It's been mentioned in the books, possibly by Verin (sorry, can't remember) that the Dark One isn't fighting the war the way everyone thinks he is.  What's meant by this?  I mean, are there clues out there that kind of hint what this means or is this something that we'll mostly find out about in the last book?

It's TGS's A Visit From Verin Sedai. As to what He's actually doing, I don't think we can provide a comprehensive answer at this point, but subverting Rand was probably a big part of it. For some reason, the DO needed Rand to work on his behalf. We'll probably see more of that in AMoL (remember that there has been foreshadowing for Ishamael's loosing embarrassingly once the only road open to him was an all-out war).

I like your explanation. As close as you get to being able to do it no matter what, the easier it would become. But it might not be a binary-state thing, as in either you can or you can't. Circumstance can play a role.

As for examples for it acting the other way around, see Moiraine and Merean, Lanfear and Rand at the docks, and Rand and Asmodean. All examples of fairly evenly-matched couples.

EDIT:

Barid, once someone is Shielded it doesn't take that much power to hold them. A weaker channeler could do it, which is why Nynaeve had no problem holding on to Moghedien once she was Shielded.

Mogi, after realizing that Nyn matched her in strength (or near enough), should have simply let Nyn uselessly batter at her link while she (Mogi) channeled something a little more destructive.

Maybe they have to actively resist your attempt for the strength difference to matter? I'm not sure.

Nope, sorry, agree to disagree.

There is no conclusive evidence either way and for every instance where you quote Rand guessing that he might be able to do this or do that, I could LTT rambling the opposite or even one of the female Forsaken needling one of the male forsaken about what even 13 untrained women would mean to them.

 

AGAIN, we are both just guessing here man and neither of us can offer definitive proof.

Finnssss, I'll never deny you the option of disagreeing simply on principle, but you're not actually providing evidence; and your suggestions fall short because of that. Point in case, what Lanfear told Rahvin was this:

"Channel?" he sneered. "She is not strong enough to be allowed outdoors without a keeper. They call untutored children Aes Sedai when half what they know is self-taught tricks and the other half barely scratches the surface."

"Would you still be so complacent if those untutored children put a circle of thirteen around you?" The cool mockery in her voice stabbed him, but he did not let it show.

Which again only demonstrates that 13 AS would be able to overpower Rahvin.

On the other hand, I've provided with several pieces of evidence to support my position. They aren't definitive, I'll give you that. But to counter them you'll have to address them specifically rather than dismissing them out of hand. I think I've done you that same courtesy. Or, as I said above, you can simply remain unconvinced, but then please don't claim equal footing.

And if a man, no matter how powerfull he is, can be shielded by even 13 of the weakest women. It seems to imply that a man's strength in the power, amplified or not, does not matter.

 

Like I said, we can go back and forth on this all day and neither of us can prove or disprove the other.

There's simply just not any hard evidence one way or the other.

I disagree; there is evidence. For one, we know that you have to be considerably stronger than someone in order to Shield them, while they're embracing the Source. For another, a circle of 13 AS is considerably stronger than any man is unaided, therefore it can overwhelm them. Nothing inconsistent about that, and no need to suggest any other mechanism that kicks-in at 13 (so I'm pulling the Occam card, I guess).

Also, Rand makes a point of mentioning that he's only holding a little more because he expects trouble from damane, who cannot Link. He postulated that he might also be strong enough like that to resist a full circle, but that doesn't concern him at the time. It's more than suggestive that holding more would make that speculation a sure thing, otherwise the possibility wouldn't exist to begin with.

Finally, it's not true that 13 of the weakest female channelers can overwhelm any man. I said 13 AS, just as Asmodean did:

Thirteen women who can barely channel could overpower most men, linked. The thirteen weakest women in the Tower could overpower you or any man, and barely breathe hard.

Which further proves my point (i.e., if 13 Morgases can't take Rand without an angreal, then there's nothing magical about the number at all).

I would fall on the side of assuming that a angreal do not matter once a channeler is shielded

I agree. It wouldn't matter unless he's been drawing on it.

it is not possible in the Wheel of Time setting, at least it is not known to be possible, to be so strong that 13 female channelers linked can not shield you angreals or no.

But this is where we differ. Rand has taken to holding more of the Power than he safely could otherwise exactly because that would thwart someone attempting to Shield him. So using Callandor would most likely stop even a circle of 13, simply because it makes him stronger than any such circle.

By the way sort of related, can a character use a well if they are shielded? And if they can use a well while shielded can they also use a well if severed? Or do they need an active connection to the Source to use a well?

A Well? Maybe, but I don't think so. Certainly not if one was Severed.

EDIT3: RJ confirmed that one could.

Question

Can someone channel from a Well while they are shielded?

Robert Jordan

Yes, they could. If they had the Well.

Do the Tuatha'an look like Aiel? If so, why wasn't the connection between them more obvious? And if not, why not?

They don't. Too much assimilation.

EDIT:

The Red's in LoC were able to shield him despite him having the Fat Man angreal.

He wasn't holding saidin. That makes all the difference.

EDIT2:

Here it is:

Nynaeve glanced at the figurine at his side. The globe at the top glowed faintly. "Rand...."

"I'm only holding a little extra, as a precaution." The more of the One Power a person held, the more difficult it was to shield them. If the damane tried to capture him, they would be shocked by his resilience. He might be able to resist a full circle.

And that's with just a little extra.

that was by a full 13 and from what we've been told, it doesn't matter how powerful one is when a full circle of 13 is used.

I agree with the rest of what you said, but 13 isn't some magic number. It's just that 13 of the weakest AS can easily Shield even Rand. If he were holding Callandor, that's still a game-changer.

when is the last time mat has "remembered" something from his other memories? I am trying to remember and I can't seem to (I don't have access to the books currently :( T.T)

I don't recall what the last time was, but if you're concerned with how long it's been, then not very long at all. He had those memories when he discussed finnland with Birgitte.

How many Aes Sedai were there at the height of their power? When was their height of power? (Pre-Trolloc Wars, during, just after, before Hawkwing?) If it wasn't Trolloc Wars, what were their numbers?

Someone with the BWB could give you a better answer, but based on comments about the WT kitchens and dinning halls, I'd say that a thousand novices used to be the norm. That would imply that there might've been as many as 10K AS, but I'm not sure.

As to the top of their power, if you mean in this Age, your guess seems reasonable to me. As in, not long before the Trolloc Wars (before Ishamael was free for what seems to be the first time since just after the Breaking).

Who says there aren't DF's among the Kin? Just because we haven't met any yet, doesn't mean jack.

They're in every other organisation.

Actually, I seem to recall that we have it in meta that there weren't any in the Kin present at Ebou Dar. I don't know about the rest.

Barid, stop trying to collect undeserved fame! Just tell us what you've been doing all of this time, we'll let you know if it's epic enough to justify the hype

Got a quote by chance? I believe you just wanna be sure

"Had I known after the first such, I might have been able to... There has not been a Dreamwalker in Tar Valon for nearly a thousand years, but I could have tried. Now it is too late. Each time the Dark One touches you, he makes the next touching easier for him. Perhaps my presence can still shield you somewhat, but even then... Remember the stories of the Forsaken binding men to them? Strong men, men who had fought the Dark One from the start. Those stories are true, and none of the Forsaken had a tenth of the strength of their master, not Aginor or Lanfear, not Balthamel or Demandred, not even Ishamael, the Betrayer of Hope himself."

Why did Moridan give Lanfear a new body? And why did he fetch her out at all?

There are far too few Forsaken for one to be discarded just because she was in 'finnland. As for the new body, more could be said once AMoL is published (or you might take this question to the spoiler board).

Lanfear was rescued by Slayer, but did not survive the trip out as Moiraine. Most likely Slayer left Lanfear to save his own skin. This happens off-screen, exept for Slayer finding Moiraine first. Even Moiraine mentions meeting him without knowing whom he was.

Is that a question? If I had to guess, I'd say Moridin was the one to 'rescue' Lanfear, although the term should only very loosely be applied here.

what side effect is that, just wondering?

"You felt nothing special at the time, but a week or ten days later you had your first reaction to touching the True Source. Perhaps fever and chills that came on suddenly and put you to bed, then disappeared after only a few hours. None of the reactions, and they vary, lasts more than a few hours. Headaches and numbness and exhilaration all mixed together, and you taking foolish chances or acting giddy. A spell of dizziness, when you tripped and stumbled whenever you tried to move, when you could not say a sentence without your tongue mangling half the words. There are others. Do you remember?"

what was with Rand acting weird as hell in book 1?

It was an effect of touching the Source without proper guidance. Moiraine listed it among the possible side-effects when she explained the procedure to Nynaeve.

The man loial talks about coming to the stedding in EotW. Was that Farstrider? Ishy says something to the affect of "i sent him to the ogier thinking he was free of me."

Aye, it be Jain.

Siuan would not risk Gareth keeling over from the shock, or losing his mind and going into a death rage.

She wouldn't have to. She can release his bond, go through the procedure, then bond him again.

Here's a question for you, if Halima had became pregnant and had a child who could channel which power would it have access to?

It would depend on the child's gender, I would imagine.

What about Moiraine? Could the damage done to her by the 'finns be repaired?

What would be the point of her angreal, then?

To be fair though Yoniy0, he was asking to be "spoiled"

Not really. I don't object to anything you said, though.

why doesn't Shai'Tan ask Ishy to go around Balefiring everything until the pattern unravels?

Hmm, because Demandred is already doing that? No good reason I can come up with.

Does Balefire created by the True Power act any different from Balefire created by the One Power?

No, they function the same way.

People, please try to refrain from spoiling someone who's not yet read through the entire series. This thread is labeled for spoilers up to ToM, but we can also be courteous.

This, to me, means something else from SL would complete him in the same way.

Really? To me it says the exact opposite, that the dagger is important in and of itself. It's important enough to make up for the loss of the entire city; it's not any single object from Aridhol that's equated to having the dagger back, it's regaining it fully. Then, there's this:

"No. That is..." Panting, Mordeth shook his head as if he could not decide. "Take what you want. Except... Except..."

What else could Mordeth be talking about, except the dagger?

What was the deal with the ending of The Great Hunt. How did Rand and Balzy end up in the sky? and how did their fight end up controlling the armies down below?

An effect of the Pattern, is all RJ said of the matter. Me, I believe this is yet another early-bookism.

Even if many of them died in the attempt, it would be worth the effort if it got him an object.

I think he needed the dagger. Mordeth didn't like the idea of Mat's taking that dagger, and Moiraine said it was much more than a simple rock from SL. Not to mention, Fain himself has shown an affinity to it earlier on.

Also, Mat had to get there alive, but at the right time. There really wasn't any other way.