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By Linda
This article is about those poor fools who, as Lanfear said, believe Ishamael’s promise of power and immortality:
“A Darkfriend?” Selene said mockingly. She sounded amused, not angered. She sounded contemptuous. “One of those pathetic followers of Ba’alzamon who think he will give them immortality and power?”Most Darkfriends do sign up for immortality and power, but then so did the Forsaken and with equally little prospect of having their promised rewards delivered:
- The Dragon Reborn, Visitations
Question: The Dark One has promised his followers immortality and power above all others on the Day of Return. In previous interviews you have said that this is within his power. My question is, will he? I mean, he doesn't seem very loyal or trustworthy to me. If (Light forbid) he breaks free, will he remember the "little people" or just destroy all the puny humans when he remakes the world in his own image?Darkfriends aim to free the Dark One from his prison so that he can end time and remake the world in his own image, with them living and ruling for ever under him. Darkfriends are thus an example of millenarian extremism (see Eschatology essay). According to Damian Thompson in The End of Time, millenarian extremism:
Robert Jordan Answers: That's the big question for the Forsaken, isn't it. Can they trust the Dark One? You're right; he isn't very trustworthy or loyal. Greed leads people to believe strange things, to excuse the most abhorrent behavior on their parts—just check out the nightly news for confirmation—and at the root, that is what motivates the Forsaken and, in truth, most Darkfriends. Greed for power, greed for immortality. That makes them believe, because they want to believe. So, will he grant these things? Maybe. After all, he gains more willing followers, more eager followers, if he is seen to give rewards. But will he care whether he has any followers at all in a world where he is all-powerful? Flip a coin and check which way the wind is blowing. Maybe you can find the answer there.
- TOR Question of the Week
often arises from feelings of deprivation in matters of status, wealth, security or self-esteem…All millenarian movements are distinguished by the abnormal behaviour of their adherents, which can range from retreat to the wilderness to await the End to acts of unimaginable violence to bring it about…The millenarian sense of identity, too, is distinctive. It invariably possesses a narcissistic, self-righteous quality... It is also paranoid.Darkfriends believe that their victory over the Light will usher in an eternity of rule under the Dark One: a dark eternity of an evil paradise where they will be the elect.
The Forsaken have highly abnormal behaviour and have committed acts of incredible violence to free the Dark One and end the world as it currently is. Their first attempt to free the Dark One resulted in the War of the Power and ultimately ended the Age of Legends. All of them are narcissistic, self-righteous and paranoid. Many Darkfriends are in the same mold:
Unlike the Forsaken, Darkfriends have not known immortality, yet they have survived as a society for over three thousand years, serving and waiting for Tarmon Gai’don: the Last Battle…Some extremists are deeply dedicated to obtaining freedom for the Dark One and thus immortality and dominion for themselves.The Shadow has a millenarian catechism:
- The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time
“The Great Lord of the Dark is my Master, and most heartily do I serve him to the last shred of my very soul…Lo, my Master is death’s Master. Asking nothing do I serve against the Day of his coming, yet do I serve in the sure and certain hope of life everlasting…Surely the faithful shall be exalted in the land, exalted above the unbelievers, exalted above thrones, yet do I serve humbly against the Day of his Return…Swift come the Day of Return. Swift come the Great Lord of the Dark to guide us and rule the world for ever and ever.”Ishamael assures the Darkfriends that the Day of Return is near:
- The Great Hunt Prologue
“Fear not, for the Day of your Master’s rising upon the world is near at hand. The Day of Return draws nigh. Does it not tell you so that I am here, to be seen by you favoured few among your brothers and sisters? Soon the Wheel of Time will be broken. Soon the Great Serpent will die, and with the power of that death, the death of Time itself, your Master will remake the world in his own image for this Age and for all Ages to come. And those who serve me, faithful and steadfast, will sit at my feet above the stars in the sky and rule the world of men forever. So have I promised, and so shall it be, without end. You shall live and rule forever.”This is the ultimate millenarian cult.
- The Great Hunt Prologue
The Shadow runs on favouritism, and also selfishness, according to Verin (The Gathering Storm, A Visit From Verin Sedai). Darkfriends consider themselves an elect, the Forsaken, “chosen”. They compete with each other for the Dark One’s favour. Particular signs of his favour are: permission to draw the True Power (for channelling Darkfriends) and being summoned to Shayol Ghul (The Eye of the World, More Tellings of the Wheel).
The mark Shaidar Haran made on Alviarin was not one of favour to elevate her to Chosen, but to prevent any of the Chosen or Shadowspawn from harming her (Robert Jordan, TOR Question of the Week). For this reason, it could be likened to the marking of people on the forehead to determine who will be harmed and who will be spared in Ezekiel 9:3-6, as well as a mark of Cain.
The Shadow was modelled on a real world ruthless and violent organisation who planned on a millennial rule and ran on favouritism: the Nazis and their Thousand Year Reich. Both groups committed similar atrocities, competed with each other for their leader’s favour, ruthlessly disregarded others and imposed their ideology on others, had a disparate and chaotic high command and started a large-scale war which they nearly won. Jordan confirmed this on his blog when he compared the Shadow and the Nazis.
Joining Up
Jordan has informed us of the process of becoming a Darkfriend:
Question: How exactly does one become a Darkfriend? How does the recruiting structure for the Black Ajah work? Being Mistress of Novices, was Merean particularly active in recruiting?Black Ajah recruiting is obviously less hit and miss than that of common Darkfriends, so the percentage of Darkfriends is higher among Aes Sedai (nearly a quarter of the Aes Sedai, see The Black Ajah article) than in the general population. The three oaths that the Black Ajah take are:
Robert Jordan Answers: By and large, each cell of Darkfriends recruits people it thinks are likely candidates, though they need to do so very carefully, studying them, sounding them out slowly. Darkfriends are always on the lookout for new members, since they feel very much like an oppressed minority and want to increase their numbers. Once a move to recruit is made, though, either it succeeds or the failed candidate dies.
For someone seeking actively to become a Darkfriend, generally one begins by trying to attract the attention of those who already are Darkfriends. One fairly safe way is to let comments drop that indicate that you don't think the Light is all it's cracked up to be, that praying to the Creator seems useless, etc. If this comes to the wrong ears, you might be in varying degrees of trouble depending on what country you are in and who it is that overhears, but you are unlikely to get worse than a flogging from the authorities and possibly only a stern warning to watch your talk from somebody in a tavern, perhaps accompanied by a clout on the ear. Although someone might decide to slip a knife into you in some rougher areas of some towns. It's only relatively safe. By the by, claiming not to believe in the Creator is a good way to avoid recruitment by the Darkfriends. After all, if there is no Creator, how can the Dark One be imprisoned, and if he isn't, then why hasn't he taken over and rewarded the faithful? One of the fastest ways to attract attention is to show yourself willing to kill to advance yourself or simply for gain. That doesn't mean that every strongarm who's willing to slit a throat to steal a purse is a Darkfriend. Some of those might well be horrified by the suggestion. This method has its drawbacks, of course, since if you attract the attention of the authorities first, you are very likely to end up with a noose around your neck or a trip to the headsman's block.
In the White Tower, Black sisters watch novices and Accepted closely for any indication that they might be leaning toward the Shadow or susceptible to the promises of the Shadow. They also watch other sisters, since people do change. Not every Black sister was recruited on the day she gained the shawl nor soon after. Merean had a fine position for watching novices and Accepted, but many sisters teach. Some do little else, but others take turns at it for various periods, so Merean was not necessarily the primary recruiter during her time as Mistress of Novices, not even among those in her charge.
- TOR Question of the Week
1) I shall obey all commands given by those placed above me in service to the Great Lord. 2) I shall prepare for the day of the Great Lord’s return. 3) I swear not to betray the Great Lord, to keep my secrets until the hour of my death. It should be noted that these were taken straight from Robert Jordan’s notes, where he had added “May vary the wording a little.”And Darkfriends probably take similar oaths.
Maria Simmons in answer to a Waygate fundraiser Q&A
How to spot a Darkfriend
Darkfriends have an habitually negative expression on their face, for instance of arrogance, discontent or contempt. They regularly wear dark colours—red that is almost black, or very dark green, say—and are often described as shadowed in some way. Their names tend to have negative connotations, or refer to evil or nasty beings or people (see Names of the Shadow article), whereas those of Light-aligned characters never do.
Darkfriends are common and widespread; very, very few groups are free of them. The Kin is one such group—perhaps the sole example, thanks to their secrecy, their complete underestimation by Aes Sedai (including Black Ajah), and their very careful vetting of candidates to exclude those who won’t follow their rules (Robert Jordan, Kin notes.
This article lists those who are proven Darkfriends; either by their deeds or because other Darkfriends state them to be Darkfriends or took malign orders from them. There is a separate section on probable Darkfriends, and another on those who are probably not Darkfriends, even though they may serve Forsaken, such as Graendal’s servants under Compulsion.
For the sake of completeness, the article lists the Forsaken and their various aliases, the Black Ajah and the Dark Asha’man, all of which are discussed in detail in other articles.
Forsaken
For information on their scene of operations, current status, plans and deeds see the Forsaken Deeds and Plans article. The following is a list of the Forsaken and their various aliases or incarnations:
Ishamael/Elan Morin Tedronai/Moridin/Jalwin Moerad/Ba’alzamon
Aginor/Ishar Morrad Chuain/Osan’gar/Corlan Dashiva
Asmodean/Joar Addam Nessosin /Jasin Natael
Balthamel/Eval Ramman/Aran’gar/Halima Saranov
Be’lal/Duram Laddel Cham/Samon
Demandred/Barid Bel Medar/Bao the Wyld
Graendal/Kamarile Maradim Nindar /Hessalam/Basene /Maisia
Lanfear/Mierin Eronaile/Cyndane/Selene /Silvie /Keille Shaogi
Mesaana/Saine Tarasind/Danelle
M’Hael/Mazrim Taim
Moghedien/Lillen Moiral /Gyldin /Marigan
Rahvin/Ared Mosinel/Gaebril
Sammael/Tel Janin Aellinsar /Brend /Caddar
Semirhage/Nemene Damendar Boann /Anath Dorje
Black Ajah
For information on the Black Ajah, their deeds and plots, see the Black Ajah article. The following is a list of the known Black Ajah and their current status:
Alviarin Freidhen: White ex Keeper, Head of Black Ajah
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities). Marked by Shaidar Haran as a creature of the Dark One and not to be killed (NOT as a Forsaken according to Jordan on the TOR Question of the Week).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Amico Nagoyin: Yellow according to Jordan
Current Status: Was stilled by Egwene and killed by Slayer in Tear (Winter’s Heart, Out of Thin Air).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Asne Zeramene: Green
Current Status: Was killed by lightning Windfinders channelled outside Caemlyn.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Atuan Larisett: Yellow
Current Status: Was found by the Black Ajah hunters, broken with the Chair of Remorse and bound to obey them with the Oath Rod. Probably executed when Egwene cleansed the White Tower, but not confirmed.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Berylla Naron: (Blue by default)
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Birlen Pena:
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Careane Fransi: Green
Current Status: Was killed by Vandene as revenge for Adeleas.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Chai Rugan:
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Chesmal Emry: Yellow
Current Status: Killed by Elayne.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Dagdara Finchey: Yellow
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Delana Mosalaine: (former) Grey rebel Sitter
Current Status: Balefired by Rand after Graendal shielded her.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Duhara Basaheen: Red Sitter in White Tower
Current Status: Killed by Aviendha (A Memory of Light, At The Edge of Time)
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Eldrith Jhondar: Brown
Current Status: Killed by Daved Hanlon.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Elza Penfell: Green
Current Status: Killed by True Power balefire by Rand in Arad Doman (The Gathering Storm, The Last That Could be Done).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Evanellein: Grey Tower Sitter
Current Status: Killed by Egwene (Towers of Midnight, Wounds).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Falion Bhoda: White
Current Status: Killed by Aviendha (A Memory of Light, At the Edge of Time)
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Fera: White
Current Status: Sworn to Rand. Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Galina Casban: former Red Ajah Head
Current Status: Was bound on an Oath Rod/binder to obey Shaido Wise Ones, recaptured by Therava and headed for the Aiel Waste as Therava’s sadomasochistic slave.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Ispan Shefar: Blue
Current Status: Was killed by Careane.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Jarna Malari: Grey Sitter
Current Status: Was placed in a ter’angreal as punishment by Ishamael where she died 10 days later.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Jeaine Caide: Green
Current Status: Killed by Thom Merrilin (A Memory of Light, Two Craftsmen).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Joiya Byir: White, later renamed as Grey when Jordan realised he had three Whites instead of two
Current Status: Was shielded by Egwene in Tel’aran’rhiod, captured and interrogated, and then killed by Slayer in Tear (Winter’s Heart, Out of Thin Air).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Karale Sanghir: Grey
Current Status: Was found by the Black Ajah hunters, broken with the Chair of Remorse and bound to obey them with the Oath Rod. Probably executed when Egwene cleansed the White Tower, but not confirmed.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Katerine Alruddin: Red
Current Status: Probably killed by Egwene in Tel’aran’rhiod.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Larissa Lyndel: Yellow
Current Status: Unknown.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Liandrin: Red
Current Status: Was shielded and is with the Seanchan as either a da’covale formerly owned by Suroth, or a damane, since Suroth decided in Knife of Dreams Prologue that she would have her collared and held by a Darkfriend sul’dam.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Marillin Gemalphin: Brown
Current Status: Freed by Daved Hanlon and Jaq Lounalt.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Marris Thornhill: Brown
Current Status: Was found by the Black Ajah hunters, broken with the Chair of Remorse and bound to obey them with the Oath Rod. Probably executed when Egwene cleansed the White Tower, but not confirmed.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Melvara:
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Merean Redhill: Blue
Current Status: Was killed by Moiraine in self-defence.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Mestra:
Current Status: Killed by Egwene.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Miyasi: White
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Moria Karentanis: Blue, former rebel Sitter
Current Status: - Executed (The Gathering Storm, The Tower Stands).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Nacelle Kayama: Green
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Nalaene Forrell:
Current Status: Unknown. Sworn to Rand.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Nesita : Red
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Notori:
Current Status: Killed by Nynaeve.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Ramola:
Current Status:Unknown. Escaped the battle in Tel’aran’rhiod in Towers of Midnight.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Rianna Andomeran: White
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities)
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Sedore Dajenna: Yellow Tower Sitter
Current Status: Killed by Egwene
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Sheriam Byanar: Blue, former Mistress of Novices under Siuan, former rebel Keeper
Current Status: Executed (The Gathering Storm, The Tower Stands).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Talene Minly: Green Sitter
Current Status: Was found by the Black Ajah hunters, broken with the Chair of Remorse and bound to obey them with the Oath Rod. Fled the White Tower in Knife of Dreams.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Talva: Yellow
Current Status: Accidentally killed by Alviarin.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Temaille Kinderode: Grey
Current Status: Killed by Daved Hanlon.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Velina Behar: White Tower Sitter
Current Status: Escaped the White Tower (The Gathering Storm, Bathed in Light).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Verin Mathwin: Brown
Current Status: Dead. Poisoned herself so she could give Egwene information on her study of the Shadow (The Gathering Storm, A Visit From Verin Sedai).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Zanica:
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Turned Aes Sedai
Ayako Norsoni: White
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities)
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Desala Nevanche: Red
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Javindhra Doraille: Red
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Jenare: Red
Current Status: Possibly killed in the Black Tower when Logain’s faction freed themselves since only a few Dreadlords escaped.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Jezrail: Red
Current Status: Unknown.
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Tarna Feir: Red
Current Status: Unknown
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Toveine Gazal: Red
Current Status: At large since Logain intended to kill her if he found her (A Memory of Light, The Last Battle).
Her deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Black Ajah article
Darkfriend Asha’man
For information on the Darkfriend Asha’man, their deeds and plots, see The Shadow’s Influence on the Black Tower article. The following is a list of the Darkfriend Asha’man and their current status:
Mazrim Taim, promoted to Forsaken as M’Hael
Current Status: Killed by Egwene (A Memory of Light, The Last Battle).
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Abors
Current Status: Killed by Evin.
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Atal Mishraile
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities).
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Charl Gedwyn
Current Status: Was killed by Fain in Far Madding.
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Coteren
Current Status: Killed by Jonneth at the Black Tower (A Memory of Light, Advantages To A Bond).
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Kash
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities)
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Leems
Current Status: unknown
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Manel Rochaid
Current Status: Was badly wounded by Rand and accidentally killed by Kisman in Far Madding.
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Peral Torval
Current Status: Was killed by Fain in Far Madding.
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Raefar Kisman
Current Status: Was killed by Padan Fain in Far Madding for trying to kill Rand.
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Varil Nensen
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities).
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Turned Asha’man
Dobser
Current Status: Unknown
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Donalo Sandomere
Current Status: Trapped in Stedding Sholoon (A Memory of Light, Impossibilities).
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Evin Vinchova
Current Status: Was killed by Taim (A Memory of Light, Doses of Forkroot).
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Mezar Kurin
Current Status: Unknown
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Welyn Kajima
Current Status: Unknown
His deeds and scene(s) of operation in The Shadow's Influence on the Black Tower article
Darkfriends
This section discusses the non-channelling Darkfriends.
Amellia Arene
Scene of Operations: Amador
Major Deeds: - Provided accommodation for Liandrin’s group (The Fires of Heaven, A Hound of Darkness).
- Thought she could be on equal terms with the Black sisters and was put in her place.
Current Status: Unknown
Anaiyella Narencelona
Scene of Operations: Tear, Altara, Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Returned to Tear from Cairhien and promoted herself as a candidate for the throne of Tear.
- Was correctly believed by Rand to have doubtful loyalty and made to fight the Seanchan in Altara.
- Told Rand she knew he had a particular care for women.
- Said she was prepared to hang a captive sul’dam.
- When Rand is wounded in Altara, Anaiyella exhorts the forces to fight, fearing that if Rand dies she would be executed. Considered fleeing.
- Was taken back to Cairhien and spied on by servants Dobraine thought trustworthy.
- Left Cairhien without Rand’s permission and sailed downriver to Tear. She and Weiramon claimed to be helping Darlin but divided their forces and sent the majority to attack the rebels while they landed at the Stone. Negotiations with the rebels were ruined.
- With Weiramon, was going to go with Rand’s forces to Arad Doman.
Current Status: Sent away from Tear by Rand.
Other Comments: Like Weiramon, pretended to be a harmless fool.
Aravine Carnel
Scene of Operations: Ghealdan, Andor, Tar Valon, Blight
Major Deeds:- Captured by Shaido and made gai’shain.
- Brought food and clothing to Faile’s group after they were captured ( Winter’s Heart, Offers).
- Interrupted Galina’s tirade at Maighdin to summon Faile to Sevanna.
- Overheard Galina blackmailing Faile and learned Faile’s true name. Swore fealty to Faile and wanted to be part of her escape (Crossroads ofTwilight, Traps).
- Brought Theril and his father to Faile’s tent because Theril had taken the Oath Rod/binder from Therava’s tent (Knife of Dreams, Something…Strange).
- Was one of thirty or forty gai’shain sworn to Faile that gathered to see her off on the escape attempt (Knife of Dreams, In Malden).
- Was brought by Theril to where Faile and co were trapped by Galina in the abandoned buildings of Malden.
- After the battle of Malden, Aravine sorted the refugees for Perrin. She chose to stay with Perrin’s group, even though she was a noble, and became his camp organiser and was present at many meetings.
- Was contacted by the Shadow and ‘reactivated’ as a Darkfriend. Had hoped her oaths were forgotten.
- On Perrin’s order, Aravine, with Gaul and Sulin, set up his camp at Merrilor away from the other armies.
- Was part of Faile’s group that moved supplies from the White Tower to Merrilor.
- Probably stabbed Berisha so she couldn’t warn the group that the gateway had gone to the wrong place or make the correct gateway for them.
- Betrayed Faile to a Black sister.
- Took Faile’s sack with the Horn of Valere and said was taking it to Demandred (A Memory of Light, The Last Battle).
- Fled in a panic on horseback with the Horn when Olver killed the Black sister.
- Faile chased her down and killed her.
Current Status: Killed by Faile (A Memory of Light, The Last Battle).
Barthanes Damodred
Scene of Operations: Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Became High Set of House Damodred when King Laman died.
- Gave shelter and access to the Waygate to Fain and his Trollocs.
- Gave Rand a message from Fain that Fain will wait for Rand on Toman Head with the Horn of Valere and if Rand doesn’t come Fain will harry the Two Rivers (The Great Hunt, A Message From the Dark).
Current Status: Was torn to pieces for aiding Fain.
Other Comments: Was not at Ishamael’s Darkfriend social since he needed a description of Rand which Fain provided.
Changu
Scene of Operations: Shienar
Major Deeds: - Fought at Tarwin’s Gap and saved Lord Agelmar (The Great Hunt, Leavetakings).
- Probably killed the guards at the Dog Gate and let Darkfriends into Fal Dara keep (The Great Hunt, The Hunt Begins).
- Left Fal Dara with Fain, Trollocs and Myrddraal.
Current Status: Was skinned alive by Fain, or Myrddraal and Trollocs.
Comar
Scene of Operations: Caemlyn, Tear
Major Deeds: - Was ordered by Rahvin to kill Elayne, Egwene and Nynaeve in Tear.
Current Status: Was accidentally killed by Mat in Tear.
Other Comments: Did not recognise Mat so he was not the Andoran officer of the Queen’s Guards at Ishamael’s Darkfriend social.
Cowin Gemallan
Scene of Operations: Malkier
Major Deeds: - Conspired with Breyam, Isam’s mother, to move soldiers from the Malkieri forts in the Blight to seize the Seven Towers, thus weakening Malkier and allowing Trollocs to overrun the land (The Eye of the World, The Grave Is No Bar To My Call).
Current Status: Was captured by Jain Farstrider and killed by al’Akir in single combat.
Cully
Scene of Operations: Ebou Dar
Major Deeds: - Led a circle under Carridin.
- Ordered his circle to attack Mat, since the fake beggars who attacked Mat’s group referred to Old Cully saying:
”Old Cully won’t like this, Spar”and were probably his circle.
- A Crown of Swords, The Festival of Birds
Current Status: Unknown
Daved Hanlon /Doilin Mellar
Scene of Operations: Cairhien, Caemlyn, Last Battle
Major Deeds: - Fled his village in 970 NE at age 16 when he killed another youth (Robert Jordan, Elayne notes). - Killed 3 men in brawls and fought and killed bandits while working on a merchant’s wagon train. Became a Darkfriend at this time from 970‒973 NE (Robert Jordan, Elayne notes). - Fought in the Third War of Andoran Succession (973‒975 NE) for Naean Arawn as a mercenary (Robert Jordan, Elayne notes). - Took part in the looting of Cairhien in the Aiel War (The Path of Daggers, Crimsonthorn, and Robert Jordan’s Elayne notes).
- Fought in the Blood Snow and after the Aiel War, fought as a mercenary in various wars between nobles in Cairhien, Murandy and Altara, including the “Reconciliation" in Cairhien (979‒981 NE) whereby Galldrian Riatin gained the Sun Throne. His company switched sides several times. He also fought in the wars between Illian and Tear (980‒982 NE, 987‒989 NE and 989‒990 NE) and between Cairhien and Tear (983‒984 NE, 986‒987 NE and 994‒996 NE), switching allegiance several times. He gained command of his own company of mercenaries in 989 NE (Robert Jordan, Elayne notes). - Has raped women and coerced them into consenting to sexual intercourse.
- Killed a woman who claimed she was pregnant with his child (Crossroads of Twilight, Gathering Darkness).
- Joined Rahvin’s White Lions and went to Cairhien.
- After Rahvin’s death, worked for Toram Riatin at the rebel camp in Cairhien. Toram Riatin offered him estates (A Crown of Swords, Into the Woods) and probably gold.
- Ordered by Moghedien to report to Shiaine in Caemlyn and obey her (The Path of Daggers, The Extra Bit).
- Staged a fake attack on Elayne and killed her attackers to gain her confidence (Winter’s Heart, A Cup of Tea).
- Was made Captain of the Queen's bodyguard.
- Led a sortie to bring Lord Luan’s armsmen into Caemlyn before Luan had sworn to support Elayne.
- Killed five men at different times that Elayne had set to follow Hanlon at night outside the Palace (Knife of Dreams, The New Follower). At least one was following him to Shiaine’s house.
- Made an agreement with Falion to exchange information (Crossroads of Twilight, Gathering Darkness).
- Agreed to provide Falion with a sleeping drug for Murellin.
- Was ordered by Shiaine to shift guards away from the food stores so they could be burnt and to arrange for sul’dam and damane to escape the Palace (Crossroads of Twilight, Gathering Darkness).
- Was followed to Shiaine’s house by Elayne’s spy Hark (Knife of Dreams, House on Full Moon Street).
- Was captured and is held by Elayne in Caemlyn and freed by Jaq Lounalt.
- Was ordered to free the captive Darkfriends or kill them.
- Stabbed Elayne and convinced Chesmal to Heal her so he could rape Elayne later. - Killed Jac, Temaille and Eldrith. Fled with Falion, Marillin and Shiaine.
- Searched the corpses on the battlefield in the Last Battle.
- Was going to rape Elayne after her babies were removed from her womb and taken to Shayol Ghul.
- Killed Birgitte and sent a fake soldier with a dead body dressed as Elayne to spread alarm among the forces that Elayne was dead.
Current Status: Killed by Birgitte
Elegar
Scene of Operations: Caemlyn
Major Deeds: - Escorted the White Tower’s spy from the Palace in secret after she was Compelled to report to Rahvin.
Current Status: Last seen in Caemlyn around Rand in Lord of Chaos, Lion on the Hill.
Fearil
When Joined: At least 20 years ago since he has been Elza’s Warder for 20 years and it sounds like she chooses men who are already Darkfriends:
A man with just the right qualifications was difficult to find…Scene of Operations: Cairhien, Tear
- Crossroads of Twilight, A Strengthening Storm
Current Status: Not mentioned. With Rand’s group, but his Aes Sedai was balefired in The Gathering Storm, so he is probably either insane or dead.
Other Comments: Likes killing. Elza ordered him to kill anyone who might threaten Rand. She was also working out who else he will kill.
Hadnan Kadere
When Joined: As a boy; a teenager probably (The Fires of Heaven, Memories of Saldaea).
Scene of Operations: Saldaea, Aiel Waste, Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Killed his sister Teodora when young to prevent her exposing him.
- Has broken people.
- Did ‘important and invigorating’ work for the Shadow in Tar Valon (The Fires of Heaven, Memories of Saldaea).
- Led a group of Darkfriends disguised as peddlers into the Aiel Waste.
- Was ordered by Lanfear in his dreams to keep watch on Rand and Natael (Asmodean).
- Ordered by Moiraine to load his wagons with the *angreal in Rhuidean.
- Received a note from a female Aiel Darkfriend (perhaps Melindhra) that a way has been chosen and he is not alone.
- Killed Isendre when he realised the Maidens had broken her and disposed of her body.
Current Status: Was skinned alive by Lanfear for telling her bad news.
Herid
Scene of Operations:Aiel Waste
Major Deeds: - Drove wagon in Kadere’s wagon train.
- Was loading wagons with the *angreal in Rhuidean and partially fell through the redstone doorway.
- Was broken by the experience and ran away at Cairhien.
Current Status: Unknown
Howal Gode
Scene of Operations: Whitebridge, Four Kings
Major Deeds: - Sent to find Rand and Mat.
- Planned to capture them to make them submit to the Dark One.
Current Status: Was killed by lightning Rand channelled.
Other Comments: Once dead, he was ‘rewarded’ by Ishamael in either Tel’aran’rhiod or Rand’s dream with something horrible.
Ingtar Shinowa
Why Joined: Wanted to make peace with the Shadow rather than Shienar be lost in a war against Shadowspawn which southerners don’t even believe in.
Scene of Operations: Shienar, Cairhien, Falme
Major Deeds: - Brought Padan Fain to Agelmar and Moiraine.
- Led Moiraine and co to the Blight, then went to Tarwin’s Gap. Was too late for the battle there.
- Was at Ishamael’s Darkfriend social (Jordan on his blog).
- Gave the order to bar the gates of Fal Dara keep so Rand couldn’t leave (The Great Hunt, Friends and Enemies).
- After convincing Rand to leave him, went with a Myrddraal to the dungeon and freed Fain (TOR Question of the Week).
- Took the assassin archer into Fal Dara keep (The Great Hunt, To Come Out of the Shadow).
- Led the group that aimed to recover the Horn of Valere.
- Was desperate to regain the Horn for his salvation.
- Regretted becoming a Darkfriend and sacrificed himself fighting the Seanchan so the others could get away.
Current Status: Died fighting the Seanchan.
Isam Mandragoran /Luc Mantear /Slayer
Scene of Operations: Tel’aran’rhiod, Tear, White Tower, Two Rivers, Far Madding, Shayol Ghul, Town in the Blight
Major Deeds: - Was created by the Dark One as a hybrid person prior to Janduin’s death (The Wheel of Time Companion). - Luc killed Janduin in the Blight in 971‒2 NE (The Shadow Rising, He Who Comes With the Dawn and The Wheel of Time Companion).
- Killed one Grey Man in the White Tower, the one that failed to kill Egwene and Nynaeve.
- Killed Amico and Joiya in Tear (Winter’s Heart, Out of Thin Air).
- Brought Trollocs and Myrddraal to the Two Rivers by the Ways.
- Brought two Grey Men to the Two Rivers to kill Fain (The Shadow Rising, Assurances and A Missing Leaf). The order to kill Fain was still current as of Winter’s Heart, Wonderful News.
- Kills wolves in Tel’aran’rhiod.
- Encouraged the Two Rivers people to stay on their farms and defy the Whitecloaks. Luc was in charge of the Two Rivers operation, not Isam.
- Shot at Nynaeve in Tel’aran’rhiod (The Shadow Rising, A Cup of Wine).
- Tried to lower the morale of Perrin’s group so they didn’t hunt Trollocs, then sent Trollocs to attack the group in a different direction and greater numbers than they expected.
- Led a group of Two Rivers men to antagonise the Whitecloaks.
- Was furious that Taren Ferry was attacked by Trollocs and people escaped across the river to spread information about what was happening. He rightly blamed this on Fain and knew his alias of Ordeith (The Shadow Rising, The Tinker’s Sword).
- Tried to kill Perrin in Tel’aran’rhiod and was shot by him in return.
- Deliberately revealed himself eavesdropping on the three girls in Tel’aran’rhiod so that Temaile would see him (Winter’s Heart, A Plan Succeeds).
- Was ordered by Taim to kill Rand (Winter’s Heart, Out of Thin Air and The Wheel of Time Companion) and killed two other people mistakenly.
- His services were given to Graendal by Moridin to kill Perrin.
- Set up a dreamspike in Tel’aran’rhiod for her to trap Perrin’s forces and killed wolves within it.
- Tried to kill Perrin in Tel’aran’rhiod repeatedly.
- Killed Hopper in Tel’aran’rhiod.
- Was ordered by Graendal to spring the Shadowspawn trap even though Perrin’s forces had gateways again (Towers of Midnight, Wounds).
- Did not recognise Cyndane.
- Commanded by Cyndane to kill Rand. Despite her contempt for Turned channellers she had two Turned Aiel male channellers accompany Isam, and also some Aiel Darkfriends. Was told by Cyndane that all other Forsaken have renounced claim on Isam.
- Did not disobey direct orders from the Chosen.
- Tried to shoot Rand at Shayol Ghul but Perrin prevented him and drove him off (A Memory of Light, Quick Fragments). Then he set up the dreamspike and Gaul and wolf guards to keep Isam away.
Current Status: Killed by Perrin.
Other Comments:Isam was not killed by the Trollocs that killed his mother, because the Shadow saw he could be useful. He was not raised directly by the Shadow:
Question: Why was the infant Isam spared death at the hand of the Trollocs?This was in the Town in the Blight. According to the Dark Prophecy, Isam met Luc in the Mountains of Dhoom and one killed the other. The two souls now coexist in the one body. They were granted special powers by the Dark One, but not immunity to poison or any weapon (Winter’s Heart, Out of Thin Air). On exiting or entering Tel’aran’rhiod, they can choose whether to ‘be’ Luc or Isam:
Jordan: Possible political use later. You’ve got somebody who is related to the royal family of Malkier and you can raise him exactly the way you want, you can instil whatever belief system you want. He’s a blank slate and he might be a very powerful tool.
Question: Was Isam raised by the Shadow directly, by his mother, or by someone else?
Jordan: By someone else. Read and find out.
- Robert Jordan at Dragoncon
Slayer just choses who he will be when he steps into or out of Tel'aran'rhiod. The stepping in and out is part of the mechanism for his change. He couldn't do it in the middle of a street, say, not without the stepping in or out. Which might be a little noticeable, since he would vanish from sight for a perceptible time.This included their persona, appearance and scent. Both of them had hardly human scents, probably because they entered Tel’aran’rhiod frequently in the flesh, which results in a loss of the person’s humanity.
- Robert Jordan on his blog
Slayer saw the Dark One and was convinced that he would be rewarded for his service (A Memory of Light, The Prince’s Tabac). He wanted to be able to channel, but the Dark One couldn’t grant that ability. Instead he put two souls in one body.
Isendre
Scene of Operations: Aiel Waste, Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Stole jewellery from Aiel Maidens, and was framed by Lanfear for stealing yet more.
- Repeatedly tried to seduce Rand at Kadere’s order.
- Was harshly punished for her theft and her attempts to seduce Rand and was declared da’tsang by the Maidens.
- Seduced Asmodean but learned little from him.
Current Status: Was broken by the Maidens and killed by Kadere lest she confess to being a Darkfriend and expose him.
Jaichim Carridin /Bors
Why Joined: Power
Scene of Operations: Fortress of the Light, Almoth Plain, Toman Head, Tanchico, Ebou Dar
Major Deeds: - Was at Ishamael’s Darkfriend social in The Great Hunt Prologue where he made useful observations. Was commanded to find and kill Rand, to return to Tarabon and increase efforts to weaken Tarabon and Arad Doman and take Almoth Plain, to watch for the three ta’veren and to tell no one of the Seanchan. Also given implanted instructions by Ishamael.
- Ordered Bornhald and his men away from Toman Head and the Seanchan.
- Ruined Niall’s plan to take Almoth Plain and tried to claim to Niall that Bornhald was a Darkfriend and was to blame. Was ordered by Niall to see no harm came to Rand including from Aes Sedai. Niall promised Carridin that he would not survive Niall by a month (The Dragon Reborn, Prologue).
- Was visited by an early version of Shaidar Haran (TOR Question of the Week) and told to kill Rand. Each month, one of his close relatives was to be killed by the Shadow as punishment for failure and coercion to succeed (The Dragon Reborn, Prologue). Later, Sammael knew this.
- Negotiated with King Andric and several Taraboner nobles to move Whitecloak troops to the Panarch’s Palace and control it for Amathera.
- Was ordered by Niall to make trouble in Murandy and Altara with fake Dragonsworn (Lord of Chaos, Prologue) so that the two countries could be saved by Whitecloaks.
- Was ordered by Niall to kidnap Elayne.
- Told Sammael that Mat was in Ebou Dar.
- Was ordered by Sammael to find the *angreal cache. Has two circles under him: Old Cully’s and Shiaine’s (Cully outranks Shiaine). Was promised something (a gholam) to deal with Aes Sedai.
- Ordered Shiaine to locate Mat rather than find the cache. Two men did attack Mat in The Wandering Woman (A Crown of Swords, The Triumph of Logic).
- Was spied on by a knowledgeable old man in Ebou Dar - probably Noal Charin.
- Offered to take Elayne to Amador to be reunited with her mother (A Crown of Swords, The First Cup).
Current Status: Was drowned in brandy at orders of Shiaine (who was given permission by Moridin) for his failures in Tanchico and Ebou Dar against Nynaeve and Elayne.
Jac Lounalt
Scene of Operations: Andor
Major Deeds: - Employed by Arymilla to torture people, including Naean.
- Employed by Sylvase when Elayne wins the battle for the throne.
- Used by Elayne to question Daved Hanlon and the Black Ajah captives.
- Freed Daved Hanlon, Shiaine and the captive Black sisters.
Current Status: Killed by Daved Hanlon
Jen/Torwyn Barshaw
Scene of Operations: Andor, Amador
Major Deeds: - Sent Paitr Conel to Morgase in Ailron’s palace to make contact and tell her that an escape was being planned.
- Had a plan to smuggle Morgase and her entourage out of the Fortress of the Light. Wanted to only smuggle Morgase.
- Was caught by Whitecloaks chanting a catechism to the Dark One.
Current Status: Was hanged by Whitecloaks.
Other Comments: Was called Jen in Lord of Chaos, Prologue and Torwyn in Lord of Chaos, Red Wax. Claimed to be a merchant from Four Kings, yet Gode was sent from Whitebridge to Four Kings to find Rand.
Jorin Arene
Scene of Operations: Amador
Major Deeds: - Tried to avoid his obligations as a Darkfriend to provide accommodation to Liandrin’s group (The Fires of Heaven, A Hound of Darkness). He was tortured by Temaile as punishment.
Current Status: Unknown
Lady Torkumen
Scene of Operations: Saldaea
Major Deeds: - Supported her husband in his abandonment of the defence of Maradon and the threatening of Ituralde.
Current Status: Killed herself in revulsion when she sensed the force of good/Light surrounding Rand as he destroyed the Shadowspawn invading Maradon.
Lifa
Scene of Operations: Blight
Major Deeds: - Brought supplies and captives in a caravan from Kandor to one of the Shadow's depots in the Blasted Lands during the Last Battle (A Memory of Light, The Last Battle).
Current Status: Killed by Faile's group so they could use the caravan as cover to reach the Blasted Lands.
Madic
Scene of Operations: Ebou Dar
Major Deeds: - Accepted Mat’s bribe to move Olver into Mat’s room to help Mat avoid Tylin (A Crown of Swords, Bread and Cheese).
- Informed Moridin that a weather ter’angreal was among the items of the Power from the cache Elayne and Nynaeve took through the gateway (The Path of Daggers, Unweaving).
Current Status: Was killed accidentally by Moridin.
Melindhra
Scene of Operations: Aiel Waste, Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Placed herself close to Mat.
- Was in bed with him when the Darkhounds (probably sent by Rahvin) attacked (The Fires of Heaven, Gateways).
- Tried to kill Mat with a dagger decorated in Illianer motifs when he mentioned Rand was going to Caemlyn. She was probably serving Rahvin, who wanted Rand focussed on Sammael in Illian as he said at the meeting with Lanfear, Graendal and Sammael:
“He [Rand] will concentrate on you [Sammael],” the big man said in a deep voice. “If need be, one close to him will die, plainly at your order.”Current Status: Was killed by Mat in self-defence.
- The Fires of Heaven, A Silver Arrow
Nan Belman
Why Joined: Wanted to “dabble in wickedness” to make her life more exciting (Lord of Chaos, Letters).
Scene of Operations: Caemlyn
Major Deeds: Provided accommodation for Fain and his captive Myrddraal.
Current Status: Was injured, probably raped, by Fain.
Other Comments: Her son Perwyn reported to Fain that someone got past the Aiel and tried to kill Rand. Perwyn was injured with the evil Fain carries.
Nidao
Scene of Operations: Shienar
Major Deeds: - Fought at Tarwin’s Gap and saved Lord Agelmar (The Great Hunt, Leavetakings).
- Probably killed the guards at the Dog Gate and let Darkfriends into Fal Dara keep (The Great Hunt, The Hunt Begins).
- Left Fal Dara with Fain, Trollocs and Myrddraal.
Current Status: Was skinned alive by Fain, or Myrddraal and Trollocs.
Paitr Conel
Scene of Operations: Market Sheran, Amador
Major Deeds: - Talked to Rand and Mat in the Market Sheran Inn and tried to persuade them to stay (The Eye of the World, The Dark Waits). Had his nose broken by Rand as a consequence.
- Mentioned the “Great Lord of the Dark” within the hearing of the inn’s servant, revealing himself publicly as a Darkfriend.
- Went to Amador and tried to redeem himself of his failure in Andor in the eyes of those higher up (Lord of Chaos, Red Wax ).
- Was ordered by Barshaw to contact Morgase to let her know they would try to help her escape.
- Visited Morgase at Ailron’s palace with the offer of aid and was questioned by her about the current state of Caemlyn (Lord of Chaos, Prologue).
- Acted as Morgase’s servant in waiting when she went hawking ((Lord of Chaos, Plans).
- Was caught by Whitecloaks chanting a catechism to the Dark One.
Current Status: Was hanged by Whitecloaks for being a Darkfriend.
Powl
Scene of Operations: Caemlyn
Major Deeds: - Once Asne unmasked their bonds, Powl and Asne’s three non-Darkfriend Warders followed Asne to Caemlyn.
- Was with Asne and the other Black sisters who took Elayne out of Caemlyn.
- Went mad after Asne was killed and was hard to restrain even though bound with the Power.
Current Status: Was captured and held by Elayne.
Other Comments: Was the only one of Asne’s Warders who was a Darkfriend (Winter’s Heart, A Plan Succeeds).
Ryne Venamar
Scene of Operations: Borderlands
Major Deeds: - Implied the six men who attacked Lan were sent by Edeyn Arrel.
- Spoke with an Aes Sedai at Canluum.
- Killed Bukhama at Merean’s orders.
- Tried to kill Lan at Merean’s orders.
Current Status: Was killed by Lan.
Other Comments: Probably arranged for his employer’s death in Canluum. His employer was a formerly lucky man, and thus would be suspected by the Black Ajah of being able to channel.
Shiaine Avarhin /Milli Skane
When Joined: Soon after she turned 15 (A Crown of Swords, Insects)
Why Joined: Because she wanted to become Aes Sedai and she could not channel.
Scene of Operations: Andor, Ebou Dar
Shiaine likes gambling with something close to addiction, and she was willing to misappropirate funds in Ebou Dar to support her habit.. Major Deeds: - Performed twenty assassinations for the Shadow between the ages of 15 and 22 (A Crown of Swords, Insects). Is one of the best assassins for the Shadow, excellent at finding people and things.
- Murdered Lord Willim Avarhin and his daughter to steal the daughter’s identity and Willim’s remaining money, and a rich merchant for her property (Winter’s Heart, A Plan Succeeds).
- Tried to kill Rand and Mat in a village near Caemlyn. Summoned Myrddraal.
- Was sent to Carridin, possibly by Sammael.
- Led a circle under Carridin.
- Was ordered by Carridin to ask about the *angreal cache.
- Was frozen while Sammael talked with Carridin.
- Was ordered by Carridin to find Mat, and warned off gambling away her expense allowance.
- Was ordered by Moridin to Caemlyn.
- Was given Falion and Marillin, and said that Moridin gave her permission to kill either or both if she wished (Winter’s Heart, A Plan Succeeds). Moghedien sent Hanlon to her after she asked Moridin for a man with brains.
- Was told to kill Carridin for his failures in Ebou Dar and Tanchico and had Murellin drown him in brandy.
- Was told to punish Falion and kept her as a servant to be sexually used by Hanlon and later Murellin.
- Ordered Hanlon to get close to Elayne.
- Asked Marillin to kill members of the Kin one by one obviously with the Power to frighten the others away from Elayne (Moridin’s orders probably). Marillin suggested Careane do it instead.
- Met with a man from House Sarand and one from Marne (Crossroads of Twilight, Gathering Darkness).
- Met with another Andoran man and killed him because she did not like his replies.
- Ordered Hanlon to arrange for sul’dam and damane to escape the Palace, and to move guards away from food stores so the stores could be fired (Moridin’s orders probably).
- Mentioned Moridin’s name in front of Elayne and was struck by Asne (Knife of Dreams, House on Full Moon Street).
- Was captured and held by Elayne in Caemlyn.
Current Status: Freed by Jaq Lounalt and Daved Hanlon.
Spar
Scene of Operations: Ebou Dar
Major Deeds: - Was one of the fake beggars who attacked Mat and Birgitte and were probably in Old Cully’s circle (A Crown of Swords, The Festival of Birds).
Current Status: Was killed by Mat.
Suroth Sabelle Meldarath
Scene of Operations: Seanchan, Falme, Sea Folk isles, Tarabon, Amadicia, Altara
Major Deeds: - Tried to take Egwene and Nynaeve to Seanchan as damane as ordered to by Ishamael (The Great Hunt, Damane). Recalled forces looking for Nynaeve and Elayne because feared being away from Falme and Turak for too long.
- Rallied and gained control of the Forerunners after Falme, and took the Sea Folk isles in the west.
- Ordered Egeanin and others to capture or kill the sul’dam that deserted at Falme.
- Kept the secret that sul’dam can channel. Raised Alwhin to so’jhin, her Voice, against all custom to buy her silence. Did not send reports to the Empress about sul’dam being able to channel (The Fires of Heaven, Seeds of Shadow) but planned to tell her personally.
- Was given the male a’dam by Egeanin.
- Promised Morgase that even though she has the ability to channel and should by law be collared, she won’t be (A Crown of Swords, The Irrevocable Words). (Was furious that Morgase implied Suroth lied and had an alternative and more unpleasant fate in mind for Morgase).
- Achieved far more with the Forerunners than had been believed possible: Tarabon, Amadicia and Altara.
- Informed Miraj that Rand’s forces battling the Seachan were modest, but that they Travelled. Disliked her source of information - a channeller? (The Path of Daggers, A Time For Iron).
- Ordered Miraj to destroy Rand’s army.
- Had Liandrin as a da’covale. Her Voice was a sul’dam and another da’covale was a damane whose leash the Voice held—unheard of.
- Allowed Luca to keep his horses because he aided Cerandin and three sredit.
- Toured Altara until she learned that an army in Murandy disappeared (that of the rebel Aes Sedai).
- Gave Masema a letter of protection.
- Met with Bashere twice, first to discuss the making of a truce and then to negotiate a meeting with the (fake) Daughter of the Nine Moons.
- Was offered the position of Empress by Semirhage if she had Tuon killed.
Current Status: Her attempt to kill Tuon was exposed and Suroth was made da’covale and given for a time to the Deathwatch Guard.
Other Comments: Egeanin wondered why Suroth waited so long to continue the Return when Tarabon was easy prey (The Shadow Rising, Hidden Faces). Perhaps because Suroth was ordered not to by the Shadow while the search was on for the male a’dam.
Knew it would be difficult to find Darkfriend sul’dam, therefore had tried to before (Knife of Dreams, Prologue).
Decided to have Liandrin collared and held by a Darkfriend sul’dam (Knife of Dreams, Prologue).
Tomas
Scene of Operations: White Tower, Shienar, Two Rivers, Caemlyn, Rand’s group
Major Deeds: - Aided Verin in her study of the Shadow.
- Was part of Siuan’s entourage to Fal Dara.
- Went with Verin to Two Rivers and aided Perrin and then on to Caemlyn. Was at Dumai’s Wells.
- Helped other Warders guard and restrain non-combatants during Cleansing.
Current Status:Dead. Willingly took poison so Verin could hand over her study on the Shadow to Egwene.
Other Comments: Verin’s Warder was a Darkfriend who wanted to retract his allegiance to the Shadow but this is not possible. She persuaded him to aid her in her study of the Shadow as partial reparation (The Gathering Storm, A Visit From Verin Sedai).
Vane
Scene of Operations: Maderin
Major Deeds: - Recognised Mat and fetched more Darkfriends to attack Mat’s group when they left the inn. This occurred after Moridin announced to the Forsaken that Mat and Perrin must die and showed them their images.
Current Status: Was killed fighting Mat’s group outside the inn in Maderin.
Venr Kosaan
Scene of Operations: Rebel Aes Sedai, Ebou Dar, Caemlyn
Major Deeds: - Went into a murderous rage when Careane was killed.
Current Status: Was killed by Chesmal, Falion, Marillin, Eldrith, Temaile and Asne.
Vram Torkumen
Scene of Operations: Maradon
Major Deeds: - Refused to let Saldaean forces aid Ituralde against the Shadowspawn armies invading Saldaea.
- Forbade Ituralde’s forces shelter in Maradon.
- Did not participate in the defence of Maradon.
- Tried to frighten or threaten Ituralde by saying that when Queen Tenobia returns she would execute him.
Current Status: Went insane and blinded himself when he sensed the force of good/Light surrounding Rand as he destroyed the Shadowspawn invading Maradon.
Weiramon Saniago
When we first encounter Weiramon Rand remarked on the similarity of his sigil to that of Lanfear (The Fires of Heaven, The Craft of Kin Tovere).
Scene of Operations: Cairhien, Illian, Altara, Tear, Arad Doman
Major Deeds: - Was probably the Tairen High Lord with “elaborately silver-worked boots” at Ishamael’s Darkfriend social, since he is the only one to wear such boots.
- Went to Cairhien with reinforcements from Tear. Rushed forward with his forces to relieve the Shaido’s siege of Cairhien.
- Believed he could disperse the Shaido with his forces alone, yet Weiramon is old enough to have fought in the Aiel War. In fact, in New Spring, The Hook, a Tairen noble with silver worked boots gave Lan orders to position his forces as an anvil against which Tairen forces were supposed to crush Aiel. This did not happen and if the Aiel—in much larger numbers than the Tairen said—had not withdrawn after Laman was killed, Lan’s forces would have been wiped out.
- Made light of his news to Rand that forces were attacking the Tairen coast and the Plains of Maredo (The Fires of Heaven, The Craft of Kin Tovere).
- Was sent back to Tear to deal with the ‘pirates’ and ‘bandits’ by Rand, who wanted to get rid of him.
- Was ordered to march toward Illian to begin the attack on Sammael (A Crown of Swords, Pitfalls and Tripwires).
- Wanted to rush forward and attack Sammael’s forces.
- Arrived early at Sammael’s hillforts with his cavalry and Aiel because he left the foot soldiers behind.
- Wanted to stop Hopwill and Adley carrying out Rand’s orders to destroy the palisades of Sammael’s forts but did not dare.
- Repeatedly sent charges against the forts even though they were ‘cut to rags’.
- Wanted Rand’s Illianers to attack the remnants of Sammael’s Illianer army. Told Rand it was only as small force yet it was not (The Path of Daggers, Floating Like Snow).
- Was afraid to be left out of Rand’s forces as though he had orders to carry out (The Path of Daggers, Gathering Darkness).
- Tried to undermine Rand’s trust in the Cairhienin and Illianers officers by hinting that they plot against Rand.
- Tried to discourage Rand from using foot soldiers (which would reduce his forces).
- Participated in the battle against the Seanchan in Altara. Led a charge in the first skirmish and yet was clean afterwards. Seanchan Tarboners remark that the Tairens were not fighting as hard as would be expected from their reputation whereas the Illianers and Cairhienin were.
- Let through Seanchan from an area he was supposedly defending tightly (The Path of Daggers, Fog of War, Storm of Battle) and they attacked Rand directly.
- With Gedwyn, persuaded Rand to press on to Ebou Dar against Bashere’s advice.
- Was overheard by Bertome Saighan saying to Gedwyn (a Darkfriend Asha’man):
"I don't care who you are, I won't take more risk without a command direct from the lips of -"He stopped when he saw Bertome listening and then said to Gedwyn that he used the methods he used “and that’s that” and charged at Taraboners.
- The Path of Daggers, A Time for Iron
- Was brought to Cairhien by Rand with other nobles Rand didn’t trust to be watched (The Path of Daggers, The Bargain).
- Was seen conversing with Bertome Saighan as they walked the Palace (Crossroads of Twilight, Prologue).
- Left Cairhien without Rand’s permission and sailed downriver to Tear. Told Rand he went to Darlin’s aid but divided his forces and sent the majority to attack the rebels while he landed at the Stone. Negotiations with the rebels were ruined. Tried to persuade Darlin to strip the Stone of Defenders to fight the rebels. Darlin refused, knowing his forces would still be outnumbered (Knife of Dreams, Within the Stone).
- Persuaded Rand that Weiramon should go to Arad Doman with Darlin’s forces (Knife of Dreams, Within the Stone).
Other Comments: On the surface Weiramon appeared to be the most foolish of the High Lords. He consistently gave Rand very poor military advice and tried to swell his head with flattery. His troops fought less hard against the Seanchan than expected as the Taraboner officer in the Seanchan forces remarked. Weiramon was undermining the effectiveness of Rand's attacks from the inside. His conversation with Gedwyn showed that he is sometimes not so stupid at all. When he saw that he was overheard, he looked murderous and then acted stupidly again. Gedwyn (a Darkfriend Asha’man) apparently tried to pull rank on Weiramon but was ignored. Weiramon was unimpressed by a very high up (dark) Asha’man, which implies that Weiramon was under orders from somebody higher up than Gedwyn, somebody even more impressive - one of the Forsaken, for instance.
It is a good tactic for the Shadow to order high-up Darkfriends to undermine the Light’s military forces from the inside. One would have to expect it. The Shadow certainly practised such sabotage in the Age of Legends. Weiramon’s actions - for instance, against the Seanchan - show he was working as a saboteur. He not only made stupid military suggestions to Rand in the hope that Rand took them and Rand's forces were decimated, he also deployed his forces less effectively than usual. He tried to ruin the negotiations with the rebel High Lords. These were the risks that Weiramon ran.
Weiramon’s moron persona was an act - he was trying to encourage Rand to screw up. Rand became suspicious of Weiramon's stupid suggestions and actions and was going to refuse to allow Weiramon to go to Arad Doman in Knife of Dreams. As it turned out, the Tairen forces didn’t go, and then Rand appeared to have been told that Weiramon was a Darkfriend, since he said “so it is you” (Towers of Midnight, For What Has Been Wrought), probably in Verin’s letter, which he opened shortly before inspecting the Tairens.
Current Status: Revealed himself as a Darkfriend when could not look at Rand and was sent away from Tear by Rand.
Zaired Elbar
Scene of Operations: Toman Head, Amador, Altara
Major Deeds: - Seized Min and Elayne at the Waygate on Toman Head and was knifed by Min.
- Wanted to kill Min.
- Brought Morgase to Suroth in Amador and forced her to prostrate herself before Suroth.
- Was ordered by Suroth to find and kill Tuon.
Current Status: Was killed by Mat’s forces in Altara.
Other Comments: Could dispose of bodies easily.
Could find Darkfriends among the Seanchan for Suroth, even Darkfriend sul’dam (Knife of Dreams, Prologue).
And in a class of his own…
Padan Fain /Jeraal Mordeth /Ordeith
When Joined: Over 40 years ago (The Eye of the World, More Tales of the Wheel).
Scene of Operations: Two Rivers, Shadar Logoth, Caemlyn, Fal Dara, Cairhien, Falme, Amador, White Tower, Far Madding, Blight
Major Deeds: - Was taken by Myrddraal from Murandy to Shayol Ghul where he met Ba’alzamon and was made to hunt the three ta’veren.
- Was cruelly changed by the Dark One so he could sense a trace of the three ta’veren.
- Went to the Two Rivers and what he sensed was later distilled by the Shadow.
- Performed evil rites in his dreams for Ishamael to bind himself more tightly to the Dark One (The Eye of the World, More Tales of the Wheel).
- Identified the three ta’veren to the Dark One and was commanded to mark them for Myrddraal on Fain’s next trip to the Two Rivers.
- Brought Trollocs to the Two Rivers.
- Told Myrddraal what inn Rand was staying at in Baerlon.
- Absorbed Mordeth’s soul in Shadar Logoth and is now a blend of the evils of Mordeth and the Dark One (The Great Hunt, What Was Meant To Be). Needs the Shadar Logoth dagger to feel whole.
- Followed Moiraine and co through the Ways to Fal Dara. The Black Wind fled from him.
- Was interrogated by Moiraine in Fal Dara dungeon but held things back including the merger with Mordeth.
- Was freed by Ingtar and a Myrddraal. Took the dagger off Mat.
- Fought the Myrddraal for control of the Horn, Trollocs and Darkfriends and finally won. Killed the Myrddraal by nailing him to a door.
- Fain’s Darkfriends stole the Horn back from Rand.
- Convinced Barthanes Damodred to allow him to use the Waygate and to give Rand a message that they would meet on Toman Head or Fain would harry the Two Rivers further.
- Went to Falme to establish a power base:
Winespringbrother: Why did Padan Fain go to Falme and why did he leave before Rand arrived?- Planned for Rand to die on Toman Head (The Great Hunt, Glimmers of the Pattern).
Jordan: He was trying to gain a power base. His early attempts to do things were by sidling…he is trying to get close to someone in power, to influence him. Remember Padan Fain is also Mordeth, and Mordeth was a counsellor, Mordeth was a guy who whispered poison in the ear of the king, and had a great deal of power because of it. So Padan Fain has this part of him that wants to influence power and that is what he was doing there. There are these invaders and what rumors say about them is correct.
Winespringbrother: Why did he leave before Rand arrived, because he must have sensed Rand was near.
Jordan: Once he could get his hand on the dagger, he wanted out. He didn’t know Rand was coming. Once he realized he wouldn’t be able to have any influence at least, get his hands on the dagger and go, because the dagger is key, the dagger pulls at him.
- Robert Jordan at Dragoncon
- Presented the Horn in its locked chest to Turak who opened it and took the Horn and the dagger.
- Killed Turak’s servant.
- Went to Amador and corrupted Niall with the Shadar Logoth evil.
- Convinced Niall that the Two Rivers abounded with Darkfriends and that Whitecloaks should go there and cleanse it. Fain aimed to lure Rand to him by harrying the Two Rivers.
- Led 50 Whitecloaks to Andor and met Dain Bornhald and his forces on the other side of the Taren.
- Led Whitecloaks to burn the al’Thor farm.
- Wanted to hang the Cauthons and Luhhans.
- Killed the Aybaras.
- Killed two Grey Men who entered the Whitecloak camp to kill him.
- Captured a Myrddraal (The Shadow Rising, Assurances).
- Attacked Taren Ferry with Trollocs and allowed the people to escape and spread word (The Shadow Rising, The Tinker’s Sword).
- Went to Caemlyn and then to Tar Valon where he corrupted Elaida with the Shadar Logoth evil (The Shadow Rising, Golden Eyes).
- Retrieved the dagger but not the Horn, from the White Tower storerooms. Killed the Accepted Verine with the dagger.
- Convinced Alviarin he is a high level Darkfriend and then fled.
- Sent his Whitecloaks to attack Rand in Caemlyn (Lord of Chaos, Letters).
- Became advisor to Toram Riatin who organised a rebellion against Rand in Cairhien.
- Slashed Rand’s wounded side with the dagger and fled.
- Went to Far Madding with Toram Riatin.
- Killed Kisman, Torval and Gedwyn.
- Attacked Rand in Far Madding.
- Ordered Toram Riatin to kill Lan.
- Killed Shadowspawn in the Blight and creating undead Trollocs. - Went to the Blight, hoping to kill Rand and the Dark One at Shayol Ghul (Towers of Midnight, Prologue).
- Renamed himself Shaisam (A Memory of Light, Tendrils of Mist). - Attacked and consumed fighters on both sides of the war at Thakan’dar.
- Attacked Mat with his Masha’dar-like mist and was ambushed and killed by Mat.
Current Status: Killed by Mat (A Memory of Light, Watching the Flow Writhe).
Other Comments: Was so important to the Shadow that they risked freeing him from the Fal Dara dungeons because he could locate Rand.
Fain is a renegade Darkfriend whom Moridin ordered killed. Rand put a 100,000 gold crown price on his head. He could sense not only Darkfriends but even people who have thought about becoming a Darkfriend (Lord of Chaos,Letters).
Shaisam wanted to find:
a place to infest, a place where the barrier between worlds was thin. There, he could seep his self into the very stones and embed his awareness into that location. The process would take years, but once it happened, he would become more difficult to kill.Ishamael’s Darkfriends’ Social
- A Memory of Light, Tendrils of Mist
According to Carridin, there were about a hundred Darkfriends at Ishamael’s Darkfriend social from all nations and backgrounds:
Merchant and warrior, commoner and noble. From Kandor and Cairhien, Saldaea and Ghealdan. From every nation and nearly every people.Ishamael had enough zomaran to assign one to each of these Darkfriends to guide them, patently reading their minds while they did so.
- The Great Hunt, Prologue
The following is a list of those described by Carridin, plus the identities of those attendees we know:
- A Whitecloak, Bors - Jaichim Carridin
- A wealthy Illianer woman, possibly a noble
- A person of indeterminate sex enveloped in grey
- A Domani noblewoman with waist-length black hair
- A Shienaran warrior - Ingtar
- A Tinker in bright green breeches and a virulent yellow coat
- A High Lord of Tear - probably Weiramon
- A high officer in the Andoran Queen's Guards - possibly Hanlon. It was not Comar, since he did not recognise Mat when he met him
- A slender Sea Folk person, probably a man
- Two Aes Sedai, one of them Liandrin, the other possibly Verin
Probable Darkfriends
Adden
Scene of Operations: Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Led a band of brigands in Cairhien.
- Captured Elayne, Egwene and Nynaeve to sell to Myrddraal (The Dragon Reborn, Threads in the Pattern).
Current Status: Was killed by Aiel.
Arnin
Scene of Operations: Ebou Dar
Major Deeds: - Watched Callie’s interrogation and torture and disposed of her body at Falion’s orders (A Crown of Swords, The Triumph of Logic).
- Probably was one of Falion’s and Ispan’s strongarms that attacked Nynaeve’s and Elayne’s group for the *angreal cache.
Current Status: Unknown
Other Comments: Was spied on by a knowledgeable old man, probably Noal Charin, who knew who he and his companion Nad were:
Two burly men appeared pushing a barrow piled high with soiled straw and muck. What were they up to? Arnin and Nad were hardly the lads to be mucking out stables.Callie’s body was in the barrow. Working out of character, particularly as a much lower status person, is usually an indication of a Darkfriend; another example is the fake beggars who attacked Mat.
- A Crown of Swords, The Triumph of Logic
Coke
Scene of Operations: Cairhien
Major Deeds: - Captured Elayne, Egwene and Nynaeve to sell to Myrddraal (The Dragon Reborn, Threads in the Pattern).
Current Status: Was killed by Aiel.
Dimir Faral
Scene of Operations: Two Rivers, Caemlyn
Major Deeds: - One of Padan Fain’s Whitecloaks who watched over the attack on Rand in Caemlyn (according to Fain’s POV in Lord of Chaos, Letters). He pleaded:
”P-please don’t h-hang me, m-my lord. “I’ll w-walk in the Light, I swear!”Which probably indicates that he wasn’t walking in the Light at that time. Fain collected Darkfriends to use (Lord of Chaos, Letters).
- Lord of Chaos, Connecting Lines
Current Status: Was set free by Rand to report to Pedron Niall that Rand will call Niall to account one day for this ambush.
Elber
Scene of Operations: Caemlyn
Elber was one of Rahvin’s new men (The Dragon Reborn, Caemlyn).
Major Deeds: - Refused Mat entry into the palace due to his humble attire. He strongly identified with Rahvin’s anti-Aes Sedai stance and threatened to arrest Mat as a Darkfriend and sent him away when he mentioned Tar Valon.
- Was frightened when Tallanvor told Elber that Rahvin was most interested in the letter that Mat carried, so Elber had enough contact with Rahvin to fear him.
Current Status: Unknown
Evon
The cook in the Arene’s house in Amador where the Black Ajah stayed. He probably was a Darkfriend since Liandrin remarked about what close terms he and the Arenes were on.
Major Deeds: - Was punished by Liandrin for leering and later was handed Liandrin for a scullery maid by Black sisters.
Current Status: Unknown
Murellin
Scene of Operations: Caemlyn
Major Deeds: - Drowned Carridin in brandy at Shiaine’s orders (The Path of Daggers, Crimsonthorn) thus scaring Falion to breaking point.
- Was Shiaine’s manservant and certainly was aware of her allegiance and those of the two Black Ajah in the house. “Great Master Moridin” was mentioned in front of him.
- Had sex with Falion as part of her punishment devised by Shiaine.
- Disposed of a body for Shiaine in Crossroads of Twilight, Gathering Darkness.
Current Status: Was tied up by Jaem (Vandene’s Warder) in Knife of Dreams, House on Full Moon Street. He was not listed among those held by Elayne in Knife of Dreams, The Importance of Dyelin, but then Asne’s Warders were not either and they were definitely captured.
Nad
Scene of Operations: Ebou Dar
Major Deeds: - Watched Callie’s interrogation and torture and disposed of her body at Falion’s orders (A Crown of Swords, The Triumph of Logic) (see Arnin above).
- Probably was one of Falion’s and Ispan’s strongarms that attacked Nynaeve’s and Elayne’s group for the *angreal cache.
Current Status: Unknown
Other Comments: Was spied on by a knowledgeable old man, probably Noal Charin, who knew who he and Arnin were and thought they were not the type of men to be stablehands ( A Crown of Swords, The Triumph of Logic) (see Arnin above).
Raimun Holdwin
Scene of Operations: Last village before Caemlyn
Major Deeds: - Was commanded by a Myrddraal to find Mat and Rand.
- Spread the word that Rand and Mat were thieves, troublemakers, Darkfriends and followers of Logain and had stolen a heron mark sword, and that there was a reward for them.
Current Status: Unknown
Toram Riatin
Fain may stay near powerful people to infect them with his evil, but people who travel around with Fain have been Darkfriends.
Scene of Operations: Cairhien, Far Madding
Major Deeds: - Badly injured a friend for riding his pony without permission (A Crown of Swords, Blades).
- Adopted Fain as his advisor and was corrupted by Fain into hating Rand.
- Joined forces with Caraline Damodred to rebel against Rand and made a base south of Cairhien. Caraline seems unaffected by Fain.
- Declared Colavaere a usurper (A Crown of Swords, Hill of the Golden Dawn).
- Hired some White Lions, ex-soldiers of Rahvin’s, including Daved Hanlon, to whom he offered estates and probably gold.
- Challenged Rand to a duel with practice swords and actively tried to wound Rand although he did not know who Rand was.
- Joined Rand’s group when the fog destroyed the camp but fled when he learned Rand’s identity.
- Went with Fain to Far Madding and encountered Rand and Lan.
- Was ordered by Fain to kill Lan.
Current Status: Was killed by Lan in Far Madding.
Forsaken Servants and Pets Who Are Probably Not Darkfriends
Ebram
Probably not a Darkfriend since he was serving Graendal under Compulsion (Lord of Chaos, Threads Woven of Shadow). Graendal supposedly doesn’t use Darkfriends as servants or pets because they are too easily swayed.
Jaret Byar
Graendal instructed a Whitecloak to kill Perrin:
She still had one tool left to her, one she had positioned so very carefully. One she had prepared for a moment such as this.The only Whitecloak that turned on Perrin was Byar.
- Towers of Midnight, Wounds
That fool Isam, Graendal thought, stuffing the papers in her pack. And that idiot Whitecloak!
Towers of Midnight, Epilogue
Is Byar a Darkfriend? He wasn’t in The Great Hunt, where not only was he disbelieving that children were hanged by Questioners on Toman Head (The Great Hunt, Seanchan) but his thoughts prove he wasn’t:
The legion was dead, Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald was dead, and there was only one explanation for that; Darkfriends had betrayed them, Darkfriends like that Perrin of the Two Rivers.at that time. But since? He might have joined the Shadow, but he is more likely to have been Compelled.
- The Great Hunt, First Claiming
Graendal usually uses pets rather than Darkfriends on the grounds that Darkfriends are too easily swayed (Lord of Chaos, Threads Woven of Shadow). Perrin didn’t smell anything different about Byar—just his zeal, not lies or treachery. Knowing Graendal, it is more likely that she found him and wove subtle Compulsion on him. She used the word ‘prepared’ which implies she did something to him. It wouldn’t take much Compulsion, since he wanted to kill Perrin anyway.
Nazran
A close cousin of King Alsalam of Arad Doman, whose close family Graendal has enslaved. He is also probably not a Darkfriend since Graendal sends him to Ituralde under mild Compulsion (The Path of Daggers, New Alliances).
Tairen High Lady, probably Alteima
The Tairen High Lady Graendal keeps as a caretaker of her most secret hiding place, a cavern in a remove island in the Aryth Ocean (Towers of Midnight, Writings) is probably Alteima, one of Rahvin’s lovers. She matches her description. Graendal hung around Caemlyn after Rahvin was balefired—she killed Asmodean, after all—and may have collected Alteima at that time, since Alteima was not seen again after Rahvin’s death. Her knowledge would have been an obvious attraction to Graendal.
An End to Darkfriends
Being a Darkfriend is a capital offence, and many have died after being exposed. Few Darkfriends renounce the Dark, even those tempted to usually fear the Shadow’s retribution too much to do so. They could also still expect stiff punishments from those who walk in the Light for their crimes, possibly even execution.
Darkfriend deaths in the series include:
Killed by accident – Chesmal, Comar, Gode, Madic, Rochaid, Talva
Killed in a duel – Cowin Gemallen, Demandred, Ishamael, M’Hael, Rahvin, Ryne Venamar, Semirhage (though could be described as self-defence), Slayer, Toram Riatin
Killed by another Darkfriend – Abors, Amico, Barthanes, Carridin, Eldrith, Evin, Jac Lounalt, Kadere, Lanfear, Isendre, Ispan, Jarna, Joiya, Osan’gar, Temaille
Killed by Fain/Mordeth - Changu, Gedwyn, Kisman, Nidao, Torval
Killed by another powerful ‘being’ – Balthamel, Graendal (if Shaidar Haran killed her), Sammael
Ambushed – Aran’gar (with help from Graendal), Asmodean, Be’lal, Delana
Killed in a fight/battle – Adden, Asne, Coke, Duhara, Evanellein, Falion, Katerine (probably), Mestra, Notori, Sedore, Spar, Vane, Zaired Elbar
Killed in self-defence – Melindhra, Merean
Killed in revenge – Careane
Killed out of hand – Aravine, Coteren, Cyndane, Daved Hanlon, Elza Penfell, Jeaine Caide and four other Black sisters
Executed –Jen/Torwyn Barshaw, Moria Karentanis, Paitr Conel, Sheriam Byanar, over 50 other Black sisters
Self-destructed by overuse of the Power – Aginor, Moridin
Suicided – Lady Torkumen
Repented and sacrificed self – Ingtar, Tomas, Verin
Most of the Darkfriends’ deaths are banal, not “noble”, in keeping with Jordan’s uncompromising stance against evil and refusal to either glorify it or excuse it.
A few Darkfriends have had their minds destroyed: Hessalam, Mesaana, Vram Torkumen.
A few were trapped in Stedding Sholoon: Alviarin, Ayako, Donalo, Mishaile, Nensen, Rianna
Five Darkfriends have been enslaved: Cyndane, Galina, Liandrin, Moghedien, Suroth
Plus an unknown number of Black sisters collared as damane by the Seanchan.
Darkfriend Numbers
Darkfriends make up a smaller percentage of the population in the Third Age compared to the Age of Legends, especially dedicated Darkfriends (for Black Ajah numbers, see The Black Ajah article). Nevertheless their numbers are significant:
Every major city probably contains cells of Darkfriends. A city of one hundred thousand probably contains between five hundred to a thousand Darkfriends. Every town or village visited by merchant caravans probably hosts a cell.
For protection from discovery, most Darkfriends only know one or two others, and even then often not by true name.
- The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time
_________________________________________
Written by Linda, October 2007 and updated July 2013 and 2019
12 comments:
I think Sylvase should be added to the list of probable Darkfriends. Not only did she employ Lounalt, but Elayne, in the Towers of Midnight, thinks of her main goal being power and ensuring her personal position. When added to the fact that she is certainly amoral, I think it likely she is a Darkfriend.
Molly: Sylvase was abused by her grandfather, so I am reserving judgement on her. For one thing, he kept her virtually imprisoned until recently, so she wouldn't even have had a chance to join up. Obviously that could have changed once she was in Arymilla's camp.
For some reason I thought Graendal was talking about Galad, not Byar.
In a "Why did he not try to fight Perrin?" way - Not as a potential DF, of course.
I was probably wrong. But it is kinda strange for her to have had contact with Byar as we've not seen any hint of it. It could be a Sanderson blooper, I guess. Maybe he missed that we'd seen Byar's thoughts since it was so long ago, and intended for us to accept Byar as a DF.
KJS: WHile Graendal may have gotten hold of Byar recently, he also passed through Arad Doman on his way back to Amador from Falme. We've only had the one Byar POV and that was before he left Toman Head.
Is there any evidence that Changu and Nidao were truly DFs? I always thought they were corrupted by Fain just like Fain later had Whitecloak followers in the Two Rivers and Caemlyn.
Landro
Landro: They are said to have killed the guards at the Dog Gate and let the Trollocs in.
I know they are suspected of killing those guards (they are probably guilty) but before that, they spent a lot of time guarding Fain.
It's unclear if they spent so much time guarding Fain because they were DFs or because Fain corrupted them and made them ask for those duties.
The way I read the book, it's unclear if they were devoted DFs or dupes (like Elaida, Niall, Byar, Tarna and many others)
Landro
Fain referred to all those he brought away from Fal Dara with him as Darkfriends and that he had let the Trollocs have fun with some of them. This is in TGH Glimmers of the Pattern, soon after Changu and Nidao were found.
Besides, it wasn't Fain who was in charge of the group (or Darkfriends) leaving Fal Dara, or who chose who was to come with them. It was the Myrddraal. Fain had to wrestle control of the group from the Myrddraal.
I'm not sold on your first argument but the second one is solid. I forgot that Fain wasn't in charge a the start. He had to nail a Fade first :)
I guess I just like to give people the benefit of the doubt but in this case it's undeserved.
Landro
Linda, I wanted to ask you about a probable unnamed darkfriend that I can't seem to find any discussion of.
In TOM, Gawyn travels from Caemlyn to the White Tower. He runs through it, and is narrowly cut in half by it closing. If he hadn't charged through, he would've.
Then we find out after his fight with the Bloodknives that his message to Egwene from a few hours before, in regards to the Bloodknives, wasn't received. It was given to a palace servant to relay, not written by Gawyn himself, but I would guess that the order would get carried out since he is the prince and all.
Since it was only a matter of a few hours that these two events occured, it would be reasonable to assume it was the same kinswoman on duty.
The only description of her is that she's dark haired. Also, she is obviously strong enough to make gateways. I venture to guess it is one of those who traveled with Elayne to Cairhien. This includes Alise, Sarasia, Kema, and Nashia. Alise is not strong enough to travel, so she is out. Sarasia is described as grandmotherly, so she's probably out. Only two can make gateways, but it doesn't say which two.
So I predict that either Kema or Nashia is a darkfriend and will be involved in a plot against Elayne et al in AMOL.
I did see on encyclopedia-wot that their explanation of the gateway almost killing Gawyn as Perrin showing up with the dreamspike. So I may be completely off.
Russ,
I agree with Ency WOT that the sudden closure of the gateway was due to the arrival of the dreamspike in Tar Valon.
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