I feel there are a number of irregularities in TEotW, in terms of Ishamael's actions. He restricts his appearances completely to tel'aran'rhiod, except from the instance where he appears as a projection (described as a "flickering candle", if I recall correcly) outside Shadar Logoth.

Now, we know that he was fully free approximately twenty years earlier, when he killed the head of the Black Ajah, but has he really been free all the time since then? If he was completely free at the time of TEotW, it is certainly strange that he does not get involved personally in the hunt of the three boys, instead relying on Shadowspawn and Fain. If he was free, why did he not appear in person to drive the Shadowspawn into SL? Why appear as a projection only? Why restrict his appearance to T'a'r when he could have swooped in and taken the boys himself? It seems to me that this behaviour would make more sense if he was still bound in some way.

Do you have any thoughts on this?