Everything About Verin.

[Ziggdiezan]

I havent seen a major post about Verin, maby im crazy. She is one the mysterious characters i have found. She was going to posion Cadsuane (think i spelt it wrong :( ) and used complulsion. If you know some info on her please post!!

[Gentled Ben]

She is a short, pudgy Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah. Her Warder's name is Tomas.  :)

 

 

Seriously, though, why not read the WOTFAQ article(s) on her here: http://www.steelypips.org/wotfaq/, and then return with more specific thoughts and questions about her? I can almost guarantee that

a) there are already numerous, lengthy threads about Verin buried somewhere on this forum, and

b) so long as you have some specific things to discuss, rather than a general, "'sup wit dat?" kind of thread, people will enthusiastically help you create a new one, as she is a popular topic.

[schizm]

Jordan purposely made her a mysterious character, IMO. I think this way he could bouce a lot of suspicions her way, to divert in other things. I think that she'll prove herself to be not so scatterbrained in the final book. I have to admit I really like her character though.

 

What I want to know about her is what she did in Far Madding that was so bad that she can't even use her real name there?

[mb]

This page is a good source about Verin::

http://encyclopaedia-wot.org:8008/characters/uz/verin.html

 

[Luckers]

I think its clear she's working towards a goal--so the key to her character is to look at what she's done and what it might achieve. I'll be clear before beginning... I think her target is the Aes Sedai. And by that I don't mean that she plans to destroy them, i mean she is attempting to stop them from destroying everything. I believe that Corianin's Nedeal's notes contained comments analysing the various shortcomings of the Aes Sedai--or perhaps dreams reguarding how those shortcomings could hurt the future if the Aes Sedai were too easily able to get their own way.

 

Concider the things she does and the effect that they have.

 

1. The Lie. Verin had no need to say it whatsoever--the Shienar practically worship Aes Sedai, she could have told them the a pink bunny rabit named Lulu had sent her and they would have bowed and whispered honours to the Sister. About the only thing it directly achieves is that it disrupts everything Moiraine was trying to achieve by letting Rand go off 'by himself', and thus drives a wedge between Rand and the one Aes Sedai he might be willing to obey.

 

And she does the opposite to. Pretty much every second word out of her mouth to Moiraine and Siuan seem to play on the prejudices and fears Aes Sedai have about men who can channel. Seriously, go re-read the chapters in tGH and late tDR--i never realised how much before because those comments come out of pretty much every Aes Sedai's mouth at some stage in the series, but we know Verin doesn't think those things, which makes those comments calculated--and calculated at keeping Moiraine and Siuan wary of Rand.

 

2. Corianin's Notes. You all know what i think they contain. Verin conciders destroying them, and then she conciders giving them to Egwene. The reason she conciders destroying them is obvious. Questioning the Tower, directly acting against its best interest and in the interest of a man who can channel is against both Law and custom, it would see her stilled. But why does she concider giving them to Egwene?

 

I suspect that like Moiraine, Verin realises Egwene will become a driving force in the Tower--and that given Egwene's connections with Rand, she would have strong reason to redirect the Tower toward a more successful, less disaterous interaction.

 

3. Warning Perrin. This may or may not be a Verrinism, but Verin warns Perrin about Alanna--likely because she knew the woman was concidering bonding him. It could just be an act of decency, but it does continue with the same segragation of herself from Tower loyalties.

 

4. She incites the Salidar Embassy into that disasterous confrontation with Rand--Merana herself notes it. This seems strange--she knew it would drive them apart, yet later she compels Aes Sedai to help him. This was the incident that led me to this thought. She is acting to bring the Aes Sedai into helping Rand, but she is also acting to keep them from gaining control of Rand.

 

5. She compels the Aes Sedai into aiding him. Self evident what that means.

 

6. She conciders killing Cadsuane but stops specifically when Cadsuane reveals that she intends to act in his best interest, and that her actions and her bullying had nothing to do with getting control of him. Again, acting to stop Aes Sedai hubris and willfullness from taking over.

 

7. She herself warns him in her letter to beware all Sisters.

 

Ultimately every one of her peculiar actions lend themself to one thing--Verin acting to keep Aes Sedai from taking over, and yet still stay involved in the fight against the Shadow.