Major Wheel of Time characters
This article summarizes the main characters in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series of novels.
The Three Ta'veren
Rand al'Thor, Perrin Aybara, and Matrim Cauthon are young men from the Two Rivers in Andor. They are identified by Siuan Sanche as ta'veren—focal points about which the Wheel of Time weaves. Events swirl unpredictably about them, sometimes forcing others to follow them, sometimes forcing them to follow their destiny.
Rand al'Thor
The adopted son of Tam al'Thor, a shepherd from the Two Rivers, Rand al'Thor is the son of Tigraine Mantear (former daughter-heir of Andor) and Aiel clan chief Janduin.
He can channel the One Power, a trait that (until quite recently) guaranteed death and madness. He drew the crystal sword Callandor from the Stone of Tear and proclaimed himself the Dragon Reborn; in this capacity he is also the subject of a great many prophecies and legends, many of which promise salvation (or at least survival) from the Dark One.
His titles are King of Illian, Dragon Reborn, Coramoor of the Sea Folk, True Defender of the Light, Lord of the Morning and Prince of the Dawn and is listened to (if not always respected) in the courts of many other nations. To the Aiel he is also known as the Car'a'carn, and He Who Comes With The Dawn. He is referred to as 'Shadowkiller' by wolves. He commands the Asha'man of the Black Tower, and controls the Legion of the Dragon. Rand and Nynaeve al' Meara have cleansed the Dark One's taint from the Source.
Perrin Aybara
Born and trained a blacksmith in the Two Rivers, Perrin was swept up along with Mat and Rand. He has discovered an uncanny ability to communicate with wolves; as Wolfbrother to them, his name is Young Bull.
Positions of ever-increasing authority have been thrust upon him, and he is now known to his followers as Lord Perrin Goldeneyes. His wife, the Lady Faile ni Bashere t'Aybara, was captured by Shaido (Aiel); she remained their captive, until Perrin allied with the Seanchan, promising them plenty of damane among other things, and rescued her.
Matrim Cauthon
In the Two Rivers, Mat was something of a prankster. Since leaving home, he has developed an utterly astounding lucky streak. All ta'veren bend chance, but Mat's luck almost always works in his favor.
Mat sounded the legendary Horn of Valere at Falme, summoning heroes of legend to throw back the Seanchan invaders. Like Rand and Perrin, he has found himself in positions of ever-increasing leadership, however unwilling he might be.
He also was granted the memories of many talented military leaders throughout history, from before the Trolloc Wars until the end of the Hundred Years' War, especially those from the lost nation of Manetheren.
Since parting ways with Rand al'Thor, he leads the Band of the Red Hand, basically his own personal army, with astounding skill and luck. Before Mat Cauthon's time, The Band of the Red Hand was a legendary group of heroes that fell in the defense of Manetheren.
Aes Sedai
The Aes Sedai of the White Tower have historically represented a large group of individuals capable of channelling the One Power. In the Age of Legends, both men and women were treated as equals, but since the Breaking of the World only women–with access to the untainted female half of the Source (saidar)–have been Aes Sedai.
Recently, it has come to light that many women in other societies have the ability to channel; these include the Windfinders among the Atha'an Miere (the Sea Folk) and the Wise Ones of the Aiel. Also, the "Kin" who were discovered in Ebou Dar, not only can channel but some have trained in the White Tower to be Aes Sedai, although for various reasons they did not complete their training. Kept extremely secret among the Seanchan is the knowledge that the sul'dam who control the leashed damane can also channel.
Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah; her Warder was Lan Mandragoran. She located Rand and the other Two Rivers ta'veren, and brought them all over the world. She believes that Rand is the Dragon Reborn, and sought to protect him until the Last Battle and teach him the necessary knowledge and political skills.
Presumed dead after sacrificing herself to kill Lanfear, she has been revealed to be alive but captive in the world of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn. She has been rescued by Thom Merrilin, Mat Cauthon and Noal (Jain) Charin.
Although initially perceived as manipulative, Moiraine is now one of the few Aes Sedai Rand trusts.
Nynaeve al'Meara
Now a healer of the Yellow Ajah, Nynaeve was a wilder (a woman who learned to channel without formal training) from the Two Rivers, where she served as the Wisdom of Emond Field (a healer/ wise woman with authority roughly equivalent to the village Mayor's) at the start of the series. She is extremely strong in the One Power, her potential equalling at least some of the Forsaken, namely Moghedien, with whom she has a particular enmity.
Nynaeve is passionate about healing; her lack of formal training helped her develop entirely new ways of healing, and even treating previously untreatable conditions such as gentling/ stilling (being cut off from the True Source) and some forms of madness. She also helped Rand to cleanse the taint from saidin in Winter's Heart and to fight in Tarmon Gaidon, both by lending him her strength in saidar by means of linking.
Nynaeve originally left the Two Rivers to protect the young Emond Fielders (Rand, Perrin, Mat and Egwene), as she saw it, and still sees their protection as her personal duty. On the other hand, she can be overbearing towards those she sees as her charges.
She is married to Lan Mandragoran, who is also her Warder.
Elaida a'Roihan
Elaida is a powerful leader among the Red Ajah. Following the arrest and stilling of Siuan Sanche, Elaida became the Amyrlin Seat: the leader of the Aes Sedai. The events surrounding Siuan's removal led to a schism; the White Tower was divided into 'rebel' and 'usurping' factions. As of Book 12, Elaida has been captured in the Seanchan attack on Tar Valon and presumably made damane.
Siuan Sanche
Siuan Sanche served as Amyrlin Seat for a number of years, before she was deposed and stilled for treason on charges relating to her handling of the Dragon Reborn. As the former leader of the Blue Ajah's network of spies, Siuan is a valuable member among the rebel Aes Sedai who wish to remove Elaida from the White Tower. She has also fallen in love with Gareth Bryne who she bonded as her new Warder in the Gathering Storm. Nynaeve al'Meara found a way to reverse the stilling but Siuan is not as strong in the power. She now has to rely on her astute mind and considerable political acumen to gain leverage among Aes Sedai. She also serves as a mentor to the new rebel Amyrlin, Egwene al'Vere.
Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin is implied to be alive within Rand's mind and was among the most powerful male Aes Sedai at the end of the Age of Legends. Known as the Dragon, he led the army which sealed the Dark One away from the world. Unfortunately, the Dark One's final counterstrike tainted saidin, the male half of the One Power. This taint ultimately caused all the males who could channel to go permanently insane, until it was cleansed by Rand and Nynaeve al' Meara in Winter's Heart. Wielding tremendous power, these mad Aes Sedai permanently altered the face of the earth in a period known as the Breaking of the World (sometimes simply the Breaking).
Elayne Trakand
Heir to the throne of Andor, Elayne is an Aes Sedai by declaration of the rebel Amyrlin Seat, Egwene al'Vere. Elayne has bonded Birgitte Silverbow, the reborn hero of legend, as her Warder. Her second Warder is her lover, Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn. She was engaged in a complex political (and potentially military) battle to claim the throne of Andor following her mother Morgase Trakand's assumed death, however she had 14 of the Main Houses Acknowledge her as the Queen.
Elayne became first-sisters with Aviendha, one of her closest friends, in an Aiel adoption ritual.
Elayne is very strong in the Power (similar strength to Egwene), and has a Talent for making ter'angreal.
Egwene al'Vere
Also of the Two Rivers, Egwene was raised Amyrlin Seat by the rebel Aes Sedai. She was chosen to become Amyrlin partly because of her great strength in the One Power but mostly because she was thought easily manipulated due to her young age; in this, the Aes Sedai were in for a shock. She leads the rebels in their attempt to regain the White Tower from Elaida. Egwene is a Dreamer—she can readily enter Tel'aran'rhiod (the World of Dreams), and her dreams are occasionally prophetic. After the Seanchan attack on the White Tower in The Gathering Storm, she is raised Amyrlin by the loyalist Aes Sedai, reuniting the Tower and solidifying her authority. Egwene has a high regard for Aiel, with whom she spent time before being raised Amyrlin. Her encounters with non-Aes Sedai channelers (Aiel Wise Ones and Sea Folk Windfinders) have made her more willing to break with tradition and change Aes Sedai society.
Verin Mathwin
Verin is an Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah. She is considered to be one of the oldest Aes Sedai alive; likely over 200 years old. She is a regularly returning character seemingly helping the three Ta'veren, as well as collecting knowledge. It is revealed in "The Gathering Storm" That Verin during the course of her research into the Black Ajah was forced to join them and swear oaths to the dark one. She circumvents those oaths in her last hour of life leading to the fall of the Black Ajah in the White Tower.
Cadsuane Melaidhrin
Cadsuane is an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. She has nearly black eyes and wears her iron gray hair in a bun with many gold ornaments. She may be the oldest, or one of the oldest, Aes Sedai alive. When she went into retirement, Cadsuane already had a legendary status amongst the other Aes Sedai - partly due to a shrewd mind, iron will and complete disregard for convention whenever it suits her. She tries to advise Rand, with mixed results; however, Cadsuane's real goals are often not what others assume them to be.
Other Allies
Aviendha
Aviendha, of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel, came over the Dragonwall in search of a prophesied savior, He Who Comes With The Dawn. A former Maiden of the Spear, she is capable of channeling the One Power, and is training to become a Wise One. Her strength in the One Power is close and may be equal to that of Egwene. She is one of Rand's three lovers and is a first-sister to Elayne; they share a Warder-like bond (together with Min) that was created using the One Power. In Fires of Heaven, Aviendha is the first to sleep with Rand when he saved her from freezing to death after accidentally Traveling to Seanchan, into a blizzard.
Aviendha is strong in the One Power, and has a Talent for sensing the purpose and function of various ter'angreal.
Lan Mandragoran
A native of the Borderlands, Lan was trained as a soldier from birth. However, al'Lan Mandragoran is not just any Borderlander: he is the Uncrowned King of Malkier, a nation of proud and stalwart people who were overrun by the Blight. Lan was bonded as a Warder by a young Aes Sedai Moiraine Damodred soon after the Dragon Reborn's birth (at the end of the Aiel war in which he fought), and helped her search for him ever since.
Lan is aged in his mid-40s at the time the events in the series take place. He is tall, with dark hair, cold blue eyes and "angular" or "stony" features. Lan is a blademaster (an official title for a highly skilled swordsman), and possibly the best warrior alive.
Originally concerned only with protecting Moiraine and assisting with her mission, Lan befriended Rand, and to a lesser extent the other Emond Fielders, and fell in love with Nynaeve al'Meara. He is now Nynaeve al'Meara's husband and Warder. If the Light succeeds in defeating the Shadow in the Last Battle, he may become the king of a restored Malkier.
Loial
Loial son of Arent son of Halan is a young (ninety-year-old) Ogier, who has opted to travel with Rand and his companions in order to explore the world, write the definitive books on Rand al'Thor, and avoid an arranged marriage. He is considered impetuous and hasty by his elders. Slow to anger, Loial is nevertheless a mighty ally in battle.
Faile Bashere
Zarine "Faile" Bashere is a young woman from Saldaea who befriends Perrin, Moiraine and Lan as a Hunter for the Horn of Valere and participates in their adventures. Eventually she is revealed to be the daughter of Lord Davram Bashere, Marshal-General of Saldaea, and a cousin to its queen; this does not stop her from marrying Perrin.
Min Farshaw
Elmindreda "Min" Farshaw is a young woman who often dresses in men's clothing and is possessed of oracular 'viewings.' She is the second of Rand's lovers, and the only one he cannot bear to send away. She is very much a tomboy, and also finds great interest in scientific and metaphysical musings.
Min grew up in Baerlon in Western Andor, raised by her aunts whom she recalls as being tough, sensible and no-nonsense. She enjoys dressing in men's style clothes over the more impractical women's finery, and traditionally male jobs such as working in the stables over the more "feminine" pursuits such as embroidery.
Min can see "auras" or "images" around people that are linked either to their past or their future. Sometimes, but not always, she also knows what they mean. She has no control over the viewings but knows they always come true. Min sees her talent as more of a curse than a blessing, both due to misunderstandings and suspicions it arouses and to the inability to prevent tragic outcomes she foresees.
Thom Merrilin
Thom Merrilin was once Court Bard, and lover, to the Andoran queen Morgase Trakand, but was forced to flee after incurring her anger. As the novels begin, he is a travelling gleeman who befriends the Two Rivers folk. His intimate knowledge of Daes Dae'mar (the Game of Houses) has served Rand and his companions well in navigating the rocky shoals of politics. Initially distrustful of Aes Sedai due to painful past experiences, Thom eventually comes to love Moiraine Damodred, takes part in her rescue from the Tower of Ghenjei, marries her and becomes her Warder.
Tuon
Tuon Athaem Kore Paendrag is the daughter and heir of Seanchan Empress. Her official title as the heir to the Empress is Daughter of Nine Moons, the woman the Aelfinn told Mat Cauthon he is going to marry.
Tuon arrives in Ebou Dar with the invading Seanchan. She first meets Mat in Queen Tylin's palace. She is aged around 20 at the time. She is dark-skinned with large dark eyes and a shaven head, and is described as being petite, slim, boyish, "childlike" and looking younger than her age. However, this deceptive appearance hides a strong-willed, capable, smart and obstinate young woman, trained from the cradle in the arts of politics, intrigue and survival. The strong will allows Tuon to resist the influence of even the Dragon Reborn and the Forsaken Semirhage (disguised as Tuon's Truthspeaker (advisor/ mentor) Anath). Tuon also has a strong sense of obligation to the Empire and its subjects, which tends to inspire their loyalty in return. On the flipside, Tuon is often unwilling to listen to others' opinions or to admit to being wrong, and tends to assume that her power over others is absolute and indisputable.
A strong believer in omens, Tuon was foretold by a damane what kind of man she would marry, and recognises signs of that man in Mat. For this reason, she allows Mat to kidnap her during his escape from Ebou Dar, and eventually marries him. In the course of their travels, she comes to respect Mat, whom she had originally dismissed as merely a queen's "pretty".
Following the murder of the Empress Radhanan (Tuon's mother) and the rest of her family by Semirhage, Tuon becomes Empress and assumes the name Fortuona. She returns to Ebou Dar with her loyal guardian Furyk Karede of the Deathwatch Guard and assumes power there. Originally dedicated to the Seanchan expansion on the main continent (which she sees as returning her ancestral lands to their rightful owner), Tuon is eventually persuaded by Mat to enter into a peace treaty with Rand and to allow Seanchan troops to fight in Tarmon Gaidon under Mat's command.
Darkfriends, Shadowsworn and other adversaries
Padan Fain
Padan Fain was once a peddler and a Darkfriend, first seen in The Eye of the World. He was changed by the Dark One's power to search for the potential Dragon Reborn in what appears to be an extremely painful ritual, and spent many years in this search under the guise of a peddler. The search took him regularly to the Two Rivers for years before the events of The Eye of the World. Fain's soul was fused with that of Mordeth of Shadar Logoth (a creature of terrible power and evil), creating a soul more twisted and powerful than either of the originals. Since his merge, he has gone by many different names such as Ordeith. He has an insatiable hate for Rand Al'Thor, Perrin Aybara and Mat Cauthon (his original quarries) and the Dark One alike, and becomes increasingly insane but also increasingly deadly throughout the series. Fain thrives in the atmosphere of distrust and suspicion. A dagger from Shadar Logoth (stolen by Mat in The Eye of the World), infused with the city's evil, gives Fain extra power.
The Forsaken
Thirteen of Lews Therin's contemporaries, some of the strongest Aes Sedai of the age, who turned to the Shadow for their own reasons. They became the Dark One's most trusted lieutenants and were bound into his prison with him for three thousand years; today most of these thirteen walk the Pattern in their own skins; others, who have been killed by Rand al'Thor or his allies, have been placed in other bodies by the Dark One (except for the ones killed with Balefire, which burns anything out of the Pattern and makes resurrection impossible). The Forsaken call themselves the Chosen; this is also the name used by Darkfriends. There is some speculation what made the Forsaken rise above other Dreadlords (channelers dedicated to the Shadow): being strongest in the Power, most loyal to the Dark One or simply most selfish, or eliminating all rivals.
Mazrim Taim
A former False Dragon and a powerful male channeler, Taim is now al'Thor's deputy in the Black Tower. While he is nominally loyal, he has his own agenda and has managed to subvert many Ashaman under his care to the service of the Dark. By the end of the series, Taim has been promoted to Chosen/Forsaken, taking the name M'Hael (Leader) and finally revealing himself as a Darkfriend. There is some evidence that Taim is a protégé of the Forsaken Demandred. Taim is killed by Egwene al'Vere during Tarmon Gaidon.
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