Damane

*This article is about the enslaved Seanchan channelers. For the episode, see Damane (episode).*

## Status

### Status

Active

The ***damane*** (Old Tongue for *leashed one*) are a group of enslaved female channelers from Seanchan.

## Overview

Any woman who can channel in Seanchan or their territories is enslaved as *damane*, and has the collar of an *a'dam* attached to her neck. This *ter'angreal* inhibits her from channeling without the direction of a *sul'dam*, a woman who wears a bracelet that completes the *a'dam*. Wearing the *a'dam* collar prevents the *damane* from touching the collar to attempt removing it, and also prevents the *damane* from going to touch any item that she considers a potential weapon. It also prevents her from attacking her *sul'dam* without feeling immense pain. A *damane* always feels twice of what her *sul'dam* does, even to death.

The *damane* are kept in "kennels" when they are stationed in a large town or city. It is here that new *damane* are trained, including the recent influx of non-Seanchan women that have come under control of the empire. New *damane* are usually broken by the Seanchan very quickly.

The Seanchan believe that nobody should have the One Power by accident of birth, and view the trained "handlers" of the *damane*, the *sul'dam*, as the only party that can rightfully control them. Any woman not leashed is considered *marath'damane*, "those who should be leashed". The *damane* are treated as lesser than human by the *sul'dam* and by Seanchan society in general.

## History

The *a'dam* was invented by an Aes Sedai long ago. The *damane* system has since become an integral part of the Seanchan's empire.

### Season 1

On the Western shore of the Westlands, a young girl gathers shells on a beach and looks up to see a fleet of Seanchan ships approaching. Aboard the ships, the *damane* are given orders, and as a group the *damane* create a great wave to devastate the coastline.

### Season 2

Several *damane* are in High Lady Suroth's army when the noblewoman of the Blood attacks Atuan's Mill. When the conquest is done, Miri starts looking for female channelers who can be enslaved, and points out Jamila Amudee.

Egwene al'Vere is captured by Suroth's party after Liandrin Guirale delivers Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne to the noblewoman. She is taken before High Lord Turak and collared by Renna. Egwene is taken to a cell in Falme's kennels, and tries to resist the *damane* system, despite the immense mental and physical toll this takes on her. She is unable to touch a pitcher of water when she imagines hitting Renna with it, and is horribly beaten for her attempts at resistance. Renna also uses the *a'dam* to guide Egwene's weaves and demonstrate just how powerful she is as a channeler, and has her use weaves of Fire and Earth to burn a tree just outside her cell. Egwene eventually breaks when she stops imagining the pitcher as a weapon. She also discovers that Maigan, an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah, is a *damane* being kept in the cell adjacent to her own.

Meanwhile, Nynaeve and Elayne are hiding from the Seanchan in an attic where Ryma Sedai of the Yellow Ajah is staying. Ryma confirms that she was part of a mission to the western coast, but that the Aes Sedai grossly underestimated the threat of the Seanchan. She confirms Maigan's capture, and says that two Aes Sedai were killed trying to resist the Seanchan. Eventually, the Seanchan come looking for women who can channel, and Ryma chooses to surrender herself so that Nynaeve and Elayne can bring word to the Tower about the Black Ajah. Ryma and her Warder, Basan, are able to resist the Seanchan for a brief period of time. However, they are greatly outnumbered, and Ryma asks Basan to kill her so that she cannot be enslaved. However, Basan is himself killed by the Seanchan, and Ryma is seized and collared.

## Known *damane*

* Egwene al'Vere (formerly; escaped)
* Jamila Amudee
* Maigan
* Miri
* Ryma
* Seta (partial ruse; later left collared by Nynaeve)

## Uniform

Each *damane* wears a long plain grey dress, a golden collar that covers her shoulders and wraps under her arms, and a golden gag in her mouth. They also wear red makeup over their foreheads and black makeup around their eyes.

## Gallery

### Season 1 images

Two *damane* (front center) on a Seanchan shipThe *damane* on the Seanchan ships begin to channel in unison
### Season 2 images

The *damane* Miri (center) in Atuan's MillEgwene in the collar and grey dress of a *damane*Costume concept art, designed by Sharon GilhamCostume concept art of the *damane*'s collar and *sul'dame*'s bracelet, designed by Sharon Gilham
## Changes from the book series

The *damane* are adapted from the organization of the same name  (*book spoilers!*) from the book series.

* Gag - In the books, the damane did not wear a golden gag. Costume designer Sharon Gilham designed it "to symbolize their further silencing as individuals."
* Leash - In the books, the *damane* were physically leashed to the *sul'dam*. In the streaming series, the *damane*'s collar and *sul'dame*'s bracelet are still present, but the connecting leash is not.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 *The Wheel of Time*, season 2 episode 6: *Eyes Without Pity*.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *The Wheel of Time*, season 2 episode 5: *Damane*.
3. ↑ *The Wheel of Time*, season 1 episode 8: *The Eye of the World*.
4. ↑ *The Wheel of Time*, season 2 episode 3: *What Might Be*.
5. ↑ *Nerdist*, GET AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE WHEEL OF TIME SEASON 2 COSTUME SKETCHES by Amy Radcliffe, July 26, 2023.