Bair, of the Haido sept of the Shaarad Aiel, is a Wise One. She cannot channel, but she is a Dreamwalker. She had Amys as an apprentice under her before Amys became a Wise One.
Appearance[]
Bair has a creased, grandmotherly face and white hair. Her voice is reedy, but strong.[1]
Activities[]
She, along with Amys, Melaine and Seana told Rhuarc that the dreams say he must go in search of the Car'a'carn,[2] and sent a letter to Moiraine ordering Aviendha to return to the Aiel Waste and to Rhuidean to be trained as a Wise One. The letter was addressed to Moiraine at the Stone of Tear, but sent at least a month before she had even arrived there.[3]
Waiting at Rhuidean[]
She meets Rand al'Thor and the rest of the Aiel on the slopes of Chaendaer when they are transported from Tear to Rhuidean via the Portal Stone. She, with the rest of the Aiel Wise Ones, had sent a letter to Moiraine Damodred saying where they would meet and which day.[3] She is the first to greet Rand when he arrives back from Rhuidean with the dawn.[4]
She then travels with Rand and the rest of the Aiel to Cairhien. She takes Egwene al'Vere as an apprentice with Amys and teaches her how to Dreamwalk. She is with Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod when the Salidar Six summon Egwene to Salidar. Her opinion of Aes Sedai has somewhat diminished with the several meetings she had with them. She is present when Egwene reveals the lie that she is not actually an Aes Sedai. She then gives Egwene a beating to meet her toh. She was proud of Egwene and would accept her back as an Aiel Wise One again if she ever returns.
Restoring order to Arad Doman[]
Bair with Melaine and Amys by Ariel Burgess, Official Wheel of Time Artist
Months later she Travels with the rest of her clan to Arad Doman, where the Aiel attempt to bring peace to the war torn country. While there she gives Aviendha more and more meaningless punishments, in an attempt to make her stand up to the other Wise Ones. She is at the meeting with Rand and the Aiel clan chiefs when Rand gives the order for the Aiel to capture the Council of Merchants. She is asked by Cadsuane Melaidhrin to observe Semirhage and offer any insight into how to break her. Aviendha finally confronts the Wise Ones, including Bair, on how pointless the tasks she has been given are. Standing up to the other Wise Ones is the final test, so they send Aviendha to Rhuidean to become a Wise One as well. When Cadsuane is banished from Rand's sight, she comes to the Wise Ones for help and a new plan. Bair is meeting with Cadsuane when Nynaeve al'Meara enters with the news that Rand just burned a whole palace full of people away with balefire.
Meetings with the Amyrlin[]
Egwene meets Amys and Bair in Tel'aran'rhiod to inform them that she has become Amyrlin Seat of the White Tower. She also discusses the idea of Accepted being sent to the Wise Ones for training and the Aiel sending their apprentice Wise Ones to the Tower. Egwene then informs them of Rand's plan to break the remaining seals on the Dark One's prison and asks them and the rest of the Wise Ones to help her oppose him.
Egwene sets up a meeting in Tel'aran'riod, which Bair attends, between Aes Sedai, Sea Folk Windfinders, and Aiel Wise Ones. It is decided at the meeting that Accepted will go and train with the Wise Ones for six months and then they would train with the Sea Folk for a further six months before returning back to the White Tower. They would then make a choice a year later on where they would wish to finish their training. Sea Folk and Wise One apprentices would also go through this training program but to the White Tower and the other channeling faction. It is agreed that for every two Accepted who leave, two Wise One apprentices and two Sea Folk apprentices will be exchanged. Finally, all ter'angreal that are already owned by the Aiel or by the Sea Folk cannot be claimed by the White Tower.
The Black Ajah attack after the meeting in Tel'aran'riod. Bair is one of the Wise Ones who participates in the Battle in Tel'aran'rhiod.
Attacking Shayol Ghul[]
Bair is one of the Wise Ones who are present when Aviendha tells the group of her visions of the future, and the fall of the Aiel. The women rationalize that it is because Rand will leave the Aiel adrift by excluding the Aiel from his plans tomorrow. They plan to fight this future, even if it cannot be changed. Bair asks her to open a gateway to Rhuidean so she can see this future for herself and advises Aviendha to change the name of one of her children and never speak the name again; with the hope that even small changes can alter grand events.
Bair discusses with Amys and Melaine in tel'aran'rhiod that she has seen the same events as Aviendha. Egwene then approaches the women and they talk about the troubling dark cracks that are appearing, particularly when balefire is used. They all decide to ban the use of balefire. They then farewell each other.