How old is Moiraine?

[saidintrue]

ok i was asked this the other day and i gave an off the cuff ruff esitmate of like between late 40's and 60 given that she must have been in her teens to go to the tower..20 years to be Aes sedai and 20 years searching for rand..

I just brought a NewSpring..and whilst i read the old version many years ago the question in question (for want of a better term) has been answered..i think

Moiraine is 41 ish

proof

"Siuan Sanche was held up to novices as an example of what they should aspire to. well both of them were, only one other women had completed novice training in just 3 years. Elaida a'Roihan, a detestable women, had completed her time as Accepted in jsut 3 years, too, also a record, and it seemed at least possible they might match that, as well."

P29 NS

"She was three years the elder but the Great Serpant ring and banded skirts marked a fount of knowledge in a novices eyes"

"not really a child since she had been seven years a novice and had come to the tower at 18"

P30-32 NS both refering to a nocie called Elin

So lets do the maths

Elin = 3 years older..cames to the tower at 18 and is currently 7 years a novice = 25

Moiraine = 3 years younger..3 years a novice and about 3 an Accepted..so she can only be 21

she searchs for rand til she finds him aged.. 20 almost..making moraine 41

its not completly acurate..but its close as i can get

[Jamie]

these are mainly ians points, which we've talked about in the hob.
1) moiraine knows too much - she knew be'lal, and he knew her (i think), then she knew balefire to get rid of him. in book 7 (i think, its been a while), she went into town, came back saying, "sammael rules here". - she must know him by sight. oh, and she also knew asmodeon was teaching rand.

2) you saying about her quick assent up the tower, does that not show she knows a bit too much?

i havent read new spring, does it say she IS 18, or she has the looks of any ordinary 18yr old? cos if she's from the age of legends, she could be any age - also, we know she can lie, which increases their life-expectancy anyway.

put that in you're pipe and smoke it.

[saidintrue]

ok lets see im not sure i can answer all of those very well..

1) i think she knows her forsaken becuase of 20 years of searching for rand..she has prepared herself and trained and researched for the last battle..as for her knowing asmodean..i think she's learnt a lot from the doorway ter'angreals and probly was jsut bright enough to figure it out. (none of that is proven..jsut my thoughts)

2) her quick assent up the tower was the same speed as siuan's and Elaidas was as fast..it can happen in gifted women..but you need to read a new spring to really understand that

3) her age cannot be any older than what i've said..the dates all work out..the amyrlin seats, all the data makes her a normal women..just fighting a big battle and so she's become hard..like lan