Little Details and Beady Eyes

[Ashandarei]

Doing a reread of WoT and at the very beginning of EotW something struck me...

 

Pulling his cloak together, Rand stepped forward to support Mat, but words died as the hairs stirred on the back of his neck. He was being watched again. It was far from the feeling the hooded rider had given him, but neither was it pleasant, especially so soon after that encounter. [...]

 

Then something led him to turn around, to raise his eyes. On the edge of the inn's tile roof perched a large raven, swaying a little in the gusting wind from the mountains. Its head was cocked to one side, and one beady, black eye was focused . . . on him, he thought. He swallowed, and suddenly anger flickered in him, hot and sharp. "Filthy carrion eater," he muttered. "I am tired of being stared at," Mat growled, and Rand realized his friend had stepped up beside him and was frowning at the raven, too.

 

They exchanged a glance, then as one their hands darted for rocks. The two stones flew true . . . and the raven stepped aside; the stones whistled through the space where it had been. Fluffing its wings once, it cocked its head again, fixing them with a dead black eye, unafraid, giving no sign that anything had happened. Rand stared at the bird in consternation. "Did you ever see a raven do that?" he asked quietly. Mat shook his head without looking away from the raven. "Never. Nor any other bird, either."

 

It reminded me of this scene from ToM with Graendal:

 

They arrived with the bird before Aran'gar was back, and Graendal carefully wove the True Power—once again thrilling in the rush of holding it—and crafted a complex weave of Spirit. Could she remember how to do this? It had been so long. She overlaid the weave on the bird's mind. Her vision seemed to snap. In a moment, she could see two images in front of her—the world as she saw it and a shadowed version of what the bird saw. If she focused, she could turn her attention to one or the other.

 

It made her mind hurt. The vision of a bird was entirely different from that of a human being: She could see a much larger field, and the colors were so vivid as to be nearly blinding, but the view was blurry, and she had trouble judging distance. She tucked the bird's sight into the back of her head. A dove would be unobtrusive, but using one was more difficult than a raven or a rat, the Dark One's own favored eyes. The weave worked better on those than it did other animals.

 

Only Aginor and Balthamel were free at the time since they were the closest to the surface of LT's seal and of course Ishamael since he was never really sealed properly. So I'm thinking, based on the fact that Aginor/Bal. didn't expect Rand and co. at the Eye, they must not have been tracking him. Additionally, Ishy was actively tracking them as he mentions in their dream/nightmares in TAR. So could this raven be Ishamael doing the TP trick Graendal used in ToM?

 

I realize that this is really not that big a deal in the "big picture" but I found it really intriguing to consider that possibility since it's the little details that are the most interesting during re-reads.

[bysomy]

or it could have just been a bird....

[Ashandarei]

or it could have just been a bird....

 

Why would RJ dedicate that much screen time and detail to "just a bird"?

[bysomy]

Oh i dont know, foreshadow winternight? Im not saying it wasn't "the dark ones eyes", but still, this seems a little out there.

[Byzantine279]

It might have been one of the normal birds that reports what it sees, but you do have a decent theory as to why it would behave like that, ishamael was in control.

[Mats Spare Hat]

As far as the gruesome twosome at the Eye.

 

Whether or not they were actively tracking Rand & Co. - Lets say they were, and they were at the Eye, not expecting to encounter the posse. For instance say they take a peek with random bird and determine okay, they're not even close to where we're at, hiyo!

 

All of the sudden, based on the effect of their combined ta'varen nature & need, the heros find exactly what they're looking for, entering the peaceful green area with the green man chillin with a six-pack...er, ready to help them, as the eye's just around the corner, metaphorically speaking. The location of the Eye effectively changed.

 

Soo, the heroes could have been watched by the twosome, however the baddies could have still been taken by surprise, because where they thought they were in relation to the two rivers gang, suddenly moved to where the heroes needed to be.

 

Your suspicions are most likely correct, and I think it was most likely Ishamael who cast the weave. What'll get your goat, or at least whats got mine, is whether or not it's possible to place a weave like that on a non-domesticated animal, like a carrion bird, who has a mirrored representation in the world of dreams.

 

If so than if you appear to be a dreamer/dreamwalker like Ish-Mori, you wouldn't have to be anywhere near a given wild animal in the physical world in order to cast your spy-weave, and see through their eyes? Track somebody via their dreams, then pick up the scent of the closest wild animal with a representation in TAR, cast the weave and actively track them even when you're not asleep?

 

Whacky.

[Ashandarei]

It might have been one of the normal birds that reports what it sees, but you do have a decent theory as to why it would behave like that, ishamael was in control.

Thanks

 

As far as the gruesome twosome at the Eye.

 

Whether or not they were actively tracking Rand & Co. - Lets say they were, and they were at the Eye, not expecting to encounter the posse. For instance say they take a peek with random bird and determine okay, they're not even close to where we're at, hiyo!

 

All of the sudden, based on the effect of their combined ta'varen nature & need, the heros find exactly what they're looking for, entering the peaceful green area with the green man chillin with a six-pack...er, ready to help them, as the eye's just around the corner, metaphorically speaking. The location of the Eye effectively changed.

 

Soo, the heroes could have been watched by the twosome, however the baddies could have still been taken by surprise, because where they thought they were in relation to the two rivers gang, suddenly moved to where the heroes needed to be.

 

Your suspicions are most likely correct, and I think it was most likely Ishamael who cast the weave. What'll get your goat, or at least whats got mine, is whether or not it's possible to place a weave like that on a non-domesticated animal, like a carrion bird, who has a mirrored representation in the world of dreams.

 

If so than if you appear to be a dreamer/dreamwalker like Ish-Mori, you wouldn't have to be anywhere near a given wild animal in the physical world in order to cast your spy-weave, and see through their eyes? Track somebody via their dreams, then pick up the scent of the closest wild animal with a representation in TAR, cast the weave and actively track them even when you're not asleep?

 

Whacky.

 

Yeah, even taking that into account I still think it's more probable that Ishy was tracking, glad we agree. As long as placing the weave is done in reality and not TAR I think your idea is possible but a weave placed in TAR wouldn't be maintained in the reality, although it would be maintained the next time that animal returned to TAR if it was done right.

[jemron]

IF it was a Forsaken, it would have had to be Ishy. Aginor and Belthamel weren't yet freed at the time of Winternight. I don't think they were freed until possibly just a few hours/days/maybe weeks before Rand et al. went to the Eye, which was almost a year after Winternight, I believe.

 

Still, cool theory. I don't see why it couldn't work. Ishy was certainly using the TP as early as he was on-screen, so it's definitely a possibility.

[nolirion]

Fade use this trick also but it is different then human doing it .

It was stated many time that Rat or raven was the spy of the do , he just seize control of them I suppose .

You know at that time Isha didn't no who was The dragon Reborn so he put is spy to use .