I am doing my second read of the series and am currently on CrossRoads.  I just got to thinking that Balwer reminds me of what Mordeth/Fain should have been.  He seems like a good guy and is knowledgeable.  He seems to have good intentions and that seems to be the different.  Under different circumstances would he have ended up the same as Mordeth.  I just thought it was an interesting connection since Mordeth started out as an advisor to the king of Aridhol.

I am doing my second read of the series and am currently on CrossRoads.  I just got to thinking that Balwer reminds me of what Mordeth/Fain should have been.  He seems like a good guy and is knowledgeable.  He seems to have good intentions and that seems to be the different.  Under different circumstances would he have ended up the same as Mordeth.  I just thought it was an interesting connection since Mordeth started out as an advisor to the king of Aridhol.

 

I don't think under a difference circumstance Balwer would have ended up the same as Mordeth. I think the reason why is because Balwer's personality is that he likes to be in the background doing his thing and does not care about gaining power. When he was first introduced, no one even knew that he was the real spymaster for the Whitecloaks. He digs for information because it's what he's good at and it's what he enjoys.

 

This differs from Mordeth and his later reincarnations in that he seems to have a rather grandiose view of himself, and being an adivsor was just a means to get more power and glory for himself.