What was the 'BLANK in the Blight'

[Saguin Venart]

I'm thinking anti-white tower. I don't know why but as someone pointed out Jordan like to do the the opposite thing. Saidin and Saidar, etc. You cant really call it the Black Tower but a Tower where Black Ajah and even Male Dreadlords are taught by the Forsaken whenever they return to the blight. Maybe what Moghedian and Cyndane have to do while mind trapped by Moridin. Demandred could teach the male channlers I know this involves a lot of what ifs and even *gasp* Demandred speculation, but I just thought of this.

[zidfrekle]

Ok I'll add my crazy 2 cents worth here. I believe that Demandred is posing as someone from Malkier. Breyan Mandragoran was never accounted for, and although we have been told Lain Mandragoran is dead, I have a nasty suspicion he and other Malkeri may still be lurking out there in the Blight. It would create a more powerful emotional drama for Lan to have his true enemies/family to fight against and give Demandred a perfect hiding place. It would also mess with Rand to have to kill the family that Lan thought was dead all this time. Therefore, the ____________ in the Blight could be many things....a relic from the AoL, an Angreal of some sort, an army of aiel or other foes, etc. Or it could also go the opposite way and Lain and Breyan have an army prepared to join Lan and redeem themselves for the fall of Malkier and the lousy darkfriend of a son they gave birth to. In this case, the ___________ in the Blight could be an army of friends, not foes.

 

 

I know it's far-fetched but hey....I guess it's no harder to believe than the idea of a Starbucks in the Blight :)

[DocBean]

I thought when Jordan brought it up he was trying to explain all the Trollocs in the blight.

So I assumed he was saying there's a Portal Stone in the Blight, and the Forsaken are bringing millions of them through.

That would explain how all the Trollocs could live and grow in numbers so well in the Blight, and we've seen hints of it in TOM.

 

 

If that's not it, then I'd say the City sounds the best to me.

We've heard Fain talk about the Two Rivers as a city of darkfriends, and how that's such a good idea for them to be able to live in the open, maybe he was basing that story on reality.

Maybe if there is a City Fain is heading there to corrupt it and take over. Right now I can't see him as a huge threat to Rand unless killing Moridin affects Rand.

 

 

I don't know, maybe there's an Ocean in the Blight and The Seafolk and Seanchan will attack by sea.

[Mats Spare Hat]

Fellas, come on...Clearly, the blank in the blight is a T.G.I. Fridays

[donk]

Fellas, come on...Clearly, the blank in the blight is a T.G.I. Fridays

 

If it is a something then:

 

Dreamspike?

 

Last seal on the D.O.'s prison?

 

(If it is a city then could this be Demandreds powerbase and secret army?)

 

If it is an event as it seems from the conversation Wilson is said to have repeated as in 'yet to take place' then:

 

I have no frickin idea!

 

As an event that could have happened in terms of one, and there being a happening of such then... yep still clueless.

 

 

On balance although it will most likely not be a dreamspike it would be carnage for the allies!

[Dakota]

It's not a seal, from what I recall, all those are accounted for. All but two are destroyed, and Rand has those two. Unless I'm mistaken.

It's not a dreamspike. Moridin told Graendal that he had only found two. One she had, the other is at the Black Tower. He definately could have lied to her, but if he was going to do that, why tell her that he had found a second one to begin with?

[donk]

It's not a seal, from what I recall, all those are accounted for. All but two are destroyed, and Rand has those two. Unless I'm mistaken.

It's not a dreamspike. Moridin told Graendal that he had only found two. One she had, the other is at the Black Tower. He definately could have lied to her, but if he was going to do that, why tell her that he had found a second one to begin with?

 

Yup,,, unless the seal Taim gave him is a fake as suggested, but yes it wouldn't make sense for either really to be the case.

 

I am intrigued by the idea of an event as in something happening - just cant twizzle anything in my head to fit...

[Lynander]

a city in the blight seems too obvious to me for it to be a surprise for me. I already think there is one in the Blight, but I don't think it refers to "blank".

 

The first thought that came to my mind was a portal stone when I heard about it a few months ago. But that wouldn't surprise me either as it's the same level (of surprise) as with a city.

 

I've mentioned this one before in a different thread a few months ago: the Dark One's version of a Choedan Kal. (just throwing it out there)

 

However, right now my thoughts are leading me back to the city idea. If there is a city in the Blight - meaning people are growing crops, building houses, making babies, etc. That suggests that wherever they are living is not affected by the Blight right? - otherwise their crops would basically be dead. So whatever is in the Blight, maybe it's some sort of device that can ward off the Blight. On the other hand, one of the Forsaken mentioned making new strains of crops at one of the meetings in the Blight (Greandal I think), to me, this suggests that the city hasn't been around for very long, otherwise the strain of crops should be perfected after all these years right?

 

If I were to go with my gut instinct, I'd have to say there is a city, but that's not what the "blank" in the Blight refers to. It's a portal stone. The reason for the city to exist is to provide sustenance (sp?) to the Trollocs and other beings that cross over from other worlds and to make crazy Aiel people and hopefully channelers.

[Guest]

So after some months im back :D

 

since ive heared about this "blank" in the blight ive always thought there is one thing that is the most logical to me.

waygates or portal stones is a given, and wouldnt have been surprising at all.

 

no, what i think is supposed to be in that blank is "hold".

 

a hold in the blight - thats right.

 

what is a hold? not a city, but an aiel refuge/town.

 

we all know the blight is growing, it swallowed malkier, why not one of the northernmost aiel holds?

in my head this theory only became stronger with those red-veiled aiel look-alikes

[MauricXe]

However, right now my thoughts are leading me back to the city idea. If there is a city in the Blight - meaning people are growing crops, building houses, making babies, etc. That suggests that wherever they are living is not affected by the Blight right? - otherwise their crops would basically be dead. So whatever is in the Blight, maybe it's some sort of device that can ward off the Blight. On the other hand, one of the Forsaken mentioned making new strains of crops at one of the meetings in the Blight (Greandal I think), to me, this suggests that the city hasn't been around for very long, otherwise the strain of crops should be perfected after all these years right?

 

 

Like...an Avendorsa :)

 

Do you remember where the crops statement was made?

[PhoenixUK]

I think it's a dragon, a wyrm. One of the forsaken mentioned at some point that Aginor's creations had finally bloomed into full size in the Blight. I reckon it's a giant worm who will attack in the last battle

[MauricXe]

I think it's a dragon, a wyrm. One of the forsaken mentioned at some point that Aginor's creations had finally bloomed into full size in the Blight. I reckon it's a giant worm who will attack in the last battle

 

Where was this stated? Do you remember?

[ARBOLITO]

I THINK THE BLANK IS A STEDDING ITS EASY TO FORGET LOIAL AND THE OGIER MAYBE THEY SAVE THE DAY BY USING WAYGATES AND ATTACKING THE TROLLOCS FROM BEHIND

[Finnssss22]

I believe it has something to do with AoL technology and/or the power source needed for it to work or be made.

 

Always struck me as weird that AoL stuff can't be made outside of "This special place near Shayol Ghul", WH Chapt 13.

[Shimmer]

City of Darkfriends was the first thing that popped into my head too, and it felt as though there have been mentions of it throughout the series which hint to what it exactly is. Ahh...must go back to my fifth re-read to find specifics.

[MauricXe]

I believe it has something to do with AoL technology and/or the power source needed for it to work or be made.

 

Always struck me as weird that AoL stuff can't be made outside of "This special place near Shayol Ghul", WH Chapt 13.

 

 

Ah, good find.

[OptimusPrime]

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.

 

You know, I always wondered what those worms turned into. But in the same breath how much would an actual dragon fit into the series? I think the closest thing we will ever get to a dragon is the image in TGS during the White Tower raid. Remember when someone looked up and thought the to'raken was channeling? I really, really liked how the starting of that myth was roped in, but if Im honest Im not sure how well a real dragon would fit. Unless it was exactly as they appear on Rands arms that is, and for some reason I cant imagine something like that being in the Blight AND on the arms of the saviour unless there was a way for them to be turned good or whatever.

 

A Dragon. Like a spieces of to'raken that got stranded and mutated by the Blight? Hmm.

[PhoenixUK]

I think it's a dragon, a wyrm. One of the forsaken mentioned at some point that Aginor's creations had finally bloomed into full size in the Blight. I reckon it's a giant worm who will attack in the last battle

 

Where was this stated? Do you remember?

LOL initial google searches picked up my post!

 

Found it, it's sammael and graendal talking in Lord of Chaos:

 

On the other hand,” he went on, “think how awful it would have been to open a box and rouse a nest of cafar, say, or a jumara, or one of Aginor’s other little creations. Did you know there are jumara loose in the Blight? Full-grown, though they’ll never transform now. They call them Worms.” He laughed so hard at that, he shook.

[MauricXe]

Thank you.

 

I think that won't be the blank in the blight but it might play a role later.

[Guest irishred]

My first post here, and a crazy thought, what if the _______ is a community of tinkers that learned the song from the Green Man? Not only did they learn the song, but they also learned the secret of remaining unaffected/undetected in the blight. The surrounding blight would keep them from being discovered by anyone else, and it also ties up a plot thread that has been dangling since the first book. Furthermore, what would be more shocking than finding out that a community of pacifists are thriving in the harshest environment in Randland?

 

Oh well, back to lurking.......

[Arc]

There is a Female Trolloc in the Blight,.. You might want to start running now.

[Kestrel]

There is a Female Trolloc in the Blight,.. You might want to start running now.

And she's PMS-ing. No wonder all the Trollocs are invading Randland. They're trying to get away from HER!

 

Seriously, now. Whatever it is was something Harriet didn't even suspect, and took so much time and effort to describe that Harriet had run out and buy a tape recorder to get it all down. So it's probably not "just" a Portal Stone or a Waygate. I would not be surprised to find both in the Blight anyway - armies of Trollocs are getting entry-access to them from somewhere - but I believe it's more than that. [side note: I wonder if that blighted village Perrin encounters by the Jehannah Road was built by or over a portal stone?] I also don't think it's "just" the breeding ground of the Trollocs and critters of the shadow. We don't have the specifics, but the fact the worms, Trollocs, and other critters make their home in the blight is well-known old news.

 

Whatever the <blank> is must either be very complex, or have a unique history, or both. Whatever the <blank> may be it is isolated, and nothing we know of has emerged (yet) that can be traced back to it. That would seem to infer the <blank> is:

-- Some technology from the AoL, perhaps a factory, although it's curious we haven't seen any mysterious weapons or tools wielded by the Dark Lord's minions.

-- A ancient abandoned city, perhaps like another Rhuidean. It could be populated by the "lost" channeling men or other denizens of the Dark Lord, and may have something to do with the twisting of Mazrim Taim's supporters. Mezar, the fellow described in the Androl POV storyline, is particularly creepy; whatever happened to him was done outside the Black Tower.

-- Some reservoir of angreal or power-wrought weapons, or even another well of saidin/saidar that the Good Guys can use to gain the advantage when fighting the Last Battle. This could be pure and protected like the Eye of the World, but so deep in the blight for so long that its very existence is nearly a forgotten myth. Someone who is more up to speed on the legends and prophecies than I am may be able to offer some more insight.

[htarcan]

My first post here, and a crazy thought, what if the _______ is a community of tinkers that learned the song from the Green Man? Not only did they learn the song, but they also learned the secret of remaining unaffected/undetected in the blight. The surrounding blight would keep them from being discovered by anyone else, and it also ties up a plot thread that has been dangling since the first book. Furthermore, what would be more shocking than finding out that a community of pacifists are thriving in the harshest environment in Randland?

 

Oh well, back to lurking.......

 

I've read the whole thread (today I do it alot) and never seen such a surprising idea! Very nice one but I think unlikely. I guess, the blank is something we already know, the red veiled aiel.

BS didn't want to say it bcz he was gonna use it at the end of ToM.

[Samhain]

I want to know why my copy of Towers of Midnight doesn't have the red-veiled Aiel section in the epiloge.

[PhoenixUK]

@ kestrel - most things have at least two eyes, so maybe the world does too :P and it's the 2nd eye of the world