If they can (and I wonder if Slayer can pass through an actual Traveling gateway), it seems possible that certain types of Shadowspawn, the ones who are more like augmented people than evil creations, can pass through gateways, while more unnatural constructs die.
I don't think Grey Men can pass through a gateway without dying.
Slayer wouldn't have need to. He can pop out of thin air wherever and whenever he wants to. Moridin probably has some way he can contact him when he wants to communicate with him or give him orders. A Ter'Angreal or just summon him in TAR if he wants to. Whether he can pass through a gateway is a moot point because of this.
But if he could, it would make more sense that the gholam can. Myrddraal don't need to use gateways either, they can travel through shadows, but we do know they die if they do go through.
Some beings can't use Gateways, because they are not natural lifeforms.
It's been theorized that passing through a gateway involve a manipulation of reality/the pattern, and that not only the gateway itsef is such a manipulation, but passing through it manipulates yourself as well... you cease to exist on one side to exist somewhere else in the Pattern. The reasonning would be that the Wheel is unable to perform or register that "twisting" when the being who pass a gateway isn't natural. In short, the Wheel doesn't have "the data" to twist a Trolloc, or a Nym. Nym have human souls. Trolloc have animals (so we guess). When a Trolloc pass a gateway, the Wheel deals with it as if it was a wolf, or goat or falcon... but it isn't, and it dies in the process. That's a theory anyway, what RJ said is just that constructs can't Travel because they aren't natural beings - and left it at that.
Logically, this should be true for all constructs, including Gholam (which RJ confirmed was a construct...). Ogier aren't included - RJ specified they can Travel and they are natural beings, just of another race. Same for the Finns.
(on a side note... perhaps we will soon discover if Grolms, Raken etc. are natural beings from an IF world, or if they were constructs made in those if worlds.... The Seanchan could theorically lose all they menagerie if they attempt to make them Travel (though most are too big anyway for the sort of Gateways the damane will be able to weave).
Grey Men are humans. They are an unknown. Perhaps the fact their soul is apart from their body would make it impossible for them to use Gateways, and perhaps it has absolutely no ill effect.
Slayer is another unknown. We don't really know what he is - does what was done to him make the resulting being technically a construct or not? We know he has two souls, and special powers/abilities. He may not be "natural" enough anymore, or perhaps he is. Perhaps if he tried to Travel as Luc, he would die, as the Wheel considers this soul as not incarnated, and perhaps if he does so as Isam nothing bad happens, or perhaps the presence of Luc's soul in there would mess it up and he'd come out dead on the other side.
It's been theorized that since the True Power tears a hole in the Pattern, using such gateways doesn't involve a manipulation, and Shadowspawn and other constructs can use them. But it's unproven for now. Graendal probably didn't have a great enough access to the TP to make gateways, and her pawns used Portal Stones,so it proves nothing.
The gholam's master
11/11/2010 12:10:21 PM
- 1796 Views
They might not want to risk drawing attention to Andor by killing Elayne.
11/11/2010 03:39:02 PM
- 902 Views
Re: They might not want to risk drawing attention to Andor by killing Elayne.
12/11/2010 12:50:21 AM
- 885 Views
Re: The gholam's master
12/11/2010 12:38:05 AM
- 1283 Views
I agree--I think BS slipped up again
12/11/2010 01:46:46 AM
- 929 Views
Re: I agree--I think BS slipped up again
12/11/2010 02:13:31 AM
- 924 Views
Can Grey Men pass through gateways?
12/11/2010 03:42:01 AM
- 897 Views
Re: Can Grey Men pass through gateways?
12/11/2010 05:35:02 AM
- 890 Views
I know Slayer doesn't need to
12/11/2010 03:33:38 PM
- 758 Views
Unknown.....
12/11/2010 07:35:00 PM
- 1021 Views