We know from the Guide that the general term comes from "Sha'je duels, held at Qual, [which] involved the use of left- and right-hand dagĀgers, called respectively osan'gar and aran'gar, tipped with slow poison."
Thus, those names were certainly chosen to indicate that the second chance Forsaken are supposed to be deadly tools for the DO to infiltrate the Lightside as unseen threats.
However, I wonder if the literal meaning of aran'gar is really right-hand dagger, as the Guide indicates. The word "aran" also appears in tel'aran'rhiod, which probably either means World of Dreams or the Unseen World. So, maybe aran'gar rather means something like Knife/Dagger of Dreams (which would be a nice allusion to the title of the book), or something like "Unseen Dagger" (which might point to Perrin's "unseen foe" in ToM). One wonders then, though, what osan'gar means.
On the other hand, the "haran" in Shaidar Haran, apparently means "Hand of", so if "aran" means right-hand it also be related to this (since SH is basically the DO's right-hand). Maybe tel'aran'rhiod literally means then something like the "not-right-world", in the sense of an unreal world?
Thus, those names were certainly chosen to indicate that the second chance Forsaken are supposed to be deadly tools for the DO to infiltrate the Lightside as unseen threats.
However, I wonder if the literal meaning of aran'gar is really right-hand dagger, as the Guide indicates. The word "aran" also appears in tel'aran'rhiod, which probably either means World of Dreams or the Unseen World. So, maybe aran'gar rather means something like Knife/Dagger of Dreams (which would be a nice allusion to the title of the book), or something like "Unseen Dagger" (which might point to Perrin's "unseen foe" in ToM). One wonders then, though, what osan'gar means.
On the other hand, the "haran" in Shaidar Haran, apparently means "Hand of", so if "aran" means right-hand it also be related to this (since SH is basically the DO's right-hand). Maybe tel'aran'rhiod literally means then something like the "not-right-world", in the sense of an unreal world?
Character discussion 7 : Aran'gar/Balthamel
- 22/06/2010 02:40:07 PM
1448 Views
The Forsaken most likely to acquire an STD ...
- 22/06/2010 03:34:41 PM
778 Views
Are you serious?... more than Graendal?
- 22/06/2010 05:45:54 PM
788 Views
Graendal strikes me as a voyeur - she likes to watch more than actively participate, I suspect.
*NM*
- 22/06/2010 05:49:15 PM
331 Views
*NM*
- 22/06/2010 05:49:15 PM
331 Views
Also, Graendal is much more picky in her conquests, I suspect ...
- 22/06/2010 06:07:08 PM
690 Views
but seriously, what is that based on?
- 22/06/2010 07:27:42 PM
673 Views
Makes sense to me
- 23/06/2010 05:02:47 AM
747 Views
I think Aran'gar was Slayer's mystery employer in WH ...
- 22/06/2010 04:17:27 PM
1018 Views
Yeah, I suggested that Aran'gar posed as Demandred
- 22/06/2010 04:54:59 PM
715 Views
The TGS quote is a good point ...
- 22/06/2010 05:27:59 PM
757 Views
I think the patron's identity might be something that RJ not necessarily wanted to reveal. *NM*
- 22/06/2010 06:42:24 PM
693 Views
There's some evidence against that, though
- 22/06/2010 05:47:34 PM
642 Views
I think Aran'gar wouldn't directly confront Demandred
- 22/06/2010 06:41:33 PM
601 Views
Still risky though
- 22/06/2010 07:29:32 PM
649 Views
Osan'gar has GUTS???
- 26/06/2010 03:47:29 PM
800 Views
Of course he has guts
- 04/07/2010 10:16:16 AM
673 Views
If I was a badass Forsaken with enough power to go toe to toe with him YES
- 04/07/2010 02:49:54 PM
787 Views
What will be her next task?
- 22/06/2010 05:01:37 PM
701 Views
He's more fit to sweep up after others' mistakes - maybe his next task will be with Tuon?
- 22/06/2010 05:20:37 PM
649 Views
Re: He's more fit to sweep up after others' mistakes - maybe his next task will be with Tuon?
- 22/06/2010 05:45:40 PM
632 Views
I like this idea to infiltrate the Seanchan as well
- 22/06/2010 06:37:39 PM
651 Views
Wolves can sense channelers - the wolves knew Egwene was different, remember?
- 22/06/2010 07:37:52 PM
724 Views
Maybe Aran'gar rather hides among the 100.000, i.e. she would be hard to discover
- 23/06/2010 08:59:09 AM
600 Views
One of the weakest and least capable of the Forsaken we've seen
- 22/06/2010 05:16:13 PM
695 Views
Are you sure?
- 22/06/2010 05:44:26 PM
789 Views
It's not about dismissing her lightly - it has more to do with being accurate with an assessment
- 22/06/2010 05:49:17 PM
685 Views
Translation of Aran'gar
- 23/06/2010 12:57:17 PM
803 Views

LOL!!! *NM*