The Gathering Storm Read-Through #3: Chapter 1 - Tears From Steel

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

In The Gathering Storm the wind starts at the White Tower, a centre of power for three thousand years. That position has been seriously undermined. It’s now isolated in its own little state and has been broken and corrupted - by different people as the text hints: Elaida and Siuan broke it and Mesaana and the Black Ajah corrupted it.

More signs of corruption and civil disorder in Tar Valon are the bold street toughs. The Tower no longer manages its city well. Elaida is too busy and Aes Sedai eyes are turned elsewhere: on each other.

A few of the city's buildings are described and their forms presage some important issues of the book. The dome hinting at the form of a rising sun refers to Rand. He finally visits Tar Valon “soon”. The building is dwarfed by the Tower as are all the other buildings in the city and this reflects the Aes Sedai perspective on Rand and the world. Or how the Aes Sedai would like to see themselves in relation to Rand. But Dragonmount dwarfs the Tower…

Since flowing water usually refers to saidar, the fountain of two waves crashing together:

There a fountain sprang from the top of a building itself, cresting what appeared to be two waves crashing together.

The Gathering Storm, Tears From Steel

could refer to the Tower/rebel conflict or at least the upcoming Elaida/Egwene confrontation and also foreshadows the Seanchan attack on TV, which will include large numbers of damane. Elaida's rooms are near the top of the Tower, and at least part of the Seanchan attack will land on the roof, just as the fountain is on top of a building.

The two buildings of women reaching hands to each other:

a pair of steep three-story buildings stood opposite one another, each crafted into the form of a maiden. The marble creations — half-statue, half-dwelling — reached with stone hands toward one another as if in greeting, hair billowing behind, immobile, yet carved with such delicacy that every strand seemed to undulate in the wind's passing.

The Gathering Storm, Tears From Steel

reminded me of Egwene's dream of a Seanchan woman who will reach a hand to pull Egwene to safety. The two groups need to reconcile their attitudes to their respective female channellers. Another conflict in need of reconciliation is that of the rebel and Tower Aes Sedai. They will finally rejoin at the end of this book.

Even at the beginning of the White Tower’s foundation when the buildings were constructed there were dissenting groups of Aes Sedai forcibly made to join, and there have been mutinies at irregular intervals…and schisms too. The Tower unity has been a façade at times.

Much is made of the contribution men are making to the city in this chapter. The men are portrayed positively, more so than the Aes Sedai, who let the city decline. The Tower Guard are clean, unstained and white.

Then there's the irony of Reds working with men, and it's to weaken the city defenses further to remove the half-cuendillar harbour chain. This also reminded me of the six Reds gone to bond Asha'man Warders and the barrier of the Black Tower’s walls and the dreamspike which in Towers of Midnight will force the Reds and Logain’s faction to work together to break them.

Reds are destroying the Tower’s defences – chipping away at stones - just as Elaida destroyed Tower unity. In fact it is the outcome of Elaida’s divisiveness. The Tower’s stone defences are warded, and the Reds’ unravelling of these wards so men can remove the walls is symbolic of the Reds no longer needing to protect the world against male channellers but, as Pevara’s group shows in Towers of Midnight, working with men against a greater danger. Tsutama’s decree that Reds can bond male channellers as Warders is also chipping away at Reds’ prejudices.

Later in the book men will fight to protect the Aes Sedai and to rescue Egwene. Egwene planned that men should do any fighting to settle the schism too. If the Aes Sedai fight each other they can never be reunited.

While the Tower’s perimeter is being broken with the aid of men, the rebel camp’s perimeter now excludes men:

There was a tight perimeter between the inner camp and the outer one, a perimeter that had most recently been intended to exclude men, particularly those who could wield saidin.

However looking on men as ‘the danger’ was shown to be a fallacy in Knife of Dreams, since the danger came from a woman channelling saidin, and from one of their own Sitters.

In the rebel camp novices are being washerwomen. It’s symbolic of the Aes Sedai ‘washing its dirty linen in public’ and not hiding the shame of its disunity and the Black Ajah from the world.

Novices are beating rugs among the rebels, while their Amyrlin is a novice and is being beaten in the Tower. In the next chapter Egwene will say that she feels like a beaten rug after a session with Silviana.

The wind at the start of each book shows us ‘which way the wind is blowing’. It is the breath of the world: the world’s prana or chi, a reflection of the world’s vital spirit or energy flow.

The wind sweeps west from the White Tower past the rebels and is blocked and re-directed south to Rand by something from the Blight. It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good... as the saying goes. Its journey shows that Rand’s and Egwene's story lines are linked (and will be the central part of the book).

Much of this path is the reverse of that which Verin took Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, Mat and Hurin along in The Dragon Reborn and is another linking of Egwene and Rand.

The wind also symbolically moves from the beginning of the Third Age, where men are excluded, through to the chaos of now and indicates the extent of the Shadow’s influence on events. “Arid Domain” is what Arad Doman refers to and look at the state of it now. And as the interference from the Blight suggests, the chaos gets worse in The Gathering Storm. Graendal vowed in Lord of Chaos,that “she would sow chaos till the harvest made Demandred’s lungs explode.”

Rand is in Arad Doman to restore order and to protect it from the Seanchan. Graendal’s philosophy of ‘everyone in their place for the greater good of society and to serve her’ is a mockery of the social structure of the Seanchan, who are being prevented from taking control of Arad Doman. They too have a society based on a proper place for everyone and serving the Empire and Empress; but where they would bring order, Graendal brings chaos. Ituralde used Graendal’s orders to rally Domani and Taraboners into striking at the Seanchan and madden them enough to trap them.

Rand thinks the tents of Bashere's army look like stones on a board; he sees the army as something to be manipulated, as a war game. Distancing oneself from people is a sign of mental illness.

Rand is linked to Moridin, who fancies himself as a gamemaster and has previously used the board game metaphor for the way he directs and controls events – and cheats by playing both sides. The aim of stones being to surround numbers of your enemy’s pieces rather than take them piece by piece…

As he has in the past, Lews Therin bleeds across the link to Rand. There is leakage between Moridin and Rand too, shown in how they reflect each others’ stance and attitude. Rand’s likening of the Saldaean camp to a stones board and his thoughts:

Besides, he didn’t need to understand women in order to use them.

The Gathering Storm Tears From Steel

may be an influence from Moridin.

Graendal is all for everyone being in their “proper” place as defined by her so they can serve her as Rand is, but she believes it is essential to understand the people you want to manipulate. Ironically she had this thought in response to Sammael’s puzzlement over why Rand got upset when women died fighting for him...(Lord of Chaos, To Understand a Message).

Rand’s comment also expresses his self-loathing over feeling forced to use women, as though he knows how much his integrity of character has gone downhill, but can’t /won’t do anything about it. Yet.

Semirhage’s capture reminds Rand sharply of his own capture by the Tower embassy. This is why he won’t allow her to be tortured as he was. He doesn’t want to corrupt women either by allowing their torture, or allowing them to torture others. He doesn’t want to be like those Aes Sedai. And in fact the key to breaking Semirhage isn’t torture but another kind of cruelty – humiliation.

Semirhage's diagnosis of Rand’s madness:

"He’s insane... Clearly, he is hearing Lews Therin's voice. It makes no difference that his voice is real, however. In fact, that makes his situation worse. Even Graendal usually failed to achieve reintegration with someone who heard a real voice. I understand the descent into terminal madness can be . . . abrupt." Her lips curved in a smile that never touched her dark eyes.

Knife of Dreams, A Plain Wooden Box

whether real or false is not surprisingly undermining Rand. Supposedly she rarely lies, but she'll say anything to inflict pain. Is this paradoxical? Or is somebody wrong?

Graendal claimed no belief in ‘past lives’ anyway, judging by what she said in The Fires of Heaven, Prologue:

“It may well be that, as many believe, all are born and reborn as the Wheel turns….”

I’m not keen on relying on corrupt doctors. Nor on ones that disbelieve the source of the problem.

Rand’s state is steel, but Lews Therin is tears:

Yes, that was definitely sobbing, not laughter. Sometimes it was hard to tell with Lews Therin.

The Gathering Storm, Tears From Steel

Since Rand just suppresses all his feelings, or distances himself from them it’s no wonder he finds it hard to distinguish them. Incidentally the way he does distance himself from feeling is akin to living wrapped in the Oneness as Lanfear recommended as a way to become great. Great…

Rand says he has become steel – the man of steel, Superman. But Superman had a vulnerability. After Semirhage tortures him Rand tries to be cuendillar man, so hard he is now a statue, catatonic and unbending, not just unyielding. Finally he becomes a genuine super man at the end of the book by being neither steel nor cuendillar.

How apt that Rand sees through watery eyes at this stage. With corruption (and tears) all through the chapter, I doubt he is stainless steel. Lews Therin cries on Rand’s behalf.

Rand assumes he and Lews Therin will merge although as he discovers at the end of The Gathering Storm they were never two. Min's viewing of two men merging could just as easily have been Moridin and Rand. Too bad she gave no description of the other man she saw.

Rand's concentration on need is like using need in Tel'aran'rhiod: bending one's situation to suit one's will.

Need. No longer was it about what Rand wanted or what he wished. Everything he did focused only on need, and what he needed most was the lives of those who followed him.

The Gathering Storm, Tears From Steel

He does this increasingly through The Gathering Storm so that only the strongest is able, or dares, to withstand his will. Tuon and Nynaeve being two.

When Rand thinks that “Only Tarmon Gai'don matters” he sounds like Masema. Yet Rand has made a conscious decision not to use torture - not to be prepared to do anything to win. Cadsuane, who wanted Rand less dark and unfeeling, less like Shadar Logoth, thinks he should permit torture. Go figure.

Nynaeve says Semirhage is dangerous beyond reason. Rand found out how right she was. Semirhage did not scruple to do more to Rand than even the worst he could think of.

Cadsuane is dressed in green and yellow, representing life and healing, Nynaeve is in grey and yellow - mediation and healing - and Alivia in red - war (not Red Ajah since she's never been indoctrinated). War is about all Alivia knows.

How amusing that the Red Ajah now allows Asha’man Warders, whereas Rand has a ‘Red’ Warder in Alivia. I think this symmetry is intended, after all, Alivia feels she owes her freedom to Rand. Red clothes would have to be the most defiant gesture a slave can make after nearly 400 years dressed only in grey. A genuine Red, Teslyn, vowed to do anything for Mat in return for being freed from the Seanchan.None of the women with Rand could bring themselves to say anything about what was obviously an episode of insanity.

The dragon on Rand's handless arm has no head. This refers to Rand's insanity which is now openly known to those around him and is handicapping him. Is Cadsuane mad trying to force a madman to be polite? Can this help him keep those he needs around him? Barely. There's no laughter or tears in Rand, yet there is in Lews Therin. Rand's probably madder than Lews Therin since Lews Therin is more aware of what has happened than Rand is.

Rand expresses a dark view of Egwene in this chapter and in Chapter 1 of Towers of Midnight she will reciprocate. Part of Rand’s bitterness is leakage from Lews Therin who is angry that the women wouldn’t help at Shayol Ghul:

They refused to help us, you know. Refused! Said my plan was too reckless. That left me with only the Hundred Companions, no women to form a circle. Traitors! This is their fault. But. . . but I'm the one who killed Hyena. Why?

The Gathering Storm, Tears From Steel

and this leads into the vital questions of how to seal the Bore and what the role Egwene and the female channellers will payin this, and how to get men and women working together in balance.

How pitiful Rand has become:

My eyes see as if in a fog, my hand is burned away, and the old wounds in my side rip open if I do anything more strenuous than breathe. I'm dry, like an overused well. I need to finish my work here and get to Shayol Ghul. Otherwise, there won't be anything left of me for the Dark One to kill.

The Gathering Storm, Tears From Steel

Rand’s insight into his condition is more accurate than he knows. He is blind (foggy vision), losing his humanity (symbolised by losing one hand) and tainted, constrained so he can barely move safely. He is unable to cry due to being “dry” but Lews Therin leaks tears. As he realises after his epiphany, he does need to get to Shayol Ghul before the Dark One is too strong.

We have been told that Rand’s sword was Artur Hawkwing’s: it was confirmed by Kathana Travaeler of Dragonmount that this is the sword Justice through direct email correspondence with Brandon and Maria. This fact has not yet been used in the books.

The elation Rand feels from Elayne through the bond would be when Elayne secured the support she needed for the throne at the end of Knife of Dreams. The mood didn’t last long.

Brandon’s characterisation in this chapter is quite good, but there are out-of-character expressions. When Rand called Asmodean a weasel of a man it seemed the wrong word for me. It grated. Min I thought pretty consistent with how RJ portrayed her. Cadsuane doesn’t stride, RJ usually described her walk as smooth, a glide. Also, there was the art reference which didn’t work. Otherwise she was well enough. Lews Therin and Rand were excellently done and Nynaeve was good.

I shall end this post with some foreshadowing for A Memory of Light that also links with viewings Min has recently had on swords:

Rand reaching for his sword— a useless gesture, now. The loss of his hand, though it wasn't his primary sword hand, would leave him vulnerable if he were to face a skilled opponent. Even with saidin to provide a far more potent weapon, his first instinct was for the sword. He'd have to change that. It might get him killed someday.

The Gathering Storm Tears From Steel

So it might.

Post #22 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Seanchan were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. The Seanchan section is a large one due to its highly structured society and has many illustrations. The Seanchan styles have strong similarities with Chinese and Japanese costume, with lesser but still significant influence also from Byzantine, Ottoman and Ancient Egyptian dress.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #2: Prologue POVs 4-6

By Linda



WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

This post covers the second half of The Gathering Storm Prologue, starting with Graendal’s POV.

Graendal’s parallels are really obvious in the first scene of this POV: man-hungry Circe in her lair, which is a palace in a forest above a lake like Nazi leader Hermann Goering’s Carinhall (see Graendal essay for more on her parallels). She has enslaved a member of the Merchant Council and is tempted or distracted by Moridin’s messenger; he makes her think about killing Moridin.

She doesn’t appear to be as intelligent as RJ’s earlier portrayals of her. Normally her shallowness is a facade to deceive others, here it is more pervasive. For example, she criticises Mesaana’s appearance and suggests Mesaana joined the Shadow for research opportunities. Yet Graendal made a different and rather better diagnosis of Mesaana’s motives in Lord of Chaos. Graendal also daydreams of putting Moridin under Compulsion to serve her as her pet. She is fooled by one of Moridin’s serving men:

There was silence in the too-black room for a time, and then a servant in a crisp red uniform entered, bearing two cups. He was an ugly thing, with a flat face and bushy eyebrows, worth no more than a passing glance.

- The Gathering Storm, Prologue

He was probably watching her while she disregarded him and so was definitely worth more than a passing glance. (This servant appears to be the reverse of the beautiful, white-clad zomaran, but perhaps has a similar role in unexpectedly ‘reading’ Moridin’s guests.)

Moridin is in the deep Northeastern Blight in a black stone building with no glass in windows. Just as Graendal has her Carinhall, so Moridin could own multiple towers/fortresses as the Nazis did. Shadowspawn in this part of the Blight supposedly only obey the Dark One, not even Moridin. It is hot and very austere. Graendal used to be into austerity, but she isn’t now. Or did she only like her own austerity and not anyone else’s? A thinly-veiled holier-than-thou?

Moridin has become more stern and authoritative – more like Rand. He stands staring at nothing like Rand does. Rand and Moridin are merging. Moridin, the would-be captor of the Fisher King, is himself becoming like the Fisher King.

Unlike Rand, Moridin is obsessed with killing Mat and Perrin. Graendal wants to kill Rand instead, as probably all the Forsaken except Moridin do. Each one thinks they are the only one who dares to consider killing Rand against orders. Moridin doesn’t want Rand dead yet until he is in the right place at the right time:

”He is to live unharmed until he can face me at that last day.”

- The Gathering Storm, Prologue

The other Forsaken disregard this. Does Moridin think that the Pattern will look after Rand until the Last Moment or when Rand breaks the Seals and that is the Shadow’s chance to kill him and win?

Graendal sees Moridin as:

lacking in imagination lately. Everything of black and red, and all focused on killing those fool boys from the village of Rand al'Thor.

The Gathering Storm, Prologue

Is Moridin unimaginative? Or setting them an example of focus? Or is he fooling them all?

Demandred and Mesaana asked for the meeting with Moridin, and arrived together for moral support and to show a united front to Moridin while they ask his aid in rescuing Semirhage. They didn’t think that anyone else would be there that would need fooling – least of all Graendal. Graendal should have known this or been quicker to figure it out.

Moiridin invited her along to put them off balance and to humiliate them; and to manipulate Graendal, too, to make her feel like she should, and could, outdo Demandred, Mesaana and the hapless Semirhage and do what Moridin wants.

A woman – a Darkfriend? A Black Sister? – reported to Mesaana and Demandred that Semirhage didn’t intend to harm Rand, and that injuring him was a reflex. Did this woman witness it personally, or was she told by other witnesses? Elza was not personally present during the attack. Maybe the informant was a sul’dam or damane. The fact that all the Seanchan were revolted by Semirhage’s declaration of her identity means nothing, such is her reputation on both sides.

Demandred says that Semirhage knows he would kill her for killing Rand, because the Dragon’s death is his prerogative. Big deal. Demandred is not convincing here. All the Forsaken are planning on killing Rand if they can and none worry about big shot Demandred paying them out for it.

There will be no rescue of Semirhage as punishment for her failure and because she injured Rand when this was forbidden. and Demandred and Mesaana are forbidden to rescue her.

Rand’s injury pains Moridin, which is why he doesn’t want Rand harmed physically. He’s going to go for psychological pain instead. If he thought he wouldn’t be affected by it, or that it would be less difficult to bear than physical pain, he was wrong. Or maybe he was willing to bear it. The way Moridin lives now – the bleakness and discomfort – would add to Rand’s misery, as would Moridin’s displeasure and frustration with Semirhage. Quite probably Moridin’s fortress serves the dual purpose of adding to Rand’s discomfort through the link, while also intimidating other Forsaken. Moridin’s trying to drive Rand over the edge, but will he feel it too? Moridin’s showing a raw temper like Rand and all his lighter mockery is gone. This becomes obvious when the two souls meet in Tel’aran’rhiod as their old, true selves.

Humiliated or not, Demandred and Mesaana tell something of their plans. Mesaana says she will have all Aes Sedai serving the Shadow and that the White Tower will soon fall to her. She claims she is gaining followers all the time – some knowingly, others not. Who are these followers? And who are they following? We didn’t see much evidence of it in The Gathering Storm or Towers of Midnight. Graendal regards Mesaana’s claims as unsubstantiated boasts.

Demandred prepares for war, and says he will be ready. So he’s not quite ready yet. Is he conning Moridin as much as Mesaana is? He’s ruling someone or something supposedly. Neither we nor Graendal have any idea what Demandred is doing. Graendal thinks he’s a fool to bear a grudge against Lew Therin; that it is a waste of energy and time. Is Demandred with the Borderlander armies? Or on the Seanchan continent?

Graendal has spies on the Borderlander camp but has seen no sign of other Forsaken there. She knows which Aes Sedai Mesaana is pretending to be and has agents watching her. Graendal doesn’t know that Aran’gar left the rebels at least two weeks earlier. She has only just discovered that Semirhage was masquerading as a high-ranking Seanchan.

Lanfear and Moghedien are rallying Darkfriends and trying to kill Mat and Perrin, according to Graendal. She’s probably right: it was probably Lanfear who set Masema up to kill Perrin – her typical modus operandi of dreams and madness was used; and Masema was nearly successful.

Graendal thinks that:

Moridin was gathering the Great Lord's forces for the Last Battle, and his war preparations left him very little time for the south.

The Gathering Storm, Prologue

Despite what Graendal thinks, Moridin probably is doing more than war preparations. Moridin, like Demandred, is very hard to read and keep tabs on, as Graendal discovers on her next visit to Moridin’s fortress in Towers of Midnight.

Graendal didn’t know what to make of Moridin’s looking at her while rebuking Mesaana:

"You will speak when I give you leave, Mesaana," he replied coldly. "You are not yet forgiven."
She cringed, then obviously grew angry at herself for it. Moridin ignored her, glancing over at Graendal, eyes narrow. What was that look for?

The Gathering Storm, Prologue

Again, this is something that Graendal should be able to work out. Moridin looks at Graendal with narrowed eyes because he is seeing if she is taking note of the situation or to make her take note. (And Graendal oversteps far more than Mesaana does.) His look is also designed to annoy Demandred and Mesaana by reminding them they are pleading in front of Graendal.

Moridin tempts Graendal with a carrot, offering a small reward to her in advance, to get her to prevent Rand pacifying Arad Doman, and to bring him emotional pain. The latter order is added seemingly as an afterthought, but is probably more important to his strategy of getting Rand to despair. It very nearly worked. Rand nearly did the Dark One’s job of destroying everything including himself. Moridin is motivating Graendal rather than ordering her, so perhaps her task is a very risky one. I guess the example of Semirhage has sobered them all up.


Ituralde’s POV shows his skill as one of the Great Captains. In this scene he fools the Seanchan and the reader into thinking he has far more forces than he does and that the Seanchan will be attacked on two fronts. Like his later battle in the Borderlands, his victory is one few others could achieve but comes at a high cost. Knowing how good he is, his vain struggles to save Maradon in Towers of Midnight are all the more impressive. Ituralde is the king of lost causes and unwinnable battles.

Will Ituralde have his wish to have access to raken for aerial surveillance? He is one for whom the Seanchan now have great respect, so he may direct some of their forces in the Last Battle. Mat Cauthon can’t be everywhere.


In Masema’s POV we see that despite his words the Prophet’s heart isn’t too pure, but full of personal ambition. He isn’t thinking about how he can help Rand to victory, but about what Rand’s victory will do for him. Masema wants to be raised up to the level just below Rand as his Prophet:

Think not of the past, think of the future, when the Lord Dragon would rule all of the land! When men would be subject only to him, and to his Prophet beneath him. Those days would be glorious indeed, days when none would dare scorn the Prophet or deny his will.

The Gathering Storm Prologue

From what Lanfear told Rand, Asmodean dreamed of something similar:

He dreams of you triumphing over the Great Lord and putting him up beside you on high.

- The Fires of Heaven, Gateways

The two men are not that far apart. They both induced large groups to butcher innocents, ravage the countryside and provide an unwelcome distraction. Masema betrayed the Creator, and Asmodean the Dark One and probably both were meddled with by Lanfear. Masema lost his sanity, Asmodean most of his channelling ability. Both men professed allegiance to Rand, but were not that useful, and both were ambushed and killed by women.

Masema admits the failure of his Dragonsworn movement was his fault – but for the wrong reason. He regrets not killing Perrin long ago in The Great Hunt, before Masema even followed Rand. The night before the battle of Malden Masema saw a vision of Rand commanding him to kill Perrin. He sent Aram to do it. The “vision’ was probably created by one of the Forsaken; Lanfear is the most likely perpetrator. Sending people mad and manipulating their dreams was her modus operandi in the Age of Legends. Moreover Masema’s uncertain mental state can be traced back to early in The Dragon Reborn, when very few of the Forsaken knew where Rand was or who he was with. Lanfear was one who did.

Wandering in dark woods is symbolic of Masema’s state of mind. His memories of life as Masema are blurry, another sign of mental manipulations such as induced insanity or Compulsion.

Can someone be blamed for being sent mad or going mad?

Masema blames Darkfriends for the high casualty rate he suffered at Malden. He assumed the Dragon would protect the Dragonsworn (from afar, even) and lead them to victory. Likewise in the next book, Galad believed the Children would be strong and protected by their belief in the Light and the Creator, until casualties showed him otherwise. His sanity contrasts with Masema’s. One minute Masema is proud and fond of followers, the next contemptuous and thinking they are cowardly or Darkfriends. However, Asunawa also accused Whitecloaks of being Darkfriends when things did not go his way.

This scene of Faile killing Masema reinforces that Faile is important in her own right. The Prophet started out like John the Baptist, and unlike Salome, Faile “took his head” personally. Ambushing Masema in the woods while dressed in green, she is Wild Woman defending her Wild Man husband (see Faile and Berelain and Perrin essays for more on their parallels).

Just as Masema and Asmodean mirror each other, so the Dragonsworn and Darkfriends are both millenarian extremists.

Masema’s followers were renowned for their abnormal, often violent, behaviour in their efforts to recruit for the Dragon. Masema’s concentration on the Dragon’s rebirth and imminent salvation of the world and rejection of everything else as useless is typically millenarian. He preached that belief in the Dragon and obedience to his word is enough to ensure the defeat of the Shadow.

The Forsaken/Darkfriends are far more developed as a millenarian cult. This is hardly surprising, since they were established more than three thousand years ago and it is their master, the Dark One, who wants to end the world as it currently is. From the Shadow’s point of view, their victory will usher in an eternity of rule under the Dark One – a dark eternity of an evil paradise where they will be the elect. Many Darkfriends are in the same mould:

Unlike the Forsaken, Darkfriends have not known immortality, yet they have survived as a society for over three thousand years, serving and waiting for Tarmon Gai’don: the Last Battle…Some extremists are deeply dedicated to obtaining freedom for the Dark One and thus immortality and dominion for themselves.

- The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time

On the other hand, while the Whitecloaks are religious extremists, they showed little acceptance of the Dragon as the Creator’s surrogate and most showed little interest in the Last Battle at all, let alone feel it is imminent, until Galad took charge.

At death Masema’s soul falls into the void. It doesn’t sound like the Creator was impressed with him.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #1: Prologue POVs 1-3

By Linda



WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

The Gathering Storm begins with:

Ravens and crows. Rats. Mists and clouds. Insects and corruption. Strange events and odd occurrences.
The ordinary twisted and strange. Wonders!
The dead are beginning to walk, and some see them. Others do not, but more and more, we all fear the night.
These have been our days. They rain upon us beneath a dead sky, crushing us with their fury, until as one we beg: "Let it begin!"

—Journal of the Unknown Scholar, entry for The Feast of Freia, 1000 NE

Written contemporaneously with current events, the extract describes the chaos of the Last Days. So far we have not seen evidence of the night being worse than the day. But then we have seen little of what Lanfear (who particularly made people fear the night in the Age of Legends) and Moghedien have been doing.

The passage ties in with the prophecy:

The tides of men run out, and the hours dwindle. The wall is pierced, and the veil of parting raised. Storms rumble beyond the horizon, and the fires of heaven purge the earth. There is no salvation without destruction, no hope this side of death."

- The Fires Of Heaven, Opening prophecy

The veil of parting being raised refers to the dead walking. To save the world Rand and his aides either cause destruction, or cannot prevent it; plus many, including Rand will die. The disorder in the Land engendered by the Shadow damages the Wheel. With the Wheel damaged it is hard to keep order in the Land and the Pattern – a vicious cycle.

The Wheel of Time world is based on “As above, so below” and therefore overturning proper world order and imposing Wrongness will destabilise the Pattern making the world. Prophecy (and omens too) “works” in this world because the whole, the Pattern, can be read in even the smallest part. But not if the Pattern is disturbed. Warp things enough and ultimately the Pattern and the Wheel can be broken. At the least, by engendering chaos people can be prevented from reading Tel’aran’rhiod, dreams and omens to learn what is soon to happen.

Freia refers to the Norse goddess of love, fertility, war, death, magic, prophecy, and wealth Freyja, a parallel of Tuon, who is also Empress, a justice/order/fortune goddess and queen of the Underworld (see Tuon essay).


The Borderlander POV begins with black and silver clouds and these have been seen before: in the local area around Thakan’dar, but now they are moving out over the Land. It’s an indication that the Dark One’s sphere of influence is spreading. Soon his touch will be as great as it was when the Bore was open.

These silver clouds are not the sort to have a silver lining. Their silver appearance was likened to steel:

And what to make of silver clouds? Bulging between the black ones, like places where polished steel shone through metal crusted with soot.

The Gathering Storm Prologue

The clouds are burnished or brandished like weapons and show the Land under threat. The Dark One has used weather/climate as a weapon before when he tried to hold the Land in summer.

The clouds let through silver light instead of the golden light of the Sun. A reference to moonlight; it reminds me of Lanfear’s moon associations. It also shows the anti-naturalness of the Dark One opposing the Creator/Nature.

Renald the farmer and some-time smith sacrificed his best scythe to make a weapon. It was hard to do:

At the tool wall, he reached for his third-best scythe, but stopped. Taking a deep breath, he took the best scythe off the wall instead. He walked back out to the forge and knocked the haft off the scythe.

The Gathering Storm Prologue

He is aware of why they need to convert tools to weapons and go to fight:

“How can we just go off?"
"Because," Renald said, "if we don't leave, then it won't matter if we planted or not."

The Gathering Storm Prologue

In Aiel society blacksmith’s don’t fight; they are too valuable because they provide weapons and tools for the clan. The unnaturalness and wrongness of the Dark One is ensuring that nothing will grow, and so the growers must also fight for the health of the Land. It’s time to make weapons instead of growing things. The people could all starve, but if they don’t fight they will all die anyway.

Humble people are the first to react and go north to confront the end fighting. They accept that it is the end – the Last Days. (Likewise there are signs in Towers of Midnight that other animals as well as the wolves look/move to the north.) Their dedication and courage contrasts with the reckless actions and ambitions of nobles. Narishma, who is a skilled fighter and yet of humble origins, expands on this later in the book:

"A Borderlander's place is guarding the Border," Narishma said. "I was a cobbler's son, and yet I was trained with the sword, spear, bow, axe and sling. Even before joining the Asha'man, I could best four out of five trained southern soldiers in a duel. We live to defend. And yet they left. Now, of all times. With thirteen Aes Sedai." He glanced at her with those dark eyes of his. "I want to trust them. I know them for good people. But good people can do the wrong thing. Particularly when men who can channel are involved."

- The Gathering Storm, Scents Unknown

The rulers’ and their armies’ absence from the Borderlands is convenient for the Shadow. Darkfriends among their advisors may have encouraged the rulers to take more forces than they should have. RJ said on his blog that this was a plot of Shadow:

The Forsaken are a group of power hungry people who don't like one another and vie with one another for power as much as they vie with the forces of the Light. Much like the internal politicking in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. But look at the situation in the world as it actually stands, from the White Tower divided to crop failures caused by a too-long winter and a too-long summer and people fleeing their farms because the Dragon Reborn has broken all bonds, meaning still less food, and that spoiling at a fearsome rate, from chaos in Arad Doman to a large part of the Borderland armies out of position, from the arrival of the Seanchan focusing too many eyes on them instead of the Shadow to the strongest single nation, Andor, riven by civil war in all but name and Tear split by open warfare, from.... Well, take your pick. There are lots more to chose from. Take a step back and look at what the forces of the Shadow have wrought. The world and the forces of the Light are in bad shape. At this point, boys and girls, the Shadow is winning.

Paitar’s aim was to test Rand and if he didn’t measure up, kill him. Yet Rand said if he didn’t have the memories he gained from his epiphany, he would have balefired them with the True Power (which he appears to know how to weave).

Ethenielle said they had all left enough forces unless Trolloc Wars come again…Yet Moridin is planning worse than that. At the end of the Eye of the World Ishamael told Rand that massive armies would come:

Armies you have not dreamed of will yet come.

- The Eye of the World, Against the Shadow

He wasn’t lying.

Obviously the forces that remain won’t be enough and we see that in Towers of Midnight, with large areas of the Borderlander nations except the city of Maradon overrun. Lan’s force of 14 thousand in Tarwin’s Gap is pitiful against over a hundred thousand Trollocs. However, they have to make a stand, because, as Fel said:

“Belief and order give strength.”

- Lord of Chaos, Thorns

and thus lessen the Dark One’s influence. Let’s hope the Pattern comes through in time for them.

The smith Thulin has taken a leadership role and is encouraging others to aid the army in the north. Smiths are very important in pre-modern societies because they make the weapons and tools everyone needs for survival. And that what it’s all about now: survival. It’s interesting that Renald too knows smithing.

The smiths move first, but the wolves wait until Rand’s epiphany and the assurance that there will be a Last Battle. This POV looks to Perrin’s role in the next two books which is of leadership, creating a weapon and accepting that he will be taking others into danger (for a discussion of his roles and parallels, see Perrin essay). Among the animals, the wolves seem to be leading the way. Perrin as blacksmith and wolf king is thus the epitome of a leader in the Last Days.

Smiths are associated with the sky in many mythologies (eg Slavic) and with volcanoes (Ancient Greek). Volcanic eruptions can be associated with severe thunderstorms. Renald hammers as loud as the thunder, a piece of the storm. The smiths in the Prologue have responded to abnormal skies sooner than others. Perrin will stand on the volcano Dragonmount in Tel’ran’rhiod and witness Rand’s epiphany. The wolves with him will rejoice the Last Battle is on and spread the word. In A Memory of Light I predict that the twin volcanoes of Shayol Ghul and Dragonmount will erupt.

Renwar and Thulin have not been seen again in the books, so far.

Next we have two Seanchan POV’s and they complement each other.


Falendre’s POV links back to Knife of Dreams A Plain Wooden Box - which would have benefited from another POV besides Rand’s - and it also looks forward to Tuon’s meeting with Rand.

Cadsuane sent Nynaeve to urge Rand to leave soon. Merise refuses to be commanded by Rand. Nynaeve talks to him as though he had no rank. With three marath’damane not subordinate to Rand, it is no wonder Falendre fears a plot. She sees these marath’damane as manipulating him, even controlling him. Certainly anyone interrogating her will get that impression. Falendre is suspicious of Rand’s actions, even his gift of horses; they could be a scheme.

Falendre intends to deliver Rand’s message to Tuon that he still desires a meeting, that there must be peace between him and the Seanchan, that he will be in Arad Doman to quell the fighting as a sign of good faith, and that Anath was Semirhage – eventually. She thinks it will be difficult to get the opportunity to report to Tuon anyway.

The sul’dam fears losing the right to wear the a’dam, or even that she will be made da’covale. She intended to report to Suroth and she had plenty of time to do so before Tuon returned and stripped Suroth of rank. Like so many people Falendre is more worried about her own position than keeping a vow, following orders, or reporting what happened.

It is very telling that Falendre keeps looking Rand in the eye, when even long time Seanchan colleagues don’t once one of them is promoted to the Low Blood. She recognises Rand’s rank, is dismayed he was insulted by the marath’damane, yet she meets his eyes.

He’s just a male marath’damane - or worse.

Tuon is a lot like Elaida in her attitude to the Dragon Reborn and these false impressions that the Aes Sedai are controlling Rand will make her all the more eager to destroy the Tower. If the Aes Sedai control Rand, they simply must be destroyed as soon as possible. Then she will move on Rand. It is no use moving on Rand until his controllers are defeated. Tylee, who has the second Seanchan POV in the Prologue, also influences Tuon’s decisions.

When Tuon and Rand do meet she just wants him under tight control and instigates the raid on the White Tower.

I liked the imagery of Rand’s eyes being caverns of ice:

For a moment, his eyes were even colder. Not harder. That would have been impossible. But for that long moment, they seemed to hold caverns of ice.

- The Gathering Storm, Prologue

contrasting with the caverns of fire in Ishamael’s eyes and mouth in his previous body, but found “medical aid” to grate as a WOT anachronism.


Tylee's POV shows that she respects and is fond of Perrin. It is two weeks since Malden and she is one day’s march out of Ebou Dar. She knows she has been made one of the blood as Galgan commanded. She doesn’t know what is going on in the world but knows that Perrin does: the dead appearing, the Dark One’s warping of reality. Mishima’s assessment of Perrin as too focused, too driven, but otherwise a good commander is quite accurate.

Most unusually for a Seanchan Tylee wants to ally with the mainlanders rather than conquer them:

We can't afford to be fighting these people, she thought. It was a rebellious thought, one she wouldn't speak to Mishima. She didn't dare ponder it. The Empress, might she live forever, had ordered that this land be reclaimed...
None of them would listen to suggestions that they should be looking for allies among the people of this land, rather than enemies. Thinking about it was close to treason. Insubordination, at least. She sighed and turned to Mishima, prepared to give the order to begin scouting for a place to camp for the night.
She froze. Mishima had an arrow through his neck, a wicked, barbed thing.

- The Gathering Storm, Prologue

Mishima’s first name of Bakayar means ‘fool!’ in Japanese. He was a fool not to believe Trollocs a danger. Tylee may be a ‘fool’ to rebel against Seanchan policy – which she did in The Gathering Storm, Gambits, openly telling Tuon her opinions that they should ally with Rand’s forces against the Shadow and put the Return aside. The Seanchan are fools for prosecuting the wrong war.

Mishima’s death in the Trolloc attack spurs Tylee to question even more. She realises Trollocs are worse than Aes Sedai, Aiel, etc, and are as horrible as Perrin said. What a price to pay to find out though! The Seanchan are fiddling around with the Return, when the real enemy is the Shadow.

Where did the hundreds of Trollocs near Ebou Dar come from? They are far too late to be after Rand or to rescue Semirhage; he’s been moving around a lot in these two weeks. Tuon arrived back in Ebou Dar the same day Tylee was attacked. Perhaps the Trollocs were aimed at Tuon. Note that Tylee did not see a Myrddraal, only Trollocs.

Tylee’s POV looks forward to her report to Tuon in The Gathering Storm Gambits, where her boldly expressed opinion spurs Tuon to delay the attack on the White Tower until after meeting Rand. Tuon resolves to question Tylee thoroughly. Tylee’s views will inevitably colour her report to her superiors in small ways even if she manages to hold back most of her opinions. And their inevitable misinterpretation of events will only fuel her frustration.

Tylee’s sighting of the omen of two dead rats before the Shadowspawn attack:

Earlier today, she'd seen two dead rats lying on their backs, one with a tail in the mouth of the other. It was the worst omen she'd ever seen in her life, and it still chilled her to think of it.

- The Gathering Storm, Prologue

What Tylee saw is something similar to a rat king, which is when rats are joined by their tails fusing or knotting together. It was regarded as an evil omen in earlier times. Tylee thought the two rats the worst omen she’s ever seen, and indeed she suffered heavy casualties, including Mishima, and nearly died herself.

Rats are the Dark One’s spies, and a rat with the tail of another in its mouth might be a reference to the situation of the Seanchan and the mainland forces fighting each other being a plot of the Shadow. On a more personal level, it warns of the danger Tylee and Mishima will be in from the Shadow.

New Theory Posted

By Linda

I’ve decided to start a new section in Theory Corner on general predictions for the last book, A Memory of Light. (Although I guess almost every theory now looks to the final book for its resolution.)

First up are the ideas of a poster named sign - A Persective on AMOL. It contains spoilers for Towers of Midnight.

I’m busy right now with preparations for JordanCon (in Atlanta in April) and then WorldCon 2011 (August in Reno), but later this year I will post my own predictions.

For those who’d like to have their predictions posted on the blog in this way, or any other interesting and well-supported theory, please write them up in either dot point memo style or as a formal theory (as sign’s is) and send them to me in a message on The Thirteenth Depository Forums. Please also feel free to try out your ideas first on the Forums. The more discussion and editing, the better a theory is!

Analysis of Minor Characters #10: Leane

By Linda

Leane is

as tall as most men, willowy and graceful, still beautiful, with coppery skin and short, dark hair.

The Great Hunt, Summoned

She is one of the more interesting Aes Sedai because she chose the wrong Ajah. Brought up to use feminine seductive skills to succeed in life, she was self-conscious about her height and abandoned her efforts once she found out she could channel. It’s an excellent example of how many people feel about their characteristics which deviate from an “ideal norm” and what influence this can have on their lives.

Taken to the Tower between 15 and 18 years old to a society which is the antithesis of Domani cultural ways, she had the wrong “finishing off”. Leane fooled herself as well as others. She had suppressed any interest in or attraction for men so the Green Ajah did not see her as a potential candidate. The Blues would always encourage any strong channellers to join them. They have the reputation of being ambitious and ruthless.

Leane explains how it came to be:

"Domani women don't deserve the whole reputation they have-stiff-necked prigs going by hearsay built most of it-but we have earned some. My mother and my aunts taught me along with my sisters and cousins, of course."
Looking down at herself, she shook her head, then returned to her ministrations with a sigh. "But I fear I was as tall as I am today on my fourteenth naming day. All knees and elbows, like a colt that grew too fast. And not long after I could walk across a room without tripping twice, I learned-" She drew a deep breath. "-learned my life would take me another way than being a merchant.”

The Fires of Heaven Fanning the Sparks

It is revealing that soon after Leane is introduced she shows quite a bit of interest in Perrin and Rand, two tall young men:

Leane looked Rand over with a slight smile. Despite the smile, her voice had a snap to it. "What have you brought the Amyrlin Seat today, Lan Gaidin? A young lion? Better you don't let any Greens see this one, or one of them will bond him before he can take a breath. Greens like to bond them young."

The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn

[Perrin] was still standing there beside Mat's bed when the door opened and Leane came in. She stopped, put her fists on her hips, and looked him slowly up and down. She was nearly as tall as he was.
"Now you," she said, in tones quiet yet brisk, "are almost a pretty enough boy to make me wish I was a Green. Almost. But if you've disturbed my patient...well, I dealt with brothers almost as big as you before I went to the Tower, so you needn't think those shoulders will help you any."...
He tried to slide around her to the door, but suddenly her hands shot out and grabbed his face, tilting it down so she could peer into his eyes. Something seemed to pass through him, a warm ripple that started at the top of his head and went to his feet, then came back again. He pulled his head out of her hands.
"You're as healthy as a young wild animal," she said, pursing her lips. "But if you were born with those eyes, I am a Whitecloak."
"They're the only eyes I ever had," he growled. He felt a little abashed, speaking to an Aes Sedai in that tone, but he was as surprised as she when he took her gently by the arms and lifted her to one side, setting her down again out of his way. As they stared at each other, he wondered if his eyes were as wide with shock as hers. "Excuse me," he said again, and all but ran.

The Great Hunt, Blood Calls Blood

And it’s even more revealing that both of them made her think of the Green Ajah. Perrin, at least, seems to show some return attraction. Once Leane learned who Rand is, she was repelled if anything:

The Keeper shuddered openly at the mention of Rand’s name.

The Shadow Rising, Deceptions

And this was before she paid a high price for being involved in schemes surrounding him.

Leane worked admirably with Siuan for years. We see them in partnership in the Tower, then manipulating Logain and Min and then the rebel Aes Sedai , then finally being reined in by Egwene to become her supporters. Siuan’s only complaint was that Leane revered the office of Amyrlin Seat enough to embrace the ceremony surrounding it:

though Siuan had known her since they were novices together, sometimes Leane’s insistence on upholding the dignity of the Amyrlin Seat was enough to make Siuan want to scream.

The Dragon Reborn, The Amyrlin Seat

And with the ceremony of the Amyrlin Seat, also that of her own position. Perhaps this shows her low self-esteem.

She rarely showed disagreement with Siuan’s commands; one notable example being Egwene’s and Elayne’s raising to Accepted, when she let her body language express her objections.

Even Siuan’s command that the sisters who were to re-capture Taim should still him on the spot rather than bring him to the Tower for trial – which was a command to break Tower law - was accepted by Leane:

"And Leane . . . Mazrim Taim is to be gentled as soon as he is taken again.”
Leane’s eyes opened wide with shock. “The law.”
“I know the law as well as you, but I will not risk having him freed again ungentled. I’ll not risk another Guaire Amalasan, not on top of everything else.”
“Yes, Mother,” Leane said faintly.

The Shadow Rising, Deceptions

This probably says more about Siuan’s commanding nature – and the dangerous times – than as it does about Leane’s docility.

Siuan said a couple of times that if Leane knew that she and Moiraine were letting the Dragon Reborn run free she would turn them in for trial:

"Moiraine, if anyone, even Leane, discovers what we plan, we will both be stilled."

The Great Hunt, Summoned

Yet when Leane became collateral damage in Elaida’s unravelling of Siuan’s and Moiraine’s scheme, and was stilled for it, she did not whine or rage at Siuan. She sacrificed so much when she didn’t really know what was going on until reports arrived at the Tower that Rand held Callandor and was therefore the Dragon Reborn, and accepted her fate with grace. Sheriam, in contrast, had far less to complain about and was far more spiteful. It shows the goodness of Leane’s character. She is like Birgitte who also received unjust treatment in a positive manner, and doesn’t hold grudges.

"Revenge falls short, for me. I know your cause is necessary, and perhaps even, right, but the Light help me, that is not enough either; I can't make myself be as involved as you. Maybe I came too late to it. I will stay with you, but it isn't enough."

The Fires of Heaven, Fanning the Sparks

Siuan showed defiance at being stilled before she was rescued, and focussed on her mission to promote and influence the Dragon Reborn and revenge herself on Elaida, whereas Leane needed urging for all these things. However, few characters would be as tough as Siuan (The Shadow Rising, The Truth of a Viewing). Min observes:

In a small way, a peculiar way surely, Leane had begun making a life for herself apart from concerns of power and the Power and Rand. Not that she had abandoned them entirely, but Min did not think there was anything else for Siuan.

The Fires of Heaven, Sallie Daera

Unlike Siuan who only had humiliation of not being recognised by the rebels, Leane was badly beaten in the Tower when they did not recognise her there either. It emphasises that Leane changed so much.

Leane seized the opportunity to change:

Leane, on the other hand, in true Aes Sedai fashion embraced what had changed. A young woman again— Egwene had overheard a Yellow exclaiming in wonder that both were prime childbearing age, by everything she could find—she might never have been Keeper, never have had any other face. The very image of practicality and efficiency became the ideal of an indolent and alluring Domani woman.

A Crown of Swords, A Pair of Silverpike

and not just in her appearance and personal style; although these became very important to her too. She stopped taking things so seriously:

Leane's laughter was quiet and breathy. Situations that grated Siuan's teeth usually amused her. She was cosseted by most of the other sisters for how well she had adjusted.

A Crown of Swords, A Pair of Silverpike

thus becoming increasingly un-Blue-like. Myrelle picked up very quickly that Leane would fit the Green Ajah:

"Myrelle was kind enough to find me and let me know," Leane said into the momentary silence. "I think I am going to choose Green."

Lord of Chaos, To Heal Again

This also emphasised to all that Siuan and Leane were not Aes Sedai for a while and what they are now has nothing (or as little as possible) to do with who they were before.

Ironically, it was Siuan who suggested that Leane’s charm techniques could also be adapted to use on women (The Fires of Heaven, The Practice of Diffidence), which they were to great effect, and may account for some of Leane’s popularity among Aes Sedai. Siuan and Leane were playing bad cop and god cop respectively among the rebels, roles that fitted their characters and thus were believable. Egwene describes them as being able to lie like wool merchants; Leane was trained to be a merchant by her family. This training was very precise and detailed in the arts of flirting:

How could you be intimidated by a woman who had told you in dead seriousness that there were one hundred and seven different kisses, and ninety-three ways to touch a man's face with your hand? Leane actually seemed to believe these things.

The Fires of Heaven, Sallie Daera

Egwene’s assessment of Leane is that Leane’s flirtation is done:

Not promiscuously, of course; she possessed discrimination and discretion in ample supply.

A Crown of Swords, A Pair of Silverpike

and she might be right, or just assuming that Leane is following her own social mores. It is telling that Leane’s first attempt at flirtation brought her more excitement than anything else in the series.

Leane showed interest in one of Bryne’s men as a possible Warder (A Crown of Swords, A Pair of Silverpike) but judging by her lack of thoughts about a Warder while she is captive during The Gathering Storm, she doesn’t have one yet.

Leane did some clever and original things:

Very few sisters were aware that Leane had eyes-and-ears inside Tar Valon itself. She might have been the only sister who did. It was a human failing to watch keenly what was happening down the street while ignoring what lay right at your feet, and the Light knew Aes Sedai had as many human failings as anyone else.

Crossroads of Twilight, A Chat With Siuan

“Clever Leane,” Egwene murmured. For an instant, she squeezed her eyes shut. Leane had prepared everything in advance, before coming in sight of the harbor, all inverted and her ability masked. If she herself had been as clever, she likely would have escaped cleanly.

Knife of Dreams, Prologue

In some interesting symbolism, the iron bars of Leane’s cell melted; Leane was being freed not just from Elaida, but also from the prison she created for herself.

"I know flirting isn't something to fill up the emptiness, but it is enough to fill an idle moment. Maybe being who I was born to be will suffice. I just do not know. This isn't a new idea; I always wanted to be like my mother and my aunts, daydreamed of it sometimes after I was grown."
Leane's face became pensive, and the last things went into the box more gently. "I think perhaps I've always felt I was masquerading as someone else, building up a mask until it became second nature. There was serious work to be done, more serious than merchanting, and by the time I realized there was another way I could have gone even so, I had the mask on too firmly to take off. Well, that is done with, now, and the mask is coming off.”

The Fires of Heaven, Fanning the Sparks

So like Siuan, Leane, who thought she was weaker after bring stilled, found that she was strong after all, strong enough to fight the Black Ajah in Tel’aran’rhiod, and strong enough to turn an entire harbour chain into cuendillar (if she had had a little more time). Being who you were born to be usually does suffice. Self-development is an important part of Freemasonry and Jordan was a Freemason (see Freemasonry article).

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Rand essay updated

By Linda

In an example of "the last will be first, and the first will be last", appropriate for someone who remembers being First Among the Servants (of All), my last essay to be updated for Towers of Midnight is on Rand. It has taken me quite a while; there was a lot to think about and write about, not least four new parallels.

My JordanCon 2011 costume

By Linda

This weekend I worked hard on my costume for JordanCon, which is why I'm only a third of the way through the Towers of Midnight updates to the Rand essay. The photo right is of the bodice, showing the gold embroidery around the neck and down the bodice. The dress is in silk in the Taraboner style and fully lined. My remaining tasks are to hem the skirt and the cuffs and to design and make a half-veil.

Then I'll turn to producing a few more goldwork samples to show at JordanCon and shopping for the metallic supplies. JordanCon is so soon: only 2 months away!

The Rand essay has 4 major new parallels and I hope to complete it on Wednesday or Thursday depending on my paid workload this week.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Aiel Prophecy article updated

By Linda

Today's updated article, on Aiel Prophecy, required a massive expansion. As well as new perspectives on the Prophecy of Rhuidean and the Wise Ones' dreams, it now includes a detailed discussion of Aviendha's visions in the glass columns. In my opinion they tie in closely to the Prophecy of Rhuidean. New material is in bold.

I have one essay remaining to be updated for Towers of Midnight: Rand's parallels. This will take me some time, since I have much new material to add.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Mat essay updated

By Linda

Today there is one large essay updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Mat, the second of the three ta'veren essays. There is plenty of new material (shown in bold) to expand on the parallels I found previously.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight:Horn of Valere article

By Linda

While working on updating the Mat essay, which should be posted on Monday, I realised there was some new information for the Horn of Valere article in Towers of Midnight. This has now been added in bold and includes Mat's intentions regarding the Horn and a new parallel for Birgitte which ties her closely to Mat. The article is a good reminder that the Horn will have a vital role in the last book.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Military Forces article

By Linda

The article on the The Military Forces of the Westlands was updated today with information from Towers of Midnight. Many changes in alliance and disposition of forces were made in Towers of Midnight. New material is in bold.

Analysis of Minor Characters #9: Dobraine

By Linda

Dobraine Taborwin appears a typical Cairhienin noble at first: well-informed, politically astute, and careful:

Asmodean nodded. “But before that, two of them did speak to me, once they were certain I was not a Tairen spy. Lord Dobraine, and Lady Colavaere. They clouded everything in so many hints and innuendos that I cannot be certain, but I would not be surprised if they mean to offer you the Sun Throne. They could bandy words with . . . some people I used to be acquainted with.”

The Fires of Heaven, After the Storm

“As you say,” Dobraine repeated, tucking the packets into his coat. His face betrayed no emotion, now. An experienced player in the Game of House, was Dobraine.

Winter’s Heart, Snow

He is as prudish as any of his countrymen:

"Perhaps," Dobraine said, shrugging slightly, "yet half the noblewomen in the city now wear bright colors in imitation of the Lady Min. Breeches that display their legs, and many in coats that do not even cover their ..." He coughed discreetly, realizing that Min's coat did not cover her hips completely... Besides, she thought it really was a slip; Lord Dobraine Taborwin was not the sort to make even slightly rough jokes.

The Path of Daggers, The Bargain

“I've travelled on a Sea Folk ship, and it is peculiar! Bare legs are not in it!”

The Path of Daggers, The Bargain

Yet he wears more ornament than is customary:

His signet ring was a carved ruby, and he wore another at his collar, not much larger yet flamboyant for a Cairheinin.

Winter’s Heart, Snow

and has shaved his head in the Cairhienin soldiers’ hairstyle (the Celtic tonsure, see Cairhienin costume). He adopted it before Rand took control of the city. It is a sign he fights for Cairhien, but also makes him seem harmless to other more ruthlessly and recklessly ambitious nobles.

Also unlike most Cairhienin, he is prepared to act boldly against Aiel:

"We can decide what to tell them after we tie and gag her." He moved as if to do it, even pulling a dark green scarf from his coat pocket, but Perrin caught his arm.
"She is Aiel, Dobraine," Berelain said. "A Maiden of the Spear. I do not understand the livery."
Surprisingly, it was Berelain who received a warning glare from Sulin.
Perrin exhaled slowly. And he had wanted to protect the white-haired old woman from Dobraine. The Cairhienin looked at him questioningly, raised the hand holding the scarf a little; apparently he still favoured binding and gagging.

Lord of Chaos, The Feast of Lights

and against even the most senior of Aes Sedai, informing her that he freed her captives (Winter’s Heart, Wonderful News).

He dropped his impassive and secretive persona and spoke out to Rand about the Sea Folk bargain, which he thought a poor one:

"Every city on water?" Dobraine exclaimed. "Do they mean here, too?" He leaped to his feet and began pacing, spilling more of his wine than Min had. He did not seem to notice. "A mile square? Under the Light alone knows what peculiar laws?...And what of the customs duties, and docking fees, and . . ." Suddenly he rounded on Rand. He scowled at the Aes Sedai, who paid him no mind, but it was to Rand he spoke, in a tone bordering on roughness. "They will ruin Cairhien in a year, my Lord Dragon. They will ruin any port where you allow them to do this."

The Path of Daggers, The Bargain

It shows his care for his country. Not entirely reassured by Rand, he later grumbled about the bargain where Cadsuane could hear; perhaps he hoped she could influence Rand or the Sea Folk on the matter (Winter’s Heart, Wonderful News). This is the only time we know of that Dobraine has voiced objections to Rand’s arrangements. Otherwise he is remarkably obedient. The Fires of Heaven glossary explains that Dobraine Taborwin is:

a high ranking lord of Cairhien who believes in keeping the letter of his oaths.

Is this a hint that he doesn’t necessarily follow the spirit of the oath? So far this hasn’t been apparent.

He has kept his soldier’s hairstyle, perhaps as a sign he will obey Rand as his armsman. It is a good tactic; he has survived and even prospered.

However, Rand has been sceptical at times:

Rand had no illusions that Dobraine liked him more than any of the others did, or that he would not try to gain advantage where he could, but Dobraine actually seemed ready to hold to the oath he had sworn.

The Fires of Heaven, News Comes To Cairhien

and he was openly distrustful while in the grip of paranoia induced by the taint and his link to Moridin.

Yet the Tower embassy was convinced Dobraine could not be persuaded to act against Rand, whereas they weren’t with Berelain (or thought Dobraine wasn’t worth the trouble and she was):

"Ten?" Dobraine said. "I had only one visit. I thought she was disappointed when I made it clear I had sworn fealty to the Lord Dragon.”

Lord of Chaos, The Feast of Lights

To keep his oath Dobraine was prepared to die rescuing Rand:

"You will not go alone, Ogier," Dobraine said. "I can have five hundred men I trust by tomorrow. What we can do against six Aes Sedai, I do not know, but I keep my oaths."

Lord of Chaos, The Feast of Lights

and expected to do so:

'The Lord Dragon is down there?" Dobraine asked, looking across Rhuarc. Perrin nodded. "And you mean to go in there and bring him out?" Perrin nodded again, and Dobraine sighed. He smelled resigned, not afraid. "We will go in, Lord Aybara, but I do not believe we will come out." This time Rhuarc nodded.

Lord of Chaos, Dumai’s Wells

Dobraine has been remarkably successful in identifying and negotiating through the various plots in Cairhien:

Dobraine watched Meilan and Maringil, though why was anyone's guess.

Lord of Chaos, Matters of Toh

Rand didn’t understand the politics yet. Dobraine knew Meilan and Maringil each were plotting for the throne, and Colavaere too:

"Today Cairhien has suffered two misfortunes. This morning, Lord Maringil was found dead in his bed, of poison it appears. And only a short while later High Lord Meilan apparently fell victim to a footpad's blade in the streets. Most unusual during the Feast of Lights."
"Why are you telling me this?" Perrin said slowly.
Dobraine spread his hands. "You are the Lord Dragon's friend, and he is not here." He hesitated, and when he went on, it seemed he was forcing words. "Last night, Colavaere dined with guests from a number of the smaller Houses. Daganred, Chuliandred, Annallin, Osiellin, others. Small by themselves, but numerous. The subject was alliance with House Saighan and support for Colavaere for the Sun Throne. She made little effort to hide the meeting." Again he paused, weighing Perrin with his eyes. Whatever Dobraine saw, he seemed to think it called for more explanation. "This is most strange, because both Maringil and Meilan wanted the throne, and either would have had her smothered with her own pillows had they learned of it…
Yet I am convinced Colavaere had Maringil and Meilan killed to make her own way to the throne safe. She would never have dared had she thought the Lord Dragon would ever return."
"So that is why." A small, vexed frown creased Berelain's forehead. "I have proof she had a servant put poison in Maringil's wine—she was careless, and I brought two good thief-catchers with me—but I did not know why." She bowed her head slightly, acknowledging Dobraine's admiring look.

Lord of Chaos, The Feast of Lights

Dobraine’s approval of Berelain shows he gives credit where credit is due; he also has a sense of justice:

"Treason and murder." Dobraine sounded satisfied. Those whimpered screams did not touch him. "The penalty is the same, my Lord Dragon. Death. Except, by your new law, it is hanging for murder."

A Crown of Swords, A Broken Crown

"He should have sent her to the block," Dobraine muttered, and Perrin shrugged uncomfortably. From the man's tone, it was not clear whether he meant that that was what the law called for or that it would have been more merciful. Dobraine did not understand. Rand could have sprouted wings first.
Faile's fan slowed to barely moving, and she eyed Dobraine sideways over the crimson lace. "Her death might be best for everyone. That is the prescribed penalty. What will you do, Lord Dobraine?" ...
The Cairhienin gave her a level look in return while thrusting his gauntlets behind his sword belt. “What I was commanded to do. I keep my oaths, Lady Faile."

A Crown of Swords, Old Fear and New Fear

He refused to violate his oaths and act against Rand’s orders.

Dobraine warned Rand that Berelain and Faile were targets for retribution due to their part in bringing down Colavaere:

"Dobraine tells me he's already heard whispers in the palace that you betrayed Colavaere. Those who supported her might be afraid to say boo to me, but they'll pay to have a knife stuck into you." And Faile, too, according to Dobraine; that was being taken care of. "But they won't have a chance, because you are going back to Mayene. Dobraine will take your place here until Elayne claims the Sun Throne."

A Crown of Swords, As The Plow Breaks the Earth

Dobraine thinks Elayne has a good claim to the Cairhien throne and a better one than Colavaere:

”Colavaere is the key. She knows as well as any that the Lord Dragon means the Sun Throne for Elayne Trakand." He grimaced. "Elayne Damodred, she should be. Taringail should have insisted Morgase marry into Damodred instead of marrying into Trakand himself; she needed him enough to have done it. Well, Elayne Trakand or Elayne Damodred, she has as strong a claim to the throne as any, stronger than Colavaere's by far.”

Lord of Chaos, The Feast of Lights

Judging from what Morgase said in Towers of Midnight, An Open Gate about how Taringail had more power than she early in their marriage Dobraine’s assessment is accurate.

Dobraine’s comments also show why he had no hesitation in garnering support in Cairhien for Elayne as Rand wished and why he was thje only worthy choice for Rand’s Steward in Cairhien. He could be trusted to hand the throne on to Elayne.

Rand was greatly helped by Dobraine’s informative reports on affairs in Cairhien:

"Toram Riatin appears to have vanished," Dobraine said, "though rumor, at least, says he still lives, worse luck. Rumors also say that Daved Hanlon and Jeraal Mordeth - Padan Fain, as you call the man - have deserted him. By the way, I have settled Toram's sister, the Lady Ailil, in generous apartments, with servants who are . . . trustworthy." By his tone, he clearly meant trustworthy toward himself. The woman would not be able to change her dress without him knowing. "I can understand bringing her here, and Lord Bertome and the others, but why High Lord Weiramon, or High Lady Anaiyella? It goes without saying, of course, that their servants also are trustworthy."

The Path of Daggers, The Bargain

Bertome at least is somewhat untrustworthy; Ailil later showed she was not a problem. Dobraine appears not to know why the Tairens were kept in Cairhien; but he should have been able to work it out. There was nowhere else safe to keep them until Darlin had full control of Tear.

Rand left a lot up to Dobraine:

“The top one names you my steward in Cairhein,” he said, handing the packets to Dobraine. A third still nestled next to his chest, for Gregorin den Lushenos, making him steward in Illian. “So there’ll be no trouble with anyone questioning your authority while I’m gone.” Dobraine could handle that sort of trouble with his armsmen, but best to make sure no one could claim ignorance or doubt. Maybe there would be no trouble to handle if everyone believed the Dragon Reborn would descend on transgressors. “There are orders about things, I want done, but aside from those, use your own judgment. When the Lady Elayne lays claim to the Sun Throne, throw your full support behind her... “You’ll know when to deliver the other. Whether to deliver it. Pry him out if need be, and decide by what he says. If you decide not, or he refuses, I’ll pick someone else. Not you.”
Perhaps that was brusque, but Dobraine’s expression hardly changed. His eyebrows rose slightly at the name written on the second packet; that was all. He made a smooth bow. Cairheinin usually were smooth. “It shall be as you say. Forgive me, but you sound as though you mean to be gone for a long while.”

Winter’s Heart, Snow

including when or if to give Darlin Rand’s letter appointing him Sterward of Tear. Cadsuane thought Dobraine had not told Rand she was holding Caraline Damodred and Darlin but she was wrong. Rand already had a good idea of it. Dobraine decided to give Rand’s letter of authority to Darlin and free the pair; he was bold enough to tell Cadsuane so also (Winter’s Heart, Wonderful News). Much to Samitsu’s surprise, Dobraine did not abuse his authority, but followed Rand’s wishes exactly. He has been a great support to Rand, and it nearly cost him his life when Darkfriends attacked him to get access to the Seal they thought he might have.

Min thought that losing even one of Dobraine, Bashere or Logain would be a blow (and losing all three might take Rand a year to recover, which he doesn’t have) (Crossroads of Twilight, A Strengthening Storm).

Rand decided Arad Doman was in such desperate straits that Dobreaine and large force of Aiel should be moved there to restore order. Social order had completely broken down but Dobraine brought Bandar Eban under control.

He received praise from an unlikely source – an Aiel clan chief, who normally despise Treekillers:

Bael shook his head. "Dobraine Taborwin has done well with Bandar Eban," he said, "but Rhuarc spoke rightly when he called this land broken.

The Gathering Storm, The Plan for Arad Doman

Rand was not impressed however and even became distrustful:

"Lord Dragon," Dobraine said smoothly, bowing to Rand as he approached. "I deliver to you the city of Bandar Eban. Order has been restored, as you commanded."
"I asked you to restore order to the entire country, Dobraine," Rand said softly. "Not just one city."
The nobleman wilted slightly.
"You have one of the merchant council for me?" Rand asked.
"Yes," Dobraine said. "Milisair Chadmar, last to flee the city's chaos." His eyes were eager. He had always been stalwart, but was that a ruse?
Rand had trouble trusting anyone lately. The ones who seemed most trustworthy were the ones you needed to watch the most. And Dobraine was Cairhienin. Dared Rand trust anyone from Cairhien, with their games?
Moiraine was Cairhienin. I trusted her. Mostly.
Perhaps Dobraine hoped that Rand would choose him as king in Arad Doman. He had been steward of Cairhien, but he—like most others—knew that Rand intended Elayne for the Sun Throne. Well, Rand might give this kingdom to Dobraine at that. He was better than most.

The Gathering Storm, Into Bandar Eban

Rand thinks he is thwarting Dobraine’s ambitions. Alternatively, perhaps Dobraine simply wants to please Rand and have him acknowledge his efforts and achievement. In his dark mood Rand abruptly sent Dobraine to Tear even though Rand knew more remained to be done in Arad Doman:

He turned to Dobraine. "You have done well here," he said to the lord. "Even if you haven't brought order as widely as I wish. Gather your armsmen. Narishma has been instructed to provide a gateway for you to Tear."
"Tear, my Lord?" Dobraine asked, surprised.
"Yes," Rand said. "Tell Darlin to stop pestering me with messengers. He is to keep gathering his forces; I'll bring him to Arad Doman when I decide the time is right." That would be after he met with the Daughter of the Nine Moons, which meeting would determine much.
Dobraine looked faintly crestfallen. Or was that just Rand's interpretation? Dobraine's expression rarely changed. Was he imagining his hopes of this kingdom withering away? Was he plotting against Rand?
"Yes, my Lord. I assume I'm to leave immediately?"
Dobraine has never given us reason to doubt him. He even gathered support for Elayne to take the Sun Throne!
Rand had been away from him too long. Too long to trust him. But best to get him out for now; he'd had too much time to get a foothold here, and Rand didn't trust any Cairhienin to avoid games with politics.
"Yes, you leave within the hour," Rand said, turning to walk up the graceful white stairs.
Dobraine saluted, stoic as always, and left out the front doorway. He obeyed immediately. No word of complaint. He was a good man. Rand knew he was.
Light, what is happening to me? Rand thought. I need to trust some people. Don't I?
Trust. . . ? Lews Therin whispered. Yes, perhaps we can trust him. He cannot channel. Light, the one we can't trust at all is ourselves. . . .
Rand clenched his jaw. He would reward Dobraine with the kingdom if Alsalam couldn't be found.

The Gathering Storm, Into Bandar Eban

Rand’s behaviour is peremptory. Dobraine behaves like a soldier and even salutes Rand. Rand fluctuates in his opinion of Dobraine. Dobraine’s reaction could be simple disappointment at Rand’s criticism and distrust. After all, he nearly died for Rand.

Dobraine's house colours are blue and white and his con is blue with two white diamonds. (Lord of Chaos, The Sending). Blue represents infinity, eternity, truth, faith, purity, and spiritual and intellectual life (Jack Tressider, Symbols and their Meanings). It is the most detached and least material colour. White represents purity, truth, innocence and initiation. Together both colours are reassuring about Dobraine’s motives and loyalty.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Perrin essay updated

By Linda

Today there is one large essay updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Perrin, the first of the three ta'veren essays. There is plenty of new material (shown in bold) to expand on the parallels I found previously and also a new parallel.

Only 4 articles remain for updating: Rand, Mat, Aiel Prophecy and the Military Forces essays.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: two articles updated

By Linda

Two articles were updated with information from Towers of Midnight today: that perennial favourite Lord of the Rings parallels with the Wheel of Time series and Freemasonry in the Wheel of Time. All new material is in bold.

Post #21 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Sea Folk were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. Sea Folk fashion is influenced by a few sources including India, Polynesia and 16th-17th century pirates.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Faile and Berelain essay updated

By Linda

I've had a heavy workload this week so tonight there is one essay updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Faile and Berelain. There is plenty of new material (shown in bold) to expand on the parallels I found previously. No new parallels though.

I am down to the final 7 articles for updating, but nearly all require major updates - especially the three ta'veren and the Military Forces essays.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: three articles updated

By Linda

Three articles on the Aes Sedai were updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Aes Sedai Laws and Customs: Administration, Aes Sedai Laws and Customs: Society and Aes Sedai History: New Era. The New Era history has the most new material. All new material is in bold.

Minor Characters

By Linda

For a bit of variety I have decided to resume the Analysis of Minor Characters series starting with Lini.

If you have suggestions for other minor characters I could analyse, please post them in the comments below.

Analysis of Minor Characters #8: Lini

By Linda

The indomitable Lini has been nursemaid to three generations of Trakand women, which makes her at least 75 (see Character Ages article). She is introduced to us from a distance way back in The Eye of the World, when Morgase remarks that only Lini can make Elayne behave properly; we see the effect Lini has had long before we finally meet her in The Fires of Heaven, Memories. In between, Lini’s sayings and advice are regularly quoted by Elayne and they earn Nynaeve’s rare expressions of approval.

She is one of those characters whose appearance is somewhat deceptive unless you look closely: she is

a frail-appearing woman, with skin like parchment and white hair in a bun on top of her head, but her back was straight and her dark eyes were clear and sharp.

- Winter’s Heart, Taken

Both Morgase and Elayne believe Lini is indestructible and will last forever. They never make concessions to her age, nor do they doubt her judgement or her courage. Elayne thinks she could face down a Forsaken (Knife of Dreams, Siege). Let’s hope this is not Foreshadowing.

Lini is an example of what can be achieved, and standards that can be maintained, just by willpower and thought. Never hypocritical, her high standards are as much for herself as anyone else:

She stalked by him still belting her nightrobe. "Fools! Ox-brained lummoxes! You woke my ch—!" She stopped with a fierce cough; Lini never forgot that she had been Morgase's nurse, and her mother's as well, but she never slipped in front of others. She would be cross that she had now, and it showed in her voice.

- A Crown of Swords, The Irrevocable Words

Always neat, rarely agitated, everyone respects her, if not fears her:

A violent coughing fit wracked the stout man. "Me?" Gill wheezed once he could talk. "You want me to tell her? She'll crack my pate if I mention a thing like that! I think the woman was born in Far Madding in a thunderstorm. She probably told the thunder to be quiet. It probably did."

- Winter’s Heart, The Scent of Madness

Lini is the archetypal tough little old lady, even more so than Cadsuane and the reference to Cadsuane’s home town of Far Madding is a pointer to this. Lini mirrors Cadsuane and in a way has achieved far more with far less resources.

Morgase complains that Lini takes liberties from her age and role, but these are always for the best of reasons: to protect. She is Morgase’s truthspeaker, really; she always says what she thinks, and doesn’t even curtsy no matter where she is.

Much of her advice falls into two strands: the right way to think and behave, and men:

Lini had often told her that there was always one man in the world for whom a woman would find herself behaving a brainless fool, but she had never believed that she could succumb.

- The Fires of Heaven, Memories

Men are problematic for ruling women, whether monarchs or High Seats. Such women are vulnerable in their loneliness, as targets for fortune hunters, or from having trouble with the balance of power in their relationship with even the best intentioned and loving men. Hence Lini’s constant rain of advice.

Lini is the true mother of the Trakands and, for Elayne, father as well to a degree:

"I cannot really remember my father; I was only a baby when he died. Gawyn says he spent all of his time with Galad. Lini tried to make the best of it, but I know he never came to see Gawyn or me in the nursery.”

- The Fires of Heaven, An Unexpected Offer

She very much shaped Morgase and Elayne and made them the legends they are.

Elayne fears Lini more than her mother:

Only, it was true, and she did not care if it was foolish. She would tell her mother the same to her face, and Lini. Well, perhaps not Lini. Lini had drastic ways of dealing with foolishness, and she seemed to think Elayne had not aged beyond ten.

- The Shadow Rising, Doorways

and her “inner voice” or conscience often speaks like Lini.

Only Lini dared talk about Gaebril to Morgase:

"Oh, child," Lini said sadly, "everyone knows, though no one's had the courage to tell you. I might have, if you hadn't stayed away, but it is hardly something I could go running to you with, now is it? It is the kind of thing a woman won't believe until she finds out for herself."

- The Fires of Heaven, Memories

yet even then it was because she believed that Morgase knew more than she did.

Lini knows the characters of her former charges so well, that she can deduce their thoughts from a look and a phrase:

"What are you smiling at?" Lini asked.
Morgase turned slowly. "I was thinking of Elayne." She did not think her old nurse had been close enough to hear what no one really needed to.
Lini's eyes widened, though, and her breath caught. "You come away from there now!" she snapped, and suiting actions to words, seized her arm and physically pulled her from the window.
"Lini, you forget yourself! You stopped being my nurse a long—!" Morgase drew a deep breath and softened her tone. Meeting those frightened eyes was not easy; nothing frightened Lini. "What I do is for the best, believe me," she told her gently. "There's no other way—"

- A Crown of Swords, The Irrevocable Words

Morgase moderated her tone once she realised that Lini feared she was about to suicide. That was not her intent, however, only abdication. Morgase seems to need Lini more than Elayne, but then Morgase has had more attempts at breaking her than Elayne has. In fact, Elayne needed to distance herself from Lini to grow up. The last time Elayne quotes Lini is during the siege of Caemlyn in Knife of Dreams, Siege, less than halfway through the book, then Caemlyn’s darkest hour. Elayne is more certain in her role after that, even more so once she is Queen and her “Lini voice” quietens.

Like Nynaeve, who admires her wisdom as quoted by Elayne, and like Cadsuane, Lini has a fairly poor opinion or men. Or professes one:

Men kept sticking their hands in the fire thinking this time it would not burn, so Lini always said.

- A Crown of Swords, Small Sacrifices

It's one of the things men are for, taking the blame, she remembered Lini saying once, and laughing while she did. They usually deserve it, even if you don't know exactly how.

- The Path of Daggers, A Pleasant Ride

It’s no wonder that Basel Gill said she could have been born in Far Madding (she wasn’t though, she is Andoran and most likely from the Trakand estates).

Lini was kind to Perrin after Faile was captured, but, unfortunately, her dark view of men led her to believe Berelain’s lie that Perrin slept with her (Winter’s Heart, The Scent of Madness) and she becomes totally disobliging and disapproving.

One man she does unreservedly approve of is Tallanvor. This is because she saw him swear the strongest possible oath to Morgase and knows the depth of his love and devotion to her. Lini decides that Tallandor will do Morgase very well for a husband/consort:

“You think Tallanvor is dangerous?” Morgase said sharply, and Lini gave her a sidelong, considering look.
“Only the way any man can be dangerous. A fine figure of man, don’t you think? More than tall enough. Strong hands, I should think. ‘There’s no point letting honey age too long before you eat it.”
“Lini,” Morgase said warningly. The old woman had been going on this way too often of late. Tallanvor was a handsome man...

“You hold your tongue, Lini. If you put foolish ideas into that young man’s head, I will leave you somewhere.”

- The Fires of Heaven, Glowing embers

and pushes Morgase toward him. She seems too think his love and devotion the best thing for her and played matchmaker once she was satisfied Morgase was attracted to him. When they first encountered Perrin she tried to get Perrin to marry Morgase and Tallanvor, and later seized the moment as it were, when she found them embracing:

"All right, you two," a stern voice said from behind. "We're going to see Lord Aybara right now."
Morgase pulled away. It was Lini.
"What?" Morgase tried to regain some composure.
"You're getting married," Lini declared. "If I have to pull you to it by the ears."
"I will make my own choice," Morgase said. "Perrin tried to get me to-"
"I'm not him," Lini said. "This is best done before we return to Elayne. Once you're in
Caemlyn there will be complications." She turned her eyes on Gill, who had the trunk stowed. "And you! Unpack my Lady's things."
"But Lini," Morgase protested, "we're going to Caemlyn."
"Tomorrow will be soon enough, child. Tonight, you celebrate." She eyed them. "And until the marriage is done, I don't think it's safe to trust you two alone."
Morgase flushed. "Lini," she hissed. "I'm not eighteen anymore!"
"No, when you were eighteen, you were married proper. Do I need to seize your ears?"
"I-" Morgase said.
"We're coming, Lini," Tallanvor said.

- Towers of Midnight, A Backhanded Request

Her judgement was correct; Morgase’s marriage is much better contracted before she returns to Caemlyn.

Lini is one of the few people Nynaeve approves of sight unseen. After the abortive attempt by the Seanchan to make them damane, Nynaeve has to encourage Elayne to pull herself together. It’s Elayne’s first experience of danger and adventure. Nynaeve really does mentor her a bit as Lini did, as Elayne recognises.

At least twice Nynaeve has wished to meet Lini, whom she considers clear-headed and wise. It’s interesting to speculate how this meeting would go if it occurred. Perhaps Nynaeve’s thoughts are foreshadowing.

Lini is described as having a great many old sayings. Since she can’t be separated from her sayings (as against her somewhat pity advice), I’ve collected them together:

Lini’s sayings

• Lini used to say you could weave silk from pig bristles before you could make a man anything but a man (The Shadow Rising, Doorways)


• "A weeping woman is a bucket with no bottom" (The Shadow Rising, Doorways)


• "A gnarled old branch dulls the blade that severs a sapling" (The Fires of Heaven, Memories)


• "When the honey's out of the comb, there's no putting it back" (The Fires of Heaven, Memories)


• "Better to face the bear than run from it" (The Fires of Heaven, Memories)


• "A fool puts a burr under the saddle before she rides" (The Fires of Heaven, Memories)


• some saying about displaying wares you did not mean to sell (The Fires of Heaven, Memories)


• "Dragging feet never finish a journey" (The Fires of Heaven, Memories)


• "A man is a man, on a throne or in a pigsty" (The Fires of Heaven, A Signal)


• "A fool puts her hand into a hollow tree without finding out what's inside first" (The Fires of Heaven, A Small Room in Sienda)


• "If you don't look for snakes, you cannot complain when one bites you" (The Fires of Heaven, Meetings)


• "You cannot hold the sun down at dawn" (The Fires of Heaven, A Silver Arrow)


• "Even a queen stubs her toe, but a wise woman watches the path" (The Fires of Heaven, Ripped Away)


• "Waiting turns men into bears in a barn, and women into cats in a sack" (The Fires of Heaven, The Price of a Ship)


• "“Wish” and “want” trip the feet, but “is” makes the path smoother" (The Fires of Heaven, To Teach and to Learn)


• "A young lion charges quickest, and when you least expect it" (The Fires of Heaven, Glowing Embers)


• "There’s no point letting honey age too long before you eat it" (The Fires of Heaven, Glowing Embers)


• "It’s too late to change your mind after you’ve jumped off the cliff" (The Fires of Heaven, Glowing Embers)


• "A slow horse does not always reach the end of the journey" (Lord of Chaos, Prologue)


• "The right medicine always tastes bitter" (Lord of Chaos, Prologue)


• "What can't be changed must be endured" (Lord of Chaos, A Matter of Thought)


• "The pike does not ask the frog's permission before dining" (Lord of Chaos, A Matter of Thought)


• "What you need isn't always what you want" (Lord of Chaos, Under the Dust)


• "Fools only listen to themselves" (Lord of Chaos, Possibilities)


• "Only fools kiss hornets or bite fire" (A Crown of Swords, The Irrevocable Words)


• "You can never put honey back in the comb" (A Crown of Swords, The First Cup)


• "Peel the apple in your hand, girl, not the one on the tree" (The Path of Daggers, Unweaving)


• ”When a woman plays the fool, look for the man.” (The Path of Daggers, Unweaving)


• ”Kittens tangle your yarn, men tangle your wits, and it's simple as breathing for both.” (The Path of Daggers, Unweaving)


• "Tears are for after; they just waste time before" (The Path of Daggers, Unweaving)


• "Three things annoy to distraction: a tooth that aches, a shoe that pinches, and a man that chatters" (The Path of Daggers, A Simple Country Woman)


• "A full stomach at midday made for a dull head in the afternoon," as Lini used to say (Winter’s Heart, A Cup of Tea)


• you counted your plums in the basket, not on the tree (Crossroads of Twilight, A Bargain)


• "When you ask questions", Lini used to say, "then you have to hear the answers whether you want to or not" (Crossroads of Twilight, High Seats)


• "Always plan ahead," Lini used to say, "but worry too hard over next year, and you can trip over tomorrow" (Crossroads of Twilight, What Wise Ones Know)


• I think that anyone who allows two roosters in the same barnyard deserves the ruckus they get (Towers of Midnight, A Backhanded Request)

At times Morgase suspects that Lini makes her sayings up and even challenged her over inventing them, but Lini had an unanswerable retort ready:

At my age, if I make it up, it's still an old saying.

- The Fires of Heaven, Memories

She is always one step ahead of her ‘charges’.

Lini's name and her self-imposed role of keeping her companions in line could be a reference to Linet, the maiden of Arthurian myth who continually castigated Sir Gareth on a quest. Lini constantly corrects the behaviour of Morgase’s group.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: two articles updated

By Linda

Two articles were updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Fate, Free Will and Divining the Pattern, and MJJ Sedai's Matter of Britain 2: An Arthurian Who's Who. The new material is in bold. Towers of Midnight provided plenty of new material of how prophecy and choice play out in the Pattern. Our "Arthurian" main characters also underwent some experiences that paralleled Arthurian myth.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: two articles updated

By Linda

Two articles were updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Prophecies of the Dragon with 3 new prophecies, and MJJ Sedai's Matter of Britain: Arthurian Myth Parallels with some new ideas about Callandor. The new material is in bold.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: two articles updated

By Linda

Two articles were updated with information from Towers of Midnight today and both of them are on those tricky customers the Aelfinn and Eelfinn: The Aelfinn and the Eelfinn and Moiraine's Rescue. Both articles have a lot of new material. All this new material is in bold.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: two articles updated

By Linda

Two articles were updated with information from Towers of Midnight: Foretellings
and The Noble Houses of Andor. Both articles have a lot of new material. All this new material is in bold.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: two articles updated

By Linda

All the Character Names articles have been updated. The major new entry is Nakomi in Character Names N. The The Age of Legends article was also updated with information from Towers of Midnight today. All this new material is in bold.

Reference Library Updates after Towers of Midnight: Shadowy Prophecy updated

By Linda

The article on Shadowy Prophecy was updated today. We had quite a bit of new material on the prophecies of the Shadow in Towers of Midnight and this new material is in bold.