The Wheel of Time Companion

by Robert Jordan

  Wil went with Perrin to Caemlyn; when Perrin Traveled with Rand to Cairhien, he followed with the rest of the men and fought at Dumai’s Wells. Wil accompanied Perrin to Ghealdan and fought at Malden. Perrin ordered him to burn every wolfhead banner; when he regretted the decision, he learned that Wil had kept one and so had him raise it.

  Wilbin Saems. A deceased merchant whom the cutpurse Samwil Hark claimed to have worked for once as a clerk.

  Wild Boar, The. An inn found in an Andoran village where Elayne, accompanied by the Kin, stayed on her way to claim Andor’s throne. Elayne studied a ter’angreal there—a crimson rod that felt hot, in a way—and thought of fire. The next thing she knew, it was the next day and no one would tell her what had happened. She knew it had been something significant based on the expressions of relief and hilarity on the faces of her companions.

  Wild Hunt. A legend in which the Dark One, known in this context as Old Grim, rode with the Darkhounds during the night to hunt down his enemies. Seeing the Wild Hunt meant misfortune to come; meeting it meant death, either for oneself or for someone close. The hounds were associated with lanes, footpaths, bridges, crossroads, gateways, tollgates and other points of transition. These were considered weak spots in the fabric that divided the mortal world from unearthly realms. Rain stopped the Darkhounds in their pursuit temporarily, but the pursued needed to face and defeat the hounds or die.

  wilder. A typically derogatory term used for women who learned to channel on their own, and used the Power outside the aegis of the White Tower. Only one in four survived without Aes Sedai training; most survivors denied recognition of such ability by creating a barrier to channeling within themselves.

  Wilders who did not go to the White Tower, and who knew what they were doing, usually tried to limit the amount of channeling they did, largely in order not to draw attention to themselves. They believed, as did the Kin, that Aes Sedai lived as long as they did and achieved the ageless look from frequent use of the Power; and that they themselves did not achieve the ageless look because they did not use the Power enough, a fact for which they were universally grateful, feeling that gaining an ageless face would inevitably have led to a charge of pretending to be Aes Sedai.

  Most wilders did not live their entire lives in one place because of the slow aging. It could take years for people to realize that a woman wasn’t aging, but by the time that happened, the wilder had usually moved on before she was killed or driven out, finding a new place. Women like this often did not find a place to remain until they were old; the lack of aging was less noticeable then, and if anyone remarked that so-and-so seemed to be living an awfully long time, well, everybody knew that sort of thing wasn’t real, so it was usually put down to sour grapes unless Whitecloaks took a hand in the matter.

  In some villages a wilder was protected and kept secret. Villagers thought that she wasn’t Aes Sedai, but she didn’t age like everyone else, and she usually had a reputation as a sort of wise woman who could heal hurts, and so forth.

  Historically, nearly all women who had made a false claim of being Aes Sedai were wilders. This fact might have been part of the reason for the feelings of contempt, admittedly in varying degrees, which many sisters had toward wilders.

  Wilders were one source of feeding the genes for channeling back into humanity. They, along with women who could learn but were never found, and women who were put out of the Tower, were the total genetic sources on the female side.

  Wildfire. The leader of a wolfpack. Perrin communicated with her when searching for the group of Aes Sedai who had kidnapped Rand.

  Wildrose. Min’s bay that she rode when escaping from Tar Valon with Siuan and Leane and afterward; she left the horse in Caemlyn when she Traveled with Rand to Cairhien after his showdown with the rebel embassy.

  Will of the Pattern. The publicly proclaimed reason why each ruler of Shara died after seven years’ rule; in fact, each was terminated covertly by the Ayyad, the channelers of Shara, who were the real power in that country.

  Will Reeve. A Redarm killed by a gholam while guarding Mat’s tent in the camp near Caemlyn.

  Willa Mandair. A woman who gave birth to a son, Bili, in sight of Dragonmount on the day Gitara voiced her Foretelling about the Dragon Reborn.

  Willar. A small village in Ghealdan, east of the River Boern. Moiraine, Lan, Perrin and Loial passed through the town while on Rand’s trail. The spring in town had just begun flowing again, saving the town, evidence that Rand had recently been there.

  Willi. A man in a bawdy song, performed at The White Ring in Maderin.

  Willim. A Jenn Aiel boy, the son of Jonai, who was sent away for showing signs of channeling after the Breaking.

  Willim al’Dai. A man who was once on the Emond’s Field Village Council. Master al’Dai was Bili al’Dai’s grandfather. He died of old age well before the first appearance of Trollocs in the Two Rivers.

  Willim Avarhin. A poor Andoran nobleman and father of the real Lady Shiaine, both of whom were murdered by Mili Skane. His sign was the Heart and Hand.

  Willin Mantear. The infirm guardian and uncle of Perival Mantear, the High Seat of House Mantear.

  Willim of Maneches. A writer from ancient times who wrote The Essays of Willim of Maneches. He influenced the Saldaean philosopher Shivena Kayenzi.

  Willim of Maneches, The Essays of. A popular book of a philosophical bent, written in ancient times. Rand saw a copy in Gill’s library at The Queen’s Blessing in Caemlyn. When Elayne, Nynaeve and Egwene were staying at Mother Guenna’s in Tear, Egwene tried reading a copy found there. Elayne also read from it.

  willowbark. A substance used medicinally to treat pain, particularly headache.

  Win Lewin. A Two Rivers boy who announced to Perrin at Jac al’Seen’s farm that Lord Luc was coming. It was the first time Perrin met Luc.

  Wind. 1) Another term for Air, one of the Five Powers. 2) One of the wolves accompanying Elyas when he first met Perrin and Egwene. A raven punctured his left foreleg. 3) The leggy gray gelding that Olver rode on the trail and successfully on the racetrack in Ebou Dar.

  Wind’s Favor, The. An inn located in Bandar Eban. Its innkeeper was Quillin Tasil. Cadsuane went there to get information from Quillin.

  Windbiter’s Finger. A peninsula extending southwest into the Aryth Ocean from the middle of the Shadow Coast.

  windborn. A term used in Bandar Eban referring to local merchants who rented space on ships to travel.

  Windfinder. Among the Atha’an Miere, a woman who was almost always able to channel and was skilled in Weaving the Winds, as the Atha’an Miere called the manipulation of weather. Windfinders, especially those who could channel, traditionally avoided all contact with Aes Sedai, who were the only people who could be refused the gift of passage completely.

  Part of a Windfinder’s rank was gained from the Sailmistress she served. Thus, the Windfinder to a Wavemistress had authority over all of the Windfinders of that clan. The Windfinder to the Mistress of the Ships had authority over all Windfinders. This Windfinder rated an unfringed blue parasol of three tiers and five earrings in each ear; a Windfinder to a Wavemistress rated an unfringed red parasol of one tier and four earrings in each ear. The Windfinder to a Sailmistress wore three earrings in each ear. Windfinders also wore a nose ring connected to one earring by an honor chain, which was fatter for higher ranks, from which hung medallions. The number of medallions indicated rank, among other things, and certain medallions would indicate the type of ship the Windfinder served upon. A woman chosen out to train as a Windfinder wore three earrings in her right ear, but in the beginning had only one in the left and had to earn the rest, as well as earning the nose ring and the honor chain.

  Windfinders knew how to test for the ability to learn to channel, but they did not test any woman who did not ask on three occasions. Usually these women were found quite early, because they were manifesting the ability to channel, or because they wanted to try and were tested.

  Occasi
onally an older woman who had the ability to learn would begin fumbling her way to the ability, whether consciously or unconsciously. When this happened, it was believed that the woman had been chosen out to be a Windfinder, chosen by wind and current, and, unlike those who were made to ask three times, she was made an apprentice willy-nilly. There were relatively few such among the Sea Folk, but the fact was that even a Wavemistress or Mistress of the Ships who began to manifest the ability would be forced to give up her earrings and nose ring and become a common deckhand again to begin training as a Windfinder.

  In the first part of her training, the apprentice was required to serve with the other deckhands while taking her lessons with the Windfinder. This was analogous to the novice period in the White Tower and usually involved service on at least three ships, with a minimum of one year on each, though often longer. In the next portion of her training, she was more of a personal apprentice to the Windfinder of the ship she was serving on. This training also normally encompassed service on at least three ships, and corresponded to being an Accepted. Even after an apprentice was considered qualified to become a Windfinder, she seldom had the chance immediately, since there had to be a position open for her. She remained an apprentice, in a position analogous in some ways to an Accepted close to being tested for the shawl. This period also frequently covered service on several ships.

  It was customary for a new Sailmistress to have a Windfinder of considerable experience assigned to her. In the same way, a new Windfinder, after she had completed her entire apprenticeship, would be assigned to some experienced captain who needed a Windfinder, or would be sent along as a supernumerary. No ship was allowed to sail with both a newly promoted Sailmistress and a new Windfinder.

  Windrunner. An Atha’an Miere ship, a raker with three tall masts. Its Sailmistress was Malin din Toral Breaking Wave; its Windfinder, Dorile din Eiran Long Feather. Nynaeve, Elayne, Aviendha and Birgitte visited the ship to ask for help using the Bowl of the Winds. After the Seanchan arrived in Ebou Dar, Windrunner, with the Mistress of the Ships aboard, fought a delaying action to allow as many ships as possible to escape. It was taken by the Seanchan, and Baroc and Nesta din Reas were captured; they were impaled and their corpses beheaded for the crime of rebellion.

  Winds, Throne of the. The seat of the monarch of Altara at the Tarasin Palace in Ebou Dar.

  Wine Riots (of Ebou Dar). Queen Tylin explained why she could not send troops into the Rahad: “It would be the Wine Riots all over again.”

  Winespring, The. A spring gushing from a low stone outcrop at the edge of the Green in Emond’s Field, forming the Winespring Water.

  Winespring Inn, The. The small two-story inn located in Emond’s Field, Andor, constructed of whitewashed river rock. Master Bran al’Vere, the mayor of the village, was the innkeeper along with his wife, Marin; they raised five daughters there, including Egwene, and the girls helped at the inn while growing up. The inn was a gathering place where the Village Council met.

  Winespring Water. A large stream that was formed by the Winespring in Emond’s Field; it flowed east and split into dozens of streams in the swamps of the Waterwood.

  Wing. Sheriam’s dappled gray mare.

  Winged Guards. See Mayene

  Winter Blossom, The. An inn found in Ebou Dar. Mat started to go in, but decided against it when he saw that it was filled with Deathwatch Guards.

  Winter Dawn. One of the wolves Perrin communicated with about the location of Fain and the Trollocs when he, Mat and Ingtar were tracking them to retrieve the Horn of Valere.

  Winterfinch. A stocky, slow brown mare, with considerable endurance, that belonged to Beonin.

  winteritch. An affliction from ancient times, which made Shago barmaids argumentative; Birgitte mentioned it to Nynaeve and Elayne when they were squabbling.

  Winternight. A holiday celebrated the night before Bel Tine. Participants spent most of the night visiting one another, exchanging gifts and eating and drinking together.

  Wisdom. In villages, a woman chosen by the Women’s Circle for her knowledge of such things as healing and foretelling the weather, as well as common good sense. It was a position of great responsibility and authority, both actual and implied. She was generally considered the equal of the Mayor, and in some villages his superior, and almost always was considered the leader of the Women’s Circle. Unlike the Mayor, the Wisdom was chosen for life, and it was very rare for a Wisdom to be removed from office before her death. The Wisdom was almost traditionally in conflict with the Mayor, to the extent that such conflicts often appeared in humorous stories. Depending on the region, she might instead have another title, such as Guide, Healer, Wise Woman, Reader, Advisor, Seeker or Wise One, among others, but under one title or another, such women existed everywhere.

  Wise Ones. Aiel women who performed many of the same functions as village Wisdoms. They were selected by other Wise Ones and required to perform an apprenticeship and an initiation at Rhuidean. Most had the ability to channel, though not all. They managed to find every girl who had the inborn ability to channel, although they did not actively test girls for the ability unless the girls wished to become Wise Ones. Those born with the inborn ability typically felt fated and duty-bound to become Wise Ones.

  Apprentice Wise Ones made an initial trip to Rhuidean to enter the three rings ter’angreal.

  Traditionally, Wise Ones were above and outside all feuds, even blood feuds and water feuds, and all battles and conflicts, to the extent that they were able to walk through the middle of a battle unharmed. That was true until Wise Ones fought other Wise Ones and Aes Sedai at Dumai’s Wells.

  Every hold had a Wise One. In a social sense, she was ranked with the roofmistress and chief of the hold she served. Among the Wise Ones, ranking was based on age, leadership abilities, will and especially the amount of ji, or honor, accumulated. All Wise Ones, having made the second trip to Rhuidean and the journey into the spires, knew of the Prophecy of Rhuidean, including that the Car’a’carn was to break them like twigs and only the remnant of a remnant would be saved.

  Wise Woman. The term for a healer in Tear and Ebou Dar. In Ebou Dar, Wise Women wore red belts to identify their vocation; they were in truth members of the Kin.

  Wit al’Seen. A Two Rivers farmer. He was Jac al’Seen’s cousin and near twin in appearance; both were stocky and square-shouldered, but Wit had no hair at all. Jac sheltered Wit and his family when the Trollocs attacked Two Rivers. Wit participated in the defense of Emond’s Field against the Trollocs.

  Wit Congar. An Emond’s Field man married to Daise, the village Wisdom. A scrawny man, always overshadowed, physically and otherwise, by his wife, he was a perpetual complainer. Wit was part of the group that tried to fight off a band of Trollocs that turned out to be Tinkers seeking shelter. He participated in the defense of Emond’s Field against the Trollocs.

  wolf dream. The term used by wolves and wolfbrothers for Tel’aran’rhiod. The entrance into and experience of this dream world was different for wolfbrothers than for dreamwalkers. Perrin would often find himself in a wolf dream after going to sleep; in the dream, he would sometimes see windows that opened up into different places and situations. At first, he just experienced the dream, but as he gained experience, he had greater control over where and how he went. In the early period of Perrin’s experiences in the wolf dream, Hopper was there as a guide and managed to keep him out of trouble. Wolves that had been killed in the waking world inhabited the wolf dream, unless and until such time as they were killed there as well. The wolf dream became a battleground in which Perrin fought Slayer on many occasions. Perrin eventually learned how to enter the wolf dream in the flesh.

  wobbles. Perrin said that Rand was scooping up kingdoms like a child playing a game of wobbles.

  Wolf Guard. A large group of former mercenaries and refugees turned soldiers following Perrin. They were trained by Tam and Dannil after Faile and the others had been rescued from the Shaido at Malden. They fought hono
rably in the Last Battle under Tam’s command.

  wolfbrother. A human, such as Elyas and Perrin, with the ability to communicate directly with wolves, mind-to-mind and over long distances. A wolfbrother was characterized by golden, wolflike eyes and heightened, wolflike senses.

  Wolfkin. Term for humans who had wolflike abilities and characteristics, such as Perrin or Elyas.

  Wolfhead banner, Red. A red wolf’s head on a field of white, with a red border; used by Perrin’s army.

  Wolfspeak. Imagery-based terms used by wolves to describe beings in the world:

  horses—hard-footed four-legs

  porcupines—Small Thorny Back

  Ba’alzamon—Heartfang

  Darkhounds—Shadowbrothers

  Gray Man—Notdead

  Myrddraal—Neverborn

  man—two-legs

  Trollocs—Twisted Ones

  Aes Sedai—two-leg shes who touch the wind that moves the sun and call fire

  Woman of Tanchico, The. A waterfront inn at Southharbor in Tar Valon. On the night he was trying to escape from the Aes Sedai and the city, Mat went to the inn, needing shelter after a run-in with an assassin with a dagger. He met Thom Merrilin there, working as a gleeman.

  Women’s Circle. In Andor, a group of women elected by the women of a village, responsible for deciding matters which were considered solely women’s responsibility (for example, when to plant crops and when to harvest). They were equal in authority to the Village Council, with clearly delineated lines and areas of responsibility. They were often at odds with the Village Council; this conflict was often at the heart of humorous stories. In lands other than Andor, the Women’s Circle was often known by another name, such as the Ring or the Gathering, but in one form or another, it existed everywhere.