Moiraine Damodred | TheGreatBlight.com | A Wheel of Time Fan Community

Moiraine is described as being very short, around 5’2” tall. She has large, dark eyes and hair that hangs in ringlets. At first look, she is described as looking to be in her mid-twenties, but her eyes seemingly belong to a much older woman. Moiraine carries herself very regally and almost always dominates the room when in mixed company.

She is typically seen wearing shades of blue silks and a blue velvet cloak with silver embroidery. She wears a Great Serpent Ring on the second finger of her left hand. At times, she has changed the finger, however. She also frequently wears the traditional Cairhienin kesiera, a small sparkling blue stone hanging from her forehead by a fine golden chain.

Appearance

Personality

Moiraine Damodred was very impetuous and hot-tempered when she was young. As she aged, she retained some of her temper, but now exhibits the Aes Sedai calm and dignity. Moiraine is very observant and intelligent. She is skilled at maneuvering people and getting others to follow her lead. She is extremely thoughtful and strong-willed and can be single-minded in her goals. She can be very kind, but she is devoted to causes and can be distant and can have a “cool” demeanor.

Moiraine is often voracious in learning what she needs to know to accomplish her goals. Once she sets her mind to something she will succeed at all costs.

Spoilers Below!!!

Actions During the Story

Actions Before the Story

Moiraine was born in the nation of Cairhien in the year 956 NE. She was the youngest daughter of Dalresin Damodred, who was a member of the Royal Family and was a scholar. The name of Moiraine's mother is unknown. Moiraine's father's brother, her uncle, was King Laman Damodred, the ruler of Cairhien and the High Seat of House Damodred.

She spent much of her childhood in the Sun Palace in the city of Cairhien, living there as well as country estates until the age of 16. It was at this time she discovered that she could channel the One Power. She kept it a secret from most before revealing the fact that she knew how to channel to her uncle's Aes Sedai advisor. She was taught for a short time before being sent to the Tower to protect her from the stigma of being considered a wilder, but she did, in fact, learn to channel outside of the guidance of an Aes Sedai and this is when she learned her eavesdropping trick with the One Power.

Upon arrival in the White Tower, Moiraine became close friends with a young Tairen woman named Siuan Sanche. They arrived at the White Tower on the same day and had some of the highest potentials as channelers of the One Power that the Tower had seen in a long time. Siuan and Moiraine became what is known in the White Tower as pillow friends. Moiraine was a very quick learner, learning to channel very quickly as well as excelling at her other studies. In fact, both her and Siuan were quick learners. Moiraine did benefit from having been educated in the Sun Palace and had tutors that gave her an academic advantage.

After just 3 years, both Moiraine and Siuan were raised to the Accepted, a feat that had only ever been accomplished one time and that was Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan, and that occurred not much before Siuan and Moiraine accomplished the feat. During their time as Accepted, Elaida kept a close eye on Siuan and Moiraine, pushing both of them very hard and driving them to live up to the extremely high standard to which she held them.

New Spring

After having been Accepted for 3 years, the events of New Spring are where we first meet Moiraine in the story. In 978 NE, the final battles of the Aiel War were taking place outside the city of Tar Valon, often referred to as the Battle of the Blood Snow. The combined forces of the Westlands and King Lamon Damodred had retreated to the shores of Tar Valon to escape the onslaught of the four Aiel clans that had crossed the Dragonwall to exact justice on King Laman for cutting down Avendoraldera, a sapling of a chora tree that was gifted to the Cairhienin some 400 years earlier.

During the battle, Moiraine and Siuan attended the Amyrlin Seat, Tamra Ospenya and her Keeper of the Chronicles, Gitara Moroso. It was during this time Gitara Moroso fell over dead, but not before giving a Foretelling that the Dragon had been reborn on the slopes of Dragonmount at that moment. They were sworn to secrecy by the Amyrlin and soon after Moiraine and Siuan made a pact that they would find and guide the Dragon Reborn. Moiraine and Siuan are sent to assist in collecting names of women who had given birth to a child in the vicinity of Tar Valon during the battle, along with many of the other Accepted. The Amyrlin had decreed that money would be given as a bounty to these women, but this was really just a guise to obtain the names for the possible Dragon Reborn.

Also at this time, they are studying for their final tests to become full Aes Sedai. Elaida drills them very hard, even beating them, but this actually helps them to prepare for the final test. Moiraine passes her test for the shawl, despite Elaida making the final test exceedingly difficult. Siuan passes her test as well, and they both decide to put rats in Elaida's bed as revenge, but they are caught and switched the night before they are formally raised.

As newly raised Aes Sedai, Moiraine and Siuan both choose the Blue Ajah and set out on their quest to find the Dragon Reborn, but are quickly thwarted after Moiraine is assigned to distribute the bounty and Siuan is recruited by Cetalia Delarme, the head of the Blue Ajah's eyes and ears.

Moiraine is finally relieved of distributing the bounty by the new Keeper, Sierin Vayu, but she is told to stay in Tar Valon and she believes it is because they want her to take the throne of Cairhien now that her uncle is dead. Moiraine realizes that if she was forced to become Queen of Cairhien, she would never be able to seek out and find the Dragon Reborn. Her and Siuan plan for Moiraine to run away from Tar Valon and seek the Dragon Reborn while Siuan will remain to follow clues within the White Tower.

Moiraine follows a lead and arrives in Canluum, a town in Kandor. She interviews Jurine Najima, a woman living near the town. Moiraine believes her to be a possible mother of the Dragon Reborn, but upon interviewing her, realizes that Jerid was born in the wrong place. Moiraine takes a room at The Gates of Heaven in Canluum but realizes that there are other Aes Sedai staying there as well. Cadsuane Melaidhrin and two other Aes Sedai, Merean and Larelle are also staying in The Gates of Heaven. Cadsuane interrogates Moiraine and orders Merean and Larelle to accompany Moiraine to Chachin.

Siuan comes and meets Moiraine that night and tells her of the Black Ajah and warns her that the searchers for the Dragon Reborn that had been sent by the Amyrlin were dead. Moiraine also spots a man named Ryne Venamar talking with one of the Aes Sedai. He is a friend of Lan Mandragoran and the next morning, Moiraine sneaks away from The Gates of Heaven and follows Lan, his companion Bukama Marenellin, and Ryne. They notice her following them and trick her into meeting them and Lan throws her into a pond. They agree to escort her to Chachin.

On the trip to Chachin, they are forced to deal with assassins and brigands and Moiraine torments Lan the entire trip and he gallops away from her once the arrive in Chachin. She seeks out Siuan and finds her in The Evening Star. They discover that the Black Ajah is killing men in the city and they make plans to enter the Aesdaishar Palace. They decide that Moiraine will enter the palace as herself with Siuan acting as her maid named Suki. While in the palace, they discover that Lady Ines Demain has been in seclusion after her husband fell dead a few weeks earlier and Siuan is sent to try to find more on her. Moiraine meets with the Prince Consort of Kandor, Brys and his son, Diryk. Moiraine later sees Merean in the palace as well and seeing Lan and Bukama in the palace as well, asks Lan to have Bukama watch her as Moiraine suspects her of being Black Ajah. Lan agrees after Moiraine tells Lan that the White Tower failed Malkier.

Lan later comes back to Moiraine after he finds Bukama dead and they rush to find Merean and Ryne on a secluded balcony with Brys, Diryk, and Iselle Arrel. Merean murders the three of them by wrapping them in flows of air and dropping them off the balcony. Moiraine is unable to stop her from killing them but does stab Merean in the back. Lan defeats Ryne, whom it is discovered is a Darkfriend. As a result, Moiraine and Siuan conclude that the forces of the Shadow do not know that the Dragon Reborn is still a baby. Moiraine also tells Lan at this time about her mission and asks him to be her Warder, to which he agrees.

New Spring

Actions Between the Books

After the events of New Spring, Moiraine and Lan spend most of their time traveling around the Westlands in search of the Dragon Reborn, following leads that were gathered from the bounty at the end of the Battle of the Blood Snow. Siuan is eventually raised to the Amyrlin Seat and she and Moiraine keep their secret quest to find and guide the Dragon Reborn. At some point during this 19 year period of time, Moiraine enters the Blight and finds the Eye of the World and speaks with Someshta, the Green Man.

Eye of the World

Around 19 years from the events of New Spring, Moiraine and Lan arrive in the Two Rivers in search of the Dragon Reborn. She asks questions around the village, telling most of the villagers that she is collecting old stories. She mostly asks about boys that were born in the same period of time and narrows her search down to three boys, Matrim Cauthon, Perrin Aybara, and Rand al'Thor. She meets the boys on the Green on Winternight and hands each of them a silver mark for future services she may ask of them. Each of the coins was actually warded so that she could follow and have a "bond" of the sort with each of the boys.

That same night, Trollocs attack Emond's Field and she and Lan lead the defense of the town. She channels the One Power and kills many Trollocs with the Power. In the aftermath of the attack, she heals those that are injured and Rand arrives from the Westwood with his father, Tam al'Thor.

Tam had been injured by a tainted Trolloc weapon. Moiraine heals Tam of his wounds, but he is very weak and will have a long recovery time. Moiraine explains to Rand, Mat, and Perrin that they must leave the Two Rivers and that the attack on Emond's Field was to get to them. They do not believe her at first, but she wins them over by pointing out the areas that were attacked by the Trollocs being associated with them. As they are about to leave, the villagers form a mob and they try to tell Moiraine and Lan to leave the village as they believe it was the Aes Sedai and her Warder that brought the Trollocs to the area. She tells them the story of Manetheren and the heroic actions of the ancestors of the people from the Two Rivers. This, in effect, shames the villagers and they allow her and Lan to pass.

They meet Rand, Mat, and Perrin in the stables, but Thom Merrilin, the gleeman that was also in town for the Bel Tine festival, is in the stables as well and desires to leave with them. Egwene al'Vere, the mayor's daughter also desires to leave with the party. Moiraine allows it and they set off in the night. They ride to Watch Hill, where Moiraine removes everyone's fatigue and they continue on to Taren Ferry, all while being pursued by a Draghkar. They cross the Taren River and Moiraine destroys the ferry after their crossing to prevent any forces of the Shadow from following, an act that horrifies the Emond's Field group as they still do not quite grasp the danger that they are in.

The party travels to Baerlon and Moiraine begins teaching Egwene the basics of channeling on the trip. Once they arrive in Baerlon, they stop at the Stag and Lion Inn for some rest. The group rests and Moiraine speaks with Min Farshaw, a girl with a special ability to read the Pattern around people. The 2nd day they are in Baerlon, Nynaeve al'Meara, the Wisdom from Emond's Field arrives and finds them in the Stag and Lion. After an argument, Nynaeve agrees to accompany the party on their way to Tar Valon. That evening, Rand is confronted by a Fade in the Inn and the party is forced to flee in the night.

On the way out of Baerlon, they have an encounter with the Children of the Light and Moiraine is forced to use the One Power to frighten the Children. They travel east for 3 days until they are again attacked by Trollocs. Moiraine uses fire and earth to block the Trollocs from getting to them, but the party is forced to take refuge in the abandoned city of Shadar Logoth. The Trollocs enter Shadar Logoth and the party is again forced to flee. This time, on their way out of the ruined city, the party is separated by Mashadar, the evil that devoured the city. Moiraine, Lan, and Nynaeve are separated from the boys and Egwene.

Moiraine is able to track the boys through the coins that she gave them in Emond's Field. After some tracking and some time, they find Perrin and Egwene have been captured by the Children of the Light and stage a rescue. Moiraine provides a distraction, Nynaeve cut the horse lines, and Lan rescued Perrin and Egwene. After rescuing Perrin and Egwene, Moiraine leads the party to Caemlyn where they find Rand and Mat in the Queen's Blessing. Upon being reunited, Moiraine notices the ruby-hilted dagger that Mat possessed and she attempts to heal him of its taint. She is successful in temporarily sealing off the taint of the dagger from immediately killing him, but she is unable on her own to separate him from the dagger. Lan discovers that Trollocs have surrounded the city and they also discover that Elaida is searching the city for Rand after a mishap where he found himself in front of the Queen.

Moiraine makes a quick change of plans and rather than heading for Tar Valon, she decides to make their destination Fal Dara and the Eye of the World after hearing multiple times about the Eye in dreams, stories, and rumors. She decides to make use of Loial, an Ogier that Rand met at the Queen's Blessing. He will lead them through the Ways, a corrupted method of transportation that was built after the Breaking of the World to allow the Ogier to travel vast distances very quickly. The Ways have fallen to the taint and are quite dangerous, but Loial reluctantly agrees to lead them through the Ways to Fal Dara. After a few days in the Ways, Moiraine is forced to use the One Power to attempt to fend off Machin Shin, the embodiment of the Taint within the ways. They barely escape with their lives and arrive at Fal Dara, a fortress near the Great Blight.

They meet with Lord Agelmar, the master of the fortress and he apprises them of the upcoming battle as a Trolloc army is advancing on Shienar. Agelmar asks Moiraine to assist in the battle but she refuses him stating that her battle will be at the Eye of the World and that they must leave at first light. Padan Fain is captured trying to get into the keep and after Moiraine questions him, it is discovered that he was a Darkfriend tasked with tracking down Rand, Mat, and Perrin. He was responsible for bringing the Trollocs to Emond's Field as well.

The next morning the party enters the Blight on their quest to find the Eye of the World. It is said that it can only be found once, and Moiraine has already been to the Eye of the World. She states that the key is need and that she believes her need is greater than any need. They battle the creatures of the Blight and eventually make it to the Eye of the World, where they are greeted by the Green Man. As they examine the pool of untainted Saidin at the Eye, they are approached by Balthamel and Aginor, two of the Forsaken that have recently broken free from their prison. Moiraine attempts to stop Aginor by holding him with the power and is successful for a short time before she is injured. The Green Man kills Balthamel and Aginor and Rand fight before Aginor is killed by drawing too much of the Power from the Eye.

After Rand fights Ba'alzamon and returns, he finds Moiraine injured and being treated by Egwene and Nynaeve. Mat, Perrin, and Loial bring up the contents of the now-empty Eye and they discover they have the Horn of Valere, a seal on the Dark One's prison, and the banner of Lews Therin Telamon. Moiraine and the party leave the Eye of the World after the death of the Green Man and return to Fal Dara.

Eye of the World

The Great Hunt

At the beginning of the story, Moiraine has left Fal Dara for a few days while the party recovers. It has been nearly a month since the events of the Eye of the World. She returns the night before the Amyrlin Seat arrives with her party in Fal Dara. She is summoned before the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche. They exchange news and discuss Rand. Moiraine shows her the broken seal from the Dark One's prison and lets her know that Rand is the Dragon Reborn. They have secretly been in on a plot since they were first raised to Aes Sedai. They know Rand is fighting his destiny and they plan to influence him by letting him go free for now. They will have him take the Horn of Valere to Illian.

Not long after this meeting, there is an attack on Fal Dara by Trollocs and Padan Fain is rescued from the dungeons. Moiraine arrives in the dungeons where she finds Rand and Liandrin and she is very suspicious of Liandrin. They discover that in the fight, the Horn of Valere and the ruby dagger that was connected to Mat from Shadar Logoth had been taken.

She helps to partially heal Mat and afterward, she, the Amyrlin, and Verin Mathwin have a discussion about the Dark Prophecy that was left written on the dungeon walls. Verin reveals that she realizes Rand is the Dragon Reborn and is reluctantly brought in to Moiraine and Siuan's confidence. They are all three present when the Amyrlin tells Rand he is the Dragon Reborn and they send him off on a quest to recover the Horn of Valere and recover the dagger so Mat could be fully healed of its influence.

Moiraine makes sure Rand's clothing is fit for a Lord and sends the Dragon Banner of Lews Therin Telamon with Lord Ingtar to give to Rand. She also makes sure that Rand is selected as the 2nd in command to Ingtar on the quest.

Moiraine then travels to the home of two retired Aes Sedai sisters named Vandene and Adeleas Namelle. She is there to do research on Falme and what it might have to do with the Dragon Reborn and the prophecies of the Dragon. While there, she is attacked by a Draghkar and barely survives after being saved by Lan. She and Lan then travel to Falme where they meet up with the party after the battle at Falme. They head east as the book ends.

The Great Hunt

The Dragon Reborn

Moiraine and Rand and the rest of their party have been camped for the winter in the Mountains of Mist. Moiraine meets with one of her eyes and ears, a woman named Leya. She brings reports to Moiraine about the wars on Almoth Plain. The camp is attacked by Trollocs and Leya is killed, but Moiraine is able to heal some of the wounded Sheinaren soldiers. After frustration with Moiraine not wanting him to go to those fighting for him on Almoth Plain and the struggle with who he is, Rand leaves in the night alone. Moiraine sets out with Lan, Loial, and Perrin to track down Rand. They deduce that Rand is headed for Tear and Callandor. They leave the Mountains of Mist and enter Ghealdan and stop briefly in the town of Jarra. Perrin finds another wolf-brother, but one who is completely wolf at this point. He asks Moiraine to heal him, but she states there is nothing to heal and then warns Perrin of his dreams.

After following Rand some more, they make a decision to travel to Illian by boat to make up some ground. They travel aboard the Snow Goose. On the boat, they meet Faile and she insists on joining the party. After Moiraine is unable to deter her, she reluctantly allows her to join them, provided she obeys and doesn't ask questions. They stop at Easing the Badger, an inn in Illian. Inside, Perrin is attacked by grey men and Moiraine leaves to investigate the city. She returns after discovering the Sammael is ruling in the city as Lord Brend. They are then chased out of Illian by a pack of Darkhounds. Moiraine uses Balefire to kill the majority of the pack. After defeating the Darkhounds, they continue towards Tear.

Once arriving in Tear, they realize that Be'lal is ruling in Tear. Their rooms are trapped and Faile is caught in the trap that was meant for Moiraine. While Perrin rescues Faile from the World of Dreams, Moiraine sets off to the Stone of Tear with Lan to confront Be'lal and save Rand.

Once inside the stone, she kills Be'lal just as he was about to kill Rand. She uses balefire and surprises the Forsaken. She is thrown aside by Ba'alzamon but Rand kills him. She finds an intact seal of the Dark One's prison in the Stone and she learns that the Aiel are the People of the Dragon that are mentioned in the Prophecies of the Dragon. At the very end of the story, Moiraine receives a letter from Lanfear claiming that she can keep Rand for her but that she will ultimately come back for him.

The Dragon Reborn

The Shadow Rising

Moiraine sends a pigeon to Siuan Sanche that the Stone of Tear fell and that Rand took Callandor. She also assists Egwene and Nynaeve in their questioning of Amico Nagoyin and Joiya Byir. One of the stories they tell in the questioning is of a plot to free Mazrim Taim, a captured False Dragon. Moiraine does not inform Nynaeve and Egwene, but she sends three pigeons to the Amyrlin warning her of this threat.

A bubble of evil hits the Stone of Tear and Moiraine heals Rand's wounds. She warns him to move and act or else his enemies will catch up to him and the Tairen people will not follow him forever. Moiraine tells Egwene and Nynaeve of her desire for Rand to move on Illian and take on Sammael. She believes this would win him the support of Tear, remove one of his strongest challengers and enemies, and cement his rule of both nations. She tells them also of the twisted redstone doorway ter'angreal in the Great Holding in the Stone. After a battle with Shadowspawn in the Stone where a young girl was killed, she convinces Rand to let go of Callandor as he tries to bring a dead girl back to life.

As Egwene and Nynaeve and Elayne inform her that Nynaeve and Elayne would be going to Tanchico and Egwene to the Aiel Waste, she passes on a letter she received ordering Aviendha to go to Rhuidean as well. At this point, Moiraine enters the redstone doorframe ter'angreal to get three answers from the Aelfinn. She keeps her answers mysterious here, but we eventually learn what they are at a later time. Moiraine gives Elayne and Nynaeve a vast amount of money to go to Tanchico and hire a ship. She also talks Thom Merrilin in to accompanying the two of them, telling him that she will give him information on the Red Ajah sisters that gentled his nephew Owyn.

Later, she witnesses Rand make his pronouncement that he would go to the Waste and Rhuidean. She watches him leave Callandor in the Stone as well. She accompanies Rand to the Waste via Portal Stone. When they arrive at Chaendaer in the Waste, just above Rhuidean, she is told by the Wise One Melaine that she must go to Rhuidean as well and so she goes.

She returns many days later and sees her confrontation with Lanfear while in the Three Rings in Rhuidean. She follows Rand as he moves from Imre Stand to Cold Rocks Hold. She spends much of her time with the Wise Ones. She also continually badgers Rand about his plans and what he intends with the Aiel. He refuses to trust her, telling her that if she will not let him go his own way, then he will not confide in her. When Rand returns from Rhuidean for the second time after confronting Asmodean, she joins him as he speaks to the Clan Chiefs and Wise Ones. The clans that are present, minus the Shaido, acknowledge him as "He Who Comes With the Dawn" and he is proclaimed the Car'a'carn.

The Shadow Rising

Fires of Heaven

The party has moved into Rhuidean, which is quickly becoming a bustling Aiel city. Moiraine has spent much of her time gathering the many ter'angreal and other objects of the Power that were left around the main square of Rhuidean. She has them loaded into Hadnan Kadere's wagons to be transported to the White Tower. She finds a particularly strong angreal which she takes. She meets with Rand and he is very dismissive of her as he believes she is trying to manipulate him. She shows him the seal on the Dark One's prison that had been found. She then meets with the Wise Ones, trying to convince them that Rand taking the Aiel across the Dragonwall would be a bad idea. The Wise One's do not agree with her and dismiss her after the discussion.

Darkhounds attack the city and after Rand kills them with balefire, she attempts to warn him of the dangers of using it, but he ignores her as he runs to save Mat, whom he realizes must also have been attacked. She follows and attempts to heal Mat who had some Darkhound saliva on his arm. She is unable to heal him temporarily due to his Foxhead Medallion ter'angreal that he had received from the Eelfinn. She then begs Rand to allow her to advise him and gives him an oath of obedience. They come to an agreement and she again warns him of using balefire and its effects of erasing the past.

Egwene informs Moiraine that Siuan Sanche had been deposed. Moiraine begins to instruct Rand in politics as they chase the Shaido through the Jangai Pass. She tells Rand not to trust any Aes Sedai other than herself, Nynaeve, Elayne, and Egwene. Moiraine stays near and continually checks on the ter'angreal wagons, and specifically the redstone doorframe. She also stays near Rand, again resorting to begging him at times to stay near. She keeps the wagons guarded tightly and stays out of the battle and uses her strength to heal the wounded.

As Rand enters Cairhien, he asks Moiraine to accompany him but she is preoccupied again with the wagons. She brings Rand letters from both Elaida and Alviarin. She also hears the news that Morgase is dead and convinces Rand not to rush straight to Caemlyn right now but to wait until the next morning. She then goes down to the docks of Cairhien and places the ivory bracelet angreal near the doorframe and writes letters to both Thom and to Rand.

The next morning, Lanfear attacks Rand on the docks but Moiraine tackles her into the redstone doorframe, saving Rand. Rand later reads her letter, informing him that she knew this would come and that she could not tell him because he might have tried to save her over himself. She warns him not to trust Aes Sedai and also to be wary of Jasin Natael, who she clearly knew was actually Asmodean, despite Rand thinking no one knew.