A Study on Gray Men
After the rash of killings within the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon requested that the Cairhien Library publish all known material on the Shadow's Assassins. In response to a funding issue, we have been merged with his school to form the Cairhien Institute.
Gray Men
The Shadow does not always rest its hopes on brute force to achieve its aims. The Gray Men are living proof. These are no constructs, created in a far-ago age. Gray Men are men (and women) who have not only pledged their souls to the Shadow, but have given them to the Dark Lord. Not even the Forsaken were so rash. The Dark One consumes the soul, and in return the Grey Men know they are serving their God.
Origins
Grey Men's origins are almost as unknown as that of the Gholam. While it has been proven after much extensive study that their soul is indeed gone, the process through which this occurs is unknown. Several criteria must be meet before the Transformation occurs.
1. The potential candidate must have pledged his (or her) soul to the Dark
2. The potential candidate must be willing to become a Gray Man
3. They must be able to leave their homeland without anyone being aware
The reasons are obvious. First, one cannot give up one's soul unaware. The only known method for doing such is found within scraps of parchment referring to "cour'souvra": literally, "mindtrap." The Mindtrap only works on those with the ability to Channel, and as such would be useless to the men and women that eventually become Grey Men. No one has reported that a friend has vanished. Potentials must either vanish entirely, or fake their death. Therefore a method must exist that would allow the Potential to escape.
From that point on, nothing concrete is known. See Theories below.
Characteristics
Grey Men possess unique abilities due to the lack of their soul. One is that rarely if ever can they be spotted. Records show that victims themselves sometimes do not even see their assassin. Other times a crowd will watch a man get stabbed and die without having caught a glimpse. Their method of communication is uncertain. No one has ever heard a Grey Man speak. They are of average height and build, so average that the eyes of the observer seem to slip over them. Even once the danger is recognized it is difficult to track their movement.
What did you see?
1. A man out of the corner of your eyes who isn't there when you turn?
2. Doors open and shut without anyone entering the room?
3. Men suddenly grab wounds without any assailant visible?
4. Dogs barking at a moving point where nothing appears?
5. A very slight sense of evil?
6. A faint, vile odor?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, a Grey Man is probably in the area.
Fighting a Grey Man
1. Back into a corner to prevent one from sliding behind you.
2. If you loose sight of them, begin swinging your weapon in a random pattern in front of your body.
3. When you can see them, strike hard and fast. Grey Men are neither strong nor quick, simply invisible.
4. Wait to emerge until all Grey Men are definitively dead. Grey Men have attacked in groups as large as six men before.
Theories
Grey men most likely must visit Shayol Ghul to complete their transformation. If every Darkfriend could become a Grey Man anywhere they pleased; civilization would not last a night.
Grey Men are missing more than just their souls. They are denied dreams by the Dark One himself. Without dreams, men go insane. It is likely that Grey Men progress through insanity during their "careers." No old Grey Man has ever been found.
Refutation
Out colleagues at the White Tower insist that fewer women become Grey Men because women are wiser and do not heed that Dark One's call as loud. Their obvious bias obscures a simple truth. Women are less useful as Grey Men. Even slower and weaker than their male counterparts, the Dark gains nothing by seeking out women. Remember that the goal of a Grey Man is not to be seen, so gender is immaterial except for real world constraints.
Most likely what is promised by the Dark One is more appealing to men than women. The scholars here would suggest 70 virgins in paradise in the end, perhaps.
After the rash of killings within the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon requested that the Cairhien Library publish all known material on the Shadow's Assassins. In response to a funding issue, we have been merged with his school to form the Cairhien Institute.
Gray Men
The Shadow does not always rest its hopes on brute force to achieve its aims. The Gray Men are living proof. These are no constructs, created in a far-ago age. Gray Men are men (and women) who have not only pledged their souls to the Shadow, but have given them to the Dark Lord. Not even the Forsaken were so rash. The Dark One consumes the soul, and in return the Grey Men know they are serving their God.
Origins
Grey Men's origins are almost as unknown as that of the Gholam. While it has been proven after much extensive study that their soul is indeed gone, the process through which this occurs is unknown. Several criteria must be meet before the Transformation occurs.
1. The potential candidate must have pledged his (or her) soul to the Dark
2. The potential candidate must be willing to become a Gray Man
3. They must be able to leave their homeland without anyone being aware
The reasons are obvious. First, one cannot give up one's soul unaware. The only known method for doing such is found within scraps of parchment referring to "cour'souvra": literally, "mindtrap." The Mindtrap only works on those with the ability to Channel, and as such would be useless to the men and women that eventually become Grey Men. No one has reported that a friend has vanished. Potentials must either vanish entirely, or fake their death. Therefore a method must exist that would allow the Potential to escape.
From that point on, nothing concrete is known. See Theories below.
Characteristics
Grey Men possess unique abilities due to the lack of their soul. One is that rarely if ever can they be spotted. Records show that victims themselves sometimes do not even see their assassin. Other times a crowd will watch a man get stabbed and die without having caught a glimpse. Their method of communication is uncertain. No one has ever heard a Grey Man speak. They are of average height and build, so average that the eyes of the observer seem to slip over them. Even once the danger is recognized it is difficult to track their movement.
What did you see?
1. A man out of the corner of your eyes who isn't there when you turn?
2. Doors open and shut without anyone entering the room?
3. Men suddenly grab wounds without any assailant visible?
4. Dogs barking at a moving point where nothing appears?
5. A very slight sense of evil?
6. A faint, vile odor?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, a Grey Man is probably in the area.
Fighting a Grey Man
1. Back into a corner to prevent one from sliding behind you.
2. If you loose sight of them, begin swinging your weapon in a random pattern in front of your body.
3. When you can see them, strike hard and fast. Grey Men are neither strong nor quick, simply invisible.
4. Wait to emerge until all Grey Men are definitively dead. Grey Men have attacked in groups as large as six men before.
Theories
Grey men most likely must visit Shayol Ghul to complete their transformation. If every Darkfriend could become a Grey Man anywhere they pleased; civilization would not last a night.
Grey Men are missing more than just their souls. They are denied dreams by the Dark One himself. Without dreams, men go insane. It is likely that Grey Men progress through insanity during their "careers." No old Grey Man has ever been found.
Refutation
Out colleagues at the White Tower insist that fewer women become Grey Men because women are wiser and do not heed that Dark One's call as loud. Their obvious bias obscures a simple truth. Women are less useful as Grey Men. Even slower and weaker than their male counterparts, the Dark gains nothing by seeking out women. Remember that the goal of a Grey Man is not to be seen, so gender is immaterial except for real world constraints.
Most likely what is promised by the Dark One is more appealing to men than women. The scholars here would suggest 70 virgins in paradise in the end, perhaps.