Alviarin Freidhen is an Aes Sedai of the White Ajah, as well as the current secret head of the Black Ajah.
Appearance
Alviarin has a swan neck, and is tall and slim. She has smooth, unblemished skin.
History
Interestingly, nothing is known about Alviarin's origins. Her age, nationality, and other basic background details are left unmentioned. She does think of Shaidar Haran as being a Lurk, a word that has only been seen used among Tairens, but she may be from anywhere in that corner of the world if it is even significant at all. This does parallel quite nicely with the fact that Alviarin, as Head of the Black Ajah, is a woman surrounded in secrets.
She was raised to the Head of the Black Ajah by Ishamael upon his punishment of Jarna Malari and interrogation of the Council of Thirteen. This was in the year 983 NE. Alviarin says she was plucked from the "hidden mass of the Black Ajah," indicating that Ishamael chose her for his own reasons. She was a member of the Council of Thirteen prior to this time; she mentioned at one point the "other twelve members of the Council."
Activities
Before the coup
She is one of two sisters of the White that accompany Siuan Sanche as her entourage to Fal Dara. She gives Egwene al'Vere and Nynaeve al'Meara lessons in channeling as the party returns to Tar Valon. Egwene thinks she is cool and businesslike, sharp in her criticisms, but always ready to start again.[1] Alviarin is present at the end of Egwene's Accepted test.[2]
She is one of the first close confidants to Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan, when Elaida begins to plot the downfall of Siuan Sanche as Amyrlin.[3]
She was contacted by various Forsaken shortly after their release: Lanfear, Be'lal, Graendal, and Mesaana.
Keeper of the Chronicles
Alviarin and Elaida in a cover of the japanese edition
Alviarin is made Keeper of the Chronicles when Elaida is raised to the Amyrlin Seat.[4] This move was intended to win over the support of the Whites, who are traditionally (though not always) supporters of the Blue Ajah. She has more influence over the Hall of the Tower than any Keeper in history. Elaida thinks she has as many as six Sitters under her thumb.
Alviarin uses her position to keep Elaida in the dark about what the Ajah networks pass on to her and what the Keeper's own networks have gathered. In this way, she influences how Elaida makes decisions, even in the early days. Her main motives are to destabilize the Tower even further. She later reports only to Mesaana, although she schemes even against her. Mesaana thinks that Alviarin would have preferred to be Amyrlin Seat herself.
Alviarin blackmails Elaida with her disasters at Dumai's Wells and the Attack on the Black Tower. She forces Elaida to swear to obey her and to remain out of sight, only speaking what Alviarin wishes her to speak. She forces Elaida to repeat a catechism to this effect when she believes Elaida is trying to go her own way.
One of her first orders to Elaida is to sign a declaration that anyone who approaches the Dragon Reborn save through the White Tower is an enemy of Tar Valon.
After removal as Keeper
Alviarin is removed as Keeper by a vote in the Hall similar to the one used by Elaida previously to depose Siuan. The justification for this was the unexplained absence of Alviarin when the rebel Aes Sedai turn up and start the Siege of Tar Valon. It is felt that Alviarin had abandoned the cause and that the Amyrlin needs a Keeper in such times. She is replaced by Tarna Feir.
Elaida also no longer fears Alviarin's threats and blackmail, as the blame for the disasters had been neatly passed onto Galina Casban and Toveine Gazal.
Alviarin is marked by Shaidar Haran, who is there to reprimand Mesaana for her failure to appear at the Battle near Shadar Logoth, as his property and under his protection. What effect this will have on Mesaana's authority over Alviarin remains to be seen, though Mesaana was already poised to kill her and Alviarin believes that she may do so regardless of her orders. Alviarin also believes that Shaidar Haran is the Great Lord made flesh.
Alviarin receives 'private penance' from Silviana Brehon daily, including before breakfast each morning. Norine Dovarna mentions that it is obvious that it is no such thing, but a punishment handed down by the Amyrlin. The entire White Ajah looks down on her because of her failure and fall from grace as Keeper.
Alviarin later approaches Egwene al'Vere while Egwene is held captive in the Tower and offers to aid her, but Egwene refuses Alviarin's assistance.
Alviarin is rightly suspicious about why Talene Minly did not accept her summons to the Council of Thirteen and says that she will have to be killed. She also thinks that Doesine Alwain and Yukiri may be involved and is having them watched by Black sisters in their Ajah. It will be a race of whether the Black Ajah Hunters catch Alviarin before she catches them.
Fleeing the Tower
Alviarin's allegiance is revealed to Egwene by Verin Mathwin's book on the Black Ajah. However, Alviarin manages to escape the White Tower before being taken into custody.
She begins prowling the White Tower at night in Tel'aran'rhiod using one of the stolen dream ter'angreal. She attacks Egwene from behind but Egwene appears behind her before her weave of Fire connects, instead hitting Talva. Alviarin disappears before Egwene can capture her.
She returns to Tel'aran'rhiod and is part of the Black sisters' attack on Egwene and the White Tower Aes Sedai. Mesaana is captured during the battle but Alviarin manages to escape.
The Last Battle
Alviarin shows up again at the Field of Merrilor as one of the Dreadlords in charge. By this time, she has teamed up with at least one Black sister from Liandrin's group of Black sisters, Rianna Andomeran, and several of Mazrim Taim's lackeys, such as Atal Mishraile and Varil Nensen, who was Turned at the Black Tower. She has bonded the latter.
While seemingly chasing after Rand al'Thor -Androl Genhald in disguise - through a gateway, Alviarin and her group are unknowingly led into an Ogier stedding, Stedding Sholoon. Lindsar, Eldest of Stedding Sholoon, thinks a few decades in the stedding might make the Friends of the Dark reconsider their path.
Alviarin is presumed to be alive and a captive in Stedding Sholoon.