Moiraine Damodred

"An Aes Sedai, if she really was one, and a Cairhienin? There could be no worse combination."
   —Lan Mandragoran

Moiraine Damodred
Biographical Information
Nationality	Cairhienin
Date of birth	956 NE
Current status	Alive
Physical description
Gender	Female
Height	Short
Hair	Brown
Eyes	Large, Brown
Chronological and political information
First appeared	NS 2
Last appeared	TOM 57
Last mentioned	TOM Epilogue
Title	Lady
Rank	Aes Sedai
Ajah	Blue Ajah

Moiraine Damodred (pronounced: mwah-RAIN DAHM-oh-drehd) was born in the year Template:NE in Cairhien, the youngest daughter of Dalresin Damodred, a scholar, and his second wife whose name is unknown. She also goes by the name "Alys".

Appearance

When she arrives in Emond's Field she is described as having dark hair, hanging in ringlets. She looks the same age as Nynaeve, but with large, dark eyes that belong to a much older woman. This is the first mention of the ageless look. She is relatively short and has a melodious voice. She wears a sky-blue velvet cloak with vines and flowers along the edges in thick silver embroidery, a golden woven belt and a dark blue dress slashed with cream. She wears her Great Serpent ring on the second finger of her left hand, though she has been known to change the finger. Moiraine also wears the traditional Cairhienien kesiera, hers being a small sparkling blue stone held by a fine golden chain.

Despite being unable to lie due to the Three Oaths, Moiraine will sometimes introduce herself as Mistress Alys. This is possible due to the usual Aes Sedai phrasing that makes liberal use of possibilities such as "You may call me Mistress Alys."

Channeling Abilities

Moiraine using balefire, portrait done by Jeremy Saliba

Moiraine is notable as a channeler in several ways aside from being born with the ability. Firstly, she is what once was considered very strong in the One Power for an Aes Sedai. Among those in the White Tower before the White Tower Schism, only three other active Aes Sedai equaled her in strength. Those women were Siuan Sanche, who was Amyrlin Seat, Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan, a Sitter and future Amyrlin, and Lelaine Akashi, a prominent Sitter. Only one other in retirement, Cadsuane Melaidhrin, surpassed her in strength. Romanda Cassin, who was also retired, equaled her in strength. It is thought that a few other sisters, both active and retired, equaled or came close to her in strength as well, but their names are not revealed. Egwene al'Vere, Nynaeve al'Meara and Elayne Trakand all surpass Moiraine in strength.

Among Moiraine's known Talents are Healing and Cloud Dancing. She is strong enough to Travel, but disappeared before she could ever learn how. She also has the ability to use Balefire, apparently cobbled together from information in old books. Before coming to the White Tower, she developed a trick using the One Power to eavesdrop using her kesiera as a focus point, something which she still uses. Her high strength also causes Verin to cite her as one of the few living women with the strength to use the Choedan Kal.

Despite being able to create an earthquake and a wall of fire strong enough to destroy hundreds of Trollocs and halt three Myrddraal, Moiraine states that she is not at her strongest when working with Earth and Fire. It should be noted that, at the time, she was making ample use of one of the White Tower's angreal.

Background

Family Connections

For other family connections, see House Damodred

Her father's brother, her uncle, was King Laman Damodred of Cairhien and High Seat of House Damodred, making her minor royalty and in line for the throne of Cairhien until the reign of Galldrian Riatin.

She was also the youngest half-sister of Taringail Damodred, and spent much of her childhood in the Sun Palace. She is Galad, Gawyn and Elayne's aunt.

She shares no blood connection with Rand al'Thor.

Moiraine using the One Power.

At the White Tower

At sixteen, she discovered that she possessed the spark to channel the One Power and left for the White Tower to become an Aes Sedai. In truth, very little is known about her life before her arrival at the White Tower, although it is known that Moiraine was glad to divorce herself as much as she could from the blackened name of House Damodred, although, before she left for the White Tower, a Grand Ball was thrown in her honour.

As a Novice she became close friends -- pillow friends, in fact -- with a young woman named Siuan Sanche. Both were quick learners, passing all rituals on their first attempt, although Moiraine had the benefit of a classical education in the Old Tongue and knew much of the politics and history of the world before she arrived at the Tower, whereas Siuan did not. Nevertheless, credit must be given to Moiraine in her skill in the One Power.

She and Siuan become Accepted after three years and Aes Sedai after a further three years. In the history of the White Tower, only one other woman had become Aes Sedai in such a short time: Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan. This may have been one of the many sources of animosity that would emerge between the two women over the years to come. It may also be speculated that standards were being lowered due to the increasing scarcity and quality of young women with the ability being found by the White Tower.

Activities

Aiel War

Both Moiraine and Siuan were Accepted in 978 NE, during the Battle of the Blood Snow. On this day, the Aiel War came right up to the banks of the River Erinin outside Tar Valon itself, where her uncle Laman had retreated with the remainder of his Cairhien forces. During the battle, the two attended the Amyrlin Seat, Tamra Ospenya, and her Keeper of the Chronicles, Gitara Moroso. That day Moroso foretold that at that very moment the Dragon had been reborn on the slopes of Dragonmount not far away, and immediately fell down dead.

Moiraine and Lan.

Moiraine and Siuan made a pact soon after: they would find the Dragon and guide him, knowing that he was the only one who could save the world from the Dark One, but that others would fear him and try to hinder him--if not kill him outright. The Dragon Reborn, though necessary, was not the most celebrated of saviors; he was prophesied to save the world, and yet break it. At an unspecified time prior to the events of 998 NE she visits the Green Man at the Eye.

At an unspecified time during her decade long search for the Dragon Reborn, she acquired an an'greal, having been given permission from the Hall of the Tower, possibly through pressure on Siuan's part, as implied during their conversation in Fal Dara in the Great Hunt.

Quest for the Dragon

Moiraine from The Eye of the World Comic

Nineteen years of searching later, Moiraine was an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah; traveling in the Borderlands, she had picked up a Warder, al'Lan Mandragoran, last king of Malkier. The two of them journeyed to the town of Emond's Field in the Two Rivers region of Andor, as Moiraine had narrowed her search to three boys in the area. Her suspicions were confirmed when, on Winternight, Trollocs invaded the Two Rivers region. After the attack, she and Lan persuaded the three boys -- Rand al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara -- plus Thomdril Merrilin, Egwene al'Vere and later Nynaeve al'Meara, to leave Emond's Field and head for the safety of the White Tower. But the Shadow had picked up their scent, and their plans were derailed. Their journey ultimately took them to Shienar and the Eye of the World, where Rand channeled consciously for the first time. Soon after, Moiraine knew she'd found the Dragon Reborn.

Guide and advisor

She sent word immediately to Siuan, who by this time was Amyrlin Seat, and the two of them, with the unexpected help of Verin Mathwin, confronted Rand with his destiny. Moiraine left Rand, with a small group to recover the Horn of Valere only to find him again after the Battle of Falme. After that Moiraine left Rand's side as little as possible. The only time she left his side again was during the events leading up to the fall of the Stone of Tear, when Rand snuck away to see if he could draw the sword Callandor and fulfill an important prophecy concerning the Dragon Reborn, or see if he was only a False Dragon. Despite his success, Rand resented what he saw as interference and manipulation on Moiraine's part; though she seemed to be trying to help him, Aes Sedai are used to getting what they want, and keeping their plans to themselves. Finally, after Rand's journey to Rhuidean in the Aiel Waste, the two managed to form a sort of compromise, with Rand agreeing to listen if Moiraine agreed to merely advise.

Moiraine in her complete Blue Ajah outfit.

Sacrifice

Unfortunately, their cooperation was short-lived. Just before setting out for the city of Caemlyn to confront the Forsaken Rahvin, Moiraine took Rand, Mat, Egwene, Aviendha, and Lan to the docks of Cairhien. While at Rhuidean, Moiraine had entered a ter'angreal that showed her hundreds of possible futures; furthermore, she knew that if she wasn't present at the docks that day, Lanfear, a Forsaken who was obsessed with him, might take control over Rand. When Rand refused to kill Lanfear, even in his own defense, Moiraine took matters into her own hands. The twisted redstone doorframe from Rhuidean was present nearby, and Moiraine shoved Lanfear through it by tackling her, and thus joined her inside, ending the assault but presumably also both their lives: neither she nor Lanfear re-emerged from the doorway, which immediately caught on fire and began to melt. Lan also reported that he could not feel her through the Warder bond any longer; everyone believed her dead. Because she had altered her bond so that Lan would belong to another Aes Sedai instead of trying to avenge her (prior to her visions beyond the doorway, and possibly because of Nynaeve), Lan left immediately, if not happily, to seek out Myrelle Berengari. Moiraine Damodred had been woven out of the Pattern.

Moiraine embracing the power portrait done by Seamas Gallagher

Still a factor?

Later events, however, have drawn Moiraine's supposed fate into question. Lanfear, dead as well, has reappeared in the form of Cyndane, whose name means "Last Chance" in the Old Tongue. The Great Lord of the Dark resurrected her after the Aelfinn killed her while sucking off her strengh in One Power. Also, one of Egwene al'Vere's Dreamed visions linked Thom Merrilin to Moiraine -- she saw him drawing Moiraine's kesiera from a fire. A certain amount of romantic tension between Thom and Moiraine has gone unresolved as of yet. Finally, a viewing of Min Farshaw's, alarmingly suggests that without Moiraine's help, Rand is doomed to failure. When, how, and even if, she will reappear, remains to be seen. She also mentions to Elayne Trakand, Egwene and Nynaeve that she knows the exact face of who she WILL marry, though confirmed that she shared an 'ignorance' with them as opposed to actual information. So far she hasn't been married and the connection between her and Thom still hasn't been played out. She also promises to meet Thom again and provide him with information on who Gentled his nephew, and she is fairly certain they will meet again.

Letter to Thom

While crossing Altara, Thom finally showed Mat the letter he had received from Moiraine saying she was not in fact dead, but she could only be brought back in a specific way. Thom, Mat, and one other would need to go to the Tower of Ghenjei, to access the realm of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn. Even then, their mission might not be successful. Moiraine wrote that to be successful, they will need to remember what they know of the game Snakes and Foxes. What is known about the game, aside from the manner of game play, is that it begins with player saying, "Courage to strengthen, fire to blind, music to dazzle, iron to bind" while drawing a triangle with a wavy line through it in the air and that it is necessary to cheat to win. According to Birgitte, drawing the symbol on the Tower of Ghenjei will open a doorway to the dimension of the Eelfinn and/or Aelfinn. From Mat's trips through the ter'angreals, we know that the Aelfinn and Eelfin ask whether visitors have brought fire, iron, or musical instruments because they are prohibited by the "agreement."

Rescue

Mat, Thom, and Noal Charin traveled to the Tower of Ghenjei in order to rescue Moiraine. Using the method learned from Birgitte, they created a opening into the tower and entered. They enter the land of of the Eelfinn and the Aelfinn armed with torches and Aludra's strikers (fire), spear and shortswords (iron), and flutes and a harp (implements of music). They find themselves in a labyrinthine tower with strange halls and doors, but using Mat's luck they randomly find their way to the Chamber of Bonds were they find a barely conscious Moiraine. Moiraine is trapped and suspended in mist. Thom frees Moiraine, and Mat is forced to bargain with the Eelfinn to leave with Moiraine and receive unbarred passage out of the world. Realizing the meaning of the Aelfinn's predictions, he gives up half the light of the world in order to save the world, which means giving up his left eye in order to save Moiraine. Following the bargain they make their way through the tower, however the safe passage out turns becomes a wild chase as the Aelfinn were not part of the bargain. Noal, revealing himself as Jain Farstrider, sacrifices himself in order to buy time for the others to get away. Mat and Thom decide to attempt escaping using the Aelfinn's red archway to escape, but when they reach its location, they discover that it had been destroyed. As the Aelfinn close in on them, Mat remembers that the request he was granted by the Eelfinn of a way out had given him his ashandarei. Realizing that the spear is a way out, he uses it to draw the same symbol that they had used to enter on the wall, allowing for an escape through a new exit out of the tower.

Being free

Once finally free from the Finn, Moiraine reveal that the Eelfinn and Aelfinn have decreased her ability to channel because they have been using her to feed off of the One Power, or the ability to channel. She does however possess a bracelet angreal that allows her to be even stronger than she was before. When she went through the ter'angreal, the ancient treaty held for both her and Lanfear, and she was granted three demands. One of her demands was getting that angreal, but what her other two demands were she has not revealed to anyone yet.

Thom, Mat and Moiraine settle down to rest a short walk from the tower. After some discussion of events that have occurred during her captivity she asks Thom to marry her, which explains why she said she knew the face of the one she would marry. He accepts and decides upon becoming Moiraine's Warder as well.

Etymology

The name Moiraine might be connected to the Moirae, who "controlled the metaphorical thread of life of every mortal from birth to death". This is consistent with the series' main philosophy, and may also reflect the fact that Moiraine has dedicated her life to Rand from the moment of his birth, and based on Min's viewings, will presumably continue to do so until his death.

Personal Quotes

• "Live with what you cannot change."
• "You learn nothing if you put someone's back up to start."