Where is the WT Counter attack?

[wvlr2]

I am not sure how much time has passed since the attack on the WT and Egwene's last POV, but she already had the Rebal Army ready for an attack.  One would think that the WT army was mostly ready as well - sure they had fires to put out but surely they do not need both armies for more than a day.

 

Over 24 Full AS were taken as well as some Novices and Accepteds.    Surely some of those AS had Warders?

 

With at least one army ready and an easy method to track the captured AS, why wasn't a rescue mounted immediately after Egwene was raised?    They have Traveling and can "catch up" to the Seanchan easily.  It will take several days to get the captives back to Ebou Dar.  The time to rescue them would be immediately, before the captives can be broken and before they are dispursed around the Seanchan Empire.    Not to mention, before they give up Traveling.

 

What is the holdup?    Does't Egwene consider the captives important?    To me this is the most important thing that she needs to do, instead of reading over suggestions for "Mistress of Novices".    Sure the BA had to be delt with, but that took only half a day in the Rebal camp.    It should not have taken much more for the WT.

 

In addition the WT has circles, and Angreal that they could use.  Sure it would take a little time to organize, but in an emergency with at least one army already prepared, it should not take that long.

[Hadilmir]

The Three Oaths prevent it. They know that the captives would die as well, so they cannot kill the raken.

[Casabamelon]

OK, warders can sense direction and rough distance. How exactly are they supposed to travel to a specific location when all they get is "Uh, that way, a long ways, but not too long."?

 

Also, since when has the army looked ready for REAL war. Like, war with the Seanchan war. Also, it's pretty darn foolish to go charging in against an enemy where you have no recon . ALSO, Egwene just learned a hard lesson that the AS are not prepared AT ALL for fighting. ALSO ALSO, we know it's very difficult to move large numbers of people via travelling, and ALSO ALSO ALSO even if you COULD move that many, and even if you COULD pinpoint exactly where to go, you would land smack dab in the middle of a massive army with female channelers who would know immediately and exactly where you're travelling in.

 

 

In other words. Egwene is smart enough (I can't believe I'm saying it either) to know that all she can do is move on and try and learn from the experience.

[Express]

I'm not sure about the 'oaths' being the deterant as Egwene didn't have any problem shooting the raken down even with friendly's aboard.  

 

I just don't see the logic in immediatly going after the taken.  I understand using the warders to track but that is not the immediate threat.  The Tower was split and needs to be repaired, yes they've come together to choose the same leader but the two sides have mistrust and even Elaida's side has inner mistrust.  This alone would negate the ability to retaliate.  Egwene also has issues with protecting the remaining ter'angreal and completing the task of removing the Black Ajah.  She also has an issue with showing others 'traveling'.

 

Who knows though, it's only been a day or so, so maybe they'll make an attempt in the next book???  I can't believe I'm commenting on the WT, Egwene was awesome!!!

[Hadilmir]

I'm not sure about the 'oaths' being the deterant as Egwene didn't have any problem shooting the raken down even with friendly's aboard.

Egwene was unbound at the time and her beliefs about sul'dam and damane are...different from the Aes Sedai' view.

[JakeBarnes]

I am not sure how much time has passed since the attack on the WT and Egwene's last POV

 

2 Days.

The first day was Egwene being raised.

The second was Bathed in Light.

[TenLetters]

At the end of TGS the WT was rebuilding. Any counter attck would be in the next book. But I don't think that they will attack, Rand will probably stop the WT from attacking in order to make a peace treaty to the Seanchan instead.

 

Although a counter attack while Rand is trying to get peace would make the plot more interesting.

[DemandredFO]

Hadilmir but me to it, but anyway, Express, Egwene in her infinite foolishness hadn't taken the oaths, I'd like to see her try that trick now.  As the other posters said, the oaths prevent offensive action and they know the seanchan aren't shadowspawn.  The case was pretty well laid out by Casabamelon, just to add a concrete example, the HEAD of the GREEN so-called battle ajah froze like a deer in the headlights and would've been a prisoner save for Egwene.  Not to mention the whatever we want to call it, counterattack isn't the right word, was led by a BROWN, supposedly the head in the clouds ajah.

 

P.S.  please don't do this often, I hate defending Egwene

[Tom Sawyer]

Ya, the whole White Tower together would have trouble organizing a picnic, let alone a competent assault against an organized opponent.  They've spent so long being the only dog on the block that they've forgotten how to do anything.  They'd just stand around trying to be mysterious and overly complex while the damane ripped them to pieces.

 

[Hadilmir]

P.S.  please don't do this often, I hate defending Egwene

You know she's your favorite innkeeper's daughter turned Amyrlin. Only one in the category, but still.  ;)

[Durinax]

who was it that organized the ground floor defence center, Saerin?

[Kaznen]

The AS will respond with glaring silence and a few sniffs toward the Seanchan.

[Durinax]

huh I just realized that the seanchan raid just destroyed all AS credibility as a superpowerful nation, especially if the extent of the failure on AS parts gets out

[farthammer]

I think the split must've been pretty bad as far as their credibility is concerned, the raid itself could be offset by the fact that they are now whole again by blaming it on Elaida's ineptitude.

[Durinax]

eh I think the oaths may be finished by darkfriends killing all the AS they can find since they will see how ineffective AS are in battler against humans

[DemandredFO]

The oaths were probably one reason Corele let Damar lead at the cleansing.  Damar just attacked, meanwhile Daigion bound by the oaths got Ebin killed.

[Cirin]

eh I think the oaths may be finished by darkfriends killing all the AS they can find since they will see how ineffective AS are in battler against humans

 

That's what the Asha'man are for - killing the bad guys (their name means "Guardian").  The Aes Sedai (the "Servants") just clean and cook for them.   :o  DID I JUST GO THERE?!  I DID!!  :o ;D :o

[Express]

Thanks for pointing out that Egwene did not take the oaths.  I do not see this as a hindrance: (Third part of oath) Never to use the One Power as a weapon except against Darkfriends or Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme of defending your own life, that of your Warder, or that of another sister. Egwene has an enhanced hatred toward women being collared so she wouldn't hesitate to counter-attack if given the choice.  I just don't see it happening with the festering back-biting and mistrust that the sisters have amongst themselves. 

[Tom Sawyer]

But, as somebody said, collaring them isn't killing them.  They know that their fellow sisters will survive being made damane, so they can't use the Power as a weapon to stop it or free them from it.

[yoniy0]

wvlr2, I'm actually with you on this one.

Firstly, the Oaths are no deterrent. They only need to Travel to where the raken are stopping for the day/night (they can't possibly fly all the way back). Trust the Seanchan to make using the Power vital to defend the lives of sisters present. And if they don't, Egwene has enough men at her command to finish them off just the same.

Secondly, finding the Seanchan isn't a problem. Just take one sister who knows Traveling and inverting weaves and assign her a warder of a sister taken. They can then Travel undetected in the direction the sisters were taken, until they find them. Then all they need to do is report back.

Last but not least, you can't extrapolate from the AS performance during the raid. All it takes is finding 10 competent sisters, preferably ones who know how to invert their weaves, make the strongest sisters availabe link with them, then send them through an inverted gateway. The Seanchan would stand no real chance of winning that fight, or even harming the sisters.

 

Edit: it just occurred to me that you might not understand I was suggesting sending 10 distinct circles after the Seanchan, led by women Egwene can trust.

[Cirin]

They also have Gareth Bryne and an entire army assembled, so there's no reason they couldn't, as yoniy0 mentioned, send some of those men to get the sisters back.  The Aes Sedai could go along and shield the damane - no reason for them to attack them at all.  All they have to do is debilitate the damane until the Seanchan soldiers are dead or captured, and release the damane (keeping them shielded until they can ascertain the level of threat they pose).

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they did mount a pursuit, although likely they'll have to deal with the danger in the White Tower first.  Remember a number of Bloodknives or whatever were sent along too, and they stay behind and kill as long as they can.  There might still be some of them around the White Tower.

[DemandredFO]

Except had an army and a Great Captain and dithered outside Tar Valon.  I know it is the AS home and all and she didn't want to attack it.  However, she knew TG was coming, so I wouldn't count on Egwene sanctioning use of the army.  I'm still not convinced either about the oaths not inhibiting offensive action.  e.g. what if bound sisters consider the army a weapon, they will not be able to open a gateway.

[Durinax]

I sincerely hope that AS realize that it isnt the oaths that make a person an AS, its what you do with the gift of channelling. I have the feeling that tarmon gaiden is going to make them realize this once they see that other channelling groups hold as much if not more power in their respective societies, and have the love and respect of the people they assist.

 

Personnally I think WO and WF are more Aes Sedai (Servants) than the WT people

[Charlz Guybon]

wvlr2, I'm actually with you on this one.

Firstly, the Oaths are no deterrent. They only need to Travel to where the raken are stopping for the day/night (they can't possibly fly all the way back). Trust the Seanchan to make using the Power vital to defend the lives of sisters present. And if they don't, Egwene has enough men at her command to finish them off just the same.

Secondly, finding the Seanchan isn't a problem. Just take one sister who knows Traveling and inverting weaves and assign her a warder of a sister taken. They can then Travel undetected in the direction the sisters were taken, until they find them. Then all they need to do is report back.

Last but not least, you can't extrapolate from the AS performance during the raid. All it takes is finding 10 competent sisters, preferably ones who know how to invert their weaves, make the strongest sisters availabe link with them, then send them through an inverted gateway. The Seanchan would stand no real chance of winning that fight, or even harming the sisters.

 

Edit: it just occurred to me that you might not understand I was suggesting sending 10 distinct circles after the Seanchan, led by women Egwene can trust.

I totally agree, once an Aes Sedai is in sight of suldam/damane they are in danger by definition and can respond  fully.