The Wheel of Time Companion

W

Wade, Cinny. See Cinny Wade

Wagon Bridge. A bridge situated in the Two Rivers where the North Road, coming down from Taren Ferry and Watch Hill, became the Old Road, leading to Deven Ride.

Wagon Seat, The. A red-roofed inn located in Lugard, where Gareth Bryne stopped briefly to meet up with Joni and Barim, two of his men from Kore Springs, while pursuing Siuan, Leane, Min and Logain. It was a common man’s inn, bawdy and boisterous.

Wagoner, Kert. A man from the Two Rivers who fought in the Last Battle. At the Field of Merrilor, he spoke to Rand about how bad things looked; Rand reassured him.

Wagoner’s Whip, The. An inn standing in Maerone, Cairhien. A stone building frequented by common soldiers, it was visited by Mat and Edorion while making the rounds of drinking halls to check on Mat’s soldiers.

wait-a-minute vine. A thorny vine found in Altara.

Wake of the Breaking, The. A history book studied by Min.

Wakeda. A powerful Domani nobleman who became Dragonsworn. He was not a tall man, though taller than Ituralde. Haughty, Wakeda had once been attractive, but had lost his right eye; a black arrowhead beauty spot pointed at the thick scar running from his cheek up onto his forehead. He met with Rodel Ituralde about the Seanchan problem at Lady Osana’s manor. Wakeda was a casualty at the battle around Maradon.

Walishen. A tragic princess whose story was enacted by a group of players in Caemlyn; the performance was attended by Elayne and Birgitte.

Wallein din Onill. A Sea Folk Wavemistress, and one of the First Twelve. When Harine arrived at the meeting of the First Twelve in Illian, Wallein turned her back very deliberately.

Wan, Manda. An Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. Just before Egwene appeared and fought Taim in the Last Battle, Manda was trying to persuade Leane and Raechin to fall back and regroup.

Wandering, the Long. The period of Exile, during the Time of Madness, the Breaking, when Ogier were scattered away from their stedding. See also Long Exile, the

Wandering Woman, The. An inn in Ebou Dar near the Tarasin Palace. Its innkeeper was Setalle Anan. A wide white building on the square, it was an expensive place, frequented by outlanders and locals alike, with musical entertainment. Mat and other men in his party stayed there before he moved into the palace. After the Seanchan had taken over the city and Mat was preparing for his escape, he secured a place in the cellar of the inn to store his clothes and gold, which he had his servants begin to sneak over from the palace. Egeanin and Bayle Domon were there at the behest of Lady Suroth, who wanted Egeanin to stay near the palace; Setalle hid Joline from the Seanchan there, and Mat kept her from being spotted by them. Setalle sold the inn to another woman and fled Ebou Dar with Mat, Tuon and company, hoping to meet up later with the rest of her family; they had taken the family’s boats to Illian.

War of Power, the. Also known as the War of the Shadow, it ended the Age of Legends. Beginning shortly after the attempt to free the Dark One, it soon involved the whole world. In a world where even the memory of war had been forgotten, every facet of war was rediscovered, often twisted by the Dark One’s touch on the world, and the One Power was used as a weapon. The war was ended by the resealing of the Dark One into his prison in a strike led by Lews Therin Telamon, the Dragon, and 113 male Aes Sedai called the Hundred Companions. The Dark One’s counterstroke tainted saidin and drove Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions insane, thus beginning the Time of Madness.

War of the Hundred Years, the. A series of overlapping wars among constantly shifting alliances, precipitated by the death of Artur Hawkwing and the resulting struggle for his empire. It lasted from FY 994 to FY 1117. The war depopulated large parts of the lands between the Aryth Ocean and the Aiel Waste, from the Sea of Storms to the Great Blight. So great was the destruction that only fragmentary records of the time remain. The empire of Artur Hawkwing was pulled apart in the wars, and the nations of the time of the Last Battle were formed.

War of the Second Dragon. The war fought from FY 939 to FY 943 against the false Dragon Guaire Amalasan. During this war, a young king named Artur Tanreall Paendrag, later known as Artur Hawkwing, rose to overwhelming prominence.

War of the Shadow. See War of Power

ward. A defensive barrier set up by a channeler using the One Power. A ward could, for example, prevent entry into an area, make eavesdropping impossible, or alert the user to an intrusion.

Warder. Also known as Gaidin, a warrior bonded to an Aes Sedai. The bonding was a thing of the One Power, and by it the Warder gained such gifts as quick healing, the ability to go long periods without food, water or rest, and the ability to sense the taint of the Dark One at a distance. Warder and Aes Sedai shared certain physical and emotional knowledge of one another through the bond. So long as a Warder lived, the Aes Sedai to whom he was bonded knew he was alive however far away he was, and when he died she knew the moment and manner of his death. While most Ajahs believed an Aes Sedai might have one Warder bonded to her at a time, the Red Ajah refused to bond any Warders at all, and the Green Ajah believed an Aes Sedai might bond as many as she wished.

Ethically the Warder had to accede to the bonding voluntarily, but it was known to have been done against the Warder’s will. What the Aes Sedai gained from the bonding was a closely held secret. By all known historical records, Warders were always men, but at least one woman was bonded shortly before the Last Battle; it revealed certain differences in the effects.

A Warder whose Aes Sedai died suffered greatly and rarely lived long afterward. This effect was actually the result of the bond being severed involuntarily, and not exclusively the result of the death of the Warder’s Aes Sedai.

Warder bonds were unknown during the Age of Legends.

Bonding a Warder was not a Talent; it could be learned by any channeler, taking into account the limits of strength and skill. Though the Power was used to create it, the bond with a Warder was not a weave that could be seen. It was like the most subtle forms of Compulsion in that only its effects could be detected, even by the woman who did the weaving. On the other hand, the bond could be touched using flows of Spirit in order to make the one bonded obey. Unlike with most forms of Compulsion, however, the one forced to obey knew that force was involved unless the touch was very, very light, little more than a suggestion. Flows of Spirit for bonding were complex, but not so intricate as Healing.

warman. The Ogier term for a soldier in the Age of Legends.

Warrel, Elin. See Elin Warrel

Wars of Consolidation, or the Consolidation. Conflicts that took place in FY 943–963, leading to the consolidation of the nations formed after the Trolloc Wars. Following Artur Hawkwing’s capture of Guaire Amalasan, a false Dragon, his country was attacked by many of the rulers who had been put in power by Amalasan. Hawkwing fought them for years and eventually brought all the nations together under his unified command.

wash-leather. A common material used in fabricating money purses.

Washim. A Malkieri who was a member of Lan’s High Guard in the Last Battle.

Waste, the. The harsh, rugged and all-but-waterless land east of the Spine of the World. Few outsiders ventured there, not only because water was almost impossible to find for one not born there, but because the Aiel considered themselves at war with all other peoples and did not welcome strangers. It was called the Three-fold Land by the Aiel. Only peddlers, gleemen and the Tuatha’an were allowed safe entry, and the Aiel avoided all contact with the Tuatha’an, whom they called “the Lost Ones.” No maps of the Waste itself were known to exist. Trollocs called it Djevik K’Shar in their tongue, meaning “the Dying Ground.”

Wat. An Andoran Redarm in the Band of the Red Hand. Bald-headed and narrow-eyed, he took a shift with Harnan watching the Kin’s house in Ebou Dar. Wat was part of the party that went to fetch the Bowl of the Winds in the Rahad and was killed by the gholam.

Watch Hill. A small village near Emond’s Field in the Two Rivers, the first village north of Emond’s Field on the North Road. Thatched houses were situated on a domelike hill. When Trollocs were attacking Emond’s Field, Faile went to Watch Hill and brought back men to help defeat them.

Watch, the. The legal authorities upholding the law in Illian.

Watcher of the Seals. One of the titles of the Amyrlin Seat, referring to the seals on the Dark One’s prison.

Watchers or Watchers over the Waves. See Do Miere A’vron

Water. One of the Five Powers. See Five Powers

water lizard. A dangerous swimmer found in the Drowned Lands. Twenty feet long, it had sharp teeth and powerful jaws.

Water Seeker. An Aiel warrior society also known as Duadhe Mahdi’in.

Water Way, the. A philosophy followed by the Amayar, the fair-skinned natives of Tremalking. The Water Way was a pacifistic belief, but not so strongly pacifistic as the Tuatha’an Way of the Leaf. The Water Way was fatalistic in many ways, teaching the acceptance of what was and teaching against any desire for change. It taught that the world was only an illusion—the shadow of a dream—and changes in it did not matter. To the Amayar, it was the inner life, the spiritual life within, that was truly important.

Waterless Sands, the. See Termool

Watersharers. The Aiel name for Cairhienin, who traded with the Aiel, prior to the Aiel War. The name came from the time after the Breaking when the Aiel wandered in search of safety; the people who founded Cairhien were the only ones who shared water with them.

Waterwood, the. A swampy area of streams, ponds and forest due east of Emond’s Field.

Wavedancer. A Sea Folk raker whose Sailmistress was Coine din Jubai Wild Winds. Jorin din Jubai White Wing was the Windfinder, Toram the Cargomaster and Dorele a crew member. Wavedancer was a hundred paces long and half as wide, and it had four masts. Elayne, Nynaeve, Thom and Juilin traveled from Tear to Tanchico aboard Wavedancer. Its crew had escaped capture by the Seanchan the year before, sending the attacking Seanchan ship to the bottom of the sea. After Tanchico, Wavedancer went on to spread news of the Coramoor among the Sea Folk islands.

Wavemistress. The leader of an Atha’an Miere clan. A clan Wavemistress was chosen by the First Twelve of her clan, the twelve ranking Sailmistresses, but she could be removed by command of the Mistress of the Ships. She could, in fact, be demoted to the lowest position on a ship or, worse, set ashore by the Mistress of the Ships. A Wavemistress had a degree of absolute authority within her clan that would be envied by any shorebound ruler. In certain circumstances, however, such as warfare and/or battle, a Wavemistress was expected to yield to her Swordmaster.

A clan Wavemistress rated a fringed red parasol of two tiers and wore five fat earrings per ear.

Way of the Leaf, the. A pacifistic code of honor practiced by the Da’shain Aiel; the Tuatha’an, who descended from the Da’shain Aiel, also followed it. Their saying was “The leaf lives its appointed time, and does not struggle against the wind that carries it away. The leaf does no harm, and finally falls to nourish new leaves.” The Way did not allow for any violence against another being for any reason.

Way of the Light, The. A philosophical treatise written by Lothair Mantelar, the founder of the Children of the Light. It was used for guidance by the Whitecloaks.

Wayfarer’s Rest, The. A lower-class, dirty inn found in Whitebridge across from the bridge on the way to Caemlyn. Master Bartim was its innkeeper. Rand, Mat and Thom Merrilin stopped there for information while trying to find Moiraine and company after escaping the Trollocs at Shadar Logoth. The three men discovered that the Fades had already been searching for them in town. Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve also stopped there later for a meal before proceeding on the Caemlyn Road.

Waygate. An opening that allowed entry into the Ways from the outside world. The key for opening from either side was the trefoil leaf of Avendesora found on the Waygate. The leaf was removed and replaced a handspan lower, enabling the Waygate to open. Sometimes the leaf was missing; the One Power could be used to make an opening, but it destroyed the Waygate’s ability to close. The Waygates were developed with the aid of the Talisman of Growing ter’angreal.

Wayland’s Forge. A prosperous, three-storied inn of polished gray stone with a purple roof, in Remen on the Ghealdan/Murandy border on the River Manetherendrelle. Lan, Moiraine, Perrin and Loial stopped there while following Rand’s track east. Hunters in the inn claimed they had killed most of twenty Aielmen, and had one in a cage in the town square; Min had seen an Aiel in a cage as being a turning point in Perrin’s life. Perrin released the Aiel, Gaul, and they did battle with Whitecloaks. The party fled downriver by barge toward Illian, and was joined by a Hunter of the Horn called Faile.

Waylin. One of Rina Hafden’s Warders. He was dark and clean-shaven, with broad shoulders and a broad back. As an Accepted, Moiraine saw Waylin and Elyas practicing swordplay in the hallway while delivering a message in the Green quarters.

wayline. A term used by Sammael to describe the signal produced by the act of channeling Fire into the callbox he gave Sevanna and the Shaido; the wayline allowed him to locate them when they wanted to make contact with him.

Ways. Pathways from one stedding to another, grown from the One Power during the Breaking of the World. A gift from male Aes Sedai to the stedding in thanks for shelter from the taint on saidin, they existed outside the normal confines of time and space. The Aes Sedai had studied the worlds of the Portal Stones, reflections of this world, as a basis for growing the Ways. A day’s walking inside the Ways might carry the traveler to a destination hundreds of miles away, but strangely, sometimes a more distant place could be reached more quickly than one that was nearer. The Ways appeared to consist of ramps, bridges and islands seemingly floating in the air unsupported. On each island was a stone, called a guiding, with directions in Ogier script for various destinations from that point. Once well lit and beautiful, the islands covered with grasses, flowers and fruit trees, the Ways deteriorated, growing dank and dim, and the islands became only bare stone; Machin Shin, the Black Wind, appeared, and travelers in the Ways increasingly disappeared or emerged in a demented state. The degradation was the result of the taint on saidin, which had been used in the initial making of the Ways. The Ogier Elders eventually were forced to prohibit their use. The Ogier possessed a ter’angreal which allowed them to make the Ways grow to other places, but it was not used after the Ways went dark.

weaves. See Aligning the Matrix, Arrows of Fire, Blossom of Fire, Caressing the Child, Cloud Dancing, Compulsion, Deathgates, Delving, Earth Singing, Finder, Folded Light, Illusion, Keeping, Listening to the Wind, Mask of Mirrors, Milking Tears, Mirror of Mists, the, Skimming, Spinning Earthfire and Traveling

weave the flows. The process by which a channeler manipulated one or more of the Five Powers to produce a given effect. In general, it was believed that there were line-of-sight limits, i.e., it was necessary to see the flows one was weaving. Even so, one could work on the unseen when very close, as in Healing. It was possible to work at even the atomic or molecular level on something very close. Even making weather over a large area was more a matter of working with what one could see to produce a larger effect. There was a fall-off of strength with distance, but it was hardly noticeable with the stronger channelers. The weakest channelers could not weave as far as they could see.

Aes Sedai believed that it was impossible, for all practical purposes, to unmake a weave; that is, to unweave it once woven (as distinct from untying a knot). They believed that weaves had to be released and allowed to dissipate. Even on those rare occasions when possible, with a weave that wasn’t too complex, one slip during an attempt, and the weave could coalesce once more in a form that was both impossible to know beforehand and unpredictable in its results. This could kill, burn out or otherwise seriously injure the channeler and others nearby, as well as the physical surroundings. On the other hand, Aiel Wise Ones were taught routinely to unweave. Aviendha showed the Aes Sedai it could be done when she picked apart the weave for a gateway at the Kin farm. See also flows and knot

Weaving of the Winds. The Sea Folk term for manipulating the weather.

Web. See ta’maral’ailen

web. An Age of Legends word used for a weave of the Power. See net

Web, Great. See Great Pattern

Web of Destiny. See ta’maral’ailen

Weesin. A flyspeck village made up of a little cluster of thatch-roofed houses on the Great North Road north of Ebou Dar in Altara. Luca’s circus passed through Weesin. While camped there, Mat saw the three Aes Sedai and three sul’dam sneak back into camp, and he confronted them for putting everyone at risk.

Weikin Rebellion. A war of which Egwene knew nothing when quizzed by Bennae, after Egwene had been captured by the Tower and put back in novice white.

Weilin Aldragoran. A plump Malkieri merchant who lived in Saldaea. His wife, Alida, was Saldaean. He traded in many things, but most of his profit came from gems. When Malkier was destroyed, he was only a toddler, but he chose to wear the hadori; he found that few people argued with a man who wore one. Nynaeve found him trading jewels at The Queen’s Lance in Kayacun and persuaded him to ride to Tarwin’s Gap with Lan for the Last Battle; he also agreed to send a message to every merchant he traded with that Lan was riding for the Gap. He caught up with Lan in Kandor, almost at the Arafellin border, and fought in his army in the Last Battle.

Weiramon Saniago. A High Lord of Tear and a Darkfriend. His sigil was the silver Crescent-and-Stars. Iron-spined straight, with a perfectly trimmed and oiled gray-streaked beard, he was about 5'10" to 5'11" tall. He reminded Rand of a banty rooster, his chest all puffed out and strutting. One of four High Lords at Rand’s meeting with the commanders of the Illian invasion army, he had contempt for the Aiel “savages.” Weiramon and Semaradrid had a touchy relationship; Weiramon pretended to give the Cairhienin equality while slighting him almost unconsciously. Semaradrid was fully aware of the slights, and of his weaker position, and hated both.

Weiramon was the Tairen seen by Carridin at the Darkfriend gathering with Ba’alzamon. His actions were a function not only of his inherent stupidity, but also his status as a Darkfriend. Though he had an unctuous manner toward Rand, he had plotted against him for so long that he probably did so in his sleep. He had command of a Tairen relief force for Cairhien, but Rand sent him back to Tear, ostensibly to fight bandits and pirates. He had a command in the Illian invasion army; he rushed the cavalry and the Aiel, leaving the foot soldiers, whom he despised, behind, arriving at the hillforts earlier than planned. Weiramon was part of the campaign against the Seanchan; at one point he left his post to chase Seanchan, leaving Rand exposed. Rand took Weiramon and other nobles he distrusted back to Cairhien and gave them trustworthy servants. When Rand returned to Tear and found Weiramon and Anaiyella there, he was enraged that the two had left Cairhien without permission. Rand ordered them to go with Darlin to Arad Doman to help restore order. When Rand returned from Dragonmount before the Last Battle, he exposed Weiramon as a Darkfriend and exiled him.

Welcome. A Shienaran ritualized ceremony; it was used during the arrival of the Amyrlin Seat in Fal Dara.

Wellin, Mistress. A clerk in the White Tower. She was miffed when Tamra assigned clerical work to two Accepted, Moiraine and Siuan.

Well. A ter’angreal used to store the One Power.

Welyn Kajima. An Arafellin Dedicated Asha’man. About 5'9" tall, with a pale, square face, dark eyes and black hair worn in two braids with bells fastened to the ends, he had the manners and mannerisms of a clerk, which he had been. When he went to the Black Tower, he was about thirty-five years old. He bonded Jenare Balmaen of the Red Ajah; against all expectations, they dealt well with each other. Toveine thought he smiled too much; Kajima brought word of a new deserters list to Logain in her hearing. Kajima and Jenare accompanied Rand to his meeting with the Daughter of the Nine Moons. He was later Turned to the Shadow by Taim, and told Androl that he had been demoted. He and Leems entered the room where Androl and Pevara had captured Dobser, and Androl knocked them out with a cudgel. Kajima and Mezar took Evin to be Turned.

Wenchen, Stedding. A stedding located in the mountains north of the River Dhagon.

Westpoint Lighttower. A tower located at the end of Bay Road in Ebou Dar with beacons to guide ships entering the bay.

Westwood, The. An area just west of Emond’s Field and the site of Tam’s farm.

wetlander. The Aiel word for those who lived west of the Spine of the World, i.e., non-Aiel.

Whatley Eldin. A Two Rivers man who painted his wagon in a way pleasing to Rand.

Wheel of Time, the. Time is a wheel with seven spokes, each spoke an Age. As the Wheel turns, Ages come and go, each leaving memories that fade to legend, then to myth, and are forgotten by the time that Age comes again. The Pattern of an Age is slightly different each time a specific Age comes, and each time it is subject to greater change, but each time it is the same Age. It is not a repeat exactly of what went before, when that Age last came, but close enough in its general outline that it might seem the same at a glance.

Wheel of Time, The. A historical book about the Dragon Reborn and the Aiel, written by Sulamein so Bhagad, Chief Historian at the Court of the Sun, the Fourth Age.

Whelborn. A member of Ituralde’s forces who died defending his flank in the battle against Trollocs at Maradon; Ituralde thought that he was one of the best.

Whisperer. A wolf who hunted with Perrin and Hopper in the wolf dream. Whisperer was caught inside the purple dome of a dreamspike, and Slayer killed her.

White Ajah. One of the seven legitimate Aes Sedai Ajahs. Sisters of this Ajah abstained from matters of the world and worldly knowledge, and instead devoted themselves to questions of philosophy and truth. Aside from the First Weaver, the head of the Ajah, there was no internal structure whatsoever. Her authority was very high, not much less than that of the Red Ajah head and roughly equal to the authority of the Green or Yellow Ajah heads. In choosing Sitters, the support of ten sisters was required to become a candidate. It was considered unseemly to campaign in any way, either to become a candidate or to win selection as a Sitter. Voting was not by secret ballot, but by open show of hands.

It was believed by many sisters in other Ajahs that the White Ajah was the only one without an Ajah set of eyes-and-ears and that they had no real interest in the world. This was not true, though their Ajah network was indeed small. Even the Whites—as a group, anyway—wanted to try to manipulate world events, along strictly logical lines, of course.

Among Whites, being sent off from the Tower on a mission of some sort, even as part of an embassy, was looked upon as drudgery at best, and at worst, punishment. Most Whites never bonded a Warder.

Just prior to the Last Battle, there were approximately eighty members in the White Ajah, making it the smallest.

White Boar, The. An inn located in Watch Hill, Andor. When Mat, Rand and Perrin fled through Watch Hill with Moiraine and Lan, they wanted to go to The White Boar and have mutton pie there, even though Mat said that it was not nearly as good as The Winespring Inn’s.

White Bridge. A beautiful, large structure that spanned the River Arinelle in Whitebridge, giving the town its name. Built with the Power during the Age of Legends, it looked as if it were made of glass.

White Cliff. A sept of the Shaido Aiel.

White Crescent, The. An inn located in Tear. Master Cavan Lopar was its innkeeper. Mat and Thom lodged there while trying to find Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne, and to head off Comar, who had been sent by Gaebril to kill the women.

White Crescents. The symbol of Tear, three white crescents on a field of red and gold.

White Eyes. A wolf that Perrin met in the wolf dream while looking for Slayer. He told Perrin that the wolves needed Perrin to lead them in the Last Hunt.

White Hart of Shienar. The symbol of Shienar.

white henpepper. A plant that could soothe a toothache or dye hair black.

White Lion. The symbol of Andor, a white lion on a field of red.

White Lions. The unit of men within the Queen’s Guards of Caemlyn that was formed by and loyal to Gaebril, who was in fact the Forsaken Rahvin. They fled east and became brigands after Rand balefired Rahvin. Daved Hanlon commanded them as mercenaries to serve the rebels against Rand in Cairhien until most of them were destroyed by a bubble of evil there.

White Mountain. A mountain found in the Aiel Waste.

White Mountain Sept. A sept of the Chareen Aiel.

White Ribbon. A symbol used during war in Arad Doman to indicate a desire for a temporary truce to enable a conference between the warring parties.

White Ring, The. An inn located in Maderin, Altara. When Tuon wanted to visit a “hell,” Thom suggested The White Ring, realizing that Tuon would not know what a real hell was like. Its innkeeper was Mistress Heilin; Jera was a serving woman, and a young woman was singing a salacious song.

White River. The southernmost of the two rivers that flanked Emond’s Field in Andor and joined to become the River Manetherendrelle.

white shakes. A disease causing fever, coughing and the loss of one’s senses. It could be fatal if not treated.

White Shark, Chanelle din Seran. See Chanelle din Seran White Shark

White Spray. A Sea Folk soarer with two raked masts, commanded by Sailmistress Derah din Selaan Rising Wave. Its Windfinder was Taval din Chanai Nine Gulls. The Windfinder was reluctant to let Aes Sedai board the ship, and dumped Egwene into the water when she tried to visit. Rand boarded White Spray to bargain with the Sea Folk; he left in the middle of negotiations, but Merana and Rafela completed the Bargain for him.

White Swan, The. An inn found in Forel Market, Andor. Elayne and the group that left Ebou Dar, following use of the Bowl of the Winds at the Kin’s farm and the subsequent Seanchan attack, stayed there on their way to Caemlyn. Snow began falling while the group was in Forel Market, and they had no warm clothing. Aviendha solved the dilemma by producing a bag of gems, some of which were used to buy warm clothes.

White Tail. One of the wolves in Leafhunter’s pack. Perrin spoke with this pack after encountering a scent in the wolf dream (from Darkhounds, he later found out) that made his hackles rise. When he asked the pack about it, they all refused to answer him, one by one; Leafhunter was the last, saying simply, “The Last Battle is coming.”

White Tower. Both the central structure that housed the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon and the organization of Aes Sedai itself. The organization by necessity changed after the Age of Legends, as did the topography of the world as a result of the Breaking. The Aes Sedai resolved to create a new city in 47 AB, and, after considerable discussion, Ogier stonemasons began building on the island of Tar Valon in 98 AB. The Tower was a collaboration between Aes Sedai designers and Ogier builders, with the One Power being employed to aid construction. The establishment of the Amyrlin Seat also took place at this time. By the time the Tower was completed, a hundred years later, the formal system of Ajahs and Sitters representing those Ajahs in the Hall of the Tower was in place.

The central portion of the White Tower had forty levels, and was close to six hundred feet tall. Ceilings ranged from fifteen feet on the lower levels to twelve feet on the upper. It was about two hundred feet in diameter at the top, and slightly larger at the base; the roof of the central portion was flat.

Wings of the building extended to either side. These were about 150 feet tall, with lower ceilings and fifteen levels in each, and extended three hundred feet from the central tower. These wings also had towers with conical tiled roofs. One of these wings contained the well (approximately sixty to seventy-five feet across) of the novice quarters, plus a second well in a part of the novice quarters that came to be unused. Accepted quarters, surrounding a garden, were in the other wing, along with a well for them, also.

The Tower was built to house three thousand Aes Sedai all the time, and far more at need if they were all called in, plus hundreds of girls in training.

The Library, standing apart from the White Tower, was made of pale stone heavily streaked with blue, looking like crashing waves frozen at their climax, and contained as many rooms as a palace.

The front of the Tower faced a great public square, emphasizing the deep broad steps and massive doors of the main entrance. A stone wall, punctuated with columns and rails, enclosed the perimeter of the grounds.

The square was bordered by public buildings, many of which were Ogier-designed and Ogier-built.

The practice field for Warders and students was a large expanse of beaten earth, fifty by a hundred paces; it was converted to the construction site for Elaida’s palace.

White Tower, The. An inn under construction in Ravinda, Kandor. Its owner, Avene Sahera, was on Moiraine’s list of women who had given birth near Tar Valon at the end of the Aiel War. Avene used the bounty she received from the White Tower to build the inn. Moiraine warned her that Aes Sedai might find the name objectionable.

Whitebridge. A town on the River Arinelle on the Caemlyn Road in Andor, halfway between Baerlon and Caemlyn. Whitebridge was named after its spectacular bridge built in the Age of Legends, which was made of an unknown, superstrong material. The bridge arched high over the river, and from end to end it gleamed milky white in the sunlight, looking like glass. Spidery piers of the same stuff appeared too frail to support the weight and width of the bridge. Looking all of one piece, it had an airy grace, and dwarfed the walled town that sprawled about its foot on the east bank, with houses of stone and brick as tall as those in Taren Ferry and wooden docks like thin fingers sticking out into the river.

Whitebridge was as big as Baerlon, but not as crowded. Shops of every description lined the streets, and many of the tradesmen worked in front of their establishments. Where the bridge came down in the center of the town lay a big square, paved with worn stones, flanked by inns, shops and tall, redbrick houses. Thom, Rand and Mat arrived there on Domon’s boat after being chased by Trollocs. They inquired after Moiraine and the others at a local inn and found that a man and a Fade had both been asking about them. As they were leaving town, a Fade came at them. Thom attacked it while Mat and Rand fled, at his urging. Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve arrived to find half a dozen buildings burned down on the square, and discovered that the boys had been there but had left.

Perrin’s army and the Whitecloaks camped near there on the way back from Altara, and Perrin’s Power-wrought sword was forged in the camp. Refugees were sent to Whitebridge before and during the Last Battle.

Whitecap. A Sea Folk ship that took food to Bandar Eban. Its Sailmistress was Milis din Shalada Three Stars. The food was thought to be spoiled—every bag opened was—but when Rand visited the ship, each bag opened was good.

Whitecloak War. A conflict, called the Troubles by the Whitecloaks, which started in NE 957, when the Whitecloaks tried to push their borders from Amadicia into Altara. Pedron Niall led the Whitecloak army in the war. A coalition of Altarans, Murandians and Illianers forced the Whitecloaks to cease their expansionist activities.

Whitecloaks. See Children of the Light

whitefennel. A medicinal herb used to ease childbirth.

whitestar bush. Plants growing in the gardens of the Royal Palace in Caemlyn.

whiteworm. A pest in western Andor that attacked cabbages in the field.

Widow al’Thone. A woman of Emond’s Field. Tam thought that a sound swat on the behind and a week carrying water for her might make Perrin act more reasonably, after he had named Tam a lord and steward of the Two Rivers.

Widow Aynal. The annual sheep shearing in Emond’s Field took place in a space called “Widow Aynal’s meadow,” even though no one remembered who she was.

Widow Jorath. A woman in Jarra, Ghealdan, who dragged old Banas through the wedding arches after Rand passed through the town.

Widow Teran. A woman in Mardecin, Amadicia. Noy Torvald scraped out a living by doing odd jobs for her.

Wil. 1) A man in a rooster joke that Rand told to Aiel Maidens. 2) Perrin’s cousin. When they were young, he dropped a bucket of wet feathers on Perrin.

Wil al’Caar. A Two Rivers boy who was the son of Paet and Nela. His leg was broken during the Winternight attack on Emond’s Field, and Moiraine Healed him.

Wil al’Seen. A young Deven Ride man known to have women chase him. A year older than Perrin, he was good-looking and had big eyes. He was Ban’s cousin and Jac’s nephew. Wil was one of the original band hunting Trollocs with Perrin; he led ten or so of the group. He survived the ambush. At first Wil was unwilling to carry Perrin’s banner, but by the final attack of the Trollocs he was proud to do so. Sharmad Zeffar and Rhea Avin went to Faile, hoping that she would tell them which was entitled to Wil; she sent them to the Women’s Circle for a decision.

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.

Occasionally 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 honorably 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.

Women’s Room. A chamber found in the inns of Far Madding, reserved strictly for women.

woolhead, wool-headed. Pejorative term used by or about Two Rivers folk, connoting one who stubbornly denies the obvious or the truth.

World of Dreams. See Tel’aran’rhiod

World’s End. The great cliffs running down the entire coast of Saldaea on the Aryth Ocean, north of Arad Doman and extending up into the Blight. This geographical feature prohibited seaports and allowed only a few of the tiniest, most isolated fishing villages.

World Sea. One of the Seanchan names for the Aryth Ocean.

Worms. Constructs created from the Age of Legends, when they were known as jumara. They were huge, vicious creatures created by Aginor. Living in the Blight and traveling in packs, they were powerful enough to kill Fades. To be killed, they needed to be cut into pieces. Under certain conditions, they transformed in some unspecified way.

Wormpack. A group of Worms. They typically traveled the Blight looking for prey.

wormwood. A plant. Its translation into the Old Tongue, Ordeith, was one of the aliases used by Padan Fain.

worrynot root. A substance used to treat fever.

Wreath of Megairil. Spoken of by Birgitte, referring to an earlier Age; it was an important prize given to the winner of a horse race.

Wuan, Child. A soldier of the Children of the Light. Young, handsome, left-handed and yellow-haired, he served under Geofram Bornhald until he was passed to the Questioners’ command. He and Earwin and the Questioners attacked a village on Almoth Plain and hanged thirty people, some of them children.

Wyndera Ovan. An Aes Sedai of the White Ajah and the loyalist contingent. She was part of the expedition to kidnap Rand. She escaped Dumai’s Wells with Covarla Baldene, and went to Dorlan.

Wynn. A Murandian family. See Cyril, Jac and Susa Wynn

Wynter, Teryl. See Teryl Wynter