The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Arinvar. Sheriam’s Cairhienin Warder. Slender and about 5'7" tall with gray at his temples, he was hard of face and moved like a stalking leopard.

  Arjuna, Cieryl. See Cieryl Arjuna

  Arlen Nalaam. A Saldaean Asha’man soldier, copper-skinned, with a thin mustache and a small pearl in his ear. Part of the attack on the Seanchan, he brought a captured sul’dam to Rand, and stared at Rand’s saddle, not at Rand. He said that saidin felt strange, during battle with the Seanchan in the south. He frequently spoke in gibberish; it was his form of madness from the taint. He also told many far-fetched stories. When he, Androl and others were attempting to rescue Logain from Taim, the roof caved in and he was killed.

  Arlene. Arymilla’s maid. Her duties went beyond the usual. Slender and pretty, she jerked in shock when Arymilla ordered her to go with Nasin and prepare him spiced wine, since she knew very well that Nasin would tumble her as soon as they were alone, but she gave Nasin a tremulous smile and obeyed.

  Armaghn, Dawlin. An Andoran man who was High Seat of a minor House; his sign was the Oak and Axe. He supported Naean.

  Armahn, River. A river located in northern Murandy.

  Arman, Chilares. See Chilares Arman

  armcry. Aiel expression for raising an alarm.

  Armies of the Night. The name given by Luthair Paendrag’s armies to the defenders of Seanchan, composed of militant Aes Sedai and exotic creatures, which Luthair thought to be Shadowspawn.

  Arms. The name Ituralde’s troops called Trollocs with the features of bears.

  Arnault, Laigin. See Laigin Arnault

  Arnin. One of the two toughs with Falion and Ispan when they tortured the Kinswoman Callie in Ebou Dar. He was a Darkfriend with little brains, black hair, beady eyes and scars, and was very muscular. Arnin was the one who questioned Falion’s order to make it look as if the Kinswoman was robbed. She channeled and threw him against the wall for that.

  Arnon, Rahema. A grain merchant Perrin dealt with in So Habor, Altara. She was haggard and dirty with sunken eyes.

  Arovni, Racelle. See Racelle Arovni

  Arran Head. A promontory at the western end of Kabal Deep in southeastern Altara. Between Arran Head and the city of Illian lay a hundred leagues of open water, across the mouth of Kabal Deep. Rand speculated that the Seanchan needed two weeks to reach the border of Illian from Arran Head.

  Arrata. A Seanchan soldier at Malden, under the command of Mishima. She assisted in putting forkroot into the aqueduct.

  arrath. An herb applied to meat to add sweetness.

  Arrays. A game wealthy women played with cards. Cards were placed in descending order in one of a set of patterns, but only certain suits could be played on others.

  Arrel. See Edeyn ti Gemallen and Iselle Arrel

  Arrela Shiego. A Tairen woman who was a member of Cha Faile. She wore her black hair cut as short as a Maiden’s. Her eyes were dark, and she was fairly dark-complected. About 5'9" tall, Arrela did not have any feminine touches about her garments, neither in color or otherwise; they were quite masculine. She made it evident that she was not interested in kissing men, as she was gay. She was one of the fifteen or sixteen who followed Perrin and Faile from Cairhien to Ghealdan. Arrela was not so hot as Lacile concerning her own honor—not so hot as such things were accounted among them, anyway—but she was very concerned with Faile’s. Faile considered that Camaille and Arrela had the quickest minds in the bunch, though Parelean and Selande were brighter. She, Parelean and Lacile learned of Masema’s contacts with the Seanchan. She was captured by the Shaido along with Faile. She and Lacile had attempted escape, were recaptured, and were tied naked on a cart as punishment. Aldin wanted to marry her, but she was not interested. Marthea, a Maiden, protected Arrela during her captivity and was her lover. Arrela was with Faile’s group that went to fetch the Horn of Valere from the White Tower, and, as a gateway opened to return them to the Field of Merrilor, they were sent instead to the Blight.

  Arrow. Birgitte’s lean gray horse. Arrow was also the name of Moiraine’s bay mare, later replaced by Aldieb.

  Arrows of Fire. A weave of Fire and Earth; it caused red filaments to flash from one’s fingertips. The filaments heated blood and flesh beyond boiling, and killed many quickly.

  Artein, Catlynde. An Aes Sedai Sitter who lived at the time of the formation of the White Tower.

  Artham. A ter’angreal that prevented the Dark One from seeing its possessor; one in the shape of a dagger was found in Ebou Dar, identified by Aviendha and used by Rand when he approached Shayol Ghul.

  Artur Hawkwing. A legendary king who united all lands west of the Spine of the World, and whose death touched off the War of the Hundred Years. His sign was a golden hawk in flight. Born Artur Paendrag Tanreall, he received this name for the swiftness with which he moved his armies. He was about 6'2" tall, and hook-nosed, with dark, deep-set eyes. He was ta’veren, the strongest until Rand. His great sword Justice was always with him. His voice was deep and carrying, a voice used to issuing commands. Hawkwing took on an advisor, Jalwin Moerad, who was Ishamael in actuality. Moerad, opportunistically taking advantage of the manipulative Bonwhin, the White Tower’s Amyrlin at the time, turned Hawkwing against the Aes Sedai, which led him to engage in a twenty-year siege against them. Also on Moerad’s advice, Hawkwing sent his son, Luthair Paendrag, with an army to Seanchan, and a daughter with an army to Shara, to consolidate his empire. He died cursing the Aes Sedai and mourning the loss of his son and daughter. Hawkwing led the Heroes of the Horn, both at Falme and in the Last Battle, after the Horn of Valere was blown.

  Artur Paendrag Tanreall. See Artur Hawkwing

  Arwin. A Youngling under Gawyn’s command. He was a good ten years younger than Sevanna, but he expressed the wish to dance with her, not understanding what that meant to an Aiel. Gawyn, however, had some notion.

  Aryman, Deane. See Deane Aryman

  Arymilla Marne. High Seat of House Marne in Andor. Her sigil was four silver moons on a field of twilight blue. She was one of Gaebril’s sycophants, pretty and plump with big brown eyes and old enough to be Rand’s mother. She simpered and wore a gown that was low-cut by Andoran standards. Her eyes were always wide in feigned interest, and she was fool enough to think that Rand would be susceptible to her putting her hand on his arm while speaking to him. Arymilla fled after Rand reached an accommodation with Dyelin; Rand made no moves against her, but Dyelin was not so restrained. She had Elenia and Naean arrested. Arymilla declared for the Lion Throne, and Nasin allied his House with her, making her claim credible if only because of the relative strength behind it. Arymilla freed Elenia and Naean and made them sign documents supporting her in her quest for the Lion Throne. She laid siege to Caemlyn, but was defeated and captured by Elayne and her armies. Elayne stripped her of her titles and lands, although she planned to offer Arymilla other lands in Cairhien.

  Aryth Ocean. The large body of water off the west coast of the main continent. See Eastern Sea and World Sea

  Aryth yew. A tree that grew in Bandar Eban.

  asa. A concubine in Seanchan. To become an asa to one higher in rank was considered by lower-class women—and to some extent by middle-class women—as a good way to advance socially. Asa often had power derived from the man who kept them: they were housed in luxury, their children were acknowledged (if not usually raised to the Blood) and advanced in rank, and they themselves were provided for in their older years. A man who set aside an asa without providing for her future and that of his children by her would be looked down on with disgust.

  Asadine. In the Borderlands and Cairhien, a day of fasting observed ten days before Sunday, with no food taken between sunrise and sunset. The day after Asadine was considered an especially propitious time to wed in the Borderlands.

  Asaheen, Sanaiye. A Domani Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah and the loyalist contingent. She was part of the group that kidnapped Rand, and escaped Dumai’s Wells with Covarla Baldene.

  Asan Sandair. A Cairhienin office
r who met Rand, Hurin and Loial at their entrance to the city of Cairhien; he was in charge of the gate. He signed them in and told them to come back and report where they were staying. The front of his head was shaved, but he was already quite bald.

  Asar Don. The site of an ancient battle in which Moghedien participated. When Moghedien revealed herself to Liandrin and the other Black Ajah, she brought up this and other battles to get across that they were not to think themselves her equal.

  Asegora. A noble House of Tear. See Melanril Asegora

  asha’man. Old Tongue for “guardian” or “defender,” with a strong implication of a guardian of right and justice.

  Asha’man. Men who could channel and who followed Rand. The term applied both to these men as a group and to the highest rank or degree among them. The Asha’man base of operations was a farm in Andor that became the Black Tower. A beginner at the Black Tower was termed a soldier; he wore a black coat with no decoration. The second rank was Dedicated; he wore a silver sword on the collar of his black coat. A full Asha’man wore the silver sword and a red-enameled gold dragon. Rand later raised some other men to Dedicated and/or Asha’man, but under Taim’s leadership, with the exception of Logain, the only men who received both the Sword and the Dragon were those he recruited himself, all Darkfriends. Those men received special private training from Taim in things which he himself was taught by Dashiva/Osan’gar or by Demandred.

  Taim did not like the Asha’man trying to learn things on their own; he wanted to limit the learning of all but his cronies. They still did learn on their own, though; most were curious men, with a touch of adventure in them, or they wouldn’t have become Asha’man. There was some disturbance over the bond that the Asha’man used on their wives, but Taim eventually saw the potential of it, and realized that the men were going to bond with their wives whatever he did, short of killing them. Some of the students obeyed Taim’s many strictures and limits on what they could learn or study or try to learn, because of the punishments for not obeying, and others because he was, after all, the M’Hael, and “the Voice of the Lord Dragon” as some took to calling him, but there were some who saw what the favored ones could do and copied the weaves in secret.

  In their training, the Asha’man were pushed hard—forced, as Aes Sedai called it. A certain number were killed or burned out in the process. Where novices in the White Tower were prohibited from using the One Power to do chores, soldiers in training were required to do so. Men received no hot food until they could channel enough Fire to heat it up for themselves. The rules of the Asha’man were much more military-oriented than those of the Aes Sedai, in keeping with the view of Asha’man as soldiers in the war against the Shadow. It also helped Taim keep the sort of rigid control he needed. Running away from the Black Tower was considered desertion. The penalty for attempting it was flogging; the penalty for succeeding was death, once caught. Even attempting to run away in the face of the enemy carried a death penalty. So did refusing an order from a superior. The usual things were considered crimes among the Asha’man as elsewhere, but sometimes the penalties were harsher than elsewhere. The penalty for murder was death. The penalty for rape was death, unless the woman was willing to ask that you not be killed and to marry you; then you were merely flogged until you could not stand. The penalty for the first offense of stealing from a non-Asha’man was death and for stealing from another Asha’man was flogging; the penalty for the second offense was death. The penalty for arson was death.

  ashandarei. Birgitte’s name for Mat’s spear. This weapon, derived from the Age of Legends, was a polearm with a haft of black wood about six feet long, and a head that was about two feet long and looked like the blade of a Japanese tanto. Given to Mat by the Eelfinn, it was inscribed with Old Tongue script reading “Thus is our treaty written; thus is agreement made. Thought is the arrow of time; memory never fades. What was asked is given; the price is paid.” (Ghiro feal dae’vin lormae; ghiro o’vin gemarisae. Nardes vasen’cierto ain; sind vyen loviyagae. Devoriska nolvae. Al ciyat dalae.) Two ravens were engraved on the blade, and a metal raven was inlaid at either end of the script.

  Ashelin. An Altaran novice in the White Tower. She was a plump, pretty girl with olive-colored skin. She brought Egwene her food in the novices’ dining hall after Egwene had been captured by the loyalist Aes Sedai, and the tea contained honey.

  Asher, Mistress. A merchant in Canluum who was also a wilder. She stayed at The Gates of Heaven; the Aes Sedai who were staying there were not interested in her because she was gray-haired, too old to be a novice.

  Ashin. A superior servant of Barthanes in Cairhien. He wore the Tree and Crown large on the chest of his green coat and carried a staff. Ashin led Rand and his party into the manor, rapped his staff and introduced them.

  Ashmanaille. An Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah and the rebel contingent, with a strength level of 22(10). Born in 902 NE, she went to the White Tower in 918 NE. After eleven years as a novice and ten years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 939 NE. She was about 5'4" tall and so lanky that she appeared taller. She was part of a circle the night a bubble of evil struck Salidar. She had some ability for making cuendillar. She Traveled to Kandor to collect tribute, only to discover that Nesita, a loyalist, had beaten her to it. Ashmanaille was one of the sisters manning the Traveling grounds in the Last Battle when Min needed to Travel to give a message from Bryne to the Seanchan Empress to send them cavalry; she recognized Min as Elmindreda.

  Ashraf, Sana. A man whom Mat fought at the falls of Pena in one of the memories received from the Eelfinn.

  Asidim Faisar. A Whitecloak spy in Tanchico, sent there by Pedron Niall to sound out possibilities amid the chaos. It was his report sent through by Varadin that convinced Niall of the Seanchan threat, but Niall was killed before he could act on the information.

  Asinbayar. The fourth-largest city in Seanchan. It was associated with Suroth, being mentioned in her title.

  Asmodean. A Forsaken. His name in the Age of Legends was Joar Addam Nessosin. His strength level was ++3. He was born in the port of Shorelle. A musician and composer, he showed early promise, but failed to reach exalted heights. He claimed that he went over to the Shadow because of the lure of immortality; if he had an eternity to create music, he would achieve greatness. According to Lanfear, he stilled his own mother and gave her to the Myrddraal. When he awoke in the Third Age, he used the name Jasin Natael and accompanied a band of peddlers to the Waste. A dark-haired man with dark, deep-set eyes, seemingly in his middle years, Asmodean was taller than most, and likely attractive to women, but with an oddly apprehensive way of holding his head cocked as if trying to look at a conversant sideways. He talked with Rand, but Rand was not forthcoming with information or interest. Asmodean gave Couladin the marks of the Car’a’carn. When Rand was occupied at Alcair Dal, Asmodean Skimmed to Rhuidean. Rand followed him, and they fought over the access key to the Choedan Kal. Rand prevailed and cut Asmodean’s connection to the Dark One. Asmodean was stunned to have his links severed by someone else, as it was understood that only the Dark One or the person connected to the Dark One could sever the links. Lanfear arrived and partially shielded Asmodean. He was still the same person, but refrained from reestablishing his connection to the Dark One, for fear the other Forsaken or the Dark One would have believed he severed the connection himself, marking him a traitor.

  Asmodean decided to bide his time and meanwhile link his star to Rand, being reasonably sure that Rand would not suddenly try to kill him. He became Rand’s gleeman publicly; in truth, he was Rand’s tutor in the One Power, insofar as he was able. He was not a good teacher, as he admitted; he said Lanfear had planned it so, so that Rand would not rival her. He did teach Rand some useful things, however, and when Rand was injured, used his meager ability to Heal him. Asmodean accompanied Rand to Caemlyn to deal with Rahvin; they were attacked by Shadowspawn and he was struck by lightning and killed. Rand’s use of balefire to kill Rahvin brought him back to lif
e. Shortly thereafter, he was killed by Graendal in the Royal Palace of Caemlyn, and that time stayed dead.

  Asne Zeramene. A Saldaean Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah publicly but of the Black Ajah in truth. Her strength level was 18(6). Born in 837 NE, she went to the White Tower in 853 NE. After seven years as a novice and eight years as Accepted, Asne was raised to the shawl in 868 NE. She was 5'4" tall, with dark tilted eyes, a bold nose and a wide mouth; she dressed fairly modestly for a Saldaean, but had all the vaunted Saldaean boldness. Of her four Warders, only one, Powl, was a Darkfriend. Asne was one of the first thirteen Black Ajah members to leave the White Tower. She had found the rod that produced balefire, which Moghedien had not hidden so well as she thought she had, and brought it with her. After Eldrith Jhondar’s Warder Kennit tracked them down, Eldrith, Asne Zeramene, Chesmal Emry and Temaile Kinderode all went to Caemlyn hoping to find Elayne and maybe Nynaeve. They captured Elayne, and Asne used the balefire rod against the soldiers trying to rescue Elayne. Asne was killed by Atha’an Miere Windfinders.

  Asnelle. An area of Saldaea; Tenobia was Lady of Shahayni, Asnelle, Kunwar and Ganai.

  Asnobar, Saerin. See Saerin Asnobar

  asping rot. A highly toxic, foul-tasting plant that Verin used to poison herself. The poison was fast-acting.

  Asra Zigane. A Domani Wise Woman and Kin in Ebou Dar. Her strength level was 54(42), too low for her to be tested for Accepted and not strong enough for her to make a gateway of any size whatsoever. She was born in 913 NE and went to the White Tower in 929 NE while Kirin Melway was the Amyrlin. She remained for four months before being sent away. She had a very high level of Talent in Healing. She was not taught Healing in the Tower, of course; she was simply kept there long enough to learn how to be safe. She learned it there, though, by seeing it done. She was a very quick study and didn’t need to see a weave more than once to be able to do it perfectly. She also had the very rare Talent that Aviendha did, of being able to tell what a weave she had never seen before would do before it was completed. Elayne and Nynaeve saw her attempt to Heal a man in the Rahad. She was at the Kin’s farm when Elayne went there, and on the way to Caemlyn Asra attempted to instigate a revolt against the Aes Sedai because they had put two of the Kin, past novice runaways from the Tower, back in white. She was one of the Kinswomen who traveled with Elayne to the Royal Palace in Caemlyn.