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0.1: The Wheel of Time FAQ: Introduction, Copyright Information, and Contents

"I of course have zero evidence for this, but since when has that stopped any of us?" -- David Wren-Hardin

"Just the FAQs, ma'am." -- Sgt. Joe Al'Friday

This version of the WOTFAQ was initially published in April, 2002.

Copyright Information

The Wheel of Time FAQ (WOTFAQ) contains writing by many authors. The individual authors hold copyright to their respective contributions, as cited in the text. The Wheel of Time books, and all quotations therefrom, are Copyright 1990-2002 by Robert Jordan. The Wheel of Time chapter icons are by Matthew C. Nielsen, and are Copyright 1990-2000 by Tor Books. Unattributed material in the WOTFAQ is Copyright 2002 by Leigh Butler, Pamela Korda and Erica Sadun. This version of the WOTFAQ is Copyright 2002 by Leigh Butler, Pamela Korda and Erica Sadun.

What does all that mean? You may not distribute the WOTFAQ in any form, in whole or in part, without written permission from Pamela Korda or Leigh Butler. You certainly may not claim any part of the WOTFAQ as your own work, unless, of course, you wrote that part. You may print out a copy of the WOTFAQ for your own personal use. You may keep a copy of the WOTFAQ on your own computer for your personal use, provided that you don't distribute it. For example, you may not make the WOTFAQ available on your web page without permission. You may quote short portions of it as reference material, provided that you provide proper citation and credit.

For more information about copyright law, see:

• Copyright on the Internet
• The Copyright FAQ
• Ten Big Myths about Copyright Explained

Introduction to the WOTFAQ-- a Word from the FAQueen

This is the Wheel of Time Wondrous Masterpiece of Assembled Knowledge, Theories, and Discussion (a.k.a. The Frequently Asked Questions compendium). After many years in the care of the lovely and talented Pamela Korda, the duty of editing and maintaining the WOTFAQ has been passed on to me, Leigh Butler. The FAQ is based on discussion of The Wheel of Time series on the Usenet group rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan, as well as some personal correspondence, and a few other sources on the Web. This version of the WOTFAQ contains lots of SPOILERS for all books of the Wheel of Time, up to and including Book 9, Winter's Heart. If you haven't read, don't read. There are versions of the WOTFAQ from before WH (i.e., no spoilers, but some out-dated theories), which you can find links to in the Wheel of Time Index (see section 0.08).

This version of the WOTFAQ (v6.0) has been updated to include information and theories from Winter's Heart. Survey results have been deleted, since the most recent GN (Ghirardelli-Novak) survey predates TPOD. The Keywords and Sitemap indices have also been deleted.

Standard Reference Format: [Book Abbreviation: Chapter Number, Chapter Name, Tor HC page number]

Credits

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Keeper of the Chronicles (FAQ Maintainer and HTML implementation): Leigh Butler (leighdb@pacbell.net).

Defender of the Dragonwall (Site Maintainer) and FAQueen Emeritus: Pam Korda (pam@linuxmafia.com).

Master of the Blades (Original Site Design): Matthew Hunter.

Mother of the FAQ (Originator of the WOTFAQ): Erica Sadun.

Advertisement-free Web space courtesy of: Rick Moen (original site), Alistair Young (UK mirror).

Beta-testers/Proofreaders: Many thanks to Evan "Skwid" Langlinais for his exhaustive proofread of the FAQ, as well as error-detecting gurus Kate Nepveu and Pat O'Connell; additional kudos go to Jasper Janssen and Duncan Macdonald for their help with page references and random questions. Also thanks to Elizabeth Butler, resident icon doctor, and to Maggie Brazeau for her help in the final stages of production."

FAQing awesome people: Richard Boyé for re-writing and/or updating several sections for me; John S. Hamby and John S. Novak III for mightily facilitating the updates of other sections; Kevin Bartlett and Karl-Johan Noren, whose web pages Pam plundered mercilessly for good analyses of Asmodean's murder; Steven Cooper for his comprehensive and endlessly useful timeline; and, of course, Pam Korda, whose advice, assistance and support were invaluable, and in whose footsteps I am privileged to follow.

All Contributors Great and Small

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Contents

Note on changes since the last version:

• Items marked "NEW" are sections which are, well, new.
• Items marked "UPDATED" are sections which include significant new information and/or discussion.
• Items marked "REVISED" are sections which contain some minor new info or discussion, but no major changes.

• 0 Administrivia

• 0.01 Introduction, Credits, and Contents
• 0.02 RJ says the FAQ is only 1/3 right. Why should I bother reading it?
• 0.03 Acronyms and Abbreviations
• 0.04 What are these Jordan Wheel of Time books?
• 0.05 What should I do if I've become obsessed?
• 0.06 What's the deal with those shoddy Tor covers that keep falling off?
• 0.07 Who is Robert Jordan, really? What else has he written?
• 0.08 What other resources are out there, besides the FAQ?
• 0.09 How can I contact Robert Jordan?
• 0.10 Is there a downloadable version of the FAQ?

• 1 The Dark Side

• 1.1 The Forsaken: The Old Guard

• 1.1.1 Who are the Forsaken? Where are they now?
• 1.1.2 Who is Mesaana, in the Tower?
• 1.1.3 Who was Silvie?
• 1.1.4 Why did Sammael claim he had a truce with Rand?
• 1.1.5 Is Mazrim Taim really Mazrim Taim? Is he Demandred?
• 1.1.6 Death of Asmodean
• 1.1.7 Could Lanfear be Good? (not just in bed, Roy)
• 1.1.8 Was Ishamael really bound?
• 1.1.9 Why do we think Anath is Semirhage in disguise?

• 1.2 The Forsaken: New Kids on the Block

• 1.2.1 Who are Aran'gar and Osan'gar?
• 1.2.2 What is the deal with Halima and Egwene's headaches?
• 1.2.3 Who is Moridin? Why do we think that he is the Watcher and the Wanderer?
• 1.2.4 Who is Cyndane, and where did she come from?
• 1.2.5 Moridin's Nine Sha'rah players

• 1.3 How's that work for the Dark?

• 1.3.1 What are those black threads on the male Forsaken?
• 1.3.2 Fifty Ways to Kill a Gholam
• 1.3.3 The True Power
• 1.3.4 Where do Trollocs and Myrddraal come from?
• 1.3.5 Are Black Ajah bound by the Oath Rod?
• 1.3.6 Are the Seals connected to the Taint?
• 1.3.7 What is the deal with BA and Warders?

• 1.4 What's up in the Dark? Who's who?

• 1.4.01 Who ordered Melindhra and why?
• 1.4.02 Slayer (Isam and Luc)
• 1.4.03 Can Slayer channel?
• 1.4.04 Who is Slayer's mystery employer in WH?
• 1.4.05 Shaidar Haran, Superfade
• 1.4.06 Who will be the new dreadlords?
• 1.4.07 The 'Aiel' Attack on Demira Sedai -- What's the deal with that?
• 1.4.08 Did Shaidar Haran violate Moghedien?
• 1.4.09 Who killed Adeleas and Ispan?
• 1.4.10 The "Kill Rand" order and the TPOD attack
• 1.4.11 What was up with the Forsaken at the end of WH?

• 1.5 Black? Or Not?

• 1.5.1 Is Aram a Darkfriend?
• 1.5.2 Why Moiraine is not Black Ajah
• 1.5.3 Why Elaida isn't Black Ajah
• 1.5.4 Is Sheriam Black Ajah? Who's beating her up?
• 1.5.5 Is Chesa a Darkfriend?
• 1.5.6 Who is not a Darkfriend?

• 1.6 Shadar Logoth, Mashadar, and Fain

• 1.6.1 More of the Fain
• 1.6.2 Mordeth, Mashadar, and Machin Shin
• 1.6.3 Is Mordeth a gholam?
• 1.6.4 What was up with Liah in Shadar Logoth?

• 2 Things not (necessarily) of the Dark

• 2.1 The Ta'veren

• 2.1.1 What's up with Mat's new ring?
• 2.1.2 Is there a connection between Mat's luck and the dice ter'angreal?
• 2.1.3 Is Mat still linked to the Horn?
• 2.1.4 When was Rand's Power-Acquisition Fever Syndrome?
• 2.1.5 What's up with Mat and his memories?
• 2.1.6 LTT -- is he for real, or is Rand loony? What happened to him in ACOS?
• 2.1.7 The Third Man
• 2.1.8 What's the deal with Mat and bells?

• 2.2 The Rest

• 2.2.1 Can Thom channel?
• 2.2.2 What was up with Gawyn during the Tower Coup?
• 2.2.3 Who was the geezer on the barrel?
• 2.2.4 What's the deal with Setalle Anan? Is she the one who is no longer?
• 2.2.5 Where is Gaidal Cain now?
• 2.2.6 How do we know that Moiraine is not dead?
• 2.2.7 Verin: Black, Brown, or Purple? (What's up with Verin, how old is she, is she bound by the Oath Rod?)
• 2.2.8 Can Tuon channel? What is the fate the damane Lidya foretold for her?

• 2.3 The Power and Power-related objects

• 2.3.01 What's up with the male-female a'dam link where they both die screaming?
• 2.3.02 The Sad Bracelets / male a'dam
• 2.3.03 Effects of the Oath Rod: Binding, Agelessness, and Death
• 2.3.04 How do One-Power-forged blades work?
• 2.3.05 What is the range on sensing other channelers?
• 2.3.06 Can you make horizontal gateways?
• 2.3.07 How does balefire work?
• 2.3.08 What is the difference between Skimming and Travelling?
• 2.3.09 What do Dreamers and Dreamwalkers do?
• 2.3.10 How does Mat's medallion work?
• 2.3.11 What are 'involuntary rings'?
• 2.3.12 What caused the One Power weirdness in Ebou Dar?
• 2.3.13 Is Cadsuane's hair-thingy a ter'angreal?
• 2.3.14 The Seven Seals: Status Report
• 2.3.15 What's the deal with Healing stilling/gentling?
• 2.3.16 Cleansing the Taint: Analysis

• 2.4 Days Of Yore

• 2.4.01 Who was Beidomon?
• 2.4.02 Did LTT balefire himself?
• 2.4.03 The Green Man and the Song (Who is the green man, what is the song, who will find the song, who were the Aiel?)
• 2.4.04 Jain Farstrider: Where is he now?
• 2.4.05 The Old Tongue and the New Tongue
• 2.4.06 Who or what was (the) Tamyrlin?
• 2.4.07 What did Ogier do of old?
• 2.4.08 Were there Ajahs in the Age of Legends?
• 2.4.09 Was the Sharom the Dark One's prison?
• 2.4.10 Tigraine = Shaiel: An analysis
• 2.4.11 What was the Vileness after the Aiel War?

• 2.5 True Love and Families

• 2.5.1 Who's Who in the Families?
• 2.5.2 Who is Juilin's honey?
• 2.5.3 Why do we think that Thom will marry Moiraine?
• 2.5.4 Is Thom the father of Elayne or Gawyn?
• 2.5.5 Kari al'Thor: What do we know about her?
• 2.5.6 Is Aviendha Pregnant?

• 2.6 What's up? (Non-dark section)

• 2.6.1 What is the deal with Callandor? Who will use it?
• 2.6.2 The Severed Hand
• 2.6.3 Who are the Aelfinn and Eelfinn?
• 2.6.4 Where do the Aes Sedai get their money?
• 2.6.5 The Mystery of the Salidar Sitters
• 2.6.6 Military Roundup: Situation Report

• 2.7 Absurd Trivia and Generalities

• 2.7.1 How does one sniff, anyway? What about snorting?
• 2.7.2 How tall is everybody?
• 2.7.3 How old is everyone?
• 2.7.4 Is there religion in Randland?
• 2.7.5 Iconography
• 2.7.6 MisSteps (Errors along the way)
• 2.7.7 When Rand and Mat are travelling to Caemlyn in TEOTW, why does the scene with the scarves happen twice?

• 3 Sources of Knowledge

• 3.01 King Arthur and the Holy Grail
• 3.02 Shadowspawn
• 3.03 Is the world of Randland a future Earth?
• 3.04 Christian and Biblical Parallels
• 3.05 Random Names
• 3.06 Dragon Legends
• 3.07 Norse Mythology
• 3.08 The Fisher King
• 3.09 The Aiel, Native Americans, and the Zulu
• 3.10 Greek and Roman Mythology
• 3.11 Miscellaneous References
• 3.12 Similarities between The Wheel of Time and other SF (including Dune)
• 3.13 Real Nation's influence on Randland

• 4 Prophecy

• 4.01 Egwene's Dreams
• 4.02 Min's Viewings
• 4.03 Various Prophecy
• 4.04 The Dark Prophecy
• 4.05 The Karaethon Cycle
• 4.06 Perrin's Dreams
• 4.07 Fourth Age Histories

• 99 Publishing Stuff

• 99.1 When is the next book going to be out?
• 99.2 What is the Guide? What is 'New Spring'? What is 'From The Two Rivers' and 'To The Blight'?

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