Events in the Wheel of Time series
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This article is about the fictional world history of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy fiction series.
Contents |
Creation
The world was created by the Creator, driven by the Wheel of Time, with existence unfolding in the turning of seven ages. As the introduction of each book states: "The Wheel of Time turns, and ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the age that gave its birth comes again."
The Wheel of Time is driven by two halves of the One Power - the male half is Saidin, and the female half is Saidar. Some humans can manipulate the One Power, an ability which seems to be transferred genetically.
At the moment of creation, the Creator bound the Dark One in a prison away from the world. The nature of the Dark One is not explored - perhaps an antithesis to the benevolent nature of the Creator.
The Age of Legends
The Age of Legends is the name given to the previous Age: preceding the Time of Madness and the Breaking, where society was advanced to levels undreamed of today. In this society, channelers were far more common than today, and Aes Sedai - trained channelers - were extremely powerful, able to make angreal, sa'angreal, and ter'angreal, and holding important civic positions. One of the most powerful institutions in the world was the Hall of Servants, to which all channelers were accountable. The most powerful Aes Sedai in the Hall was Lews Therin Telamon, who would be called The Dragon by his followers.
The Age of Legends is seen as a utopian society without war or crime, and devoted to culture and learning. Aes Sedai were frequently devoted to academic endeavours, one of which inadverdantly resulted in a hole - 'The Bore' - being drilled in the Dark One's prison. The immediate effects were not realised, but the Dark One gradually asserted power over humanity, swaying many to become his followers.
The War of Power
The War of Power occurred when those taken by the Dark One's influence rose in open war to destroy the existing order through conquest. At this time, the concept of war was unfamiliar to humanity, so the forces of the Dark achieved quick gains before a war of attrition began.
Aes Sedai, both due to their ability to wield the One Power, and as important academic and civic figures, frequently became the leaders of the forces of the Light. However, many Aes Sedai - including some of the most powerful - went over to the forces of the Dark, becoming the Dark One's 'Chosen' - called the 'Forsaken' by the forces of the Light - as leaders and generals on the opposite side of the battle. Some of the Forsaken were responsible for engineering the Shadowspawn armies: Trollocs, Myrddraal and Draghkar, as well as constructs like the Gholam.
Eventually, the forces of the Light began to succumb, particularly given the willingness of the enemy to use manufactured beasts and constructs such as the Trollocs as soldiers. The Hall of Servants was deadlocked on how to meet the threat. Taking matters into his own hands, the most powerful male Aes Sedai, Lews Therin, gathered loyal followers comprising over one hundred of the strongest Male Aes Sedai (the Hundred Companions) and Traveled to Shayol Ghul. There he sealed the Dark One back in his prison, trapping the remaining Forsaken as well. 45 of the companions and the accompanying army of 20,000 were killed, but it was the Dark One's counterstroke that was the true defeat: he placed a taint upon saidin, causing Lews Therin and his companions to instantly go insane, and all other Male Aes Sedai to gradually succumb to the same fate over the next few years.
The Breaking of the World
In what is also known as the Time of Madness, male Aes Sedai changed the world. In their insanity they used the One Power to destroy mountains and raise new ones, to drain oceans and flood dry land. Cities were wiped out and civilization completely failed to exist during this time, only re-establishing itself in primitive form after the last of the male Aes Sedai were dead.
Much of the world was completely changed, and most of the world's population died in the upheaval.
The Trolloc Wars
The Trolloc Wars refers to a series of sustained wars between humanity and Shadowspawn (hence 'The Trolloc Wars') campaigning out of the Blight with a ferocity otherwise unseen since the War of Power. Ishamael was free for 40 years during this period, and it is presumed he led the Dreadlords, channelers (primarily female, but with a fair amount of males) devoted to the Dark One who led the Trolloc and Darkfriend armies. These armies hurt the Ten Nations dramatically. It marks a cultural and historical landmark, as many nations were destroyed, and those that were spared ultimate destruction still fell to political and social upheaval. In particular, the Trolloc Wars marked the end of the Compact of Ten Nations, which had formed the political landscape from soon after the Breaking.
Artur Hawkwing and the War of the Hundred Years
Artur Paendrag Tanreall was king of the minor nation of Shandalle when the False Dragon, Guaire Amalasan, rose and began conquering the lands of the west. Artur Paendrag was among those who led forces against him. Quickly proving himself a master tactician and general, he was instrumental in defeating Amalasan. The speed at which he could move his forces earned Artur the name Hawkwing.
In returning to his homeland, Hawkwing inflicted a perceived slight to the Amyrlin Seat, the infamous Bonwhin, which resulted in the concerted invasion of Shandalle by several neighbours. Moving quickly to blunt the attacks, Hawkwing soon found himself conquering his neighbours. A war of consolidation followed as he gained power, eventually conquering all the lands spanning from the Dragonwall to the Aryth ocean. Hawkwing failed only to take Tar Valon itself, despite besieging it for 20 years.
It is presumed that the most powerful of the Forsaken, Ishamael, was free for 40 years at this point and that he may have influenced Hawkwing into his insane hatred of Aes Sedai. He also claims to have induced Hawkwing into sending ships into Seanchan and Shara. The ships under Hawkwing's son, Luthair, took over the constantly fluctuating Seanchan, and another either fully conquered Shara and threw off the idea of an empire, or was destroyed by the Sharan Empire. Ishamael also altered the Seanchan Karaethon Cycle, changing it from 'He shall bind the nine moons to serve him' to 'He shall bow to the Crystal Throne'. The Crystal Throne is an immense ter'angreal which makes all nearby in awe of the one sitting on it, and is the throne of the Seanchan Empire.
Unfortunately, on Hawkwing's death, his empire disintegrated under the weight of the rival bids for supreme power. The empire was torn apart in a series of wars now collectively referred to as the War of the Hundred Years, and the modern nations of the land were formed in the ashes of these conflicts. The War of the Hundred Years forms a cultural and historical landmark because it provides a point of reference for Hawkwing's effects on the world and, like the Trolloc Wars, because it forms a decisive breakpoint in history for social and cultural development: so many nations changed and social development was set back significantly, to the point where an entirely new calendar was designed by one of the Atha'an Miere, starting over with 1 NE (New Era). While there may be inaccuracies, 1 NE is believed to be the same as FY 1135 of the previous system.
The Aiel War
The Aiel War occurred when King Laman of Cairhien cut down Avendoraldera, a gift from the Aiel. Four clans crossed the Dragonwall to punish him for this slight. They attacked and looted several cities, and while they focused on Laman and Cairhien, they also fought in Andor and Tear. The threat was so vast that it effectively united all the nations, who each sent soldiers to try and battle the Aiel back to the Dragonwall. In reality, the war ended when Laman was killed, at the Battle of the Shining Walls. The Aiel then returned to the Waste, not to return again until the coming of the Car'a'carn.
Battle of Dumai's Wells
The Battle of Dumai's Wells occurs in Chapter 55 of Lord of Chaos, the sixth book in the series. The Amrylin Seat (Elaida) sent an emissary of Red Sisters to Rand al'Thor under the guise of creating a truce between him and the White Tower. They kidnapped Rand al'Thor and held him inside a small chest, only letting him out to punish him with beatings over the course of a few weeks. The Battle took place when Rand's forces came to his rescue at Dumai's Wells. An extremely bloody battle, the One Power is used to a devastating effect. This is the day the rebel Aes Sedai betray Perrin's orders, in order to fight.
Forces
'Pro-Rand' Side
- Led by Perrin
Wolves
- Led by Perrin
- Numbered about 1000
Two Rivers Men
- Led by Dannil Lewin
- 300 Men
Cairhienin Men
- Led by Dobraine Taborwin
- 500 Men
Winged Guards (from Mayene)
- Led by Havien Nurelle
- 200 Men
Asha'man
- Led by Mazrim Taim
- 200 Asha'man fought
- Formed of men who can channel that Rand has formed to offer protection and to add another weapon to his armoury.
Salidar Aes Sedai
- 9 Aes Sedai fought
Wise Ones
Other Aiel
- Led by Rhuarc, a Tardaad Aiel clan chief
- Numbered about 6000:
5000 siswai'aman
1000 Far Dareis Mai
'Anti-Rand' Forces
Tower Aes Sedai
Shaido Aiel
- Led by Sevanna
- Numbered about 40,000
Younglings
- Led by Gawyn
- 580 Men
The battle
Initially, the pro-Rand armies are situated on a ridge around Dumai's Wells. The Shaido surround a group of wagons on which the Aes Sedai are situated, and unsuccessfully try to overwhelm its defenders. The Two Rivers men, Cairhienin, Aiel and Winged Guards are to charge down into the valley after an attack of wolves, with Perrin at their head. The Salidar Aes Sedai and Wise Ones are to stay up on the ridge. However, when fighting, Perrin sees some Salidar Aes Sedai fighting.
In the thick of battle, about 200 Asha'man led by Mazrim Taim Travel to Dumai's Wells and are instrumental in turning the tide of the battle.
In the meantime, Rand breaks out of the chest he was trapped in as three of the six Aes Sedai shielding him are called to the battle. The three remaining (Tower) Aes Sedai left maintaining the shield are stilled as he breaks through their shield. He then finds Min, initially believing her killed by his escape. Rand continues shielding more Tower Aes Sedai from within their lines and as he is using Saidin he is largely undetectable to them. Gawyn rides up, and wants to take Min away, but she refuses.
The 200 Asha'man create a dome of Air around the wagons, to keep the remaining Shaido Aiel out. Some Asha'man are holding a few Tower Aes Sedai hostage. The rest of Rand's allies are outside of the dome, still fighting.
Rand orders the Asha'man to open the dome, and let the allies in. Next, he orders the Asha'man to 'send a message' to Sevanna. The Asha'man kill thousands of Shaido, who break and run.
After the battle, the 9 Salidar Aes Sedai come over to congratulate Rand. Rand forces them to kneel and swear an oath of fealty to him, which they do. In the words of Mazrim Taim: "Kneel and swear to the Lord Dragon, or you will be knelt."
The Cleansing of saidin
In Winter's Heart, Rand al'Thor made an extraordinary claim: he believed he had discovered how to cleanse the Dark One's 3000-year-old taint on saidin. Although it is unclear exactly where he obtained this knowledge (See Aelfinn and the Eelfinn) his preparations bore great fruit, when he and Nynaeve al'Meara used the two most powerful sa'angreal ever made, (the Choeden Kal), one buried in Cairhien and the other on Tremalking to funnel the taint into Shadar Logoth. The evil in Shadar Logoth, which was born out of pure hate for the Shadow and the Dark One, caused the taint to "slide" off of saidin and into the city, where the two forces annihilated each other. As of Book 10, it is believed that this process was entirely successful, although what it means for the Asha'man and other male channelers (not to mention the Red Ajah) remains to be seen.
During the cleansing a battle took place between the forces of light and the shadow. The forces of light under Cadsuane split into several groups of Aes Sedai and Asha'man linked to be ready for the upcoming attack. The Aes Sedai Sarene and Corele linked with the Asha'man Damer Flinn, while Elza (who is secretly Black Ajah) and Merise linked with Jahar (one of Merise's warders, wielding Callandor). Nesune, Beldeine, Daigian linked with Eben Hopwil. Verin and Kumira linked with a Sea Folk Windfinder Shalon.
The forces of the Shadow consisted of Cyndane (formerly Lanfear), Demandred, Osan'gar (formerly Aginor, who we find out has been masquerading as Corlan Dashiva, an Asha'man), Moghedien, Graendal and Aran'gar who was formely Balthamel and now is in a female body but channels saidin.
During the fight, Osan'gar and Eben Hopwil are killed.
Tarmon Gai'don
Tarmon Gai'don, or the Last Battle, is an event both feared and anticipated in the lands of the Wheel. It will be the apocalyptic (some say final) battle between the forces of the Shadow and the forces of Light; if the Dark One wins, he plans to break the Wheel of Time itself to prevent another challenge. Even if the Dragon Reborn prevails and the Dark One is thwarted, the Last Battle is feared to be as bad as the Breaking, if not worse. As the series winds toward its conclusion, signs begin to point to the nearness of this final struggle.