Sul'dam

Sul'dam
Overview
Type	Handlers of enslaved female channelers
Headquarters	Seanchan continent
Membership requirements	Training to handle damane
Primary purpose	Serve the Seanchan empire
Portrayal
Appears in	The Wheel of Time (TV series)
Seasons	1
Debut	1.08 The Eye of the World
Status
Status	Active

A sul'dam (Old Tongue for leash holder) is a Seanchan women who has been trained to "handle" damane, enslaved female channelers who have been born in Seanchan or captured by their empire.

Overview

Sul'dam train for years to handle damane with the a'dam. Seanchan believes that they are the only ones capable of using the One Power, as they have not obtained it by accident of birth alone. Being able to wear the bracelet is recognized as a specific ability, and not all women are able to do this.

Nynaeve and Elayne start to learn the truth about sul'dam when they start experimenting with the a'dam and eventually collar Seta. Egwene independently discovers the full truth about the sul'dam during the Battle of Falme when she collars Renna: the sul'dam are channelers themselves, but are weak enough that their ability avoids detection by the Seanchan. Not even the sul'dam themselves appear to be aware of this.

History

Season 1

On the western shore of Toman Head, a young girl gathers shells on a beach and looks up to see a fleet of Seanchan ships approaching. Aboard the ships, the sul'dam give orders to the damane, causing them to damane create a great wave to devastate the coastline.

Season 2

Several sul'dam are in High Lady Suroth's army with their damane when the noblewoman of the Blood attacks Atuan's Mill.

At the Waygate in the jungle outside Falme, High Lady Suroth receives Liandrin Guirale, an Aes Sedai of the Black Ajah. The Darkfriend noblewoman is delivered Egwene al'Vere, Nynaeve al'Meara, and Elayne Trakand. Liandrin expresses her disgust of the system of sul'dam and damane, but Suroth explains the Seanchan view that only sul'dam have the right to control the One Power. Nynaeve and Elayne are able to escape, but Egwene is captured and collared as damane by a sul'dam named Renna.

Known sul'dam

• Mulaen
• Renna
• Seta

Uniform

Sul'dam are distinguished by blue face paint the lower half of their face. While this does not appear to be permanent, there are other markings on the lower half of the face that remain even when they are not wearing the face paint. They also wear their hair in twin braids over their shoulders.

They sul'dam also wear a distinct blue and red military uniform.

Gallery

Renna, a sul'dam

Changes from the book series

The sul'dam are adapted from the position of the same name  (book spoilers!) from the book series.

• Uniform: In the book series, the sul'dam uniform is an ankle length dark blue dress with panels of red and silver forks of lightning bolts. In the television series, there are still blue and red motifs, but they wear pants, and the uniform is more armor-like in general. The blue markings on the lower half of their face is also original to the television series.