Asmodean
From A Wheel of Time Wiki
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| Asmodean | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Died | 999 NE |
| Race | |
| Nationality | |
| Rank | Chosen |
| Title | |
| Position | |
| Occupation | |
| Affiliation | |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | |
| Weight | |
| Hair | Dark |
| Eyes | Dark |
| First Mentioned | |
| First Appeared | |
Joar Addam Nessosin also known as Asmodean, was a famed composer of music during the Age of Legends. Appearing to be in his middle years, he is handsome with dark eyes and hair.
Contents |
[edit] History
During his childhood he showed great promise at the art of music, but he never fulfilled his prodigal potential. For this reason, Asmodean turned to the Shadow during the Collapse of the Age of Legends, the single deciding factor being the appeal of immortality and an endless opportunity to delve in music.
During the War of Power, he never took position as a general, rather serving as a reportedly effective governor of conquered areas. In a jealous display of power, he had the Age's greatest artists maimed and rendered incapable of performing their art, then releasing them.
Along with the other twelve most powerful of the Chosen, he attended a meeting with the Dark One in Shayol Ghul the fateful day that Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions struck at the prison, sealing the Bore and along with it the Chosen in a dreamless sleep for three thousand years.
[edit] Release
After his release from the Bore, Asmodean allied with Lanfear, disguised as the gleeman Jasin Natael following a train of Darkfriend peddlers in the Aiel Waste to join with Rand al'Thor and the Aiel faithful to the would-be Car'a'carn.
During his time in hiding, he approached Mat Cauthon to learn more of the reborn Dragon of present day, pretending to research for composing the tales of the Dragon Reborn. However, this was a disguise to get closer to the fabled city of Rhuidean and the ter'angreal to access the male Choedan Kal.
[edit] In The Series
Asmodean battled Rand in Rhuidean, and lost when Rand severed his link to the Dark One, leaving him exposed to the taint on Saidin. Lanfear then shielded Asmodean so that he could only channel "a trickle", and instructed him to train Rand in the Power (ironically, Asmodean's attempt on Rand's life at Rhuidean eventually kept Rand from being killed by ignorance of the Power). Asmodean was known among the Forsaken for his habit of oft-traitorously throwing his lot in with whomever he thought would win, which perhaps explains why the Forsaken did not attempt to rescue him. Disguised as a gleeman named Jasin Natael, he trained Rand diligently and without signs of treachery, and as time passed it seemed as if he might genuinely want to join the side of the Light.
While crossing over the Spine of the World near Kinslayer's dagger, Asmodean lamented about his home city of Shorelle as they passed what looked like crumbling docks in the high passes of the Spine of the World. Because he was sealed in the Bore before the Breaking of the World, it is believed that Asmodean has no known knowledge of precisely where Shorelle would have been located.
He was assassinated suddenly in Caemlyn after he came with Rand to help defeat Rahvin. He was also 'killed' earlier during the attack on Caemlyn along with Mat and Aviendha but this death was undone when Rand killed Rahvin with balefire. Although some Forsaken are reincarnated with different names, it is unlikely that Asmodean will ever return, since the Dark One told Demandred that Asmodean, along with Rahvin, "died the final death." It appears to be a constant in the series that if an individual is killed with balefire, the Dark One cannot reincarnate them as their thread has been burned out of the Pattern.
[edit] Capture and Service
His plans for possession of the Choedan Kal failed, however, when his plot was thwarted by Rand al'Thor. During the titanic battle that ensued, both men drawing saidin through the Choedan Kal, large parts of Rhuidean were destroyed. As the more experienced one, Asmodean gained the upper hand and thinking victory within grasp he failed to notice Rand al'Thor pulling on saidin through an angreal and using what little extra power it gave him to sever the Forsaken from his ties to the Dark One.
Lanfear, betraying the now broken man, placed a shield around the once Forsaken as a gift to Lews Therin - Rand al'Thor - that would allow Asmodean to draw just enough of the One Power to be useful for teaching al'Thor.
Continually disguised as the gleeman Jasin Natael, he helped Rand gain a better control over saidin and taught him some new weaves.
[edit] Death
During the attack on Caemlyn by Rand al'Thor's forces, Rahvin struck at the attacking army with the Power, killing Asmodean, Mat Cauthon and Aviendha amongst others. When Rand finally killed Rahvin using a very powerful blast of balefire, he undid the Forsaken's earlier attack, bringing Asmodean, Mat and Aviendha back to life.
However, for Asmodean, this was only a temporary respite. In search of refreshments, he was killed by an unknown assailant with whom he was supposedly acquainted. See Who killed Asmodean ?.
