I believe that Shaidar Haran in an Avatar of the Dark One, only now possible because of the weakening of the seals. I believe this because of his apparent "inertness" when the DO is speaking how can anything be so unaffected?. Also, Shadar Haran means "Hand of the Dark " aren't people always talking about how the Dark One "Touches the World," and About how the Bore was only large enough for his "hand" to stick through. There were also times when Moiraine, I think, spoke of the Dark One "Sticking his finger through the tiny chink in the wall of his prison, and the hole is getting larger as the seals weaken. Maybe all of these hand references aren't just idle talk. Maybe the DO finally got his "Hand" out, but because the hole through which he passes (the semi-sealed bore) is a little uncomfortable, his hand is limited (i.e. his physical Hand is forced to remain near the physical manifestion of his prison, orsuffer physical pain). I think I've also mentioned elsewhere my beliefs about Shadar Haran's emotions? One might argue that someone as Grand as the Dark One (and someone who's immortal) wouldn't be frustrated about waiting for the seals to give way. I suppose that the Dark One wouldn't be--he's waited three thousand years so far. But that was the whole DO Shadar Haran is merely a mortal, physical manifestation of him. Maybe the process of becoming embodied give the DO lesser emotions, when pertaining to Shadar Haran?