Difference between revisions of "Black Ajah"

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(Members)
m (Members)
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===Sitters===
 
===Sitters===
 
*[[Delana Mosalaine]]: Sitter for the rebels
 
*[[Delana Mosalaine]]: Sitter for the rebels
*[[Duhara Bahaseen]]: Sitter for the Reds during the Tower split
+
*[[Duhara Basaheen]]: Sitter for the Reds during the Tower split
 
*[[Evanellein]]: Sitter who voted to depose Elaida
 
*[[Evanellein]]: Sitter who voted to depose Elaida
 
*[[Jarna Malari]]: Sitter shortly after the Dragon was reborn
 
*[[Jarna Malari]]: Sitter shortly after the Dragon was reborn
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Members of the Black Ajah who have held some postition of Power or responsoibility
 
Members of the Black Ajah who have held some postition of Power or responsoibility
 
*[[Alviarin Freidhen]]: Keeper to Eliada
 
*[[Alviarin Freidhen]]: Keeper to Eliada
*[[Duhara Bahaseen]]: Keeper to Sierin Vayu
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*[[Duhara Basaheen]]: Keeper to Sierin Vayu
 
*[[Galina Casban]]: Head of the Red Ajah
 
*[[Galina Casban]]: Head of the Red Ajah
 
*[[Katerine Alruddin]]: Briefly Elaida's Mistress of Novices
 
*[[Katerine Alruddin]]: Briefly Elaida's Mistress of Novices

Revision as of 09:54, 14 January 2012

Author: Kerna Shedrian

Introduction

There is an eighth Ajah whose members reside within the other seven Ajahs. The Black Ajah is rumoured to be dedicated to the Dark One. For this reason, the existence of this Ajah is often hotly denied by Aes Sedai. Many refuse to believe such an Ajah exists (TWoRJTWoT).

Promised immortality and more by the Dark One, the Black Ajah have forsaken the Three Oaths, replacing them with a new trinity (ACoS, Ch. 40). They forsake their own Ajahs too, as they are required to relay every whisper within their supposed Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 25) and all the Ajah secrets (CoT, Ch. 21).


History

The Black Ajah first revealed itself two thousand years ago during the Trolloc Wars when armies of Trollocs commanded by Dreadlords came out of the Blight and ransacked the land. Though not all the Dreadlords were female, it is considered that the majority of the female Dreadlords were Black Ajah (TWoRJTWoT).

Since then, the Black Ajah has dwelt unseen among the others, cloaked in secrecy. In the prelude to Tarmon Gai'don, the Black Ajah has come into the open once more (TGH, Ch. 49).


Organization

Due to the secrecy of the Black Ajah, not even all of its members know one another. The Ajah is organized into hearts but is ruled by a Supreme Council. A heart has three members; each member of the heart knows the other two members of the heart and one member of another heart that the other two do not (CoT, Prologue).

There are thirteen members on the Supreme Council, and one of these is the head of the Supreme Council. Alviarin is the current head. She was handpicked by Ishamael, replacing Jarna after she had Tamra put to the question. Galina is Alviarin's second (ACoS, Prologue).

Ordinary members of the Black Ajah are brought before the Supreme Council only if they are being honoured, being given a very important assignment or being put to the question (KoD, Prologue).


Secrets

The secret hand signal of the Black Ajah is hands held at the side with both thumbs thrust hard between the first two fingers (LoC, Ch. 30).

The Supreme Council's meetings are held with faces covered and voices disguised (LoC, Prologue). If one of the members are out of the Tower, another member is brought in to make up the numbers (KoD, Prologue).

Orders are left on pillows or in cloaks. The ink vanishes if touched by another hand (LoC, Prologue). Some are ciphered (KoD, Prologue). Each member has a secret place to leave messages (LoC, Prologue), and some messages are marked in a way to tell where the message must be left (KoD, Prologue).

Miscellaneous

  • The process of swearing the new trinity is distinctive. So much so that Verin suspects they cannot be removed using the Oath Road, only we know this to be an inaccurate assumption. One oath is "I swear not to betray the Great Lord, to keep my secrets until the hour of my death" (TGS, Ch. 39). One is suspected to be an oath against betraying cohorts (TPoD, Ch. 20).
  • To put someone to the question, the Black Ajah forces her into a circle against her will and guides the circle to inflict pain (KoD, Prologue).
  • The Black Ajah put Tamra Ospenya to the question and killed the Aes Sedai she had set to search for the Dragon Reborn (NS, Ch. 18).
  • Many murders took place just after the Aiel War as the Black Ajah killed any male they suspected could channel. They do not know when the Dragon was reborn, they just know he has been (NS, Epilogue).
  • Verin chooses to study the Black Ajah and becomes a member when given the choice between doing so or dying. She writes all her findings in a book, a culmination of her life's work and entrusts the information to Egwene. It contains a list of Black sisters and other prudent information written in a code known only to Verin. Another book contains the cipher to decode this (TGS, Ch. 39).
  • The Black Ajah attacks the White Tower (ToM, Ch. 36). Alviarin and others set fire to walls while Saerin and others were having a fake meeting to lure the Black Ajah to eavesdrop. Shevan and Carlinya are reported as dead. Caught in Tel'aran'rhiod by the dreamspike, Egwene kills Mestra in an inferno and causes Evanellein to be stupid, unable to react or think. Nynaeve kills Notori. The Black Ajah stole nineteen ter'angreal although they are able to channel surprisingly well inside the World of Dreams. Egwene kills Sedore. Katerine tell Mesaana that they cannot find the thing that Mesaana had described. (ToM, Ch. 37) Evanellein dies and Egwene kills Katerine who had been masked as Mesaana. Egwene breaks Mesaana's mind. (ToM, Ch. 38)

Members

Main article: Black Ajah Character List

Head

Two Characters are known to have been head of the Black Ajah

Sitters

Other Notable Blacks

Members of the Black Ajah who have held some postition of Power or responsoibility