The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  After Rand’s revelations of the pacifistic history of the Aiel, there were some who refused to leave being gai’shain, and even some who deliberately had themselves taken gai’shain.

  Wise Ones, blacksmiths, children, pregnant women and women with a child under ten could not be taken captive.

  The Shaido broke with tradition, taking wetlanders as gai’shain and holding them for life instead of the traditional year and a day. Many of them were abused beyond the limits of discipline imposed on normal gai’shain.

  Gaidal Cain. A hero-swordsman of legend and story, always linked to Birgitte. Legend said that he was as handsome as she was beautiful, but legend was inaccurate. He was one of the Heroes of the Horn, called back when the Horn of Valere was sounded at Falme. He had already been reborn at the time of the Last Battle. See also Birgitte Silverbow and Horn of Valere

  Gaidin. 1) An alternate term used for Warders meaning “brothers to battle.” 2) A black stallion that belonged to brigands who captured Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne; after the brigands were killed, Nynaeve chose him, named him and rode him to Tear.

  Gainor Furlan. The innkeeper at The Wayland’s Forge in Remen, Altara, where Moiraine, Lan, Loial and Perrin stayed and where Perrin first encountered Faile. Furlan was plump and bald-headed with brown eyes.

  Galad (Galadedrid) Damodred. The son of Tigraine of Andor and Taringail Damodred of Cairhien. Born in 970 NE, he was tall and slender with dark hair and dark eyes; he was almost too handsome for masculinity. His sign was a winged silver sword, point down. He was half-brother to the Lady Elayne and the Lord Gawyn and to Rand al’Thor. Galad always wanted to do what was right, and did so whatever the cost, either to himself or to others. He went to the Tower to be trained with the Warders, then left and joined the Children of the Light. He helped Nynaeve and Elayne get a ship out of Samara, causing a riot in the process.

  Galad had emotional connections to various women. He flirted with Nynaeve, and believed himself in love with Egwene, but once he learned she had become not only Aes Sedai but the rebel Amyrlin, the impossibility of it hit him. When he saw Berelain, though, he was struck head over heels, and so was she.

  When Galad learned that Elayne had put in a claim for the Lion Throne, he wanted to help and support her, but he had sworn to the Whitecloaks. He learned that there was an agreement signed by Morgase practically handing over Andor to the Children; his investigation into that led to his learning of Morgase’s treatment by Asunawa and Valda, which culminated in his duel with Valda. Galad became Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light after defeating Valda in a Trial Beneath the Light.

  Galad found his brother Gawyn near death after fighting a duel with Demandred in the Last Battle; Gawyn told him that the Dragon Reborn was his half-brother. Galad subsequently dueled against Demandred and was severely injured; Annoura managed to get him away to be Healed, but he lost his right arm.

  Galbrait. The leader of the Ayyad women in the Last Battle.

  Galfrey, Ryma. See Ryma Galfrey

  Galgan, Lunal. See Lunal Galgan

  Gallanha. A woman living in the Borderlands who was Thulin’s wife and Mirala’s mother. She was from the south and had yellow hair. She had a set of copper-bottomed pots that she cleaned and left for Auaine, and she gave Auaine and Renald a basket of eggs.

  Galina Casban. An Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah publicly and the Black Ajah in truth. A member of the loyalist contingent, she had a strength level of 14(2). Born in 875 NE, she went to the White Tower in 891 NE. After spending nine years as a novice and seven years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 907 NE. Galina joined the Black Ajah in 910 NE. Standing 5'5" tall, with a round face, a plump mouth, black hair and dark brown eyes, she looked to be in her mid to late twenties, and might have been thought a nice armful, except for her sharpness with men, who made her skin crawl.

  She was a lesbian; she was very interested in Erian Boroleos. Galina took no real pleasure in inflicting pain, though personal animus could produce a certain enjoyment. By and large, she went about it like a carpenter hammering nails; it was necessary work, and it was best if it were done properly and well. If she could achieve a goal without pain, she certainly would, but if pain was needed to convince someone, then pain it would be.

  In 981 NE, she was made Highest of the Red Ajah; at age 106 she was young for the job—the youngest ever—but her predecessor, also Black, had died in Ba’alzamon’s punishment of the Supreme Council, and the deaths of so many older sisters in recent years had led to something like a youth movement in many Ajahs. Galina was not involved in questioning Tamra Ospenya—that was a Supreme Council job, and she was not then a member—but she might have been involved in kidnapping her, or putting her body into her bed. Galina was also involved in putting to the question some of the sisters Tamra had gathered, as well as in killing those and others. Later, Galina stood next to Alviarin on the Supreme Council, and knew Alviarin’s identity; Talene Minly and Temaile Kinderode were the members of her heart. Galina was involved in putting Siuan Sanche and Leane Sharif to the question, and maybe in stilling them as well. She was part of Elaida’s embassy to Rand; Elaida would have liked to make her the leader, but feared choosing a Red would cause Rand to be suspicious. Galina met with Sevanna and arranged for the Younglings to be killed.

  During the battle of Dumai’s Wells, Galina managed to escape Rand’s forces, but was captured by the Shaido. She was treated as an oathbreaker, a truce-breaker, a killer of Wise Ones (for Desaine’s murder) and declared da’tsang. Finally broken by Sevanna, she was forced to swear absolute and utter lifelong obedience to Sevanna on a binder, which (unknown to her, of course) was supplied by Sammael. Other Shaido Wise Ones, opposed in part to Sevanna, forced their way into this, also obtaining Galina’s oath of obedience despite Sevanna’s disapproval. After Galina swore on the binder to obey the selected Wise Ones—and Sevanna and Therava first of all among them—her situation changed somewhat. She was then considered gai’shain, and dressed in robes of white silk and a wide choker of gold and firedrops, along with a matching belt, though jewelry had been unknown to gai’shain before. She was sycophantic and cringing toward Sevanna and the other Wise Ones, a real lickspittle and fawning crawler. It was not playacting; she was terrified of their punishments. Toward Therava she was more than sycophantic; the woman terrified her more than all the others and was the cruelest of all the Shaido toward her, not allowing her the smallest slip or mistake, and at the same time requiring her presence in Therava’s bed. Galina wanted very badly to escape, and took advantage of her knowledge of Faile’s background to blackmail her into helping steal the binder from Therava. She obtained the binder, trapping Faile and her allies in the process, and escaped the Shaido and the Seanchan when they attacked at Malden. Her escape was short-lived, however; Therava and other Shaido who had also escaped the Seanchan recaptured her a short time later. Therava ordered her to never touch the binder again, and they headed back to the Waste.

  Galldrian su Riatin Rie. A king of Cairhien; his personal sign was the Stag. After the Aiel War there was conflict in Cairhien, never quite breaking into open civil war despite a number of skirmishes and minor battles, which resulted in House Damodred losing the throne to House Riatin, primarily through the Game of Houses, because of what Laman had brought to Cairhien. Galldrian took the throne; he was not the best of kings. He refused to pay the Ogier who were working in Cairhien, kept his people quiet by entertaining them and ordered the excavation of the male Choedan Kal. His final mistake was having Dena, Thom’s ladylove, killed; Thom assassinated Galldrian in 998 NE.

  Gallenne, Bertain. See Bertain Gallenne

  Gallger, Mistress. The innkeeper of The Golden Wheel in Far Madding. She was thin and wore her dark hair in a bun. Rand visited her inn while looking for Kisman.

  Gambler. The name that the Heroes of the Horn called Mat in the Last Battle.

  Game of Houses. See Daes Dae’mar

  Gamel Loune. A Seanchan Banner-General from
Dalenshar. Tall and slender, with skin blacker than charcoal, he had no softness in him. The top of his left ear was missing and he had a white slash through his white-flecked tight black curls, marking the scar. Mantual was his manservant. Karede met with Loune while searching for Tuon to get information on the forces attacking the Seanchan, that is, Mat’s troops, for whom Loune had been searching.

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

  Gann, Lord. A braggart Hunter of the Horn whom Moiraine and her company encountered at Wayland’s Forge Inn in Remen, Altara. He and his fellow Hunter Orban believed that the Horn of Valere was in the Forest of Shadows. The two came across Gaul and Sarien, killed Sarien and took Gaul prisoner; they told everyone that they had fought twenty Aiel. The Hunters lost several men and were wounded.

  gara. A poisonous lizard in the Aiel Waste. It grew to about two feet long; its thick body was covered in bronze scales with irregular yellow streaks running vertically along its sides. It had horny ridges in its mouth and exuded a clear, oily venom as if it were saliva. The gara was not particularly dangerous unless it was stepped upon, but it could bite through a boot and its venom was strong enough to kill a bull.

  Garam. The son of a landowner west of the Spine of the World after the Breaking. He was slight and dark-eyed. Garam’s father gave Jeordam, Rhodric and the Aiel with them permission to fill their waterskins on his property. Garam took news to the Aiel that the Jenn Aiel were moving. He believed that the Aes Sedai should be killed before they destroyed the world again. Garam’s family founded the nation of Cairhien; the Aiel, in thanks for the gift of water, sent Cairhien Avendoraldera and granted Cairhienin the exclusive right to travel the Silken Path.

  Garan. A man of the Jhirad Goshien Aiel. He was gai’shain to Joinde of the Black Rock Shaarad, who laid a bridal wreath for him the day before his term as gai’shain ended, and they married.

  Garden of Silver Breezes. The most expensive wineshop in Tanchico. Its proprietor was Selindrin, a sleek woman of indeterminate age who allowed no weapons past the street. Egeanin met with Florin Gelb there, and Carridin with King Andric and his advisors.

  Gardeners. Ogier members of the Seanchan Deathwatch Guard. Unlike the human members of the Deathwatch Guard, Gardeners were not da’covale; they were provided as bodyguards to the Imperial family as a symbol that the Ogier were loyal to the Empress. The Gardeners were the only Ogier in Seanchan allowed to bear arms outside the stedding. The First Gardener, a rank equivalent to captain, commanded the Gardeners who composed Tuon’s bodyguard. The Master Gardener was commander of all of the Gardeners, including the Empress’s Gardeners. See also Deathwatch Guard

  Garen’s Wall. A rock formation found just east of Jehannah, on the northeastern border of Ghealdan, with a northwest-southeast orientation. It was named after an ancient king of Dhowlan, one of the nations that came into being after the Trolloc Wars. He had a number of wars with his northern neighbor, Farashelle, and the extremely long cliff line gave him a defensive advantage. Garen frequently used it defensively, enough so that the name stuck. One of the ruler of Ghealdan’s titles was “Defender of Garen’s Wall.”

  Garenia Rosoinde. A Saldaean Kin whose true identity was revealed to be Zarya Alkaese. See Zarya Alkaese

  Gareth Bryne. An Andoran man who was High Seat of House Bryne, in Kore Springs, he was considered one of the five great captains. The sign of House Bryne was a wild bull collared with the Rose Crown of Andor; Gareth Bryne’s personal sigil was three golden stars, each of five rays. He was born the younger son of a minor noble House in 939 NE. Standing 5'11" tall, and stocky, with a bluff, weathered face and dark hair heavy with gray, he was in his late fifties when Rand first saw him. From 961 to 964 NE there were intense border skirmishes between Andor and various lords of Murandy who thought Andor’s attention was all on Cairhien. Bryne served with distinction during the latter part, commanded a considerable force and was militarily responsible for bringing an end to the skirmishes. At age twenty-four, he became the youngest Captain-Commander of the Queen’s Guards. The same year, 963 NE, Queen Dolera was widowed, and Bryne was named First Prince of the Sword. In 964 NE, Dolera died and Mordrellen took the throne; Bryne remained as Captain-General of the Guards. Morgase took the throne in 975 NE; after the death of Captain-General Aranvor Naldwinn in the Battle of the Shining Walls, she named Bryne as head of the Queen’s Guards again; he was later made her First Prince of the Sword. He was also Morgase’s lover, but was supplanted by Rahvin as Gaebril, and exiled. He followed Siuan to Salidar, and agreed to lead the rebel Aes Sedai army. He and Siuan became romantically involved, and she bonded him as her Warder just before entering the White Tower during the Seanchan attack to save Egwene. While on that mission, Bryne saved Siuan, and Siuan saved him; Siuan believed that the event fulfilled Min’s viewing that the two had to stay near each other or die.

  Bryne was one of the leading commanders during the Last Battle, but was the object of Graendal’s Compulsion, along with the other great captains, and was relieved of duty when found out. He continued to fight the Shadow, however, and was killed in the Last Battle after going berserk following Siuan’s death.

  Garfin. The one-armed Illianer who taught Androl use of the sword and the flame and the void.

  Garken. An old man who was killed by Mayor Barlden the first night the madness appeared in Hinderstap. Of course, he was alive again the next day.

  Garlvan. An Aiel baby, the youngest child of Norlesh and Metalan. He died of hunger, as seen in Aviendha’s visions of the future in Rhuidean.

  Garon Burlow. The Mayor of Dorlan. His house was the largest in Dorlan. Covarla and Lusonia, sent to Dorlan after surviving Dumai’s Wells, stayed in his spare rooms. He stayed out of the way when Aes Sedai talked. .

  Garren, Colly. A young Two Rivers man who joined Perrin to fight the Trollocs; he was killed in a Trolloc ambush in the Two Rivers.

  Garumand. The captain of Graendal’s palace guard at Natrin’s Barrow and a victim of her Compulsion. Tenobia’s distant cousin, he was handsome and wore a thick mustache. He was killed when Rand balefired Natrin’s Barrow.

  Gatano, Hattori. See Hattori Gatano

  Gates of Heaven, The. An inn located in Canluum, Kandor. It was the best and largest inn in the city, four sprawling stories of stone with a green roof. Its innkeeper was Master Helvin. Moiraine stayed there when she was searching for the infant Dragon Reborn; several other Aes Sedai stayed there as well, including Cadsuane.

  Gates of Hevan. One of the places in history that Sammael, the Destroyer of Hope, devastated, earning him that name.

  Gates of Paaran Disen. The site of victory by Lews Therin over Elan Morin (Ishamael).

  gateway. A portal created by channeling for the purpose of Traveling or Skimming. It took considerable strength to create a gateway, or, as in Androl’s case, proficiency in the Talent of Traveling. The minimum strength required for making a gateway of useful size, that is, large enough to walk through, was 19(7). The minimum strength required to make any gateway at all out of a circle was 21(9). See Skimming and Traveling

  Gaul. A man of the Imran sept of the Shaarad Aiel and the Shae’en M’taal (Stone Dog) society. Handsome in a rugged way, he was about 6'7" and weighed about 240 pounds. His eyes were as green and clear as polished gems, and very long eyelashes seemed to outline them in black. He was a little older than Nynaeve.

  Gaul was in love with Chiad, and they were both relieved when the blood feud between their clans ended. He wanted to marry her, but she would not give up the spear for him, though she said she and Bain would take him as a lover; he was offended by the suggestion. Besides, he wasn’t interested in Bain. It irritated him that Chiad told him she would not make a bridal wreath and at the same time that she would not stop “putting herself in his eyes,” enticing him to chase her.

  Gaul led the Stone Dogs west of the Dragonwall; while searching for He Who Comes With the Dawn, he was captured and caged by Hunters of t
he Horn in Remen. Perrin rescued him, and they fought and killed Whitecloaks. Gaul went to the Stone of Tear and accompanied Perrin when he went to the Two Rivers. Gaul fought at Dumai’s Wells; he and Rhuarc alone among the Aiel were not siswai’aman. He went to Ghealdan with Perrin. After Elyas sneaked up on Gaul undetected, he and Elyas became friends. Following the battle at Malden, both Chiad and Bain became Gaul’s gai’shain, and gave him much grief. When Perrin entered the wolf dream in the flesh, Gaul insisted on going along, and fought well and bravely there during the Last Battle.

  Gavid. A soldier in the Band of the Red Hand who led about two dozen crossbowmen while defending Caemlyn against the Trollocs.

  Gawyn Trakand. Queen Morgase’s son, who was meant to become First Prince of the Sword when Elayne ascended the throne. The oath he took as a child was “my blood shed before hers; my life given before hers.” That oath would later tear at him when his sister affiliated herself with the rebel Aes Sedai and apparently supported Rand, who he believed had killed his mother and was too dangerous to be left free. His sigil was a charging white boar on the red field of Andor. Born in 979 NE, Gawyn was about 6'3" tall and had sun-gold hair and blue eyes. He fought against those who were trying to free Siuan after she was deposed; he killed Hammar and Coulin. He became the leader of the Younglings; their green cloaks bore Gawyn’s white boar. He fell in love with Egwene, and she with him. He accompanied Elaida’s so-called embassy to Rand; on the way, Gawyn heard from a peddler that Rand had killed his mother and he was consumed with hatred for Rand. While in Cairhien, he and Egwene met, talked and canoodled; Gawyn said he would promise her anything that did not harm Elayne or Andor. Galina arranged with Sevanna for Gawyn and his Younglings to be killed; that plot was largely unsuccessful. Gawyn did lose some of his men at Dumai’s Wells, but he survived and returned to Tar Valon, where he was denied entry. He and the Younglings went to Dorlan with Covarla Baldene. Overhearing that Egwene was Elaida’s captive and was being made to howl half the day, he left the Younglings and went to Gareth Bryne and the rebel Aes Sedai. He, Bryne and Siuan led an expedition to rescue Egwene during the Seanchan attack; they were successful, but Egwene was not happy. He worked to please her, stopping assassins and trying to help, but Egwene just wanted him to obey. In frustration, he went to Caemlyn and learned that the assassins were Seanchan with ter’angreal rings; they were called Bloodknives. Returning to Tar Valon, he found three Bloodknives in Egwene’s chambers and defeated them, though he was badly injured. Egwene Healed him, bonded him as her Warder, and agreed to marry him; shortly afterward, he stole the Bloodknives’ rings. Gawyn was overjoyed when he saw his mother at the Field of Merrilor. The night before the Aes Sedai went to Kandor to fight in the Last Battle, Silviana married Gawyn and Egwene. When the Sharans arrived in Kandor and turned the battle around, Gawyn and Egwene hid, and Gawyn used the Bloodknives’ ter’angreal to scout around for a way out; with a little help from Leilwin, they managed to escape. Gawyn used the rings again when he tried to kill Demandred. He was mortally wounded in his fight with Demandred, but he survived long enough to tell Galad that Rand was his half-brother.