What was the 'BLANK in the Blight'

[Sharaman]

We even know specifically which steddings were lost to the Blight. Elder Haman marked them on a map in LoC. Hardly a surprise.

BTW RJ also confirmed the TGH dark Prophesies on the prison wall were written by a Fade.

[asha man]

It's a variation on a hold in the Blight, but maybe an entire sept or clan in the Blight?

[Gwenynyn]

Okay I did introduce myself but this post stunned me. My first reaction was OMG! WHAT?! Ugh! two years?! Well I guess I'll feed my addiction reading more of these posts. LOL....Happy New Year everyone.

 

 

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].

[Majsju]

We even know specifically which steddings were lost to the Blight. Elder Haman marked them on a map in LoC. Hardly a surprise.

BTW RJ also confirmed the TGH dark Prophesies on the prison wall were written by a Fade.

 

Well, there is a difference between lost to the blight, and having been in the Blight since the Breaking.

Not that I for a second believe this thingy is a stedding, just nitpicking

[Finnssss22]

 

BTW RJ also confirmed the TGH dark Prophesies on the prison wall were written by a Fade.

 

This is actually quite interesting because everything written there has come to pass except the last two lines...

 

"Daughter of the Night, she walks again.

The ancient war, she yet fights.

Her new lover she seeks, who shall serve her and die, yet serve still.

Who shall stand against her coming?

The Shining Walls shall kneel.

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

 

The man who channels stands alone.

He gives his friends for sacrifice.

Two roads before him, one to death beyond dying, one to life eternal.

Which will he choose? Which will he choose?

What hand shelters? What hand slays?

(refrain)

 

Luc came to the Mountains of Dhoom.

Isam waited in the high passes.

The hunt is now begun. The Shadow's hounds now course, and kill.

One did live, and one did die, but both are.

The Time of Change has come.

(refrain)

 

The Watchers wait on Toman's Head.

The seed of the Hammer burns the ancient tree.

Death shall sow, and summer burn, before the Great Lord comes.

Death shall reap, and bodies fail, before the Great Lord comes.

Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.

Now the Great Lord comes."

 

The "seed" is Hawkwing's descendants but what is the "ancient wrong"? Hmmmmm.

 

As far as the _____ in the Blight, BS says there are hints in ToM and that was quite obviously where Grendy, Demy and Mess are summoned by Mordy to his "keep" in the Blight.

Grendy gives us the hint imo, when she is talking about growing crops in the Blight, perhaps trying a new strain of crop.

So the real question is what are the crops needed for, what needs to be fed by them? A city maybe?

Her other observation about the colour of the soil being red from all the iron might also be a clue but I have no idea to what atm.

[deathgate]

Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.

Now the Great Lord comes."

 

Seed? The Nym became a seed and was planted as a tree. Doubt that is what is meant especially since in that reference the seed is helping the DO. Also hard to guess what ancient wrong is from the evil side.

[Finnssss22]

Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.

Now the Great Lord comes."

 

Seed? The Nym became a seed and was planted as a tree. Doubt that is what is meant especially since in that reference the seed is helping the DO. Also hard to guess what ancient wrong is from the evil side.

 

The earlier line "The seed of the Hammer burns the ancient tree." is an obvious reference imo to Hawkwing's armies returned especially when you consider that the lands around Toman Head use the Tree of Life as their symbol.

 

Also...there is a Seanchan legend about the Imperial family needing to return to the Midnight Towers in a time of dire need to "right that which is wrong".

[Blood and Ashes]

First let me say that I don't have any exact book hints for this theory. I was just wondering about this thread while on a car ride and it kind of popped into my head as the scariest possible thing that could be in the blight. The Wilson reaction seemed pretty startled and alarmed in the earlier quote. It'd be a great twist.

 

There is a seal to the dark one's prison in the blight.

 

Obviously the first problem with this theory is that 7 seals are accounted for. 4 broken, 3 in Rand's possession. And because Rand has Lews Therin's memories, he'd know if there were more than 7 initially.

 

The key is that one of the seals was given to Rand by Taim. We know Taim has never been a nice guy according to Robert Jordan, so why would he give Rand one of the seals? Why not break it and give the Dark one more power to touch the world? The DO's already been messing with the weather and pattern from behind 3 seals. If only 2 seals remained the DO would be able to do even worse things.

 

So I think the seal Taim gave to Rand was a fake. The DO, and therefore Ishi/Moridin, knows that Rand has to break the seals before he can reseal the bore. Odds are good that Ishi is a better philosopher than Fel was. He'd figure it out in 3k years. While the DO obviously wants to be free, he wants to get Rand beforehand. If he gives Rand a fake, Rand breaks the 2 seals he has and the fake, marches his armies in to Shayol Ghul, and can't do anything. The DO can touch the world more at Shayol Ghul than anywhere else, and moreso with only 1 seal remaining. He'd wreck Rand's armies and possibly capture Rand. Meanwhile, Rand can't reseal the bore without destroying the 7th seal, which Moridin has stashed who-knows-where in the blight.

 

It's a perfect trap and last minute back-up plan for the shadow if all else fails. Rand would be unable to win without the 7th seal.

 

It also would explain, in a way, why Rand initially wanted to break the seal when Taim gave it to him. His ta'veren nature wanted him to randomly do something (break the seal) for his benefit (identification that it was a fake). Rand just assumed it was madness. Ishi had access to the True Power and may have been able to replicate any aspect of a seal.

 

Now as far as recent book hints go, I've got nothing. This theory is pretty much based completely on the shadow being genius. If I was Ishi, it's what I'd do. Trick the Light at the absolute end game. The Light would have no chance if they went to Shayol Ghul without all of the seals broken. I don't disagree with the City theory. It'd be very interesting to see. Just not what I'd call horrifying.

 

Rip it apart if there are obvious holes.

[DanBirchett]

Well it is obvious from the go that the _________ in the Blight is a run down, but functional, AM/FM radio station (XM being useless in the Age of Legends as Satellites would likely be unnecessary for communication). It is even more obvious knowing this, that the last remaining recording of the Song is stored here, and will be played over loudspeaker at the Last Battle.

[Finnssss22]

Well it is obvious from the go that the _________ in the Blight is a run down, but functional, AM/FM radio station (XM being useless in the Age of Legends as Satellites would likely be unnecessary for communication). It is even more obvious knowing this, that the last remaining recording of the Song is stored here, and will be played over loudspeaker at the Last Battle.

 

 

Hahaha man did I just have a Robotech/Macross flashback.

[jemron]

First let me say that I don't have any exact book hints for this theory. I was just wondering about this thread while on a car ride and it kind of popped into my head as the scariest possible thing that could be in the blight. The Wilson reaction seemed pretty startled and alarmed in the earlier quote. It'd be a great twist.

 

There is a seal to the dark one's prison in the blight.

 

Obviously the first problem with this theory is that 7 seals are accounted for. 4 broken, 3 in Rand's possession. And because Rand has Lews Therin's memories, he'd know if there were more than 7 initially.

 

The key is that one of the seals was given to Rand by Taim. We know Taim has never been a nice guy according to Robert Jordan, so why would he give Rand one of the seals? Why not break it and give the Dark one more power to touch the world? The DO's already been messing with the weather and pattern from behind 3 seals. If only 2 seals remained the DO would be able to do even worse things.

 

So I think the seal Taim gave to Rand was a fake. The DO, and therefore Ishi/Moridin, knows that Rand has to break the seals before he can reseal the bore. Odds are good that Ishi is a better philosopher than Fel was. He'd figure it out in 3k years. While the DO obviously wants to be free, he wants to get Rand beforehand. If he gives Rand a fake, Rand breaks the 2 seals he has and the fake, marches his armies in to Shayol Ghul, and can't do anything. The DO can touch the world more at Shayol Ghul than anywhere else, and moreso with only 1 seal remaining. He'd wreck Rand's armies and possibly capture Rand. Meanwhile, Rand can't reseal the bore without destroying the 7th seal, which Moridin has stashed who-knows-where in the blight.

 

It's a perfect trap and last minute back-up plan for the shadow if all else fails. Rand would be unable to win without the 7th seal.

 

It also would explain, in a way, why Rand initially wanted to break the seal when Taim gave it to him. His ta'veren nature wanted him to randomly do something (break the seal) for his benefit (identification that it was a fake). Rand just assumed it was madness. Ishi had access to the True Power and may have been able to replicate any aspect of a seal.

 

Now as far as recent book hints go, I've got nothing. This theory is pretty much based completely on the shadow being genius. If I was Ishi, it's what I'd do. Trick the Light at the absolute end game. The Light would have no chance if they went to Shayol Ghul without all of the seals broken. I don't disagree with the City theory. It'd be very interesting to see. Just not what I'd call horrifying.

 

Rip it apart if there are obvious holes.

I really love this idea! Probably won't happen, but a really cool idea.

[Ananta]

 

I really love this idea! Probably won't happen, but a really cool idea.

 

Haha yeah it's rather awesome. But yeah, the Dark Side is too much limited by the plot for them to come up with something that brilliant.

[bjsm]

Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.

Now the Great Lord comes."

 

The "seed" is Hawkwing's descendants but what is the "ancient wrong"? Hmmmmm.

 

Possibly, anyway. I don't think "the seed" likely means the Hawkwing line. What ancient wrong did they slay previously? Earlier in the same stanza, "seed" refers to House Damodred/the Cairhienin generally (but Avendoraldera might not have been "ancient" and might not have been burned, only chopped down) or Asmodean/whoever burned Avendesora (IIRC who burned the tree is somewhat ambiguous). Although it could be really euphemistic and refer to the Seanchan conquest of Tarabon (their symbol is a tree, right?).

 

The ancient wrong, being from the Shadow's perspective, is probably either the seal on the DO's prison or perhaps Shadar Logoth/Mordeth/Mashadar/Fain.

[Finnssss22]

Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.

Now the Great Lord comes."

 

The "seed" is Hawkwing's descendants but what is the "ancient wrong"? Hmmmmm.

 

Possibly, anyway. I don't think "the seed" likely means the Hawkwing line. What ancient wrong did they slay previously? Earlier in the same stanza, "seed" refers to House Damodred/the Cairhienin generally (but Avendoraldera might not have been "ancient" and might not have been burned, only chopped down) or Asmodean/whoever burned Avendesora (IIRC who burned the tree is somewhat ambiguous). Although it could be really euphemistic and refer to the Seanchan conquest of Tarabon (their symbol is a tree, right?).

 

The ancient wrong, being from the Shadow's perspective, is probably either the seal on the DO's prison or perhaps Shadar Logoth/Mordeth/Mashadar/Fain.

 

 

Hawkwing was also known as "The Hammer of Light".

 

Both references to the "seed" are definitely Hawkwing's descendants, I have no doubt what so ever on this.

 

As far as the ancient wrong...might be a stretch but it was the Aes Sedai after all that made the bore into the DO's prison and Hawkwng most definitely slew Aes Sedai, laying siege to Tar Valon itself for 20 years as well as a bounty of 1000 gold crowns on the head of every Aes Sedai.

 

Perhaps the new planned attack on the White Tower by the Seanchan with traveling will be bigger and more brutal than we assume.

Especially considering that we have yet to see Egeanin/Leilwin save Egwene as per her dream.

Just some thoughts.

[bjsm]

Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.

Now the Great Lord comes."

 

The "seed" is Hawkwing's descendants but what is the "ancient wrong"? Hmmmmm.

 

Possibly, anyway. I don't think "the seed" likely means the Hawkwing line. What ancient wrong did they slay previously? Earlier in the same stanza, "seed" refers to House Damodred/the Cairhienin generally (but Avendoraldera might not have been "ancient" and might not have been burned, only chopped down) or Asmodean/whoever burned Avendesora (IIRC who burned the tree is somewhat ambiguous). Although it could be really euphemistic and refer to the Seanchan conquest of Tarabon (their symbol is a tree, right?).

 

The ancient wrong, being from the Shadow's perspective, is probably either the seal on the DO's prison or perhaps Shadar Logoth/Mordeth/Mashadar/Fain.

 

 

Hawkwing was also known as "The Hammer of Light".

 

Both references to the "seed" are definitely Hawkwing's descendants, I have no doubt what so ever on this.

 

As far as the ancient wrong...might be a stretch but it was the Aes Sedai after all that made the bore into the DO's prison and Hawkwng most definitely slew Aes Sedai, laying siege to Tar Valon itself for 20 years as well as a bounty of 1000 gold crowns on the head of every Aes Sedai.

 

Perhaps the new planned attack on the White Tower by the Seanchan with traveling will be bigger and more brutal than we assume.

Especially considering that we have yet to see Egeanin/Leilwin save Egwene as per her dream.

Just some thoughts.

 

 

If "seed of the Hammer" refers to Hawkwing's descendants, WTF was "burn the ancient tree"?

[Remy Blobet]

There is a trolloc in the blight.

 

Seriously though, I'm just going to throw out a stupid idea. Maybe it's an abandoned stedding. In that steading is an ogier library that has the largest collection of books in the world. It contains a large number of books that deal with science, physics, etc which explains why the ogiers were such great architects. Lan, someway or another, will push through Tarwin's gap and stumble upon this library and bring back as many of these books as he can to the white tower. There's one problem though. They're written in an ancient language only the ogiers used to use. That's where the book of translation comes into play. While Loial and others are at the white tower trying to decode the books, the Seanchan attack and take all of the books with them. Then for the future generations, they have a superior advantage and eventually take over the world like Aviendha saw.

 

I have no facts whatsoever to back this up. I am in no way even close to an expert like most of the people on this board. I'm just throwing in a wild guess. So if you want to rip this apart, by all means, I wouldn't feel bad at all.

[Aeo Sedai]

Maybe there's a second, unflawed Callandor, lost in the blight.

[Finnssss22]

There is a trolloc in the blight.

 

Seriously though, I'm just going to throw out a stupid idea. Maybe it's an abandoned stedding. In that steading is an ogier library that has the largest collection of books in the world. It contains a large number of books that deal with science, physics, etc which explains why the ogiers were such great architects. Lan, someway or another, will push through Tarwin's gap and stumble upon this library and bring back as many of these books as he can to the white tower. There's one problem though. They're written in an ancient language only the ogiers used to use. That's where the book of translation comes into play. While Loial and others are at the white tower trying to decode the books, the Seanchan attack and take all of the books with them. Then for the future generations, they have a superior advantage and eventually take over the world like Aviendha saw.

 

I have no facts whatsoever to back this up. I am in no way even close to an expert like most of the people on this board. I'm just throwing in a wild guess. So if you want to rip this apart, by all means, I wouldn't feel bad at all.

 

The banner of Almoth was blue for the sky above, black for the earth below, with the spreading Tree of Life to join them. Also to further emphasis this point it is widely thought that the nation of Almoth had a live sapling of Avendesora.

 

As for your theory on there being a "library" in Blight...I've heard worse.

I think you're on to something about Lan, he definitely looks to be on a collision course with Ish/Morid's tower in the North Eastern Blight.

[MauricXe]

My guess is another Avendorsa

[fikkie77]

There is a trolloc in the blight.

 

Seriously though, I'm just going to throw out a stupid idea. Maybe it's an abandoned stedding. In that steading is an ogier library that has the largest collection of books in the world. It contains a large number of books that deal with science, physics, etc which explains why the ogiers were such great architects. Lan, someway or another, will push through Tarwin's gap and stumble upon this library and bring back as many of these books as he can to the white tower. There's one problem though. They're written in an ancient language only the ogiers used to use. That's where the book of translation comes into play. While Loial and others are at the white tower trying to decode the books, the Seanchan attack and take all of the books with them. Then for the future generations, they have a superior advantage and eventually take over the world like Aviendha saw.

 

I have no facts whatsoever to back this up. I am in no way even close to an expert like most of the people on this board. I'm just throwing in a wild guess. So if you want to rip this apart, by all means, I wouldn't feel bad at all.

We actually know what the Book of Translation is for. Opening the Book secludes the Ogier from the humans. It probably brings the Ogier to another world.

[OptimusPrime]

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.

 

Hows THIS for crazy?

 

Ba'alzamon WAS the Dark One possessing Ishamael. Ishamael didnt think he was the Dark One, that WAS the Dark One, if only a part of him, but in control of Ishamaels body, much like the shadowy form in Shaidar Haran. Remember when Rand was fighting Ishamael, and Ishamael shrieks "Aid me!" and the darkness around him moved? One doesnt need to ask to use the True Power, if permission is there you can grab it whenever you want. Few of the other Chosen know about it because they havent used the True Power enough to learn of the price Moridin noted was always worth it. I think Graendal hints at something like this, because SHE makes a comment that her True Power access was a gift from Moridin, but then corrects herself to say "No, it was the Dark One who gave me access, best not to get mixed up between those two."

 

Im not saying Ishamael isnt loony. Just that he might not have thought he was the Great Lord after all.

[Avalonjohn44]

My guess is another Avendorsa

 

I like that idea, mainly because initially I had the same one. The more I thought about it though, especially after pondering the way Jordan uses two sides to things (male female dark light etc) I began to wonder if instead of a tree of life there was a tree of death surrounded by a sort of anti-Ruidian, with the red anti-aiel.

 

Still though, the way this Wilson fellow and the rest of the team reacted, I want/expect something bigger and more game-changing. Nothing here thus far satisfies that. I wonder if our expectations are unnecessarily high, or if there is something so colossally bad/powerful that we haven’t touched on yet.

 

If that is the case, what could be big enough? A hole or tear in the pattern? Another bore?

[Canis Rufus]

There is a Dragon in the Blight.

 

I'm not making a joke, it fits. It's been hinted at since the beginning. Rand is the Dragon Reborn, Rand Has the Tats. We are constantly being introduced to new and fantastic creatures from different parts of the world. We know that the deeper you get into the blight the more dangerious the life is. I belive that even Trollocs are afraid to go into the deep Blight. Rand is Battling the DO and RJ is famous for trying to shoe horn every idea into one book. So it is a Dragon. Perhaps Lan wakes is up perhaps this is the vessel that the DO will take in Rand land but there it is have a go at it.

[akira.taylor]

Call me crazy, but I think that what is in the blight is a pod of whatever the worms turn into upon maturity.

 

jumara = the grown up worms

 

Actually, jumara is what worms were called in the Age of Legends.

 

Yes, but they're also stuck in the current stage of their life-cycle, for some unspecified reason.

 

As I recall, what we know of jumara and worms is:

1) The Forsaken are scared of Worms (Asmodean, I think, had a policy of opening stasis boxes, until the idea of finding a Worm was pointed out to him, and it seemed like he changed his mind).

2) There are juvenile jumara in the Blight.

3) Randlanders (well, Aes Sedai and Borderlanders, really) call juvenile jumara worms. The Forsaken find this amusing.

 

The point of this is that Worms and jumara do not seem to be the same species (although it could be that adult jumara are worms, it seems unlikely that they would have two names, both used by the Forsaken). So, jumara, juvenile or adult, are probably much less dangerous than Worms.

[Canis Rufus]

This works as well. The story will need a WOW factor and the Shadow Spawn thing is basically played out so there needs to be like the "Gaugamela Elephants to the Roman Army situation," something unseen but large and full of destructive power but not really a battle changer in the long run. You can say "Worms" which to me is the same as saying "Dragons" it’s just a battle of Semantics. It's a 'beasty' we haven’t seen that will have a large visual effect more than anything else. There just isn't time to develop much else of import.