop Demandred.

[trakand_01]

Every one is planning a attack on Tar Valon right now.  Even the AS.

 

I reckon Tar Valon will end up a derelict mass of broken towers like... which city is it with the broken towers? Cairhein? I think the White Tower itself will stand amid the rubble as a reminder of what can happen when the AS divide. It will be the image of the tower itself which unites and strengthens the AS, resolute that it will not happen again.

[vasu619]

Yeah, I really do think Tar Valon's gonna burrrnn. It's the most obvious target. When everyone hears that Tar Valon, Tar Valon itself! has been captured by the shadow, who's gonna have the courage to fight on?