Sorry,Etzel, meant to get back to this earlier - in essence I agree that the a Finn Assassin is highly unlikely mostly because no one has been talking about it yet we've been told that the answer is out there and has been discussed. That being said, I don't believe it would be hard to get a PoV at the very least from the Finn leadership or from Cyndane regarding what the Finns did (can you post the quote that RJ said he was likely going to use the PoV, I can't remember reading that one).

Technically, while a devious way to explain balefire, where and how is well how balefire works. It kills someone by burning out their thread from the Pattern therefore affecting "where" that individual died. RJ has said that a small enough burst of balefire would not be enough time to prevent the DO from transmigrating a soul, so a small burst of balefire would not be enough. Therefore, balefire still fits the where/how quote.

As to what Lanfear would do if given the chance, after being burned out (if that happened) is difficult to pin point. She meant for Asmodean to die, that was always part of her plan. Why would she leave a Forsaken class channeler at Rand's side helping him now? I don't see why she wouldn't, after she had a moment to compose herself and reassess her situation, seek to remove Rand's great advantage, especially considering her death might be imminent. Why not go to the Dark One with the gift of killing a traitor to prove that she is redeemable, especially considering her precarious situation?

As to why Lanfear may or may not have won her freedom, if you recall the Finns consider Mat wise for asking for leavetaking but not wise for not setting the price, terms and conditions of this deal. In Lanfear's case, if she got her wishes we have some options. One, she knew she would likely be forfeiting this life but decided she'd take the gamble and get her wishes instead of guaranteeing her freedom. Two, she also made the mistake of not setting the terms and was not lucky/wise enough to ask for her leavetaking and therefore was held by the Eelfinn, as she mentions she was. Of course, it is possible that something in the pact with the Finn stipulates that any damage done to the doorway voids the pact and they can do with any that enter at their discretion. I see any of those three as possibilities that still fit what we know so far as having occurred.

But as I said - a Finn Assassin borders on loony.