Hornsounder

[Strongman]

TSR, chapter 13 Rumors (this comes from encyclopedia-wot)

A Gray Man tried to kill him and a Fade confronted him saying, "Time to die, Hornsounder.

I haven't noticed this before. How did a Fade know that he sounded the horn?

[Mort]

Full quote:

The din of fighting somewhere in the distance echoed down the corridor, dulled by the wall hangings.
He retrieved his knife from the Gray Man’s corpse with a shaking hand. A Gray Man, and hunting him. It had to
have been after him. Gray Men did not wander about killing at random; they had targets as surely as an arrow.
He turned to run, and there was a Myrddraal striding toward him like a black snake on legs, its party faced,
eyeless stare sending shivers into his bones. At thirty pacer he hurled the knife straight at where an eye should
have been; at that distance he could hit a knothole no larger than an eye four times in five.
The Fade’s black sword blurred as it knocked the dagger away, almost casually; it did not even break
stride. “Time to die, Hornsounder.”


It was Lanfear that sent the first batch of trollocs right? And Semirhage sent the ones that battled the first batch of trollocs.

Since it seems Gray Men has been ordered specifically to kill him. So has most likely Myrdraal been too, if they come across him.
Lanfear either saw when Mat blew the horn or figured it out somehow.

"Kill the hornsounder", then show a similar projection like Moridin did in KoD.

[GonzoTheGreat]

Lanfear probably watched the Battle of Falme. She had been actively participating in the Hunt for the Horn, and it seems likely that she wanted to see the ending.

[Ozymandias]

Why wouldn't it know? Quite aside from the fact that Ishamael was there and would probably share such a crucial bit of information, we also know that rats and ravens can be spies, and I'm sure there were plenty of them in and around Falme. Its been like half a year since Falme... why wouldn't they all know?

[Strongman]

Why wouldn't it know? Quite aside from the fact that Ishamael was there and would probably share such a crucial bit of information, we also know that rats and ravens can be spies, and I'm sure there were plenty of them in and around Falme. Its been like half a year since Falme... why wouldn't they all know?


They (forsaken) are pretty inept for bad guys, heck Mat was around for one of them for months, and she didn't know she was supposed to kill him.

[Ozymandias]

which one was that? Semirhage or Moghedien? The Chosen aren't inept. They're understandably cautious. They've given their souls for eternal life and ultimate power, and they're not about to give it up on a reckless gamble.

Maybe Semi knew about the medallion. Maybe she tried to kill Mat and failed. Maybe she was under orders not to, because it would entail revealing herself and her position currently is more important.

We just don't know. But to assume because the bad guys made one mistake that they automatically make another mistake of your choosing (not knowing Mat blew the Horn) is just silly.

[Uno]

There's any number of ways they could find out. In addition to normal channels of communication, such as spies, informers, and rumours floating around, there's other methods available to the Forsaken. Ishamael repeatedly invaded Mat's dreams in EOTW, and he or other Forsaken might've picked up the info that way. Besides, the sounding of the Horn is a pretty big event, calling souls from TAR into the waking world, and who knows what kind of traces that leaves for people with esoteric knowledge of the workings of the Dream World?

[Strongman]

which one was that? Semirhage or Moghedien? The Chosen aren't inept. They're understandably cautious. They've given their souls for eternal life and ultimate power, and they're not about to give it up on a reckless gamble.

Maybe Semi knew about the medallion. Maybe she tried to kill Mat and failed. Maybe she was under orders not to, because it would entail revealing herself and her position currently is more important.

We just don't know. But to assume because the bad guys made one mistake that they automatically make another mistake of your choosing (not knowing Mat blew the Horn) is just silly.

One mistake? Are you serious? Semi didn't know Mat was important until Moridin told her and the others in KOD. Yes inept, they've let a bunch of untrained kids beat them at every turn. I know that it has to happen to make the story compelling, but people with their training and experience shoud make short work of anyone of the current age.

[Ozymandias]

One mistake? Are you serious? Semi didn't know Mat was important until Moridin told her and the others in KOD. Yes inept, they've let a bunch of untrained kids beat them at every turn. I know that it has to happen to make the story compelling, but people with their training and experience shoud make short work of anyone of the current age.

Firstly, don't assume we know how the Forsaken's plans are turning out. In a lot of ways, they seem to be hinting that they're usually succeeding.

Secondly, why would Semirhage assume Mat was important? Very few people know he's ta'veren. He traveled with Rand, yes, but that doesn't necessarily make him more than a boyhood friend. She currently has one of the most powerful forces on the planet, the Seanchan, under her control; why would she risk her position there to strike out at someone of unknown importance? Every indication in Ebou Dar was to the effect that Mat was no more than a lapdog.

And there are very few times that they have beaten the Forsaken. Throughout the early books, Rand & Co were saved by others (Lanfear's Trollocs vs Sammael's Trollocs, Moiraine killing Bel'al), or saved by the designs of Ishamael, who never wanted Rand dead, but turned.

And of course its not like Rand is helpless. Every time he is attacked Lews Therin helps out with instinctive memories, so for Rand, when it matters, he's actually not helpless at all, but one of the most powerful channelers, and knowledgeable, in the world.

I'm just not sure where you see incompetence. The Forsaken have been under orders NOT to kill Rand, and thats basically on pain of death. Otherwise, they've succeeded admirably elsewhere.

[Uno]

They're possibly more skilled in use of the power than anyone else, or at least they should be. But the Forsaken are also operating in a quite unfamiliar social, cultural, and political landscape, and their lack of understanding of how Third Age society actually works must be a serious difficulty. That's perhaps another issue altogether, but I'm wondering if their lack of knowledge of the culture they're now in does not reduce the effectiveness of the infrastructure at their disposal. For instance, how good would people from such a different society be at utilizing Darkfriend networks, when they don't really understand, or even care to understand, people from the Third Age? We don't know a lot about these issues from the books, but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be a problem, especially since the Forsaken possess an enormous amount of personal and cultural arrogance, the latter of which is rather funny, since they did more than anyone else to destroy the culture they continue to extoll as superior to the present.

[Terez]

Ishamael thought, when he was fighting Rand at Falme, that Rand had blown the Horn. He might have found out later; he might not have. Forsaken don't often share useful information with each other. Lanfear was certainly in Falme, though...the Heroes were still loose when she Healed Rand.

[the silent speaker]

You've got to figure that if Semirhage knew that Mat was diynen'd'ma'purvene that she might have an inkling that he could be important. I say she didn't know. But even if the Myrdraal was sent by someone who did know and didn't share, Lanfear say, why would Lanfear confide in a Fade of all people?

[Dragon]

Remember that Hurin later reported the events which happened at Falme to Agelmar and likely King Easar. Certainly he also mentioned the fate of the Horn, because that was the original reason why the chase happened in TGH.

All this even led to some fighting in the Borderlands, which shows that the story spread.

Thus, it's quite possible that the Shadow learned about it as well through spies.

[jason wolfbrother]

Only thing you are all missing is that Lanfear had nothing to do with the first batch of Trollocs. Sammael sent them.

TITLE: Lord of Chaos
CHAPTER: 6 - Threads Woven of Shadow
"Rumors! Lanfear has been aiding al'Thor since the beginning, if you ask me. I would have had his head in the Stone of Tear except that someone sent Myrddraal and Trollocs to save him! That was Lanfear; I am certain. I'm done with her. The next time I see her, I'll kill her! And why would he kill Asmodean? I would if I could find him, but he has gone over to al'Thor. He's teaching him!"

except he is wrong. either way Lanfear is innocent. the question then becomes how did Sammael know so early that Mat had sounded the Horn.

Ishamael thought Rand had but that was immediately afterward. He saw the Heroes come to the call of the Horn and assumed Rand had sounded it. but Sammael somehow knew it was Mat by the time Rand took the Stone.

[GonzoTheGreat]

Did the Whitecloack scout (I think Byar, but I'm not sure) who was ordered to report to Niall on what happened at Falme see who blew the Horn?
If so, then that could be the source of the Shadow's knowledge.

And, just for laughs, it is possible that Sammael didn't know about it, while one (or more) of his Myrddraal did. The Fades obey the Chosen, but do they volunteer information?

[jason wolfbrother]

Byar probably knew the Horn was blown but he would have attributed it to that dang darkfriend Perrin and the conspiracy to kill the Captain. ;)