[pronuciation: Da-vee-kah Si-ri-dee-an]

Born in the wealthy city-state of Mayene around 940NE, Devika was the youngest daughter of a very affluent merchant family. She grew up on the shores of the Sea of Storms, and learned to swim and steer a boat almost as she learned to walk. The Sirideáns procured and traded in oilfish, and had strong ties with both the Seafolk and the neighbouring island of Cindaking, making great use of the shipping lanes onwards to Shara. As such, while not nobility, Devika enjoyed luxury and freedom in abundance, growing into a fiercely independent young woman in a fiercely independent nation, and with great ambition for the life laid out before her.

At least until the Spark sent her instead into the custody of the White Tower.

The White Tower

After the freedoms of home, Vika struggled with the rules and restrictions of the Tower. She was headstrong, assertive, and smarting from the great changes to her life and future. For a while she tested her will against the Aes Sedai, fully expecting to win the battle and quickly earn the right to the serpent ring and her liberty to return home.

She remembers the lessons to humble her with a cringe these days.

Devika’s dedication was not hard to focus once her loyalty was won and she realised she was not among enemies. She flourished under the understanding of how much responsibility saidar laid upon her shoulders, and found an unwavering purpose in earning her place. She spent four years as a Novice, and a further three as an Accepted.

Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah

Upon her Raising in 963NE, Devika dedicated herself to the cause of the Red Ajah, led by a strong sense of justice and a resolute desire to protect the world from another Breaking. She travelled extensively, identifying girls with the Spark and bringing them to the Tower for training. Remembering her own resentments, she always did this in such a way as the girl was encouraged to make the decision for herself. Or feel as though she did.

She bears no hatred for men, though empathy has never prevented her from doing what needs to be done. Where kindness is due it is given. Where force is required it is exacted. She quickly earned a name for the sheer number of male channelers she identified, subdued, and delivered to the Tower to meet their necessary fates. Unless there was no other recourse, she never gentled in the field.

Rebellion

After the cleansing of Saidin, Devika was deeply unhappy with the relegation of her Ajah to the clerks and caretakers of ter’angreal. She considered it a menial demotion better suited to the Browns, and was vocally outspoken in her dismay and anger. If Greens guarded the northern border, the Reds ought to be the custodians of all that lay south. With the rise of the Black Tower this seemed more imperative than ever, given the madness that still seeded hidden in the men who called themselves the Dragon’s soldiers, and would for a generation to come.

By now her status and seniority in the Ajah verged on legendary. She had already refused a Sitter’s seat once, preferring a place in the field to the venue of politics, and even today, novices are taught her name as one of the most prolific and successful Red hunters the Ajah ever produced. Her voice carried weight that split dissent into the Ajah, and threatened outright rebellion at the time. It was the Highest who chastened Vika and brought her to task. It seemed the consensus was that channeling rights and regulations could be fought for without the Reds being given explicit dominion. That now was not yet the time for action.

Always loyal, Devika yielded to her Ajah Head. However, awash in fury at what she considered a betrayal of the cause, she also left the Tower.

In self-imposed exile, her attention turned to rooting out Dreadlords and Black Ajah, a task she completed with pointed dedication in the years to follow. The tide of her reputation took on a new cast, named a bane of the Dark for her temerity and stubborn devotion to the cause. It was during this time she presented herself boldly to the Dragon to pledge her loyalty and services. He had no love of Reds and did not trust her in the slightest, yet she has never wavered in her dedication. In the years since she has proved her capability several times over.

She has rarely returned to Tower grounds, still resentful, at least publicly, yet fought valiantly at the Siege of Tar Valon. Afterwards she was among those who hunted down the enemies that fled. She will almost certainly take the discovery of Arikan’s survival as a personal affront.

Appearance, Personality, and Talents

Tall and dark-haired with large brown eyes. Devika is voluptuous in both appearance and action, and as impassioned and fierce as a lioness. Her manner of dress is usually sumptuous, studded with jewellery and hidden ter’angreal. She’s straight-speaking, no-nonsense, and forward. Her methods of diplomacy are blunt but effective. Though physically capable, it is defensive and offensive channeling at which she excels.

Most are surprised to discover her Ajah. And then usually they are afraid. It is probably why she gets on so well with the Maidens of the Spear.

Vika is a fearsome and capable channeler, and has subdued and gentled countless rogue men over her long years as Aes Sedai. After saidin’s cleansing she turned her attention to tracking down dreadlords and routing out evidence of Black Ajah allegiance amongst her sisters. The Red Ajah holds many tricks for duelling and hunting, and Vika has her own too. Shielding, stunning, and reading residues left by weaves of both saidin and saidar number among them. She is extremely skilled, and extremely successful: a beacon in the Light’s defences. So far she has survived several assassination attempts.

She is a decent healer, and was never tempted by the Yellow Ajah, though she always maintained good relations with her Sisters there. Yellow, Grey, and Red usually side in the Hall after all.

The only thing subtle about Devika is her keen intuition, a skill in part responsible for her long years of success. In pursuit of her goals she is highly disciplined. Yet when roused to the fore, her temper rages with intensity. She has a savage instinct for protecting those to whom she feels responsibility or affection. Though some Reds bond now, Vika never considered it for herself. Given her ardently warrioress nature, it seemed entirely redundant. Yet the Wheel Weaves as it Wills.

She is fiercely loyal to the Dragon’s cause. But she watches, too, for signs of his deepening madness, and privately fears the longer it takes to reach the Last Battle, the less likely he is to prevail. Thus when an opportunity to wield a unique weapon against the Shadow presented itself, she took it without hesitation, despite the cost.

Recent Events

“My mind is a chasm of knowledge, Aes Sedai.”

Jorin

After the timely confession of the Dragon’s long-time companion “Jorin” — who upon discovering the return of Asristin’s reborn form of Arikan, choose to dangle the truth of his real identity — Devika hauled the man before the Dragon himself to demand restitution and to enact a dangerous plan. Jorin, still shielded by Evelara, got precisely what he wanted, but more than he bargained for. With the Dragon’s permission she Gentled him, but then forced her bond upon him too, that she might control a Forsaken and use his knowledge to hunt down the forces of the Shadow.

Appearances

Filling the Days (Tear)

Previous Lives

Her soul is the archetypal protector, and she usually pledges to figures in authority; kings, queens, and leaders of men. Often her deeds are remembered heroically.

1st Age: Morven Kinnaird, former ER doctor currently serving the Ascendancy’s Nine Dominions.

5th Age: Sekhmet, Egyptian goddess of healing and war, protector of kings.