Black Oaths

The Black Oaths are the oaths that are sworn on the Oath Rod by the Black Ajah after they use it to un-swear their original Three Oaths as Aes Sedai. The Oaths are as follows:

1. I shall obey all commands given by those placed above me in service to the Great Lord;
2. I shall prepare for the day of the Great Lord's return;
3. I shall hold close the secrets of the Black Ajah, unto the hour of my death.

These Oaths make it effectively impossible for someone to betray the Black Ajah. Even though Sheriam Bayanar only joined the Black Ajah hoping it would advance her political career, these oaths forced her to steal the dreamer ter'angreal after Mesaana ordered her to do so.

However, the Black Ajah Hunters were able to force Talene Minly into confessing by making her forswear all oaths that bound her on the Oath Rod, and then having her re-swear the Three Oaths.

Verin Mathwin also found a loophole to circumvent the third Oath by poisoning herself and revealing the secrets of the Black Ajah to Egwene al'Vere as she was dying, as the Oath forbids her from betrayal until the hour of her death, rather than the very moment of death.

Re-swearing different Oaths also means that even though the Black Ajah are freed from the original oaths, they retain an ageless look and a shortened lifespan by still being bound to the Oath Rod; thus their appearances and lifespans never rouse suspicion from other Aes Sedai. Indeed, this is partly the reason why Ishamael devised the Black Oaths when he created the Black Ajah, other than wanting to permanently bind the Black Ajah to the Shadow.