Rand, Verin, and the Shadow's timetable

[Hopefire]

So, I was thinking about Verin's letters today. Rand receives one of her letters just before his meeting with Egwene. Egwene arrives, and then Rand tells her that he plans to move in thirty days. We know Verin had no small insight as to the plans of the Shadow, due to her warning to Mat about the strike on Caemlyn.

 

I think that Verin provided Rand with the Shadow's timetable. Rand's actions with regards to timing are entirely deliberate. He would have realized that the letter being delivered just before the meeting was important, that the Pattern wanted him to have it. Either he read it while waiting for Egwene to arrive, or he may know a weave that allows him to transpose written words on rolled up paper into something he can see (compared to Maradon, seems easy!).

 

It likely means that Rand is likely fully aware that Caemlyn is burning. He also likely has a good grasp of where Lan is and what the situation is at Tarwin's Gap. I suspect that for all that Rand is acting nice, he's got some sneaky plans to convince people to join up, using the ongoing attacks as levers.

[trench]

I think Verin's letter told Rand where to find the king of Arad Doman. It could have told him many other things as well, so I am not discounting your theory. Although I can't recall if he read the letter before the meeting. If he did read he sure did make the plan in a hurry.

[Wantanswers]

"I've been informed that the White Tower is holding Matteos Stepaneos." (ToM, For what has been wrought)

I think that was in the letter.

 

"A friend of mine left me a secret," Rand said. "The White Tower collected Matteos Stepaneos to protect him. Well, it wasn't much of a leap to wonder if they might have done that with other monarchs. And if they sent sisters to Arad Doman to seize him months ago, before any of them knew about gateways, they could have been trapped in the snows on their return trip." (ToM, A Storm of Light)

Rand obviously figured out himself where Alsalam could be found.

[Ala Rubra]

So, I was thinking about Verin's letters today. Rand receives one of her letters just before his meeting with Egwene. Egwene arrives, and then Rand tells her that he plans to move in thirty days. We know Verin had no small insight as to the plans of the Shadow, due to her warning to Mat about the strike on Caemlyn.

 

I think that Verin provided Rand with the Shadow's timetable. Rand's actions with regards to timing are entirely deliberate. He would have realized that the letter being delivered just before the meeting was important, that the Pattern wanted him to have it. Either he read it while waiting for Egwene to arrive, or he may know a weave that allows him to transpose written words on rolled up paper into something he can see (compared to Maradon, seems easy!).

 

It likely means that Rand is likely fully aware that Caemlyn is burning. He also likely has a good grasp of where Lan is and what the situation is at Tarwin's Gap. I suspect that for all that Rand is acting nice, he's got some sneaky plans to convince people to join up, using the ongoing attacks as levers.

 

While Rand does receive Verin's letter directly before his meeting with Egwene, he doesn't have time to read it.

 

Thus, any information that may be in that letter had absolutely no influence on Rand's choice of timing for FoM.