- “I've been with some of those women, I know how ruthless they are. They may have to do as Jagang makes them, but they're devoted to the Keeper of the underworld.”
- ―Jennsen Rahl[src]
The Sisters of the Dark were a clandestine group of sorceresses, former Sisters of the Light, secretly sworn to serve the Keeper of the Underworld. These Sisters secretly lived among the Sisters of the Light pretending to serve the Creator. In return for their loyalty, the Keeper granted them access to powers otherwise unattainable to them including Subtractive Magic and even immortality. The leader of the Sisters of the Dark was Sister Ulicia, who acted as the director of the fallen Sisters much as the Prelate did the Sisters of the Light. Only Ulicia knew the identities of all the other Sisters of the Dark.
History[]
The history of the Sisters of the Dark is largely unknown and shrouded in mystery. At some point prior to Sister Verna Sauventreen departing to the New World to find Richard Rahl, the Prelate of the Sisters of the Light,Annalina Aldurren, became aware of the group of women. However, without proof the mere accusation was considered heresy, thus Annalina moved quietly in the shadows in order to expose them. Ultimately the Prelate's plan to flush them out using Richard Rahl was successful.
After being exposed and fleeing the Palace of the Prophets, the leaders of the Sisters of the Dark found themselves enslaved to Emperor Jagang of the Imperial Order. With his powers as a Dreamwalker, he could slip into their minds and control their thoughts and actions. Their abilities with both sides of the gift became invaluable to the Order's progress as they waged war in the New World.
Description[]
By pledging their service to the Keeper of the Underworld, the Sisters of the Dark were granted greater power beyond their own talents as sorceresses. Most Sisters appeared to have been seduced by the Keeper through his promises of power, youth, and beauty. Using a device known as Quillion, the Sisters would drain a wizard of his gift and then undergo a dark ceremony, involving a Namble. While undergoing this, the Sister would hold the wizard's gift within herself and as his essence slipped through the veil to the underworld, she would allow the Subtractive essence to enter into her. This gave each Sister of the Dark, who successfully made it through the ceremony, limited use of Subtractive Magic.
Once a Sister had completed this ceremony she could absorb the male Han directly from a quillion, without having to undergo the ceremony once again.
Sisters of the Dark were extremely vain and selfish, with little hesitation about causing a great deal of horror for the promise of youth, beauty, and power, once the Keeper succeeded in being freed from the Underworld.
Known Sisters of the Dark[]
- Ulicia (Leader) †
- Marianna (Leader) Legend of the Seeker "Vengeance"
- Armina †
- Becky (Never proven, but highly likely) †
- Cecilia †
- Christabel †
- Greta
- Jodelle
- Julia
- Leoma Marsick †
- Liliana †
- Merissa †
- Elizabeth Myric †
- Odette †
- Penthea
- Perdita †
- Grace Rendall †
- Roslyn †
- Tahirah †
- Tovi †
- Tyra
- Willamina
Former Sisters of the Dark[]
Only three Sisters of the Dark have ever rejected the Keeper.
- Nicci decided to leave both orders of Sisters all together and joined the cause of Richard Rahl.
- Alessandra was brought back to the Light by Ann.
- Amelia returned to the Light, only because she was forced to by Emperor Jagang, when tasked with entering the Temple of the Winds.
Abilities and Capabilities[]
Additive Magic[]
- As a sorceress, every Sister of the Dark is naturally born with the ability to use Additive Magic. Some of the most powerful Sisters of the Dark were Sisters of the Light who had received extensive training in wielding Additive Magic.
- With their Additive Magic, they are able to cast fire or hardened air.
- After absorbing a male's Han, a Sister of the Dark had their capabilities with Additive Magic increased to a greater level than any other sorceress and most wizards.
Subtractive Magic[]
- Limited use of Subtractive Magic. With it they can make their surroundings vanish into the Underworld.
- Subtractive Lightning is used as one of their primary offensive weapons.
Others[]
- The Sisters of the Dark often use their Dacra, to instantly kill their targets.
- With the Quillion they can take the Gift from a Wizard by skinning them alive. The death of a wizard also allows the Keeper to impart the ability to utilize Subtractive magic.
- When the Sisters of the Dark mentally linked their magic, they basically combined all of the Han at their disposal, seamlessly combining the Additive and Subtractive side of their magic to create a force that can potentially rip the very fabric of reality as Ulicia almost did.
- After going through the ceremony with a Namble, they have the use of the male Han.
Behind the scenes[]
- In the television series Legend of the Seeker, Sisters of the Light and Dark can absorb someone's Han by killing that person with their Dacra. They can also absorb Han by performing a ceremony in which a Sister recites a spell with the person they wish to absorb their Han from. The person must be willing to give up their Han in order for the ceremony to work.
- In Legend of the Seeker it appears that Nicci was the leader of the Sisters of the Dark, rather than Ulicia. Later on, Sisters such as Merissa and Marianna took over.