Noam

Author: Val a'Shain

Unless stated otherwise, all information herein is taken from TDR, Ch. 8.

General

Noam lives in the vicinity of Jarra in Ghealdan. He is Simion's brother. He does not resemble his brother. He is a big, broad-shouldered man with a chin. He has the yellow eyes of a Wolfbrother.

Noam is one of the three known Wolfbrothers. Unlike Perrin and Elyas he hasn't managed to hang on to his human side and has turned into a wolf completely.

Talents

A Wolfbrother is capable of communicating with wolves over large distances. The Wolfbrother also takes over some characteristics of a wolf such as a more acute sense of smell and better night vision. This talent has recently resurfaced and is thought to be a sign of Tarmon Gai'don approaching by some. Some people consider Wolfbrothers Darkfriends.

Timeline

• About a year before Perrin's visit to Jarra early in 999 NE Noam starts talking about the wolves when he's had a drink too many.

• About a month before Perrin's arrival he stopped coming to town. His brother Simion went to look for him and found a wolf instead of his brother. Mother Roon the village healer can't help him.

• The villagers move Noam to keep him out of Whitecloak hands.

• Moiraine and Perrin go to see Noam but agree there is nothing human left in him. With Simion's permission Perrin sets him free so he can live as a wolf.

• Perrin encounters Noam as the wold Boundless and learns he chose life as a wolf because he had endured too much pain and suffering in his life as a human (ToM, Epilogue)

Miscellaneous

• Noam bit Mother Roon when he was moved and killed a cow with his teeth.

Quotes

"Cautiously, unwillingly, Perrin reached out toward Noam as he would have toward a wolf. Running through the woods with the cold wind in his nose. Quick dash from cover, teeth snapping at hamstrings. Taste of blood, rich on the tongue. Kill. Perrin jerked back as he would have from a fire, sealed himself off. They were not thoughts at all, really, just a chaotic jumble of desires and images, part memory, part yearning. But there was more wolf there than anything else. He put a hand to the wall to steady himself; his knees felt weak. Light help me!" (Perrin reaching out to Noam; The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 8)

"Healing is not a simple matter, Simion, and it comes from within as much as from the Healer. There is nothing here that remembers being Noam, nothing that remembers being a man. There are no maps remaining to show him the path back, and nothing left to take that path. Noam is gone, Simion." (Moiraine to Simion after examining Noam; The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 8)