channel: (verb) To control the flow of the One Power. See also One Power.
Children of the Light: Society of strict ascetic beliefs, owing allegiance to no nation and dedicated to the defeat of the Dark One and the destruction of all Darkfriends. Founded during the War of the Hundred Years to proselytize against an increase in Darkfriends, they evolved during the war into a completely military society. Extremely rigid in beliefs, and certain that only they know the truth and the right. Consider Aes Sedai and any who support them to be Darkfriends. Known disparagingly as Whitecloaks. Their sign is a golden sunburst on a field of white.
Colavaere (COH-lah-veer) of house saighan (sye-GHAN): A high-ranking lady of Cairhien, manipulative and scheming, which is to describe Cairhienin nobility in general, who has had so much power that she sometimes forgets her own vulnerability to a greater.
Couladin (COO-lah-dihn): An ambitious man of the Domai sept of the Shaido Aiel. His warrior society is Seia Doon, the Black Eyes.
cuendillar (CWAIN-deh-yar): An indestructible substance created during the Age of Legends. Any force used in an attempt to break it is absorbed, making cuendillar stronger. Also called heartstone.
damane (dah-MAH-nee): In the Old Tongue, literally: “leashed one.” Seanchan term for women who can channel and are, as they see it, properly controlled by use of a’dam. Women who can channel but are not yet damane are called marath’damane, literally, “those who must be leashed.” See also a’dam; Seanchan; sul’dam.
Darkfriends: Adherents of the Dark One. They believe they will gain great power and rewards, even immortality, when he is freed.
Dark One: Most common name, used in every land, for Shai’tan (SHAY-ih-TAN). The source of evil, antithesis of the Creator. Imprisoned by the Creator in Shayol Ghul at the moment of Creation. An attempt to free him brought about the War of the Shadow, the tainting of saidin, the Breaking of the World, and the end of the Age of Legends.
Dark One, naming the: Saying the true name of the Dark One (Shai’tan) draws his attention, bringing ill fortune at best, disaster at worst. For that reason many euphemisms are used, among them the Dark One, Father of Lies, Sightblinder, Lord of the Grave, Shepherd of the Night, Heartsbane, Soulsbane, Heartfang, Old Grim, Grassburner and Leaf-blighter. Darkfriends call him the Great Lord of the Dark. Someone who seems to be inviting ill fortune is often said to be “naming the Dark One.”
Daughter-heir: Title of the heir to the Lion Throne of Andor. Without a surviving daughter, the throne goes to the nearest female blood relation of the Queen. Dissension over exactly who was nearest by blood has several times led to power struggles, the latest being “the Succession”—so called in Andor and “the Third War of Andoran Succession” elsewhere—which brought Morgase of House Trakand to the throne.
Dobraine (doh-BRAIN) of house Taborwin (tah-BOHR-wihn): A high-ranking lord of Cairhien who believes in keeping the letter of his oaths.
Dragon, false: Name given to various men who have claimed to be the Dragon Reborn. Some began wars that involved many nations. Over the centuries most were unable to channel, but a few could. All, however, either disappeared or were captured or killed without fulfilling any of the Prophecies of the Dragon. Among those who could channel, the most powerful were Raolin Darksbane (active 335–36 AB), Yurian Stonebow (circa 1300–1308 AB), Davian (FY 351), Guaire Amalasan (FY 939–43), Logain (997 NE), and Mazrim Taim (998 NE). See also Dragon Reborn.
Dragon, Prophecies of the: Little known except among the well-educated and seldom spoken of, the Prophecies, given in The Karaethon Cycle (ka-REE-ah-thon), foretell that the Dark One will be freed again, and that Lews Therin Telamon, the Dragon, will be Reborn to fight Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle against the Shadow. He will, say the Prophecies, save the world—and Break it again. See also Dragon, the.
Dragon, the: Name by which Lews Therin Telamon was known during the War of the Shadow, some three thousand or more years ago. In the madness that overtook all male Aes Sedai, Lews Therin killed everyone who carried any of his blood, as well as everyone he loved, thus earning the name Kinslayer. See also Dragon, Prophecies of the; Dragon Reborn.
Dragon Reborn: According to the Prophecies of the Dragon, the man who is the Rebirth of Lews Therin Kinslayer. See also Dragon, false; Dragon, Prophecies of the; Dragon, the.
Dragonwall: See Spine of the World.
Dreadlords: Men and women able to channel, who went over to the Shadow during the Trolloc Wars, acting as generals over armies of Trollocs, Myrddraal and Darkfriends. Occasionally confused with the Forsaken by the less well educated.
Dreamer: See Talents.
dreamwalker: Aiel name for a woman able to enter Tel’aran’rhiod. See also Tel’aran’rhiod.
Egwene al’Vere (eh-GWAIN al-VEER): A young woman from Emond’s Field, in the Two Rivers district of Andor. Now one of the Accepted, she is in training with Aiel dreamwalkers, and is possibly a Dreamer. See also dreamwalker; Talents.
Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan (eh-LY-da doh AHV-rih-nee ah-ROY-han): An Aes Sedai, formerly of the Red Ajah, now raised to the Amyrlin Seat. Once advisor to Queen Morgase of Andor. She sometimes has the Foretelling.
Elayne (ee-LAIN) of House Trakand (trah-KAND): Queen Morgase’s daughter, the Daughter-Heir to the Throne of Andor. Now one of the Accepted. Her sign is a golden lily. See also Daughter-Heir.
Enaila (eh-NYE-lah): A Maiden of the Spear. Of the Jarra sept of the Chareen Aiel. Touchy concerning her height, she has a remarkable attitude toward Rand al’Thor considering that she is no more than a year older than he.
Faile (fah-EEL): In the Old Tongue, means “falcon.” Name assumed by Zarine Bashere (zah-REEN bah-SHEER), a young woman from Saldaea.
Faolain orande (FOW-lain oh-RAN-deh): An Accepted who does not like wilders.
Far Dareis Mai (FAHR DAH-rize MY): In the Old Tongue, literally, “Of the Spear Maidens.” Aiel warrior society which, unlike any other, admits women and only women. A Maiden may not marry and remain in the society, nor may she fight while carrying a child. Any child born to a Maiden is given to another woman to raise, in such a way that no one knows the child’s mother. (“You may belong to no man, nor may any man belong to you, nor any child. The spear is your lover, your child, and your life.”) See also Aiel; Aiel warrior societies.
Five Powers: There are threads to the One Power, named according to the sorts of things that can be done using them—Earth, Air (sometimes called Wind), Fire, Water, and Spirit, which are called the Five Powers. A wielder of the Power will have a greater strength with one, or possibly two but rarely more, and lesser with the others. In the Age of Legends, Spirit was found equally in men and in women, but great ability with Earth and/or Fire occurred much more often among men, ability with Water and/or Air among women. Despite exceptions, it was so often so that Earth and Fire came to be regarded as male Powers, Air and Water as female.
Flame of Tar Valon: Symbol of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat, and the Aes Sedai. A stylized representation of a flame; a white teardrop, point upwards.
Forsaken, the: Name given to thirteen of the most powerful Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends, thus among the most powerful ever known, who went over to the Dark One during the War of the Shadow in return for the promise of immortality. Their own name for themselves was “the Chosen.” According to both legend and fragmentary records, they were imprisoned along with the Dark One when his prison was resealed. The names given to them are still used to frighten children. They were: Aginor (AGH-ih-nohr), Asmodean (ahs-MOH-dee-an), Balthamel (BAAL-thah-mell), Be’lal (BEH-lahl), Demandred (DEE-man-drehd), Graendal (GREHN-dahl), Ishamael (ih-SHAH-may-EHL), Lanfear (LAN-feer), Mesaana (meh-SAH-nah), Moghedien (moh-GHEH-dee-ehn), Rahvin (RAAV-ihn), Sammael (SAHM-may-EHL), and Semirhage (SEH-mih-RHAHG).
Gaidal Cain (GAY-dahl KAIN): Hero-swordsman of legend and story, always linked to Birgitte and said to be as handsome as she was beautiful. One of the heroes supposed to be called back when the Horn of Valere is sounded. See also Birgitte; Horn of Valere.