The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Blackwing, Zaida din Parede. See Zaida din Parede Blackwing

  Blackwood, the Great. See Forest of Shadows

  blademaster. A master swordsman. There were two ways to become a blademaster: to receive a unanimous decision by a panel of five blademasters judging one’s skills, or to kill another blademaster in fair combat. A blademaster was entitled to carry a heron-marked sword.

  Blaeric Negina. One of Joline’s Warders. Blaeric was Shienaran, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. He was about 6' tall, less than an inch taller than his fellow Warder Fen. Both Warders had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, although Blaeric was a little lighter in the chest and shoulders. The pair of them talked alike, thought alike and moved alike. After Teslyn dosed Joline with forkroot and the Seanchan arrived, Fen and Blaeric were able to get Joline out of the palace, but not out of Ebou Dar. They joined Mat and left Ebou Dar with Luca’s show. Blaeric’s topknot caused problems with the Seanchan, and he was not too pleased about shaving it off. He and Fen joined up with the Band of the Red Hand and traveled with them, until returning to the White Tower with Joline.

  Blaes of Matuchin. A Hero of the Horn. She was golden-haired, strong, lithe and beautiful.

  Blasic Faloun. Seanchan captain in Almizar in charge of raken. He was graying and lean-faced with a black leather patch hiding the spot where his right eye had been and a puckered white scar running down his forehead, behind the patch and onto his cheek. He agreed to give Tylee and Perrin four raken and twelve morat’raken for their assault on the Shaido stronghold at Malden.

  Blasted Lands, the. A wasteland surrounding Shayol Ghul, beyond the Blight. The Blasted Lands could not support vegetation of any kind, an indication of the Dark One’s influence in the extreme; in the Blasted Lands, the land itself could kill.

  bleakness, the. A state that overcame some Aiel after they crossed the Dragonwall. The victim often sat for a long time, staring at nothing, in a deep depression. Some thereafter threw away their spears and fled, though none of the Aiel knew where they went. Others fled to the Shaido, while the Shaido were in Kinslayer’s Dagger; these elicited contempt, even from many of the Shaido. Gai’shain overcome by the bleakness often refused to take off the white when their time was up. The sources of the bleakness were manifold. There was the fact that the Car’a’carn really was a wetlander; surely he was of their blood, but he knew only what he had been taught of Aiel customs. An important factor was the secret revealed to them by Rand at Alcair Dal of their origins in the Age of Legends, leading to an inability to accept those origins and the fear that perhaps their warlike ways were in themselves another betrayal of the Aes Sedai. The fear that Rand somehow had an Aes Sedai leash fastened to his neck added to the new view of Aes Sedai manifesting itself, created an additional source to feed the bleakness. During the period of Rand’s captivity by Galina, the numbers fleeing from around Cairhien reached a peak of a thousand a day or more.

  Blight, the. See Great Blight

  Blightborder. A Saldaean term indicating the border with the Blight.

  Blightwatch. Those who guarded the Blightborder in the Borderlands.

  Blind Pig, The. An inn located in Chachin, Kandor. Its innkeeper was a round-faced, squinting woman in a long apron that might have once been white. Moiraine stopped there to inquire whether anyone had seen a young Tairen woman, when she was searching for Siuan.

  Blinder’s Peak. A small mountain in Murandy.

  blisterleaf. A noxious weed that had medicinal properties. Melten used it on Talmanes’ wound from a Fade’s Thakan’dar sword to retard the spread of the taint.

  block. A mental barrier to channeling erected by a wilder, usually unconsciously, as a survival mechanism.

  Blood, the. The term used by the Seanchan to designate the nobility. One could be raised to the Blood as well as born to it, and this was frequently a reward for outstanding accomplishment or service to the Empire. There were four degrees of nobility, two of the High Blood and two of the low, or lesser, Blood. The High Blood let their fingernails grow to a length of one inch and shaved the sides of their heads, leaving a crest down the center, narrower for men than for women. The length of this crest varied according to fashion. The low Blood also grew their fingernails long, but they shaved the sides and back of the head leaving what appeared to be a bowl of hair, with a wide tail at the back allowed to grow longer, often to the shoulder for men or to the waist for women. Those of the highest level of the High Blood were called High Lady or High Lord and lacquered the first two fingernails on each hand. Those of the next level of the High Blood were called simply Lord or Lady and lacquered only the nails of the forefingers. Those of the low Blood also were called simply Lady or Lord, but those of the higher rank lacquered the nails of the last two fingers on each hand, while those on the lowest level lacquered only the nails of the little fingers. The Empress and immediate members of the Imperial family shaved their heads entirely and lacquered all of their fingernails.

  Blood Snow, the. Another name for the Battle of the Shining Walls.

  Blood Springs. A location in Shienar where the rocks beneath the water made the river appear to run red. Lan’s and Agelmar’s army engaged the Trollocs there during the Last Battle, combat that almost became disastrous for Lan’s forces and that exposed Agelmar as having been compromised.

  Blood, Voice of the. A Seanchan servant of one of the High Blood, through whom the Blood communicated with those of lesser rank.

  Bloodknives. The most elite unit of the Seanchan Fists of Heaven; they were assassins equipped with specialized ter’angreal that granted them stealth, strength and speed. Once one of the ter’angreal was activated, with a drop of the host’s blood, it leached life from the host.

  Bloodlance. A tall bay horse owned by Harril, Pritalle’s Warder.

  Bloodletter, Villiam. An ancient leader who fought the Banath people on Almoth Plain.

  bloodsnake. A snake whose bite could turn blood into jelly within minutes of a bite. It grew to no more than four or five feet in length.

  Bloodwash Falls. A place where someone in Mat’s memories fought Nashif.

  bloodwrasp. A horrendous creature found in the Blight.

  Bloody Water. A sept of the Taardad Aiel.

  Blossoms of Fire. A weave of Earth, Air and Fire that created red shafts expanding into discs of fire thirty feet across.

  Blue Ajah. The main thrust of the Blue Ajah was involvement in causes. Along with the Green Ajah, considered the most passionate of Aes Sedai in their beliefs, the Blue Ajah were most open to being swayed by emotion. No Blue sisters remained loyal to Elaida, though some Blues stayed away from the main body of the rebels because of the distances involved. They were adamant in their belief that Siuan was deposed illegally and stilled illegally, and for that alone Elaida deserved to be pulled down. The Blue Ajah was led by a single head, known as the First Selector, with an advisory council which had a variable number of members. The head of the Blue Ajah was more or less autocratic depending upon the woman holding the post. Beyond that, there was no constant organizational structure. At the time of the Last Battle the Blue Ajah had roughly one hundred members, making it sixth in size.

  Blue Bull, the. A raucous inn in Samara, Ghealdan, that Nynaeve noticed while passing through Samara.

  Blue Carp Street. A street in Far Madding. Torval and Gedwyn stayed there in a rented room, and were killed at the house by Padan Fain. Rand and Lan were lured into a trap at the house by Fain, who, with Toram Riatin, attacked them, unsuccessfully.

  Blue Cat, The. An Ogier-built inn located in Tar Valon. It looked like a blue cat curled up to sleep.

  Blue Crane. The rivership belonging to Chin Ellisor. Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne traveled aboard it down the River Erinin until it became stuck in a mudflat near Jurene and they disembarked.

  Blue Gull. The raker belonging to Zaida din Parede Blackwing.

  Blue Rose, The. An inn located in Canluum, Kandor; its innkeeper was Racelle Arovni. Lan an
d Bukama stayed at The Blue Rose. There Lan met an old friend, Ryne Venamar, who told him about Lady Edeyn Arrel raising the Golden Crane across the Borderlands. Lan was attacked by six men outside the stables; he defeated them all.

  Blue Star, Renaile din Calon. See Renaile din Calon Blue Star

  blue-eye. A spring flower known as seiera in the Old Tongue.

  bluefly. An insect that bit hard enough to draw blood.

  bluespine. A plant that was used in a tea to cure sullenness.

  Bluewing, the. The two-masted vessel skippered by Captain Carney. Moiraine took passage on this vessel when sneaking out of Tar Valon to begin her search for the Dragon Reborn.

  bluewort. A plant that was used medicinally as a tea to relieve a queasy stomach. It also had qualities as a dye.

  Boann, Nemene Damendar. Semirhage’s name in the Age of Legends.

  Boannda. A large town located at the confluence of the Rivers Eldar and Boern in Ghealdan. Boannda had tall gray walls, towers and a palace-like structure inside. On the way to Salidar, Nynaeve, Elayne, Birgitte, Thom, Juilin, Uno and his Shienaran soldiers stopped in Boannda on the smuggling ship that Galad had hired to get them and various refugees out of Samara.

  Boanne. A woman who was Songmistress at Taralan in the Fourth Age. She composed Do’in Toldara te, Songs of the Last Age, Quarto Nine: The Legend of the Dragon.

  boar spears. Weapons used in the Two Rivers.

  Bodewhin (Bode) Cauthon. Mat’s sister, and a novice with the rebel Aes Sedai, having been recruited by Verin and Alanna. She was born in 983 NE, and her potential strength was said to be close to that of Egwene. She wore her hair braided and was plumply pretty and big-eyed, with a mischievous something around the eyes that resembled Mat. She was one of three found in the Two Rivers that were born with the spark—Bode, Elle and Jancy—all three of whom would be quite strong, in Verin’s estimation. Bode also had the Talent of making cuendillar. She was intelligent, and was headed in the direction of the Green or Blue Ajah. She wanted to live adventure, not just read about it. After Kairen was murdered, Bode was supposed to take her place in creating a cuendillar chain across the River Erinin, but Egwene stepped in at the last moment and was captured in the process.

  Boern, River. A river flowing east and south through Ghealdan, past Jehannah, and joining the River Eldar at the border of Amadicia.

  boggles. The Illianer term for things that go bump in the night.

  Bollin. One of the horse handlers in Luca’s show. He was big and squint-eyed and insisted that the Seanchan pay to enter the show.

  bonding. An act, by an Aes Sedai or Asha’man using the One Power, of creating a physical and psychic link with another who thereby became her or his Warder. Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends did not bond Warders.

  boneknit. A medicinal herb used for mending broken bones.

  Bonwhin Meraighdin. An Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah. She was born in FY 738 and was raised Amyrlin circa FY 939. Bonwhin nearly caused the destruction of the White Tower by trying to make Hawkwing her puppet. She was deposed and stilled in FY 992 because of her failed manipulations of Artur Hawkwing, which led to Hawkwing turning violently against the Aes Sedai and placing the White Tower under siege. After being deposed, she was kept among the scullions—as a scullion, in truth—and exhibited to the sisters periodically as a dire example. She died in FY 996.

  Book of Translation, the. An Ogier artifact and a central part of Ogier lore. When the Book of Translation was opened, the Ogier race would return to the alternate world from which they originally came, not to return to this world until the Wheel turned. The Ogier had been discussing the situation for some time, and had pretty much decided to open the Book. After all, if they were to come from the alternate world in the next Age, they had to go back to the alternate world before they could return from it. The final decision was to be made at the Great Stump, and it was only Loial’s oratory that prevented this departure from happening.

  bookers. Members of the Illustrious and Honored Guild of Bookers in Ebou Dar. They were bookies and insurance men or women all in one.

  Borderforts. Defending structures of the civilized world, found in the Borderlands near the border with the Blight.

  Borderlands. The northern nations that bordered the Blight. They included Saldaea, Shienar, Kandor and Arafel. Malkier was one of the Borderlands before its fall.

  Bore. The hole drilled in the Pattern by researchers at Collam Daan in an attempt to access an undivided source of the One Power, unwittingly releasing the Dark One’s influence on the world, causing destruction and chaos. The hole that was finally sealed by Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions was larger than the original Bore, for the longer it remained open the larger it got, though it was diminished somewhat in the sealing; the Dark One’s counterstroke tainted saidin, causing all male channelers to go mad. Nevertheless, it was sealed again in the Last Battle, and closed up again completely, thereby setting the stage for the Bore to be drilled anew.

  Boreane Carivin. A Cairhienin head servant with Rand’s army preparing to attack the Seanchan. A stout, pale little woman, her face showed pity for Rand when he was in the tent talking with Torval. She was left behind when Rand moved his army north of Illian, before the fighting began.

  Borndat, Elandria. An ancient scholar and the author of Seeing Through the Breaking.

  Bornhald, Dain. See Dain Bornhald

  Bornhald, Geofram. See Geofram Bornhald

  Boroleos, Erian. See Erian Boroleos

  Bors. An alias used by Carridin. See Jaichim Carridin

  Botteger, Aeric. A man of the Two Rivers who appeared in Nynaeve’s test for the shawl.

  Bounce. A game played in Andor in which a colorful ball was bounced on a paddle.

  Boundless. A wolf Perrin encountered in the wolf dream. He was young, with brown fur and a lean build. Boundless was Noam’s wolf persona; he found the wolf dream to be superior to human life.

  Bowl, Golden. See Alcair Dal

  Bowl of the Winds. A ter’angreal in the shape of a bowl that could be used to control the weather, and which generated both saidin and saidar, although only women triggered it. It was a shallow bowl of thick crystal, more than two feet across and carved deeply inside with what appeared to be swirling clouds. When Elayne channeled into it, the bowl turned a pale watery blue and the clouds shifted as if moved by wind; when she stopped, it became clear again, but the clouds were in different positions. After it was used, the clouds were different than they were before, so that the bowl appeared to be, like the weather itself, ever changing. Elayne and Nynaeve discovered the device in Tel’aran’rhiod, and Egwene sent them to Ebou Dar to find it in the waking world. They did so, with the help of the Kin, and they made a bargain with the Sea Folk to help them implement its powers with a circle of channelers, which was needed to operate it efficiently. A circle of thirteen could do enough to alter the weather changes in the world caused by the Dark One, but not enough to buffer the results. This ter’angreal was designed to work over a small region. The advanced knowledge of the Windfinders meant they could spread its effects over a larger area, which resulted in it affecting the One Power and physical conditions on the ground, radiating out from near Ebou Dar where it was used to at least as far as the Altara-Illian border where Rand’s armies were fighting the Seanchan.

  Braem. An Ogier-built city in Coremanda, one of the Ten Nations after the Breaking. New Braem was an old border town in east Andor between Caemlyn and Tar Valon, near the site of the original city.

  Braem Wood. A forest fifty leagues north of Caemlyn, on the edge of the Caralain Grass. At Caemlyn, Dyelin told Elayne that thousands of Borderlander soldiers had been spotted in Braem Wood. Later, Norry, while reporting to Elayne, mentioned that the army in Braem Wood had not moved yet, though he admitted that his intelligence was several days old. Merilille, who had Traveled to the Borderland rulers’ encampments in Braem Wood, confirmed what was known about them, and said that the rulers had sent messengers to Caemlyn whe
n they had arrived in New Braem, but that they would not reach the palace for another week. After Merilille met with the Borderland rulers, Elayne’s party Traveled to Braem Wood to meet the Borderlanders, who were looking for Rand and who were allegedly accompanied by up to two hundred sisters. In the Last Battle, after the Trollocs had overrun Caemlyn, Elayne and her army set up an ambush for the Trollocs in Braem Wood, after drawing the Shadowspawn out of the city with harrying forces.

  Bran. See Brandelwyn al’Vere

  Brandel Vordarian. A Lord Captain of the Children of the Light. He came from a minor noble family in Andor, and was a hulking man with silver in his yellow hair. After hearing Galad’s argument with Asunawa, Vordarian and other Lords Captain executed Asunawa and proclaimed Galad Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light. Vordarian was the eldest of the Lords Captain under Galad.

  Brandelwyn al’Vere. The Mayor of Emond’s Field and the innkeeper at The Winespring Inn. He was a round man, wider than anyone else in the Two Rivers, but very light on his feet, and bald except for a fringe of gray hair. He was born in 937 NE, married Marin in 964 NE, and was elected Mayor in 978 NE. He and his wife had five daughters: Berowyn, Alene, Elisa, Loise and Egwene. They lived in rooms at the back of the whitewashed second floor of The Winespring Inn. Bran coordinated with Perrin, Tam, Abell and others in the defense of Emond’s Field against the Trollocs.

  Branlet Gilyard. A young Andoran who was High Seat of House Gilyard and loyal to Elayne. The sign of his House was the Three Red Leopards. Born circa 987 NE, he had curly black hair and blue eyes. He was one of four young nobles Dyelin brought to help Elayne win the throne. (The others were Perival Mantear, Catalyn Haevin and Conail Northan.) Branlet’s guardian, his aunt Mayv, died about two months prior to his going to Caemlyn, after her horse stepped into a gopher hole. The horse and rider each broke a leg, and by the time anyone found them, it was too late. Branlet’s relatives squabbled over who was to be his new guardian, all of them wanting the job and none of them wanting another to have it. He was eager to help when Elayne was kidnapped; Dyelin took him to the Far Madding Gate, where he was kept far from the fighting.