The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Taric. An Aiel man of the Chareen clan who was the youngest greatson of Amaryn, Sorilea’s greatdaughter. Sorilea suggested him as a husband for Egwene if the Aes Sedai rejected her. Sorilea thought that he would be a clan chief someday.

  Taril Canler. An Asha’man from Andor. About 5'10" tall, and sturdy, with gray in his hair, he spat for emphasis and used countryman’s terms and phrases. He worked out a way that married Asha’man could bond their wives; he himself was married to Leish, whom he bonded. As an Asha’man soldier he was with Rand in Illian and was then promoted to Dedicated. He associated himself with Logain, forming what Toveine recognized as one of at least two factions within the Black Tower. Canler worked with Androl to try to escape when the Black Tower was sealed. He helped to free Logain from Taim, and fought in the Last Battle.

  Taringail Damodred. A Prince of Cairhien and First Prince of the Sword of Andor. His sign was a golden, double-bitted battle axe. He was born in 948 NE, a nephew of King Laman of Cairhien and the half-brother of Moiraine Damodred. He was first the husband of Tigraine; they had one son, Galad. After Tigraine’s disappearance, he married Morgase, with whom he had two children, Elayne and Gawyn. Tensions rose between Andor and Cairhien, in part because Morgase failed to, or refused to, hide the fact that Taringail was in no fashion co-ruler of Andor. Taringail was supposedly killed in a hunting accident, but in fact was assassinated by Thom Merrilin when the latter discovered that Taringail intended to usurp the throne of Andor.

  Tarlomen’s Gate. An entryway in the south wall of the White Tower grounds in Tar Valon.

  Tarmandewin. A court at which Mat had ancient memories of dancing.

  Tarmon Gai’don. The Old Tongue term for the Last Battle. Prophecies given in The Karaethon Cycle foretold that the Dark One would be freed again to touch the world, and that Lews Therin Telamon, the Dragon, Breaker of the World, would be reborn to fight Tarmon Gai’don and to save the world and break it again. See Last Battle, the

  Tarna Feir. An Altaran Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah and the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 19(7). Born near the Andoran border in 950 NE, she went to the White Tower in 964 NE. After spending nine years as a novice and six years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 979 NE. Pale-haired, 5'5½" tall and haughty, with a prominent chin and sharp blue eyes that could freeze the sun, she was a wilder who first touched saidar at about as early an age as possible, but she had a block: she could not touch saidar unless she had her eyes closed. That meant, of course, that she could not see to weave the flows. Galina Casban took an interest in her and beat the block out of her, something about which she later professed to be amused. This was technically illegal, but the then Mistress of Novices acquiesced by being silent about it.

  Tarna was sent by Elaida as emissary to the rebel Aes Sedai gathering in Salidar. She learned about the presence of Siuan and Leane, Logain, Nynaeve, Elayne and Egwene, and about Gareth Bryne raising an army. Even though she reported all via pigeon long before reaching Tar Valon, she nearly rode her horse to death trying to return to give her report in person, because what she had seen in Salidar frightened her. In Murandy she encountered a group of Asha’man. She reached Dorlan just after the rebel army surrounded Tar Valon; she took control of the sisters there from Covarla. Narenwin Barda arrived, and Tarna went back to the White Tower. Since Alviarin was missing, Tarna was named the Keeper of the Chronicles. She and Pevara talked about the Asha’man, with Tarna suggesting that Red sisters should take Asha’man as Warders. They, with four others, subsequently were ordered by Tsutama to go to the Black Tower and bond Asha’man. Tarna was Turned to the Shadow while there.

  Taron, Elwinn. The Wisdom of Deven Ride. She was round and had a motherly smile that she wore even when she was making people do what they did not want to do.

  Tarra. A Maiden of the Spear of the Taardad Aiel, seen in Aviendha’s viewings of the future in Rhuidean. Tarra was killed in a fight with Seanchan led by Padra.

  Tarran. A Saldaean soldier in Maradon with Bashere. He had long mustaches and bowed legs. Wearing the Traitor’s Banner, he was one of four guarding the Darkfriend Lord Torkumen when Yoeli took Ituralde to meet Torkumen.

  Tarsi, Larelle. See Larelle Tarsi

  Tarsin, Idrien. See Idrien Tarsin

  Tarva. Katerine’s rendering of Therava’s name during the Wise Ones’ meeting with the Aes Sedai who kidnapped Rand.

  Tarwin’s Gap. The pass separating the Mountains of Dhoom from the Spine of the World, near Fal Dara. Frequently used in raids by the Trollocs, it was the site of many battles between Shadowspawn and Borderlanders. Lan and his army engaged a massive Trolloc army heading south from there during the Last Battle.

  Tasil. An Ebou Dari family. See Namine and Quillin Tasil

  Tauan. A morat’raken who died when her raken was shot down by Aes Sedai at the Kin’s farm.

  Tava. An Aiel girl seen in Aviendha’s viewings of the future in Rhuidean. Her hold was attacked and burned by the Seanchan; her father, Rowahn, picked up a sword and used it to save her and a small child she was protecting. He tried to keep the people of the hold together, but they all walked away; Tava survived, however; she was the greatmother of Norlesh.

  Taval din Chanai Nine Gulls. The Sea Folk Windfinder of the White Spray, which carried Atha’an Miere delegations to Andor and Cairhien. Her Sailmistress was Derah din Selaan Rising Wave. Dark-haired, with only three earrings in each ear, she caused Egwene to fall into the water when Egwene attempted to visit the White Spray.

  Tavalad. The clan chief of the Goshien Aiel after the Last Battle, seen in Aviendha’s viewings of the future in Rhuidean. Tavalad was at the meeting with Rand and Aviendha’s children when the Aiel decided to go to war with the Seanchan; he took longer to convince than the others.

  Tavan Shandare. One of Careane’s Warders. A Cairhienin, he was 5'7" tall, and slim, which made his shoulders appear wider; they were wide enough for his size as it was. He was even quicker than Venr, another of Careane’s Warders. Tavan was not a Darkfriend. He and Careane’s other two Warders were killed when they attempted to rescue her from Lady Shiaine’s house on Full Moon Street.

  Tavar, the. A district of Tear where farmers went to sell crops.

  Tavolin, Elricain. See Elricain Tavolin

  Tazanovni, Pevara. See Pevara Tazanovni

  tcheran. An Age of Legends board game, thought of by Moridin and Semirhage. The game used powerful pieces called High Counselors and Spires.

  Teacal. A powerful Domani nobleman who was supposed to be following Ituralde. Because Alsalam’s orders sometimes went straight to the men under Ituralde instead of to Ituralde, four pitched battles occurred between different groups of Ituralde’s men, Teacal among them.

  Teadra. An ancient name of Birgitte. As Teadra, she foiled Moghedien’s plot to lay Lews Therin by his heels. Teadra did not know who Moghedien was and died before Moghedien could exact revenge, but Moghedien remembered her.

  Tear. A nation and its capital city on the Sea of Storms, between Mayene and Illian. Its sigil was three white crescent moons arranged diagonally: the Moons, or the Crescent Moons. Its banner was the Moons slanting across a field half red, half gold; the field was divided diagonally, with the gold part of the banner against the staff. The crescent moons ran down the dividing line; thus the nearest to the staff was the highest.

  The nation of Tear was founded in FY 994 (or at least, given the difficulty in determining true dates, supposedly in the year that Hawkwing died) by a group of nobles led by Lord Istaban Novares and Lady Yseidre Tirado. Declaring independence as soon as they had confirmation of Hawkwing’s death, they initially held only the Stone of Tear and the eponymous city, but had the advantage that Tear was one of Hawkwing’s provinces and the Stone the greatest fortress of the day. They were immediately engaged in fighting with those trying to reestablish the nations of Fergansea and Moreina, all of whom wanted the strong port, and also against those trying to seize all of Hawkwing’s empire.

  Struggle
s for power among more than a dozen nobles of roughly equal strength led to the organization of the High Lords well before the end of the war, some accounts claiming that it occurred as early as FY 1050. Not until the end of the War of the Hundred Years did Tear’s borders approach anything near those of Tear at the time of the Last Battle, and the absorption of part of Mar Haddon long after the war increased its size considerably. The city of Tear was always called Tear, and the Stone of Tear was actually built in the last days of the Breaking. The city was the great port of Essenia, and the Stone had permanent apartments for rulers when they visited. After the Trolloc Wars, Tear became the capital city of Moreina. The rooms that had been the apartments of visiting kings and queens of Essenia then became the home of the kings and queens of Moreina. After the War of the Hundred Years, when the city of Tear became the capital of the eponymous nation, no High Lord or Lady ever had power enough to claim those rooms, so they remained empty for nearly a thousand years, with only mice making tracks in the dust until Rand al’Thor took them as his own.

  Until Rand and the Aiel between them seized the Stone of Tear, that fortress had never fallen to any army or siege. It even held out against Artur Hawkwing, with a number of Aes Sedai trapped inside, though it was eventually surrendered to his forces as part of negotiations that took that whole part of the land into Hawkwing’s camp.

  Tear and Illian had more wars after Hawkwing’s empire collapsed than any other two nations. Illianers and Tairens did not merely dislike one another; it was a matter of spite, contempt, even hatred. Each viewed the other as low and vile, sneaky thieves, without honor—the sort who would stab one in the back to steal one’s purse after one had saved him from drowning, and then try to seduce one’s wife and daughter while wearing the clothes he had taken from one’s still warm corpse.

  Tear had one of the three false Dragons who sprang up after Logain was captured and before Rand declared himself. This man gathered his forces in Haddon Mirk, but the Tairens captured him and beheaded him on the spot.

  The Defenders of the Stone were the elite unit of the Tairen army—the only permanent formation of that army. They were analogous to the Queen’s Guard in Andor. They also acted as the Watch in the city of Tear. Their duties did not normally take them beyond the city to any great degree, however, except in times of war. They normally numbered between fifteen hundred and two thousand men total.

  Unlike armies raised by Tear in time of war, in the Defenders commoners often rose to rank. Their commander—the Captain of the Stone—at the time of the Last Battle was Rodrivar Tihera.

  Defenders’ uniforms were black coats with puffy sleeves striped black-and-gold and rimmed helmets with steel bars for faceguards. Plumes on helmets indicated rank for officers. Three short fat white plumes indicated the Captain of the Stone; two short white plumes a captain, one short white plume for a lieutenant and one short black plume for an under-lieutenant. They wore brightly burnished breastplates, and officers had white cuffs on their coats. The Captain of the Stone had three intertwined lines of gold braid in a broad band around his white cuff, a captain had a single narrow line of gold braid around his cuff, a lieutenant had a single narrow line of black braid around his white cuff and an under-lieutenant’s cuffs were plain white. Common soldiers had black cuffs on their coats, squadmen had cuffs that were striped like their sleeves and bannermen had gold cuffs.

  “The Stone stands!” and “The Stone still stands!” were battle cries of the Defenders.

  The Defenders most often functioned in the field as cavalry, but they also had to be able to function as foot soldiers. Afoot, they used their swords and long spears; they had some archers but no pikes.

  Like the armies of other lands, the army of Tear in fact consisted of personal levies raised by nobles, especially High Lords and Ladies. Usually, a lady would have a Master of the Horse who commanded for her in the field, but this was not always so. A lord was expected to lead and command in person. In the Tairen military, commoners seldom rose to a high rank except in the foot, which was largely despised and relatively few in number. Most officers were younger lords, younger sons and the like.

  Tear had no real naval forces. When pirates troubled Tairen shipping interests, a noble was directed to raise whatever forces he needed to put them down. Historically, the same method was used whenever ships were needed for military reasons.

  The carrying of swords by any but nobles and Defenders of the Stone was prohibited in the city of Tear, but outlanders were usually not bothered, at least if they looked of sufficient rank. Neither were retainers of nobles, usually, especially if the noble was of sufficient rank. After Rand took the Stone, he changed the law.

  As in most countries, the view on marriage was that like should marry like. A noble might dally with a commoner, but never marry there. Commoners might dream of marrying a noble, but when they heard of the actuality, as in Andor, the usual view was that it was ridiculous at best, obscene at worst, and a sure course for disaster.

  The city of Tear was Ogier-built, and a Waygate stood outside the city in the great pastureland where the High Lords ran their famous horse herds. Tear was the greatest port on the Sea of Storms; the Stone of Tear was the fortress that guarded it. Built on flats on the southern coast around the mouth of the River Erinin where it divided into the Fingers of the Dragon and passed into the Sea of Storms, it sat well away from the sea, and any ships coming to port were required to navigate up through one of the “fingers,” guided by a Tairen pilot. There were stone docks on the west bank of the river; this was the port district, called the Maule, a rough area. The docks were backed by stone warehouses, separated by muddy dirt streets; the warehouse district was called the Chalm and the farmers’ market district the Tavar. Houses, inns and taverns in the outer city were of wood and stone, and the roofs of slate or tile with oddly sharp corners, some rising to a point.

  A high wall of dark gray stone surrounded the inner city, which contained white square-domed palaces and pointed towers with balconies encircling them. There were paved streets inside the city, and the buildings inside the wall were much like those outside, only bigger. Grand structures mixed together with more humble businesses and residences. One large hall had massive square columns across the front, with fifty steps rising to bronze doors five spans high; it was flanked by a bakery and a tailor’s shop. Commoners did not live in the inner city. Its population just before the Last Battle was 300,000 people.

  Tear produced carpets that were considered among the finest, and clocks which, along with those from Illian, were considered second only to the Sea Folk clocks for quality. Olives were a major crop, producing olive oil for cooking and lamps. Wine, brandy, cheese and lace were also produced. While Ghealdan was the only source of first-quality alum, Tear, like Arafel, supplied large quantities of second-quality alum and were the only sources aside from Ghealdan until the discovery of deposits in Andor; alum put as much into the nation’s coffers as did olive oil. Glass and glassware, dyes, wool, cloth, pearls, salt fish and other preserved fish packed in oil, timber (both fine woods and bulk), armor, swords and cutlery were other items sold. Andor and Tear were major suppliers of grain and foodstuffs to Cairhien. There were mines (iron, gold, silver, in various locations) in the Spine of the World, but there was often trouble with the Aiel, so there was very little mining of gold or silver, and not a great deal of iron. For horses, Tairen blood stock was considered the finest breeding stock in the world. Tairens were considered second only to the Sea Folk as shipbuilders, though Mayene came very close in quality if nowhere near in quantity.

  Tear, High Lord of. One of the council that ruled Tear, raised from the Lords of the Land; only a High Lord was allowed into the Heart of the Stone. Although noblewomen of high rank, High Ladies, were numbered among the ruling council and had as much power and influence as the men from the beginning, the ruling nobles were referred to collectively as the High Lords.

  Tear, Stone of. See Stone of Tear

  Teb
reille din Gelyn South Wind. A Sea Folk Windfinder to Wavemistress Mareil of Clan Mushien. Her strength level was 17(5). She was Talaan’s aunt. Caire and Tebreille were sisters; they disliked each other intensely and had a more than strong rivalry. Tebreille was about 5'5" tall, slightly shorter than Caire, and her face was somewhat sterner. They had the same big, almost black eyes, the same straight nose and the same strong chin. Tebreille was part of the circle that used the Bowl of the Winds, and not at all pleased that her sister was given the command. She went to Caemlyn with Elayne’s group and left Caemlyn with the Wavemistress Zaida.

  Tedosian. A High Lord of Tear; his wife was Alteima. He had a thick body, graying hair and a pointed beard. He was falsely self-effacing around Rand. Thom forged a note to be found by Tedosian, linking Carleon, truthfully, with Alteima. Tedosian was part of the group that Rand chastised for not obeying his orders to lower taxes, deal with Mayene and ship grain to Illian. Tedosian killed Carleon in a hunting “accident.” He was then poisoned by Alteima and put into Estanda’s care, where he recovered. After a meeting with an agent of Sebban Balwer’s, he joined the rebellion near Haddon Mirk. Merana and Rafela negotiated a settlement with Tedosian and the other rebels; that settlement made Darlin king.

  Tedronai, Elan Morin. Ishamael’s name in the Age of Legends.

  Tefan. A king of Khodomar, one of the nations that arose after the Trolloc Wars. Tefan was one of three who sent armies into Shandalle against Artur Hawkwing in FY 943.

  Tehan, Captain. The captain of The Victory of Kidron, the ship that brought Tuon from Seanchan. A wide, weathered woman with a lined face and white hair and incredible green eyes, she was a Captain of the Green.

  Teire Alentaine. An Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah and the loyalist contingent. Her strength level was 32(20). She was part of the effort to kidnap Rand and take him to the White Tower; she escaped with Covarla Baldene.