Graendal

From A Wheel of Time Wiki

EWoT: Graendal

Kamarile Maradim Nindar is otherwise known as Graendal. She is one of the thirteen called the Forsaken.

Contents 1 Appearance 2 History 3 Release 4 In Arad Doman

[edit] Appearance

She is often described as fleshy and voluptuous, with elaborately curled red-gold hair.

[edit] History

She was a famous psychologist for nearly four hundred years, and was known to heal mental afflictions even use of the One Power could not cure. She was also a distinct ascetic, living an unadorned life. So much so that she thought that all who could not live to her standards were inferior. She thought that the life that most lived was simply too complicated and fast paced. Thus those who knew her had no love for her, after all, they could not live to her standards either.

There is no evidence that her change of character was brought out by The Shadow, although she was the second of the Forsaken to swear her vows. Indeed it seemed that she realized that the world would not live as she did. She became the exact opposite of before, wearing the most fashionable garments, taking the most perverse sensual pleasures.

Her alter ego, Graendal, is a creature of decadence and excess. One of the most physically beautiful women to have ever walked the earth, she habitually wears revealing clothing and expensive jewelry and keeps only the most attractive men and women near her as her servants. She is very particular about her servants, often choosing former kings and reducing their minds to empty husks. Though she has never led armies for the Shadow, she is well-versed in intrigue and Shadow plotting; her knowledge of the human mind has also led to an unparalleled skill in the use of Compulsion.

[edit] Release

After she escaped the Bore, she hid herself in Arad Doman under the disguise of the ailing Lady Basene. She teams up with Lanfear, Sammael and Rahvin to try and turn Rand al'Thor to the Shadow. She is present with Mesaana and Semirhage during the meeting with Demandred, who tells them all of the Dark Ones plan for them and to let 'the Lord of Chaos Rule'.

She continues with her alliance with Sammael, and shows him the Sh'boan and Sh'botay she has captured from Shara hoping to fool him with a red herring. He later tricks her into revealing where Mesaana is residing and says that he has made a truce with Rand, in which case he will sit back and watch Rand destroy the rest of the Chosen. She accompanies Sammael when he meets with the Shaido Wise Ones and gives them a callbox. He refers to Graendal in front of them as Maisia, a name that seems to infuriates her. She helps Sammeal disperse the Shaido all over the continent to help spread chaos.

[edit] In Arad Doman

Graendal also probably has significant influence over King Alsalam, due to the amount of confusing and misleading battle orders Alslam supposedly sent to Rodel Ituralde, ordering him to do exactly the opposite of what might have ended the war with the Dragonsworn in Arad Doman and thus fulfilling the Dark One's command to "let the Lord of Chaos rule." This is more likely when Ituralde receives an order to offer the Dragonsworn the White Ribbon from Alslam that we previously saw Graendal sending out via messenger ordered to tell Ituralde that the previous letter-bearer, Lady Tuva, had been killed by a Gray Man.

After Sammael's death, Cyndane and Moghedien are sent to Graendal as messengers. They report that she is no longer a free agent and that she is now under the command of Moridin. Shaidar Haran arrives to confirm this.

She participated in the Battle near Shadar Logoth. She is forced to retreat when she is attacked by Verin Mathwin, Shalon din Togara Morning Tide and Kumira. Kumira is killed during the exchange.

She attends the meeting with the other Chosen in Tel'aran'rhiod, which is made to look like the Ansaline Gardens. There she is told that Rand is not to be harmed and that Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara are to be killed if found. Aran'gar flirts with her and proposes an alliance with her.