Ragan

Author: Kyria d'Oreyn

rah-GAHN

General

Ragan is a relatively young Shienaran warrior. He has a hard face with a triangular white scar from a Trolloc arrow on his dark cheek and his dark hair shaved off except for a topknot (TGH, Ch. 29; TFoH, Ch. 39).

He is the youngest among the soldiers in Ingtar's company, "a few years" older than Nynaeve (TFoH, Ch. 39) and "less than ten years Perrin's elder" (TDR, Ch. 1).

His scar makes him appear grimmer than he is. In fact, he is an easygoing man and ready for a grin. Yet not even a grin can diminish the hardness of his face (TGH, Ch. 3; TFoH, Ch. 39).

Timeline

• When Moiraine and her group enter Fal Dara, Ragan is among the men to greet them and asks Lan whether he will try to revive Malkier (TEotW, Ch. 46).

• He and Masema guard one of the gates of Fal Dara when Rand wants to leave the city-fortress after the arrival of the Amyrlin Seat. They tell him about the order to keep everyone in (TGH, Ch. 3).

• Rand recognizes him among the men who take part in the search for the Horn of Valere. Ragan waves to Rand when he sees him (TGH, Ch. 9).

• He and Masema scout the south bank of the Erinin and find Changu and Nidao hanging from a stoneoak. When they return, he reports to Ingtar that they have found something he cannot find words for (TGH, Ch. 10).

• Uno tells Ragan that he saw a woman (she was probably Lanfear), who was there one instant and gone the other, before a Myrddraal appeared (TGH, Ch. 11).

• He is with Ingtar when Perrin comes to the Shienaran lord to tell him that he can track the Darkfriends who stole the Horn with the help of the wolves (TGH, Ch. 14).

• When the party arrives at an empty village, Uno orders Ragan to find a stable for the horses (TGH, Ch. 41).

• He stays for the winter with the other Shienaran soldiers in the camp of the Dragon Reborn (TDR, Ch. 1).

• He, Perrin and Masema shoot a lone raven that they take for one of the Dark One's spies before Leya comes to meet with Moiraine (TDR, Ch. 1).

• He and the other Shienarans stand ready for Rand's commands (TDR, Ch. 2).

• Moiraine sends the Shienarans to find one of her agents in Jehannah, but the woman is already dead when they arrive (TDR, Ch. 6; TFoH, Ch. 38).

• Ragan joins Uno and Nynaeve in Samara to take her to the Prophet. Before they enter the house that Masema occupies, they have to leave their weapons at the entrance. On their way in, they tell her a little of Masema and how to behave in front of him. When Nynaeve's temper gets the better of her, however, Ragan tries to shush her. Masema tells him and Uno to see her safe until she is with Rand again and they leave quickly. They tell her some stories about what Masema has done to rulers as well as his followers, when they notice that someone is following them (TFoH, Ch. 39).

• The man following them turns out to be Galad. Ragan and Uno are ready to protect Nynaeve from Galad while he is talking to her. When they are finished, Galad addresses the two Shienarans and threatens to kill them if they let any harm befall her. They accompany her back to the menagerie and she wants to know whether they are protecting her because Masema or Galad told them to. It turns out that they are willing to travel with her and Elayne and accept Nynaeve's conditions about her being in charge (TFoH, Ch. 40).

• When Galad comes to inform Nynaeve that he found a ship for them, he asks Uno where Ragan is (TFoH, Ch. 47).

• He waits with the other Shienarans on the road until Uno returns with Nynaeve and the rest. On their way to the dock, they have to fight through a mob in Samara (TFoH, Ch. 48).

• The Shienarans often sharpen their blades on Agni Neres' ship to subtly influence the captain lest he dares to charge too high fares. He takes Nynaeve's, Birgitte's and Elayne's outward smiles for relief to be away from Samara (TFoH, Ch. 49).

• When they are finally in Salidar, Uno tells Nynaeve that Ragan and the others already have horses marked for borrowing, in case they want to disappear again (TFoH, Ch. 55).

• He enters Egwene's tent with a report from Gareth Bryne about raiders and the advice for Aes Sedai to stay close to the camp. She sends him away to tell Bryne that Aes Sedai go wherever they want to (CoT, Ch. 30).

Relationships

He was very friendly toward Rand in the beginning (TGH, Ch. 3). After it comes out he is the Dragon Reborn, this friendship turns more towards high regard and the wish to serve him (TDR, Ch. 2).

Perrin gets along easily with Ragan (TDR, Ch. 1).

After getting to know Nynaeve, he thinks that her tongue can butcher a bull at ten paces (TFoH, Ch. 38). When they meet again, he immediately recognizes her and instinctively wants to protect her. Nynaeve herself thinks that he is a fool for that, but it comforts her to have the Shienarans close by (TFoH, Ch. 39; Ch. 50). His manner also tells her that he has the makings of a wise man in him (TFoH, Ch. 40).

He is friends with Masema; this is the only reason that they are let into his house in Samara at all (TFoH, Ch. 39).

Galad is impressed by neither Ragan nor Uno. He is utterly confident that he could beat both if it came to a fight (TFoH, Ch. 40).

Now that Egwene is the Amyrlin Seat, his face does not give away whether he still knows her or not (CoT, Ch. 30).

Quotes

"You say what you bloody want to, but you watch how you flaming say it, or I’ll bloody skin you myself, and burn the goat-kissing hide, you sheep-gutted milk-drinker." (Uno to Ragan; The Great Hunt, Chapter 11)

"'Do you mean to help Elayne and me reach Rand?'
'We’ve nothing better to do,' Ragan said dryly. 'As it is, we’ll not see Shienar again till we are gray and toothless. We might as well ride with you to Tear or wherever he is.'" (Nynaeve and Ragan; The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 40)