The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Alvera Ramosanya. An Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah who served as Amyrlin from 549 to 578 NE. Alvera was a weak Amyrlin, though a woman with all the personal force and arrogance expected of her Ajah. The Hall, having gained another taste of power under her two predecessors, chose her because they calculated her personality and abilities closely and were not willing to let go. She continually attempted to establish her leadership, but failed miserably and died embittered, at a relatively young age for an Aes Sedai who died neither in a war nor an accident; she was only 248. There was some possibility that her death actually was by assassination caused by one of her attempts to assert authority going very badly wrong.

  Alviarin Freidhen. An Amadician Aes Sedai of the White Ajah publicly and the Black Ajah in truth. She was a member of the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 17(5). Born in 943 NE near the border with Tarabon, she went to the White Tower in 959 NE. After five years as a novice and five years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 969 NE. She was 5'4" tall and slim with brown eyes, dark brown hair and slim hands. She was cool, calm and icy except when she meant to be sarcastic or cutting. Alviarin became a Darkfriend in 958 NE after murdering another girl. Darkfriends helped cover it up; the other girl was thought to have run away from home. In 959 NE she was asked to kill a young man who, she was told, had learned something about the Darkfriends and meant to turn them in. She seduced him and stabbed him at the base of the skull while they were in bed; she never lost her composure. She was watched by the Black Ajah from her first day in the Tower. Although no Black sister revealed herself, Alviarin was secretly contacted by the Black and tested a number of times as Accepted; she spied on Aes Sedai, never knowing whether the one she was spying on might be Black Ajah herself and so able to tell perfectly whether she reported correctly. In 968 NE she murdered another Accepted on Black orders, the only real friend she had during her time in the Tower. She was informed beforehand that the only reason for the killing was for her to prove that she would obey whatever orders were given her. She strangled the girl without hesitation. The Black Ajah covered it up, making it seem that the woman had run away. In 983 NE, she was handpicked by Ishamael to head the Black Ajah, replacing Jarna Malari, whom Ishamael killed for her part in the male channeler pogrom. She plotted with Elaida to depose Siuan Sanche, and was rewarded by being named Keeper of the Chronicles. When she learned of the disaster at Dumai’s Wells, she used that knowledge to coerce Elaida into causing divisions in the Tower. She was sent away from the Tower by Mesaana, and during her absence, Elaida replaced her as Keeper and ordered punishment for her daily. The arrival of the rebels outside Tar Valon had dispelled her power over Elaida. She summoned Mesaana in panic; during their meeting, Shadar Haran came to punish Mesaana for not appearing at Shadar Logoth; he marked Alviarin as his and ordered her to find those who were searching for the Black Ajah. Alviarin was identified as a member of the Black Ajah in Verin’s book, but she fled the Tower before she could be captured. She fought against Egwene in Tel’aran’rhiod, but escaped from that conflict as well. She bonded the Asha’man Nensen, and fought in the Last Battle. Alviarin, Nensen and others were lured by Androl into a stedding and captured by Ogier.

  Alvistere. A Cairhienin novice in the White Tower. She was short and slim with big eyes and long dark hair. She had reached a strength where she could be tested for Accepted. She tripped Egwene in the dining hall after Egwene was demoted to novice by Elaida; she claimed that if Egwene turned her in, everyone would lie and say nothing had happened. She later came around to Egwene’s side and admired her greatly.

  Alvon. An Amadician woodcutter, a stocky man with a weathered face and a coarse, almost unintelligible accent, who was gai’shain in Sevanna’s camp. He and his son Theril, famed for having escaped three times and getting farther each time before recapture, swore to Faile, and Theril procured Therava’s binder for Faile.

  Alwain, Doesine. See Doesine Alwain

  Alwhin. A Seanchan sul’dam with blue eyes, sharp features, a tight, thin-lipped mouth and a permanent expression of anger. She became so’jhin, one of the hereditary upper servants of the Blood, and also a Voice of the Blood to the High Lady Suroth, because she knew too much concerning sul’dam and damane that Suroth needed to keep hidden, namely that sul’dam could be held by an a’dam. Afterward, the left side of her head was shaved, and the remnant of her light brown hair was worn in a braid. Her new position made her da’covale—a slave—but it was a position with more power and authority than her former place. She was poisoned by Liandrin to gain points, on the day that Suroth and Tylin left Ebou Dar on an inspection trip. Suroth was not pleased, as it brought the attention of the Seekers to her household.

  Alwin Rael. A male servant in Lady Arilyn’s house in Cairhien who liked to tickle maids’ chins. The Aes Sedai embassy that Elaida had sent to Cairhien to escort Rand back to the White Tower were staying with Lady Arilyn. Egwene went to the palace and, detecting channeling inside, used Air and Fire to replicate Moiraine’s eavesdropping trick on the inside, and thereby learned about Alwin’s proclivities.

  Alwyn al’Van. The cobbler in Emond’s Field.

  Alys. Moiraine’s favorite alias.

  Alysa. Almen Bunt’s sister. She and her husband Graeger had two sons, Hahn and Adim. The family owned an apple orchard. One day Graeger vanished, and nothing but a gray tree was found. Almen went to her to help with the orchard.

  Alyse. The name that Galina Casban used after being captured and taken to Perrin.

  Amadaine. The seventh month of the year.

  Amadicia. A nation in the southwest of the main continent. Its capital was Amador. The sigil of Amadicia was a red thistle leaf laid over a silver six-pointed star: the Thistle and Star. The banner was the Thistle and Star on a field horizontally striped blue and gold; three blue stripes and two yellow.

  Although the determination of exact dates is difficult, the most reliable sources state that Amadicia was founded in approximately FY 1023 by Lord Santal Ramoth, a direct descendant of the last King of Kharendor. He began, in FY 1015, by attempting to reestablish Kharendor, but realizing that the people no longer saw Kharendor as a unifying symbol and that many of the resident nobles were from other lands, he deftly changed to the founding of a new nation and was crowned the first King of Amadicia. The Kings of Amadicia were quite powerful rulers, in the beginning, until a decline in the quality of Amadician kings coincided with a rise in the power of the Children of the Light. Eventually, no ruler of Amadicia made any major decisions without checking with the Lord Captain Commander of the Children.

  Amadicia was the only land where being able to channel was a crime. Aes Sedai were outlawed, as was channeling, or even being trained in the White Tower. The law was enforced more by Whitecloaks than by the crown, but the crown did not abstain entirely.

  The Guardians of the Gate were a permanent formation in the army of Amadicia, serving primarily as the personal bodyguard of the ruler. Perhaps because the Children of the Light were present in Amadicia in such strength, the Guardians were never allowed to enroll more than about a thousand men, and Amadicia’s other standing forces, border guards and the like, never numbered more than three to four thousand men except in time of war.

  Unlike the nobility in other nations, nobles were not allowed to keep standing forces of any size greater than a small bodyguard, and levies in wartime were raised by the ruler, not by nobles.

  Amadicia’s last king, Ailron, was killed fighting the Seanchan. Nearly all of the Amadician nobles were either killed or taken da’covale by the Seanchan, and all of the Guardians of the Gate were killed, were made da’covale or became fugitives after Ailron’s Disaster.

  Amadicia was known for weaving and dyeing, although its products were not considered as good as Taraboner work. Amador mined a little iron, mined silver and gold in the southern Mountains of Mist, and gems in the south, although some of this area was outside the actual boundaries of Amadicia.

  Amador. The capital of Am
adicia. It was home to the Seranda Palace and the Fortress of the Light.

  Amaena. Leane’s alias after she was stilled.

  Amaetheon. A feast remembering the dead, not in a sad way, but joyously, celebrated everywhere except the Borderlands on the sixth day of Shaldine.

  amahn’rukane, the hand of. A statue near the Jehannah Road that was never finished. It had the appearance of an enormous sword stabbing the earth.

  Amalasan, Guaire. See Guaire Amalasan

  Amaline Paendrag Tagora. The first wife of Artur Hawkwing. He loved her very much, wrote many poems to her and was devastated when she was poisoned and died.

  Amalisa Jagad. A Lady of House Jagad in Shienar. Agelmar’s sister, Amalisa was short and in her middle years when Rand visited Fal Dara. Liandrin managed to overawe her completely and frighten her with the suggestion that Agelmar might have been the target of Liandrin’s—or worse, the Amyrlin’s—wrath, and made her enlist the women of Fal Dara keep in an intensive search for Rand when they should have been making arrangements for the banquet for the Amyrlin.

  Amar. The mother of Elora and the daughter of Coura, an Ogier. Elora wrote about Aes Sedai in the early days of Hawkwing’s reign.

  Amaresu. A female Hero of the Horn who carried the Sword of the Sun.

  Amaryn. An Aiel woman, the greatdaughter of Sorilea and the greatmother of Taric, who Sorilea thought would be a good husband for Egwene. Amaryn was obviously a woman of some great age.

  Amassa, Zemaille. See Zemaille Amassa

  Amathera Aelfdene Casmir Lounault. A Taraboner woman. She was in born in 974 NE. She was about 5'5" tall and very pretty and slender, with a nice but somewhat small bosom. She had waist-length dark hair, big dark eyes and a pouty rosebud mouth. She became King Andric’s lover, and with his support became Panarch. Held prisoner by the Black Ajah, she was freed by Elayne and Nynaeve. When captured by the Seanchan in the fall of Tanchico, she refused to swear the Oaths of Return and was made the property of High Lady Suroth. Given the name Thera, she was forced to dance scandalously clad in a troupe entertaining Suroth. Under those conditions, she lost her petulance and became timid. Rescued by Juilin Sandar in Ebou Dar, she afterward always stayed close to him, as if seeking his protection. She became his lover. See also Thera

  Amayar. The land-dwelling inhabitants of the Sea Folk islands. Known to few people other than the Atha’an Miere, the Amayar were the craftsmen who made what was known as Sea Folk porcelain. Followers of the Water Way, which prized acceptance of what is rather than what might be wished for, they were very uncomfortable away from the land and only ventured onto the water in small boats for fishing, never leaving sight of land. Their way of life was exceptionally peaceful, and required little oversight from the governors appointed from among the Atha’an Miere. Since the Atha’an Miere governors had little desire to go far from the sea, the Amayar essentially ran their own villages according to their own rules and customs. The Amayar did have prophecies which spoke of “the end times” and “the end of Illusion.” Some of these prophecies mentioned the huge hand holding a great crystal sphere which thrust out of a hill on Tremalking. If this sphere were to glow, certain things would happen, certain changes would occur, and certain things had to be done. The destruction of the sphere when Rand cleansed the Source signaled the end of Illusion, and as a result, the Amayar committed mass suicide.

  Ambani, Lemai. See Lemai Ambani

  Ambrey, Merana. See Merana Ambrey

  Amel din Monaga Stone Anchor. The husband and Swordmaster of Zaida din Parede Blackwing. As Swordmaster, he merited a fringed red parasol of one tier. He wore five small, fat golden rings in each ear. When Zaida became Mistress of the Ships, he became Master of the Blades.

  Amellia Arene. A Darkfriend woman in Amador, stern-faced and graying. She and her husband Jorin were rich merchants; their house was taken over by Liandrin and other Black Ajah members. Temaile damaged Jorin in punishment. After Liandrin revolted against Moghedien and was shielded, Moghedien turned her over to Amellia and her male cook Evon as a scullery maid. Amellia put her mind to making Liandrin’s life miserable, not only by using her as a scullion in the kitchens and by having her perform as a personal maid, but by having her backside tanned and making sure she was otherwise mistreated on the slightest excuse or none at all. Part of this was making Liandrin the cook’s bed-partner, since she so obviously despised him. Suroth might have rewarded them for handing over Liandrin, and she might have made use of them as Darkfriends.

  Amenar Shumada. A member of the Seanchan Blood who attended Tuon’s first audience in Ebou Dar.

  Amerano, Saraline. An Aes Sedai who lived at the time of the formation of the White Tower.

  Amhara Market. One of the three markets in Far Madding where foreigners were allowed to trade.

  Amhara, Savion. One of the three most famous First Counsels in Far Madding history. A statue of her stood in Amhara Market in Far Madding, pointing to the Tear Gate.

  Amico Nagoyin. An Arafellin Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah publicly, and of the Black Ajah in truth. She had a strength level of 27(15). Born in 967 NE, she went to the White Tower in 982 NE. After six years as a novice and four years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 992 NE. Slender and pretty, with a long neck, pale skin and big dark eyes, she was a member of the group of thirteen Black Ajah who fled the Tower. She was captured in the Stone of Tear, stilled in the process, and was killed during the Trolloc attack on the Stone, murdered in her cell by Isam/Luc. Her tongue was nailed to the door and her throat slit.

  Amira. A daughter of Artur Hawkwing and Amaline Paendrag Tagora. Her twin Modair was killed in battle in FY 959; she, her mother and two siblings were poisoned in FY 961.

  Amira Moselle. A Taraboner Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah and the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 27(15). Born in 823 NE, she went to the White Tower in 839 NE. After eleven years as a novice and nine years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 859 NE. She was stocky and had a square face and brightly beaded braids long enough to flail. Sierin Vayu chose Amira as Mistress of Novices and she later became a Sitter in the Hall of the Tower; she stepped down at the time of Elaida’s return to the Tower, allowing Elaida to take her seat and engineer the coup against Siuan. She was a member of the group of Aes Sedai sent by Elaida to kidnap Rand, and was killed in the battle at Dumai’s Wells.

  Amondrid Osiellin. A Cairhienin nobleman who supported Colavaere for the throne. Moon-faced, he was maybe fifteen to twenty years older than Rand. His wife was Belevaere. Rand summoned him to join his fight against the Seanchan, and he was put under Bashere’s command. He was present when Elayne stripped Elenia, Arymilla and Naean of their titles and properties.

  Amylia. An Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah whom Zaida brought back with her from Caemlyn. She volunteered to help teach the Atha’an Miere, hoping to study them, but found that she had the lowly standing of a deckhand, and had to jump when Zaida said “frog.”

  Amyrlin Seat. The title of the leader of the Aes Sedai. A slightly less formal usage was simply “the Amyrlin.” It was also the throne upon which the leader of the Aes Sedai sat. The Amyrlin was elected for life by the Hall of the Tower, the highest council of the Aes Sedai, which consisted of three representatives, called Sitters, from each of the seven Ajahs. The Amyrlin Seat had, theoretically at least, almost supreme authority among the Aes Sedai, and ranked socially as the equal of a king or queen. Other than death or resigning the Amyrlin Seat, the only way she could be removed was to be deposed by the Hall. Choosing an Amyrlin required the greater consensus. Although this could be done with a unanimous vote of eleven Sitters under the proper circumstances, tradition called for all Sitters to be present. Elaida was chosen by eleven only, though, and possibly this tradition had been violated before.

  Deposing an Amyrlin also called for the greater consensus, but a truncated one so to speak, for it was specifically stated in the law that the Sitters for the Ajah from which she was raised might not be present when the vot
e was taken.

  Just as the raising of Elaida by a Hall of only eleven Sitters was the basis for doubting her legitimacy, the removal, conviction and sentence to stilling of Siuan by that same Hall of eleven was the basis for doubting the legitimacy of those actions.

  Women were considered by the Hall for the position of Amyrlin Seat, often from a number of candidates. Most of these women were put forward by Sitters, alone or in coalition, but it was possible for any six sisters to propose a candidate. Oddly, the candidate herself did not have to agree and could not withdraw her name. The only way to withdraw, in effect, was to do as Cadsuane did and flee the White Tower.

  Consideration of candidates was known to go on for a long time, and votes were seldom taken until a candidate’s backers believed that the chances of victory were good. Any candidate could only be voted upon formally three times; if, after three votes, she had not gained the greater consensus, she was out of the running, though she could be proposed again if she was still living when the woman who was raised died.