Forsaken
From A Wheel of Time Wiki
The Forsaken were the most powerful of the Dreadlords during the War of Power, lured by the Dark One's promise of immortality. Each of them were marked in a manner such that no Shadowspawn could disobey them. They were known to followers of the Shadow as 'Those Chosen To Rule The World Forever,' or simply the 'Chosen'. Among the Atha'an Shadar (Seanchan Darkfriends) they are known formally as Da'concion, or "the Chosen Ones". The Aiel call them the Shadowsouled.
Most records indicate the thirteen most powerful of the Chosen were caught in the sealing of the Bore, imprisoned for three thousand years in dreamless sleep. Due to the general weakening of the Great Seals, some, perhaps all, had escaped by 997 NE, and all were free by 998 NE. The fates of the remaining Forsaken are unknown, but they were presumably killed at the end of the War of Power.
A well known catechism that shows the reputation of the Forsaken: The Dark One and all of the Forsaken are sealed in Shayol Ghul, sealed away by the Creator at the moment of Creation. This is incorrect, of course, as the Forsaken were not even born until the Age of Legends, and it is unclear if there even was an original "moment of Creation".
[edit] History
Once there were many Forsaken, at least thirty of high rank, but they schemed against each other as often as against the forces of the Light. When Moghedien meets Morridin for the first time she mentions that there were 29 persons at all who were allowed to touch the True Power, which must had been all the Forsaken that existed, because only they have the permission from the Dark One. By the last days of the War of Power, none approaching the strength of those now known as the Forsaken still lived, though none had died through the efforts of the Light. The Dark One encouraged such activity among his servants, as he only wished the strongest to serve him.
After the Bore was sealed, the active members of those who were called Forsaken turned their armies against each other. It is assured that none managed to survive the Breaking.
The lead thirteen however, managed to survive, by being trapped in the sealing of the Bore. Their names were:
- Aginor
- Asmodean
- Balthamel
- Be'lal
- Demandred
- Graendal
- Ishamael
- Lanfear
- Mesaana
- Moghedien
- Rahvin
- Sammael
- Semirhage
For three thousand years they were trapped in a dreamless sleep, only escaping once the Great Seals weakened sufficiently. Ishamael, however, being only partially trapped in the Bore, was spun out in forty year cycles and brought about such events as the Trolloc Wars and collapse of Artur Hawkwing's empire.
In the Third Age, these thirteen were such symbols of the Shadow that mothers would use stories of their exploits to frighten children. Upon their release, they found a world ripe for plucking. Most set themselves up in positions of power, but some worked behind the scenes.
[edit] Recent events
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Ishamael, the first of the Chosen to reveal himself, haunted the dreams of Rand, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara, suspecting one of them to be the Dragon Reborn and attemping to turn them to the Shadow. He was badly burned by Rand during a skirmish in Tel'aran'rhiod during the same struggle that killed Aginor and was wounded again in another battle in the skies above Falme. He was finally killed in the Heart of the Stone after Rand defeated him a third time with Callandor.
Sammael, Be'lal, and Rahvin became political powers, assuming the identities of Lord Brend in Illian, High Lord Samon in Tear, and Lord Gaebril in Andor respectively. All three died battling Rand al'Thor. Be'lal was killed in the Stone of Tear by Moiraine Sedai using Balefire, while Rand distracted him. Both Rahvin and Be'lal were killed by balefire, so neither of them may be reincarnated by the Great Lord.
Graendal disappeared into Arad Doman, plotting to aid the Shadow's cause under the guise of the ailing Lady Basene.
Moghedien took command of a small group of Black Ajah sisters, but was defeated and captured by Nynaeve and controlled with an a'dam. She was released by Aran'gar (see below) and summoned to Shayol Ghul, where she was mindtrapped by Moridin.
Lanfear, posing as a peddler named Keille Shaogi, and Asmodean, disguised as the gleeman Jasin Natael, led a train of Darkfriend merchants into the Aiel Waste to disrupt Rand's plans there, and to get closer to Rhuidean and the access keys of the Choedan Kal. In Rhuidean, Rand is able to cut Asmodean's ties to the Dark One, at which point, Lanfear betrayed and shielded him. Rand then forced Asmodean to teach him much about channeling the One Power. Asmodean was eventually killed in Caemlyn. It is unknown who did the deed.
Lanfear also dies in Cairhien when she learns from Hadnan Kadere that Rand had slept with Aviendha. She confronted Rand at the docks of Cairhien, meaning to kill him, but Moiraine tackled her and they both fell into a twisted redstone doorframe, which subsequently melts to the ground, trapping them both in the land of the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn.
Of the Forsaken in their original forms, only Demandred, Semirhage, Graendal, Mesaana, and Moghedien survive still. Some of the dead Forsaken have been resurrected in new bodies by the Lord of the Grave: They are Osan'gar, Aran'gar, Moridin, and Cyndane. Moridin is the Nae'blis, lord of the Forsaken, and the reincarnation of Ishamael. Cyndane is the reincarnation of Lanfear, but is currently out of favor with the Dark Lord. She is mindtrapped by Moridin, alongside Moghedien. Osan'gar is the reincarnation of Aginor who inhabits the body of Dashiva, the Asha'man. Osan'gar was killed by Elza Penfell at Shadar Logoth.
Semirhage was revealed to be masquerading as Anath Dorje, Truthspeaker of the Seanchan Daughter of the Nine Moons, and controller of High Lady Suroth, a known Darkfriend. Semirhage plotted to kill Rand al'Thor by tricking him into attending a meeting where she posed as High Lady Tuon herself but, forewarned, Rand captured Semirhage, though not without injury.
Demandred is the only Forsaken who is not currently accounted for. He was once suspected to be masquerading as Mazrim Taim, but that theory has been disproven.
