Romanda Cassin

Author: Estyrien al'Halien

General

Romanda is an Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah and is a Sitter in the Hall-in-exile (ACoS, Ch. 12). She had a previous term as Sitter for eighty years (CoT, Ch. 19).

Romanda has grey hair, which she wears in a neat bun. She looks hard (ACoS, Ch. 11). She has dark eyes and is solidly handsome (LoC, Ch. 15).

Timeline

• C. 893 NE: Romanda becomes a Sitter for the Yellow Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 18; CoT, Ch. 19).

• 973 NE: Romanda leaves the Hall and goes into retirement (TPoD, Ch. 18).

• 999 NE: Romanda comes out of retirement and travels to Salidar to join the rebel Aes Sedai (TPoD, Ch. 18).

• Romanda is given a chair in the Hall-in-exile (LoC, Ch. 15).

• Romanda and the other Sitters meet with Tarna Feir, the Tower's emissary (LoC, Ch. 15).

• Romanda makes a speech to the sisters in Salidar, telling them that they have nothing to fear from the Tower's emissary (LoC, Ch. 15).

• Romanda talks with Vandene and Adeleas (LoC, Ch. 29).

• Romanda orders six sisters to shield Logain after Nynaeve Heals him (LoC, Ch. 30).

• Romanda stands to raise Egwene to the stole and staff (LoC, Ch. 35).

• Romanda and the rebel Aes Sedai leave Salidar and move towards Tar Valon (LoC, Ch. 44).

• Romanda gives Egwene a maid, Meri (ACoS, Ch. 8).

• Romanda suggests to Egwene that the soldiers in the Rebel's army should be paid less (ACoS, Ch. 8).

• Romanda and Lelaine talk to Egwene about Delana's proposal concerning Elaida and the Black Ajah (ACoS, Ch. 11).

• Romanda asks Egwene to issue a decree for all sisters to be questioned to find out if they are Black Ajah (ACoS, Ch. 12).

• Romanda, Lelaine and Egwene discuss the Atha'an Miere gathering in Caemlyn and Cairhien (TPoD, Ch. 16).

• Romanda demands that Egwene let Romanda speak for her when they meet with the Andorran and Murandian nobles (TPoD, Ch. 16).

• Romanda, Egwene and the other Sitters meet with the Andorran and Murandian nobles (TPoD, Ch. 16).

• Romanda refuses to stand in support of declaring war against Elaida (TPoD, Ch. 18).

• Romanda and the rebel Aes Sedai Travel to Tar Valon to begin the siege on the city (TPoD, Ch. 30).

• Romanda stands in support of an alliance with the Black Tower (CoT, Ch. 19).

• Romanda sends two sisters to Cairhien to see the sisters who had been Stilled and then Healed by Damer Flinn (CoT, Ch. 30).

• Romanda talks with Egwene about the Kin and is horrified to learn that Egwene wants sisters to be released from the Three Oaths when they retire (CoT, Ch. 30).

Relationships

Romanda and Lelaine are the two most powerful women in the Hall. As such, they continually try to undermine the other (TPoD, Ch. 16). In fact, the only reason that they both stood to raise Egwene was to ensure that the other was not raised in Egwene's place (LoC, Ch. 37). The two Sitters always argue when they are forced to be in the same space (CoT, Ch. 20).

Romanda does not like Sheriam because she thinks that the Blue sister has too much sway in the Hall. Romanda and Lelaine worked together to decrease her influence and for this, Sheriam dislikes both Sitters (ACoS, Ch. 8).

Romanda has been trying to guide Egwene since the day she took the staff and stole (LoC, Ch. 36). However, as Egwene has matured and grown into the stole, Romanda has been forced to admit, albeit very grudgingly, that Egwene is the Amyrlin Seat in truth and not just in name (CoT, Ch. 30).

Romanda offered to take both Faolain and Theodrin under her protection when they were raised to the shawl (ACoS, Ch. 11). Theodrin took her up on her offer, though not for the reasons that Romanda might think. Theodrin swore fealty to Egwene and the young Amyrlin asked her to spy on Romanda for her (CoT, Ch. 19).

Romanda does not like Elaida but she doesn't think that she is Black Ajah (ACoS, Ch. 11).

Magla, Saroiya and Varilin follow Romanda's lead in the Hall (TPoD, Ch. 16).

As the oldest Sitter in the Hall-in-exile, Romanda has some authority over the other Sitters. She has the right to sit closest to Egwene and the right to speak first in the Hall (TPoD, Ch. 18; CoT, Ch. 19).

Sharina Melloy, a novice from Murandy, impresses even Romanda (TPoD, Ch. 30).

Strengths and Talents

Romanda is strong in the One Power, as strong as Lelaine, Garenia and Rainyn (ACoS, Ch. 9; ACoS, Ch. 23; TPoD, Ch. 2). She is weaker than Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, Metarra and Talaan (ACoS, Ch. 9; ACoS, Ch. 23). Romanda is stronger than Reanne and most Aes Sedai, including Siuan, Aeldene, Sheriam, Kwamesa and Kiruna (ACoS, Ch. 11; ACoS, Ch. 23).

Miscellaneous

Romanda is old. She is the oldest Sitter in Salidar (LoC, Ch. 15).

Romanda wanted Logain to be gentled after Nynaeve Healed him (LoC, Ch. 54).

Romanda gave Egwene many pretty clothes when she believed that she was young enough to be impressed by such things (ACoS, Ch. 9).

Romanda gave Egwene a maid, Meri. It is almost certain that she uses Meri to spy on Egwene (ACoS, Ch. 11).

Romanda believed that the Amyrlin's eyes-and-ears should be under the Hall's control (ACoS, Ch. 11).

Romanda speaks with a high-pitched voice (ACoS, Ch. 11).

Strength in the One Power is very important to Romanda (ACoS, Ch. 11).

Romanda believes that the way to root out Black sisters is to put every sister to the question (ACoS, Ch. 11).

Romanda is almost always the first Sitter to arrive when the Hall is sitting (CoT, Ch. 19).

Romanda would not have fallen in line even for Deane Aryman (CoT, Ch. 30).

Romanda does not like the fact that Egwene gave permission for negotiations with the Tower Sitters to take place (CoT, Ch. 30).

Quotes

"Before resigning to go into a country retreat, as many sisters did in age, Romanda had held a chair for the Yellow so long that some said she had had as much power as any Amyrlin she sat under. Being chosen to sit a second time was nearly unheard of, but Romanda was not one to let power reside anywhere outside her own hands if she could manage." (Egwene; A Crown of Swprds, Chapter 12)

"Romanda was certain for the Hall as soon as she showed up. I don't there's a Yellow would dare speak against her for a chair." (Siuan; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 16)

"You know Romanda wanted to be Amyrlin herself once? I've heard it was Tamra getting the stole and staff that made her stalk off into retirement like a gull with her tail feathers clipped." (Siuan; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 18)

"You might have thought she had a beautiful singing voice, if you could imagine Romanda singing. Her face always seemed more set for scolding, at least slightly disapproving." (Egwene; Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 19)

"When I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming Aes Sedai. From the day I reached the White Tower, I tried to live as an Aes Sedai. I have lived as Aes Sedai and will die as Aes Sedai." (Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 30)