Battle of Malden

The Battle of Malden was fought in early 1000 NE, in and around the town of Malden in central-western Altara.

Introduction

The Battle of Malden was a major conflict involving tens of thousands of troops from nine different nations fighting against the Shaido Aiel who were massing in the region, posing a significant danger to both the inhabitants and the Seanchan, who had taken most of the territory to the south. It is highly significant as the first major engagement where the Seanchan had to fight alongside native Westland and Aiel forces against a common foe, and where damane were employed alongside non-leashed channelers, including Aiel Wise Ones, Aes Sedai, and Asha'man, a state of affairs that previously would have been considered unthinkable.

Background

After being defeated at the Battle of Dumai's Wells, the Shaido retreated into Kinslayer's Dagger. Sevanna, acting for the clan chief, accepted aid from two local nobles (Graendal and Sammael in disguise) in the form of ter'angreal called "Traveling Boxes," which would supposedly carry the Shaido to new, rich lands to conquer. In reality, the devices did nothing; Sammael used the One Power to create gateways which scattered the Shaido across much of the south and west of the continent, some bands ending up as far west as Tarabon or as far south as Illian.

Sevanna's group, which included all 400-odd of the clan's Wise Ones, found itself in northern Amadicia. Sevanna had perverted much of ji'e'toh and now found herself with a taste for taking wetlanders as gai'shain in defiance of all tradition. With the Seanchan invasion troops advancing from Amador in the south and with the forces of the Dragonsworn under the Prophet of the Dragon to the north, plus the Children of the Light also in the area, Sevanna elected to withdraw across the River Eldar into Altara. After some days or weeks of travel, the Shaido found and took the small city of Malden. With fresh water being brought into the city by an aqueduct and food plentiful in the region, Sevanna elected to wait out the rest of winter in Malden and gather as many other Shaido septs to her as possible.

By the time spring arrived, the Shaido had amassed over 100,000 people in and around Malden, presenting a significant threat to the Seanchan who had seized Ebou Dar to the south and were now attempting to secure the rest of Altara. The senior Seanchan officers in Ebou Dar - presumably either High Lady Suroth Sabelle Meldarath or Captain General Lunal Galgan - ordered Banner-General Tylee Khirgan to locate and destroy the Shaido forces at any cost.

At the same time, Perrin Aybara had been sent to Ghealdan by Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, to neutralize the Prophet of the Dragon, Masema Dagar. Perrin tracked Masema to the Amadician town of Abila, but whilst negotiating with him there the Shaido swept past Perrin's camp and took several of his people prisoner, including his wife Faile and her maid Maighdin. Perrin, accompanied by the Prophet and thousands of his men, pursued the Shaido across the Eldar and into Altara, but found Malden far too heavily defended for his small force to have a chance of victory, forcing a rethink of strategy.

In the meantime, Martyn Tallanvor had gone his own way in pursuit of Maighdin and had learned of Tylee Khirgan's army.

Battle plans

Following introductions between Perrin and the Seanchan under Tylee, Perrin put aside misgivings and suggested an alliance with Tylee's forces. Although the prospect of working alongside marath'damane was highly troubling to the Seanchan, the opportunity presented to destroy the Shaido and take their Wise Ones as damane was deemed worth the danger. The deal struck between the two sides stipulated that the Seanchan could take any and all Shaido Wise Ones as damane and destroy any Shaido algai'd'siswai who refused to surrender. The gai'shain prisoners would be released and channelers among the gai'shain would be allowed to go free. The Seanchan also promised not to leash the channelers among Perrin's forces.

The Battle of Malden

Perrin sent a small force (including Elyas Machera, Martyn Tallanvor, Seonid Traighan, and all three of the Warders present) through the aqueduct into Malden to secure Faile and any other prisoners taken from Perrin's force. The Seanchan poured large quantities of forkroot, a drug that inhibited channeling, into the aqueduct.

Perrin brought in reinforcements under Tam al'Thor from the Two Rivers via gateway.

The forkroot incapacitated most of the Shaido Wise Ones and virtually eliminated their combat effectiveness. A wall of fog was created to cover Perrin's forces on the ridge above Malden.

The appearance of Perrin's troops out of the fog as they advanced drew the Shaido algai'd'siswai out of the camp. The Shaido also sent a force to try and flank Perrin's formation. Perrin's forces inflicted massive casualties on the Shaido with sustained archer fire and heavy channeler attacks. The Seanchan then took the Shaido flanking force in the rear and side and enveloped their forces, destroying some of them and forcing them to surrender.

Perrin led a personal sortie into Malden and rescued his wife and several other prisoners, killing Rolan in the process. Aram betrayed and attempted to kill Perrin during the battle, but was himself killed by Shaido archers.

Shortly thereafter, Tylee Khirgan found Perrin and reported that the Shaido had begun surrendering and the battle was concluding. Perrin warned Tylee that Ghealdan was under his protection. Tylee and Perrin parted ways amicably.

Shaido forces

• 100,000 Shaido led by Sevanna of the Jumai sept.
• 400+ Wise Ones capable of channeling, led by Therava.
• 25-30,000 other Aiel forces (presumed to be Shaido) to the west of Malden.
• 40,000 other Aiel forces (presumed to be Shaido) to the east of Malden.

Allied forces

• 15,000 Seanchan led by Banner-General Tylee Khirgan and Captain Bakayar Mishima.
• 12 Seanchan damane.
• 20,000 Dragonsworn under Masema Dagar.
• 900 Winged Guards of Mayene under Lord-Captain Bertain Gallenne.
• 1,000 Legion of the Wall of Ghealdan under First Captain Gerard Arganda.
• 3,000-4,000 Two Rivers bowmen under First Captain Tam al'Thor.
• 20+ Cha Faile, mostly Cairhienin, under Selande Darengil.
• 20 Aiel Maidens of the Spear under Sulin.
• Gaul, a Stone Dog of the Shaarad Aiel
• Elyas Machera, Perrin's wolfbrother friend.
• 6 Wise Ones under Edarra of the Shiande Aiel.
• 3 Aes Sedai and their 3 Warders.
• 2 Asha'man.

Casualties

• 400 Shaido Wise Ones taken as damane.
• Other Shaido casualties unknown but likely tens of thousands killed or captured.
• Approximately 19,900 Dragonsworn killed.
• Total casualties among the other Allies: approximately 100 killed.

Perrin throws away his axe in disgust, after cutting off the hand of a Shaido prisoner.

Aftermath

Approximately 15-20 of the Shaido Wise Ones and an unknown number of other combatants (likely several hundred) and non-combatants escaped the battle. Unified under the command of Therava, these Shaido decided to return to the Aiel Waste as soon as possible. They freed their remaining gai'shain with the sole exception of Galina Casban, whom Therava chose to make her personal slave for life following her botched escape attempt. Additional Shaido forces were approaching the area, but held back until Perrin and the Seanchan had vacated the vicinity before moving in. These, along with any remaining Shaido scattered around the Westlands, ceased to be a threat for the remainder of the main series and likely withdrew to the Aiel Waste.

The Prophet's Dragonsworn were eliminated as a power in the region. Masema himself was killed by Cha Faile shortly after the battle along with the few other Dragonsworn who survived the battle.

Perrin Aybara found himself in command of a huge force, including many former gai'shain who discovered unrealized aptitude with various weapons.

Tylee Khirgan was commended on her initiative in the field and raised to the rank of Lieutenant-General and to the Low Blood.

Parallels

The The Battle of Maldon^↗ is a notable entry in the canon of English literature describing a battle of the same name^↗. In the poem, the antagonist Vikings^↗ were encamped on an island reachable by causeway^↗, which has some parallel with the small force Perrin sent into Malden via the aqueduct.