Myrddraal

Author: Leora Oldessroth

MUHRD-drahl

General

Myrddraal are also known as the Eyeless, Shadowmen, Halfmen, Lurks, Fetches, Fades and Neverborn (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal were not an intentional creation. They are a Trolloc throw-back to the human side of their stock (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

There are no known female Myrddraal (NS, Ch. 15). Myrddraal are probably sterile (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal are given names in the Trolloc tongue (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal have dry, raspy voices (TGH, Prologue).

Myrddraal have only a misty reflection in a mirror. Wind does not touch them. Their only known weakness is a fear of running water (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal have no individualistic expression and no sense of humor. They prefer a solitary existence and are rarely seen in large groups, avoiding all purely social interactions (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

When mortally wounded, a Myrddraal does not die completely until the setting of the sun (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal live in the Blight. They have been wiped out in Seanchan since the millennium after the Breaking (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 15).

It is possible to bond a Myrddraal as a Warder but it would drive the person insane (Tor Q&A).

Myrddraal are sly (TEotW, Ch. 11).

Myrddraal are as reluctant as Trollocs to enter Shadar Logoth (TEotW, Ch. 18). They do not like entering stedding either (TEotW, Ch. 29).

Myrddraal do not dream (TDR, Ch. 36).

Myrddraal itch when the One Power is being channeled near them (TDR, Ch. 39).

Myrddraal glory in pain and death (TSR, Ch. 10).

Appearance

Myrddraal resemble men more than Trollocs or animals (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. ).

They are tall and muscular, and have coldly handsome bodies. Each Myrddraal looks the same as all other Myrddraal, as if they were poured from the same mold (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. ).

Their skin is a dead, fishbelly white and their blood is black and corrosive (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7). They have black hair with no gloss or texture (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7). Their faces look completely human, except they have no eyes; however, they can still see (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal wear black articulated plate armor designed in multiple overlapping strips over black gambeson and breeches. They also wear a black cloak, with a deep cowl, over the armor (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Uses, Purposes and Talents

Myrddraal can vanish wherever there are shadows and travel far distances by stepping into a shadow and appearing in another shadow far away. Even Aginor and the Fades themselves are unsure of how they do this (despite Aginor having tested a hundred of them (LoC, Ch. 6)), but it has been suggested that Myrddraal are only partially in this world (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

The gaze or stare of a Myrddraal can cause paralyzing fear (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

The paralyzing stare of the Myrddraal makes them ideal commanders of Trollocs. Myrddraal can also link with the minds of a band of Trollocs, overriding their bestial nature and bending their wills to its own. If a Myrddraal is killed, all Trollocs linked to it die as well (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal can work alone, with great stealth and cunning, to achieve an ordered objective (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal can command Draghkar (TEotW, Ch. 11).

Myrddraal are harder to kill than Trollocs (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

Myrddraal carry specially-made swords, forged by the shadow-forgers of Thakan'dar; the swords carry the taint of Shayol Ghul and are "seasoned" with a human soul (TTWoRJTWoT, Ch. 7).

A channeler may be turned to the Dark One by weaving through thirteen Myrddraal, although it has not been done since the Trolloc Wars (TDR, Ch. 22).

Appearances in the Series

• A Myrddraal follows Rand and his father as they make their way to Emond's Field on Winternight. Other boys of similar age to Rand have also seen the Myrddraal around Emond's Field (TEotW, Ch. 1).

• Myrddraal and Trollocs attack Rand's farm and Emond's Field, looking for the Dragon Reborn. Rand and his father manage to escape the attack on their farm and Rand drags his wounded father to Emond's Field. Rand and Tam are almost discovered by a Myrddraal scouting the road to the village during the journey (TEotW, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8).

• A Myrddraal corners Rand at the Stag and Lion Inn in Baerlon; Lan senses the Myrddraal, hurries down and scares it away (TEotW, Ch. 17).

• A Myrddraal leads several fists of Trollocs in a hunt for Rand and the others fleeing the Two Rivers; they meet in battle and Lan kills the Myrddraal (TEotW, Ch. 18).

• A Myrddraal finds Rand, Mat and Thom in Whitebridge and attacks. Thom orders the boys to run, and they do so. The boys think the Myrddraal killed Thom (TEotW, Ch. 26).

• A Myrddraal continues to track Rand and Mat as they flee towards Caemlyn (TEotW, Ch. 33, Ch. 34).

• A Myrddraal announces the imminent arrival of Ba'alzamon/Ishamael at the meeting of Darkfriends (TGH, Prologue).

• Rand begins to fight a Myrddraal when Shadowspawn attack Fal Dara, but Ingtar intervenes and sends Rand away to fight something else (TGH, Ch. 6).

• Fain and a Myrddraal struggle for control of the Trollocs as they flee with the Horn of Valere. Fain eventually kills the Myrddraal and nails him to the door of a home in a village they pass through (TGH, Ch. 10, Ch. 11).

• A Myrddraal orders Jaichim Carridin to kill Rand; this Fade smiles and laughs at Carridin, which is very unusual (TDR, Prologue).

• Myrddraal and Trollocs attack Rand's camp in the mountains; Perrin and Lan fight with, and kill, Myrddraal (TDR, Ch. 5).

• Three Myrddraal pay a brigand named Adden to capture Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve; the girls manage to escape with the help of Aviendha and some other Aiel they had helped earlier (TDR, Ch. 39).

• Myrddraal and Trollocs attack the Stone of Tear and Rand uses Callandor to kill them (TDR, Ch. 55).

• Myrddraal and Trollocs attack the Stone of Tear; Lanfear sends another group of Myrddraal and Trollocs to oppose them. Rand joins in the fight, seeking out Myrddraal to fight (TSR, Ch. 10).

• Trollocs attack Perrin, Faile, Loial and the others as they journey through the Ways to Emond's Field (TSR, Ch. 27).

• Padan Fain/Ordeith holds a Myrddraal prisoner (TSR, Ch. 31).

• Myrddraal and Trollocs attack Rand and the Aiel at Imre Stand (TSR, Ch. 37).

• A Myrddraal captures Jaichim Carridin's sister, Dealda, because Carridin has failed to kill Rand (TSR, Ch. 38).

• Perrin and men from Emond's Field hunt Trollocs; they are ambushed by Myrddraal and Trollocs and sustain heavy casualties (TSR, Ch. 40).

• Five hundred Trollocs and three Myrddraal attack Emond's Field to test their defenses (TSR, Ch. 44). The attacks continue for the next several days (TSR, Ch. 53). The Trollocs and Myrddraal mount a final attack, but the people of Emond's Field manage to turn them back (TSR, Ch. 56).

• Rand and the Aiel are attacked by Myrddraal, Trollocs and Darkfriends at Jangai Pass; the attack is a diversion so that two Draghkar can get into the camp and kill Rand (TFoH, Ch. 22).

• When Rand arrives in Caemlyn to battle Rahvin, many Myrddraal and Trollocs are waiting to attack him. The Aiel fight the Shadowspawn while Rand takes care of Rahvin; Rand then returns to help fight off the Darkspawn (TFoH, Ch. 54, Ch. 55).

• Someone masquerading as Sammael orders a hundred Myrddraal and tens of thousands of Trollocs into the Ways (KoD, Ch. 3). Rand and his party are attacked by them at Lord Algarin's manner; Lews Therin seizes control from Rand and manages to fend off the attack (KoD, Ch. 19).