Masuri, Annoura and Masema's Shiny Dragon Man

[Luckers]

Masuri, Annoura and the Shiny Dragon Man

 

Ok, in this thread I'm going to try to offer an answer for two mysteries. Who is the Fake Rand who appears to Masema in tGS, and who are Masuri and Annoura meeting with in Masema's camp throughout KoD. It's somewhat convuluted, so bear with me.

 

Who are Masuri and Annoura Meeting With?

 

In KoD Masuri and Annoura (and Masuri's Warder) are seen within Masema's camp by Havier, one of the Cha Faile. The question is--who were they going to meet, and why?

 

Masema

 

Perrin believes they went to meet Masema himself, which stands to reason given that (to Perrin) he is the only figure in that camp worth an Aes Sedai's attention--the rest all being rag tag zealots. Yet this seems strange--Masema hates Aes Sedai, and they don't seem too fond of him either. Perrin even notices that they seem to be growing to hate each other even more in spite of the ongoing meetings.

 

"...a pity you will not let the Seanchan leash all of them." [Masema's] sidelong glance at Annoura and Masuri said he included them, despite the fact that both had visited him in secret more than once. They regarded him with Aes Sedai calm, though Masuri's slim hands moved as if to smooth her brown skirts. She said she had changed her mind and now believed the man must be killed, so why was she meeting him? Why was Annoura? Why did Masema allow them? He more than hated Aes Sedai.

 

[KoD--The Last Knot--629]

 

So, if we are to trust Perrin's assumptions, there are several curiosities here. Let me state them...

 

1. Both Masuri and Annoura claim Masema must be killed--Masuri having originally believed she could use him has changed her mind--yet even after changing it, both she and Annoura continue to sneak into his camp.

 

2. Masema allows it, despite his hatred of Aes Sedai.

 

Or rather, these are the problems Perrin sees based on the idea of Masuri and Annoura meeting with Masema. Yet in truth neither Aes Sedai was seen with Masema. Selende says 'they have been meeting with Masema' but all that happened was that one of her people saw Masuri and her Warder, and occasionally Annoura with them, sneaking into and out of the camp. Her comments are clear on this--they were seen only in transit.

 

“Masuri Sedai has visited Masema… the Prophet. It is true my Lord; believe me! Havier has seen her more than once. She slips into their camp hooded and leaves the same way, but he has had a good look at her face twice.

 

They are never actually seen with Masema, and given the apparent hatred cited above that seems very hard to swallow. Of course they could be dissembling, hiding their associations--but that seems difficult. Masema does not have the control to pull this off, and Masuri's gestures--the clenching of her hands, her vocally changed opinion in reguards to Masema needing to die--only serve to draw attention to her and Masema.

 

This of course brings us back to the question of who they were going to meet in that rabble of insanity--but first there is one other question to be asked, and that is why Masuri and Annoura? Or, put another way...

 

Why not Seonid?

 

Concider; we have a Green, a Brown and a Grey. The Green and the Brown are both rebels, whilst the Grey is unaffiliated. The Green and Brown are both oathsworn to the Dragon, whilst the Grey serves Berelain. The Green and the Brown are both apprentices to the Wise Ones, the Grey is 'technically' her own woman. Moreover the Grey and the Brown both support killing Masema, whilst initially the Green did not.

 

So why are the Brown and the Grey colluding, yet not including the Green? Havier has observed Masuri and Annoura entering the camp quite a few times, but Seonid is never present. There is no political or personal reasons for this strange grouping.

 

Well, no, thats not right. There is a theoretical reason for such a collusion--Annoura and Masuri are Black Ajah, Seonid is not. It's a guess, true, but it's the only thing that allows for those two to be acting together, yet be excluding the third. On every other thing that might bring Aes Sedai together, yet exclude a third, they differ--Ajah, allegiances, history, temperament. If this is true it provides a stepping stone to the original question--'who would Masuri and Annoura interested in meeting with?' becomes instead...

 

Who Would the Black Ajah be Interested in Meeting With?

 

The Shiny Dragon Man?

 

The obvious answer is that they were meeting the fellow who has been manipulating Masema--in tGS Masema references the Shiny Dragon Man.

 

The Dragon had appeared to him the night before the attack. Appeared in glory! A figure of light, glowing in the air in shimmering robes. Kill Perrin Aybara! the Dragon had commanded. Kill him! And so the Prophet had sent his very best tool, Aybara's own dear friend.

 

[tGS; Prologue, What the Storm Means]

 

Now Brandon has made clear this Dragon was not just a delusion on Masema's part.

 

Someone asked if Sanderson could reveal who was behind the visions that Masema was having. Sanderson basically said that there definitely was someone involved with Masema having visions--he did not provide any further details other than to say that Masema's visions weren't just from Masema being crazy.

 

[tGS Signing Q&A]

 

So, could this not be who Masuri and Annoura were meeting with? Perhaps. This would imply however that rather than simply dropping in to point Masema at Perrin, and maybe a few other tweaks in the past, the person disguising themself as Rand held permenant residence near Masema, and was disguised as a part of Masema's following, and thus there in order to be met by Masuri and Annoura.

 

Now people have been suggesting this one for years. One of the Forsaken (usually Demandred, the go-to guy for unexplained plots) is manipulating Masema's rabid followers in order to spread chaos. At first glance it seems reasonable--they have been instructed to let the Lord of Chaos rule after all. The problem with this suggestion is that manipulating a mad man and his zealous mob would take way too much constant attention and subtle manipulation. It would be a full time job even for one of the Forsaken, and for its effects its just not worth their effort--oh, it creates chaos, but not on a grand enough scale to keep one of the big boys occupied full time.

 

Masema is just not a big enough fish. Yes, to drop in as a shiny figure of doom now and then, but to dedicate oneself to entirely...?

 

If Not The Fake Dragon, Then Who?

 

It's possible, of course, that the Fake Dragon is the extent of the manipulation of Masema, and that he was otherwise untouched by the Shadow--and is, in effect, just your average run of the mill religious fanatic... but that doesn't answer who Masuri and Annoura were meeting with. Also there is Masema's success to take into account.

 

We see in tGS his shock that the Dragon didn't protect his people.

 

"...The Prophet had been so certain. He had assumed that the Dragon would protect his people, lead them to a powerful victory..."

 

"...Around him, men died, just as they had earlier. Why, why hadn't the Dragon protected them? Why?..."

 

[tGS; Prologue, What the Storm Means]

 

There is no consideration of tactics there. Masema knows war, knows how the Aiel fight, and should have known the outcome of his rabble versus Aiel spears, yet he is clearly beyond employing any of his knowledge. Beyond even remembering that knowledge--and we know this is not a new delusion. We see his complete break with reality through Nynaeve in tFoH with his marrying people off by the hundreds, and so forth.

 

He is a genuine fanatic. He believes things will work out well because of the purity of his cause, and thus makes no efforts to ensure they do work out. That's not different from any other religious fanatic, but what is strange is that until Malden they actually did work out--armies fell, kings and queens were dethroned, and no one succeeded in assasinating him or breaking his hold on events.

 

Why? The luck of a madman? Or because someone behind the scenes was manipulating events? Blunting opposition, spreading misinformation--protecting him, in effect, from his own stupidity.

 

So, there is the suggestion that there is a more permenant manipulator hanging around Masema than the Fake Rand. But who might that be?

 

Rianna and Berylla

 

In tFoH Moghedian takes control of Liandrin's group and gives a various number of tasks to them, tasks that she thinks may 'bear sweet fruit'.

 

From where she stood, Liandrin could see their faces even if their mouths moved soundlessly for her. Plainly each woman was receiving orders the others knew nothing of. The faces told little, though. Rianna merely listened, a touch of relief in her eyes, bowed her head in assent and went. Marillin looked surprised, and then eager, but she had been a Brown, and Browns could be enthusiastic over anything that allowed them a chance to unearth some moldy bit of lost knowledge. Jeaine Caide donned a slow mask of horror, shaking her head at first and trying to cover herself and that disgustingly sheer gown, but Moghedien's face hardened, and Jeaine nodded hurriedly and fled, if not as eagerly as Marillin, just as quickly. Berylla Naron, lean almost to scrawniness and as fine a manipulator and plotter as there was, and Falion Bhoda, long-faced and cold despite her obvious fear, showed as little expression as Rianna had. Ispan Shefar, like Liandrin from Tarabon, though dark-haired, actually kissed Moghedien's hem before she rose.

 

[tFoH--18--A Hound of Darkness]

 

Three of those number are unaccounted for. Jeaine is unlikely as a candidate for this, because she reacts to her instructions with horror, but Rianna and Berylla react in almost the same manner. Calm acceptance with perhaps a little excitement.

 

Now consider the situation. Moghedian was perfectly place to note Masema's appearence in the world and seek to exploit it. She was in Amador looking directly at him whilst she was locating Nynaeve and Elayne, and later, figuring out her backstory for Marigan. It's clearly not something she would have bothered with herself, but sending a few half-trained children to exploit the situation...?

 

Additionally, Berylla and Rianna's temprements fit this mission. Berylla is cited by Liandrin as being a deft manipulator and plotter. Rianna, a White, was described as cold with an eye that saw deep into you. Those two would be perfect for this, and Moghedian would be exactly the sort of person who would see it. A deft manipulator and a person who could perceive a persons flaws could tweak a growing mob in exactly the right ways to ensure it grows--they also explain Masema's ongoing survival--a mob should not have held up so well, but with two Aes Sedai, deft at politics, hamstringing the opposition....

 

So, that's who I would suggest Annoura and Masuri went to meet--they either identified themselves without letting Seonid know, or (as I suspect is more likely) Annoura and Masuri were ordered to join with and aid Berylla and Rianna.

 

Back To the Shiny Dragon!

 

This seems to be getting a little elaborate, doesn't it? Are we then to suggest two different groups are working their manipulations on Masema seperately of each other?

 

Well no, that needn't be the case. Firstly, note that after Moghedian gets soultrapped, Moridin takes charge of at least two of the Aes Sedai Moghedian was ordering about--Falion whom he gives to Mili Skane (Lady Shiaine) and Marillin whom he has Moghedian order to help Mili Skane with her work in the Palace. I also wouldn't be surprised if he was the one to order Ispan's assasination--that seemed a little too elaborate for it to be Careane on her own. But who know's.

 

The point is Moridin clearly pressed Moghedian for her plans, and, where he chose, redirected them. Now consider that the Shiny Dragon Man seemingly was acting in accordance with the orders given by Moridin in [KoD; 3, At the Gardens]. Note, too, that Moghedian has been said to be in charge of trying to act on those orders.

 

Moridin was gathering the Great Lord's forces for the Last Battle, and his war preparations left him very little time for the south—though his two minions, Cyndane and Moghedien, occasionally showed their faces there. They spent their time rallying the Darkfriends and occasionally trying to follow Moridin's orders that the two ta'veren—Perrin Aybara and Matrim Cauthon—be killed.

 

[tGS; Prologue, What the Storm Means]

 

There is also evidence that someone redirected Masuri--she was adament that Masema could be used, but then suddenly she wants him dead? Why? To shatter the Dragonsworn with him. In the kind of melee that would follow someone assasinating Masema perhaps there would be an opportunity to slay Perrin--indeed was that not exactly the same method Masema employed, except using the chaos of that attack on Malden instead of the chaos of the Dragonsworn going nuts (and likely attacking Perrin's army)?

 

Conclusions

 

So that is my theory. That Moghedian realised the potential for chaos in Masema and set two of the Black Ajah to milk it for all its worth. That Moridin reigned in these Black Sisters along with others of Moghedian's old agents after he bound her, and set them to continue increasing chaos--directing Annoura and Masuri to assist when they came near. Then, when he decided to kill Perrin, he (or Moghedian) thought to use to volatility surrounding Masema to attempt to achieve that end, dressed himself up in Shiny Dragon Robes, and paid a visit to the worlds number one fanatic.

 

 

A Few Other Thoughts

 

Aes Sedai Badasses

 

Under this theory it seems possible--albeit unlikely in my opinion--that Masuri, Annoura, Berylla or Rianna could be the Shiny Dragon themselves. This would require either that one of the Forsaken trained them in Mirror of Mists, or that they knew it through a 'trick' (not impossible--Moiraine knew Folded Light which is not dissimilar). Nevertheless they would still be acting on Moridin's orders.

 

Demandred (or insert other Forsaken)

 

Now I'm not trying to say my theory proves the Demandred one wrong--but I did feel I should address it because it's the most popular out there, which means responses to this would likely be to state the Demandred one.

 

I do understand why people think of Demandred when this comes up. He is the go-to guy for any unresolved naughty plots, if only because he is so shy. Beyond that though there is nothing to really point to him. Yes, Sammael's comments about events in the south might apply to this--on the other hand Sammael was in Natrin's Barrow, and so the vast majority of the world was to the south of him. It's said, too, that Demandred likes using proxies--but a proxy is an agent, a person you've authorized to act on your behalf. Does that fit with duping an insane man? By that definition all the Forsaken who have seized control using compulsion were using them as 'proxies'.

 

Honestly though, I'd bite and believe him the perp too if there were the slightest indication of him having an agent in the area. Moghedian's presence at that time in the story, the focus of her attention on Samara, and her access to Rianna and Berylla fit too neatly, which is why I lean to her and Moridin. Although, that being said, I'm not sure if this would fit him anyway--He is a general, direct action is his game--manipulating the fear and hatred of a pseudo-religious following, that’s much subtler.

 

But, yes... nothing really to point to him, but then nothing to rule him out either.

 

[rinse and repeat with the other Forsaken, or even Taim. Nothing rules them out, but nothing specifically suggests them. After Moggy and Moridin, Dem has the strongest pull].

[Luckers]

Tamyrlin of Theoryland, who is a wonderfully cool person, asked Brandon about this on my behalf.

 

Luckers - I saw Brandon this evening at a local signing event. And just for you I asked a question that I think will interest you greatly.

 

Matt: This has to do with the Luckers’ Shiny Dragon theory. Masema mentions having a vision, someone tells him to kill Perrin. So, my question, was the individual telling him to kill Perrin a male or female?

 

Brandon: He saw a male.

 

Matt: He did, but was the individual a male or a female?

 

Brandon: (Laughs appreciatively and pauses)

 

Brandon: Yes, yes he was a male or a female.

 

Matt: (Laughs) Was the individual a male?

 

Brandon: (Thoughtful, deep intake of breath, pause)

 

Matt: …as classically defined by his physical…(laughter)

 

Brandon: (Says, yes I get what you are asking)…

 

Matt: ...I’ll say it this way, does this individual have the soul of a man or a woman?

 

Brandon: mmmhmm. (pauses looking up for a good twenty or thirty seconds)

 

Brandon: Female.

 

So, Moridin's out. This makes Moghedian strong in my mind, with the lesser chances being Cyndane or one of the Black Ajah (Masuri, Annoura, Rhianna, Berylla). Cyndane is more likely than the Black Ajah.

[lordofsoup]

wow that is cool to know

[Charlz Guybon]

wow that is cool to know

I'll go with Lanfear, she's probably the one who pushed him over the edge in the beginning. Who else would have wanted Rand to have an army of fanatics at his beck and call.

[yoniy0]

Very cool indeed.

 

One problem, though. If either Moridin or Moghedian were in any kind of contact with a Black inside Perrin's camp, why wouldn't they go all out with a plan to kill him? Isn't his life worth that of a Black sister to them? Wouldn't they order said Black to assassinate him promptly, perhaps offer some kind of rescue (or even teach her Travelling, in case she doesn't already know it) to persuade her that she might survive the attempt? But really, I can definitely see them persuade a Black to take on a suicide mission - after all, if Moridin decides she's to be killed, I'm sure she'd prefer the Aiel way of doing it to Moridin's.

[Sharaman]

I'm assuming Masema started being fiddled with in the TDR-TSR phase since the Prophet was well and truly off-kilter by TFoH. It shouldn't be Lanfear, Moggy, or Semirhage - their concerns lay elsewhere. The first revelation he received about the DR at the end of TGH was just a trigger (Falme was genuine DR, of course).

Mesaana and Graendal can't be ruled out.

Messi likes this shiny disguise sorta thing with chiming voices. She's been active since TDR (retro-inferred since she met Verin in the WT before Verin went to the Two Rivers). Graendal has many fingers in many pies and she's also generally good at the forgery, compulsion, turning people nuts (or healing their nuttiness) thing. One point in her favour is that whoever has manipulated Masema has maintained a delicate balance - kept him loony but functional. Graendal is acknowledged even by the FS as the very best evah at handling insanity.

[martianblues]

I'm assuming Masema started being fiddled with in the TDR-TSR phase since the Prophet was well and truly off-kilter by TFoH.

 

Yeah, after that scene in TGS with the shiny man, I was thinking somebody could have been messing with him pretty early on, because he spoke as if he had been receiving revelations from the Lord Dragon, pronouncing laws and blasphemies and such.

 

But on the other hand, before I had always viewed Masema as a sad allegory of overzealous religious fervor in general, and more specifically of the whole Spanish Inquisition thing, performing atrocities in the name of "Him" and what he saw as the higher good. He could have been well on his way to madness from his own power and fervor before one of the Forsaken decided to take the opportunity to start nudging him in certain directions.

[Hybrid]

He was already pretty nuts in TDR after Rand left. Then Moiraine sent them to Ghealdan, where they had to fend for themselves without the Lord Dragon, Light-Made-Flesh, which probably didn't help Masema's condition at all. The Black Ajah might have been working to keep him alive, but IMO the only tampering that anyone did was to send him after Perrin.

[Val Mickey]

Very cool indeed.

 

One problem, though. If either Moridin or Moghedian were in any kind of contact with a Black inside Perrin's camp, why wouldn't they go all out with a plan to kill him? Isn't his life worth that of a Black sister to them? Wouldn't they order said Black to assassinate him promptly, perhaps offer some kind of rescue (or even teach her Travelling, in case she doesn't already know it) to persuade her that she might survive the attempt? But really, I can definitely see them persuade a Black to take on a suicide mission - after all, if Moridin decides she's to be killed, I'm sure she'd prefer the Aiel way of doing it to Moridin's.

 

Why not take him out herself? (Moghedien, I mean. Or whoever the Shiny Dragon Crossdresser is)

[Sharaman]

Very cool indeed.

 

One problem, though. If either Moridin or Moghedian were in any kind of contact with a Black inside Perrin's camp, why wouldn't they go all out with a plan to kill him? Isn't his life worth that of a Black sister to them? Wouldn't they order said Black to assassinate him promptly, perhaps offer some kind of rescue (or even teach her Travelling, in case she doesn't already know it) to persuade her that she might survive the attempt? But really, I can definitely see them persuade a Black to take on a suicide mission - after all, if Moridin decides she's to be killed, I'm sure she'd prefer the Aiel way of doing it to Moridin's.

 

Why not take him out herself? (Moghedien, I mean. Or whoever the Shiny Dragon Crossdresser is)

This is one reason why Cyndane/Lanfear, Moggy are less likely as the imposter. Moridin has given instructions to kill Mat and Perrin. These two would be the least likely to disobey, or miss out on an opportunity to do the job, whereas Graendal/ Mesaana may, if they have other plans in play.

[Luckers]

Very cool indeed.

 

One problem, though. If either Moridin or Moghedian were in any kind of contact with a Black inside Perrin's camp, why wouldn't they go all out with a plan to kill him? Isn't his life worth that of a Black sister to them? Wouldn't they order said Black to assassinate him promptly, perhaps offer some kind of rescue (or even teach her Travelling, in case she doesn't already know it) to persuade her that she might survive the attempt? But really, I can definitely see them persuade a Black to take on a suicide mission - after all, if Moridin decides she's to be killed, I'm sure she'd prefer the Aiel way of doing it to Moridin's.

 

Why not take him out herself? (Moghedien, I mean. Or whoever the Shiny Dragon Crossdresser is)

 

Cowardice? There are a number of channelers around, and Moghedien's afraid of her own shadow. As long as she made out to Moridin that Perrin was constantly surrounded by channelers (not incorrect, if not entirely an accurate representation) then she protects herself from facing any risk whatsoever.

 

From there manipulating a religious maniac to kill Perrin is a very Moghedien thing to do.

[Kaznen]

Remember at first the chaos helped Rand. Now that Rands needs order the world is settling down. And at first Masema wasn't a blip on the forsaken's radar.

 

The "vision" he had could have only been done by Moggy and Cy. No one else has the skill to enter another's dream in that matter. Not one of the other forsaken, not Egwene, Amys, Bair, or Melaine. They can send messages and pull people into TAR but they can't appear as someone else in another's dream. Look at the trouble Asmodean had.

 

And Perrin can walk TAR as well and the forsaken know it. He is the biggest threat of all the team light dreamers because he is the only one who doesn't use TAR to spy on other members of team Light. He uses it to spy and scout out the shadow and their intrests.

[Val Mickey]

Moggy's not afraid of confrontation. She isn't overtly brave, but she doesn't shy away from it either. Moridin knows she spent time within the Salidar camp, so she has no excuse of being wary of 'half-trained girls.' And she's known to strike from the shadows, so her MO would be to get Perrin isolated, then blast him. Manipulation is more a Graendal thing.

 

IMO Lanfear's disguises are so good, she would've appeared to Masema as Rand himself, rather than a Shiny Dragon man.

[Luckers]

Moggy's not afraid of confrontation. She isn't overtly brave, but she doesn't shy away from it either. Moridin knows she spent time within the Salidar camp, so she has no excuse of being wary of 'half-trained girls.' And she's known to strike from the shadows, so her MO would be to get Perrin isolated, then blast him. Manipulation is more a Graendal thing.

 

Depends on the type of confrontation. Striking at Perrin with six Wise Ones, two Asha'men and at least one Aes Sedai nearby is dangerous. Hiding in the shadows and manipulating people into doing things rather then doing them herself is Moghedien's MO. It's not more of a Graendal thing, Graendal just does it as well, and probably better.

 

Consider, this is precisely what she did in both Tenchico and Salidar--she disguised herself and manipulated from the periphery. It's what the spider does, she spins her webs and lets her victims be caught before she moves on them.

[Val Mickey]

Consider, this is precisely what she did in both Tenchico and Salidar--she disguised herself and manipulated from the periphery. It's what the spider does, she spins her webs and lets her victims be caught before she moves on them.

 

And she went for the kill herself, at both places.

[Luckers]

Consider, this is precisely what she did in both Tenchico and Salidar--she disguised herself and manipulated from the periphery. It's what the spider does, she spins her webs and lets her victims be caught before she moves on them.

 

And she went for the kill herself, at both places.

 

Actually in both place Nynaeve identified her, causing the ultimate confrontation. Even in the Dream Fight Nynaeve and Birgitte came to her, not the other way round. She does act, but usually only in reaction.

[Val Mickey]

Actually, in the Dream Fight, Moggy chased Nynaeve to that place in Cairhien, and revealed herself when Nynaeve was still collecting her thoughts. And in Tanchico, she went to Rendra's inn (don't remember the name, Plums? Dates?), right to the Chamber of Falling Blossoms, and Compulsed two strong (untrained, true but still) channelers. And she managed to trap Egwene in TAR. Twice. She takes the initiative, oh yes she does.

 

But if Moridin (via Moghedien) has located Perrin, why doesn't he do the job himself? Or send Lanfear? I forget, the two "Da'covale" are not exactly compliant.

[martianblues]

The "vision" he had could have only been done by Moggy and Cy. No one else has the skill to enter another's dream in that matter. Not one of the other forsaken, not Egwene, Amys, Bair, or Melaine. They can send messages and pull people into TAR but they can't appear as someone else in another's dream. Look at the trouble Asmodean had.

 

was his "vision" in a dream? I can't recall now. I was thinking it was waking, and it was somebody disguised with the power to look like Rand with Illusion. And I'm sure all of the Forsaken know how to do that, tho Mesaana and Semirage both had done the more flamboyant examples, as figures of light or fire and such.

[Kaznen]

Because Masema was the only who saw this I think it is safe to assume it was a dream. I doupt he get much privacy in his war camp. And a dream would have more impact.

[jwbmdt6]

I just started rereading KoD. Luckers suggests in his original post that Masuri and Annoura may be Black Ajah, and I originally favored that interpretation myself, but from what I just recently read in KoD I wonder if that might be less likely than what I originally thought.

 

In the prologue Galina meets up with Perrin. We know that Galina is Black, and that she is second only to Alviarin herself, the Head of the Black, in the Supreme Council. We know from Alviarin's POV that she knows the names of every Black Sister, and there are only three other women who know that she is the head of the Black. This includes Galina, Sheriam, and one other (I'm not sure who).

 

Linda at the 13th Depository wrote an article on the Black Ajah, and in it she states that Sheriam's ability to recognize Verin as a Black Sister when Egwene does the big reveal in tGS may indicate (and I repeat, MAY) that Alviarin isn't the only member of the Supreme Council who knows Black sisters outside of her own Heart (+1). She explains it a lot better than me, but she does make the case that it is possible that the three who know the identity of the Head of the Black Ajah may also know the names of all or many of the Black Sisters as well.

 

IF Linda is correct in her idea that Sheriam MIGHT know the names of other Black Sisters, Galina would certainly also know the names of more sisters.

 

So now let's look at the prologue of KoD:

 

KoD: Embers Falling on Dry Grass - Galina's POV

 

"There are other sisters in the camp, Alyse Sedai [Galina]. Masuri Sokawa and Seonid Traighan, and my own advisor, Annoura Larisen. Would you like to speak to them after you finish with Perrin?"

 

With feigned casualness, Galina drew up her cowl till her face was shadowed and took another swallow of wine for time to think. Annoura's presence was understandable, given Berelain's, but what were the other two doing there? They had been among those who fled the Tower after Siuan was deposed and Elaida raised. True, none of them would know of her involvement in kidnapping the al'Thor boy for Elaida, but still. . . .

 

"I think not," she [Galina] murmured. "their business is theirs, and mine is mine." She would have given a great deal to know their business, but not at the cost of being recognized. Any friend of the Dragon Reborn might have . . . notions . . . about a Red. "Help me convince Aybara, Berelain. . ."

 

IF Galina has knowledge of the names of the Black Sisters, which is possible, she appears not to recognize Annoura and Masuri as Black. If she did know that there were two Black Sisters among Perrin's company, and that she had authority over them (which she certainly does), I would think that she would actually be very interested in using them to aid her escape.

 

Of course, Galina may not know the names of all the Black Sisters as Alviarin does. But that would make us have to question how Sheriam seems to know what she knows in tGS (which could be as simple as Verin having been in Sheriam's Heart, or her +1).

 

But let me also say that Katerine didn't know that Galina was Black until they went together to Cairhien with Elaida's embassy. For Katerine to have found out Galina must have revealed herself to her. There are only two ways that Galina could have known to do that. Either Alviarin revealed to Galina that Katerine was a fellow Black Sister and ordered her to make contact, or Galina already knew and chose to make contact.

 

This is all "ifs" and "maybes", but . . . I think that it is a possibility that Galina knows the names of most or all of the Sisters in the Black Ajah, and if that is true, then I think it would be very unlikely that Annoura or Masuri would be Black.

[Sharaman]

The BA and DFs in general use signals such as code words, hand gestures, and ears wiggled in Morse code, etc, to identify each other. Delana for instance, immediately deferred to Halima who came and made such a signal, even before she learnt who Halima was. Galina may have known / not known about Katerine and just discreetly checked out everybody in the kidnap squad. Four of them were BA, including G herself.

[Phelix]

One point to the original post, modern Aes Sedai know how to use the Mirror of Mists as evidenced by the Salidar Delegation to Rand in Caemlyn, they used it to make themselves grow into giants while talking with Rand and he smashed it around them.

 

So, any of the four Aes Sedai could have been the shiny Dragon if they chose to weave the mirror of mists.

[Sagacious Lu]

I don't see how the ability to make oneself look bigger and louder (which Moiraine used in tEotW agains the WC in Baerlon) translates to something as complicated as completely changing your appearance. One is a very simple illusion, the other is very complex.

 

 

 

 

One point to the original post, modern Aes Sedai know how to use the Mirror of Mists as evidenced by the Salidar Delegation to Rand in Caemlyn, they used it to make themselves grow into giants while talking with Rand and he smashed it around them.

 

So, any of the four Aes Sedai could have been the shiny Dragon if they chose to weave the mirror of mists.

[Louise]

A point to the Moghedien doesn't favour direct attacks argument.... If Moridin orders, she must obey. Sure she'd try and weasel her way out of it if possible, but a direct, 'kill Aybarra now' order doesn't leave much room for her to wriggle out of it. Therefore, if indeed Moridin, through Moghedien, was manipulating Masema I think the direct order would have been given. once Masema was in with Perrin.

[Sharaman]

Isn't there a standing order to "Kill Mat Kill Aybara" anyway? Moggy would surely kill Perrin if she thought she could, and get away with it. Also, Moggy had a VoG moment at the Cleansing - she's a changed Chosen since in terms of having gone beyond beilg ruled by her normal terror. My impression though, is that whoever started manipulating Masema, started a long time ago. Mesaana or Graendal seem likely candidates.