The Bond (TarValon.Net)
This page was created based on the Membership Manual page about the bond and will be edited to fit the style of the rest of the main body of the Library.
Contents
What is the Bond?
The bond in The Wheel of Time is created using the One Power and creates a link between a channeler and the chosen bondmate in most cases. At TarValon.Net, the bond signifies a special relationship between two members of the community, regardless of their membership organization. This means that at TarValon.Net an Aes Sedai can bond a Gaidin, but also another Aes Sedai if they so choose. This choice is also available for the Gaidin. The only requirement for a Bond is that both members must be Tower Sworn.
No one can be forced into a bond, nor is anyone supposed to promise their bond until they are a Tower Sworn. Tower Initiates are discouraged from discussing the topic of potential bondmates, and if the administration finds that a Tower Initiate has promised their bond, disciplinary action will be initiated. The bond is not a means of signifying that you are in a romantic relationship with another member of the site. In fact, very few of our members who are involved with each other are bonded; many are either not bonded at all or are bonded to someone else.
All Gaidin may have two bondmates. All Ajahs except the Green Ajah and the Red Ajah may have two bondmates. Inspired by the tradition set by the books in The Wheel of Time series, Green Aes Sedai may have three bondmates, and Red Aes Sedai may have one. The exceptions are the people who have gained an extra bond as discussed below.
Applying for a Bond
If two Tower Sworn have decided to bond, they must send an email to the Director of Membership stating their intent to bond and why they wish to bond. The Director then has up to one month to approve a bond and make sure that the bond will be beneficial to both of you and to TarValon.Net. An exception is often made for people who are raised live at official events who may then be bonded at that event, under specific circumstances.
If your bond is approved, the Director will email their approval to you and your bondmate, thus making your bond official. The bond will be announced in the Site Announcements section of the forums. Once you are bonded, you will gain access to the Sitting Room/Great Room of your bondmate's Ajah/Company, you may state your bond in your signature, and the bond will be reflected in the Who's Who. In the rare event that the bond is not approved, the Director will let you know why.
Unaffiliated Aes Sedai or Gaidin
If a bondmate decides to leave their membership group in search of a new one (called Unaffiliated), they keep their existing bond(s), and, with all the rights that come with the title of Tower Sworn, can form new ones during the time they are Unaffiliated - up to the two bond slots that the majority of Tower Sworn members would have upon raising. All their bondmates would lose access to their previous group's private forums (Sitting Room/Great Room) until the Unaffiliated bondmate officially joins a new membership group. However, the Unaffiliated bondmate would still have access to all their affiliated bondmates' private forums.
The Extra Bond
With the introduction of the merit system, it is possible for Community Members to gain an extra bond. A member must have the following merits in order to earn this privilege:
- The Gold Tower Sworn Merit denoting that the Community Member has been Tower Sworn for at least five years;
- Four other Gold Merits (the Gold Membership Merit does not count for this)
This means that all Aes Sedai (except Red and Green Aes Sedai) and all Gaidin may have three bondmates. Red Aes Sedai may have two bondmates, and Green Aes Sedai may have four.
Extra Bonds
Many members have the required merits to have earned the extra bond, but most have not taken the opportunity. Those that have are:
- Raam Sho'am: Meilen Gevedon, Aria Kakarot, and Alexstrasz Ruskein
- Sela Narian: Jadira Paerael, Morrighan Daghdera, and Melearlin Valar
- Serenla Tamowith: Aves Keynes, Nethanel al'Tere, and Muirenn Lina Alianin
- Ty al'Djinn: Roheryn ni Galghandhrei t'al'Djinn, Jaryd Kosari, and Dovienya el'Korim
- Yelenia Hylraren: Bao the Wyld, James Davion, and Kyla Sterling
- Zashara Sho'am: Deoan Kakarot, Venric Methalion, and Aria Kakarot
The Eternal Bond
On occasion, a bondmate will pass away and the surviving member of the bond may want to continue to hold that bond as long as they wish or forever. Such bonds are called Eternal Bonds, never to be dissolved unless the remaining bondmate wishes it so.
The Eternal Bond does not count as a bond in one of the surviving bondmate's bond slots, and will be a permanent bond. This allows the member to forge a new bond, if they wish it, without requiring them to give up one that also has great meaning to them.
We feel this allows us, as a community, to honor those we have lost and keep their memory alive.
Eternal Bonds
Members with Eternal Bonds are:
- Dovienya el'Korim, bonded to the deceased Randalren
- Muerandah d'Acre, bonded to the deceased Martele d'Acre
- Ne'Mireth Delvar, bonded to the deceased Jaim al'Bearach
- Qamra Daielin, bonded to the deceased Liam al'Eire
- Sa'areah Britthorn, bonded to the deceased Adoen Calloden
Severing the Bond
If you wish to sever your bond, you and your bondmate must submit your request to the Director of Membership. Please state why you want to dissolve your bond. Petitions will be accepted at any time during the year; after approval, the severing of the bond will not be announced publicly, but the information will be disclosed with the appropriate membership groups.
There are four reasons for dissolving a bond:
- Abandonment by one of the bondmates. This reason is given when one of the bondmates disappears completely from the community and has no contact with their bondmate for a significant period of time. In the case of abandonment, only the remaining bondmate has to submit their request for dissolution.
- Real-life long-term relationships requiring dissolution or passing of the bond. Sometimes if a couple who met on TarValon.Net gets married, their bondmates will pass their bonds to the married couple so that they can be bonded to each other. Should one of the bondmates enter into a long-term relationship with someone that does not understand the nature of the bond and would feel more comfortable if that relationship did not exist, the bond may be dissolved.
- Real-life conflicts which make one party in the bond unable to fulfill their obligations to the other. This can occur for a multitude of reasons.
- Bonds are automatically dissolved if one of the bondmates takes a voluntary demotion or retires permanently from the community.
In rare cases, the Amyrlin Seat may forcibly dissolve a bond that they feel is detrimental to the bondmates or to the community. If that occurs, both parties are subject to a three month waiting period before they may request another bond. Anyone who has had two bonds forcibly dissolved by the Amyrlin Seat will not be eligible to bond again.
TarValon.Net Bonds
By Ajah/Company
- Main article: Bonding Dates
By Year
- Main article: Annual Bondings
The first known bonds were in 2001 and is believed to have been between either Eleyan Teyal Al'Landerin and Morni Stowers or Jorryn Gaille Varna and Thalion Krisman. The most recent bond was in October 2024 between Muirenn Lina Alianin and Serenla Tamowith.
