Minor Wheel of Time characters

This article contains information on minor characters in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series who do not have their own article or appear on other pages. Members of a particular group, such as the Green Ajah of the Aes Sedai, or the Asha'man, will appear on those pages.

Alivia

Alivia is a former Seanchan damane. She is described as having fine lines at the corners of her blue eyes and some white in her golden yellow hair. She is captured by Rand's forces in Altara, is sent to Caemlyn along with the other Damane, and has her collar eventually removed by Reanne Corly of the Kin when she shows considerable scorn for her former captors. Unlike most freed damane, Alivia is full of hate for suldam. She is trained by Atha'an Miere Windfinders in Caemlyn, can copy a weave after viewing it only once and is believed to be the strongest female Channeler alive (being notably stronger than even Nynaeve). She claims to have been collared at the age of thirteen or fourteen over four hundred years ago. Due to this she seems to have been ignorant of mature adult relations and its full implications. Apparently Nynaeve has educated her now of some of them due to which she blushes in Knife of Dreams. Min Farshaw has had many viewings about Alivia that she does not understand properly with the exception of one especially distinguishable; "Alivia will help Rand die".^[1] At the end of the final book it was revealed that this meant Alivia would provide necessities for Rand, such as money, horse, etc. (all most likely stolen), enabling him to slip away in his new body, and effectively helping everyone believe he was dead.^[2]

Amathera

Amathera was the Panarch of Tarabon, a female counterpart of a king who provides balance for the king's power. She became a prisoner of 13 Black Ajah (Aes Sedai Darkfriends) members led by Liandrin, before being freed by Nynaeve and Elayne. Shortly afterwards she was captured and made da'covale (slave) to the High Lady Suroth of the conquering Seanchan. She escaped and now is the romantic love interest of Juilin Sandar, a thief catcher from Tear. Amathera's captivity at the hands of first the Black Ajah and then the Seanchan led to considerable changes in her personality. She became extremely timid, with no trace of a formerly powerful woman.

Amys

Amys is of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel. She is the wife of Rhuarc, and sister wife of Lian. She is a former Maiden of the Spear but is now a Wise One and is one of only a few to be a dreamwalker. She looks young, but has white hair and blue eyes. She is one of the Wise Ones who sent Rhuarc in search of Rand. When encountering Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod she tells her to travel to the Cold Rocks hold for training. When Rand and his party arrive in the Waste she is amongst those that give permission for Rand, Mat and Moiraine to enter Rhuidean. She also begins to teach Egwene how to dreamwalk properly. She travels to the Wetlands and continues training Egwene but she also fights at Dumai's Well. She continues to meet with Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod after Egwene has been made Amyrlin Seat.

Artur Hawkwing

Artur Paendrag Tanreall, "The High King" who was more commonly known as Artur Hawkwing, is a historical character in The Wheel of Time. He is long dead by the time the series begins, but he is remembered as a legendary hero who once united all of the lands west of the Spine of the World and even some of those beyond the Aiel Waste. His shattered statue was glimpsed in The Eye of the World, and he appears in The Great Hunt as a hero summoned by the Horn of Valere.

Hawkwing has been credited, after Rand al'Thor, as the strongest ta'veren in recorded history. It was said that those who stood in the same room as him would find themselves revealing truths they had never even thought of, and any game of chance played with him always went his way.

Initially the King of Shandalle, Hawkwing opposed the False Dragon Guaire Amalasan, proving to be a master tactician and warrior who could move his armies at great speed, thus earning the name Hawkwing. Upon Amalasan's defeat, Hawkwing used the vast army he now commanded to carve out his great nation. He maintained peace and security throughout his empire and dealt out harsh justice for any who disobeyed him, and was thus beloved by his people, who would pay for and build an enormous stone statue of the High King in the center of the continent, where he had proposed to build a capital city.

Corrupted by Ishamael, Hawkwing led a war against the Aes Sedai, besieging Tar Valon for many years and sending armies across the Aryth Ocean to almost certain death. Eventually, the High King was taken by a terrible illness and refused healing, instead using his final breath to curse the Aes Sedai who could have saved his life. After his death, his sons and nephews and any noble who could raise an army took part in what would be called the War of the Hundred Years, breaking Hawkwing's kingdom into the collection of states, like it had been before his rule.

Bain

Bain is a Maiden of the Spear and is first-sister to Chiad, another Maiden. She takes part in the search of the wetlands for He Who Comes With the Dawn. She takes part in the rescue of Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve from Fades. She is then amongst the Aiel that capture the Stone of Tear. In the Stone she makes friends with Faile Bashere who she accompanies along with Chiad to the Two Rivers. She takes part in the liberation of the Two Rivers from the Shadowspawn. She returns to Caemlyn with Perrin's group and later goes with them to Ghealdan where she is captured and made gai'shain by the Shaido. She helps Faile and her group escape but refuses to escape herself due to ji'e'toh.

Birgitte Silverbow

Birgitte Silverbow is the heroine of many hundreds of gleemen's tales and legends. Typically described as having a long blonde braid of hair down her back, wearing a man's coat and trousers, and being deadly with a bow and arrow. Like many of the great heroes of the Wheel of Time, she has been "spun out" into the Pattern many times, taking a different name but always following the same pattern: an archer, sometimes a soldier, who is linked to a lump-faced man who fights with two swords (most famously known as Gaidal Cain), whom she at first hates but eventually falls for. She is also one of the Heroes of the Horn of Valere, and, like Artur Hawkwing, Gaidal Cain, and a hundred other heroes, can be summoned to fight for he who blows the Horn.

When not being woven into the Pattern, or fighting in spectral form, she and all the other heroes of the Wheel reside in Tel'aran'rhiod, and it was there that she first made her acquaintance with Elayne Trakand and Nynaeve al'Meara. The two were hunting Darkfriends in the World of Dreams, and despite injunctions to the contrary (and the ridicule of Gaidal), she insisted on stepping in. This led, eventually, to a confrontation with Moghedien in which Birgitte was ripped bodily from Tel'aran'rhiod and expelled directly into the waking world, instead of being born (re-incarnated) into it normally. When Nynaeve and Elayne found her, she was dying, a condition not even Nynaeve could heal. Elayne, with no other recourse, bonded Birgitte as her Warder, which saved her life, and Birgitte has served in this capacity ever since. Deadly and unspeakably competent with a bow, she is also by far the most raucous of Elayne's entourage; she and Mat Cauthon share a fondness for drink, carousing and foul language, a friendship strengthened by Mat's memories and the fact that he is the Hornsounder.

Birgitte is an oddity in several respects. She is one of the world's only female Warders—both she and Elayne have discovered first hand that the bond of their shared gender increases the empathic link of the Warder bond to sometimes unacceptable levels (when Birgitte gets drunk, Elayne gets tipsy). She is also the first Hero of the Horn to have been expelled from Tel'aran'rhiod: she still has the memories of all her past lives, though as time passes they are beginning to blur together. Finally, she is intimately linked with Gaidal Cain, having shared a storied romance in their incarnations from the Age of Legends, and apparently in previous incarnations as well; though she hides it for the most part, she fears that her return to the real world through expulsion rather than reincarnation has broken the cycle of their love.

Chiad

Chiad is of the Stones River Sept of the Goshien Aiel. Chiad is a Maiden of the Spear and is first-sister to Bain, another Maiden. She takes part in the search of the wetlands for He Who Comes With The Dawn. She takes part in the rescue of Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve from Fades. She is then amongst the Aiel that capture the Stone of Tear. In the Stone she and Bain makes friends along with Faile Bashere whom she accompanies along with Bain to the Two Rivers. She takes part in the liberation of the Two Rivers from the Shadowspawn. She returns to Caemlyn with Perrin's group and later goes with them to Ghealdan where she is captured and made gai'shain by the Shaido. She helps Faile and her group escape but refuses to escape herself due to ji'e'toh. Gaul is in love with her and though she refuses to abandon the spear to marry him she is willing to become his lover.

Couladin

Couladin is an Aiel of the Domai sept, of the Shaido Aiel. He is tall and broad-shouldered with hair the colour of flames. He is also relatively young being short of his middle years.^[3] His first brother is Muradin. They are both of the Black Eyes Society.^[4]

Couladin went with his brother Muradin to Chaendaer, so that Muradin could gain permission to enter Rhuidean to become a clan chief for the Shaido Aiel because Suladric, the previous chief, had died.^[3] His first encounter with Rand has him coming to blows with the Dragon Reborn before the Wise Ones interfere and send Couladin back to the Shaido tents. When both Rand and Mat Cauthon return from Rhuidean without Muradin, Couladin attacks them, accusing them of murdering his brother. When he spies the Dragon markings on Rand's arms, he leaves with the Shaido very angry and very quickly.^[5] During the journey Couladin is given the dragon marks like Rand's by Asmodean as a distraction for Rand.^[6]

At Cold Rocks Hold, Couladin is spurned by Lian, wife of Rhuarc and Sister-wife to Amys and also the Roof-Mistress of Cold Rocks Hold.^[7] He leaves in anger and later that night takes the Shaido north to Alcair Dal.^[8] When he gets there he shows his 'markings' to the other clan chiefs and lies about what is seen in Rhuidean.^[6] This leads to the chiefs siding with Rand, who ultimately tells the truth. Outraged, Couladin once again moves the Shaido, this time towards Jangai Pass, on his way out of the Three Fold Land into Cairhien.^[9] Along the way he and the renegade Shaido capture "wetlanders" and make them gai'shan, a move that does not sit well with the other clan chiefs.^[10]

When Couladin finally arrives Cairhien he, and the 160,000 Aiel warriors he has, lay siege to the city.^[11] During the siege the Shaido are attacked by Rand and his army. During the battle a group of Shaido encounters a band of Tairens and Cairhienin soldiers under the command of Mat.^[12] During the battle Couladin attacks Mat personally when Mat is knocked off his horse and is himself killed by Mat.^[13]

Eamon Valda

Eamon Valda was the Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light and is of average height with a hard, dark face. He was also a Blade Master.

Eamon Valda was sent by Pedron Niall to create dissent in Caemlyn but stopped to follow Elayne Trakand when she began her journey to the White Tower. He later encounters Galad Damodred, whom he gives a copy of the book The Way of the Light and then proceeds to accept among the Whitecloak ranks. Niall has word sent to him that he is to go to Amador but Valda returns to the Fortress of the Light and begins to plot with the High Inquisitor of the Children of the Light Rhadam Asunawa to kill Pedron Niall. A plan is hatched, in which they manipulate the figurehead spymaster Abdel Omerna to kill Pedron Niall, after convincing him that Niall's age and caution are slowing the justice of the Light and the Children's role in carrying it out. After Omerna kills Niall, Valda, accompanied by Asunawa, enters and kills Omerna, a set up that allows him to become the Lord Captain Commander of The Children of the Light. To further protect himself, Eamon brings all Whitecloaks loyal only to him into the fortress. He then forces Morgase Trakand to submit to him both physically and on paper before leaving to go north to deal with The Prophet.

It is shortly after these events that Valda is confronted by Galad Damodred about the rape and supposed death of Morgase. Galad slays Valda in a duel, making Galad the new Lord Captain Commander of the Children and giving him the right to carry the Heron Marked Blade of a Blade Master.

Elyas Machera

Elyas Machera was a Warder to the Aes Sedai Rina Hafden. He trained Lan Mandragoran to be a Warder. At some point in his life, Elyas became a wolfbrother and had to abandon the Aes Sedai he is bonded to. His wolf name is Long Tooth, which is a reference to the long knife he wields. Elyas, like all Wolfbrothers, is able to talk to and communicate with wolves. Unlike other Wolfbrothers, such as Perrin Aybara, he lives with wolves and shuns human kind. Soon after discovering his ability, he was hunted by the Red Ajah who believed that he was using the One Power to communicate with the wolves. While escaping, he was forced to kill a some Warders who chased him, the trauma of which scarred him.

Despite shunning humans in general, Elyas has some surprising friends, particularly among Tinkers, even though his way of life and philosophy are the opposite of theirs. At times, he displays surprising knowledge of obscure subjects (possibly gained during his time as a Warder or in his later wanderings).

After Perrin and Egwene al'Vere escape from Shadar Logoth they meet up with Elyas, who informs Perrin of his ability to speak to wolves. Later, Elyas helps Perrin free his wife Faile from the Shaido Aiel. In the Last Battle, Elyas fights alongside wolves in the valley of Thakan'dar near Shayol Ghul.

Erith

Erith, daughter of Iva, daughter of Alar, is a young Ogier female and wife of Loial. Erith first met Rand al'Thor and Loial when they passed through stedding Tsofu in pursuit of Padan Fain and the Horn of Valere. There was apparently a mutual attraction between Loial and Erith; before Rand's party left the stedding Erith gave Loial a flower, which he pressed inside one of his books. Later, as Loial had long feared, his mother came in search of him with a woman for him to marry in tow - Erith. His fear of pursuit by his mother was due to his conviction that once married, a wife would force him to give up traveling, enjoying life, and force him to be responsible. However, he is not-so-secretly thrilled that if he is to marry anyone, that it be Erith. When it comes time for her marriage to Loial, a different side of Erith emerges as she calmly takes command of the situation, deftly maneuvering Loial's mother into her proper place and taking over responsibility for Loial (as is the Ogier tradition between married couples). Erith not only allows her husband to continue his travels with Rand instead of forcing him to return to a stedding as Loial had feared, but even fights side-by-side with him.

Gaidal Cain

Gaidal Cain is a legendary swordsman who wields two weapons, and is one of the many heroes who has been reincarnated throughout the ages to fight the shadow. He has a connection to Birgitte Silverbow, and the feelings the two have for each other have carried over into countless lives each has lived. As is the case with many such figures, time has distorted tales of him. Gaidal Cain is said by many to have been as beautiful as Birgitte; in truth, he has an appearance many women would find ugly.

Gaidal Cain appeared alongside other heroes, such as Birgitte and Artur Hawkwing, towards the end of The Great Hunt. One of the many heroes tied to the Horn of Valere, he came when Mat Cauthon blew the legendary instrument and joined in the battle against the Seanchan. Following their defeat and the end of the battle between Rand al'Thor and Ba'alzamon, he disappeared.

Along with Birgitte, Gaidal also appeared in Tel'aran'rhiod. He appeared a number of times, only staying long enough to keep Birgitte from breaking the rules regarding contact with those who intruded on the World of Dreams. These appearances were few, as Gaidal soon disappeared from Tel'aran'rhiod, apparently having been spun out into a new life. Birgitte, having returned to an existence in the real world by other means, currently seeks the reborn Gaidal Cain in the hopes that he will come to love her as he has in the past.

It is not possible that young Olver, a companion of Mat Cauthon, is the reincarnation of Gaidal. He is a short boy, and considered ugly and lost both of his parents at a young age. It is also noted that Min Farshaw saw an aura around Birgitte Silverbow that showed Birgitte connected to a much younger rather ugly man in Winter's Heart, but Robert Jordan has said that Olver is not Cain, as Olver is too old to be Cain reborn.^[14] An infant briefly mentioned in Towers of Midnight, Gadren, son of an Asha'man and currently living at the Black Tower, seems a likely candidate, matching both the timelines and the description - the boy's own father admits he's a very ugly child.

Gareth Bryne

Gareth Bryne is a minor nobleman, the High Seat of House Bryne, and a blademaster. He is best known for being the Captain-General of the Queen's Guard in Andor in which he also served in the capacity of First Prince of the Sword to Queen Morgase Trakand, although they were never married, and Bryne never held or actively sought the title. His sigil is three golden stars, each of five rays. The sign of House Bryne is a bull wearing a collar of roses. He is well known as one of the Five Great Captains, the finest generals in the Westlands.

After being sent into retirement by Gaebril via Morgase, Bryne heads back to his family's manor in Kore Springs. It's there that he has a run-in with Siuan Sanche, Leane Sharif, and Min Farshaw, who have caused some damage to a farmer's homestead, and he deals out their punishment. When they run away Bryne sets out after them and finds them along with the rebel Aes Sedai in Salidar. He presents himself before the Sisters there and explains why he has come, learning that it is the former Amyrlin Siuan Sanche he has been pursuing. After being 'given' the runaways so they may fulfill their sentences, the rebel Aes Sedai approach Bryne about building them an army. He begrudgingly agrees, and has developed a growing respect for the Amyrlin Seat of the rebels, Egwene al'Vere. He says that he will follow where she leads, and that his army is hers to command. In The Gathering Storm, at his request, Siuan bonds him as a Warder. In the final battle Bryne is tricked into helping the shadow, he later dies when avenging Siuan Sanche.

Gaul

Gaul is of the Imran sept of the Shaarad Aiel. Gaul's warrior society is Shae'en M'taal, or Stone Dog.

He was captured by Hunters of the Horn while in search of He Who Comes With The Dawn. Rescued by Perrin, Gaul follows Perrin's advice and sets off for Tear in his search for He Who Comes With The Dawn. In Tear Gaul he takes part in the capture of the Stone of Tear, encountering Mat in the process. Out of friendship with Perrin, and probably a sense of obligation to him, Gaul accompanies Perrin to the Two Rivers, where he takes part in the fight against Shadowspawn. Continuing to travel with Perrin, he fights at Dumai's Wells. He then travels with Perrin to Ghealdan where Bain, Chiad and Faile are captured by Shaido; Gaul helps free them, motivated both by friendship and love for Chiad.

Gaul is in love with Chiad but she is only willing to become his lover not marry him as he wishes. As an added complication, Gaul can only become lovers with both Chiad and her first-sister Bain, whom he doesn't like (mentioned in A Crown of Swords), or neither.

Gaul accompanies Perrin till the end; in the Last Battle, Perrin takes Gaul to Tel'aran'rhiod in the flesh to help guard Rand from attacks by Forsaken and other renegades. While there, Gaul displays a proficiency in Tel'aran'rhiod, despite a lack of training.

Ilyena Moerelle

Ilyena Moerelle Dalisar, later Ilyena Therin Moerelle by marriage to Lews Therin Telamon. Little is known about her, aside from her golden-red hair, earning her the name "Sunhair". She was later killed along with all of her children by Lews Therin when he went mad, earning him the name "Kinslayer". Although her ability to channel the One Power (or lack thereof) is unknown, her third name suggests that she had done something important besides being married to a world leader.

The Forsaken Lanfear was insanely jealous of Ilyena because of her relationship with Lews Therin Telamon, as is shown many times throughout the series. Lanfear had been a previous love of Lews Therin and she is still obsessed with him.

Ilyena is only mentioned in the prologue of the first book in the series, The Eye of the World, and during the ravings Lews Therin has after he makes his presence known in Rand's head. In these ravings, Ilyena is mentioned quite frequently.

Isam, Luc, Slayer

Slayer is a composite of Isam (Lan's first cousin, long presumed dead after the destruction of Malkier) and Luc Mantear (an Andoran prince, Tigraine's brother and thus Rand's uncle), created by the Dark One. This is from the Dark Prophecy in The Great Hunt that describes Luc and Isam meeting and combining such that "one did live and one did die, but both are". He tends to appear as Luc in the 'waking' (physical) world, while in Tel'aran'rhiod his preferred form is that of Isam. Wolves have named him Slayer as he likes killing them both in the waking world and in Tel'aran'rhiod. Whatever the appearance, Slayer is described as having a "cold", "inhuman" scent. Birgitte states that Slayer is not just a new occurrence, but perhaps an old evil. He is Perrin's antagonist throughout the series due to their common affinity for Tel'aran'rhiod and Perrin's kinship with wolves whom Slayer enjoys killing.

In A Memory of Light, more of Slayer's background is revealed. He was raised in The Village in the Blight, a base of renegade Aiel, an experience that filled him with fear and revulsion for the place and a driving need to be powerful. It appears that he had at some point asked the Dark One to be granted the ability to channel but was given many other 'gifts' instead, among them extreme proficiency in Tel'aran'rhiod and the ability to shift easily between it and the physical world. In Winter's Heart, Slayer remarks that an immunity to poison is not one of his gifts. In The Shadow Rising, Slayer disappears near the Tower of Ghenjei while being chased by Perrin in Tel'aran'rhiod, leading to speculation that he can enter it. Readers have also theorized that he is somehow connected to Darkhounds, maybe as an evil wolfbrother.

Slayer accepts orders from the Dark One and the Forsaken (whom he calls the Chosen in the manner of Darkfriends), but no-one else. In fact, he despises other Darkfriends, and most people in general. In his free time, Slayer kills creatures (animal or human) for pleasure and a sense of power killing gives him.

Evidence suggests that Slayer killed Janduin, Rand's biological father, when Janduin came to the Blight, as Janduin is said to have been in the Blight and come across a man who so resembled Tigraine that he did not defend himself against this man, suggesting his killer was in fact Luc/Slayer. He unsuccessfully attempted to kill Padan Fain in the Two Rivers, and as of Knife of Dreams was still hunting Fain. He also tried to assassinate Rand and Min in Winter's Heart using poisoned daggers but killed two other people instead at the command of an unseen man who he believes to be one of the Chosen. He killed two Black Aes Sedai (Amico Nagoyin and Joiya Byir) in the stone of Tear as a punishment for being captured. His favourite assassination method is to step from Tel'aran'rhiod into the physical world without warning, kill quickly and disappear back into Tel'aran'rhiod. Another of Slayer's missions, at Graendal's command, was placing a dreamspike (a ter'angreal that limits Traveling in the physical world and shifting in Tel'aran'rhiod) to prevent Perrin's forces from escaping the Trolloc army in Towers of Midnight.

As of The Gathering Storm, Rand is unaware of Slayer's nature and relation to him.

Perrin's motivation to master the Tel'aran'rhiod comes largely from the desire to defeat and kill Slayer. Their final battle occurs towards the end of A Memory of Light.

Jain Farstrider

Jain Charin is more commonly known as Jain Farstrider for his travels to many places. He is a fictional equivalent to Marco Polo, and the book about his travels is very popular. Much of the information people in the wetlands know about Shara is from the tales of his travels there. A Malkieri by birth, Jain was able to capture the nobleman Cowin Gemallan who betrayed Malkier to an invasion of trollocs.

In A Crown of Swords Farstrider is going by the name of Noal Charin when he meets Mat Cauthon in Ebou Dar and stays with him and his men. He leaves with Mat and the rest of the group in Winter's Heart. He asks to join Mat and Thom Merrilin in their quest to free Moiraine Damodred from the Tower of Ghenjei, and dies at the hands of the Aelfinn to give his comrades a chance to escape. He is pictured on the cover of Towers of Midnight with Mat and Thom. Charin claimed to be a cousin of Farstrider, not the legend himself. However, in his parting words to Mat and Thom he identifies himself as the hero, which surprises Mat but not Thom. In A Memory of Light he returns as one of the "Heroes of the Horn" when the Horn of Valere is sounded by Olver during Tarmon Gai'don.

Juilin Sandar

Julin Sandar is a Tairen thief-catcher by profession. He is described as dark skinned with black hair and dark eyes. He often carries a notched sword-breaker and a slim bamboo quarterstaff. In The Dragon Reborn, Mother Guenna, a Tairen Wise Woman, describes Juilin as one of the most dangerous men she knows, clever, but having a weakness for women.

He first appeared in The Dragon Reborn where he betrays (under Compulsion), and later helps Mat Cauthon save, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne. In The Shadow Rising, at the order of Rand al'Thor and Lan Mandragoran, he accompanies Nynaeve and Elayne when they travel to the city of Tanchico (Thom Merrilin is similarly compelled to go with them by Moiraine). He remains with their party when they journey to Salidar, and again when their search for the Bowl of Winds brings them to Ebou Dar. Aviendha, Mat Cauthon and small number of the Band of the Red Hand also accompany them. When Nynaeve, Elayne and Aviendha leave the city, Juilin stays with Mat Cauthon's group. He becomes besotted with the ex-Panarch of Tanchico, Amathera (subsequently known as "Thera"), and later helps her escape the Seanchan after recognizing her in one of the da'covale. Juilin is seen fighting in Tarmon Gaidon; he probably survives as there's no mention of his death.

Masema Dagar

Masema Dagar was a soldier from Shienar who fought in the Aiel War, where he developed a strong hatred for the Aiel. This animosity is apparent even twenty years after the war ended. In The Great Hunt he followed Rand al'Thor in the chase for the Horn of Valere, which was discovered in the Eye of the World and subsequently stolen by Padan Fain. After seeing Rand wield saidin he swears to fight for the Dragon Reborn and becomes one of his most fanatical supporters.

After being sent down out of the Mountains of Mist, along with other Shienaran soldiers, in search of an elderly woman in Ghealdan by Moiraine, he styles himself The Prophet of the Dragon and heads a quasi-anti-establishment social order in the western regions of Randland, with the ostensible purpose of gathering followers in support of the Dragon Reborn. His "army" has ravaged and pillaged the countryside in Ghealdan, a country in the Wheel of Time, killing and burning in the name of the Dragon Reborn. His former career as a soldier has helped him as a leader although most of his followers are not soldiers, as they seem to rely far more on numbers and fanaticism than discipline and skill.

Perrin Aybara was sent by Rand al'Thor to stop Masema's armies from their pillaging. Masema agreed to accompany Perrin back to Cairhien where Rand was expected to be, though both appeared untrusting of the other. These plans were halted when Perrin's wife was kidnapped by the Shaido Aiel. Masema agreed to accompany Perrin to rescue his wife Faile. It is implied that Masema forged an agreement with the Seanchan, although the terms of the agreement were not revealed.

During the search for Faile, Masema was seen supervising an interrogation of a captured Shaido Aiel warrior using methods so brutal that Perrin quickly intervened. In the battle of Malden he and his army fought the Shaido Aiel. Many Shaido warriors focused their attacks on Masema's army, whose position was not as well defended as the Two Rivers bowmen. During the battle, Aram attacked Perrin and nearly killed him, claiming during his unexpected assault that Masema had denounced Perrin as Shadowspawn with Perrin's yellow wolf-friend eyes being a sign of treachery. Although the Shaido were defeated and most of their captives, including Faile, were rescued, only a small remnant of Masema's army survived. He took his remaining followers and fled the battlefield. Perrin's followers and the Seanchan contingent were able to kill or capture most of the Shaido and many of their Mera'din allies despite Masema's absence. After the battle of Malden Faile ambushed and killed Masema and his surviving followers, believing them to be more trouble than they were worth.^[15]

Mattin Stepaneos den Balgar

Mattin Stepaneos den Balgar is the former King of Illian currently living in exile. His sign is three leopards, silver on black. He is currently being held at the White Tower and most people in the rest of the Wheel of Time series believe him to be dead.

He was defeated in a battle during the Whitecloak Wars and was captured, but eventually ransomed back. Soon after that debacle the Whitecloak Wars ended and Illian won. Following the Forsaken's escape he became the puppet to Sammael. Shortly before Illian was conquered by Rand he was captured by Aes Sedai from the White Tower. After his disappearance his crown was given to Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn.

Morgase Trakand

Morgase Trakand, by the Grace of the Light, Queen of Andor, Defender of the Realm, Protector of the People, High Seat of House Trakand, is the ruler of Andor at the start of the series, now thought deceased by many. She has two children, Elayne Trakand and Gawyn Trakand, by her late husband Taringail Damodred of Cairhien, and is stepmother to Galad Damodred from Taringail's first marriage to Tigraine Mantear. She is in her mid- to late 30s, has blue eyes and long red-gold curls and is described as having her daughter's beauty, matured and ripened. As a queen, Morgase is something of a legend even among other queens. She was a fair and capable ruler, an astute politician, though with a soft spot for the less fortunate.

In accordance with Andoran tradition, Morgase first entered the White Tower at age 14 although she has little talent in the Power, and returned to Andor before she was 16 to lay claim to the Lion Throne following her distant cousin Tigraine Mantear's disappearance. She married Tigraine's former husband Taringail in order to solidify her claim to the throne; after his death, she took Thom Merrilin and later Gareth Bryne as her lovers.

Morgase later fell under Compulsion by "Lord Gaebril", actually one of the Forsaken, Rahvin, who became her advisor and lover. Under his influence, she exiled many of her most loyal supporters (including Gareth Bryne, her former Captain-General). Upon hearing of the revolt in the Two Rivers, she regained enough control to flee with her retired nurse Lini, Guardsman-Lieutenant Martyn Tallanvor, Caemlyn innkeeper Basel Gill, inn tough Lamgwin and the latter's Cairhienin lover Breanne.

For a while, Morgase was a prisoner of the Children of the Light. During this time, she signed a treaty allowing the Children of the Light entry into Andor as a power governed independently from the throne. This treaty was lost when Pedron Niall was assassinated. At this time, after being tortured (or threatened with torture) and then raped by Eamonn Valda, she secretly abdicated her throne in favour of her daughter Elayne. She escaped during a Seanchan attack with the help of Sebban Balwer, Pedron Niall's old spymaster. Under the name Maighdin Dorlain, she traveled to Ghealdan, where her group was harassed by the followers of the Prophet of the Dragon, Masema Dagar. They were rescued by Perrin Aybara and she swore fealty to him and Faile Bashere, and gained employment as Faile's maid. She was subsequently captured again by the Shaido Aiel, only to be left for dead by the Black Ajah Aes Sedai Galina Casban. It was only through Morgase's small ability in the One Power and Tower training that she was able to help save herself, Faile Bashere, and others from a collapsing building. Morgase and her party were then rescued from the Shaido by Perrin Aybara. Perrin learns her true identity during a period not directly covered during The Gathering Storm. Tam al'Thor conveys this information to Rand at the end of the book.

A revelation that Morgase is still alive helps reconcile Galad Damodred, and later Elayne Trakand, with Perrin Aybara. After returning to Caemlyn in Towers of Midnight, Morgase makes her abdication in Elayne's favour official.

During their travels, Morgase fell in love with Martin Tallanvor, who had secretly loved her from the time she was queen and he - a simple guardsman. They were eventually married by Perrin after much prodding from Lini.

Nalesean Aldiaya

Nalesean Aldiaya was a Tairen High Lord with a square face and was blocky in stature, and wore his black beard trimmed, oiled and to a point. He usually played dice or cards with Mat, whom he met in the Stone after Rand conquered Tear, and other Tairen High Lords. After Mat defeated the Shaido Aiel, Nalesean and another High Lord swore fealty to Mat and joined the Band of the Red Hand, where he commanded the Second Banner of the original cavalry. In A Crown of Swords he traveled to Ebou Dar with Mat, Birgitte Silverbow, Elayne Trakand and Nynaeve al'Meara to find the bowl of the winds. He is killed there when trying to protect Elayne from the gholam.

Nicola Treehill

Nicola Treehill is a former weaver from Ghealdan, who was engaged to a man named Hyran. She becomes a novice of the Salidar Aes Sedai. Her potential is almost as much as Egwene al'Vere's and she has two Talents - Foretelling and seeing ta'veren. Nicola is around the same age and height as Nynaeve. She is slender, dark haired with big black eyes.

Nicola is introduced when Nynaeve and Elayne are aboard the Riverserpent headed for Salidar and along with Areina decides to accompany them. Upon reaching the Salidar Aes Sedai camp Nicola's potential is realized and she is quickly thrust into Novice white. Throughout the remainder of the novels, Nicola is a source of irritation for many of the Aes Sedai. She tries to blackmail Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne as well as Nisao Dachen (of the Yellow Ajah) and Myrelle Berengari (of the Green Ajah), who have been keeping Lan concealed. It is during an attack due to a bubble of evil that Nicola has a Foretelling and when Mat shows up, she is brought over to him claiming to see him surround by light, thus revealing her Talent for seeing ta'veren. Eventually Nicola, along with Areina, runs away and, we learn, heads for the White Tower. When Egwene is captured, Nicola apologizes to her for leaving and informs the novices there of Egwene's deeds and leadership as Amyrlin. Nicola is killed in Tel'aran'rhiod in Towers of Midnight.

Olver

Olver is a young boy whose father was killed by the Shaido and whose mother was later taken by starvation. He was discovered by Mat Cauthon, who took a liking to him and taught him to ride and fight. Olver travels with the Band of the Red Hand and is something of an adopted son to everyone in the Band. Despite his admittedly ugly appearance and young age, he is unusually charming, and is popular with women. This, combined with his heroic tendencies, have led fans to speculate that Olver is in fact a reincarnation of Gaidal Cain, the great Blademaster of legend and lover of Birgitte. He is also remarkably ugly just like Cain. Robert Jordan has denied this speculation.^[14]

At the end of "A Memory of Light", Olver blows the Horn of Valere and becomes the new Hornsounder. After Tarmon Gaidon, he is sent away by Birgitte Silverbow to prevent him being exploited for political ends.

Rhuarc

Rhuarc is Clan Chief of the Taardad Aiel. He is from the Nine Valleys Sept and is a former Red Shield. He has two daughters and is married to Amys and Lian. He is tall and handsome with a strong, square face with blue eyes and a good smile, his hair is dark red, though graying, with broad shoulders. He is amongst the Aiel that went in search of He Who Comes With The Dawn. He accompanies Rand to Rhuidean and accepts him as Car'a'carn with resignation. He helps to plan the battle against the Shaido Aiel in Cairhien. After the battle he is put in control of Cairhien. He fought at Dumai's Well to rescue Rand from the Aes Sedai. He has recently been sent to Arad Doman with Dobraine to find if anyone is in charge there.

Selucia

Selucia was given to the Empress of Seanchan as a baby, and spent the first twenty-five years of her life training for the job of nursemaid and guardian to the Empress' child, who turned out to be Tuon. She also secretly trained in fighting and defence, to be a bodyguard that no one knew about and no one would suspect. She is described as average height, bosomy and creamy-cheeked, with blonde hair.

For the first sixteen years of Tuon's life, Selucia acted as a guardian. When Tuon reached adulthood, Selucia was presented with two traditional gifts - a sack of gold for every time she'd had to punish Tuon, and her choice of her next placement. It isn't clarified if this means another service post, or if Selucia could theoretically have been freed and even given high status. In any case she chose to stay with Tuon, acting as her chief maid. Tuon was delighted, and made Selucia her so'jhin.

As a mark of her status Selucia has the left side of her head shaved, and her remaining hair twisted into a braid. She has a keen sense of propriety and is horrified by the thought of overstepping her station. But as so'jhin to the Daughter of the Nine Moons, Selucia is superior in status to the Low Blood, and possibly equal to the High Blood. Selucia is wholeheartedly devoted to Tuon, is often found with her Mistress, at least in public, and when Tuon is kidnapped from the Tarasin Palace, Selucia interferes and manages to accompany her.

Since Tuon became Empress, Selucia has been named as her Truthspeaker.

Setalle Anan

Setalle Anan is the innkeeper of the Wandering Woman in Ebou Dar. Setalle is hazel-eyed and has a little grey in her hair. She has an air of command, not unlike that seen in Aes Sedai. In fact, in Knife of Dreams and later books she acknowledges to having been Aes Sedai. She also hints at having been stilled (or possibly having burnt herself out). Not much else is known about her history. Mat Cauthon thinks that she is not Ebou Dari. An Aes Sedai, Joline Maza, recognizes her voice in book 9 as something from her past, so that is more evidence that she was once Aes Sedai.

It is quite likely that Setalle Anan is the former Brown Aes Sedai Martine Janata who was accidentally stilled/ burned out while studying ter'angreal in the Tower, even after having successfully studied them for forty years. Assuming that she became a novice at eighteen and studied ten years or so to become Aes Sedai, she was about sixty eight when she was Stilled in the ter'angreal accident. After losing the Power, she left the Tower twenty-five years before the books' events, so that gives her twenty-five years to have her family and settle into Ebou Dar life, have her children and build her business.

Setalle leaves Ebou Dar with Mat and his companions to escape the Seanchan, after first sending away her family. She still sympathises with female channellers (both Aes Sedai and the Kin), and helps hide Joline from the Seanchan before escaping. She dislikes Seanchan because they collar all women who can channel and make them into damane, and is unwilling to live under Seanchan rule. Nevertheless, Setalle befriends the Seanchan heir to the throne (and later Empress) Tuon during the flight from Ebou Dar. Tuon is more willing to listen to Setalle's opinions, even though she wouldn't accept from others, as she doesn't realize Setalle used to be an Aes Sedai.

Someshta

Someshta, more commonly known in the series as "The Green Man", is the last of the Nym. The Nym were artificial constructs made through use of the One Power during the Age of Legends. Originally entrusted as the gardeners of the world, they had extensive ability to manipulate the life and growth of plants around them. In the Age of Legends, Nym were employed in agricultural rites promoting the growth of crops, in which they were assisted by Ogier and Aiel (as seen through Rand's eyes in Rhuidean in The Shadow Rising). Shortly before the full onset of the Breaking, the Last Aes Sedai council charged Someshta with guarding over The Eye of the World sanctuary, where several artifacts of great power were housed, along with one of the seals on the Dark One's prison. Injured during the War of Power, Someshta has lost much of his memory but still retains fragments of old knowledge. He dies by the One Power at the hands of Balthamel (Someshta manages to kill Balthamel in his last moments), one of the thirteen Forsaken, in the final chapters of The Eye of the World.

Sorilea

Sorilea is a Wise One of the Shende Hold and is of the Jarra sept, of the Chareen Aiel. She has green eyes and has thin white hair and is all sinew and bone. Sorilea is believed to be the oldest Wise One and is potentially 300 years old, but there is no conclusive evidence to this. She is known for being very strong willed even compared to the other Wise Ones, who are all considered strong willed. She is barely able to access the One Power, with an ability less than an Accepted in the White Tower.^[16] Despite this, she is the pre-eminent Wise One, with all the others following her lead. Even the hard to impress Cadsuane Melaidhrin recognises Sorilea as someone to be reckoned with, possibly even her equal. Sorilea has an apprentice called Surandha. One of the punishments she uses after someone speaks out of turn is to send the person to search through a pile of sand for a red grain of sand.

Sorilea's first appearance is in The Fires of Heaven. She is the leader of the Wise Ones in Rhuidean after Rand al'Thor had declared himself to be the Car'a'carn. She follows Rand to the Wetlands and is the Wise One who gives permission for Aviendha to fight in the battle.^[17] She remains in Cairhien leading the Wise Ones and seems to have a particular liking for Egwene al'Vere, who she is trying to find a husband for even after she goes to the Aes Sedai in Salidar. Sorilea takes part in the Battle of Dumai's Wells and she and Amys are put in charge of the captured Aes Sedai.^[18] She makes a formal pact (a "water oath") with Cadsuane Melaidhrin to teach Rand laughter and tears, i.e. remain human, and to be strong rather than hard.^[19] Sorilea sees her main task as trying to get as large a remnant of the Aiel to survive the Tarmon Gai'don.

Therava

Therava is a Shaido Aiel Wise One with gray hair and deep blue eyes. She is taller than most men and is hawk-faced.

Therava, along with Sevanna and Desaine, meet with the Aes Sedai embassy about Rand al'Thor. When she and the others show up in Cairhien, they acknowledge that they are able to duplicate the weaves the Aes Sedai plan to use to bind Rand, then help murder Desaine when she doesn't support Sevanna.

When the Shaido Aiel attack the Aes Sedai holding Rand at the Battle of Dumai's Wells, Therava is present. She is also there when Sammael splits up the remaining Shaido across the world and she, along with the newly acquired Aes Sedai Galina Casban, go with Sevanna to Ghealdan. It is there that Therava is able to steal some of Sevanna's power and forces Galina to obey her by using a "binder" or Oath Rod. Therava then makes Galina gai'shain and takes her for a pet dressing her up in silk and jewelry and calling her "Lina" or "my little Lina". Therava is stronger in the One Power than Galina, and is believed to be stronger than any sister in the White Tower.^[20]

When Faile Bashere is captured, Therava makes her spy on Sevanna.

In Knife of Dreams, Therava vows to return to the Aiel Waste, taking Galina with her. She says she will never return to the wetlands.

Tigraine Mantear

Lady Tigraine of House Mantear was the Daughter-Heir of Andor. Her brother was Luc and her mother was Queen Modrellein Mantear. Her personal sigil was a woman's hand gripping a thorny rose stem with a white blossom.

She married Taringail Damodred, whom she never loved, to help relations between Andor and Cairhien and they had a son, Galad Damodred. She was told by the Aes Sedai Gitara Moroso to become a Maiden of the Spear or the world would suffer. She traveled into the Waste in 972 NE, causing the Succession War. Within a year she had become a Maiden, taking on the name of Shaiel meaning "woman who is dedicated".

She was adopted into the Chumai Sept of the Taardad Aiel and fell in love with the clan chief, Janduin. She traveled with the Taardad over the Dragonwall to execute King Laman Damodred, the Oathbreaker. In the third year of the Aiel War, she became pregnant to Janduin. She should have been sent home, but was not, and had her child on the third day of The Battle of the Shining Walls, the last day of Nesan, 978 NE and died moments later. Her child, Rand al'Thor, is the prophesied Dragon Reborn, the central character of The Wheel of Time.

References

1. Winter's Heart, Chapter 25: Bonds
2. A Memory of Light, Epilogue: To See the Answer
3. The Shadow Rising, Chapter 23: Beyond the Stone
4. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 23: The Fifth, I Give You
5. The Shadow Rising, Chapter 34: He Who Comes With the Dawn
6. The Shadow Rising, Chapter 57: A Breaking in the Three-fold Land
7. The Shadow Rising, Chapter 49: Cold Rocks Hold
8. The Shadow Rising, Chapter 50: Traps
9. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 6: Gateways
10. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 20: Jangai Pass
11. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 42: Before the Arrow
12. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 44: The Lesser Sadness
13. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 45: After the Storm
14. Dragonmount.com - Frequently Asked Questions - When Gaidal Cain disappeared from Tel'aran'rhiod was he reincarnated as Olver?
15. The Gathering Storm, Prologue: What the Storm Means
16. Lord of Chaos, Glossary
17. The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 43: This Place, This Day
18. A Crown of Swords, Chapter 2: The Butcher's Yard
19. The Path of Daggers, Chapter 12: New Alliances
20. The Path of Daggers, Ch. 11: Questions and an Oath

External links

• www.encyclopaedia-wot.org