[ Contents | Administrivia | The Shadow | Non-Dark | Sources | Prophecy | Publishing ]

2.6.6: Military Roundup: Situation Report

[Leigh Butler]

By the end of WH, there is a whopping total of about 30 armed forces wandering around Randland (give or take, depending on what you consider an army, and depending on whether a couple of them are real or not). This section gives a rundown on the military who, what, and where, and speculates on the identity of the "mystery armies" that popped up in WH.

The list is organized roughly by geography (except for Rand's armies, which are all over the place). Numbers are given where I've been able to find them.

1. Rand's Forces
   • Cairhien - mixed Aiel, Cairhienin, Tairens. Numbers uncertain. In [TFOH: 42, Before the Arrow, 470-471], according to Mat, the seven clans with Rand had almost double Couladin's one hundred and sixty thousand spears (or, a little over three hundred thousand). After the battle, the four undecided clans, whose numbers equaled the Shaido's, joined Rand, bringing the tally up to almost half a million, minus losses. So conservatively figure Rand had about four hundred thousand Aiel after defeating the Shaido, plus however many Tairens and Cairhienin he didn't send to Illian. He lost a good chunk of the Aiel after Dumai's Wells (at least a few thousand threw down their weapons and ran off, thinking Rand had abandoned them [ACOS: 3, Hill of the Golden Dawn, 96]). Other than the clans Rand sent to deal with the Shaido in ACOS, and those he took with him to Illian, Rand's Cairhien forces have been sitting outside the city since TFOH.
     
     
   • Andor - Rand took around six thousand Aiel with him to Caemlyn [TFOH: 54, To Caemlyn, 644], and was joined in LOC by Bashere and his nine thousand Saldaean horse. There were fifteen thousand of the Legion of the Dragon before Rand took them and the Saldaeans to Illian in [ACOS: 41, A Crown of Swords, 647]; Rand sent all but a thousand of each back to Andor before engaging the Seanchan in TPOD. The Legion probably has been growing steadily since then, thanks to Taim's aggressive recruiting program, and may by now be more than double the ACOS number. The Aiel in Caemlyn were rousted from the city by Elayne's arrival.
     
     
   • Illian - Before engaging the Seanchan in TPOD, Rand dismantled most of the huge army he had built up in Illian and sent them back to Cairhien and/or Andor. After the Seanchan campaign stalled, Rand apparently pulled most of the rest out as well, except the Illianers themselves.
     
     
   • Tear - The more loyal Tairen lords and their retinues, left there since TSR. Numbers unknown but probably not that significant.
     
     
   • Kinslayer's Dagger - In [ACOS: 18, As the Plow Breaks the Earth, 323], Rand sent a large force of Aiel (four clans, or probably about a hundred and fifty thousand spears) to Kinslayer's Dagger to deal with the Shaido. Of course, the Shaido disappeared before they could get there, and we've seen neither hide nor hair of Rand's Aiel since.
     
     
   • Sea Folk - Included here because technically they are part of Rand's forces, according to the bargain Merana and Rafela struck with Harine, even if he has yet to use them. They're also the only group in Randland with naval capabilities anywhere close to the Seanchan. Currently they appear be in disarray, but are slowly gathering ships in Tear, Andor, and Cairhien; Mat's newly freed Windfinder damane are about to stir up trouble in Ebou Dar as well.
     
     
   • Asha'man - Other than a few odds and ends like Grady and Neald (with Perrin) and Flinn and Narishma (with Rand), the Asha'man appear to all be at the Black Tower in Andor (Rand sent those on campaign with him in Illian back to the BT in TPOD). Taim reported a total of 448 channellers on the rolls as of [TPOD: 14, Message from the M'Hael, 298], and that 3-4 more men joined every day. (Torval says that there were 51 burned out/destroyed in the same amount of time.) By the Prologue of WH, 22 days later, Toveine counts 500 Asha'man; if she's right, then Taim was actually boasting only slightly about the rate of increase. The end of WH is approximately 22 days after the Prologue, which means the BT could have 550 or more channellers by now (plus 50 AS Warders). The problem, of course, is where their loyalties lie. Discord has been brewing between Taim's followers and those loyal to Logain; what effect the Taint disappearing will have on the impending split is unknown, but Elaida's Foretelling of the BT being rent in blood and fire makes it unlikely the effect will be a good one.

2. Rebels in Haddon Mirk: Tairens who actively rebelled against Rand's takeover in Tear, they haven't moved since TSR except for whatever men High Lord Darlin Sisnera took with him to Cairhien. Even though Darlin has since returned to assume the Stewardship of Tear for Rand, the rebels haven't emerged (maybe - see the mystery armies, below). In [WH: 25, Bonds, 491], Rand dispatched Alanna, Rafela, Merana, Bera, and Kiruna to Haddon Mirk to negotiate an end to the rebellion.

3. Arad Doman: Little hints have been dropped for half the series of trouble and chaos in Arad Doman. Mat hears rumors in [WH: 18, An Offer, 377] of armies moving there. Whatever's going on, it's good odds that Graendal and her dupe (or cohort) General Rodel Ituralde are involved.

4. The Seanchan: Other than all of Rand's forces combined, the Seanchan are the largest military force in Randland - and the only army besides the Rebel AS that can mount a decent defense against Rand's Asha'man (sul'dam and damane). Exact numbers unknown, but including conscripts from Tarabon, Altara, and Amadicia easily fall in the hundreds of thousands. The Seanchan also possess the only true navy in Randland proper - and the only air force! They control most of the southwestern coast from Tarabon to Ebou Dar, including most (but not all) of Amadicia. They currently look to be mounting a second offensive against Illian.

5. La Resistance: Anti-Seanchan partisans in Ebou Dar and possibly elsewhere (Mat hears about small armed groups all over Altara), planning to fight the invaders from within. Led in Ebou Dar by Prince Beslan. Numbers unknown. Mat doesn't think much of their chances, but the Sea Folk Windfinders he frees in WH may possibly join Beslan's cause, or at least allow him to benefit from the confusion that's sure to ensue.

6. Perrin's forces: A ragtag mixture of Mayeners, Aiel Maidens (and Gaul), Duopotamians, Ghealdanians, a handful of Wise Ones, two Aes Sedai, and two Asha'man. Perrin tallies up the numbers at around two thousand [WH: 6, The Scent of Madness, 166]. Currently charging off, in the company of the Prophet's Dragonsworn, to rescue Faile and Co., heading south into Amadicia via Gateways and, probably, smack into a five-way confrontation with Sevanna's Shaido, Whitecloaks, Seanchan, and Dragonsworn.

7. Dragonsworn: Though there are plenty of random bandits running around calling themselves Dragonsworn, here I'm referring to the followers of the Prophet. Berelain puts them at three to four thousand [WH: 5, Flags, 148], and though they are nominally in an uneasy alliance with Perrin's army, Faile and Co. discovered right before getting captured that Masema is actually in cahoots with the Seanchan. Bad, bad Prophet.

8. Shaido: Perrin thought the Shaido numbered around forty thousand spears at Dumai's Wells [TPOD: 9, Tangles, 210], and Sevanna's tally agreed in [ACOS: Prologue, Lightnings, 29]; afterward they were down to less than half that number [ACOS: 20, Patterns Within Patterns, 348]. They briefly holed up in Kinslayer's Dagger, and were subsequently scattered from Ghealdan to Illian by Sammael, with one large pocket led by Sevanna in Amadicia that included 300 Wise Ones [TPOD: 11, Questions and an Oath, 249]. It's unknown how many of those WOs can channel, but Sevanna took all who could channel with her when the Shaido split up [ACOS: 40, Spears, 636]. Sevanna's group numbered a little over three thousand spears according to the Wise One Meira in [TPOD: 11, Questions and an Oath, 249], and since then five septs of the Shaido have rejoined Sevanna's group, according to Therava [WH: 4, Offers, 130]. Sulin tells Perrin that a sept might have as many as a thousand spears each [WH: 6, The Scent of Madness, 165], so Sevanna may have eight thousand spears with her by now (or more, including the Mera'din). However, there's something bizarre about the numbers here. Perrin seems to be under the impression from what Sulin told him that there are only a thousand Shaido in front of him, and so does Sulin; I find it hard to believe that Sulin could make so grave an error, though I guess it's possible. Plus, Therava also says that there are still seventy-eight more septs "scattered on the wind"; if the Shaido only had twenty thousand to begin with in Kinslayer's Dagger, it hardly seems possible that each sept has a thousand spears.

9. Children of the Light: Balwer reported to Perrin that the Whitecloaks, led by Eamon Valda, took most of their numbers north from Amador before the city fell to the Seanchan [TPOD: 9, Tangles, 207]. They haven't appeared on-screen since ACOS, but currently appear to be no more than fifty miles or so from Perrin's army, numbering anywhere from five to ten thousand cavalry [WH: 6, The Scent of Madness, 167]. (This is based on the Warder Alharra's report to Perrin after a scouting run; though Alharra doesn't name them specifically, Perrin thinks it's pretty certain that these are the Children and not Seanchan, based on Balwer's information.)

10. The Band of the Red Hand: Ten thousand soldiers as of [TPOD: 18, A Peculiar Calling, 369], according to Egwene. Last seen in Murandy, serving as mercenaries to King Rhoedran while waiting for Mat to reappear. Led by Talmanes of House Delovinde in Mat's absence.

11. Murandian Army: A joke, mostly. Numbers unknown but surely negligible. Rhoedran hopes to bolster them with the Band in an effort to maintain his sovereignty.

12. Andoran Noble Army: Led by Lady Aemlyn of House Renshar, Lady Arathelle of House Carand, and Lord Pelivar of House Coelan, and camped in northern Murandy with various minor Murandian nobles tacked on. Their numbers are unknown but apparently considerably smaller than the Rebel AS; Bryne comments that Pelivar would "think twice about coming at us if he had three times the numbers he does" [TPOD: 15, Stronger Than Written Law, 316]. A semi-educated wild guess would put them at around five thousand men or less. They are in quasi-opposition to Elayne, favoring Dyelin instead, but seem mainly concerned with biting off a chunk of Murandy for themselves.

13. Elayne's Army: Virtually non-existent. The original Queen's Guard was pretty well gutted by Rahvin, and Birgitte's recruitment for the new Guard has only yielded thirty-two women so far [WH: 26, Expectation, 503]. Elayne has commanded recruiting of Hunters of the Horn and mercenaries to flesh them out, and she has various AS and Kin with her (and damane/sul'dam, for whatever that's worth), but the appearance of the Mystery Armies (see below) caught her way short. I'm unclear on whether Elayne actually has any House retainers and, if so, whether they are with her, but from her conversation with Dyelin and Birgitte in the Prologue of WH, it seems not.

14. The Kin: Not technically an army, true, but one thousand seven hundred and eighty three channellers [ACOS: 31, Mashiara, 500] is nothing to sneeze at, however untrained in battle they might be. Reanne, the Knitting Circle, and what Kin were at the farm in TPOD are in Caemlyn with Elayne, and the rest are scattered all over the place; Nynaeve and Reanne sent eighteen of those in Caemlyn to Altara and Tarabon and Amadicia via Gateways, to try and find any of the Kin still in Seanchan-controlled territory [WH: 8, Sea Folk and Kin, 201]. Gathering them all up and joining them with the AS will likely be a fine mess.

15. The Borderland Treaty Organization (BoTO): By Merilille's estimate, around two hundred thousand soldiers [WH: 26, Expectations, 511], plus thirteen unaffiliated Aes Sedai and one of the world's great generals (Agelmar). Currently sitting in the Braem Woods just north of the Andor border, though Elayne has asked them to move into Andor and play decoy. They claim to have moved south to meet with Rand and discuss his neglect of the Blight border, but their true motives are uncertain: "'Further south,' Easar added, 'it may be well to have thirteen Aes Sedai with us'" [TPOD: Prologue, Deceptive Appearances, 23].

16. Blight Border: It's uncertain just how many soldiers the BoTO left behind them when they marched south. Ethenielle is of the opinion that what she's left can guard the Blight "short of the Trolloc Wars coming again", but her companion Alesune evidently disagrees [TPOD: Prologue, Deceptive Appearances, 20]. Even if Ethenielle is correct, though, a second Trolloc War may be exactly what the Borderlands will have to face.

17. Shadowspawn/DO's forces: The Blight's been quiescent for months, which makes it a good bet that something major is brewing; we're way overdue for Trollocs and Myrddraal to reenter the picture, not to mention the BoTO haring off south means there hasn't been a better time to launch a Shadow offensive against the Borderlands since the Breaking. The Forsaken, with the possible exceptions of Mesaana and Semirhage, appear to be all firmly under Moridin's thumb as of WH, and ready to act in concert.

18. The Rebel Aes Sedai: Over thirty thousand soldiers as of [TPOD: 15, Stronger Than Written Law, 318], plus around 300 full Aes Sedai [ACOS: Prologue, Lightnings, 24], a fair posse of Warders, and 1000 or so novices [TPOD: 30, Beginnings, 587]. They share the advantage of Traveling with the Asha'man, and are led by one of Randland's greatest generals. Though mostly untrained, the novices represent a distinct advantage to the rebels not only in sheer numbers but in that they are not constrained by the Three Oaths (though whether Egwene will actually use that advantage is anyone's guess). Five days before the end of WH (chronologically), the rebels Traveled from Murandy to Tar Valon, and are now sitting outside Elaida's gates.

19. The Tower Aes Sedai: Gareth Bryne tells Egwene in [TPOD: 15, Stronger Than Written Law, 318] that Elaida has ordered the Tower Guard increased to fifty thousand men, though there's no way to know if she actually accomplished that goal. Add to that around 200 or so Aes Sedai, after losses at Dumai's Wells (27 sisters) and the Black Tower (Toveine's 50). It's unknown if the Tower Guard serves as the only armed force in Tar Valon (not counting the Warders) or if the city has a separate militia. Though Elaida may have more soldiers than Egwene, she has far fewer channellers, and those she does have are divided by internal dissent and a brewing Black Ajah purge. To balance that, she sits in a city that even Artur Hawkwing couldn't besiege successfully.

20. The Younglings: A small but elite fighting force led by Gawyn Trakand. Their numbers were reduced to less than 200 men after Dumai's Wells [ACOS: Prologue, Lightnings, 52]. They were last mentioned in [ACOS: 32, Sealed to the Flame, 506]; they had escorted the twelve TAS who escaped Dumai's Wells back to Tar Valon, but were then refused entrance to the city by the bridge guards. Presumably they're still outside the city, in prime position for Egwene to stumble into Gawyn once she arrives (unless Gawyn's already responded to his sister Elayne's summons to Caemlyn).

Mystery Armies

Possibilities:

• The BoTO: Unlikely. Braem Woods is north of Caemlyn, not east, and since the news of the mystery armies comes immediately after Elayne returns from visiting them, they would have had no time to move (it's extremely doubtful that any of their AS know how to Travel).

• Elenia and Naean: Possible, but there are problems with the idea. The two nobles had been freed from their captivity earlier in WH, and Elayne knows that both had estates and forces to the east of Caemlyn. Elayne also thinks, though, that there was no way either of them could have raised twenty thousand men. She could be wrong, of course, but there is also the fact that Elenia and Naean's escape had taken place only nine days before the mystery armies appeared, which hardly seems like enough time to assemble so large an army. There's also the point that Elenia and Naean wouldn't have much to gain from teaming up, since they are both after the same prize [Rich Boye'].

• Other Andoran nobles we don't know about: Also possible, and perhaps more likely than Elenia and Naean since there are four armies, not two. Other than that there's not much to say for or against the possibility.

• Shadowspawn: It's been suggested that the mystery armies are the DO/Moridin finally making a move. This is bolstered by the fact that the mystery armies apparently appeared out of nowhere, and other than Rand's forces and the Rebel Aes Sedai, the Forsaken are the only ones capable of moving an army around by Traveling. However, just because no one noticed them before this is not absolute proof that the armies had to have Traveled there. And one should ask, why Andor in particular? Why not the Borderlands?

One more Mystery Army, maybe

• The Haddon Mirk rebels, attacking at last. Or, they are simply moving into the city in response to Darlin's arrival, and rumor made them hostile.
• Rand loyalists who don't believe that Darlin is there on Rand's authority and have risen up against him.
• Darlin himself, deciding to take over Tear for real instead of merely governing it for Rand in his absence (perhaps supported by Min's vision of Darlin wearing a crown).
• The Seanchan. This would require, though, that they either bypassed Illian, or that the news they are attacking Illian is out of date and they've already conquered it, and are now finishing their conquest of the southwestern coastline by moving on Tear. The latter, at least, is pretty unlikely.
• The Dark One's forces. Again, why Tear particularly is anyone's guess.

[ Previous Section | Previous | Section Contents | Next | Next Section ]

[ Contents | Administrivia | The Shadow | Non-Dark | Sources | Prophecy | Publishing ]

Illustrations © 1989-2000 by Tor Books.