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In the Gathering Storm, we find out more about Verin Mathwin's background, an in particular that she

is a member of the Black Ajah (at least according to her, against her will.)

It seems like this would require her to to an active role in some of the events going on before and during the series. It seems unlikely that she could be a "passive" participant without causing problems for herself.

Do we have any information about exactly what kinds of things Verin did off-screen during the series?

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    Can we keep major spoilers out of question titles so people aren't forced to read them just by visiting the site?
    – Bill the Lizard
    Commented Mar 4, 2011 at 4:02

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Well her wiki page has some text, but it seems bigger than it should be. The main two things I remember are:

  • She is present in the great hunt at the fortress place at the beginning of the book. She accompanies Rand during the attack there and calls attention to the text on the wall. Later she makes sure that part of the prophecies about the dragon are satisfied at the Seanchen place(5 will go, 4 come back) etc.
  • She goes to the Two Rivers and encourages Perrin's lordship (probably to satisfy more prophecies). Later she manipulates Alanna into bonding Rand.

Some other stuff she has done include furthering Egwene's studies about dreaming. She was also associated with one of the assassination attempts in the white tower in the early part of the series.

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    I think only the assassination attempts could be construed as working for the Black Ajah. The rest seem to aid the Light much more than the Dark. Alanna's Bonding may also qualify as serving the Dark, but that is much more ambiguous IMO.
    – Megan Walker
    Commented Mar 2, 2011 at 11:54
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    Somewhere in the stories there is the relevation that even the dark side has prophecies, and the Dragon Reborn has to be at Mount Doom for the dark one to break free. So yes, her actions are precipitating the crisis, but hard to say who she's working for.
    – apoorv020
    Commented Mar 2, 2011 at 15:24
  • Its a revelation to the reader, but the way she refers to it means that Aes Sedai generally are aware of the fact that the Dark have prophecies "fits with the few dark prophecies we know" or words to that effect. I do believe it is Book 2 you are referring to - with the message on the wall of the keep.
    – Megan Walker
    Commented Mar 4, 2011 at 10:26
  • @Samuel: Furthering Egwene's Dreaming did further the BA's motives at the time, because what she learned in Tel'aran'rhiod led Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve into the trap that Be'lal and the BA had set in Tear. They just didn't account for Moiraine knowing balefire and Rand getting his hands on Callandor. And the Aiel, of course. The dark prophecies are mentioned in The Great Hunt, when the Horn of Valere and the Shadar Logoth dagger are stolen from Fal Dara's vault.
    – technophile
    Commented Aug 26, 2011 at 20:13

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