Kamaris Maladon Daenar

Kamaris Maladon Daenar was a celebrated psychologist in the Age of Legends, with over 400 years of experience in the field. She was known for a remarkable ability to heal mental afflictions even the use of the One Power could not help. For her exemplary work she enjoyed fame, respect, and the prestige of a third name, and yet despite widespread admiration for her ascetic ways, she was never loved by those who knew her.

Kamaris was an austere woman, whose moral superiority caused her to look down on others. She judged those in her care, and found even personal relationships lacking. None could possibly hope to live up to her standards.

She spoke out avidly against the work of Durrick Ladei Chamora, whose repugnant support of the most heinous of criminals she found both reprehensible and in most instances a complete fabrication of fiction. Her expertise was often called upon to speak for the prosecution in his cases. Her truth and professional knowledge was irrefutable, yet in the court of public opinion she was often found wanting. Especially when Durrick was at the helm.

It was the first in a long list of resentments.

Though she considered most far beneath her own skill, Kamaris did teach during the long course of her career. Among her apprentices was Alethea Sayre, whose sweet, oblivious and carefree manner Kamaris never much liked. Alethea was sharp-minded without the duty of effort, and had talents Kamaris did not feel she deserved. Worse, she involved herself in her patients’ lives in a way Kamaris found both foolish and disturbing, for she appeared to view them as people rather than maladies, and treated even convicted criminals with undue respect. Yet despite these serious flaws of character, and the generally agreed upon perception of her hopeless naivety, the young and inexperienced Aes Sedai was adored.

Jealousy in Kamaris stoked over many long years, though Alethea was never aware of it. In fact the hatred burned so deep, it carried forward into a new Age, and contributed to Kamaris’ eventual undoing.

Shadow

Kamaris was the second of the Forsaken to swear her vows to the Dark One. Afterwards she underwent a dramatic transition in character, embracing a new life of decadence, excess, and pleasure. She wore revealing, sensual clothing, expensive jewellery, and claimed only the most beautiful men and women as her servants. She became known as Gaemori.

Her governance was marked by cities of hedonism, lust, and forced subservience. The carnality with which she ruled knew no bounds, and she desired to be surrounded by beauty above all things. She had a frightening mastery of Compulsion, and a distinct lack of empathy for those she controlled or broke. Gaemori particularly targeted those who had wielded power over her before, and revelled in treating them like pets. The love engendered was both forced and false, but it fulfilled whatever had previously been lacking. She lived like a queen.

Her alliances with the other Chosen were at times fractious, particularly with Bel’rik, whom she never forgave for her humiliations before the Collapse. She took great delight in seducing Raviel, but never liked that he divided his attentions.

The 3rd Age

After she escaped the Bore, Gaemori established herself in Arad Doman, where she initially joined some of her fellow Chosen in an attempt to turn the Dragon to the Shadow. She continued to collect beautiful people into subservience, and reignited her physical relations with Raviel.

She also discovered a familiar soul in Tel’aran’rhiod, and delighted in the acquisition of a new and secret pet. Under the moniker of Shae, or ‘dog’ in the Old Tongue, she directed Miraseia to heinous crimes, and thoroughly enjoyed dismantling everything her former apprentice had ever stood for. Perhaps most magnificent was the willing trust, for Gaemori never had to use Compulsion at all.

Her manipulation of the reborn-Alethea continued until she discovered the Aes Sedai who the girl had been secretly protecting in the Dream, a White turned Black called Rosene Solyan. In a fit of temper for the deception, Gaemori killed the woman, but in order to do so interfered during Arikan’s siege on the White Tower — something the Chosen had been expressly forbidden from doing. It was the first black mark against her name, and the beginning of her end.

During the years she enjoyed the full height of her power she was often aligned with Raviel’s schemes, spear-heading his campaigns to usher in the Seanchan by pulling the strings in her chosen kingdom of Arad Doman. Gaemori successfully installed the Blood nobility to rule, and was the ultimate power behind them. Her success and the rewards it came with was unparalleled, and stoked jealousy amongst some others of the Chosen. Among her allies she was known to spend time with Belshazzar, now returned as Jadis, despite how vehemently she had spoken out against him in the previous Age. Onlookers would say they had rather a lot in common when it came to appetites, but for Gaemori’s part, she simply enjoyed proving herself right; he had not changed in the slightest.

However ultimately Gaemori burned too bright. When the Dragon finally suspected her presence, he directed the Black Tower to liberate Arad Doman from Seanchan control; the only nation he has ever acted to purge. Few knew the true motivation of that war, or its true purpose; the Dragon himself of course; the ruling Amyrlin, Kaydrienne Lindelle; the M’hael, Daniel Larnair; and the man chosen to lead the campaign to victory, Asha’man Daryen Daimon.

A ruthless war ensued, which Gaemori eventually lost. Worse still, Daryen was raised to King as a result, a great champion and beacon of the Light, beloved by his people, and a shrewd politician. Not only had Gaemori lost one of the Shadow’s greatest jewels, but she had enabled the Light to gain a potent weapon against them.

Upon her imminent fall from grace, and grievous punishment, she was unceremoniously abandoned by all her allies. The schemes in Arad Doman continued without her, influenced by Jadis and later Samóch, until it all came to a head via the machinations of the soon to be Sylvena. Though ironically enough, it was Kamaris’s talents with Compulsion which made it all possible.

Punishment

Whether Gaemori was killed during the war, or murdered by one of her fellow Chosen, is unclear. For her failures she was resurrected into the physically repulsive form of Hessalam, meaning ‘without forgiveness‘ in the Old Tongue. She was given over in service to the other Chosen at Mordred’s discretion, so that her talents did not go to waste. She hated him for that.

Later she was demoted entirely, her place amongst them given over instead to the Turned Aes Sedai Lythia Krean, who she had been tasked to help achieve the very task which allowed the Aes Sedai to steal her place.