Garb of Aiel algai'd'siswai: coat and breeches in brown and grays that fade into rock or shadow, along with soft, laced knee-high boots. In the Old Tongue, "working clothes," though this is of course an imprecise translation. See also algai'd'siswai.

An Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah who has approached legendary status among Aes Sedai while still alive, though in truth most sisters believe she must be years dead by now. Thought to have been born around 705 NE in Ghealdan, which would make her the oldest living Aes Sedai, she was also the strongest in the Power found for a thousand years or more until the advent of Nynaeve, Elayne and Egwene and even they do not far out-step her. Although a Green, over the years she has confronted and captured more men who could channel by far than any other living sister; a little known oddity is that the men she brought to the White Tower tended to live markedly longer after being gentled than those brought by other sisters.

The capital city of Andor. See also Andor.

Both a nation along the Spine of the World and the capital city of that nation. Savaged during the Aiel War, the nation of Cairhien was in no way fully recovered when the assassination of King Galldrian (998 NE) plunged the country into a war for the succession which was itself interrupted by the invasion of the Shaido Aiel in what many call the Second Aiel War, although the city itself was saved by Aiel intervention under Rand al'Thor. Subsequently most nobles of Cairhien, along with many from Tear, swore fealty to the Dragon Reborn, but in a land where the Game of Houses has been raised to an art, it is hardly surprising that even many who swore are ready to maneuver for whatever advantage they can find. The banner of Cairhien is a many rayed golden sun rising on a field of sky blue.

There are 10 days to the week, 28 days to the month and 13 months to the year. Several feastdays are not part of any month; these include Sunday (the longest day of the year), the Feast of Thanksgiving (once every four years at the spring equinox), and the Feast of All Souls Salvation, also called All Souls Day (once every ten year at the autumn equinox). While many feasts and festivals are celebrated everywhere (such as the Feast of the Lights, which ends the old year and begins the new), every land has its own as well, and in many instances so do individual towns and villages. In general, the Borderlands have the fewest festivals and feastdays, while the cities of Illian and Ebou Dar have the most.

The Sword That Is Not A Sword, the Sword That Cannot Be Touched. Crystal sword once held in the Stone of Tear. A powerful male sa'angreal. Its removal from the chamber called the Heart of Stone was, along with the fall of the Stone, a major sign of the Dragon's Rebirth and the approach of Tarmon Gai'don. Replaced in the Heart, driven into the stone, by Rand al'Thor. See also Dragon Reborn; sa'angreal; Stone of Tear.

In the Old Tongue, "For the honor of the Red Eagle!" The ancient battle cry of Maneteren.

In the Old Tongue, "For the honor of the Rose of the Sun!" The battle cry of the last king of Manetheren.

In the Old Tongue, "chief of chiefs." According to Aiel Prophecy, a man who would come from Rhuidean at dawn, marked with two Dragons, and lead them across the Dragonwall. The Prophecy of Rhuidean says that he will unite the Aiel and destroy them, all but a remnant of a remnant. See also Aiel; Rhuidean.

Legendary Green sister (212-373 AB), the heroine of a hundred adventures, credited with exploits that even some Aes Sedai consider improbable despite their inclusion in the records of the White Tower, such as single-handedly putting down a rebellion in Mosadorin and quelling the Comaidin Riots at a time when she had no Warders. Considered by the Green Ajah to be the archetype of a Green sister. See also Ajah.

One of the nations wrung from Artur Hawkwing's empire during the War of the Hundred Years. It weakened thereafter, and the last traces vanished about 500 NE.

An Inquisitor of the Hand of the Light, a high officer of the Children of the Light, and a Darkfriend.

A farmer in the Two Rivers. Father of Mat Cauthon. Wife: Natti. Daughters: Eldrin, and Bodewhin, called Bode.

(1) In the Old Tongue, "the Falcon's Talon."

(2) Name taken by the young Cairhienin and Tairens, attempted followers of ji'e'toh, who have sworn fealty to Faile ni Bashere t'Aybara. In secret, they act as personal scouts and spies.

To control the flow of the One Power. See also One Power.

See Farstrider, Jain.

Society of strict ascetic beliefs, owing allegiance to no nation and dedicated to the defeat of the Dark One and the destruction of all Darkfriends. Founded during the War of the Hundred Years to proselytize against an increase in Darkfriends, they evolved during the war into a complete military society. Extremely rigid in beliefs, and certain that only they know the truth and the right. Consider Aes Sedai and any who support them to be Darkfriends. Known disparagingly as Whitecloaks. Their sigil is a golden sunburst on a field of white. See also Questioners, the.

Second in authority to the Amyrlin Seat among the Aes Sedai, she also acts as secretary to the Amyrlin. Chosen for life by the Hall of the Tower, and usually of the same ajah as the Amyrlin. See also Amyrlin Seat; Ajah.

A high ranking Lady of Cairhien, manipulative and scheming, which is to describe Cairhien nobility in general, who has had so much power that she sometimes forgets her own vulnerability to a greater.

The elite military formation of Illian, currently commanded by First Captain Demetre Marcolin. The Companions provide a bodyguard for the King of Illian and guard key points around the nation. Additionally, the Companions have traditionally been used in battle to assult the enemy's strongest positions, to exploit weaknesses, and, if necessary, to cover the retreat of the King. Unlike most other such elite formations, foreigners (except Tairens, Altarans and Murandians) are not only welcome, they can rise to even the highest rank, as can commaners, which is also unusual. The uniform of the Companions consists of a green coat, a breastplate worked with the Nine Bees of Illian, and a conical with a faceguard of steel bars. The First Captain wears four rings of golden braid on the cuffs of his coat, and three thin golden plumes on his helmet. The Second Captain wears three rings of golden braid on each cuff, and three golden plumes tipped with green. Lieutenants wear two yellow rings on their cuffs, and two thin green plumes, under-Lieutenants one yellow ring and a single green plume. Bannermen are designated by two broken rings of yellow on the cuffs and a single yellow plume, squadmen by a single broken ring of yellow.

When the armies sent by Artur Hawkwing under his son Luthair landed in Seanchan, they discovered a shifting quilt of nations often at war with one another, where Aes Sedai often reigned. Without any equivalent of the White Tower, Aes Sedai worked for their own individual power, using the Power. Forming small groups, they schemed against one another constantly. In large part it was this constant scheming for personal advantage and the resulting wars among the myriad nations tht allowed the armies from the east of the Aryth Ocean to begin their conquest of an entire continent, and for their descendants to complete it. This conquest, during which the descendants of the original armies became Seanchan as much as they conquered Seanchan, took more than nine hundred years and is called the Consolidation.

In the Old Tongue, "the Return." The name given by the Seanchan both to the fleet of thousands of ships and to the hundreds of thousands of soldiers, craftsmen and others carried by those ships, who will come behind the Forerunners to reclaim the lands stolen from Artur Hawkwing's descendants. See also Forerunners.

An ambitious man of the Domai sept of the Shaido Aiel. His warrior society is Seia Doon, the Black Eyes.

A union formed in the centuries after the Breaking of the World (circa 200 AB). Dedicated to the defeat of the Dark One. Broken apart by the Trolloc Wars.

An indestructible substance created during the Age of Legends. Any force used in an attempt to break it is absorbed, making cuendillar stronger. Also called heartstone.