Who killed Asmodean

[Minuend]

Well, it had to be started sometime.

I personally back the contraversial view that Shadar Haran did it(though I don't really believe this). I can compile my so-called evidence later, hopefully this weekend, but for now I'll just leave a link to the WOT's FAQ section devoted to this topic of "who done it?"
www.sit.wisc.edu/~jsdougan/wotfaq/1_dark/1.1_forsaken1/1.1.6_asmo.html

[Majsju]

I'm glad you don't believe it, because it is wrong. RJ has several times said that all clues needed to reveal the killer are included in the books before the killing takes place, and Shadar Haran hasn't showed up yet.

[Minuend]

The fact that he has been around all along is, I agree, quite necessary.
But, if you read through the first few books carefully, you will find a fade which smiles and laughs(which we are told is impossible by several forsaken later when they first meet SH). For instance, check out the fade who talks to Bors in TDR prologue. Is this fade who we later learn to be SH?

[Majsju]

Nope, notice that SH is Way taller than the other fades. I'm sureAnd the laughing in itself isn't impossible, it's the fact that SH actually has a sense of humour, You understand the difference?

[Minuend]

There are quotes which say that laughing and smiling are impossible for fades(or at least Aginor(who perhaps knows the most about shadowspawn) and other forsaken seem to think so). Plus the fade that Bors meets in TDR prologue does have a hieght issue if you read carefully. All fades(except SH) are physically identical, being the height of a tall man. This fade is describe by Bors as being no taller than an average sized man.
Hence, this fade is not an usual fade.
If it is SH, then he may be growing over time(due to the weakening of the seals or something). Keep in mind that in COT we actually see him grow in hieght(although this is usually taken as just an illusion to scare Mesaana).

As I said, I hope to provide the quotes this weekend.

[Majsju]

Even IF that would be SH in TGH, it would still not be enough. RJ has clearly stated that all necessary information is included in the books. So, it has to be someone we've seen, and basically knows by name. The most popular theory atm seems to be Graendal, and I'm leaning towards agreeing with that.

A few things. Asmodean recognizes the killer. Thus, not SH, since he's unknown to the forsaken at this point. This cuts down the strongly suspected to either a forsaken, or Luc/Isam. But we don't know that he's a very gifted assassin at this point.

Another thing that speaks in favour of the forsaken, and also Luc/Isam is that either one have the ability to easily dispose of the body. Forsaken through channeling, Luc/Isam through his ability to step in and out of Telaran'riod. Though, we don't know if he can bring someone else there, which probably disqualify's him.

Of the forsaken, Ishy, Aginor, Balthamel, Belal, Rahvin and Lanfear are out of the picture, since they're all dead, and we haven't seen any resurrections yet. Moghedien is captured by Nynaeve. So, left is Demandred, Semirhage, Sammael, Meesana and Graendal. There are a few reasons why Graendal is most likely to have done it, but I need to go to bed now, and can't look all that stuff up. But I'll do it some other time.

[Minuend]

The "strange fade" I mentioned appears at least four times in the first three books that I've noticed.

And there is at least one Forsaken, namely Ishy, who was with him in one of these early scenes(this time is TGH prologue). Interesting, considering Moridin's and SH's relationship. So there may be some forsaken which met up with Haran earlier. I agree that Asmo probably hadn't(though we know little to none of what he was up to before Lanfear convinced him to come teach Rand), but I have other ways of getting around the "recognition criteria".

The only criterion I have had trouble getting around is fact that is should be obvious who did it at the moment it was done. I agree, it aint clear that some smiling fade did it at that point. But as of the prologue to the next book(LOC) we are given SH's name and are shown how happy the DO is with him by his head room in SG(I wonder what he could have just done to make the DO so pleased... perhaps killing a traitorous chosen?).

Anyways, if it were obvious who did it when it happened, then noone would ever argue about this topic. There is a good case for Granny, but is she obviously the killer?

[Majsju]

Well, RJ is known for having high expectationa on his readers. And he hasn't exactly said that it is obvious, he said that all clues needed are included.

And DO's "happiness* with SH...We've been given a hint about that in CoT, when he scares the hell out of Meesana and Alviarin. I think that SH is somehow created with the assistance of DO, maybe even given some special powers, like the ability to shield channelers.

One thing that could talk in favour of SH is that as far as we've seen his purpose is to control the forsaken, since that's about everything he does. But still I think that we should've been introduced to him, because an unusual fade walking around does not fit in with "all necessary clues". Also, I think that if SH had been the one catching Asmo, he would likely have brought him to Shayol Ghul, to let the DO take care of him properly.

[Minuend]

I'm typing it all out now.
It's taking a while since I have a lot of quotes to look up and type out. Then arranging them in the right way, with appropriate interpretation.

Hopefully will be done sometime tonight.

[Minuend]

posted a bunch in the Shaidar Haran Theory topic
lemme know what you think

[Majsju]

I'm too drunk to post something meaningful atm, but as soon as I recovwer I'll post some useful crticism( did I even manage to spell th<t right?)

[Merlin]

Man you should lay off the alcohol lol ;D

[Majsju]

What the...! Did I write that??? Ok, lesson of the week, don't drink and post

But the critisism will have to wait, I'm gonna look up some stuff in the books, and that might take a day or two...

[Min]

Yeah I know,
it takes some time