The search for Semirhage

[November 2000]

Semirhage is a character from The Wheel of Time series written by Robert Jordan. She is one of the so called Forsaken, a group of thirteen powerful channellers who chose to follow the Dark One and was imprisoned three thousand years ago. However, all good things come to an end and they managed to escape (face it, what would a good book be without villains?). They created secret identities and placed themselves in high places to strike at the Forces of Light when the time was right. Semirhage is perhaps the most mysterious and unpredictable of them all, and this text will try to uncover her secret identity and location.

1. Background
2. Clues
3. Analysis of location
4. Analysis of identity
5. The "willful female charge"
6. Prime suspects
7. Update for Winter’s Heart
8. Abbreviations

Background

Her real name is Nemene Damendar Boann. As Aes Sedai she was a brilliant healer in the Age of Legends but with a taste for torture, she extracted extra pain from her patients. For this she was put out of the Hall of Servants and turned to the dark in order to avoid beeing stilled or bound by an oath rod. She was one of the first to make the journey to Shayol Ghul. She became the Dark One’s master torturer. Obviously, this is not a girl you invite for tea.

Clues

In the Guide she is described as "An unusually tall, dark eyed woman, with remarkable charm and grace" [GUI p.65]. She used to dress in black, possibly as much because Lanfear wore white as to intimidate her victims.

Semirhage is allied with Demandred and Mesaana, "Their uneasy alliance – if it could be called by such a strong name – had lasted a long time" [LOC: 6,Threads Woven of Shadow, 143], while she hates Lanfear and Aes Sedai.

She likes to do needlework. "Semirhage sat doing needlework in a high-backed chair covered in red tapestry, long slender fingers deftly making minuscule stiches to form a labyrinthine pattern of tiny flowers" [LoC: Prologue, 56].

She is known to have a willful female charge. "She did not like having to hurry. And to be called away from her charge, the girl was willful and obdurate, the circumstances difficult." [LOC: 6,Threads Woven of Shadow, 141].

Analysis of location

Demandred said “When I think where you two [Mesaana and Semirhage] have placed yourselves, I wonder. How much has the Great Lord known, for how long? How much of what has happened has been at his design all along?” [LOC: Prologue, 58]. At a first glance this draws suspicion to the White Tower due to two reasons: First, Mesaana is known to be located in the White Tower and the phrase “where you two” could be taken literally. Second, it is somewhat obvious that their locations are chosen with care to impose maximum harm on the forces of light.

Sammael: “I didn’t arrange [Rand's] kidnapping… Mesaana had a hand in it, though. Maybe Demandred and Semirhage as well, despite how it ended, but Mesaana certainly. ” [ACOS: 20, Patterns Within Patterns, 357]. This indicates that, a) Demandred and Semirhage had something to do with “the ending”, i.e. Rand’s rescue, and b) Sammael knows the locations of Demandred and Semirhage. Rand was rescued by Perrin, Wise Ones, the Aiel, Two Rivers people, Taim, the Asha’man and the Mayeners. Demandred could be posing as Taim and Semirhage could be posing as someone with the Two Rivers people or the Aiel. However, the "despite" word could also mean that Demandred and Semirhage were on the defeated side of the battle, among the Tower Aes Sedai or the Shaido Aiel. In Sammael’s truce-letter to Rand he mentions Semirhage stabbing Rand in the back. The Wise Ones would be an excellent position to do this.

She tortured the Aes Sedai Cabriana Mecandes to get information for Halima’s infiltration of the Salidar Aes Sedai [LOC: 6,Threads Woven of Shadow] . The place for this interrogation was some sort of dungeon, perhaps close to Shayol Ghul.

Analysis of identity

As most of the Forsaken, she has a thirst for power and is probably hiding in a fashion similar to the others. Let’s have a look at the other Forsaken with a focus at their alternate identities and locations:

Semirhage’s allies:

1. Demandred: Possibly posing as Mazrim Taim, the M’Hael, which is quite a powerful position. Could also be involved in the Seanchan invasion.
2. Mesaana: The power behind the power behind the power (read it slowly) of the White Tower. In plain English, she controls Elaida through Alviarin.

Golden oldies:

1. Ishamael: Took the name Ba’alzamon. While not hiding in plain sight, his slimy tentacles stretched all over Randland as he was not fully bound.
2. Aginor: See Osan’gar.
3. Balthamel: See Aran’gar.
4. Lanfear: Assumed the roles of Selene, Else Grinwell and Keille Shaogi.
5. Rahvin: Snatched the throne of Andor as Lord Gaebril.
6. Sammael: Lord Brend of Illian.
7. Bel’Al: High Lord Samon of Tear.
8. Asmodean: Posed as a bard among the Tinkers.
9. Graendal: Acts as Lady Basene, an old lady in Arad Doman.

New kids on the block:

1. Moridin: Probably Ishamael recycled. Not hiding in plain sight.
2. Aran’gar: Balthamel recycled. Posing as Halima with the Salidar Aes Sedai, near Egwene the Amyrlin.
3. Osan’gar: Aginor recycled. Possibly posing as Dashiva or Narishma, both highly ranked within the Black Tower.
4. Cyndane: Probably Lanfear. A pawn of Moridin.

A common divider is that most of the Forsaken place themselves in powerful positions without exposing too much. They prefer to be “the power behind the power”. As they only have been free for a couple of years (with the exception of Ishamael) it’s much easier to create a new or unknown identity and work their way to the top instead of impersonating a wellknown person.

They also hide their immense powers to avoid being detected. From this we may assume that Semirhage is posing as someone of somewhat importance. She needs to mask her ability to channel. As she cannot make it seem like she is less strong in the Power (at least any such ability hasn’t been mentioned in the books, but Robert Jordan mentioned it to be possible in a correspondence), we make another assumption that she poses as someone that cannot channel at all. Also regard the fact that Lanfear and Asmodean managed to hide in plain sight of Rand and the Wise Ones.

The most likely locations are the WT, among the Aiel or among the Salidar Aes Sedai. This gives us a number of prime suspects. However, there is of course the fact that she hasn’t appeared yet in the series (apart from the scenes with her own looks and character), but I reckon this to be a unlikely longshot due to mr Jordan’s writing style this far.

The "willful female charge"

It is known that Semirhage has a “willful female charge” [LOC: 6,Threads Woven of Shadow, 141]. Suggestions for this person include:

1. Sevanna: She was framed by Sammael and Graendal in ACOS. Sammael seems to know where Semirhage is located (see above). The Forsaken have played against each other on previous occations and this would be great opportunity for Sammael to break the power of Semirhage.
2. Ethenielle: She is described in a very similar way to that of the charge [POD: Prologue]. Semirhage could be masquerading as Lady Serailla, Ethenielle’s First Councilor. As the Borderlands have not been in the action until now this could explain why we have seen so few actions by Semirhage. However, the Borderlands did not play any part in Rand’s rescue. Could also be Tenobia, another ruler in the Borderlands.
3. Suroth: Semirhage could be Alwhin, a high ranking Seanchan woman who is attendant to Suroth. Alwhin was previously a sul’dam. Due to a remark by Sammael ("Demandred liked using proxies") the Forsaken behind the Seanchan invasion is suspected to be Demandred, but on the other hand Semirhage is known to cooperate with Demandred: Suroth, through Semirhage, could be Demandred’s proxy.

Prime suspects

1. Therava

   Pro:

   • She was able to get the upper hand on Galina.
   • The Wise Ones are close to Rand and have a strong influence.
   • She is the strongest channeler among the Shaido, even stronger than any sister in the WT [POD ch 11].
   • Sevanna is a likely charge candidate.

   Con:

   • Therava has displayed a somewhat different character than Semirhage (for instance, Therava is blackmailing Sevanna).
   • The Aiel are a tight society. Semirhage would have a hard time to sneak in and earn their trust in such a short time.
   • Therava once ran from sun up to sun down and was highly visible while doing it. This is piece of cake to an Aiel but not to a Forsaken (unless using the OP).
   • Why was Sammael allowed to manipulate them?
2. Lara

   Pro:

   • Semirhage has been seen making the same pattern of tiny flowers that Laras teaches to Min.
   • She acts strange during the Tower Coup and helped Siuan Sanche escape (so she could cause more trouble for the TAS). She has also made other strange things in the WT.
   • We have met very few people in the WT who cannot channel.

   Con:

   • “The Mistress of the Kitchens, a winecask on legs, was beaming after her approvingly from the dining hall dorrway. Who would have thought the woman had been a beauty in her youth, or would have a place in her heart for pretty, flirtatious girls?” [TSR, p196]. This doesn’t sound much like the the Dark One’s master torturer. Could it be Mesaana?
   • No "willful charge"?
   • Why haven’t Min seem any auras around her?
   • There is already another Forsaken in the WT.
3. Alwhin

   Pro:

   • One of the four powerful channeling groups.
   • Suroth is a likely charge candidate.
   • Suroth made a comment to herself on how rapid and unusual Alwhin’s rise was (i.e. very Forsakesque).
   • Amathera is very afraid of Alwhin.

   Con:

   • The whole invasion business doesn’t sound like Semirhage, more like Demandred or Ishamael (who did actually create the Seanchan way back).
4. Someone among Rand’s Aiel

   Pro:

   • Excellent place for "stabbing Rand in the back" (see above).

   Con:

   • Big risk of exposure.
   • The Aiel are a tight society, especially the ones closest to Rand. Semirhage would have a hard time to sneak in and earn their trust in such a short time.
5. Someone at the Salidar Aes Sedai

   Pro:

   • Close to Egwene.

   Con:

   • This could interfere with Aran’gar/Halima.
6. 6. Lady Serailla

   Pro:

   • Ethenielle is a likely charge candidate.

   Con:

   • The Borderlands did not play any part in Rand’s rescue.
7. 7. Sheriam’s attacker

   Pro:

   • The attacker is a skilled channeler.

   Con:

   • Physically beating the victim seems too unsophisticated for Semirhage.
8. Someone in the Two Rivers, most probably a newcomer

   Pro:

   • Due to the rescue at Dumai’s wells, see Analysis of location.

   Con:

   • Few have been mentioned in the books, this is not Jordan’s style.
9. Bela

   Pro:

   • “The least suspect…”

   Con:

   • Not even Asmodean would put up with hiding as a horse!

Update for Winter’s Heart

In Winter’s Heart the bomb was finally dropped. I considered it unlikely for Semirhage to be posing as a character not yet appeared in the eight books, but I was wrong. In WH we learn that Tuon, Daughter of the Nine Moons (duh) has a Truthspeaker named Anath. Anath is by far the very best candidate:

• She is described as "a slender woman", "tall even for a man", "charcoal-dark face", "large black eyes". She is dressed in "unrelieved black silk". Comparing this to previously mentioned descriptions of Semirhage, it’s too good to be true!
• Anath’s successor died under mysterious conditions (an unexpected tumble down a staircase) two years earlier (about the time the Forsaken escaped from the DO’s prison).
• Anath enjoys inflicting pain on Tuon. Spot on.
• The personality is a good match.
• By her office as Truthspeaker, Anath cannot be commanded or punished. How convenient…
• Tuon is a very willful female charge.
• Anath gives Tuon advice on how to capture Rand al’Thor.
• The famous "proxies in the south" comment by Sammael could be explained by Demandred’s team-up with Semirhage/Anath, the power behind the daughter of the Seanchan Empress.

Con:

• The whole invasion business doesn’t sound like Semirhage, more like Demandred or Ishamael (who did create the Seanchan way back).
• In [LOC: 6,Threads Woven of Shadow] we learn that it was Semirhage who sent the trollocs to fight Sammael’s forces. Where did she get this army? A present from the Superfade?
• Why haven’t we seen Anath in any of the eight previous books?

I’m fairly convinced that either Anath is Semirhage, or this is the best red herring since Taimandred.

Abbreviations

ACOS = A Crown of Swords

DO = Dark One

GUI = The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time

LOC = Lord of Chaos

OP = One Power

POD = The Path of Daggers

SAS = Salidar Aes Sedai

TAS = Tower Aes Sedai

TSR = The Shadow Rising

WT = White Tower