Jarna Malari

Atarah al'Norahn

General

Jarna Malari was an Aes Sedai of and Sitter for the Gray Ajah during the Aiel War (NS, Ch. 6). She was also Black Ajah, and before Alviarin, was the Head of the Black Ajah (ACoS, Prologue).

Jarna had long black hair with slashes of white at her temples, and liquid brown eyes. The top of Moiraine's head only went to her shoulder (NS, Ch. 6).

Most of the Tower thought Jarna a model in virtue (ACoS, Prologue).

Timeline

• While Moiraine and Siuan are taking notes on names collected for the Tower Bounty, Jarna arrives, wishing to speak with Moiraine. She asks Moiraine several questions about Cairhien, and who she thinks will take the Sun Throne now that Laman and his brothers are dead. Moiraine is afraid that Jarna is contemplating Moiraine for the throne (NS, Ch. 6).
• Jarna questions and kills Tamra Ospenya, making it look as if she died in her sleep (ACoS, Prologue).
• Jarna dies a gruesome death. She is snared in a ter'angreal that has been untried for centuries; for ten days, no can reach her while she screams throat-wrenching screams. The ter'angreal was activated by Ishamael, as punishment for killing Tamra and trying to kill the Dragon Reborn (ACoS, Prologue).

Miscellaneous

• With her shawl resting on her shoulders, the silken fringe was so long it nearly touched the floor (NS, Ch. 6).
• Seven Sitters, one from each Ajah, speak to Moiraine about Cairhien over the course of one day; Jarna is the first (NS, Ch. 6).
• Jarna had never had any interest in the ter'angreal that no one knew the uses for (ACoS, Prologue).
• Alviarin is terrified of meeting the same fate as Jarna (ACoS, Prologue).

Quotes

"Shortly after midmorning, Jarna Malari swept into the room, elegant in dark gray silk, with slashes of white at her temples that added to her commanding presence, sapphires in her long black hair, and more around her neck. The silken fringe on her shawl was so long that it nearly touched the floor with the shawl resting on her shoulders. Jarna was a Sitter for the Gray. Sitters rarely seemed to notice Accepted, but she motioned to Moiraine." (Moiraine; New Spring, Chapter 6).

"I fear that affairs of state never wait on grief, Moiraine. Tell me, child, who in House Damodred do you think will ascend to the Sun Throne now that Laman and his brothers are dead?" (Jarna to Moiraine; New Spring, Chapter 6).

"Your half-brother Taringail is denied by his marriage to the Queen of Andor," Jarna went on. "A ridiculous law, but he cannot change it unless he is king, and he cannot become king until it is changed. What of your elder sisters? Are they not well thought of? The...taint...seems largely to have skipped your generation." (Jarna to Moiraine; New Spring, Chapter 6).

"She Alviarin had risen because Ishamael killed her predecessor in his wrath at discovering what Jarna Malari had begun, yet it had not ended for another two years, after the death of another Amyrlin. She often wondered whether Elaida had had any hand in the death of that one, Sierin Vayu; certainly the Black Ajah had not. Jarna had had Tamra Ospenya, the Amyrlin before Sierin, squeezed like a bunch of grapes -- obtaining little juice, as it turned out -- and made her appear to have died in her sleep, but Alviarin and the other twelve sisters of the Great Council had paid in pain before they could convince Ishamael they had no responsibility for it." (Alviarin; A Crown of Swords, Prologue).

"Jarna's fate flashed into Alviarin's mind. Publicly Gray, Jarna had never shown any interest in the ter'angreal no one knew a use for -- until the day she became snared in one untried for centuries. How to activate it remained a mystery still. For ten days no one could reach her, only listen to her throat-wrenching shrieks. Most of the Tower thought Jarna a model of virtue; when what could be recovered was buried, every sister in Tar Valon and every one who could reach the city in time attended the funeral." (Alviarin; A Crown of Swords, Prologue).