Sheriam Bayanar

Author: Estyrien al'Halien

SHEER-ee-ahm bae-Yahn-ahr ; suggested

General

Sheriam Sedai is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah (TGH, Ch. 23). She was Mistress of Novices under Siuan Sanche when she was the Amyrlin Seat (TPoD, Ch. 17). She is one of the Salidar Aes Sedai (LoC, Ch. 8), not surprisingly since there are no Blue sisters under Elaida (TFoH, Prologue). Sheriam is a high ranking member of the Salidar Aes Sedai (TFoH, Ch. 27), and is Egwene's Keeper of the Chronicles (LoC, Ch. 36).

Sheriam has hair the colour of fire and tilted pale green eyes that mark her as Saldaean. She is plump but that does not hide her high cheekbones. She has a warm smile (TGH, Ch. 18). As an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah, she wears a blue fringed shawl at formal occasions, such as the raising of a novice to Accepted (TFoH, Ch. 23). Her position as Keeper also requires that she wear a blue stole to show her Ajah and position (LoC, Ch. 36). After Sheriam has settled down as Egwene's Keeper, we find out that she has been passing on information, albeit reluctantly, about Egwene.

Timeline

• 979 NE: Sheriam is raised to the shawl on High Chasaline and chooses the Blue Ajah (NS, Ch. 14).
• 988 NE: Sheriam is named Mistress of Novices by Siuan Sanche (TPoD, Ch. 17).
• 999 NE: Sheriam flees from the Tower after Elaida's coup with other sisters and take eighteen novices with them (LoC, Ch. 8).
• 999 NE: Sheriam, Anaiya, Beonin, Carlinya, Morvrin and Myrelle become the leaders of the Salidar Aes Sedai (TFoH, Ch. 27).
• 999 NE: Sheriam stands for Egwene as Amyrlin Seat at the Amyrlin raising ceremony and is later made her Keeper (LoC, Ch. 35; LoC, Ch. 36).
• 1000 NE: Sheriam swears fealty to Egwene (TPoD, Ch. 16).
• 1000 NE: After Egwene is captured, Sheriam's first reaction is to insist they rescue her, regardless of Egwene's wishes (KoD, Ch. 1).
• 1000 NE: Siuan thinks that Sheriam has become flighty (KoD, Ch. 1).
• 1000 NE: Sheriam has lost some plumpness, but regained calm and become less eratic (TGS, Ch. 18).
• 1000 NE: She tells Siuan that the hall is discussing Elaida having Traveling (TGS, Ch. 18).
• 1000 NE: Romanda thinks Sheriam has been withdrawn and barely maintains the dignity of an Aes Sedai (TGS, Ch. 20).
• 1000 NE: Sheriam is no longer being punished by Halima (TGS, Ch. 25).
• 1000 NE: Sheriam sometimes wishes she'd chosen Brown (TGS, Ch. 25).
• 1000 NE: Sheriam became Black Ajah to rise in White Tower politics and punish those who spited her, not to associate with the Forsaken or oppose the Dragon Reborn (TGS, Ch. 25).
• 1000 NE: Sheriam doesn't feel guilt and thinks any Aes Sedai would stab her sisters in the back to get ahead (TGS, Ch. 25).
• 1000 NE: A woman who is strong in the Power visits her and instructs her to steal the sleepweavers and says she will lose a finger or toe for each she fails to steal (TGS, Ch. 25).
• 1000 NE: She is told to ensure that Egwene is deposed (TGS, Ch. 25).
• 1000 NE: Egwene sees Sheriam's name on Verin's list of Black Ajah members (TGS, Ch. 39).
• 1000 NE: She has a bandaged hand for some reason and refuses Healing (TGS, Ch. 45).
• 1000 NE: Egwene tricks her into lying, then tells her she has to prove she isn't Black (TGS, Ch. 45).
• 1000 NE: She is executed and reveals Mesaana is in the Tower before she dies (TGS, Ch. 45).

Strengths and Talents

Sheriam is quite strong in the One Power. Myrelle is stronger than Anaiya, Beonin, Carlinya and Morvrin, and Sheriam is stronger than Myrelle. This makes her the strongest of the original leaders of the Salidar Aes Sedai (LoC, Ch. 34). She is equal in strength to Kwamesa, Kiruna and Reanne (ACoS, Ch. 23).

Sheriam has a debateable Talent in Healing. Egwene once tells Rand that Sheriam cannot Heal much beyond a small bruise or cut, (TSR, Ch. 34), yet she Heals Nynaeve after her Accepted test, (TGH, Ch. 23), and Elayne's hand and arm when it is a mass of blisters (TSR, Ch. 7). Sheriam can Delve in the Healing sense (TDR, Ch. 23).

She has some skill in Tel'aran'rhiod, something that the Salidar Aes Sedai were eager to learn (TFoH, Ch. 50). However, she must use a ter'angreal to go there (LoC, Ch. 7). As an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah she doubtless knows the weaves of the Ajah, such as the weave to repel insects (NS, Ch. 14; Ch. 21).

Relationships with Other Characters

Sheriam is bonded to Arinvar, a Cairhienin Warder, so she must have a good relationship with him (TFoH, Ch. 50).

Moiraine, Siuan and Sheriam were good friends during their time in the Tower together (NS, Ch. 6). Siuan even wanted to tell Sheriam about Gitara's Foretelling and enlist her in searching for the Dragon Reborn, though Moiraine later convinced her not to (NS, Ch. 14). However, after Siuan is stilled and the Tower is divided, Siuan and Sheriam do not get on very well with each other; Sheriam probably blames Siuan for the split in the Tower. Sheriam doesn't even feel sympathy for the woman who gave her the title of Mistress of Novices (TPoD, Ch. 17).

Sheriam was a firm Mistress of Novices and didn't hesitate to use a switch for punishment. Novices and Accepted alike dreaded being sent to Sheriam's office. (TGH, Ch. 24) She believed in protecting novices from Aes Sedai but thinks that Accepted should learn how to fend for themselves. She refused to abuse her position of power in the Tower to let people off the hook (TDR, Ch. 23).

Her relationship with Elaida was tense even before the Tower divided. (TDR, Ch. 23) After the split, Elaida dreams of Sheriam being stilled and begging for mercy (ACoS, Prologue; ACoS, Ch. 32).

Sheriam swore fealty to Egwene out of fear that other Aes Sedai might find out about the rebel Aes Sedai they sent to Tar Valon to spread dissent. Sheriam falls into the position of Keeper well after the oath (TPoD, Ch. 16).

Miscellaneous

• Sheriam is novice and Accepted with Siuan, Moiraine, Leane, Alanna and Carlinya, (TFoH, Ch. 26; NS, Ch. 3).
• Sheriam refuses to enter the three arches ter'angreal at her first attempt to become an Accepted (TGH, Ch. 23).
• Sheriam enjoys cooking and baking and is very good at it too (NS, Ch. 14).
• Sheriam manages to break Theodrin's block by swapping a handsome stable boy for his twin sister (LoC, Ch. 8).
• Sheriam was part of the circle of ten Aes Sedai who Healed Mat from his connection with the dagger from Shadar Logoth (TDR, Ch. 18).
• Sheriam knows that a channeler can be turned over to the Shadow by thirteen channelers and thirteen fades, a well-kept secret in the Tower (TDR, Ch. 22).
• Sheriam often sounds like she is quoting something even when she is not, which annoys some people (TGH, Ch. 23). She can also make statements sound like lectures (NS, Ch. 6).
• Sheriam believes that by gentling every man who can channel, the Aes Sedai are significantly reducing the number of female channelers. This has gotten her into many heated arguments (TSR, Ch. 31).
• Min has two viewings of Sheriam in the series. The first aura is of Sheriam with a battered and bruised face (TSR, Ch. 1; TPoD, Ch. 16). The second is of silver and blue rays around her head, tinged with golden light, though Min doesn't know what it means (TFoH, Ch. 26). The second occurs when a break in the clouds allows a ray of sunlight to shine on her severed head at her execution.
• When Egwene is raised to Amyrlin Seat, Sheriam, Lelaine and Romanda fight constantly to control Egwene (ACoS, Ch. 8). However, after swearing fealty, Sheriam is content to remain Keeper (TPoD, Ch. 16).
• Silviana thinks that Sheriam was too lenient as Mistress of Novices (KoD, Prologue).

Quotes

"Sheriam (SHEER-ee-am): An Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah. The Mistress of Novices in the White Tower." (Reference: The Great Hunt Glossary)

"Sheriam had been one of biggest gossips in the Accepted's quarters. She never told what she promised to keep hidden, yet she would be unable to resist giving hints of such a juicy secret, hints that she had a secret" (Moiraine about Sheriam; New Spring, Chapter 14).

"She was an enjoyable companion to pass the evening with, yet she did have a way of making casual statements sound like lectures." (Moiraine about Sheriam; New Spring, Chapter 6)

"Even one of the Accepted can be called to my study. It requires more breaking of the rules than for a novice, but it has been known to happen" (Sheriam to Nynaeve; The Great Hunt, Chapter 18).

"She has a theory. She says we have culled humankind... Sheriam Sedai says that with the Red Ajah hunting down men who could channel for three thousand years, we are culling the ability to channel out of us all." (Elayne to Egwene about Sheriam; The Great Hunt, Chapter 24)

"Odd now, to think that she had once gone in awe of Sheriam, and in no little fear of her displeasure. Strange as it seemed, now that she was no longer Mistress of Novices, no longer trying to tug and push Egwene to do as she wished, Sheriam actually seemed happier." (Egwene about Sheriam; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 16)

"It took a long time to convince her questioner that she had already told all she knew, that she would never hold back a word, not a whisper. When she was left alone at last, it was to lie curled up and whimpering from her welts, bitterly wishing that she had never in her life spoken to a single sister in the Hall" (Sheriam after her torture; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 16).