Age of Legends
Lanfear was known as Mierin Eronaile during the Age of Legends. Hailed as one of the most beautiful women of any age, she has dark hair and eyes, pale skin, and is as tall as most men. She is known for wearing pristine white with silver jewelry.
Mierin worked at Collam Daan, where she conducted research into the One Power. Although she never earned the honorific third name, she was well respected by her peers. The Aes Sedai of the time could do marvelous things, yet the restriction of male and female tapping different sources began to chafe. All believed even more wondrous things would be achieved if men and women could work together. Mierin was leading the group looking for a new source, and it was she that found what they believed to be this sought after source.
In reality, it was a small area in the pattern over the Dark One's prison that had become dangerously thin. Since the Dark One was not known during the Age of Legends, we must assume Mierin did not know the end result of her experiment.
Along with a male Aes Sedai by the name of Beidomon, Mierin bored into the weakened place in the pattern , and the Dark One was able to touch the world again.
Lanfear and the Dragon
It was well known that Lews Therin and Mierin had been involved in a relationship. Lews eventually broke it off after realizing Mierin was not in love with him, but with prestige and power. Mierin never accepted the break, even after Lews married Ilyena Moerelle Dalisar. It was not long after gate crashing Lews Therin's wedding that Mierin swore herself to the Dark One in the Hall of Servants. The only Forsaken to choose her name, she was ever after known as Lanfear, which means "Daughter of the Night".
The War
Lanfear never led any armies for the Shadow, yet she was very useful in other respects. She was believed to be the second most powerful of the Forsaken, surpassed by only Ishmael. Using her power, and her talent in Tel'aran'rhiod , Lanfear performed assassinations, and frightened people into submission, even convincing entire cities to riot against their governments!
When the Bore was sealed by the Dragon and the hundred companions, Lanfear was buried deep.
The Third Age
When the seals weakened and began breaking, the Forsaken were freed into the Third Age. Lanfear was untouched by the 3000 years that had passed since the Bore was sealed, and was as beautiful as ever. The obsession she had for the Dragon had not been diminished either, and she transferred it whole to the Dragon Reborn, Rand al'Thor.
We first see her disguised as Selene, a Cairhien Noble. Since then Lanfear has appeared and caused trouble with many of our heroes in many guises. This list of identities includes: Sylvie in the World of Dreams, Else Grinwell in Tar Valon, Kielle Shaogi in the Waste. It was in Rhuidean that Lanfear shielded Asmodean so Rand could have a teacher.
Death and Ressurection
At the docks in Cairhien, Lanfear explodes and attacks Rand, Egwene, Aviendha, Moiraine, and Lan. During the struggle Rand is about to be overwhelmed by her when Moiraine launches herself at Lanfear and they both fall through a doorway ter'angreal. Both were believed dead.
A while later, we meet a young woman named Cyndane, which means "Last Chance" in the Old Tongue, being controlled by Moridin. Although she is a short, young, buxom woman with silver hair and blue eyes, and considerably weaker than Lanfear, it is commonly believed that it IS her. Given a new body by the Dark One after her "death" in Cairhien, and controlled by Moridin via a mindtrap, Lanfear is back and ready to cause more trouble for the Dragon Reborn.
What this means for Moiraine... we do not yet know.
~ By Jodea, as her Accepted project ~
Submitted July 2002
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