In one Age, called the Fourth Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Land of the Crystal Throne. It sped across the great Aryth Ocean to the Tai’Seanchan coast. It continued over the Mountains of Mist, picking up the scent of Two Rivers fine tabac and singing along to a tune made by a Tinker’s tea kettle. It swirled around the vast prairie known as the Caralain Grass, with it’s Black Tower fortress, and the island city of Tar Valon, home of the fabled Ogier-made White Tower...The wind swept through the valleys, skimming along the lake that once was Shadar Logoth, lifting the raven in flight. It howled through the Blight past the snorts and bellows of Trollocs, carrying on it the stench of their cookpots and rot as it whipped by a Myrddraal without creating so much as a ripple in its dark cloak. If you listen closely to the wind you can hear the sound of “friends” whispering in the dark as it whistles by you. The shadows beckon you to their warm embrace; where will the wind take you? For you must know, the wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was A beginning.
Formerly known as Lilen Moiral, Moghedien was one of the thirteen Forsaken trapped at Shayol Ghul due to the Dragon's sealing. She considers herself the master of Tel'aran'rhiod.
Today, she is the only surviving member of the original 13. She has labeled herself as nae'blis, and is the only person in this age who has had any communication with the Dark One.
In the last battle Moghedien was taken captive by a sul'dam named Shanan though, the reason behind that stated she was not wearing an Aes Sedai ring and walking like she was up to no good. Like all other damane, she was then taken back to Ebou Dar.
Before her captor became aware of her cour'souvra, Moghedien stealthily swallowed it.
The pain caused by channeling so close to her cour'souvra was inhabilitating and caused her to pass out quickly whenever she was forced to channel. The Seanchan believed it to be a wilder block, but when it could not be broken, they began to think her damaged in some way and considered her useless and unimportant.
Two years of having to repeatedly swallow her cour'souvra and being ridiculed as the most useless damane to exist grew a deep hatred for the Tai'Seanchan in her heart. Then, Moghedien was found by Liandrin, who was a da'covale in the Tarasin Palace after Suroth had been exposed as a Darkfriend. Liandrin wisely chose to seek the Forsaken’s help rather than gloat and Moghedien agreed to unravel the shield if Liandrin freed her. Once freed, she helped Liandrin escape, killing a sul’dam in the process. Using the mask of mirrors she disguised herself as the fallen sul’dam and began operating within the Tai’Seanchan borders in secret.
After learning all that she could, and visiting Mordin's fortress to take what she wanted, Moghedien traveled to the Seanchan continent. She worked her way into the graces of Lord Garel Harisch Tiran Madonine, becoming soe’feia. While in Seanchan, Moghedien visisted Tai'Seanchan in the dreamworld often, and discovered a damane there who was a very strong dreamer. She taught the girl much, and then sent her to infiltrate the White Tower and create a new Black Ajah.
With a little manipulation from Moghedien, the war of succession back in the Seanchan homeland ended before Fortuona could intervene. Lord Garel took the name Garelwyn Harisch Huan Paendrag upon becoming emperor. Under the influence of Moghedien, Garelwyn began the task of rebuilding, rejected Fortuona’s overtures of peace, assumed the Crystal Throne for his own, and refused to acknowledge the terms of the Dragon’s Peace.
After regrouping for nearly two decades, Emperor Garelwyn sent a probing attack to the Westlands, landing on Tai’Seanchan coastlines. They were repelled within two months but cause significant damage to Tarabon and Toman Head. He then sent his fleets to embark on a multi-pronged attack in the Westlands. The second Seanchan invasion lasted 6 years before they were repelled. The Westlands endured devastating losses as Lan, Nynaeve, Elayne, and Aviendha all gave their lives to drive them out.
As the Seanchan once again regrouped, Moghedien began focusing her own network of the dark, both in Seanchan and the Westlands. She ordered her connections at the White Tower to free the darkfriends held in Stedding Sholoon, but only Alviarin Freidhen and Atal Mishraile survived. Moghedien gathered 13 channelers at the original site of the bore and lead the circle herself for reopening the seal and reawakening the Blight. After the job of the circle was complete, Alviarin was partnered with Liandrin and sent to create a new stronghold in the Blight as it regrew. Atal was tasked with creating the Shadow Legion within the Black Tower which would work with the Black Ajah to keep the two towers from joining forces at all costs.
During this time, Moghedien assisted a Seanchan scientist to learn the secret formula for Shadowspawn and unleashed them upon that continent for their failure to conquer the Westlands for her.
After the Tower War, many Shadow Legion Asha'man were forced to flee. Some joined Alviarin and Liandrin in the Blight, while others came to the Seanchan continent with Atal. Those men began training male damane on the Seanchan contient, only to find themselves collared for their trouble.
Moghedien has not raised any of her followers to the status of chosen as of yet, but there have been promises made to a few.
Hessalam was the name given to Graendal after her resurrection.
Graendal was killed and resurrected for her failure. Upon being resurrected, she is noticeably disfigured; Moridin introduces her as Hessalam, without forgiveness in the Old Tongue, and says her old name is not to be spoken of again.
After her compulsion backfired on herself at the Last Battle, she became a devoted servant to Aviendha. She was instrumental in assisting the Aiel in clearing out the Blight and ferreting out the red-veils.
Eventually, as they cleared out the Blight, she directed them to Moridin's Black Fortress in the deep northeastern blight, north of Shara. The fortress had been hurriedly ransacked by Moghedien, but Hessalam was not familiar enough with its content to know what had been taken, or by whom. Many objects of the power were found there, as well as Dark Prophesies.
Hessalam spent most of her time as a channeling instructor. She taught the wise woman new weaves, some of which they shared with the White Tower, some of which they kept for themselves.
When Avienda fell in 26 FA during the Seanchan invasion, her devoted servant perished by her side in the battle.
