why did the bordland armies travel to caemlyn?

[thevillagecouncil]

I never fully understood this. As it was said all over the books, they should have been protecting the borders.

[horus17]

i always felt they were out looking for Rand. To see if he really was the Dragon Reborn.

[Demiandre]

They were indeed looking for Rand, because they feel he shouldn't waste time with the southern nations, but be with them along the blight, the best location for fighting the Shadow. With Hurin return to Shienar, they learned Rand was the Dragon, and that Elayne had some acquaintance with him. So they asked her if she knew where to find Rand.

[Chriswot]

Because Demandred is in charge of them!  Or so I assume.  Just speculation but we shall see soon i hope! :O

[horus17]

if demandred's in charge of them, wouldn't we have seen him on screen? I thought we've never seen him in disguise.

[MikeRiley]

There's a thought that the 13 sisters with the borderlanders are Black Ajah but Suian also sent sisters into the borderlands early in the series.. Should be in The Dragon Reborn somewhere. I don't believe we hear anything about them for the rest of the books.

 

I think one of the borderland rulers comments or thinks to themselves that what they're doing has never been done before. It was made to sound like an actual ceremony or procedure of some sort. If it was simply to find Rand and tell him to pay attention to the borderlands then they, as rulers, would not have gone themselves, nor would their entire armies be set on the march. That there's 13 Aes Sedai with them who are most likely Black Ajah does scream manipulation and it's possible Demandred is behind this, but it seems very small in scale to be his main operation. After 12 books of hiding, he should have something major in store.

 

I would say the borderland rulers united themselves as one greater nation and will be giving control of it over to the Dragon Reborn until after the Last Battle. The Black Ajah itself might have come up with this plot on their own - no forsaken included - as a means of getting close to him. As it stands though, anybody's guess is as good as mine (and some will likely be better/more informed). I imagine we won't find out until A Memory of Light.

[DemandredFO]

If not Demandred someone definately messed with the Boarderlanders because you don't go looking for someone even the tDR with 200,000 mean.  a messanger or 20 would do not 200,000 not even if they thought he was a false dragon.  Rand with Choedan Kal might possibly take 200,000.  I think it'll be a major in TOM since Perrin is married to Tenobia's cousin and there's that broken crown viewing.

[Durinax]

If not Demandred someone definately messed with the Boarderlanders because you don't go looking for someone even the tDR with 200,000 mean.  a messanger or 20 would do not 200,000 not even if they thought he was a false dragon.  Rand with Choedan Kal might possibly take 200,000.  I think it'll be a major in TOM since Perrin is married to Tenobia's cousin and there's that broken crown viewing.

quick question on syntax of the viewing you mentioned, was it Broken Crown or broken crown? big difference because broken crown can be any crown that has been broken or a broken nation (with the crown representing the ruling line or the nation itself)

[StefanR]

There's a thought that the 13 sisters with the borderlanders are Black Ajah but Suian also sent sisters into the borderlands early in the series.. Should be in The Dragon Reborn somewhere. I don't believe we hear anything about them for the rest of the books.

 

I think one of the borderland rulers comments or thinks to themselves that what they're doing has never been done before. It was made to sound like an actual ceremony or procedure of some sort. If it was simply to find Rand and tell him to pay attention to the borderlands then they, as rulers, would not have gone themselves, nor would their entire armies be set on the march. That there's 13 Aes Sedai with them who are most likely Black Ajah does scream manipulation and it's possible Demandred is behind this, but it seems very small in scale to be his main operation. After 12 books of hiding, he should have something major in store.

 

I would say the borderland rulers united themselves as one greater nation and will be giving control of it over to the Dragon Reborn until after the Last Battle. The Black Ajah itself might have come up with this plot on their own - no forsaken included - as a means of getting close to him. As it stands though, anybody's guess is as good as mine (and some will likely be better/more informed). I imagine we won't find out until A Memory of Light.

 

Actually, it was something only done something like 7 times since the breaking, it mentioned it being done before

[KefkaPalazzo]

If not Demandred someone definately messed with the Boarderlanders because you don't go looking for someone even the tDR with 200,000 mean.  a messanger or 20 would do not 200,000 not even if they thought he was a false dragon.  Rand with Choedan Kal might possibly take 200,000.  I think it'll be a major in TOM since Perrin is married to Tenobia's cousin and there's that broken crown viewing.

quick question on syntax of the viewing you mentioned, was it Broken Crown or broken crown? big difference because broken crown can be any crown that has been broken or a broken nation (with the crown representing the ruling line or the nation itself)

 

Min's viewing was "a broken crown".  However, I am getting the impression that "The Broken Crown"  is the name of the Saldaean crown (like the Laurel Crown of Illian).  Min is a country girl from a backwater town (at least, she was when she had the viewing in book 1), and doesn't know that little fact.

[mossman87]

To cause chaos.

[farthammer]

I think it could partly have something to do with failing crops, and they needed to make a hard choice of bringing the population down before famine struck among other things.

[DaughterOfNight]

Like a few others who commented on this topic, I think there is a shady character influencing events among the Borderlanders.  I can understand why they would send for the Dragon, why Tenobia herself came since the person she sent (Bashere) never returned and their concern over Rand's supposed lack of concern about the Borderlanders.  What makes this whole storyline strange is, like others mentioned, why they would leave the Borderlands so vulnerable by removing such a massive army away from the area to search for Rand.  Seems like a move by BA, Forsaken, etc. to weaken defenses against the Blight.  

 

Not considering channeling strength and fatigue, if or when the Borderlander group finds Rand, it would be relatively quick and convenient to get them all back home (in comparison to the old-fashioned way -- marching) in time to help defend their homelands.

 

I will say this though and I really hope I'm wrong but, I have a sinking feeling that Demandred's appearance will be rather anticlimactic.  I mean, considering the pattern of the series, the characters visiting one country at a time and stirring things up... the only big place left are the countries bordering the Blight.  And knowing that they have always been the defenders against the shadow, blight and such, it only seems fitting that the last big bad guy would be causing problems there.  The thing is, I can't think of many ways that Demandred and his cronies could outdo the kind of dissension that's already happened in other places.  

 

But then again, I can't say I have the most creative imagination in regard to predicting what kinds of chaos Mr. Demandred could sow up in the pure and steadfast nations of the Borderlands.  =)

[FarShainMael]

If not Demandred someone definately messed with the Boarderlanders because you don't go looking for someone even the tDR with 200,000 mean.  a messanger or 20 would do not 200,000 not even if they thought he was a false dragon.  Rand with Choedan Kal might possibly take 200,000.  I think it'll be a major in TOM since Perrin is married to Tenobia's cousin and there's that broken crown viewing.

quick question on syntax of the viewing you mentioned, was it Broken Crown or broken crown? big difference because broken crown can be any crown that has been broken or a broken nation (with the crown representing the ruling line or the nation itself)

 

Min's viewing was "a broken crown".  However, I am getting the impression that "The Broken Crown"  is the name of the Saldaean crown (like the Laurel Crown of Illian).  Min is a country girl from a backwater town (at least, she was when she had the viewing in book 1), and doesn't know that little fact.

 

Indeed: check Bashere PoV in CoT Prologue:

 

Bashere worries that Tenobia will have his head when she finds him. He presented her with the Broken Crown when she took the throne.

 

 

[Durinax]

If not Demandred someone definately messed with the Boarderlanders because you don't go looking for someone even the tDR with 200,000 mean.  a messanger or 20 would do not 200,000 not even if they thought he was a false dragon.  Rand with Choedan Kal might possibly take 200,000.  I think it'll be a major in TOM since Perrin is married to Tenobia's cousin and there's that broken crown viewing.

quick question on syntax of the viewing you mentioned, was it Broken Crown or broken crown? big difference because broken crown can be any crown that has been broken or a broken nation (with the crown representing the ruling line or the nation itself)

 

Min's viewing was "a broken crown".  However, I am getting the impression that "The Broken Crown"  is the name of the Saldaean crown (like the Laurel Crown of Illian).  Min is a country girl from a backwater town (at least, she was when she had the viewing in book 1), and doesn't know that little fact.

 

Indeed: check Bashere PoV in CoT Prologue:

 

Bashere worries that Tenobia will have his head when she finds him. He presented her with the Broken Crown when she took the throne.

well since it is a lower case broken crown it could be anything, I think that RJ put that in as a red heron in this case, it has everyone looking at perrin gaining the Broken Crown, where he is in actuality reviving manetheren (somewhat) and that crown was broken in the trolloc wars

[Demiandre]

About the question of why the Borderlander would go away stripping the border with the Blight : in fact, they left enough soldiers to stop anything but another Trolloc War coming on them. 50 000 soldiers is not a lot of soldiers for nations constantly in war with the Blight. I suppose they have twice as much still there. But that's right. 200 000 soldiers to look for Rand, you would think they wanted to conquer the Waste!

[Durinax]

About the question of why the Borderlander would go away stripping the border with the Blight : in fact, they left enough soldiers to stop anything but another Trolloc War coming on them. 50 000 soldiers is not a lot of soldiers for nations constantly in war with the Blight. I suppose they have twice as much still there. But that's right. 200 000 soldiers to look for Rand, you would think they wanted to conquer the Waste!

plus due to narishma we know that the militia in blightborders are almost as good as regulars of southlands

[Demiandre]

About the question of why the Borderlander would go away stripping the border with the Blight : in fact, they left enough soldiers to stop anything but another Trolloc War coming on them. 50 000 soldiers is not a lot of soldiers for nations constantly in war with the Blight. I suppose they have twice as much still there. But that's right. 200 000 soldiers to look for Rand, you would think they wanted to conquer the Waste!

plus due to narishma we know that the militia in blightborders are almost as good as regulars of southlands

 

Plus tGS prologue. We have gathering farmers with scythes made into blades and polearms. And I don't think there will be only two with their wives (I even considered this gathering beeing triggered by Nyn visit in the Borderlands. She was speaking of Tarmon Gai'Don on the message she forwarded...)

[DemandredFO]

Have we ever been told what the Broken Crown looks like.  That viewing could be as simple as the crown that Rand broke in Cairhein.

[Demiandre]

No. He mended it IIRC... The Broken Crown is the Saldaeane one. See Min vision of Perrin, some discussion between Perrin and Faile, and other clues.

[Duskfire]

Yeah two hundred thousand men is sort of overkill you would think. They obviously want to do more then talk to Rand whatever they may claim; you don't travel with that big an army for no reason. Especially with that magical number of Aes Sedai as well. Something fishy is definetly going on, and it wouldnt surprise me if it turns out to be a major issue. It would be a major benefit for the Shadow if they were able to have that many Borderlanders out of the way when TG starts.

[Demiandre]

It's different with the Aes Sedai. IIRC, the seven that went with Tenobia found out she was going to do something silly and accompagnied her. Four or five with Arafel, because of family bonds, and and one or two other because they couldn't left them behind. So they didn't wanted them to go along. Would be twice as silly going after the Dragon Reborn with 13 Aes Sedai... vut how did the sisters with Tenobia dicovered what she was up to?

[DemandredFO]

Talking to a channeler minus anyone with a well screams trap, especially with 13 unknown AS.  Which as everyone said is the magic number to either turn a channeler or use an unbreakable shield.  I doubt it's as simple as it looks but still fishy.  I wonder if it has anything to do with Eliada.  She tried to kidnap rand once and we know Reds aren't averse to weakening the light for personal gain.  Tetsuan betrayed Manethetheran to trollocs for jealousy after all.

[aunt_pol]

I just want to see Rand dress them all down. Pack of gobshites, a flippin' letter would have done.

 

" Dear Mr. Al Thor,

 

Given the proximity of the Last Battle, we believe it would be useful for us all to meet up and chat about how to plan, seeing as our wee countries will probably be first hit by all the murderous beasties above in the Blight. Please let us know when and where would be convenient to you.

 

Yours Sincerely,

The Borderlanders."

 

 

See? Simple.

[OptimusPrime]

I think Demandred is posing as someone appointed in Saldaeas military command in the absence of Bashere, and that hes trying to direct that army against the Black Tower.