Darkhounds

[Sila Darklover]

Am I correct in assuming that Darkhounds don't breed naturally? It seems likely, since:

 

~They can increase their numbers by eating wolves' souls

 

~They are nearly indestructible, thus have no need to replace themselves'

 

~There is apparently a known number of packs (though just how many is contested), so their overall numbers don't seem to fluctuate much

 

Is this right?

[HotW Moiraine]

I can't belive you really want to think about that.

[SinisterDeath]

He's not asking if darkhounds produce other darkhounds by doing it doggie style. He's saying that from the evidence in the books, they probably don't And from what we have seen, wolves who die in the dream world, or captured by the do in that fashion become darkhounds... after being twisted.. *which might be a prelude to hopper becoming one*

 

Also, theres the super darkhounds, with abilities like the terminator 3 & and the abilities of a gholum.

IE can reform, after being destroyed, and unnaffected by the op.

[Guest cwestervelt]

If you are referring to the Darkhounds that attacked Rand in Rhuidean, there is nothing to indicate there was anything abnormal about them. We were simply shown one of the reasons they are said to be so hard to kill.

[Sila Darklover]

HotW Moiraine: I can't belive you really want to think about that

 

I'm a Scholar of the Shadow. It's my job. And my hobby. :twisted:

 

When did Hopper turn into a Darkhound?

[Beowolf]

I don't believe there is any specific number of packs, though characters can think, or believe, that there is, or that they know that number.

This is mainly because they can multiply in this fashion, by taking wolves' souls.

[HotW Moiraine]

Supply and demand, as Perrin notices less and less wolves it would be natural to think that there are more and more darkhounds out on the prowl, which would make sense since TG is coming and coming fast.

[Safia al-Maaz]

Interesting point, but Perrin doesn't have contact with all the wolves. Would he really notice if some of them went missing?

[HotW Moiraine]

He mentions he does. Multiple times.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Maybe Slayer was killing them in Tel'aran'rhiod for something other than just the kick he got from killing.

[Trib4l]

I've speculated on a potential link between Slayer and the Darkhounds before...

[Guest cwestervelt]

I'm not suggesting an ongoing connection between Slayer and Darkhounds. Just that he may have been killing the wolves under orders and not just for the fun of it.

[Shamaeso]

was it not Verin who named how many seperate packs she had come across and how many known packs there are?

 

I will have to look up the passage and post it but it was before Perrin rescued Faile.

[Guest cwestervelt]

It wasn't Verin. Don't recall the name right now, but she is one of the Aes Sedai with Perrin.

[isleofjib]

was it not Verin who named how many seperate packs she had come across and how many known packs there are?

 

I will have to look up the passage and post it but it was before Perrin rescued Faile.

 

i don't think that was verin, i think it was the AS with perrin that gives a bit of a history and i believe does mention how many packs there are and that they are identifiable in some way i don't remember.

 

that's not to say verin doesn't mention something about it at some point. but i don't think she does around perrin.

[caraieil]

There seemed to be a fair few wolves when perrin attacked the Shaido in KoD?

 

I think Slayer does, as the name suggests kill just for the hell of it, but perhaps there was a specific purpose behind him wiping out all the wolves in the two rivers. Perrin has comunicated with many other wolves since though incl;uding at Dumais wells (spell?)

 

Did hopper actually turn into a darkhound? I thought he was just becoming more and more twisted but not nessecarily a Darkhound?

[Sila Darklover]

Masuri is the Aes Sedai who told Perrin that various numbers of packs were reported to exist, and who apparently could distinguish one pack from another by their tracks. My hero. :)

[Master of the Blades]

(COT Whirlpool of Colors) Elyas tells Perrin: "They were wolves, once. The souls of wolves, anyway, caught and twisted by the Shadow. That was the core used to make Darkhounds, Shadowbrothers. I think that's why the wolves have to be at the Last Battle. Or maybe Darkhounds were made because wolves will be there, to fight them. [...] A hundred wolves could die trying to kill one Shadowbrother. Worse, if they fail, the Darkhound can eat the souls of those that aren't quite dead yet, and in a year or so, there'd be a new pack of Shadowbrothers that didn't remember ever being wolves. I hope they don't remember, anyway."

Perrin wants to know if they can also eat the soul of a Wolfbrother, a man who can talk to wolves, but Elyas doesn't know.

 

Darkhounds reproduce by devouring the souls of wolves.

[Beowolf]

:arrow: I believe Slayer is most likely killing under orders and for the fun of it. :)

 

:arrow: Also, even the AS with Perrin, (Masuri?) wasn't sure about the number of packs to exist, or even if there was a specific number of packs that existed. With darkhound multiplication(taking wolves' souls), those packs would have to get pretty big, even if there were like 13+ instead of 7 or 9. :lol:

[DemandredFO]

I have a question, how would wolves be able to kill darkhounds? I mean, isn't the only effective thing against them Balefire, cuz that's how moraine and Rand killed the different ones. Wolves can produce balefire unless wolves are Darkhounds mortal enemy or something

[caraieil]

Obviously wolves can kill them so they must be vulnerable in some way/area and wolves through expierience have found this weakness but men havn't. If this were the case surely perrin could discover the weakness of darkhounds and so make men more able to defend themselves against them.

 

?? Doesn't someone shoot a darkhound once with a bow??

Maybe not,

[SinisterDeath]

When Moiriane, Lan, and Perrin were riding to Illian or was it Tear? Perrin pulled out his bow, and shot a darkhound right between the eyes. It I think, fell dead to the ground.... Or just got back up, Not sure. But simpy, normal weapons don't work to wlel against it. Just being touched by one is instant death. So Ranged weapons probably are better against them. They could probably use other things against them besides balefire, but I don't exactly have the BWB on me, and I'm not sure if darkhounds can regeneate. We just know that balefire is the most effective againt them.. Well its the most effective against Everything. :P

Well except the Golams and the super darkhounds.

[DemandredFO]

What are superdarkhounds?

[Mardragon]

When people refer to superdarkhounds, I think they're referring to the darkhounds Rand came across. The ones who regenerated after he cut them in half (making 2 where there were originally 1).

 

Some readers speculate that these are different to the ones Perrin Moiraine and Lan confronted, since off-stage as it were, Lan killed one with his sword. I don't think they are described as separate in the books though, I think it's just a theory to explain the apparent discrepancies.

 

Does anyone know if Robert Jordan gave an answer in his past blogs?

[SinisterDeath]

When people refer to superdarkhounds, I think they're referring to the darkhounds Rand came across. The ones who regenerated after he cut them in half (making 2 where there were originally 1).

 

Some readers speculate that these are different to the ones Perrin Moiraine and Lan confronted, since off-stage as it were, Lan killed one with his sword. I don't think they are described as separate in the books though, I think it's just a theory to explain the apparent discrepancies.

 

Does anyone know if Robert Jordan gave an answer in his past blogs?

 

Its not a discrepency, therea re most definately two types. Specifically the new ones travel in MUCH larger packs.