Gawyn (GAH-wihn): Queen Morgase’s son, and Elayne’s brother. His sign is a white boar.
gentling: The act, performed by Aes Sedai, of shutting off a male who can channel from the One Power. This is necessary because any man who learns to channel will go insane from the taint on saidin and will almost certainly do horrible things with the Power in his madness. A man who has been gentled can still sense the True Source, but he cannot touch it. Whatever madness has come before gentling is arrested by the act of gentling, but not cured by it, and if it is done soon enough death can be averted. See also One Power, the; stilling.
gleeman: A traveling storyteller, musician, juggler, tumbler, and all-around entertainer. Known by their trademark cloaks of many-colored patches, they perform mainly in the villages and smaller towns.
Goaban (GO-ah-banh): One of the nations wrung from Artur Hawkwing’s empire during the War of the Hundred Years. It weakened, and faded away approximately 500 NE. See also Artur Hawkwing; War of the Hundred Years.
Great Blight, the: A region in the far north, entirely corrupted by the Dark One. A haunt of Trollocs, Myrddraal, and other creatures of the Shadow.
Great Game, the: See Daes Dae’mar.
Great Hunt of the Horn, The: A cycle of stories concerning the legendary search for the Horn of Valere, in the years between the end of the Trolloc Wars and the beginning of the War of the Hundred Years. If told in its entirety, the cycle would take many days.
Great Lord of the Dark: The name by which Darkfriends refer to the Dark One, claiming that to use his true name would be blasphemous.
Great Serpent: A symbol for time and eternity, ancient before the Age of Legends began, consisting of a serpent eating its own tail. A ring in the shape of the Great Serpent is awarded to women who have been raised to the Accepted among the Aes Sedai.
Hailene (heye-LEE-neh): In the Old Tongue, “Those Who Come Before,” or “Forerunners.”
Halfman: See Myrddraal.
Hardan: One of the nations wrung from Artur Hawkwing’s empire, now long forgotten. It lay between Cairhien and Shienar.
Hawkwing, Artur: A legendary king (ruled FY 943–994) who united all the lands west of the Spine of the World. He even sent armies across the Aryth Ocean (FY 992), but all contact with these was lost at his death, which set off the War of the Hundred Years. His sign was a golden hawk in flight. See also War of the Hundred Years.
heartstone: An indestructible substance created during the Age of Legends. Any force used in an attempt to break it is absorbed, making heartstone stronger. See also cuendillar.
hide: A unit of area for measuring land, equal to 100 paces by 100 paces.
Horn of Valere (vah-LEER): The legendary object of the Great Hunt of the Horn. The Horn supposedly can call back dead heroes from the grave to fight against the Shadow.
Hundred Companions, the: One hundred male Aes Sedai, among the most powerful of the Age of Legends, who, led by Lews Therin Telamon, launched the final stroke that ended the War of the Shadow by sealing the Dark One back into his prison. The Dark One’s counterstroke tainted saidin; the Hundred Companions went mad and began the Breaking of the World. See also Time of Madness; Breaking of the World; True Source; One Power.
Hurin (HEW-rhin): A Shienaran who has the ability to smell where violence has been done, and to follow the scent of those who did it. Called a “sniffer,” he serves the King’s justice in Fal Dara, in Shienar.
Illian (IHL-lee-ahn): A great port on the Sea of Storms, capital city of the nation of the same name.
Ingtar, Lord, of House Shinowa (IHNG-tahr); (shih-NOH-wah): A Shienaran warrior. His sign is the Gray Owl.
Ishamael (ih-SHAH-may-EHL): In the Old Tongue, “Betrayer of Hope.” One of the Forsaken. Name given to the leader of the Aes Sedai who went over to the Dark One in the War of the Shadow. It is said that even he forgot his true name. See also Forsaken.
Karaethon Cycle, The (ka-REE-ah-thon): See Dragon, Prophecies of the.
kith: Close friends and acquaintances.
Laman (LAY-mahn): A king of Cairhien, of House Damodred, who lost his throne and life in the Aiel War.
Lan; al’Lan Mandragoran (AHL-LAN man-DRAG-or-an): A Warder, bonded to Moiraine. Uncrowned King of Malkier, Dai Shan, and the last surviving Malkieri lord. See also Warder; Moiraine; Malkier; Dai Shan.
Lanfear (LAN-fear): In the Old Tongue, “Daughter of the Night.” One of the Forsaken, perhaps the most powerful next to Ishamael. Unlike the other Forsaken, she chose this name herself. She is said to have been in love with Lews Therin Telamon. See also Forsaken; Dragon, the.
league: See Length, units of.
Leane (lee-AHN-eh): An Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah, and Keeper of the Chronicles. See also Ajah; Chronicles, Keeper of the.
Leashed Ones: See damane.
Length, units of: 10 inches = 3 hands = 1 foot; 3 feet = 1 pace; 2 paces = 1 span; 1000 spans = 1 mile; 4 miles = 1 league.