Ferane Neheran

From Tar Valon Library
Jump to: navigation, search

Author: Estyrien al'Halien

General

Ferane Neheran is the First Reasoner and a Sitter of the White Ajah. She sided with Elaida when the Tower split (CoT, Ch. 21). Ferane is plump and has a round face and long black hair (CoT, Ch. 21). She is stout and coppery-skinned (KoD, Prologue) and has steely black eyes (TGS, Ch. 16). She is from Arad Doman (KoD, Prologue; TGS, Ch. 16).

Ferane is vain, a fact displayed by the ornamentation in her rooms within the Tower (TGS, Ch. 16). Ferane can be as vague as any Brown but can find any flaw in the logic of an argument (CoT, Ch. 21). Ferane has a fierce temper (KoD, Prologue), for which she is known (TGS, Ch. 16).

She has a sturdy, bowlegged Warder (TGS, Ch. 16).

Timeline

  • 990 NE: Ferane steps down as a Sitter (CoT, Prologue).
  • 999 NE: Following the split in the Tower, Ferane, Adelorna, Jesse, Serancha and Suana, all of them heads of their respective Ajahs, agree to control the Tower between them. They send the youngest Sitters of their Ajahs to the rebels in an attempt to control the rebels and bring about a reunification of the Tower. To temporarily replace these Sitters, they choose young sisters whom they can control (TGS, Ch. 43). Ferane handles this by becoming a Sitter herself (CoT, Ch. 18; TGS, Ch. 43).
  • 1000 NE: Ferane talks secretly with Jesse Bilal and Suana Dragand (WH, Prologue).
  • 1000 NE: Ferane and other Sitters tell Elaida that they are starting negotiations with the Salidar Aes Sedai (CoT, Ch. 21).
  • 1000 NE: Ferane hands Alviarin a penance for shaming the White Ajah (KoD, Prologue).
  • 1000 NE: Ferane and Seaine walk in the halls of the White Ajah. She glares at Alviarin (KoD, Prologue).
  • 1000 NE: Ferane punishes Egwene for being too slow with her chores (KoD, Ch. 24).
  • 1000 NE: Egwene attends Ferane, Miyasi and Tesan. Ferane questions Egwene about what she would have done regarding Rand in Elaida’s place; what she really wants to know is what kind of person Egwene is (TGS, Ch. 16).
  • 1000 NE: Egwene suggests to Ferane, Miyasi and Tesan that they be seen interacting openly with sisters of other Ajahs as a step towards mending the Tower. Ferane seems prepared to take her advice (TGS, Ch. 16).
  • 1000 NE: Ferane, along with Doesine, Rubinde, Shevan and Yukiri, takes dinner with Elaida. Egwene attends them. Egwene and Elaida argue, with Egwene gaining the upper hand until Elaida declares Egwene a Darkfriend and has her thrown into a cell. Ferane and the other four Aes Sedai witness the debacle (TGS, Ch. 16).
  • 1000 NE: Following the Seanchan attack on the White Tower, Ferane, Adelorna, Jesse, Serancha and Suana meet to discuss what to do. They decide to abandon their dreams of secretly controlling the Tower through the Amyrlin and to have Egwene raised as the Amyrlin Seat of the reunified Tower (TGS, Ch. 43).
  • 1000 NE: The Hall raises Egwene to the Amyrlin Seat. Egwene reprimands the Hall for letting the Tower degenerate so far (TGS, Ch. 46).
  • 1000 NE: She attends meeting Romanda calls and slowly stands for Egwene's proposal about how to run the war. She does stand for the proposal to give the Amyrlin and all Sitters time to attend any meeting of the Hall (ToM, Ch. 27).
  • 1000NE: She is present when Egwene realises that Gareth Bryne is under Compulsion (AMoL, Ch. 31).

Relationships

Ferane, Adelorna, Jesse, Serancha and Suana do not fully trust each other, but Jesse thinks to herself that they come closer to doing so than any one else with any power in the Hall (TGS, Ch. 43).

Ferane respects Egwene (TGS, Ch. 43). She also thinks Egwene would make a good White, and tells her as much (TGS, Ch. 16).


Miscellaneous

  • The heads of Ajahs of the White Tower Aes Sedai are plotting together (WH, Prologue).
  • Ferane has been a Sitter before; she stepped down less than ten years ago. It is unusual to return to the Hall so quickly (CoT, Prologue).
  • Ferane supports the negotiations between the White Tower and the Salidar Aes Sedai (CoT, Ch. 21).
  • Ferane is from Arad Doman, though she does not look like she is Domani (KoD, Prologue).
  • She has a room on the third level of the White Tower. It has a beautiful view and a balcony shaped like a turret (TGS, Ch. 16).

Quotes

"She was First Reasoner, head of the White Ajah, but less likely that Suana to take her own views for those of the entire Ajah. A little less likely. Ferane often seemed as vague as the worst of the Browns- the long black hair that framed her round face needed a brush, and part of the fringe on her shawl appeared to have been dipped carelessly in her breakfast tea- but she could catch the slightest crack in the logic of an argument." Alviarin about Ferane (Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 21).

"First Reasoner: The title given to the head of the White Ajah. This position is currently held by Ferane Neheran in the White Tower. Ferane Sedai is one of only two Ajah heads to sit in the Hall of the Tower at present." (Crossroads of Twilight, Glossary)

"Ferane held no sympathy. She scowled with more open fury than any sister should have allowed herself to show. All Alviarin could do was try to ignore the coppery-skinned woman without being obvious." Alviarin about Ferane's anger at Alviarin's disgrace (Knife of Dreams, Prologue).

"I asked," Ferane said coolly, "what you would have done in the Amyrlin’s place. Consider this part of your instruction. You know that the Dragon has been reborn and you know that the Tower must control him in order for the Last Battle to proceed. How would you handle him?" Ferane questioning Egwene (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 16).