Listeners

Listeners are members of a Seanchan spy organization controlled by Lesser Hands and formally serve on behalf of the Empress. Almost anyone in the household of a Seanchan noble, merchant or banker could be a Listener, including da'covale occasionally, though seldom so'jhin. Once someone becomes a Listener, they serve for life.
Listeners take no active role in matters, and have no formal authority whatsoever. They merely watch, listen and report their observations. Their reports are submitted to the Lesser Hands who are also in charge of the Seekers for Truth. They will decide what information should be passed on to Seekers for further action.
The identity of Listeners is known only to the bureaucracy who controls them, to the Empress, and in some cases, to a control or case officer. The bureaucracy that controls them exists to record the information supplied by the Listeners and pass it to either the Seekers, the Empress, or both. The bureaucracy that controls the Listeners is itself secret and unknown to other bureaucrats and functionaries, and its members are known only to each other, though the upper echelons are known by the Empress.
When called to give evidence, the Listeners do so with their faces hidden and identity disguised, and speak through a tube that disrorts their voices.The Wheel of Time Companion, Listeners.
==See also==
* Seekers for Truth
* Hand
Category:Seanchan culture
-Listeners