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The Dark One

He does not, however, have the ability to break free of his prison without assistance from our world. His followers were, and are, essential to any possible escape.

But how ? If Ishy was correct, and the DO has beaten / converted the Dragon countless times, then what more is there? Personally I think that the DO needs Rand to do something to free him, and something which must be done voluntarily. Maybe cause the Creator to intervene and break the Wheel. I'd love to know the DO's plans in this regard.

All of these Dreadlords , as they were known, traveled to the Pit of Doom in Shayol Ghul to dedicate their souls to the Dark Lord. The best of them were given power and ability beyond that of others, making them almost demigods. Among themselves they were knows as "Those Chosen to Rule the World Forever", or simply "The Chosen." To all others they were known as the Forsaken.

It doesn't make sense that the Chosen would be known by the AoLers as 'The Forsaken' when that term is already in vogue for all AS who turned to the Shadow.

Though other Aes Sedai went over to the Shadow, none who equalled or approached in strength those now called Forsaken as still alive by the last year of the War of Power; yet not one of them is reported to have died by enemy action.

The survivors of this winnowing process, the thirteen most powerful of the Chosen,

I.e. The term Chosen doesn't just refer to our 13 friends.

..the three or possibly four thousand years since they were imprisoned by Lews Therin.

Doesn't it strike you as odd that the DO would gather all 13 at the same time? Besides being a major security hole, it also runs contrary to his current m.o., whereby he talks to each separately, keeping the others guessing. Ah well, maybe the DO's just learning from his mistakes.

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Friends of the Dark.

Unlike the Forsaken they have not known immortality.

Again this isn't entirely clear. If the Forsaken are immortal, then why the stipulation earlier that immortality would be granted once the DO was free?

A city of one hundred thousand, probably contains between five hundred to a thousand Darkfriends.

Again, thank the Light, we are given a figure to work with.
One interesting point though, is that if you take that ratio and apply it to a White Tower of 1k Sisters (being generous), then their Black Ajah quotient works out at just 5-10 Sisters. Given that, it seems the Whitecloaks aren't all that wrong in claiming that the Tower is a hotbed of Darkfriends. :)

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The Forsaken

This chapter gives us the names of each of the Forsaken, and none of them is called Beidomon :(, apparently he was just s.o. assisting Lanfear.

Ishamael:
Originally : Elan Morin Tedronai ..one of the foremost philosophers of his time, possibly the foremost. His books ( among them Analysis of Perceived Meaning, Reality and the Absence of Meaning, and The Disassembly of Reason) It was his belief that the war between the Shadow and the soul of Lews Therin had gone on since the creation, and endless war between the Great Lord of the Dark and the Creator using human surrogates.

Channeling : He was equalled by none but Lews Therin himself.

Conversion : Possibly the first to take the trip to Shayol Ghul.
First announced to the world what it was that they faced.

Personality : He is said there to have forgotten his true name, and to be more than half-mad and less than half-human

Fun Facts :

• Ishamael may have been in some way only partially trapped by the seal on the Bore, leaving him aware and able to touch the world Aran son of Malan son of Senar (born circa 50 AB) claim that there were sightings of, even encounters with Ishamael after the Bore was sealed, in fact perhaps as much as forty years after. on some regular cycle
• Some claim to have received instructions from him as early as 983NE.
• During the Trolloc Wars the name Ba'alzamon, later used by Ishamael, was used by a paramount leader, and later by other Dreadlords.

The chapter on Hawkwing more than hints at Ishy's presence at this time too.

Whereabouts : Killed in 999NE.

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Aginor:
Originally : Ishar Morrad Chuain - biological scientist " understood the most basic structures of living things" better than anyone else in the Age.

Channeling : Close to rivalling LTT and Ishy in strength.

Conversion : Probably some time in the first three decades of the Collapse.
It is recorded that Aginor went over to the Shadow, because only as one of the Shadowsworn would he be allowed to do the type of research he wanted.

Dark Duties : Aginor had no field commands and never served as a governor.

Whereabouts : Killed in 998 NE

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Balthamel:
Originally : Eval Ramman, was a historian specialising in the study of vanished cultures.

Conversion : Promise of immortality. Middle years of the Collapse.

Dark Duties : He may have headed an intelligence network which competed with that run by Moghedien, never held a field command.

Personality : Wildfire temper that he often could not control.
Enjoyed the company of women & taverns of the lowest sort.

Adds to the 'Balthamel remembers much' comment, maybe lending support to the (by now settled?) *'Gar debate.

Fun Facts :

• Even closer to the surface than Aginor

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Sammael:
Appearance : Average height, this rankled him.

Originally : Tel Janin Aellinsar, sportsman, bloodless competition with swords, at which he was the world champion.
Friendly with LTT! One of LTT's best generals. Fell in love with war. Greatest ability lay in defence.

Conversion : Went over to the Shadow in the Fourth year of the War, came to believe that the Dark One would inevitably win, and also because he hated LTT, and believed that he was himself the better general.

Dark Duties : Favoured committing his armies only when certain of victory.
Governerships marked by absentminded cruelty.

Personality : Fond of grandiose schemes.

Fun Facts :

• Soldiers under his command were well cared for, though impersonally.

Whereabouts : Lord Brend, present whereabouts cannot be determined.

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Rahvin:
Appearance : Tall, handsome. White hair streaking his temples.

Originally : Ared Mosinel - nothing is known but that he thirsted for power.

Channeling : Used compulsion discretely.

Dark Duties : Fair general, but with a lack of attention to detail.

Personality : Love of sycophancy and a noted fondness for women.
Could not stand rejection.

Whereabouts : Killed with Balefire

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Be'lal:
Appearance : Tall athletic man with close-cropped silver hair.

Originally : Duram Laddel Cham - Advocate.
One of the leaders in the fight against the Shadow.

Conversion : Went during the Collapse.

Dark Duties : A more than adequate if not outstanding general.

Personality : While Rahvin preferred manipulation Be'lal, the Envious, was a master of it.

Fun Facts :

• Among those who razed the Hall of the Servants
• Forsaken about whom least is known.
• He combined and surpassed the strengths of both Rahvin and Sammael, being both a patient and cunning planner and a capable fighter willing to do battle directly with the foe.

Whereabouts : High Lord Samon killed by Moiraine Damodred Aes Sedai.

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Demandred:
Appearance : Reasonably good looking, though not so tall as Lews Therin. Hawk nose left him almost but not quite handsome.

Originally : Barid Bel Medar, second only to LTT as the most honoured and influential man of his age. Wrote books on a wide range of subjects, which received both critical and popular acclaim, though not so much as those written by LTT.
One of the highest ranking generals in the fight against the Shadow - strategic vision and tactical flair. He found an area where he could, if not surpass, at least match Lews Therin.

Channeling : Born one day after Lews Therin, he had almost as much strength and almost as much skill

Conversion : Third year of the war, made that cold calculation that with LTT in charge the Shadow would win.
Turned because of envy.

Dark Duties : Served as a governor for short periods, but always quickly returned to the field.

Personality : Thought himself superior to LTT. Hatred and jealousy increased with every honour LTT gave him.
Gambler, willing to play the odds.

Fun Facts :

• Wanted to be personally responsible for LTT's defeat
• Did not get along well with the other Forsaken, and was especially cool towards Sammael
• All who dishonoured him should be punished.

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Asmodean:
Originally : Joar Addam Nossosin, born in the small port city of Shorelle Child prodigy, who never really fulfilled his promise.- harp, several types of flute, shama, balfone, corea, obaen.

Conversion : With immortality he could reach that greatness, and the recognition of it.

Dark Duties : Never held any field commands.

Fun Facts :

• Artists he disapproved of were blinded or maimed.

Whereabouts : Jasin Natael - died in Caemlyn, killer unknown.

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Chapter 6 - The Female Forsaken and the Darkfriends.

Lanfear:
Appearance : Most beautiful and seductive of the Chosen, probably the most beautiful woman of her age or any other.

This age or any other ?? Oh, please.

Originally : Mierin Eronaile, not world-famous or well known. Worked at the Collam Daan, the prime centre for research into the One Power. Surprised to find what lay at the far side of the hole that she helped to create.

So, she's innocent of the charge of doing the dirty on her fellow researchers.
Also, if she was 'surprised to find' then I can only presume that she found the DO - and if that is so, then how come the world didn't know what they faced until Ishy told them ? Shouldn't they have sensed the DO's evil immediately ? If the research team knew, then why didn't the rest of the world?

One of the few to survive the backlash which destroyed the Sharom.

Channeling : Most powerful of the female forsaken, possibly the most powerful of them all, save Ishy

Conversion : Not amongst the first to go over to the Shadow.
LTT married Ilyena Moerelle Dalisar, about fifty years before the beginning of the War. Embraced the Shadow shortly after that.

Dark Duties : In the forefront of almost all the plots to capture or turn LTT in some way.
Assassinations in Tel'aran'rhiod.

Fun Facts :

• Suicide rates were extremely high in her territory.
• Lanfear = Daughter of the Night, she alone chose her own name.

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Graendal:
Appearance : Blond and somewhat fleshy, sheathing her voluptuous body in clinging gowns, that left little to the imagination.

Originally : Kamarile Maradim Nindar, a noted ascetic, dedicated to curing those with mental illness, possibly the best at subtle manipulation of the human mind than any who ever lived.
Within ten years after the Bore was drilled extreme hedonism replaced her asceticism. Sensual and sexual pleasures took precedence over everything else.

Conversion : Second of those to become the Forsaken, within the first twenty five years of the Collapse, some years after her change of behaviour.

Dark Duties : Not a military commander, but responsible for several victories through psychological warfare.

Whereabouts : Lady Basene is still alive and believed at large.

Only believed at large? Wouldn't it be a riot if she'd been captured by a Seanchan with an a'dam. Herself and Moggy could form some sorta Victim Support Group :)

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Semirhage:
Appearance : Unusually tall and dark eyed woman, possessing remarkable calm and grace. Clothing her perfectly proportioned form in black - could be quite foreboding or motherly and gentle.

Originally : Nemene Damendar Boann. Healer of the body, but also was a sadist, long before the Dark One's influence on the world.

Channeling : Her strength and skill as a Restorer, also make her a more-than-able torturer.

Conversion : One of the first to make the journey to Shayol Ghul. She embraced the Dark to avoid the Binding.

Dark Duties : Held several field commands, but was a general of only average abilities.
Governerships whose violence and cruelty stand out even amongst the Forsaken.
Headed a network aimed at rooting out traitors.

Fun Facts :

• Discovered the circle of thirteen trick with the Fads as filters.
• Hated everyone who called themselves Aes Sedai.

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Mesaana:
Appearance : A woman of average height and appearance, just in her middle years - a little over three hundred, at the time of the Sealing.

Originally : Saine Tarasind wished to be a scholar, but was labelled "unsuited for research" and offered a teaching post instead.

Conversion : Turned to the Dark Lord because she was not the best in her profession, forced to be a teacher, she'd found a way to teach them all.

Dark Duties : An adequate general, but really blossomed as a Governor

Personality : Hardheaded, practical and intelligent, though often taken for being dreamy because of her introspection. Interested in real power not the appearance of it.

Danelle as Mesaana is one of my pet theories, and that description certainly doesn't exclude the possibility. Also, Danelle is described as 'young' rather than ageless, and, she has no close friends. What more can we ask?

Fun Facts :

• Mesaana's Children. Set up schools where the young pupils were taught to do the Dark One's bidding.

Whereabouts : She is now in the White Tower.

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Moghedien
Appearance : Sturdily handsome dark-haired woman.

Originally : Lillen Moiral 'advisor for investments'.

I love how this tarries with the comment from the books describing Moggy as 'some sort of con artist' in th AoL :)

Channeling : Not the strongest of the female Chosen by any means, but her Tel'aran'rhiod skills surpassed even Lanfear's.

Conversion : Went to the Shadow long before the War of Power, but remained in LTT's administration.

Dark Duties : Headed a very effective sabotage and intelligence network.

Personality : Called 'The Spider', she never confronted an enemy openly unless she had the upper hand, or was forced to.
She could remember a slight until the Wheel stopped turning.

Fun Facts :

• A number of the Forsaken looked down on her, sometimes to their cost.

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Osan'gar & Aran'gar:
Both were male

Osan'gar was a middle aged rather ordinary looking man

Aran'gar was a beauty, oval face, green eyes, glossy black hair, she had a lush sleek body suitable for a daien dancer.

First of the Forsaken to be named by the Dark One himself.

Again, I don't really understand why the DO allowed one to have knowledge of the other. Surely it would have been better for him to hold his cards close to his chest. Unless, of course, they are working closely together - in which case, where is Osan'gar? If Mesaana's in the White Tower, and if Demandred's in the Black, then there doesn't seem to by any convenient group of channelers for him to attach himself to, unless he's giving orders to the Darkfriend, High Lady Suroth.