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Intriguing. Very well thought out. *NM* everynametaken Send a noteboard - 17/11/2009 05:22:51 AM
I will add to two cents to the Mesaana identity quest.

We know the Mesaana is still in the Tower. We know Mesaana is posing as an Aes Sedai. This has been confirmed by Brandon at a book signing and from Graendal's POV.

After the Forsaked broke free they went about establishing power bases. For the most part they exhibited the same modus operandi.

1. The Forsaken became the powers behind the throne. A new lord would appear and very quickly become the advisor to the king/queen. Through manipulation, and compulsion the Forsaken would rule.

Be'lal became High Lord Saman and the power in Tear.
Rahvin beame Lord Gaebril the power behind Morgase in Andor.
Sammael showed up as Lord Brand and quickly became one of the Council of nine in Illian.
Graendal sets herself up in Arad Doman and uses Compulsion and forged letters to disrupt the country.

The powerful positions behind the Amrylin Seat are The Keeper, Mistress of Novices, Sitters, and Ajah Heads. Mesaana would be one of these.

2. The Forsake love their creature comforts. Be'lal, Rahvin, Sammael, Graendal all set themselves up with castles, servants, fine food, fine wine, members of the opposite sex, and whatever other comforts they would want. Many Forsaken POV's lamented how the comforts of the Age of Legends was so much better than this Age.

Who in the White Tower has exhibited excessive comforts?

3. Aes Sedai have long memories. When the SAS wanted to verify Siuan and Leane's identity the Salidar Aes Sedai asked Siuan and Leane questions of conversations made 20 years ago. Cabriana Mercandes was tortured to get information so Halima could pose as Delana's secretary. Anaiya and Kairen were murdered because they were friends with Cabriana and might notice inconsistencies in Halima's story.

Out in the mundane world the Forsaken could use compulsion resolve the issue of a lord no one heard of quickly becoming a powerful lord. In the mundane world compulsion could be used to hide inconsistencies of the people you know well. Compulsion in the White Tower is another story. Aes Sedai and other users of the One Power eventually break free of minor compulsion. Major compulsion would leave an Aes Sedai nearly brain dead and every Aes Sedai would notice that. Delving might detect the use of compulsion.

Mesaana could not just show up as some unknown Aes Sedai and within a few months be a Sitter or Ajah Head. Mesaana would have to show up as a known Aes Sedai who has been gone from the Tower for a long time. That way minor inconsistencies with behavior would not be as noticeable, or if noticed could be excused as people change.

Who in the Tower has been gone for a long time, did not have many close friends, recently returned, is in a position of power, and really enjoys an excessive extravagant lifestyle?

I give you Tsutama Rath the Red Ajah Head. Tsutama was exiled to a remote farm after the "vileness" following the Aiel War and just recently returned. Tsutama was raised to be the Red Ajah Head after Galina was believed to be dead after Dumai Wells. Tsutama has flambouyant quarters. From her three clocks, tea cups made of pounded gold, to tea with a hint of out of season blueberries, Tsutama's quarters are extravaganat. Pevara notices small changes like the coarsening of Tsutama's language.

Tsutama orderd the Red Ajah to send sisters to Taim/Black Tower to bond Asha'man as warders. If the Asha'man bond the Aes Sedai the forces of Dark get stronger and the forces of light get weaker. Just one more way for the White Tower to get weaker.

Tsutama was not one of the Ajah Heads to decide Egwene would be the Amrylin Seat. The Red Sitters were not part of the Hall to elect Egwene. Tsutama was not able to delay or divide the Tower further by preventing Egwene be raised to the Amrylin Seat.

Of course in RJ's balanced Randland Tsutama being Mesaana would be to much dumping on the Reds. The Blues have Moiraine and Siuan as hero's, the Greens Elayne and almost Egwene has heros, the Browns have Verin (I know she is Black but I will consider her as Brown)as a hero, the Yellow have Nyneave as a hero. The Reds have Galina, Katerine, and Elaida.

But wine was the great assassin of both tradition and propriety...
-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
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Mesaana is .... - 17/11/2009 12:50:49 AM 2114 Views
I like it. - 17/11/2009 01:22:25 AM 820 Views
Re: I like it. - 17/11/2009 01:32:12 AM 880 Views
So Tsutama got rid of the people she couldn't use? - 17/11/2009 02:37:40 AM 852 Views
Re: I like it. - 17/11/2009 02:51:54 AM 760 Views
bronze scrollwork *NM* - 17/11/2009 06:26:38 PM 398 Views
Solid theory. But there are some problems... - 17/11/2009 03:09:39 AM 806 Views
Re: Solid theory. But there are some problems... - 17/11/2009 04:41:57 AM 838 Views
Re: Solid theory. But there are some problems... - 17/11/2009 05:29:58 AM 947 Views
Re: Solid theory. But there are some problems... - 17/11/2009 06:28:29 AM 792 Views
Problem: Language - 17/11/2009 06:39:05 AM 617 Views
Well... - 17/11/2009 06:51:01 AM 716 Views
Mesaana has been in the WT for quite some time - 17/11/2009 06:35:39 AM 728 Views
Double post. ignore. *NM* - 17/11/2009 06:36:05 AM 376 Views
Agreed with those above - I like it. - 17/11/2009 03:27:53 AM 699 Views
Intriguing. Very well thought out. *NM* - 17/11/2009 05:22:51 AM 351 Views
Does anyone remember the girl who was being punished on a farm who was killed w. OP? - 17/11/2009 05:25:06 AM 746 Views
Sahra Covenry - 17/11/2009 05:36:04 AM 792 Views
Yes, we never really got an explanation for that. - 17/11/2009 07:07:04 AM 748 Views
Mesaana? Blue? Tower basement? Are you sure you don't mix up something? *NM* - 17/11/2009 10:49:20 AM 355 Views
No. she tortured a blue Aes sedai in the basements of the white Tower. *NM* - 17/11/2009 07:21:44 PM 400 Views
Pretty sure that was Semirhage *NM* - 17/11/2009 08:02:00 PM 384 Views
That was Semirhage, and it wasn't the Tower's basement. *NM* - 17/11/2009 08:37:50 PM 356 Views
That was Semirhage, and it wasn't the Tower's basement. *NM* - 17/11/2009 08:37:50 PM 359 Views
Maybe Mesaana is playing Sahra? - 17/11/2009 12:07:07 PM 683 Views
I think we had a POV from Sahra as she was killed. - 18/11/2009 10:39:25 PM 703 Views
right and wrong - 09/12/2009 05:02:39 AM 633 Views
And I always suspected it was Mesaana - 09/12/2009 07:14:19 AM 670 Views
well Sheriam would have been on that short list - 16/12/2009 07:23:32 PM 684 Views
I don't think so - 17/11/2009 06:10:48 AM 630 Views
Possibly - or maybe Silviana? - 17/11/2009 06:12:41 AM 716 Views
Re: Possibly - or maybe Silviana? - 17/11/2009 06:47:02 AM 702 Views
Not all Forsaken love to cause pain. - 17/11/2009 03:48:19 PM 690 Views
Re: Possibly - or maybe Silviana? - 17/11/2009 05:16:55 PM 669 Views
I can see more towards Evanellein... - 17/11/2009 10:48:09 AM 794 Views
Re: I can see more towards Evanellein... - 17/11/2009 06:18:42 PM 689 Views
I don't think so, because of: - 17/11/2009 11:31:22 AM 710 Views
Good point! *NM* - 17/11/2009 11:33:17 AM 468 Views
If I'm not mistaken, at that time Tsutama was still just a Sitter, not head of the Red Ajah - 17/11/2009 02:36:52 PM 623 Views
An excellent point - 17/11/2009 03:42:22 PM 707 Views
Re: I don't think so, because of: - 17/11/2009 06:15:23 PM 772 Views
Ignore Double Post - 17/11/2009 06:16:11 PM 644 Views
As others said... - 17/11/2009 03:39:55 PM 685 Views
The main problem, IMHO, is that Mesaana doesn't like extravagance. - 17/11/2009 08:02:49 PM 713 Views
Your reasoning is good... - 18/11/2009 03:58:22 PM 714 Views
Maria confirmed at Twitter... - 18/11/2009 04:46:06 PM 847 Views
Thanks for clearing that up. - 18/11/2009 10:04:13 PM 668 Views
Doesn't that drop an additional clue about her identity? - 18/11/2009 10:19:20 PM 723 Views
Wait... Maria confirmed this on Twitter... - 09/12/2009 09:04:18 PM 588 Views

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