Cyndane

From Tar Valon Library
Jump to: navigation, search

Author: Estyrien al'Halien

General

Cyndane is one of the Forsaken. She is the reincarnation of Lanfear (WH, Ch. 35). Lanfear was held by the Aelfinn and Eelfinn after she and Moiraine fell through the red twisted doorway, not killed as many had previously thought (TFoH, Ch. 52 - Ch. 53).

Cyndane means 'Last Chance' in the Old Tongue, something that she is well aware of and not pleased about. No doubt the name was given to remind her of her previous failures and the price of failing once more (TPoD, Ch. 12).

Cyndane is a short, blue-eyed woman with long silver hair, full lips, and an impressive bosom. She is beautiful, though not as beautiful as Lanfear was, and she holds herself tall to try to compensate for her lack of height (TPoD, Ch. 12). She has a low, breathy, sultry voice (WH, Ch. 13), She wears red and black clothes, Moridin's colors, though they do not suit her coloring, nor are they flattering to her figure (TPoD, Ch. 12).

Timeline

  • 999/1000 NE: Lanfear somehow escapes from her imprisonment by the Aelfinn and Eelfinn and returns as Cyndane (TPoD, Ch. 12). It was Moridin freed her from Sindhol, as the place is called, and killed her so that the Dark One could restore her soul in a new body (AMoL, Prologue).
  • 1000 NE: Cyndane meets with Moridin and the other Forsaken to discuss Rand's plans for cleansing the taint (WH, Ch. 13).
  • 1000 NE: Cyndane appears in Rand's dream and asks him to save her (ToM, Epilogue).
  • 1000 NE: Moridin still holds her cour'savra (AMoL, Prologue)
  • 1000 NE: She does not attend the meeting of the Forsaken where Mazrim Taim is introduced as a new Chosen (AMoL, Prologue)
  • 1000 NE: Rand visits her trapped in a Dreamshard (AMoL, Ch. 12)
  • 1000 NE: He tells her he will free her if she opens her mind completely to him and gives him control over her. She says she cannot (AMoL, Ch. 12)
  • 1000 NE: To make a point, Rand opens himself fully to her, so she can see all his hopes and desires (AMoL, Ch. 12)
  • 1000 NE: She is freed and encounters Perrin in Tel'aran'rhiod. She tells him she seeks vengeance against the one that causes him to be imprisoned (AMoL, Ch. 14)
  • 1000 NE: She visits him when he is at the Black Tower in Tel'aran'rhiod and puts Forkroot in the wine of the Asha'man guarding it, helping Perrin remove the Dreamspike. She explains how to use it (AMoL, Ch. 14)
  • 1000 NE: She tells Perrin he must learn to move between Tel'aran'rhiod and the waking world if they are to be together (AMoL, Ch. 22)
  • 1000 NE: She tells Perrin that Graendal was invading Davram Bashere's dream (AMoL, Ch. 14)
  • 1000 NE: She Heals Gaul to try and persuade Perrin she is not the enemy (AMoL, Ch. 25)
  • 1000 NE: She encounters Perrin after Slayer injures him but refuses to help as Perrin has shown himself weak (AMoL, Ch. 34)
  • 1000 NE: She meets Perrin in the Pit of Doom and uses Compulsion to try and force him to kill Moiraine so she can save the Dark One (AMoL, Ch. 48)
  • 1000 NE: He breaks free of the Compulsion and kills her (AMoL, Ch. 48)

Strengths and Talents

Cyndane is weaker in the One Power than Lanfear was (WH, Ch. 13), part of her strength having being drained by the Aelfinn and Eelfinn (ToM, Ch. 57). However, she is by no means weak and is still stronger than Graendal (TPoD, Ch. 12).

Cyndane is unable to use the True Power (WH, Ch. 13).

Relationships

Relationships among the Forsaken have never been more than civil, but between Cyndane and the others there are extreme amounts of tension. Firstly, the Forsaken are still not aware of whom Cyndane actually is; it chafes that she treats them as equals, if not slightly lower in rank than herself (TPoD, Ch. 12, WH, Ch. 13). The Forsaken believe that she is from the Third Age and not Lanfear reincarnated (WH, Ch. 13).

In particular, Moghedien and Cyndane do not like each other, not least because Cyndane is in charge of Moghedien because of her mistakes (TPoD, Ch. 12).

Moridin holds Cyndane's cour'souvra, mindtrap, and uses it to make Cyndane do what he wants her to do (WH, Ch. 35). He has held Cyndane's cour'souvra for longer than he has held Moghedien's (ACoS, Ch. 25) and keeps it longer. Even after he has given Moghedien her cour'souvra, he still wears Cyndane's (AMoL, Prologue).

Before Lanfear fell into the realms of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn, she attacked Rand because he had slept with Aviendha (TFoH, Ch. 52). This hatred for Rand, or Lews Therin as she calls him, is also present in Cyndane. She is still bitter that he rebuffed her and refused to rule with her. When she tries to stop Rand from using the Choedan Kal, she tries to kill him (WH, Ch. 35).

Aran'gar once tried to approach Cyndane to see what she could learn but was firmly rebuffed. Despite this, Aran'gar believes that Cyndane and Moghedien are the key to pulling down Moridin (KoD, Ch. 3).

Quotes

The girl was stronger in the One Power that she herself! Even in her own Age, that has been uncommon among men, and very rare indeed among women. (Graendal about Cyndane; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 12)

Putting a hand over his heart, for all the world like a lover, Moridin tilted up Cyndane's chin on his fingertips. Resentment burned in her eyes, but her face might have a doll's unchanging face. She certainly accepted his attentions like a pliable doll. (Demandred about Cyndane's relationship with Moridin; Winter's Heart, Chapter 13)

At first he had thought she was Lanfear reincarnated. Bodies for transmigration supposedly were chosen by what was available, yet Osan'gar and Aran'gar were proof of the Great Lord's cruel sense of humor. (Demandred about Cyndane; Winter's Heart, Chapter 13)

She would have faced the Great Lord- faced the Creator! - with him. She would have shared power with him, let him rule the world at her side. And he had spurned her love, spurned her! (Cyndane about Rand; Winter's Heart, Chapter 35)

She was stronger than Cyndane had been before the Aelfinn and Eelfinn had held her! That was impossible; no woman could be stronger. (Cyndane about Alivia; Winter's Heart, Chapter 35)

"I'm sorry. I'm I'm so sorry. He has me. He flays my soul anew each eve. Oh please! Let it stop." (Towers of Midnight, Epilogue)

Retrieved from "https://library.tarvalon.net/index.php?title=Cyndane&oldid=111087"