History provides us valuable insights into how to defeat the Dark One at the Last Battle. During the Trolloc Wars, the Battle of Maighande was a great victory for the Light and marked the end of the Dark Ones Dreadlords. The location of the battle remains a mystery and without knowing this detail we are unable to study tactics or advantages used for victory.
For ease of reference, please refer to the below sketch of the map of the Ten Nations[ooc1].
In searching for the location of Maighande, it is important to highlight the events prior to the battle. The situation was dire for the Light, not only had Manetheren and Aridhol fallen, the nations surrounding Tar Valon were also occupied by Shadowspawn. To the east, Almoren, to the north and west, Aramaelle, and to the south and west, Coremanda. Sieges of Tar Valon were frequent, with three such attacks being repelled. Trolloc forces had also pushed south into Eharon and had taken the capital city, located at what we now call Ebou Dar. Essenia was in danger of being isolated had Eharon fallen.
From this low point, the tides began to turn as Rashima Kerenmosa was raised to Amyrlin Seat and lead the forces of the Light to a series of victories. Starting with defeating the Trolloc armys fourth assault on Tar Valon and followed by victories at Kaisin Pass, the Sorelle Step, Larapelle, and Tel Norwin. This is not new information and is in fact very well known. It is often assumed that these victories were a push north and several key factors indicate otherwise.
The Battle of Maighande involved all remaining nations, Aelgar, Eharon, Essenia, Jaramide and Safer. It is key to note Eharon is included as this indicates the nation did not fall as a result of the Trollocs southern push. Eharon also makes for a common meeting point for the remaining nations. Essenia and Aelgar as bordering neighbors, Essenia would have come to Eharon’s aid to avoid being surrounded by shadowspawn forces. Safer with its eastern border a large mountain range would not have crossed the range and through trolloc held lands to Tar Valon risking many casualties. Their more likely route would have been to use the mountain range for cover and march south through Aelgar to Eharon.
This leaves Jaramide the northern and western most nation. The distance of a march to Eharon would be long and time consuming. Marching through Aramaelle would be a dangerous march through enemy territory. Traveling was a lost talent at this point and also out of the question. However, it is often forgotten that the Ways had not yet fallen into disrepair. This did not occur until close to a thousand years later during the War of a Hundred Years. A waygate exists in Jaramide at Deranbar, now Maradon, and two in Eharon in Ebou Dar and Londaren Cor which is northeast of Ebou Dar. This would have been the route south for the Jaramide army.
Tar Valon did not link with the gathered armys until the Maighande itself. The gathering of Trolloc forces is often described as a corralling effort from the forces of the Light. It is more likely Rashima Kerenmosa pushed south from Tar Valon to link up with the remaining nations while they pushed trollocs north out of Eharon. This narrows the likely battle site to Coremanda, Manetheren, or Aridhol.
As a key consideration to narrowing the search from here, water sources for the armies becomes a key factor. There are two possible routes the southern forces and Tar Valon forces could have taken to link up. The southern army could follow the Arinelle north and meet with the Tar Valon forces tracking west along the Haevin to the Arinelle. This would be a longer more difficult march for the smaller Tar Valon force and take them through the Black Hills. Alternatively, southern forces could use the many smaller tributaries in the south pushing northeast towards Kintara and the Tar Valon forces could march south along the Erinin to Kintara.
With those two locations in mind, the focus shifts to one of the few details that emerged from the battle. Sadly, Rashima Kerenmosa did not survive the battle, though the accounts detail a vast pile of trolloc and myddraal corpses along with the bodies of nine dreadlords. Though immensely strong in the power, battling nine dreadlords would be a tough ask unaided. This brings in the possibility of a ter-angrael or strong angrael into the discussion. Note, there are not accounts of those fighting along side Rashima Kerenmosa or a detailed account of this battle making it unlikely she was linked or aided by another Aes Sedai.
It has been suggested that a stedding could have been used as a way to trap the dreadlords. This theory should be discounted as Rashima Kerenmosa would have been unable to channel herself, leaving her and her five warders to fight against the shadowspawn and dreadlords. While the six would have been capable in combat, the implied body count far exceeds what six could accomplish. Separately, Rashima Kerenmosa was known as a tactician, and it would be unlikely for her to sacrifice her ability to channel against overwhelming odds.
The Guardian of Far Madding offers a clever alternative to a stedding. Unlike a stedding, the guardian prevents men and women from traveling at different distances. Men are blocked one mile beyond the city, while women are able channel just beyond the city gate. This would have allowed Rashima Kerenmosa to continue to use the One Power in battle while the male dreadlords would be rendered ineffective.
The final piece that points to a battle in the south rather than north is the years that follow. Nearly fifty years went by before all remnants for the shadowspawn army were eliminated. This was roving bands being chased down and not an organized effort by the shadowspawn to mount an offensive. A battle north of Tar Valon would have offered a quicker retreat to the blight.
Evidence points to the battle occurring in the south rather than the north. The location itself may never be formally identified due to passage of time and the amount of the One Power used in battle. That said, Far Madding appears to be the most likely candidate for the location of the battle. The events leading up to the battle point to a southern location, Kintara as a likely meeting point for all armies, Kintara’s proximity to Far Madding, and the unique features of the guardian as evidence to support this theory.
[ooc1] Link to map: https://wot.fandom.com/wiki/Ten_Nations ... ations.JPG
