What was the 'BLANK in the Blight'

[johthohar]

What's this Blank people are talking about?

 

Copied from earlier reply in this thread.

 

Q: This question has to do with a conversation I had with Wilson.

Brandon: Oh okay, is this going to be? Okay, I think I know what this is going to be.

Q: At last JordanCon I was talking with Wilson, and he was telling me about the night that Robert Jordan told him the end of the book.

Brandon: Uh huh.

Q: And he says that it started off with the word... they were talking about whatever, and it started off with Robert Jordan getting really quiet and then leaning in and saying, "There is a _____ in the Blight." To which that completely blindsides Wilson. He says, "There’s a what?!?" And Robert Jordan then says, "There's a _____ in the Blight and not even Harriet knows about it." And then went on for two hours describing about how this was important and pivotal and yet takes place... be really important for the end of the book. Any further hints?

Brandon: And see, Wilson can get away with stuff that I can't. And that is a story I've been told by three different people now. In fact, the first day I was there in Charleston, Harriet told it to me. Then Maria told it to me. And then I met Wilson later and he told it to me. Because that was the day when they suddenly said, "We need a tape recorder. Someone get a tape recorder." And I think Maria, like, went to the store to get one and came back with... But then, that was the session where he started for the first time dictating what was to happen and things like this. I do know that story. It's great for you to share it with everyone. I would not have shared that story because I have to be extra careful not to cross any lines. And so…you will get hints about whatever that was in the next book [Towers of Midnight].

[Orderofolde]

It's either a City of Darkfriends, or some crazy monster. Possibly a monster that can channel,or is like the Golom and is resistant to the Power, because otherwise no matter how cool/scary the monster is, it'll be fairly easy to kill. Maybe it's whatever the worms grow into. But I do like the City of Darkfriends idea.

Why must it be darkfriends? As stiff and strong as the Borderlands have been (resololute) in warding against the shadow, why not a nation or city of Borderlanders that have withstood the shadow? Why not a city of Aes Sedai who didn't swear on the oath rod that have been there since the breaking following old tradition?

[ghoullio]

It has to do with the end of the series. The twenty year long series. Something in the Blight. So, something in the blight that has to do with the end...a bomb? Rand finds a bomb type thingy do dad and it nukes the blight, erasing it from existence. It's a long shot, but a city of shadowspawn and dark friends living in Evil Town is not really that much of a shock. Just sayin...

[didymos]

Ishamael was widely known to be mad and it's almost certain that he thought he was the DO.

 

If by "widely" you mean among some of the surviving Forsaken, sure. More precisely, "some" mostly means "Sammael". The "Ishy was a nutbar" stuff appears twice in his POVs, and it's always when he's trying to rationalize something to himself or dismiss something Ishamael said that he doesn't like the implications of (and it just so happens to be stuff Ishamael had right). The only other instances are Demandred and Aran'gar deciding that he had to be insane to use the TP so much, and that says more about their fear of it than Moridin's reasons for using it or his general state of mental health. I'd also say "almost certain" is overstating things...a lot. The sole example of someone actually saying that is Mogehedien in tSR:

 

"I think he half-believed he was the was the Great Lord of the Dark..."

 

And that's it: she thought he "half-believed". Yet, when we get Moridin POVs, he displays nothing like that in his thoughts. Now I'm not gonna say the guy doesn't have issues, like with anger management for instance, but this notion of his utter insanity is overinflated. I think that and the whole "thinks he's the DO" business was far more "crazy like a fox" than anything else. Call it a creative "management technique" for the dealing-with-Darkfriends side of it. As far as Rand goes: simple intimidation. He wanted Rand to think he was facing more than a mere man, but if you pay attention, "Ba'alzamon" never flat-out says "I am the Great Lord". It was all very "Aes Sedai", actually, in the way he used implication and suggestion. And, really, it was just a strategy. It failed, and he no longer uses it with him anymore.

[johthohar]

If by "widely" you mean among some of the surviving Forsaken, sure. More precisely, "some" mostly means "Sammael". The "Ishy was a nutbar" stuff appears twice in his POVs, and it's always when he's trying to rationalize something to himself or dismiss something Ishamael said that he doesn't like the implications of (and it just so happens to be stuff Ishamael had right). The only other instances are Demandred and Aran'gar deciding that he had to be insane to use the TP so much, and that says more about their fear of it than Moridin's reasons for using it or his general state of mental health. I'd also say "almost certain" is overstating things...a lot. The sole example of someone actually saying that is Mogehedien in tSR:

 

"I think he half-believed he was the was the Great Lord of the Dark..."

 

And that's it: she thought he "half-believed". Yet, when we get Moridin POVs, he displays nothing like that in his thoughts. Now I'm not gonna say the guy doesn't have issues, like with anger management for instance, but this notion of his utter insanity is overinflated. I think that and the whole "thinks he's the DO" business was far more "crazy like a fox" than anything else. Call it a creative "management technique" for the dealing-with-Darkfriends side of it. As far as Rand goes: simple intimidation. He wanted Rand to think he was facing more than a mere man, but if you pay attention, "Ba'alzamon" never flat-out says "I am the Great Lord". It was all very "Aes Sedai", actually, in the way he used implication and suggestion. And, really, it was just a strategy. It failed, and he no longer uses it with him anymore.

Well... You're right for the most part. I suppose when I said he was "widely known" to be crazy I was mostly talking about the WoT fandom. I still maintain that he was a nut bag. He didn't just use the Bal'zamon crap with Rand. There was the dark friend meeting where he handed out assignments. Not to mention that he appears in the Bal'zamon persona multiple times among the other forsaken (I think?). What would be his purpose there if he wasn't batshit crazy? The Chosen know who and what he is already. Then when he is resurrected as Moridin his attitude changes entirely. No more eyes and mouth full of fire.... Just a dude in black ordering around the rest of the forsaken. To me the most obvious explanation is rebirth/resurrection = clean slate sanity-wise. I don't think its likely... But I'm sticking with my antidragon theory because I haven't seen anyone else mention it and I still don't believe Ishamael is spun out continuously to oppose the Dragon.

[Wolf505]

Well... You're right for the most part. I suppose when I said he was "widely known" to be crazy I was mostly talking about the WoT fandom. I still maintain that he was a nut bag. He didn't just use the Bal'zamon crap with Rand. There was the dark friend meeting where he handed out assignments. Not to mention that he appears in the Bal'zamon persona multiple times among the other forsaken (I think?). What would be his purpose there if he wasn't batshit crazy? The Chosen know who and what he is already. Then when he is resurrected as Moridin his attitude changes entirely. No more eyes and mouth full of fire.... Just a dude in black ordering around the rest of the forsaken. To me the most obvious explanation is rebirth/resurrection = clean slate sanity-wise. I don't think its likely... But I'm sticking with my antidragon theory because I haven't seen anyone else mention it and I still don't believe Ishamael is spun out continuously to oppose the Dragon.

 

If you'll recall, Bal'zamon was simply the trolloc word for "heart of the dark" and one of the Aes Sedai (don't recall which- maybe Moiraine) said that it was a trolloc name for the Dark One, but that could've just been an errant assumption. The World of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time says that Ishamael believed that the struggle between himself and the Dragon was a war between the Dark One and the Creator, fought with human proxies throughout all turnings of the Wheel. With that in mind it is likely that Moghedian was wrong when she said he thought he was the GLOTD himself, and it was more just a statement about his arrogance.

 

The whole mouth and eyes full of fire thing was because of his channeling the true power. I don't recall exactly where it's referenced, but the True Power at first causes the "dark halo" warping effect like we saw around Rand in TGS. Then the Saa (the black flecks dancing accross the eyes like Moridin has- Graendal starts to show this effect too in TOM). Then, eventually the eyes and mouth of fire effect. It wasn't something Ishamael did consciously, it was just an effect of channeling the True Power.

[Exy]

But I'm sticking with my antidragon theory because I haven't seen anyone else mention it and I still don't believe Ishamael is spun out continuously to oppose the Dragon.

Well, the best evidence is that Ishamael is the antithesis to the Dragon. And no one else has mentioned your theory because on its face it obviously doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

[johthohar]

But I'm sticking with my antidragon theory because I haven't seen anyone else mention it and I still don't believe Ishamael is spun out continuously to oppose the Dragon.

Well, the best evidence is that Ishamael is the antithesis to the Dragon. And no one else has mentioned your theory because on its face it obviously doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

You can say what you want. IMO there is more evidence that Ishamael was mad than that he is actually the antithesis of the Dragon spun out time and again by the wheel to fight him. And I've said from the beginning that I know this is way out in left field and hugely unlikely.... No need to get snippy.

[Cazajay]

But I'm sticking with my antidragon theory because I haven't seen anyone else mention it and I still don't believe Ishamael is spun out continuously to oppose the Dragon.

Well, the best evidence is that Ishamael is the antithesis to the Dragon. And no one else has mentioned your theory because on its face it obviously doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

You can say what you want. IMO there is more evidence that Ishamael was mad than that he is actually the antithesis of the Dragon spun out time and again by the

wheel to fight him. And I've said from the beginning that I know this is way out in left field and hugely unlikely.... No need to get snippy.

 

No one is getting snippy, honestly it's just a counter argument part and parcel of a good healthy debate. :)

 

I don't think Moridin is insane yet from his PoVs he sounded quite rational.

However in ToM the chapter when he gives Graendal the Dreamspike she thinks Moridin faintly started to sound like the Dark One so perhaps the weird behaviour is something the DO has done to Ishmael/Moridin perhaps he is using him as a receptical a bit like Shaidar Haran?? It explains his belief he is the DO on occasion as it's possible it is him speaking through Ishmael/Moridin.

 

Probably has a lot to do with the TP it's in effect a direct connection to the DO.

[Cazajay]

As for the blank I thought it was a city as well I even mentioned it in a discussion board on facebook.

 

However what if it's a large stedding with it's very own Nym and Aiel followers of the Way of Leaf who with the Ogier know the Song? They could be waiting for the Dragon before they know their efforts against the shadow would be useful?

[johthohar]

No one is getting snippy, honestly it's just a counter argument part and parcel of a good healthy debate. :)

 

I don't think Moridin is insane yet from his PoVs he sounded quite rational.

However in ToM the chapter when he gives Graendal the Dreamspike she thinks Moridin faintly started to sound like the Dark One so perhaps the weird behaviour is something the DO has done to Ishmael/Moridin perhaps he is using him as a receptical a bit like Shaidar Haran?? It explains his belief he is the DO on occasion as it's possible it is him speaking through Ishmael/Moridin.

 

Probably has a lot to do with the TP it's in effect a direct connection to the DO.

I think they were being quite snippy indeed. But I digress. I never said Moridin was batshit. I was just talking about Ishamael. Pre death and resurrection he is bobble head doll level crazy! I don't see any evidence that he wasn't.

[professorskar1]

Blank in the Blight? No one mentioned the simplest word: Army?

 

A new army of crazy red-veiled Aiel and other stuff besides the Trollocs and general Shadowspawn armies we've known about?

 

Makes sense considering he said ToM would have some clues.

 

Sort of a variant of the "hold" or "city" idea but still possible.

[SpankyMcJedi]

Blank in the Blight? No one mentioned the simplest word: Army?

 

A new army of crazy red-veiled Aiel and other stuff besides the Trollocs and general Shadowspawn armies we've known about?

 

Makes sense considering he said ToM would have some clues.

 

Sort of a variant of the "hold" or "city" idea but still possible.

 

I think we all expected an army in the blight though. Just that it would be mostly trollocs led by myrdraal and new dreadlords. A human army would have to have a place to live though. Like a city. :)

[Cirin]

Even a city, though, when you think about it, is not all that shocking. There have already been reports of Moridin's fortress, the Forges, etc. Hmm... maybe a Particle Accelerator, or a rail gun, or an army of robots or a missile defense system... Or maybe something awesome, like Candyland or an amusement park.

 

Otherwise, expanding from city, it could be a nation, or a prophecy (did we know about those prophecies of Moridin's prior to this book? I thought we did, but maybe not)... all sorts of things. Or maybe a palantir, which is how the Dark One communicates with Sauron and Saruman.

 

Maybe it's an easy button. Or an iWin button. Those would help, and be crucial to the end.

[Cazajay]

Yip the Dark Prophecies that Moridin has were known as early as the Great Hunt when Padain Fain escaped Fal Dara dungeon.

Verin was one of the Aes Sedai studying the small part of the prophecy written on the wall in blood but they had no idea who wrote it on the wall.

I'm hoping Verin managed to sneak a peek of the prophecy and scribble at least some of it down in that notebook she gave to Egwene.

[Hatrel]

Yip the Dark Prophecies that Moridin has were known as early as the Great Hunt when Padain Fain escaped Fal Dara dungeon.

Verin was one of the Aes Sedai studying the small part of the prophecy written on the wall in blood but they had no idea who wrote it on the wall.

I'm hoping Verin managed to sneak a peek of the prophecy and scribble at least some of it down in that notebook she gave to Egwene.

 

You know, now that you mention this, could it have been possible that Verin was the one that wrote the prophesy on the wall? Fain was surprised by who let him out of the dungeon and she did state that it might have been done by a Myr or an educated DF. I doubt that there are many DF's more educated than Verin...

 

Anywho, I like the idea of a hold that was at its core, made from male Aiel Channelers captured and turned and populated with other DF's or captured people in raids. If the society was cultivated to worship Ishy/DO/Chosen whatever, then it would not take many generations to make it a Dark Society. It would also explain the dark colored eyes as there would be some Westlander blood in them. There is no telling how large this group might be and it could end up being Moridin's answer to the Rand Aiel.

 

Ahh who knows. Someone jump into a time machine and go get aMoL and post it here for us all to read already

[randsc]

There is a horse in the blight. Its' name is Bela.

[Erunion]

An Empire in the Blight? Complete with it's own City in the Blight, Army in the Blight and a Hold (or two) in the blight.

Considering how dangerous the blight is, it is not unfeasible that in the far northern blight, the blight is less blighty and is able to support an entire empire of darkfriends. They form the #1 training grounds for Dreadlords and are connected to the Trolloc breeding grounds. Ishy founded the Empire when he was first free of bore (about the time that the half-crazy Aes Sedai ran into the Aiel saying that Ishy was still free) by gathering as many darkfriends as he could into one location in the blight which he/DO protected somewhat from the breaking. Mazrim Taim has his age of legends style, not because he was from the Age of Legends, but because he spent years training in this empire to be a dreadlord.

 

Somewhat crazy theory, but it does make sense. Mostly.

[Fable]

My first thought was "Forsaken." Though I don't know that it would be all that suprising to have a Forsaken in the blight. My second thought was something a bit more... unexpected.

 

There is a Dragon in the blight.

 

And by that I do not mean a polar opposite to Rand. I mean a gargantuan malevolent lizard that makes the world quake with its every step.

 

But then I thought that would be silly.

 

So I came to the following thought... "Weapon." There is a Weapon in the blight. Whatever was used to create the bore... it's still there... in the Blight... waiting.

[Guest Memnock]

Was it ever confirmed that the BLANK is even a single word?

 

I'm flashing back to the blot in the Mrin Codex...

 

Where's the Orb when you need it?

[Erunion]

An actual dragon in the blight would be... Interesting.

 

Very interesting.

 

It's also possible that there is an AOL weapons cache in the blight, the types of weapons that could destroy entire cities (the types of weapons that caused the Aes Sedai of today to swear an oath on the oath rod never to make).

 

I don't think that there is a bore-drilling weapon, as the bore was essentially a very promising science project (to discover a new, incredible source of energy) gone very wrong.

[Sharaman]

I think RJ said that no "real" dragons would be involved.

[capeta]

The red veiled Aiel may be the hint but I think there is another. When Perrin's army comes upon the blighted area with the non-blight village in the middle of it. "The Pattern Groans" pg.89 it may be that a chunk of the blight and some random Shara village both got swapped but I think it is more likely that the village is from the blight.

[ElevenAces]

I have to agree with there being a stedding in the blight. Not all Ogier are like Loial. We have the nutbars from Seandar. Why not a whole Dark Ogier Army ready to knock some ta'veren butt?

[Sabio]

I have to agree with there being a stedding in the blight. Not all Ogier are like Loial. We have the nutbars from Seandar. Why not a whole Dark Ogier Army ready to knock some ta'veren butt?

 

 

Well we know there are steddings lost to the blight. Since we know there are waygates in the blight, where a waygate was use to be a stedding. Think the Aiel is a sign a hold is there.