Theoryland Chronicles

Members :Frenzy : Who Swore First

Introduction

WARNING: This is a purely philosophical discussion, with no right or wrong answer discernable at this time. Or is there? Who cares, I'm in the mood for a good debate.

All of the information I have listed here is from the Guide, unless otherwise stated. Now, down to business. The Guide states that all of the Dreadlords from the War of Power "traveled to the Pit of Doom in Shayol Ghul to dedicate their souls to the Dark Lord. The best of them were given power and ability beyond that of others, making them almost demigods. Among themselves they were known as 'Those Chosen to Rule the World Forever,' or simply the Chosen."

Note: Timeline of the end of the Second Age: Bore is drilled; the Collapse, which lasts 100-110 years, the War of Power, which lasts 10 years; the sealing of the Bore; the Breaking, which I believe lasted 300-400 years.

So here's the question: of the Chosen, who swore to the Shadow first?

Development

Here's what the Guide has to say about all of the Chosen, in the order they're listed:

• Ishamael: "Elan Morin [Tedronai] certainly was among the first to pledge himself to the Shadow, possible the first."
• Aginor: "Ishar Morrad [Chuain] was one of the first of the Forsaken to go over to the Sahdow, probably some time in the first three decades of the Collapse."
• Balthamel: (You'll like him, Camaris…he was an anthropologist back in the day) "[Eval Ramman] made his journey to Shayol Ghul to pledge his soul somewhere in the middle years of the Collapse."
• Sammael: "In the fourth year of the war [Tel Jannin Aellinsar] suddenly went over to the Shadow."
• Rahvin: "Nothing is known of Ared Mosinel before the Collapse, when he appeared among the highest Council of the Dark One's forces,…"
• Be'lal: "Some sources suggest that [Duram Laddel Cham], like Sammael, had been one of the leaders in the fight against the Shadow before he turned to the Dark…" "He went over to the Shadow during the Collapse, but whether at the beginning or the end is not recorded." (There is obviously a discrepancy here.)
• Demandred: "In the third year of the war, [Barid Bel Medar] turned to the Dark Lord…"
• Asmodean: No information as to when Joar Addam Nesossin swore to the Shadow.
• Lanfear: "From various bits of evidence it seems that Mierin [Eronaile] was not among the first to go over to the Shadow…" "Shortly after [Lews Therin's marriage to Ilyena Moerelle Dalisar fifty years after the drilling of the Bore] she embraced the Shadow."
• Graendal: "There is considerable evidence that Kamarile Maradim [Nindar] may have been one of the first to discover what the world faced, though not until some years after her change of behavior [which started within 10 years after the Bore was drilled], when the second of those who came to be called the Forsaken decided to serve the Dark One. She visited Shayol Ghul to make her oaths within the first 25 years of the Collapse."
• Semirhage: "It was sometime after the drilling of the Bore that Nemene Damendar [Boann]'s secret became known, though her predilections certainly long predated the Dark One's influence on the world. … She became one of the first to make the journey to Shayol Ghul, one of the First to dedicate her soul to the Shadow."
• Mesaana: No information as to when Saine Tarasind swore to the Shadow.
• Moghedien: "[Lillen Moiral] went over to the Shadow long before the War of Power began, but managed to keep her alliance secret until the war had been raging for several years.

Conclusion

OK, so given the above information, and anything else you may dig out of the text, who do you think swore to the Shadow first? I think it was Semirhage. Anyone care to argue?

Why Semirhage? One: she had a reason to go to the Shadow, her abnormal behavior was discovered. That, and Graendal knew what the world faced first, before Ishamael, and Graendal was the second to swear to the Shadow. Given these two facts, Semirhage was the first of the group known as the Chosen to swear to the Shadow first.