On 11/20/2020 at 1:36 AM, lewstherinscousin said:

"...but they were all so excited that nobody told anything in the order it happened" that's how their retelling is described when they return to the group. If I snag more details about the sword and power wrought weapons, my official head cannon will be the sword caused it.

It IS a power wrought weapon. Lan explains it in the first chapter of TGH about midway through after sword soaring with Rand. I'm going to believe it's the drawing of the sword. Makes total sense now.

5 hours ago, lewstherinscousin said:

The scream coincides with Rand pulling out the sword he got from Tam. The timing is a little fuzzy the way it is written it sounds like he pulls it a split second after the scream but Jordan could have been describing simultaneous events separately, in that order order so as not to be blatantly obvious. I have read elsewhere that it is a power wrought blade. If that's correct, it may provide a clue. Creating power wrought weapons is obviously significant to fighting the shadow but I remember as I read, it didn't exactly explain why. Obviously they are semi indestructible but perhaps their relationship with the power wards off evil to some extent. Mordeth said himself he was sensitive to light as an excuse to lurk in the shadows. The one power infused in the blade may have blinded him. He did retreat to the shadows. This is a theory I love myself but I honestly think Matt is the culprit. More on that on a sec.

 

The other element is that the the boys were just barely beginning to discover their link to the pattern. Matt had just said that he felt like a dead man was speaking through him when he gave out his battle cry with the trollocs they had just fought. Mordeth had said after screaming "You are all dead" perhaps he realized that all of them are men from his age who were reborn and was startled by it. That one is a big maybe.

 

I've always thought of the dagger as "Mordeth's horcrux". Maybe simply grabbing it harmed him. Maybe he just wanted somebody to take something from the city. Once Matt seized the dagger his real goal was accomplished. The Mat stabbing him part is pretty likely though. Rand had just untangled his sword, Perrin was drawing back for a swing and Matt popped up from behind a pillar with knife in hand. He was the first to speak by saying "he tricked us!". He could have been defending an action nobody saw which was stabbing another person. That would be a big deal for simple country folk.

 

There is plenty of possibility. That's one of the great things about WOT. There is plenty of mystery left and so many bread crumbs. 

"...but they were all so excited that nobody told anything in the order it happened" that's how their retelling is described when they return to the group. If I snag more details about the sword and power wrought weapons, my official head cannon will be the sword caused it.

The scream coincides with Rand pulling out the sword he got from Tam. The timing is a little fuzzy the way it is written it sounds like he pulls it a split second after the scream but Jordan could have been describing simultaneous events separately, in that order order so as not to be blatantly obvious. I have read elsewhere that it is a power wrought blade. If that's correct, it may provide a clue. Creating power wrought weapons is obviously significant to fighting the shadow but I remember as I read, it didn't exactly explain why. Obviously they are semi indestructible but perhaps their relationship with the power wards off evil to some extent. Mordeth said himself he was sensitive to light as an excuse to lurk in the shadows. The one power infused in the blade may have blinded him. He did retreat to the shadows. This is a theory I love myself but I honestly think Matt is the culprit. More on that on a sec.

The other element is that the the boys were just barely beginning to discover their link to the pattern. Matt had just said that he felt like a dead man was speaking through him when he gave out his battle cry with the trollocs they had just fought. Mordeth had said after screaming "You are all dead" perhaps he realized that all of them are men from his age who were reborn and was startled by it. That one is a big maybe.

I've always thought of the dagger as "Mordeth's horcrux". Maybe simply grabbing it harmed him. Maybe he just wanted somebody to take something from the city. Once Matt seized the dagger his real goal was accomplished. The Mat stabbing him part is pretty likely though. Rand had just untangled his sword, Perrin was drawing back for a swing and Matt popped up from behind a pillar with knife in hand. He was the first to speak by saying "he tricked us!". He could have been defending an action nobody saw which was stabbing another person. That would be a big deal for simple country folk.

There is plenty of possibility. That's one of the great things about WOT. There is plenty of mystery left and so many bread crumbs.