Aradia Crowley is an eighteen year old witch and holds the title of the Maiden of the Witches, one of the three highest positions among the witch clans. She plays a pivotal role in the series, and is among the most respected and revered of the Night People, especially as she has the ability to see the future.
In Black Dawn, Maggie Neely mistakenly called her Arcadia (Cady for short) because she mishears Aradia say her name. She is referenced in the prophecies of the Wild Powers as "The Blind Maiden"; the Wild Powers are all deduced by the prophecies to be a year younger than Aradia.
Physical Appearance[]
Aradia is described as being very beautiful, with cafe-au-lait skin and dark hair. However, her brown eyes are unfocused, revealing that she is in fact physically blind, although many characters have noted that she has the ability to "see" in a way that is mysterious to them.
Personality[]
Aradia is noted as a serene and quiet witch, and is a highly revered member of the Inner Circle. She conducts herself very graciously and is in turn respectful and dignified to others. Surprisingly, Aradia seems to hold a neutral, even kindly, stance in regards to human beings, as shown in Spellbinder; she is not perturbed by the human Eric Ross' knowledge of the Night World, and even comes to his defense when the Inner Circle has to decide on how to deal with Eric's relationship with Thea Harman. Aradia additionally covers for Eric, Thea and Blaise as she knew, unlike the rest of the Circle, that Eric and Thea were not affected by a memory potion given to them to make them forget the Night World.
Powers and Abilities[]
As a witch, Aradia is naturally skilled in witchcraft and spells. In addition to this, Aradia is noted for being able to see visions of the future, which prove integral to not just the witches, but to the entire Night World. Aradia cannot control when these visions come however, but will draw attention if she deems they are relevant. Additionally, although blind, Aradia has demonstrated a type of "sight" similar to normal vision, although people who see this are left startled as to how this is so.
Aradia's skill is formidable, as shown in Black Dawn, when she is able to call forth Hellewise Hearth-Woman from beyond death in order to convince Sylvia Weald to free Delos Redfern from the enchanted arm brace restricting his powers. Even while ill, she is able to utilize verbal spells to conceal herself and others from other Night People.
Trivia[]
- Aradia shares her name with a goddess of the Italian Stregheria religion, who was linked with the Roman goddess Diana, the virgin patroness of animals, the moon, hunting, and children. Aradia was said in the religion to have had the mission of going to earth to teach witchcraft to others, and was credited with being the first witch.
- In Greek Mythology, Arcadia was a wilderness region of Greece sacred to the god of the woods, Pan, and the goddess Artemis (the Greek counterpart of Diana). Arcadia was also the name of a Roman princess who took a vow of chastity and created a monument to the Christian Saint Andrew.
- Amusingly, yet fitting, Aradia was able to win over Sylvia Weald when the fate of the world was at stake; Aradia's name is linked to a goddess of the woodlands, while Sylvia's name itself means "forest" or "woods". This fact may or may not have been coincidental.
- According to the family tree posted by L. J. Smith, Aradia's surname is Crowley. However, as this is the surname of her father/foster father, due to the matriarchy of the witches, this should not be Aradia's last name; even if adopted, her surname should actually be "Harman", unless her birth mother also had the surname Crowley.