The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Sharmad Zeffar. A Domani woman. She was one of the refugees who went to the Two Rivers. She and Rhea Avin were both interested in Wil al’Seen and went to Faile to get her decision on which one had the right to him. Faile sent them to Daise Congar, the Wisdom, to sort them out.

  Sharom. A huge white sphere, one thousand feet in diameter, used as a scientific research facility. It floated high above the blue and silver domes of the Collam Daan during the Age of Legends. Mierin accidentally blew up the Sharom while experimenting with a new source for the One Power and drilling into the Dark One’s prison.

  Sharplyn, Anthelle. An Andoran noblewoman and High Seat of her minor House. She was loyal to Elayne.

  shatayan. The term for a head housekeeper in the Borderland nations.

  Shayol Ghul. During the Age of Legends, Shayol Ghul was an idyllic island in a cool sea, a favorite escape of those who enjoyed the rustic. After the Breaking, it became a mountain in the Blasted Lands, where the Dark One’s prison was located. More precisely, Shayol Ghul was a sort of focus point, a place where the Dark One’s prison lay close to the world—there was a thinness in the Pattern, allowing the Bore to be detected—so the focus of the Dark One’s strength was there.

  shea dancers. Seanchan dancers who wore transparent veils almost identical to those worn by Taraboner women, but little else. They were a favorite topic of discussion among Seanchan soldiers.

  Shedren. The clan chief of the Daryne Aiel after the Last Battle, seen in Aviendha’s visions of the future in Rhuidean.

  sheepstongue. A root used in tea along with rannel for an energy boost; it had a terrible lingering taste. It was also used to alleviate eye pain and as a punishment for silliness. Nynaeve, mad at Elayne, offered to give her sheeptongue and red daisy tea for a headache that the latter must have gotten from thinking too much, but it was unclear whether she really used it for headache in other cases.

  Shefar, Ispan. See Ispan Shefar

  Shein Chunla. An Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah who served as Amyrlin from 578 to 601 NE. Shein, the youngest Amyrlin since Deane Aryman, was a weak Amyrlin. She attempted to run the Hall of the Tower autocratically, but failed miserably. She had been the head of the Green Ajah—although this was not known outside the Ajah—and was well respected by other Ajahs. It was not until she was chosen Amyrlin that they saw examples of how she had run the Green. The other Ajahs did not find that way to their liking at all. The Hall made her little more than a figurehead and ceremonial puppet. Although the world at large thought she died in office, in fact she was toppled by a rebellion, and a good part of the Hall that had tolerated her fell with her. Many in the Hall had been willing to deal with and around her, but discontent grew until the Sitters who were no longer willing carried out a coup. Shein actually lived another fifty-one years in a very closely controlled exile until she died in 652 NE. There was some evidence that she was assassinated—smothered in her sleep by her guards—because of a plot to return her to power. The secret Tower records did describe several plots that were aimed at returning her to Tar Valon at the very least. All of these were dealt with strongly, and Shein herself was punished in each instance, though there was no concrete evidence that she knew of all the plots. It was fairly certain that she knew of some.

  Sheldyn. Estates, or the location of estates, held by Ellorien Traemane in Andor. In a meeting with other House seats, she announced her intention of returning to Sheldyn after refusing to stand for Elayne, but she said that Traemane would ride behind the Lion of Andor at the Last Battle.

  shellback. An animal also called a goerant (singular and plural). Its body was covered in hard shell armor. The shellback grew to as much as twenty-five pounds. It lived in burrows, could dig itself into the ground very quickly and could move beneath the ground by burrowing a tunnel. Aviendha killed and ate one while traveling to Rhuidean.

  Shemaen. An Aes Sedai. Adelorna reportedly told Shemaen that Gitara had had a Foretelling that the Last Battle “would come in the lifetimes of sisters now breathing.” Ellid overheard them, and reported it to other novices.

  Shemari. An Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah and the rebel contingent. A librarian, she was square-faced and vigorous, and curtsied to Egwene in a way that seemed like mockery. She and Phaedrine linked were barely able to form a gateway large enough for them to walk through.

  Shemerin. A plump Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah and the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 15(3). Born in 828 NE, she went to the White Tower in 845 NE. After spending fourteen years as a novice and seventeen years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 876 NE. The length of her training resulted from her unsuitability for testing; except for her potential, she might have been put out of the Tower without being allowed to test for Accepted; as it was, she refused the first two times. Shemerin hid for three days after finally passing, and when she was found she was still shivering. She took all three tries to pass the testing for the shawl, and barely passed the third.

  Shemerin had a good talent for Healing and a very high skill in administration and organization, as well as a deft hand in internal White Tower politics, but she never had the outward Aes Sedai calm. Often she seemed slightly anxious, wringing her hands and nearly fainting. She was, in point of fact, a coward and knew it. During her brief time out of the Tower, supposedly looking for a Warder, she actually went no farther from Tar Valon than she could manage.

  Shemerin served on the council advising Elaida when she took the Amyrlin Seat; Elaida grew tired of her lack of backbone and demoted her to Accepted for having shown herself unfit to wear the shawl. Although the Sitters were aghast at the precedent, the Hall seemed unable to figure out how to oppose the decree. The Mistress of Novices received orders from the Amyrlin to pick up “the Accepted Shemerin” wherever she was to be found and escort her to the Accepted quarters, where she was to be held. Silviana took this as some sort of imposed penance, took along a pair of Red sisters for assistants, snatched Shemerin from the hallways and hustled her to the Accepted quarters, where she was stuffed into an Accepted’s dress despite her protests, since Silviana had no patience with that sort of thing. Elaida entered Shemerin’s name anew on the roll of the Accepted. Most sisters thought that Shemerin herself should simply refuse to accept this and return to her own quarters, something which she was constitutionally unable to do, especially since it would have meant trying to face down Silviana. In a way, her ineffectiveness at protesting and the inertia and indecision of the rest of the sisters as to what to say or do led to nothing happening until everyone simply drifted into realizing, or deciding, that she had been being treated as Accepted long enough that she was Accepted. She was also treated very strictly by Silviana, the loyalist Mistress of Novices, who felt that Shemerin was in truth Aes Sedai no matter what was decreed, and as such she should have known both how to maintain the dignity of an Aes Sedai and how to stay within the rules so long as she was kept as an Accepted.

  Instead, Shemerin managed to bumble, bungle and give in to her frights and vapors, with the result that she continually fell afoul of the rules for Accepted and also gave those sisters who had turned on her, many of them Elaida’s supporters, plentiful opportunities, and indeed cause, to call her down and/or send her to Silviana. Her bumbling made even most of the Accepted look at her askance, which decreased her confidence further; she quickly became a laughingstock among them, and eventually a number of them played tricks on her which got her into trouble. Toward the end of her time as Accepted, even some novices occasionally played tricks on her, tricks which also often got her into trouble. Her reaction to being switched or strapped or given chores by Silviana was not what was hoped for by the Mistress of Novices, because they shook her confidence even more, and made her bumble and stumble even more. The result was that Shemerin started off badly and found herself deeper and deeper in hot water by the day—literally by the day, since rarely did a day pass for her without another visit to Silviana.

  Shemerin decided to flee; her great diffi
culty was in escaping from the White Tower itself, because she was watched very closely. The Tower did not spread such things about, but she could have departed Tar Valon quite easily once she got out of the Tower grounds. Her own fearful instincts kept her looking over her shoulder, though, and seeing shadows where there were none. For that reason she made her actual escape from Tar Valon via a small, long-unused watergate. She hid in a nearby village and joined the rebel camp as a washwoman using the name Tagren. Gawyn and Bryne discovered her; she told how she had escaped through the watergate, and they used that information in their rescue of Egwene.

  Shemon, Berana. See Berana Shemon

  Shen an Calhar. The Band of the Red Hand; originally a legendary Manetheren fighting force from the Trolloc Wars, the name was adopted by Mat’s soldiers.

  Shendar, Avi. See Avi Shendar

  Shende. A hold in the Waste of which Sorilea was the Wise One.

  Shendla. A beautiful Sharan who was one of the leaders at the Last Battle. Demandred thought that she was devious, capable and powerful; it was almost enough to change his heart. Though she was not a Darkfriend, Shendla was willing to help Demandred win the Last Battle because she thought that if he was victorious her people would be saved, and she loved him. After Demandred fell, she announced that Bao the Wyld was dead.

  Shepherd of the Night. Another name for the Dark One.

  Sheraine Caminelle. See Mylen

  Shereed, Mabriam en. See Mabriam en Shereed

  Sheriam Bayanar. A Saldaean Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah publicly and of the Black Ajah in truth. She was a member of the rebel contingent, with a strength level of 14(2). Born in 953 NE, she went to the White Tower in 969 NE. After spending five years as a novice, she refused her first time at the arches; after her second try, she spent five years as Accepted and was raised Aes Sedai in 979 NE. She became Mistress of Novices in 992 NE at an extremely young age for the job. After the Tower split, she went to Salidar and became part of the council running things there. She pledged for Egwene when Egwene was raised to the Amyrlin Seat, and Egwene named her Keeper of the Chronicles in 999 NE. She was secretly oathsworn to Egwene. Fire-haired, with green eyes and tilted cheekbones, she was about 5'5" tall, a little plump and quite pretty. Sheriam had one Warder, Arinvar. Sheriam sometimes sounded as if she were quoting when she was merely speaking. She seemed to say “aye” without thinking if Romanda or Lelaine said “nay.” As a Black sister, she was intent on causing trouble and keeping the animosity going between the rebels and the White Tower. She might or might not have given support toward Rand’s cause, depending on whether she thought it would increase disorder. She had become a Darkfriend to get ahead, and was willing to do whatever was required to avoid any form of punishment. Halima beat her frequently for not doing enough for the effort, and she wanted to avoid any of that if possible.

  While Egwene was held captive, Mesaana ordered Sheriam to make sure that Egwene was deposed, and ordered her to steal all of the sleepweavers to stop the Aes Sedai from having meetings in Tel’aran’rhiod, and to make them accessible to the Black Ajah; she said that Sheriam would lose a finger or a toe for each one she failed to produce in three days. Sheriam was later seen with a bandaged hand.

  She was identified as Black Ajah in Verin’s list and executed.

  Shevan Gadarin. A Kandori Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah and the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 18(6). Born in 843 NE, she went to the White Tower in 859 NE. After spending four years as a novice and six years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 869 NE. About 5'10" tall, with an angular face, a long chin, a cap of dark curls and long spidery fingers, she was thin—not much short of bony. She could be very dry when she wanted to, and she frequently did. Shevan was raised a Sitter for the Brown in 999 NE to replace Janya Frende, who joined the rebels. She was part of the council advising Elaida when Elaida was first raised to the Amyrlin Seat. She worried about reports of “leashed women” and the possibility that Seanchan had a device to control women who could channel. Elaida gave her a penance scrubbing floors. After the Tower was reunited, Shevan was replaced as Sitter by Janya. Shevan was killed in the battle against the Black Ajah in Tel’aran’rhiod.

  Shiagi Hold. The home of the Nakai Aiel in the Aiel Waste.

  Shiaine Avarhin, Lady. A woman of a minor noble family which had a lineage back to the founding of Andor. The sigil of House Avarhin was a red heart on a golden hand. The Avarhin family had been dwindling in numbers for generations and becoming increasingly impoverished. Shiaine’s grandfather had been forced to give up the last house that could be called an estate and move into an isolated farmhouse a fair walk from the nearest village. Her mother, who died when Shiaine was young, was a commoner. Shiaine was an awkward young woman, tall, bony and very plain; like most of the Avarhins, she had blue eyes and red hair. Blue eyes and pale hair were the most common combination in the family; there were some green eyes and sometimes black hair, but brown eyes were never seen. Her father, Willim, had enough money to keep one servant, but he never went into society because of his comparative poverty, and Shiaine had never even been to Caemlyn. Shiaine, her father and their single servant were killed by the Darkfriend Mili Skane so that she could use Shiaine’s name as her own. See also Mili Skane

  Shiande. An Aiel clan; its chief was Janwin.

  Shianri, Kyril. See Kyril Shianri

  Shibouya. Another name for Shara.

  Shiego, Arrela. See Arrela Shiego

  Shield, the. A constellation. It was sometimes called “Hawkwing’s Shield.”

  shielding. A phenomenon whereby one channeler used a weave to cut another channeler off from the True Source; the latter was still able to sense the Source.

  Shielyn din Sabura Night Waters. Zaida’s Sea Folk Windfinder. Her strength level was 23(11). She was 5'8" tall, slim and pretty, though not beautiful. Shielyn was aware of who she was, and her position. She appeared to be about thirty and had straight black hair, nearly black eyes and four earrings in each ear. She could have been taken for a very dark Tairen. She was with Zaida in Caemlyn, and left with her after the death of the Mistress of the Ships. When Zaida was named to that post, Shielyn also ascended in rank.

  Shienar. One of the Borderland nations. Shienar’s capital was Fal Moran, and King Easar Togita ruled at the time of the Last Battle. Its sigil was a stooping black hawk: the Black Hawk. Its banner was the Black Hawk on a field of three blue and two white horizontal stripes. The sigil and banner of the reigning king were also considered a national banner and sigil; King Easar’s was the White Hart.

  Saldaea, Kandor, Arafel, Shienar and Malkier all were provinces of Hawkwing’s empire, with the borders between them very much as they were at the time of the Last Battle, though not stretching so far south in most cases. With the Blight to contend with, the governors of those provinces (Lord Rylen t’Boriden Rashad for Saldaea, Lord Jarel Soukovni for Kandor, Lady Mahira Svetanya for Arafel, Lady Merean Tihomar for Shienar and Lord Shevar Jamelle for Malkier) met soon after Hawkwing’s death in FY 994 to reaffirm measures for cooperation against the Blight and to make agreements for mutual defense against attack from the south. Before the end of FY 995, when it became clear that the rest of the empire was splintering, each of the governors took the title of King or Queen of his or her former province, now a nation. None of these nations would take part in any of the wider fighting of the War of the Hundred Years, as nations, except for defending themselves against attacks and punishing same, though individuals and groups did sometimes become involved, sometimes for political reasons or family connections or friendships.

  Shienar always had a king, though the Queen his wife, if he had one, had considerable authority. When he led an army into battle, as he was expected to, she handled civil rule until he returned. The King was expected to surround himself with a council of nobles and representatives of the merchants and guilds, but he was in no way constrained to take their advice, nor was his wife when she was reigning as regent while he was away on
campaign.

  In the keep, men’s quarters were separated from women’s quarters. It was necessary for men to be invited or given permission to enter the women’s apartments, and they never went armed unless the keep was under attack. This included a woman’s husband and the lord of the particular place. A man could send a message to one in the women’s apartments, but it would be delivered when the women chose, and the man could only wait.

  On the other hand, bathing in Shienar took place in large, tiled pools and was mixed between the sexes. Seeing someone naked there and perhaps scrubbing his or her back was not considered at all the same as seeing them in a corridor. The woman who scrubbed your back last night, and both of you naked, would have blushed if you saw her ankle in the hallway the next day. She also would not necessarily have considered having scrubbed your back, or you hers, as sufficient introduction for you to speak to her in the corridor.

  There was a link between Shienaran and Aiel views of shame: shame was worse than guilt, the worst thing there was. This view of shame ameliorated as one moved west; in Arafellin less than Shienaran, Kandori less than Arafellin, Saldaean less than Kandori. In all of the Borderlands, though, shame was given a much heavier weight than in lands to the south.

  A Borderman considered the day he was given his sword to be his nameday.

  Uno commented that women in Shienar said a woman’s rights were whatever she said they were.

  Shienar mined a considerable amount of gold, silver and gems, especially firedrops, of which Shienar was the largest source. There was also some mining of emeralds, rubies and sapphires, as well as lesser stones. Timber and furs were both major exports.

  Shienaran Marches. A fortified border region where Lan fought the Aiel before the Aiel War began.