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Moiraine Damodred

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

EWoT: Moiraine Damodred

Moiraine Damodred
Biographical information
Nationality

Cairhienin

Date of birth

956 NE

Current Status

Alive

Physical description
Gender

Female

Height

Short

Hair color

Brown

Eye color

Large, Brown

Chronological and political information
First appeared

NS 2

Affiliation

Unaligned Sisters

Title

Lady

Rank

Aes Sedai

Ajah

Blue Ajah

  [Source]

Contents

[edit] Appearance

When she arrives in Emond's Field she is described as having dark hair, hanging in ringlets. She is described as looking the same age as Nynaeve, but with having large, dark eyes that belonged to a much older woman. This is the first description 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 the great serpent ring on the second finger of her left hand, though she has been known to change it. Moiraine also wears the traditional Cairhienin kesiera, hers being a small sparkling blue stone held by a fine golden chain. She sometimes hides her identity by introducing herself as Mistress Alys.

[edit] History

[edit] Family Connections

For other family connections, see House Damodred

Moiraine Damodred was born in the year 956 NE [1]in Cairhien as youngest daughter of Dalresin Damodred, a scholar, and his second wife (name unknown). [2]

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.

[edit] 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.[3]In truth, very little is known about her time 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.

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.

[edit] 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.[3]

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.[4]

[edit] Channeling Abilities

Moiraine is notable as a channeler in several ways. 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 coup, only three other active Aes Sedai equalled 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 on strength. Romanda Cassin, who was also retired, equalled her 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. [verify]. Before coming to the White Tower, she developed a trick using the One Power to eavesdrop, something which she still uses. Her high strength also causes Verin to quote her as one of the few living women with the strength to use the Choedan Kal.

[edit] Activities

[edit] Quest for the Dragon

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.[5] The two of them journeyed to the town of Emond's Field in the Two Rivers region, as Moiraine had narrowed her search to three boys in the area.[6] Her suspicions were confirmed when, on Winternight, Trollocs invaded the Two Rivers region.[7] After the attack, she and Lan persuaded the three boys -- Rand al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara -- plus a few hangers-on in the persons of Thomdril Merrilin, Egwene al'Vere and Nynaeve al'Meara, to leave Emond's Field and head for the safety of the White Tower.[8] 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.[9]

[edit] 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. From there on out, Moiraine left Rand's side as little as possible. The only time she left his side was during the events leading up to the Stone of Tear, where Rand snuck away to see if he could draw the sword Callandor and fulfill prophecy, or if he was only a False Dragon.[10] 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.[11]

[edit] Later events

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 three possible futures; furthermore, she knew that if she wasn't present at the docks that day, Lanfear 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, 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.[12]

[edit] Still a factor?

Later events, however, have drawn Moiraine's supposed fate into question. Lanfear, presumed 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 is well-known for resurrecting his favorite followers, but it is not known if this happened to Cyndane; it is possible that she escaped in her own right. Also, one of Egwene al'Vere's Dreamed visions linked Thom Merrilin to Moiraine -- she saw him drawing Moiraine's kesiera from a fire.[13] 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.

[edit] 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. As of yet, they have not started their journey. 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.[14] 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". Cheating could involve bringing one of Aludra's strikers to provide fire and singing could provide the music, but it is not clear whether it would be effective to simply lie when asked about having brought iron.

[edit] Notes

Wikipedia has an article about:
 Moiraine Damodred


  1. ↑ Lord of Chaos, Chapter Glossary
  2. ↑ Father's name from Encyclopedia WOT by means of personal communication.[verify]
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 New Spring, Chapter 2
  4. ↑ New Spring, Chapter 14
  5. ↑ New Spring, Epilogue
  6. ↑ The Eye of the World, Chapter 2
  7. ↑ The Eye of the World, Chapter 7
  8. ↑ The Eye of the World, Chapter 10
  9. ↑ The Eye of the World, Chapter 53
  10. ↑ The Dragon Reborn
  11. ↑ The Shadow Rising, Chapter 49
  12. ↑ The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 52
  13. ↑ The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 15
  14. ↑ Knife of Dreams, Chapter 10


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