The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  fancloth. A synthetic fabric that duplicated its surroundings for a total camouflage effect. Warders’ cloaks were made from this material, which was produced by a ter’angreal in the White Tower. In the Age of Legends, fancloth was a fashionable fabric, and soldiers wore it during the War of Power.

  Fang, Dragon’s. See Dragon’s Fang

  fangfish. A dangerous fish of editorial nature.

  fans, the language of. In Saldaea, women used fans to communicate subtly. Some gestures were:

  caution in speech, admonishment to: fan touches ear.

  disbelief: very fast snap shut and open.

  innocence: a gentle fluttering in front of the face, looking over the fan.

  kiss me; you may kiss me: end of closed fan brushes across her lips.

  love; a shared kiss: touch her cheek then his with closed fan.

  relief: a fluttering hitch.

  thought, I am giving your suggestion serious: tap wrist with closed fan.

  Fanshir. An Asha’man soldier who was a scholar before going to the Black Tower; he was the possessor of interesting books.

  Fanwar. A Borderland family. See Auaine and Renald Fanwar

  Fanway, Karella. An Aes Sedai who lived at the time of the formation of the White Tower.

  Faolain Orande. An Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah and the rebel contingent, with a strength level of 17(5). Born in 970 NE, she went to the White Tower in 986 NE. After spending eight years as a novice and five years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 999 NE by Egwene’s decree. Faolain had curly hair and a dark round face. She never seemed to like anyone or anything; on the other hand, she did not resist being taken away from the Tower by fleeing Aes Sedai because she did not approve of the manner in which Siuan was deposed. Nevertheless she thought Siuan very likely should have been deposed and was responsible for the Tower being broken. She was one of those who harassed Siuan in Salidar and was punished for it.

  Faolain swore fealty to Egwene, along with Theodrin. She did not like Egwene, and made that clear, but Egwene was the Amyrlin, and she felt it wasn’t right that the others treated her as if she were not, as if she were not even Aes Sedai sometimes. She admitted right out that her gratitude for being raised by Egwene’s decree was exceedingly mixed, given how that was received by the other sisters. She was assigned by Egwene to accept Lelaine’s offer of protection and guidance, and to become Egwene’s spy on Lelaine. She wasn’t wholeheartedly pleased at the prospect—she knew very well that being taken under Lelaine’s wing would mean being treated not like an Aes Sedai but like an Accepted who had to be watched closely—yet, quite aside from her oath, she was pleased to be doing something real, and to be getting back at the sisters who treated her as if she were still Accepted. Lelaine worked out that Faolain was a spy, and ordered her into hiding.

  Faolain went to the Black Tower to bond an Asha’man. There Lyrelle ordered her to bond only one.

  Far Aldazar Din. An Aiel warrior society; its name meant “Brothers of the Eagle.”

  Far Dareis Mai. A warrior society of the Aiel which admitted only women; its name meant “Maidens of the Spear.” See Maidens of the Spear

  Far Madding. An independent city-state on the Plains of Maredo; it lay on an island in a lake approximately one mile south of the Hills of Kintara. Its sigil was a woman’s golden hand which was open, fingers up: the Golden Hand. Its banner was a blue field divided vertically in the center by an elongated red oval of even dimensions; on the side nearest the flagstaff was the Golden Hand and on the outer end of the flag there was a golden sword, a simple straight blade and cross quillons, point upward.

  In the Age of Legends, a city called Aren Deshar occupied the spot later known as Far Madding. The city was called Aren Mador when it was the capital city of Essenia, one of the nations of the Compact of the Ten Nations. Part of it was Ogier-built, but nothing of that remained. After the Trolloc Wars, it was known as Fel Moreina, in Moreina. The nation of Maredo was founded in FY 999 by nobles in the city of Far Madding, led by Lady Danella Mathendrin. The city of Far Madding, with its special advantages, held against all attackers, and Maredo eventually laid claim to all of the Plains of Maredo and parts of what is now eastern Murandy as well. However, Maredo as a nation vanished by 500 NE, leaving behind only the city-state of Far Madding.

  The ruling body of Far Madding was the Counsels; there were thirteen of them, with the highest-ranking named the First Counsel. They were all women. In Far Madding, men did not hold positions of authority except over other men, and they were never allowed positions of high authority or responsibility. Even when they held a position which would carry considerable authority and/or responsibility elsewhere, they were always overseen by a woman in a higher position. The Counsels ruled from the Hall of the Counsels on the Counsels’ Plaza.

  Far Madding was the most openly matriarchal city in the known world. This was in large part because two major false Dragons had been born in the city, but the traditions of the city dated back to its founding. A man was expected to obey his mother or eldest female relative until he married and to obey his wife thereafter. In any case, she had authority over him corresponding to the authority of a medieval man over his wife. In Far Madding, a wealthy man was one whose wife gave him a large allowance.

  Far Madding was the birthplace of the first two false Dragons to reach historical prominence, Raolin Darksbane (early 335 to late 336 AB) and Yurian Stonebow (circa 1300 to 1308 AB, possibly as late as 1312 AB).

  Because of this, the city somehow acquired a ter’angreal, known as the guardians, which could detect a man channeling; it also detected women channeling, though not at as great a range—within the city limits, as opposed to well beyond the lake, for men—and it produced a field which surrounded the city for a fair distance, inside which a man’s ability to channel was shielded so he could not channel at all. Women were also cut off, but not until they were actually at the city. As inside an Ogier stedding, neither men nor women could even sense the True Source inside the active area. Also as with a stedding, anything channeled against the city simply melted away at the edge of the active area; even balefire directed at Far Madding dispersed on hitting that border. The affected area was circular in both cases. This device was almost certainly created at some time during the Breaking of the World, since it was plainly directed at men who could channel. It should be noted that the built-in defense meant that it was very unlikely that anyone would ever be able to study or reproduce it in any form.

  The ter’angreal consisted of three parts, each with an arrow which turned red on detecting the channeling of saidin or blue on detecting saidar and turned to point toward the source of that channeling. By triangulation, the exact spot could be located. The ter’angreal was inside a large chamber with a map of the city and the surrounding countryside worked into the floor.

  Not many people knew about the device. So much time passed after it was procured that it, in effect, faded into legend and myth. The city kept the knowledge of its existence to a select few. It was effective, though; over a period of roughly two thousand years no fewer than thirty-one false Dragons came to grief of one sort or another near Far Madding.

  The Wall Guard was the military force of Far Madding, who manned the fortresses at the bridges and the city walls. They were the only men allowed to carry swords, spears or bows that were not peace-bound inside the city walls, but even they were only allowed to do so while on duty. The top command levels of the Wall Guard were all women; there were some women in the lower levels of the Wall Guard, but not many. The Street Guard was the police force of Far Madding. Its composition was roughly the same as the Wall Guard. The Street Guard relied mainly on long cudgels, sword-breakers, quarterstaffs and catchpoles. They carried no blade longer than a belt knife. When the Street Guard arrested someone, the detainee was bound wrists-to-ankles and put into a sack, which was then slung from a pole carried on the shoulders of two men.

  The city of Far Madding was a center for overland trade
between Illian and Caemlyn or Tar Valon, and also between Tear and Caemlyn or Tar Valon, thus avoiding the lands of Cairhien. It shared the overland trade between Illian and Caemlyn with Lugard, as well as the overland trade between Illian and Tar Valon, but the route to both Caemlyn and Tar Valon was shorter through Far Madding. Far Madding had three markets, called Strangers’ Markets, in which foreigners were allowed to trade: the Avharin Market, the Amhara Market and the Nethvin Market.

  Faral, Dimir. See Dimir Faral

  Farashelle. A nation that arose after the Trolloc Wars.

  Farede. The first Panarch of Tarabon. He adopted and promoted a new calendar, the Farede Calendar, as part of his attempt to make Tarabon the intellectual center of the known world.

  Farede Calendar. A calendar adopted after the widespread destruction and disruption of the War of the Hundred Years. It was proposed by Urin din Jubai Soaring Gull, a scholar of the Sea Folk, and promoted by the Panarch Farede of Tarabon. It recorded each year as of the New Era (NE) and was still in use at the time of the Last Battle. The calendar set 10 days to the week, 28 days to the month and 13 months to the year. The months were: Taisham (December 22–January 17), Jumara (January 18–February 14), Saban (February 15–March 14), Aine (March 15–April 11), Adar (April 12–May 9), Saven (May 10–June 6), Amadaine (June 7–July 5), Tammaz (July 6–August 2), Maigdhal (August 3–August 30), Choren (August 31–September 27), Shaldine (September 28–October 26), Nesan (October 27–November 23) and Danu (November 24–December 21).

  Farellien. An Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah and the loyalist contingent. Elaida praised her, Kiyoshi and Doraise for adhering to the law and gave each a fine horse as a reward. Many if not most sisters thought the three turned in Adelorna and Josaine for illegally possessing angreal. Alviarin forced Elaida to these actions to cause discord between the Ajahs.

  Farmay Tower. A tower on the Blightborder in Kandor.

  Farnah. An Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah who was raised Sitter for the Green Ajah to replace Talene Minly.

  Farran. A Whitecloak soldier of the rank Hundredman who went to the Two Rivers with Dain Bornhald. He was a boulder of a man and wore a beard. Along with Byar, Farran wanted to put the Luhhans and the Cauthons to the question; Dain Bornhald didn’t want to let Farran anywhere near Bode and Eldrin Cauthon.

  Farren, Ackley. See Ackley Farren

  Farrier’s Green. A place in Caemlyn where the gholam found a victim.

  Farrier’s Hammer, The. An inn or tavern in Lugard, Murandy. Siuan passed it on the way to another inn.

  Farseen, Saroiya. See Saroiya Farseen

  Farshaw, Min. See Min Farshaw

  Farstrider, Jain. See Jain Farstrider

  Fatamed, Irgain. See Irgain Fatamed

  Fateful Concord, the. An agreement that no woman would link with a man to help seal the Dark One’s prison, rising in opposition to Lews Therin’s plan to use a circle of seven women and six men to place seven focus points around the thinness of the Pattern at Shayol Ghul. It was spearheaded by Latra Posae, an Aes Sedai during the War of the Shadow, who wanted to prevail by construction of two huge sa’angreal, one of saidar and one of saidin, that were to be used to contain the Dark One. Once they were constructed, access keys were needed to use the sa’angreal; these access keys were hidden in an area taken over by the forces of the Shadow. Latra Posae and the women held to their concord, hoping that the access keys could be rescued; Lews Therin went ahead with his plan without the ability to link. The Bore was sealed, but saidin tainted.

  Father of Lies. Another name for the Dark One.

  Father of Storms (or Storm). A Sea Folk term for the Dark One.

  father-sisters. See Aiel kinship

  Faverde Nothish. A wiry member of the Seanchan Blood. He attended Tuon’s first audience in Ebou Dar after she returned from traveling with Mat.

  Favidan. One of Renald Fanwar’s farmhands.

  Favlend Mountain. A mountain in Murandy.

  Fearil. Elza Penfell’s Darkfriend Warder. He was lean and pretty, with pale hair, a hard mouth and a harsh voice. Elza spent twenty years convincing everyone that she was married to Fearil so that they would think nothing of her excessive privacy with him. Sometimes that privacy was needed so that she might punish him and no one would hear his screams.

  Fearil liked to kill. When Elza went with Cadsuane to find Rand, she left Fearil in Cairhien; later, he and other Warders gave directions for Bashere and Logain to find Rand. Elza ordered Fearil to kill anyone who threatened the Dragon Reborn. Fearil and Elza accompanied Rand to the meeting with the supposed Daughter of the Nine Moons.

  Fearless. The Seanchan ship captained by Egeanin Tamarath. The ship was tall and square-looking, with odd-ribbed sails, bluff-bowed and towered. There were longboats on board for ferrying troops through shallow waters. It was the vessel that captured Bayle Domon and Spray near Falme. Caban was a crew member.

  Fearnim, Toke. A stable owner in Jurador from whom Mat bought the Domani razor for Tuon. He was wiry with a fringe of gray hair.

  Feast of Abram. A feast celebrated everywhere but the Borderlands on the ninth day of Jumara. Prizes were baked into honeycakes, and a kiss of peace was offered.

  Feast of All Souls’ Salvation. A feast celebrated every ten years at the autumnal equinox. Also known as All Souls Day, the day on which it was observed was not part of any month.

  Feast of Embers. A feast celebrated in Taisham in Ebou Dar.

  Feast of Freia. A feast celebrated on the twenty-first day of the month of Adar in Illian, Arad Doman, Ghealdan, Tarabon and parts of Altara and Murandy.

  Feast of Fools. See Foolday

  Feast of Lights. The Feast of Lights was a two-day celebration of the winter solstice, starting on the last and shortest day of the year and lasting through the first day of the new year. Every window in the White Tower was lit, creating a glorious image. In Cairhien, the Feast of Lights was a party of wild abandon and expatriate Cairhienin everywhere held lavish parties. In many localities the second day of the Feast of Lights was called First Day and was considered a time for charitable giving.

  Feast of Maia. A feast celebrated on the ninth day of the month of Amadaine in Andor, Ghealdan, Altara, Murandy and Illian.

  Feast of Neman. A feast celebrated on the ninth day of the month of Adar in Andor, Cairhien, Tear and the Borderlands.

  Feast of Sefan. A festival celebrated in Illian in the month of Adar. Competitions were held for the best telling of The Great Hunt of the Horn.

  Feast of Thanksgiving. A feast celebrated every four years at the vernal equinox. The day on which it was observed was not part of any month.

  Feast of the Half Moon. A feast celebrated in Ebou Dar in Taisham on the day after Maddin’s Day.

  Feaster’s Run. A major city square in Tear.

  Feather. A young wolf who was Leafhunter’s mate. Perrin spoke with Leafhunter’s pack after encountering a scent in the wolf dream that made his hackles rise. When he asked the pack about it, they all stopped talking with him.

  feather-dancers. Used by Birgitte in an analogy, an expression from past lives: “as easy as finding feather-dancers in Shiota.”

  Feathers Aloft. A Cairhienin dice game. There was one dicer, with a crowd of onlookers betting against or for his tosses. In other lands it was called Third Gem and Cat’s Paw.

  feathertop. A weed that Perrin saw on the burned al’Thor farm.

  Fedwin Morr. A young Andoran man who became an Asha’man. He was born in 984 NE. He was about 5'10" tall, with brown eyes and straight brown hair. When he went to the Black Tower, he was huskier than Eben Hopwil, with a good deal fewer blotches on his cheeks; by the time he was sent south, he had almost no blotches. Morr had a sort of block; he could not make himself believe he could channel at any distance, so his ability began to fall off at about fifty paces, and at one hundred, it was gone. Weaves would not work for him unless he caught his tongue between his teeth while he wove the weaves. He could make a gateway easily enough; it was th
e line-of-sight work that tripped him.

  After Dumai’s Wells, Morr was chosen to accompany Rand. He went to Illian with Rand for the attack on Sammael, after which he was raised to full Asha’man. When Rand heard reports of the Seanchan from Lord Gregorin via Illianer merchants, he sent Morr to scout around Ebou Dar. Morr went mad, though it wasn’t noticed until the attack on Rand in Cairhien, when Morr was guarding Min. Rand gave him herbs he had learned about from Nynaeve—a little gave sleep, and too much a sleep you never woke from. It was a quick, painless death.

  Feindu, Stedding. A stedding located in the Black Hills.

  Feir, Tarna. See Tarna Feir

  Fel, Herid. See Herid Fel

  Fel Moreina. A name for Far Madding after the Trolloc Wars.

  Felaana Bevaine. An Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah and the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 17(5). She was slim, with a raspy voice and yellow hair that gleamed as if she brushed it several times a day. In Canluum, she mistook the young Moiraine for a wilder and was made nervous by Cadsuane. Much later, she was one of the guards on Leane after her capture by Elaida, and with Negaine found a disguised Beonin wandering the White Tower, requesting an audience with Elaida.

  Felmley, Tham. An Andoran brickmason sentenced to death by Morgase for murdering his brother; she later discovered that he was innocent.