Revisiting the Darkhound Pack

[spoke]

Concerning the large darkhound pack that circled Perrin's camp in COT, the general consensus has been that it was Slayer who was leading it. However, I think this is wrong. Slayer cannot use the one power. The description of the darkhound pack was that it circled the camp, and Perrin notes that it came and left via gateway due to his description of the damage:

 

As the trail began to curve west, he felt a growing suspicion that firmed into certainty as it continued to bend. The Darkhounds had circled the camp completely, running right across the place north of the camp where several huge trees lay half toppled and propped by their neighbors, each with a tall chunk sliced cleanly out of its splintered trunk. ... Nothing resisted the opening of an Asha'man's gateway and two had opened here....

 

This suggests that Slayer was not the one leading the Darkhound pack (at least not alone). However this is well before TOM where Grendal decides to take interest in Perrin. But in TOM when she confronts Moridin after the Balefire of Nattin's Barrow, she seems to already know where Perrin is. How could she have known where Perrin was unless she had previously scouted out his location? So I assume that this Pack of Darkhounds was sent by one of the Forsaken, and my prime candidate is Grendal. I would like to know your opinion.

[damandred]

The darkhounds couldn't of "came and went via gateway". Shadowspawn cannot survive gateways.

[GYLD]

Gholams can. Darkhounds, or maybe just the Terminator 2 variety, possibly could as well.

 

Brandon said Gholams could travel through gateways because they are a perfected kind of Shadowspawn. The Terminator 2 variety of darkhounds are unkillable short of balefire which might suggest they've reached the same kind of perfection as the gholams.

[Lisa Campbell]

Concerning the large darkhound pack that circled Perrin's camp in COT, the general consensus has been that it was Slayer who was leading it. However, I think this is wrong. Slayer cannot use the one power. The description of the darkhound pack was that it circled the camp, and Perrin notes that it came and left via gateway due to his description of the damage:

 

As the trail began to curve west, he felt a growing suspicion that firmed into certainty as it continued to bend. The Darkhounds had circled the camp completely, running right across the place north of the camp where several huge trees lay half toppled and propped by their neighbors, each with a tall chunk sliced cleanly out of its splintered trunk. ... Nothing resisted the opening of an Asha'man's gateway and two had opened here....

 

This suggests that Slayer was not the one leading the Darkhound pack (at least not alone). However this is well before TOM where Grendal decides to take interest in Perrin. But in TOM when she confronts Moridin after the Balefire of Nattin's Barrow, she seems to already know where Perrin is. How could she have known where Perrin was unless she had previously scouted out his location? So I assume that this Pack of Darkhounds was sent by one of the Forsaken, and my prime candidate is Grendal. I would like to know your opinion.

 

I think the thing that spoils your theory is that the Darkhounds ran "across" the place where the Gateways had been. Perrin doesn't say that the trail ends there, just that they come and go from the north.

 

I think the Gateways were made by Grady or Neald when they Travelled to that campsite. The Dreamspike wasn't in use back then.

 

I don't agree that it is likely that Graendal sent the Darkhounds otherwise they would have attacked Perrin's camp and done great damage to his forces, perhaps even killing Perrin himself.

 

I think it more likely that it was another Forsaken, possibly Demandred, and that the Darkhounds were hunting other prey otherwise they would have attacked as I said. IIRC the kill order from Moridin hadn't happened yet. So I wonder who they are hunting?

[Sharaman]

Consensus, they're hunting Fain.

@Spoke Graendal could find Perrin in many different ways.

Perrin has a big force with him - including the prophet's loons. Many of them may be DFs or BA. There's a hint that a female Chosen is messing with Masema's head anyhow.

Also ta'veren can be found from the disturbance they cause in the Pattern. We know that Lanfear and Ishamael have this ability. Graendal may as well.

[Durinax]

I think they are hunting wolves, and they smelt perrin (due to the wolfbrother thing) and unsure what it was they circled a few times trying to figure out what to do, but they decided that perrin wasnt p[art of their mission and went on their way

[Cybertrolloc]

How do I get on the general consensuses list? I want to know what stupid things everyone is thinking too :)

 

Suggestion: move to Luckers' post on this, many more possibilities are presented there along with liberal quotes to work with.

[Luckers]

Quick note--I'm not sure if the Darkhounds went through a gateway in CoT, it could just be as was suggested that they crossed the place where Perrin's gateways had been--but theoretically Darkhounds should be able to go through gateways. Jordan stated that it was their nature as constructs of the Power that made travelling through gateways fatal to Trollocs. But Darkhounds aren't constructed, they're wolves that have been altered.

 

I've suggested before this may be the reason Gholam could go through gateways--that they were once men who were altered, instead of a being constructed--this may be what Brandon meant when he spoke of Gholam being perfected Shadowspawn--specifcally Aginor may have realised the flaw of constructs, and changed his methodology to altering what already existed.

 

In any case, Darkhounds and Grey Men are not constructs, so they should theoretically be able to pass through gateways--for all that they are shadowspawn.

[JKN-SW]

running right across the place north of the camp..... Nothing resisted the opening of an Asha'man's gateway and two had opened here.

To me it's clerar from the text that the gateways on that spot had been opened by the Asha´man and the darkhounds just happened to pass that place. So it desn't give any more clue to how and why really.

[spoke]

running right across the place north of the camp..... Nothing resisted the opening of an Asha'man's gateway and two had opened here.

To me it's clerar from the text that the gateways on that spot had been opened by the Asha´man and the darkhounds just happened to pass that place. So it desn't give any more clue to how and why really.

I disagree, from the text, it indicates more clearly that he was comparing the damage done by a gateway to those that Asha'man make. Perrin has never seen a woman make a gateway before, so that is the only one that he knows of. Further It seems pretty clear that the Darkhounds came in through a gateway, they circled the camp, and then left through a gateway. There is no indication that they came and passed through the area and then headed on.

[JKN-SW]

running right across the place north of the camp..... Nothing resisted the opening of an Asha'man's gateway and two had opened here.

To me it's clerar from the text that the gateways on that spot had been opened by the Asha´man and the darkhounds just happened to pass that place. So it desn't give any more clue to how and why really.

I disagree, from the text, it indicates more clearly that he was comparing the damage done by a gateway to those that Asha'man make. Perrin has never seen a woman make a gateway before, so that is the only one that he knows of. Further It seems pretty clear that the Darkhounds came in through a gateway, they circled the camp, and then left through a gateway. There is no indication that they came and passed through the area and then headed on.

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree then, because that's not at all how I read the passage nor the conclusion I draw from it.