The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  The Kin had other rules which involved less punishment for violation. They were forbidden to marry, and while in training forbidden to have any relationship with a man. Impatience and hotheadedness were punishable offenses. It was forbidden to speak of returning to the White Tower, or to speak of recruiting girls who could be taught to channel. Many of the rules were intended to prevent Aes Sedai from learning of the Kin’s existence; until the fact was revealed to the Kin by Elayne, they were unaware that the Aes Sedai knew of them, although Aes Sedai did not know of their numbers or ages.

  There were several kinds of women among the Kin: 1) Former novices who were judged knowledgeable enough of channeling not to harm themselves accidentally, but not able to go further. 2) Women who either failed their test for Accepted, though they survived it, or who refused to continue once it had begun, or who refused for the third time. 3) Women who were unable to advance far enough as Accepted to be selected to take the test for Aes Sedai. 4) Women who failed the test for Aes Sedai three times. 5) A few women who were put out of the Tower for other reasons, usually temperament. The Kin tried to avoid women who were too disruptive, or who were put out for some crimes such as habitual theft. 6) A relative handful of runaways.

  The Kin had a few women in Tar Valon who cautiously checked out women expelled from the Tower. These women, called guides, kept an extremely low profile and were changed at regular intervals. The guides made special effort to find runaways, sometimes turning them in if they seemed to need more training, sometimes helping them to escape. Most of those who made it off the island after the Trolloc Wars had Kin help. Of the other women and girls, they approached many, with care, but did not try to recruit them unless they were sure of acceptance. They knew this meant they might pass over some who would accept, yet they were fearful of discovery by the Tower. They checked out any woman who was put out of the Tower, and were quite willing to accept those who fell below the minimum level at which a woman might become Aes Sedai. These constituted a fairly large percentage, perhaps a majority, of their membership.

  The Kin made no attempt to find girls who could be taught to channel and train them. Even if they found one, they feared that taking her in would bring adverse attention from the Tower. Some of the women wanted to change this, but under the rules, even if one of them happened to find a girl with the inborn ability, the most she would do was try to draw an Aes Sedai’s attention to the girl while claiming to be a wilder herself.

  The Kin did not work to perfect their individual abilities with the One Power—at least, they weren’t supposed to, by their rules—because they feared acquiring the ageless look and being found out, and for the same reason used the Power sparingly. Some who harbored hopes of returning to the Tower secretly worked to improve their abilities so they could be accepted back, but whenever this was discovered, it was harshly punished; most required no more than one, or at most two, punishments to start following the rules. They did not try to learn anything new, though they did teach or pass on Healing to anyone who could manage it at all. Few realized that many actually honed their abilities in varying degrees over the years.

  There was no increase in strength beyond their original potential, of course, but there was an increase in skill. Some who had failed the tests or refused them might be able to pass later because of that increased skill, and also increased maturity. Some of the Kin who were put out of the Tower as Accepted knew how to link, but because of their rules, they never taught it to anyone else or used it, and their skill grew rusty.

  A maximum of roughly one hundred, usually many less, of the Kin were in Ebou Dar proper at any one time wearing the red belt. Another fifty to one hundred might be there in various other guises, aside from the Knitting Circle. They often had visitors, including women whose travels as merchants brought them to the city. They did not like to allow their total number in the city to climb too near two hundred at any one time, although they did not count the numbers at the Kin farm in this. A Kinswoman would spend ten years maximum at one time in the city and vicinity; this was called a “turn.” Then she would go away from the city, in and out of the farm, traveling, acting as a merchant or trader, maybe spending a few years living here or there. Once a Kinswoman left the city, she did not go back even for a visit for at least twenty years. That was long enough that nobody would associate the returned woman with somebody who looked the same and was apparently the same age, who had left so long before.

  A great many of the Kin did have an extensive knowledge of the available herbs and medicines throughout the nations between the Aryth Ocean and the Spine of the World. They traveled widely—Wisdom-equivalent was one of the jobs that they took in various places—and they lived a very long time. The combination gave them a large repository of medicinal knowledge. A great many of the miraculous cures offered by Wise Women in Ebou Dar were indeed done with medicines alone. Because of their rules restricting channeling, they did not leap for the One Power immediately, or at all if they could use their medicinal knowledge.

  Egwene as Amyrlin had developed a plan for sisters from the White Tower to be able to retire into the Kin, revoking the Three Oaths, and thereby allowing an extended life well into old age. The Kin would also have been allowed to rejoin the White Tower if they had the strength and desire to do so.

  Kin. A juggler with Valan Luca’s show. He performed with his brother Bari. Among other things, they worked with ribbon-twined hoops.

  Kin Tovere. A Cairhienin lensmaker who made looking glasses for Rand to use in the battle for Cairhien. He joined the School of Cairhien; when he showed Rand plans for a huge looking glass, Rand rewarded him with a prize of a hundred gold crowns. Tovere built it, and through it one could see the moon as plain as one’s hand, and what he claimed were other worlds; he intended to build a larger one. Mat won a small looking glass from him at dice; Rand gave Bashere one of Tovere’s looking glasses as a gift.

  Kinch, Hyam. See Hyam Kinch

  Kinderode, Temaile. See Temaile Kinderode

  Kindlin. A captain in Elayne’s Queen’s Guard in Aringill. He gave Guybon permission to find Guardsmen who had been discharged by Gaebril and take them to Caemlyn.

  King’s Circle, the. An assembly arena in Tanchico that was surrounded by Lords’ palaces and other impressive buildings. It was located on the Maseta, the middle of three hilly peninsulas on Tanchico Bay.

  King’s Crossing. A village in Altara, where a wooden bridge spanned a narrow river called the Renshalle. A few miles from King’s Crossing, at Lady Deirdru’s manor, Semirhage tried to ambush Rand, posing as the Daughter of the Nine Moons.

  King’s Gift. A bounty given out by the King of Cairhien on various occasions, usually to influence the public, although it originally was meant to be a helpful gift. It could be given in times of shortage, when prices were pushed very high, to buy food, or for other reasons. King Galldrian gave silver to performers to entertain the people in the Foregate, and he sponsored daily horse races by the river, to discourage rebellion.

  King’s Lancer, The. An inn in Sienda, Amadicia. One of Valan Luca’s boar-horses knocked a huge hole in it.

  King’s Life Guard. The personal guard of the King of Tarabon. Located in Tanchico, it numbered about three thousand men, when it existed. It was dispersed by the Seanchan, though many of the surviving men were incorporated into the Seanchan forces.

  kingspenny. A plant with red flowers that did not die back in winter; its flower was the first to appear after a forest fire. House Bashere’s sign was the kingspenny and its banner had three kingspennies on a field of blue.

  Kinhuin. An Aiel Mera’din who joined the Jumai Shaido. He had green eyes and full lips. He went to Sevanna and the Wise Ones to ask that the Brotherless receive the same share of loot taken as the Jumai Shaido. A friend of Rolan’s, he helped protect Faile and her people; he was especially interested in Alliandre. He helped rescue them from Galina’s trap. Faile stabbed him in the back when he threatened Perrin with a spear.

&n
bsp; Kinslayer. See Lews Therin Telamon

  Kinslayer’s Dagger. A massif that jutted out from the Spine of the World, aligned east-west between Cairhien and Shienar, near Tar Valon.

  Kintara. A nation that arose from the War of the Hundred Years.

  Kintara, Hills of. A range just north of and bordering Far Madding.

  Kiramin, Lord Mangore. The Sword-bard of Aramaelle, Warder to Caraighan Maconar and translator of The Prophecies of the Dragon.

  Kiranaille. A wine served at The White Ring in Maderin, Altara.

  Kirendad. Seanchan’s second-largest city.

  Kireyin. A young commander of Ghealdanin lancers under Arganda. He was so tall that he had to bend to listen to Arganda, and Arganda was 5'8" tall. His haughty gaze led Perrin to believe that he was a noble. He led the Ghealdanin soldiers who accompanied Perrin to So Habor. Cold-eyed with a nasal, bored voice, Kireyin openly displayed scorn toward everyone, but broke down when he saw a ghost, though he recovered and resumed his snobbish airs.

  Kiril Drapaneos den Alangar. An Illianer nobleman who was a member of the Council of Nine. He was a stork of a man whose square-cut beard looked odd on his narrow face. In Rand’s final battle with the Seanchan in Altara, Kiril followed Weiramon into battle.

  Kirin. A Jenn Aiel girl from a time right after the Breaking. Morin’s daughter, Kirin was kidnapped by people the Jenn Aiel traded with. Morin went to the other Aiel for help in rescuing her, and became the first Maiden of the Spear.

  Kirin Melway. An Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah who served as Amyrlin from 922 to 950 NE. Kirin was a weak Amyrlin, though not so lacking in influence and strength as Aleis. In truth, many of the things she did helped pave the way for a stronger Amyrlin to come after her.

  Kirklin, Rovair. See Rovair Kirklin

  Kirkun. One of Bashere’s Saldaean soldiers who died in the Trolloc raid on Lord Algarin’s manor in Tear. Bashere said that he had never guarded his left the way he should.

  Kirstian Chalwin. A Kin Elder with the Knitting Circle in Ebou Dar. Her strength level was 14(2); she was strong enough to learn to Travel. Kirstian Chalwin was her real name; she resumed it since she had fled the White Tower so long before that she thought it safe. She was originally from Cairhien, but she went to Ebou Dar from a village near Far Madding. Born in 680 NE, she went to the White Tower in 698 NE. She arrived in the spring and ran away before winter the same year, because of impatience with her progress and impatience with the discipline. She began regretting her departure almost immediately and always wanted to go back, but she was terrified by the stories of the punishments dealt out to runaways. Kirstian was the youngest of the Knitting Circle. About 5'5" tall, with black eyes and pale skin, she was one of the few among the Knitting Circle with neither gray hair nor lines in her face and appeared to be about thirty. When Adeleas recognized Garenia as Zarya, Adeleas wasn’t clear about which Kin she had recognized as a runaway from the Tower. Kirstian, who had been sweating ever since she was brought into contact with Aes Sedai, panicked, immediately babbled a confession and began begging for mercy. The result was that she was placed in white and back under novice rules at the same time as Garenia. Most, if not all, of the Kinswomen accepted this—all of the Knitting Circle did, but Alise was one of those who did not.

  At the time Elayne and Nynaeve met the Kin, Kirstian was a weaver; she owned and ran a small shop, not tiny but not so large that anyone might question how she could come by it when apparently so young. She employed several other weavers. She accompanied Elayne to Caemlyn and worked under Vandene there.

  Kirukan. A soldier queen who was the Queen of Aramaelle. See also Sword of Kirukan

  Kiruna Nachiman. An Arafellin Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah and the rebel contingent, with a strength level of 14(2). Born in 939 NE, she went to the White Tower in 953 NE. After spending four years as a novice and four years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 961 NE. She had four Warders. Elegant and statuesque, she was 5'7" tall, with a full bosom, large dark eyes and a full mouth. She was the younger sister of King Paitar of Arafel. Kiruna attempted to go the White Tower when she was twelve years old, and tried twice when she was thirteen; on the second attempt, she reached the Tower but was sent home. Her attempts were well known in the Tower. She was finally accepted at fourteen because of her determination. She and Bera Harkin were pillow friends; although both went on to men exclusively later, they remained the closest of friends.

  The rebel Aes Sedai sent Bera and Kiruna and their seven Warders to the Aiel Waste to find Rand; when they were halfway there, they heard he was in Caemlyn and went there. After Rand told the rebel embassy that he was leaving Caemlyn, Bera and Kiruna took over the embassy and decided to follow after him. They and all the members of the embassy were forced to swear fealty to Rand after Dumai’s Wells.

  These sisters were treated like apprentices by the Wise Ones, and considered apprentices, especially Kiruna, of whom Sorilea made a project. Kiruna at first believed that her being named an apprentice was only a polite fiction to place them in the hierarchy, and she was not pleased by it. She was eventually convinced, if not that she truly was apprenticed to the Wise Ones, at least that there was absolutely no difference between her and an apprentice in the Wise Ones’ eyes. “Displeased” did not begin to convey her feelings, but her oath to Rand held her, and the discipline imposed by the Wise Ones was a sharp reminder of the role she had to play. Kiruna, who was the most obviously prideful and most obviously scornful of her so-called place as apprentice, was forced into the most menial chores, plus had her bottom spanked, strapped and/or switched by Sorilea and others at regular intervals for the most trivial fault after arriving in Cairhien; Sorilea intended to teach her the difference between pride and arrogance. She may not have taught Kiruna that, but Sorilea certainly taught her that she had to behave as if she really was an apprentice no matter what she believed. She was killed by Graendal/Hessalam in the Last Battle.

  Kiserai ti Wansho! Old Tongue for “Glory to the Builders!”

  Kishar, Gerra. See Gerra Kishar

  Kisman, Raefar. See Raefar Kisman

  Kiss the Daisies. A kissing game played in the Two Rivers.

  Kitan. A maid in Berelain’s palace in Mayene who fetched Berelain to see Annoura and Galad, after Annoura rescued Galad in the Last Battle.

  Kiyosa Natomo. An Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah who served as Amyrlin from 171 to 197 NE. Kiyosa was a strong Amyrlin, managing Tower affairs through the strength of her will and the force of her personality.

  Kiyoshi. An Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah and the loyalist contingent. A stickler for both punctuality and neatness, she was tall and slender. Kiyoshi was one of those named as adhering to Tower law when Elaida announced the discovery of illegally possessed angreal. It was thus implied that she was one of those—along with Doraise and Farellien—who turned in Josaine and Adelorna, the pair who were birched. Like the other two, she received a horse as a reward. Elaida did this at Alviarin’s urging; Alviarin was trying to cause dissent in the Tower. Kiyoshi also taught Egwene lessons after Egwene’s capture by the White Tower; she sent Egwene to Silviana.

  Kline. A Warder who lost his Aes Sedai in the Last Battle and joined Galad to fight on and avenge her.

  Knife Hands. An Aiel warrior society also known as Sovin Nai.

  Knitting Circle. The ruling council of the Kin in Ebou Dar, composed of the thirteen oldest of the Kin in the city of Ebou Dar. They were known as the Elders, with the leader being the Eldest, and also known as the Circle. Everyone had to rotate out of Ebou Dar according to a strict schedule to help them remain unnoticed, but the Elders made sure that sufficient women of a suitable age were in the city at all times. There was never a time when the Knitting Circle was made up of, say, women who were all under two hundred, or even under three hundred. Women younger than three hundred, in fact, were rare in the Knitting Circle. While the rotation in and out of Ebou Dar was maintained strictly, if a woman came to the city who was older than one on the Knitting Cir
cle, she assumed a place on that body for the duration of her visit. Even the Eldest was subject to being displaced if an older woman visited. What kept the oldest members from ignoring the rules and placing themselves in Ebou Dar permanently, or changing the rules to allow themselves to stay in command, were two facts: 1) the members of the Knitting Circle were subject to the Rule, even the Eldest herself, and 2) the Rule could not be changed.

  The Eldest was, in many ways, an absolute ruler, yet she, too, could be called down for an offense, judged and given a penance. This happened fairly rarely, but it did happen.

  When Reanne and the rest of the Knitting Circle fled Ebou Dar, technically they no longer were the Knitting Circle, since they were no longer in Ebou Dar as specified by the rules. They were still the oldest women in the group, however, and that gave them the authority to keep running things since age was the sole basis of authority among the Kin. If they encountered any Kinswomen who were older, those women would step into the quasi Knitting Circle, displacing younger women and assuming places by strict ranking of age.

  Kno’mon. A Trolloc tribe; its symbol was a red bloodstained fist.

  Knoks Rebellion. An uprising in Murandy where a group of farmers overthrew Lord Desartin, who deserved it. Androl had participated in the rebellion.

  knot. As a point of terminology, in the Age of Legends, channelers did not “tie off” flows, rather they “knotted” flows. Regardless of this semantic difference, a channeler made a knot to tie off a weave so that the flows would hold without further intervention from the channeler. Over time the weave would unravel on its own, or it could be untied by the channeler, although a complex knot could be very difficult to untie. This process was different from unweaving, in which individual threads were loosened and picked out of the weave, like picking stitches out of a piece of embroidery; unweaving could result in disaster if a mistake was made. See weave the flows