Darkside saidin channelers

[Sharaman]

Prior to ToM, we've had some interesting hints that the GLoD has non-Ashaman saidin channelers under his command.

Two or three that I can recall.

1) TSR - Moggy describes what the sad bracelets do. These are post-Breaking ter'angreal so she has to have done her research after she was released from the Bore. TSR is also pre the founding of the BT. So any practical experience she has must be with non BT saidin channelers. It's exceedingly unlikely that any male Chosen would have been willing to help her with her experiments, unless they're directly ordered to, by the GLoD.

2) ToM Semirhage describes and demonstrates in more detail what the sad bracelets can do. Her verbals make it absolutely clear that she's practiced with them, Seanchan has no male channelers officially available for easy experiment. Semi may have used BT channelers but she could also have used other male saidin channelers.

3) Graendal is visited by a pretty saidin channeler - he's dressed in black but she's seen Ashaman at the Cleansing at the very least and doesn't peg him as one. Again, he may be from the BT but he may not.

4) Somebody pumped a bunch of Aiel through a Gate into Mat's camp in LoC. The BT had just been formed so it's unlikely to be a random Dark Ashaman. The AS don't know Travel at that stage. It could have been one of the Chosen (or Taim himself) but then again, it might be somebody else tasked with this. Turned Aiel perhaps ?

 

Any other hints anybody else can recall?

 

OTOH both at Maradon and at the Jehannah Rd battle, the saidin channelers on the darkside stayed out of visible sight. This could be because they were Ashaman who didn't want to be recogmised.

 

So, we have some inkling earlier than ToM that there are non BT, non-Chosen Darkside Saidin channelers.

1) They could be sourced from Shara

2) They could be Aiel turned by 13x13 or captured and bred secretly over generations in the Blight.

3) They may just be from Seanchan -one Tuon PoV in TGS indicates that there have been occasional disastrous attempts to use them in Seanchan rebellions.

4) They could be from Land of Madmen

5) They could be rescued seafolk saidin channelers

 

The first two seem to fit easiest with the plotline and 2 seems the most foreshadowed.

[bcspeer]

I think 1 and 2 are most likely. I know it is too late but I want to see something out of Shara. The Land of Madmen, I think is just a world filler or something like that. I read somewhere that they wouldn't make an appearance but I can't remember where. I don't think there are any surviving seafolk saidin channelers. I think Harina said most choose immediate death. Seanchan is a possibility for Semirhage's experiments but she also could have kidnapped some Asha'man or male Ayyad from Shara to torture. I can't remember but do the books say if the sad bracelets were made Pre or Post War of Power?

 

Graendal could've been wrong about the saidin channeler and he could've been an Asha'man, and the only Asha'man she could've seen at the cleansing were Narishma, Flinn, and Hopwil and only 3 aren't a good assessment. I think the Jehannah and Maradon battles were Darkfriend Asha'man. We know we have quite a few of them and with the Last Battle coming they are probably becoming more active.

[RandA lThor]

Yeah, I think 2 is the most likely choice.

[Durinax]

I can't remember but do the books say if the sad bracelets were made Pre or Post War of Pow

postey where made at he same time as adam

[tonofthorns]

I think 2 is most likely, as well.

[1Brotherbill]

It could be a lack of editing.

 

Story this long is bound to have errors in it.

[Barid Bel Medar]

There are male channelers around, Moggy and Semirhage could just pick them up before anyone else has time to notice them. They don't have to be affiliated with the Shadow either. I would say that neither Semirhage or Moggy would have a problem with capturing and using the Domination Band against their will. In that respect, these instances could jsut be that they found some poor unlucky bastard. OTOH, channeling saidin would inherently draw the men to the Shadow for protection.

 

I would say that there would be male Dreadlords around before the Black Tower was founded. Hiding from the rest of the world, due to obvious circumstance.

 

I don't think Graendal dismissed the possibility of the gateway guy being Asha'man. If he was a Dreadlord under Moridin, she wouldn't think of him as asha'man, but as she did, one of Moridin's people. When tGS came out, I said I thought the "pretty channeler" was Mishraile, one of Taim's minions. http://encyclopaedia-wot.org/characters/m/mishraile.html

 

Lastly, I have been an advocate of the hybrid Aiel male channelers being the red-viels from the start. I think that they are the organised male channeling group for the Shadow aside from other random Dreadlords.

[Vardar]

Umm. What about the option that they're just male darkfriends who can channel? It' seems like the most obvious answer, doesn't take a stretch at all. Obivously, like the BA, some of the males who become Darkfriends will be channelers. BAM, train them up, protect them from the taint, and you've gotten an army hiding waiting to come out. Maybe not too many, but easily a few hundred.

[Durinax]

Umm. What about the option that they're just male darkfriends who can channel? It' seems like the most obvious answer, doesn't take a stretch at all. Obivously, like the BA, some of the males who become Darkfriends will be channelers. BAM, train them up, protect them from the taint, and you've gotten an army hiding waiting to come out. Maybe not too many, but easily a few hundred.

I imagine male channellers (pre cleansing) would be among the most likely to seek the DO, for his 'protection'

[Sharaman]

Yes, the GLoD could just issue instructions that every DF had to take the channeling test. But they've hidden remarkably well from the general population. That's an interesting possibility - ties in with Taim knowing a way to test for saidin-ability.