Sul'dam

Sul'dam (Old Tongue: Leash Holder) are Seanchan women who can control damane, women who can channel the One Power and are viewed as too dangerous to roam free in society. Sul'dam control damane through the use of an a'dam, a special ter'angreal that looks like a silver leash and bracelet. Using the a'dam, the sul'dam can sense the thoughts and feelings of the damane and also inflict pain or pleasure. When damane try to escape their a'dam, they undergo severe headaches that vanish when they stop thinking of escaping.
In reality, sul'dam are women who could learn to channel but are not born with the spark like damane are. Only recently has this fact come to light, and threatens to tear apart the fabric of Seanchan society, as sul'dam are honored at the same time damane are reviled. An a'dam will control a sul'dam if used against her, even if she does not know how to fully use the One Power. Some sul'dam believe in mutilation (such as the removal of tongues, hands, or feet) to make a damane behave, but this is often viewed as sei'mosiev.
The very idea of persons who channel terrify most Seanchan who believe all who can channel should be chained as chattel and treated as animals—dangerous animals in need of strict training. In fact, der'sul'dam and sul'dam are considered to be exotic animal holders of the highest rank. Some sul'dam see themselves as indulgent by praising their damane, awarding sweets and pats on the head for good behavior as one does a pet cat or dog.
The uniform of a sul'dam is an ankle length dark blue dress with panels of red and silver forks of lightning bolts. They also wear soft boots.
==List of known sul'dam==
thumb|210px|right|A sul'dam and her damane.
*Alwhin: Suroth’s Voice of the Blood. She was a sul’dam prior to attaining this position. When she learned that sul’dam could channel, Suroth raised her to the position of so’jhin to keep her quiet. She was murdered by Liandrin
*Bethamin Zeami: a sul’dam forced to aid Mat in escaping Ebou Dar. She knew that sul’dam can learn to channel. She started to channel forcing the Aes Sedai with Mat to being taught how to channel properly on their way to Tar Valon
*Catrona: one of Tuon’s sul'dam
*Ciar: present when Semirhage attacked Rand while posing as the Daughter of the Nine Moons. She vomited down her dress during the fight
*Empress Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag: She has the ability to become sul'dam, but it was considered impossible for her to become full sul'dam due to her place in the imperial family; she did enjoy training damane, however.
*Essonde: a der'sul'dam. She was in charge of the sul’dam and damane at the Tarasin Palace
*Falendre: taken by Semirhage to her meeting with Rand. Rand sends her to arrange a meeting with the real Tuon.
*Gregana: during the raid she briefly captured Adelorna before being killed by Egwene
*Ianelle: one of Tuon’s sul'dam
*Iona: she was in Ebou Dar
*Kaisea: former sul'dam, she was captured and then kept by the Kin, she accepted that she could see weaves and insisted that she be collared as a damane
*Lanelle: she was present when Beslan swore to Tuon
*Lisaine Jarath: a der’sul’dam who was with Kennar Miraj in battle
*Malahavana: she went on the raid on the White Tower with Dali as her damane
*Malian: present when Semirhage attacked Rand while posing as the Daughter of the Nine Moons.
*Marli: was captured by Rand’s forces and sent to Elayne in Caemlyn
*Melitene: Tuon’s der’sul’dam
*Mulaen: she was in Falme
*Nerith: she was in Assid Bakuun’s camp. She was captured by Rand’s forces and sent to Elayne in Caemlyn
*Renna Emain: she was one of the sul’dam forced to aid Mat in escaping Ebou Dar. She knew that sul’dam can learn to channel. She attempted to run away, stabbing Egeanin and so Harnan shot her with an arrow to keep her from revealing their whereabouts
*Seta Zarbey: she was one of the sul’dam forced to aid Mat in escaping Ebou Dar. She knew that sul’dam can learn to channel. She started to channel forcing the Aes Sedai with Mat to being taught how to channel properly on their way to Tar Valon
*Shanan: she captured Moghedien after the Last Battle
*Surela: was with Suroth on the isle of Cantorin
*Surine: she deserted the Seanchan after Falme
*Surya: present when Semirhage attacked Rand while posing as the Daughter of the Nine Moons.
*Taisa: she was with Suroth on the isle of Cantorin
*Talha: present when Semirhage attacked Rand while posing as the Daughter of the Nine Moons
*Tanera: killed when Semirhage attacked Rand while posing as the Daughter of the Nine Moons
==Der'sul'dam==
A very high ranking sul'dam, usually ranking in the Low or High Blood, gains the prefix der', literally meaning "master." They usually own more than one damane. They also train other sul'dam.
== Etymology ==
The Old Tongue word sul'dam is derived from "sole domme", or a single dominant in a BDSM relationship, as well as the world sultan, meaning "rulership." 
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Category:Seanchan culture
Category:Old Tongue
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Category:Seanchan culture
Category:Old Tongue
es:Sul'dam
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Category:Seanchan culture
Category:Old Tongue