Demandred - What is he up too?

[andrewks]

I know Roedran seems reasonable since he has had no screen time (per RJ's words that we haven't seen Demandred's alter ego on screen) and is interested in the Band so much, but in reality Murandy fielding an army with an egotist like Demandred at it's head just seems out of character. Murandy just isn't a powerful nation, and Illian or Andor would put the beatdown on any army coming out of there. The attack on Caemlyn complicates Andor's help, but Illian has a huge army right next door.

 

Also I don't think he is the murdering leader in Seanchan, because it would be very redundant to have another massive fleet invade Randland. Been there done that.

 

My best guess would be Shara. It's just been way too mysterious and mentioned too many times to not have a huge part in AMoL. If the entire world is supposed to break again, you can be sure that the Sharans won't be sitting idle or ignorant. The silk routes would bring all the latest war news. It's all just been happening off screen. Besides, not all of the Aiel left the Waste... it would create an interesting eastern front if the Sharans are rallied behind Demandred.

 

My crazy kooky theory is that he has control of an alternate reality through one of the portal stones, and will invade that way. But hey, everyone one is entitled to one crazy theory!

[Suttree]

I'm starting my final read of the series now for AMOL so I'm a bit rusty but didn't we hear that Shara was having problems and then they were sorted out? "My rule is secure" kinda coincides with that doesn't it? Please correct me if I'm wrong or if anyone has quotes which say otherwise - it's been nagging me for a while, why have another country on the same continent if it isn't going to play a part?

 

They had problems because Graendal stole their rulers and the country fell into turmoil. We never heard it was sorted out and the Sharan trying to set up a "silk worm" scheme in KoD argues against it given how they have been able to regulate trade in totality up until that point.

[Orderofolde]

The most popular theories are the man sitting on the Seanchan throne leading the red-sailed ships, Jared Sarand, and Roedran. Other thoughts are of course Isle of Madmen, Shara, and some still think somewhere in the Borderland army.

 

Some propose that the Chekov's Gun is the DO asking him to wield the Balefire again in his name in LOC, and we do know that entire cities have been balefired in the War of Shadows. Yet I have to wonder if it took Rand using the Access key to Balefire the tower Graendal was residing in, how many Angreal, Sa'angreal, and Balefire Ter'angreal much less circles of channelers did it take for a city? And then there was the dropped hint we received of RJ telling a relative in telling the last of the story that "There is a _____ in the Blight." Which of course was reported to literally be a jaw-dropper. I've seen Dragon, City (of Darkfriends, channelers, red-veiled aiel, red-veiled aiel channelers), another white tower guessed, the list goes on for guesses, but it wouldn't have been dropped as a hint to us unless it was important. It's 2012, I can't wait!

[MasterAblar]

The most popular theories are the man sitting on the Seanchan throne leading the red-sailed ships, Jared Sarand, and Roedran. Other thoughts are of course Isle of Madmen, Shara, and some still think somewhere in the Borderland army.

 

Some propose that the Chekov's Gun is the DO asking him to wield the Balefire again in his name in LOC, and we do know that entire cities have been balefired in the War of Shadows. Yet I have to wonder if it took Rand using the Access key to Balefire the tower Graendal was residing in, how many Angreal, Sa'angreal, and Balefire Ter'angreal much less circles of channelers did it take for a city? And then there was the dropped hint we received of RJ telling a relative in telling the last of the story that "There is a _____ in the Blight." Which of course was reported to literally be a jaw-dropper. I've seen Dragon, City (of Darkfriends, channelers, red-veiled aiel, red-veiled aiel channelers), another white tower guessed, the list goes on for guesses, but it wouldn't have been dropped as a hint to us unless it was important. It's 2012, I can't wait!

 

Jarid Sarand was seen on screen in LoC. He can't be Demandred.

[number13]

The most popular theories are the man sitting on the Seanchan throne leading the red-sailed ships, Jared Sarand, and Roedran. Other thoughts are of course Isle of Madmen, Shara, and some still think somewhere in the Borderland army.

 

Some propose that the Chekov's Gun is the DO asking him to wield the Balefire again in his name in LOC, and we do know that entire cities have been balefired in the War of Shadows. Yet I have to wonder if it took Rand using the Access key to Balefire the tower Graendal was residing in, how many Angreal, Sa'angreal, and Balefire Ter'angreal much less circles of channelers did it take for a city? And then there was the dropped hint we received of RJ telling a relative in telling the last of the story that "There is a _____ in the Blight." Which of course was reported to literally be a jaw-dropper. I've seen Dragon, City (of Darkfriends, channelers, red-veiled aiel, red-veiled aiel channelers), another white tower guessed, the list goes on for guesses, but it wouldn't have been dropped as a hint to us unless it was important. It's 2012, I can't wait!

 

Maybe it's revolution - maybe the Trollocs decide they're sick of being a slave race and turn on their masters. Stranger things have happened!

 

 

Here's a few random crackpot theories I thought I'd throw in. I'm sure someone will have come up with these before me, right enough!

 

1) He's in another world (via Portal Stone) amassing an army there.

 

2) He's in the Ways. Machin Shin is his pet, designed to keep prying eyes away while he works.

 

3) He's disguised as a leader of the Ogier Gardners.

[mb]

The only contact we have seen between Demandred and the BT is when he was one of 3 people ordering Kinsman and co. to kill Rand.

No where else do we have any link of Demandred to the BT.

Demandred's main headquarters being Black Tower would be one likely way for Demandred and Kinsman to become acquainted.

 

On the other hand, Moridin...

-Only Forsaken "free" and therefore the only one capable of teaching Taim channeling and some of the things Taim says like "so called Aiel" and such

-Taim adorns the BT in Moridin's colours, black and red

-Moridin's guards at his fortress in the blight just happen to wear black coats...hmmmm

-The other Dreamspike from Moridin's possession is being employed at the BT

All the Forsaken seem to call the Aiel "so-called". And Moridin seems to spend most of his time at his fortress.

color choices could mean almost anything. One possibility being the bidding of another Forsaken to give the impression of loyalty to Moridin/Ishamael. Another possibility being black for Black Tower and Red for Andor.

Moridin could probably have gotten the guards and/or the coats from almost anywhere.

Demandred could have had permission from Moridin.

 

Cyndane didn't seem to have any issues looking at Rand.

dreams might be different than waking world.

[Finnssss22]

The only contact we have seen between Demandred and the BT is when he was one of 3 people ordering Kinsman and co. to kill Rand.

No where else do we have any link of Demandred to the BT.

Demandred's main headquarters being Black Tower would be one likely way for Demandred and Kinsman to become acquainted.

 

Proof? Show us anything, something linking Demandred to basing his HQ at the BT. There's nothing!

 

On the other hand, Moridin...

-Only Forsaken "free" and therefore the only one capable of teaching Taim channeling and some of the things Taim says like "so called Aiel" and such

-Taim adorns the BT in Moridin's colours, black and red

-Moridin's guards at his fortress in the blight just happen to wear black coats...hmmmm

-The other Dreamspike from Moridin's possession is being employed at the BT

All the Forsaken seem to call the Aiel "so-called". And Moridin seems to spend most of his time at his fortress.

color choices could mean almost anything. One possibility being the bidding of another Forsaken to give the impression of loyalty to Moridin/Ishamael. Another possibility being black for Black Tower and Red for Andor.

Moridin could probably have gotten the guards and/or the coats from almost anywhere.

Demandred could have had permission from Moridin.

 

Colour choices mean more than that, much more. There's a reason both Moggy and Cyndane dress in black and red now.

Show me some regular guards that could protect something that deep in the blight? They are obviously channelers and they wear black coats...seriously man, c'mon now.

Demandred could of gotten permission from Moridin but where's the timeline?

The Black Tower wasn't even the Black Tower until early in LoC. Demandred was already well established in both his location and in his plans by this point. Whatever him, Mesaana and Semirhage had arranged was well in motion by the time the BT came into existence.

You are basically saying that Demandred showed up to the BT later, as in moving his hq there.

Either way, there certainly isn't much contact between him and Taim before that point.

Taim has been channeling for 15-20 years or for about as long as Ishy has been free.

 

You may be able to explain all these coincidences one at a time but all together....it's too much.

[mb]

As far as I am aware, neither author never confirmed or denied any location.

And as far as I am aware, there is not yet any proof or disproof for anywhere. Only proof/disproof for anywhere will occur when Demandred's alias becomes on-screen.

The best we can say about anywhere would be it being either likely or unlikely. Later joining the Black Tower still seems likely to me; up til that time, my guess has been that Demandred was setting up his proxies and becoming acquainted with them. Only unlikely places to me would be Shara and Seanchan since Robert Jordan told there would not be any further visits to either place.

 

The guys seem to be more like servants than like guards. Moridin's fortress seems to not be threatened by anyone/anything.

Since Demandred himself is seldom on screen and since his alias has not yet showed up, he could have had the permission almost anytime.

[Luckers]

Ishamael was never cited directly controlling the shadows armies in the War of the Shadow. Furthermore Demandred did directly lead armies--and is indeed the only survivor of the three Forsaken cited to do so, the other two being Be'lal and Sammael--so if we're really applying the logic of 'as it was in the War of Power, so it is now', then it is extremely likely that Moridin chose Demandred for this role.

 

Moridin is Nae'blis, but he isn't afraid to delegate.

 

Wasn't it stated though at some point that Moridin was gathering the shadowspawn, or something like that? Perhaps by Graendal.

 

Moridin was pissed about the whole fake Sammael thing, but wasn't that in one of the later books? It doesn't really explain what he's been up to in previous books.

 

Graendal stated that Moghedien and Cyndane were working to organise Darkfriends at Moridin's behest, but nothing about shadowspawn, as the for the rest, it was in Knife of Dreams, however as I stated in my initial post this is merely what I feel Demandred was referring to in his comment about his rule being secure and his armies gathering for war. I've no doubt he's had his fingers in other pots.

 

I found it. It's in the chapter in tGS. Graendal says she knows the plans of all the Chosen except for Demandred and she says that "Moridin was gathering the Great Lord's forces for the Last Battle and his war preparations left him very little time for the south". So he's clearly taking care of the shadows forces in the Blight which definitely means shadowspawn. Also, this scene takes place far into the Blight where the shadowspawn are particularly wild I believe so that certainly fits. That doesn't mean that Demandred is not involved as well, but if he is, then Moridin asking him for a report is rather strange since he should already be perfectly aware of the progress. And if Graendal knows that Moridin is up to this there's no reason for her not to be aware of it if Demandred is involved as well. Also, since Demandred has his fingers in other pots as you said, giving him yet another responsibility would be overburdening him somewhat. Finally would Demandred really refer to it as "his" rule, with regards to shadowspawn? Wouldn't it be Moridin's rule, or the Great Lord's rule? Maybe I'm just being picky but I feel that it would be rather bold, even for Demandred, to refer to it as "his" rule.

 

By the same note, Darkfriends are in the Shadow's forces, but Moridin uses Cyndane and Moghedien to rally them. Why wouldn't he work through the Shadow's one remaining Great Captain on this?

[aunt_pol]

Demandred? In a hole somewhere, scratching his arse waiting to be hauled onstage at the end to do something... that should be amazing but probably is only interesting. The most useless baddie in the place.