Chapter 8 - Jarra

Summary

Perrin, Moiraine, Lan, and Loial arrive in the village of Jarra, which has been thrown into chaos by an influx of weddings and recent Whitecloak disturbances. Simion, a weary inn employee, reveals that Rand al'Thor visited the previous day, played the flute for the weddings, and fled eastward after screaming about being hunted. The group investigates a local legend regarding an Aes Sedai, leading them to Noam, a man who has physically transformed into a wolf-like creature and is caged by his brother Simion. Moiraine attempts to heal Noam but determines that his humanity is lost, leaving him permanently wolfed. Recognizing the danger Noam's yellow eyes pose to Perrin, Perrin frees the creature and arranges for his meals to remain discreet in his room.

Characters

• Perrin — Perrin follows Moiraine into the inn, questions Simion about Rand's whereabouts, and later accompanies Moiraine to view the transformed Noam. He frees Noam from his cage, realizing the man is now a wolf, and arranges for Simion to bring him food in his room to hide his yellow eyes from the villagers.
• Moiraine — Moiraine leads the group to their rooms, extracts information about Rand's passage from Simion, and scolds Perrin for speaking freely. She visits Noam, attempts to heal him by holding his head, and confirms to Simion that he is beyond saving and has become a wolf.
• Lan — Lan dismounts with the group, takes command of the luggage, and secures a small room next to Moiraine. He confronts Perrin for his loose tongue, agrees with Moiraine's refusal to heal Noam, and warns Perrin to protect her during the visit to the shed.
• Loial — Loial arrives in Jarra, draws the attention of the villagers with his size, and is shown to his room. He engages Simion in conversation about Ogier stedding, distracting the inn employee while Perrin speaks with Moiraine.
• Simion (the sweeper) — Simion, a chinless inn employee, welcomes the group and recounts the village's recent marriages and Whitecloak trouble. He reveals that Rand stayed in their room and flees eastward, then leads them to his brother Noam, begging Moiraine to heal him, and finally relents after Perrin's intervention and opens the door himself.
• Noam (Simion's brother) — Noam, a large man with golden eyes, has transformed into a wolf-like state and is caged in a shed behind the inn. After Moiraine fails to heal him, he is released by Perrin and runs free into the night, having lost his human mind.
• Harod (the innkeeper) — Master Harod sits in the inn common room, staring in disbelief at Loial. He greets the group wearily, attributing his behavior to exhaustion and the shock of seeing an Ogier, and promises a fine meal. Simion then shows the guests to their rooms.