If you were one of the Forsaken...

[sheikh chilli]

heh,

 

if i was a forsaken this battle would have been over a long time ago. Rahvin is the only forsaken with wits. the rest are just clueless and useless to boot

[Mr.Big]

It seems that the DO tries to pit them against each other.I think he did this so that the strongest would come out on top and he would know who to put where in a chain of command and how best to utilize each Forsaken's individual skills and talents.I think he let the infighting and mind-games go on too long and now they have no cohesion.

[Bob T Dwarf]

It's nearly certain that none of us could be one of the Forsaken.

 

They are all wired differently from us to begin with.  Life to them is all about ME.  Their wants feel like NEEDS.  It's imperative that their whims be immediately satisfied.  They really aren't capable of long-term planning and delayed gratification.  It's all ME and NOW to them.

 

Add to that 3000 years of suspended animation so deep that they didn't even dream, and they are all totally froot-loops.

 

At this point none of them are capable of seriously considering a scenario where they don't triumph.  With that for a basic mindset, they dunt need no steenkin grand strategy.  They dunt need no steenkin cooperation.  Do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want because it is foreordained that they will win.

 

Throughout the series, Ishy/Moridin is probably the only one who is planning and working toward a final victory.  And, he's the most outwardly crazy of them all.  Thus the chaotic and contradictory nature of his grand plan.  The others are just playing and having "fun" while they wait for the best opportunity to stab each other in the back.

[Blackhoof]

Interesting, but i dont think that all of them think their victory is preordained.

[Mr Ares]

If I were one of the Chosen, what would I do? Start a war and have an orgy. If it ain't broke...

[Dunderdan]

I were a Forsaken, Id also be egoistic, planning whatever gave ME the best benefits, prioritising that over DOs ambitions. Id go "sure the TG and all that" but I want to be bad and have fun.

 

Second, I wouldnt know for sure TG is imminent. Id hope/expect/pray that its still years and years away, giving me lots of time to celebrate being free. Id not be a machine unselfishly following the DO path. Id consider the DO allegiance to be a necessary evil (!), which Id not dare oppose openly, but Id try to secretly maximise my personal gains.

 

And since I personally believe following the DO is utterly stupid, compareable to accompanying an atom bomb on its way to the ground; as a Forsaken Id also be a bit stupid, having flaws of the magnitude Id never plan something perfectly.

 

[nnokwoodeye]

It is interesting, the forsaken went from a world where they were only high ranking generals, to a world where they are gods. In the AOL despite their rank they weren't really more powerful then the rest of the shadow aes sedai. Yes, they could boss them around but in a real fight they might have won or they might have lost. In randland they can do whatever they want and nobody have the tools to even notice they are doing something. Who knows how that kind of freedom can affect their mental stability?

[DarkSideoftheMoon]

I think Bob T Dwarf and Mr.Big make very good points.  It's all very well to say "leap out, capture/kill/turn important person, leap away again, repeat", but the problem with being some of the most powerful people in the Age and constantly fighting for supremacy among themselves is that they lose some of their capacity to take risks.  The White Tower can kidnap kings, secure in its power and its ability to deal with consequences, but for the Forsaken one mistake could see them dead or at the mercy of one of the others (see Asmodean and Lanfear, Sammael and Graendal for examples) and it makes them cautious... sometimes over-cautious.

 

Add to that the fact that they're immortal - first, they've got more to lose, and second, they can wait.  Why risk now when a few more months will put you in an even better position?

 

As for what I'd do as one of the Forsaken - I think Mesaana had the right plan.  The White Tower is the greatest power in the world (at the time of EotW, at least) - I'd infiltrate it and take its power for myself.  Custom forbids questioning what another sister is up to so you can get away with a lot, everyone knows an Aes Sedai can't lie so as long as you're not stupid enough to get caught out the ability to present lies as undeniable truth is very powerful, you can size up the competition (the Aes Sedai might be "half trained children" but they do occasionally come up with something unexpected), and you can even keep channeling.

 

Plus there's something very appealing about taking the last remnants of those who drove you to the Shadow in the first place, and turning them into unwitting soldiers on the side of the Dark.  It would be fun :D