Tarna Feir (pronounced: TAHR-nah feer) is an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah and has worn the shawl for twenty years. She is one of the few Red Ajah members to find men attractive.
Appearance and Personality[]
Tarna is from Altara and has pale, yellow hair, sharp, blue eyes, and a prominent chin. She is said to be humorless, arrogant, and haughty.
Abilities and Strength[]
Tarna is of high average strength in the One Power, with a strength level of 19(7). She matches the stated minimum strength needed to be able to make a gateway of useful size and is trusted enough by Elaida to be among the first sisters taught the weave.
History[]
She was born in the year 950 NE in the north of Altara near the Andoran border. She was a Wilder who touched saidar about as early as is possible for a girl to do so, but had developed a block that made her unable to touch the Source unless she had her eyes closed.
In 964 NE, at the age of fourteen, she became a novice in the White Tower. Galina Casban helped her overcome that by beating her until she overcame her block. This was technically illegal, but the Mistress of Novices at the time kept silent about it. At this time, this would likely have been Merean Redhill. Both Merean and Galina were fairly highly ranking sisters of the Black Ajah. After spending nine years as novice and six as Accepted, Tarna was raised to the shawl in the year 979 NE.
She was the one to tell Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche about Gitara Moroso's death, and helps in taking the census demanded by then-Amyrlin Tamra Ospenya.
Upon being made Aes Sedai, she chose the Red Ajah. She refused Galina's advances to be pillow friends once she attained the shawl.
Activities[]
To Salidar[]
After the Tower split, Tarna was made an emissary by Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan and sent to Salidar to meet with the rebel Aes Sedai there. Once there she relays Elaida's message and is told by the Little Tower that they need time to consider the 'offer'. Before leaving she meets with Elayne Trakand and Nynaeve al'Meara, trying to get them to return to the White Tower with her but they refuse.
Back to the Tower[]
Scared by what she sees in Salidar, Tarna sends a report back to Elaida and makes haste for the Tower. On the way to Tar Valon, she encounters a group of Asha'man in Murandy.
She arrives in Dorlan and takes command of the Aes Sedai who escaped the Battle of Dumai's Wells that are there. She is soon replaced by Katerine Alruddin. She has to sneak back into the White Tower with Katerine due to the rebel Aes Sedai siege of Tar Valon.
Keeper[]
When she arrives she is ordered to keep quiet about the Battle of Dumai's Wells and is elected by the Hall of the Tower to be made the new Keeper of the Chronicles when Alviarin Freidhen cannot be found. Tarna meets Pevara Tazanovni in secret and they discuss the White Tower/Black Tower situations and that they must approach the Asha'man.
She is present when Beonin Marinye arrives back in the White Tower and meets with Elaida. She is one of the few that Elaida trusts, and is allowed to learn the new weaves Beonin picked up from the rebel Aes Sedai. Tarna meets with Elaida to update her on current events with what the Ajah Heads have decided to pass on. She informs Elaida of Egwene al'Vere's regular meetings with Silviana Brehon stating she must be near breaking point now.
Tarna was one of the Red sisters, along with Pevara, Javindhra Doraille, Jezrail, Melare, and Desala Nevanche, sent to the Black Tower to put the proposition of Red sisters bonding Asha'man as Warders to Mazrim Taim. He has agreed to this.
With the raising of Silviana Brehon, Tarna Feir is no longer the Keeper of the Chronicles.
Unexplained change in personality[]
Pevara and Tarna share a room at the Black Tower, and both have grown increasingly dissatisfied with their lack of progress. Tarna, in particular, itches to escape the Black Tower, until suddenly she disappears briefly and then no longer seems to feel any need to leave. She, like Asha'man Mezar Kurin, have suddenly changed from antagonistic towards Taim to seemingly supportive while at the same time appearing to those who know them to be in some way dead inside.[1] Her eyes appear cold, worse than her usual distant look. Her smile looks like one "on the lips of a corpse." Pevara thinks, "Something is very, very wrong here."[2] These are tell-tale signs that Tarna and the men were turned to the Shadow by the Turning technique.
Parallels[]
Tarna Feir's name appears to derive from the words tarnish and fear.[3]