That which can be destroyed by the truth should be,
”
– Kirien, Seeker's Mask, "Part VIII: Kithorn"
Kirien is the JaranLordan—a precedent for Torisen naming Jame to that role. She is a scrollswoman like most people of her House, her particular field of study is the Fall.
She, Ashe, and perhaps Caldane and Brenwyr know that Jame held the Ivory Knife. At the time, she did not realize what the Knife was and attempted to test its sharpness before Jame and Ashe saved her.[8]
Biography[]
Kirien is a JaranHighborn, the daughter of a great-grandson of Lord Jaran, and a nice of Lord Randir. After she died giving birth to Kirien, the Randir didn't pay attention to the child.[6]
Like many Jaran, Kirien became a scholar at Mount Alban. As a scrollswoman, her field of study is the Fall.
Her great-great-grandfather made her his lordan, although this wasn't confirmed by the Highlord before he died. After his death, Torisen, after some slight hesitation, agreed. In another house, this would surely have been challenged by others within the house, but the Jaran, being scholars, are uninterested in being administrators; and Kirien "lost a coin fall" to become Lordan. Her Great-Uncle Kedan would be her administrator until Kirien came of age, but had no intention of doing it any longer, "short of violence".[9] Kedan said of Kirien's selection for Jaran's next lord: "Jedrak made his choice and the rest of his house supports it." Torisen confirmed Kirien in High Council, to the protests of most other House Lords.[10]
Shanir[]
Kirien is, as all Highborn, who rule or seek to rule a House must be, a Shanir able to bind Kencyr to her.
In other traits, her particular powers appear to be focused on compelling or revealing the truth; at one point while trying to destroy Index's self-deceptions, she says, in the academic version of a berserker fit, "That which can be destroyed by the truth should be."[5] This ability is called using the Voice of Command, a talent which Torisen shares. She can also far-write (far-scribe).[11]
References[]
↑The Sea of Time, "Chapter XXI: Before the Storm" — " 'The Highlord asked Lady Kirien to send this to me to give to you, Ran,' he had said."
↑ 2.02.1Seeker's Mask, "Part VIII: Kithorn" — "But Kiri had just seen her face, when she had used it to cut short the scrollswoman's berserker flare."
↑Seeker's Mask, "Part VIII: Kithorn" — " 'That does it,' said Torisen. 'Kiri, I accept your suggestion.' "
↑Dark of the Moon, "Chapter 10: The Lurking Past" — " 'My own specialty is the Fall.' "
↑ 5.05.1Seeker's Mask, "Part VIII: Kithorn" — "At last Jame understood Ashe's concern: Anxiety had pushed the young scrollswoman into the academic equivalent of a berserker flare—a ruthless drive to lay bare the truth, regardless of the cost. […] Cool, unblinking eyes turned on her. Their attention, focusing, drove her back a step. Too late, she realized that here lay the Shanir power not only to demand the truth, but to compel it."
↑ 6.06.16.2Dark of the Moon, "Chapter 10: The Lurking Past" — " 'As for the other houses, my mother died giving birth to me, you see. That made both me and my father suspect as breeding stock, so no one outside our own house has paid much attention to either of us […] Lord Randir condescended mightily in letting his niece contract to my father.' "
↑Dark of the Moon, "Chapter 6: The High Council" — "If he couldn't hold himself together through tomorrow to support the Highlord, his great-great-grandson would take over, and the boy was half a Randir."