The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Vandes, Eban. The author of The History of the Stone of Tear, which Rand read.

  Vane, Master. A lacquerware merchant and Darkfriend. Graying and stocky, with a drooping lower lip, he was playing Piri in The White Ring in Maderin; as Mat joined the game, Vane left quickly. When Mat, Tuon, Selucia and Thom left the inn, Vane and more than a dozen others attacked them, and were killed for their efforts.

  Vanin, Chel. See Chel Vanin

  Vanora Carridin. Jaichim Carridin’s favorite sister. She lived in Carmera and liked to ride in a forest nearby. She was given by Sammael to Myrddraal to punish Jaichim for his failures.

  Varadin. A Whitecloak spy in Tarabon who wrote Pedron Niall about the invasion of the Seanchan in Tanchico.

  Varan Marcasiev. High Seat of House Marcasiev and Lord of Canluum, Kandor. His fortress-like palace stood atop the highest hill in Canluum, Stag’s Stand. Lan and Bukama avoided presenting themselves to him when they entered Canluum to avoid the ceremony which would have ensued. A proud man; duty counted more to him than anything else. Varan’s sign was the Red Stag.

  Varek. A skinny under-lieutenant in the Seanchan Ever Victorious Army. In the fight against Rand, he lost sei’taer by being sent afoot to get a scouting report. He was under the command of Captain-General Miraj, who sent him to notify Banner-General Chianmai to retreat while battling Rand’s troops. He found Chianmai dead and the troops in disarray. He took command of the troops and was likely promoted for extracting those forces successfully. He had been at Falme, and thought the battle in which Chianmai died was worse.

  Varil Nensen. An Asha’man soldier from Tarabon. Young, with dark eyes, a gravelly voice and a transparent veil covering his thick mustaches, he was with Rand’s forces in the Venir Mountains in Altara during the battle against the Seanchan. Rand vaguely remembered seeing him at the Black Tower when Rand went to name the Asha’man and hand out pins for the first time. He joined Taim’s faction, and was bonded to Alviarin. They were captured in Stedding Sholoon by Androl and his allies, including some elderly Ogier.

  Varilin Zanaire. A Saldaean Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah and the rebel contingent, with a strength level of 26(14). Born in 831 NE, she went to the White Tower in 848 NE. After spending seven years as a novice and six years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 992 NE. She was 6'2" tall, and slender, with red hair, and sometimes looked like a long-legged wading bird. Her nose was not particularly prominent, nor were her cheekbones very high, considering that she was Saldaean. Varilin was raised a Sitter for the Gray in 992 NE and left the White Tower to join the rebellion on orders from the leadership of the Gray Ajah to attempt control and dissipation of the situation. This she did in large part by delay, trying to ensure stalemate in the rebel Hall. She was part of Romanda’s clique, and was under Romanda’s thumb. Varilin tried to influence the rebel Hall toward the belief that the Seanchan were too important and too dangerous to wait until matters were settled with Elaida, but because of her relationship with Romanda, she had to do so carefully. She was part of the group, with Faiselle, Saroiya, Magla and Takima, who negotiated with the White Tower to try to end the split. In a class taught by Elayne, she made a mistake in trying to make ter’angreal and created a ball of fire in her hands; she would have died had Dagdara not been there to Heal her.

  Varkel Tius. A man with Perrin’s army who had trouble getting canvas to repair torn tents.

  Varuna Morrigan. An Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah who served as Amyrlin from 638 to 681 NE. Varuna was an Amyrlin of average strength. She focused on the Borderlands, feeling that the battle there against Shadowspawn was much more important than any meddling with nations farther south. This effectively reduced the Tower’s power and influence to the south. Her focus on the Borderlands and external matters also left the Hall largely in control of the Tower and the Aes Sedai.

  Varuota. Tuon’s great-great-great-grandmother. Tuon recalled her saying “Sa’rabat shaiqen nai batain pyast,” meaning “a woman is most resourceful with a knife at her throat.”

  Vasa. A sailor on the crew of Mallia’s ship, the Gray Gull, out of Tar Valon, which transported Mat and Thom to Aringill. Mallia summoned him and Sanor to throw Mat and Thom off when they jumped onto the ship as it was leaving the dock; they were persuaded otherwise. Vasa was a large man with arms like Perrin’s.

  Vasha. A Domani Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. Her Warder was Marlesh. Vasha was a member of the party sent to kidnap Rand; after Dumai’s Wells she escaped and made her way to Dorlan with Covarla Beldeine.

  Vayelle Kamsa. An Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah and the loyalist contingent, with a strength level of 34(22). Born in 914 NE, she went to the White Tower in 932 NE. After spending thirteen years as a novice and eleven years as Accepted, Vayelle was raised to the shawl in 956 NE. She aided in kidnapping Rand from Cairhien and was captured at Dumai’s Wells. Vayelle was treated as da’tsang by the Aiel until, under Verin’s Compulsion, she found reason to swear oath to Rand, which she had done before Cadsuane departed Cairhien for Far Madding. Vayelle and the other captive Reds were the very last to swear.

  Vayet, Akoure. See Akoure Vayet

  Vayu, Sierin. See Sierin Vayu

  Velina Behar. A Saldaean Aes Sedai of the White Ajah publicly and of the Black Ajah in truth. Of the loyalist contingent, she had a strength level of 25(13). Born in 859 NE, she went to the White Tower in 877 NE. After spending eleven years as a novice and nine years as Accepted, Velina was raised to the shawl in 897 NE and raised a Sitter for the White Ajah in 974 NE. About 5'6" tall, she had a strong hooked nose, sharp high cheekbones and a penetrating stare from eyes that were almost black. Her voice was cool and precise but almost girlishly high-pitched, strongly at odds with her face. Said by many to be the coolest, most self-possessed woman in the Tower, Velina stood to depose Siuan, one of only eleven needed to give the greater consensus under the circumstances. Part of the Black Ajah’s Supreme Council, she was one of two women on the Supreme Council who knew Alviarin’s name; the other was Sedore Dajenna. Despite reports about the Seanchan, she did not believe that a’dam existed. Her name was listed in Verin’s book, but she fled the Tower and avoided capture.

  Venamar, Ryne. See Ryne Venamar

  Vendare, Nathin Sarmain. See Nathin Sarmain Vendare

  Venir Mountains. A mountain range extending across the southern coast of Altara to Arran Head in the southeast. Rand fought the Seanchan in this area.

  Venr Kosaan. One of Careane Fransi’s Warders, a Saldaean. He was 5'10" tall, and whip slender, with a dark complexion, tightly curled black hair and a close-cut beard with light touches of gray. In his middle years, he was quick, in total repose or even half-asleep one moment, then moving very suddenly the next. Venr was 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.

  Verana Peninsula. The easternmost peninsula of Tanchico in Tarabon, one of the three peninsulas on Tanchico Bay. The Panarch’s Circle and Panarch’s Palace were located on the Verana.

  Verdin. A young squadman in the Band of the Red Hand. Verdin accompanied Mat to Salidar. Later, in the Last Battle, he went with Faile to deliver the Horn of Valere. When they wound up in the Blight, Verdin helped fight off large beasts.

  Verin Mathwin. An Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah publicly and the Black Ajah in truth, with a strength level of 17(5). Born in Far Madding in 849 NE, before going to the White Tower, Verin had thought of marrying a boy named Eadwin, who had a mischievous smile that she remembered fondly. She went to the White Tower in 864 NE. After spending five years as a novice and six as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 875 NE. Driven by the desire to know as much as possible, she decided that becoming an Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah was the best way to do that. She was surprised, pleased and frightened, all together, when she passed the tests and learned she could indeed become Aes Sedai.

  She joined the Black Ajah in 929 NE under duress, when she was caught while studying rumors and tales
and got very close to discovering who some of the members were. She had one Warder, Tomas, who was a Darkfriend.

  About five feet tall, and plump, Verin was placid-looking and square-faced, with a touch of gray in her hair. Despite her ageless face, she looked like somebody’s mother or aunt, or the cook at an inn. Her fingers were often ink-stained, and she habitually rubbed her nose, especially in thought, frequently smudging ink there. Verin had a scar on her arm that she implied was received in Tel’aran’rhiod; Anaiya Healed her, but the Healing didn’t work as well as it should have. Since she wasn’t a dreamwalker, she used a dream ter’angreal, a twisted stone ring from Corianin Nedeal that she later gave to Egwene. She wore a small brooch, a flower carved from some translucent stone; it was an angreal. Verin had some ability with Healing, but not great. Her handwriting was thin and spidery.

  Verin accompanied Siuan to Fal Dara, where she met Rand and worked out that he could channel. While Ingtar and Perrin were pursuing Fain and the Horn of Valere, she joined them, saying that Moiraine sent her. She and the Shienarans arrived in Cairhien just after the Horn, which Rand had recovered, was stolen again. She and Rand planned to travel to Toman Head to follow Fain through the Ways, but Machin Shin was waiting just inside. They went instead by Portal Stone, but Rand did not have control and it took them months to get there.

  After the battle at Falme, Verin escorted Elayne, Nynaeve, Egwene and the very ill Mat back to Tar Valon; when she arrived she gave the Horn to Siuan. Verin was part of the circle that Healed Mat of his connection to the Shadar Logoth dagger and gave Egwene the dream ter’angreal, but not the notes about Tel’aran’rhiod that Corianin Nedeal had left behind.

  With Alanna, Verin traveled to the Two Rivers to seek out girls who could channel; shortly after they arrived, the Whitecloaks turned up as well. Verin and Alanna took refuge near Emond’s Field and helped in the fight against the Trollocs. With a number of young women with either the spark or the ability to learn to channel, the two Aes Sedai headed to Tar Valon; on the way they learned of the schism in the Tower, but continued on to Caemlyn. There they met Rand, and Alanna bonded him. Verin was not so upset over Alanna bonding Rand against his will as she made out. She wanted a string to Rand and thought that Alanna, emotionally vulnerable because of her Warder’s death, could be manipulated into being that string. Using Alanna provided a little distance for Verin, and perhaps a little safety.

  Although she was not part of the original rebel embassy to Rand in Caemlyn, Verin began working with the embassy under Merana, and gave Merana some difficulties because Merana naturally deferred to the stronger woman. When Rand fled Caemlyn, she followed with Kiruna and the others and was forced to swear fealty after Dumai’s Wells. Using a weak version of Compulsion, Verin made all of the loyalist sisters captured at Dumai’s Wells also swear fealty to Rand. When Cadsuane followed Rand to Far Madding, Verin went along, although she had to use a false name because she did something there long ago causing arrest warrants to be signed, and she suspected they might still be in force.

  While Rand was cleansing the taint, Verin linked with Shalon and Kumira; they encountered and defeated Graendal, but Kumira was killed.

  Verin was with Cadsuane and Rand in hiding at Algarin’s estate in Tear, not far from the Spine of the World, until she left, destination and purpose unknown, after Trollocs attacked the manor there.

  Verin appeared to be helpful to Rand and his mission, but it was only immediately prior to the Last Battle that she was revealed to be a reluctant member of the Black Ajah. Though she had joined to save her own hide, she gathered as much information on the Black Ajah as she could. As she drank poisoned tea, she turned the information over to Egwene. Even in her death she revealed information that was of use to the forces of good, which she hoped would balance some of the atrocities that she had committed on orders from the Black Ajah.

  Verine. An Accepted who was murdered by Padan Fain with the ruby dagger.

  Veshir. The eldest of Renald Fanwar’s farmhands.

  Vestas. A captain in Bryne’s army who participated in the rescue of Egwene from the Tower and gave Bryne a casualty report.

  Vevanios, Ronaille. See Ronaille Vevanios

  Victory of Kidron, the. The three-masted greatship that brought Tuon from Seanchan. Its captain was a woman named Tehan.

  Viendre. A beautiful Wise One of the Goshien Aiel. As strong in the One Power as any Aes Sedai that Elayne had met except Nynaeve, Viendre was 5'8" tall, and had blue eyes and a strong nose. Appearing to be in her mid-twenties, she had a strength level of 10(+3). Elayne felt that Viendre sneered and looked down on her, but she stood in for Elayne’s mother at the first-sister ceremony with Aviendha. Viendre and Tamela stood lowest in the group participating in Elayne’s adoption.

  view-wall. A device from the Age of Legends that allowed the user to create any illusion on the walls of a room, such as a forest.

  Vileness, the. After Gitara Moroso’s death, the Black Ajah heard rumors connecting the death with a Foretelling, one that had the Amyrlin Tamra Ospenya closeted and making secret and hasty plans, mainly with senior—in age and strength—sisters of her former Ajah. Nervous that it might involve the Black Ajah, the then head of the Blacks took a drastic step. She and others kidnapped Tamra and put her to the question, after which she was found dead in her bed. No one was surprised that her Warder also died that same night. From the Amyrlin, they learned of the Dragon Reborn, but she was stubborn, and they did not learn that he was only a newborn. All they discovered was that she had just learned that he had been born.

  The Black Ajah immediately began a pogrom, an even more intensive search than usual for men who could channel, for males of any age who showed any sign that they might be able to channel. Even a rumor, a hint, was enough. And since being lucky or having a sudden rise to relative prominence were among the signs to look for, it was a bad time for men who were lucky or rose suddenly. All of the Black Ajah was involved, sisters supposedly of every Ajah, to the exclusion of anything else. And since the head of the Red Ajah was Black—both Galina Casban, during the last years of the pogrom, and the woman before her—there was little difficulty bringing many sisters of the Red Ajah into it as well. Those involved did not want to risk the man being brought back to Tar Valon, since if it was discovered that he was the Dragon Reborn, the other Aes Sedai would certainly decide to keep him alive, almost certainly not gentled, but still shielded and a prisoner; the sisters involved in the pogrom believed that the Dragon Reborn had to be disposed of. For that reason, men were gentled on the spot instead of being brought back to Tar Valon. Many were killed, “trying to escape” or the like, especially by Black sisters. Included in the number of dead were men and boys about whom someone had made a remark because of their luck (a miraculous escape from death, perhaps) or skill (“You’d think he could channel, he shoots an arrow so straight”).

  When Ishamael discovered what was going on, he was infuriated. He, of course, wanted to Turn the Dragon Reborn and deliver him to the Dark One, not have him killed, which would give no advantage to Ishamael. He put an end to the pogrom immediately, though it took some months to stop the Black Ajah completely. There was an immediate reaction to his discovery. The head triumvirate of the Black Ajah and a number of other high-ranking Black sisters died particularly unpleasant deaths. This harrowing and winnowing of the Black Ajah command structure was the reason that Alviarin became the new head of the Black Ajah.

  The Red Ajah was ordered to halt as well, but some sisters did not stop, and the pogrom continued for another two years, albeit at a slower pace, until Marith Jaen finally ended it in 985 NE. Sierin Vayu had intended to crush it, but was assassinated in 984 NE. To protect the White Tower, events were covered up and sisters who knew of the pogrom were forbidden to speak of it or to admit what happened, but Marith Jaen still imposed heavy penances on those caught out. She came down hard on those guilty. Covering up for the Tower was one thing; she wasn’t about to allow them to escape without p
unishment. Few of the Black Ajah, who had halted on Ishamael’s orders, were caught, but large numbers of the Red were, and some others. The three Sitters for the Red all resigned their chairs, took “voluntary” penances and went into “retreats”—exile, in truth—which lasted until they were summoned back by Elaida.

  The fact that so many of the Red Ajah served fairly harsh penances sparked rumors, but they were quiet rumors, and a good number of sisters from other Ajahs served penances over the next year, too. Few who were not actually part of the pogrom knew what happened, even inside the Red Ajah, and those who did were caught up in the sworn secrecy. Elaida escaped punishment because of minimal involvement. Galina escaped punishment because it was decided to punish only a few at the top and not destroy the whole Ajah; although she was head of the Ajah, no one outside the Ajah knew that.

  Officially, during this period, seven men who could channel were caught and gentled. The secret records spoke of eight others. The unofficial tally ranged from eight to eighteen additional men, for a grand total of fifteen to twenty-five, but even that number might be too low. The secret Tower records spoke of two thousand men and boys killed between 979 NE and 985 NE, but again, that number was too low by at least a factor of five and maybe more.

  Thom Merrilin’s nephew Owyn was one of the last men, if not the last man, gentled in this campaign. Elaida was personally involved in only that gentling; she became involved because it was Thom’s nephew, and hoped to use it to break Morgase from Thom’s influence. She was successful in her goal.

  Related to the killing of men and boys, the Black Ajah killed thirty to fifty senior Aes Sedai who might have known that the Dragon had been reborn.

  Village Council. In most villages a group of men, elected by townsmen and headed by a Mayor, who were responsible for making decisions affecting the village as a whole and for negotiating with the Councils of other villages over matters jointly affecting the villages. They were at odds with the Women’s Circle in so many villages that the conflict was seen as almost traditional.