Shaidar Haran
Encyclopedia
Shaidar Haran is a fictional character in the Wheel of Time
series by Robert Jordan
.
In the Old Tongue
Shaidar Haran means "Hand of the Dark". He looks like a Myrddraal but is much taller and seems to have a sense of humor. Whereas most Myrddraal wear all black robes, Shaidar Haran has been known to wear leather and even silk, so black that it seems to soak up the light around it. His standing with the Dark One
is noted by the Forsaken
on many instances: Demandred
notices that the spikes on the ceiling of the tunnel to the Pit of Doom clear Shaidar Haran's head by a hand or two, while he is forced to crawl through the tunnel with the spikes still scratching at him, and Semirhage
is told that obeying Haran is obeying the Great Lord
and disobeying him is tantamount to disobeying the Great Lord. We also learn that this Myrddraal is able to smell the difference between saidar and saidin. Also in two cases while in Shaidar Haran's presence channelers were unable to feel the One Power
, let alone channel it. Yet Shaidar Haran is limited in his ability to travel freely as he feels weak when away from Shayol Ghul
too long, a limitation he is eager to sever. This creature is thus suspected by many readers to be an Avatar
of the Dark One.
In The Gathering Storm
, he recently visited Semirhage in her captivity, telling her of the Dark One's disappointment in her failure. He freed her from the Dragon Reborn
Rand al'Thor
's Aes Sedai companions and informed her she had one final chance to redeem herself.
Haran appears briefly at the end of Towers of Midnight
to Graendal
, who is responsible for the "loss" of three Forsaken - the deaths of Aran'gar and Asmodean
- and the mental destruction of Mesaana
. It is unknown whether Haran killed her for her failures.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
series by Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
.
In the Old Tongue
Old Tongue
The Old Tongue is a fictional language from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. It is depicted as a now-dead language, spoken only by scholars and certain nobles, but still plays a role in the plot of the books.-History:...
Shaidar Haran means "Hand of the Dark". He looks like a Myrddraal but is much taller and seems to have a sense of humor. Whereas most Myrddraal wear all black robes, Shaidar Haran has been known to wear leather and even silk, so black that it seems to soak up the light around it. His standing with the Dark One
Dark One
The Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
is noted by the Forsaken
Forsaken (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series, the Forsaken are the most powerful and favored servants of the Dark One. They were formerly Aes Sedai, but became corrupted by the desire for power and immortality...
on many instances: Demandred
Demandred
Demandred is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. He is one of the Forsaken.-Origin:...
notices that the spikes on the ceiling of the tunnel to the Pit of Doom clear Shaidar Haran's head by a hand or two, while he is forced to crawl through the tunnel with the spikes still scratching at him, and Semirhage
Semirhage
Semirhage is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan...
is told that obeying Haran is obeying the Great Lord
Dark One
The Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
and disobeying him is tantamount to disobeying the Great Lord. We also learn that this Myrddraal is able to smell the difference between saidar and saidin. Also in two cases while in Shaidar Haran's presence channelers were unable to feel the One Power
One Power
In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. It comes from the True Source, and it is separated into two halves: saidin , the male half, and saidar , the female half. It is used in the series by people...
, let alone channel it. Yet Shaidar Haran is limited in his ability to travel freely as he feels weak when away from Shayol Ghul
Shayol Ghul
In the Wheel of Time fantasy novel series, Shayol Ghul is a mountain beyond the Great Blight in the north of the known world. It is the place in the physical world to which the Dark One's prison seems closest...
too long, a limitation he is eager to sever. This creature is thus suspected by many readers to be an Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
of the Dark One.
In The Gathering Storm
The Gathering Storm (novel)
The Gathering Storm is the 12th book of the fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It was incomplete when its author, Robert Jordan, died on September 16, 2007, from cardiac amyloidosis...
, he recently visited Semirhage in her captivity, telling her of the Dark One's disappointment in her failure. He freed her from the Dragon Reborn
Dragon (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the Dragon is the champion of the Light and the Creator against the evil Dark One. Although the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator at the moment of creation, he continually seeks to break free of his prison. In each Age, the Dragon...
Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor, also known as the Dragon Reborn, is the fictional main character and protagonist of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.Rand al'Thor has many other titles within the series:...
's Aes Sedai companions and informed her she had one final chance to redeem herself.
Haran appears briefly at the end of Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is the sequel to the novel The Gathering Storm, and the 13th book in the Wheel of Time series.The novel is the second part of A Memory of Light, Robert Jordan's projected final book...
to Graendal
Graendal
Graendal is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is one of the Forsaken.-Age of Legends:...
, who is responsible for the "loss" of three Forsaken - the deaths of Aran'gar and Asmodean
Asmodean
Asmodean is a major antagonist in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Age of Legends:...
- and the mental destruction of Mesaana
Mesaana
Mesaana is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is one of the Forsaken.-Origin:...
. It is unknown whether Haran killed her for her failures.