The Eye of the World -- Summary The Wheel of Time Book #1 by Robert Jordan Summary by Craig Cassar: Edited by Charlie Nealey Edited by Karl-Johan Norén: Chapter 1 -- An Empty Road Rand and Tam al'Thor are on their way to Emond's Field from their farm. Rand sees a man on horse who is all dressed in black. The look from this man is terrifying to him. Once in town, Mat and Perrin tell Rand that they too have seen a a strange man dressed in black although they don't know who he was. They describe the hate that they felt coming from him and that while he was looking at them they were more frightened than they had ever been before. Egwene, Nynaeve and other Emond's Fielders are introduced. Chapter 2 -- Strangers Lan and Moiraine are introduced. They are strangers that pique the interest of Rand and his friends. Moiraine gives Rand, Mat, and Perrin a silver coin. Chapter 3 -- The Peddler Padan Fain, the peddler, arrives in Emond's Field. He brings news of a false Dragon and a war in Ghealdan. This news is upsetting to all in Emond's Field. Chapter 4 -- The Gleeman The three boys meet Thom Merrilin, the gleeman. While trying to get him to do tricks, Moiraine approaches and the Gleeman and the Aes Sedai meet. There is talk about sending patrols around the Two Rivers. Chapter 5 -- Winternight Trollocs attack Rand and Tam while they are eating at their farm house. Rand returns to the house after they have both escaped to get supplies etc. While there, he kills a Trolloc that had feigned death lying on the floor waiting for them to return. While wrestling, the Trolloc falls on the heron marked blade that Tam had given to Rand earlier that evening. Chapter 6 -- The Westwood Tam is injured and Rand has made a litter in order to haul Tam to Emond's Field where Nynaeve, the Wisdom, can help him. Tam is delirious with fever and in his state he is talking to his late wife Kari. He mentions how he found a baby while fighting in Aiel War and how they named it Rand and took him in as their own. Rand is crushed by this information; he refuses to believe that Tam is not his father and credits the story to the fever dreams. Chapter 7 -- Out of The Woods Rand finally arrives in Emond's Field after dawn to find that it too has been ravaged by Trollocs. When Rand gets Nynaeve to look at Tam she writes him of as dead and says there is nothing she can do for him. Chapter 8 -- A Place of Safety Tam has been taken to the Winespring Inn where Moiraine comes and brings him back from his near death state. Chapter 9 -- Tellings of the Wheel Rand has his first dream of Ba'alzamon. Tam has recovered a great deal and is resting. In spite of the fact that Moiraine saved many people's lives the previous night, there is an uproar as the people want her to leave their village. Chapter 10 -- Leavetaking Moiraine and Lan are preparing to take Rand, Mat and Perrin on a journey away from their village. While in the stable, Thom and Egwene separately reveal themselves and demand that they too be allowed to journey. Much to the dismay of Lan, Moiraine accepts their presence with the statement, "The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills", and allows them to go. While leaving the village, the party encounters Draghkar, a large flying servant of the Dark One, flying overhead. Chapter 11 -- The Road to Taren Ferry The party journies all night, north, to Taren Ferry. They encounter a Draghkar once more along the way but arrive safely, partly due to the fog Moiraine creates across the land to shield them form the Draghkar. Upon their arrival, Lan seeks out Master Hightower, the ferry operator, and demands passage regardless of the fog and the dark hour. Chapter 12 -- Across the Taren Master Hightower and his haulers get the group across the Taren, however each party is suspicious of the hidden motives of the other. Once across, it becomes apparent that Moiraine is the cause of the ferry sinking in order to prevent anyone from following them. The party proceeds to a campsite that Lan had previously prepared an it is there that Egwene first realizes the One Power Chapter 13 -- Choices The trip to Baerlon takes about a week. On the way, Thom teaches Rand and Mat to play the flute and how to juggle, respectively, and Egwene continues her lessons with Moiraine and the True Source. Upon their arrival at the Baerlon City gates, they discover that Whitecloaks are in the city. Once inside, Moiraine and Lan take on the names Mistress Alys and Master Andra. The innkeeper's name at The Stag and Lion is Master Fitch. Chapter 14 -- The Stag and Lion The men all take a bath and have to talk quickly to keep Mat from telling the bath attendant all about the Trollocs. Lan learns that Logain, the false Dragon, won the war in Ghealdan. This is the first time Rand has heard the false Dragon's name. That night, Rand has his second dream of Ba'alzamon. In the dream, the Dark One kills a rat by breaking its back. Chapter 15 -- Strangers and Friends When Rand goes down to the kitchen, the cook is responding to the complaints about her cat. There are dead rats with broken backs all over the inn and they are blaming her cat. Mat is already out in the city when Rand leaves Perrin behind to go exploring. Perrin is feeling very sick. The first person he meets is Min. She tells him about her talent and describes what she sees when she looks at Rand and the rest of the group: Rand: a sword that is not a sword, a golden crown of laurel leaves, a beggar's staff , Rand pouring water on sand, a bloody hand with a white hot iron, three women standing over a funeral bier with Rand on it, a black rock wet with blood, lightning around him; some striking him, some coming out of him. Lan: Seven ruined towers around his head, a babe in a cradle holding a sword. Thom: a man, not him, juggling fire, the white tower. Perrin: a wolf, a broken crown, trees all around him. Mat: a red eagle, an eye on a balance scale, a dagger with a ruby, a horn, a laughing face. Chapter 16 -- The Wisdom Nynaeve arrives in Baerlon. She initiates a very serious discussion in a private dining room. She insists on taking the boys and Egwene back to Emond's Field. Chapter 17 -- Watchers and Hunters Dancing in the Common Room. Rand dances with Egwene, Nynaeve, and even Moiraine. There is a strange man watching him the entire time. A Fade confronts him in the Stag and Lion. Moiraine turns into a giant to help them escape from the city. Once they are far off they see smoke rising from the Stag and Lion burning down. Nynaeve thinks Moiraine is very selfish in allowing that to happen to serve her own purposes. Moiraine claims she is working for a greater good. Chapter 18 -- The Caemlyn Road Trollocs surround the party. Lan leads them away from the trumpets cries of the Trollocs, but they are completely surrounded. Moiraine makes a wall of fire that allows them to escape temporarily, but they end up heading into the abandoned city of Shadar Logoth (Aridhol). Chapter 19 -- Shadow's Waiting Rand, Perrin and Mat, take-off to explore the city without Moiraine's, or anyone else' permission. They meet Mordeth who takes them into the basement of a building to get them to carry treasure for them. He tries to kill them, but they escape. In the excitement, Mat takes a ruby hilted dagger. Chapter 20 -- Dust on the Wind When leaving the city because of approaching Trollocs, the party encounters Mashadar, the evil of Shadar Logoth, a fog like substance that will kill whatever living thing it touches. This separates them into groups -- Mat, Rand and Thom, Lan and Moiraine, Perrin and Egwene, and then Nynaeve by herself. The threesome end up escaping the Trollocs onto Bayle Domon' ship, Spray. Perrin and Egwene get separated when they fall into the river. Chapter 21 -- Listen to the Wind Nynaeve locates the camp of Lan and Moiraine where Moiraine reveals the potential for the One Power that Nynaeve has within herself. Nynaeve refuses to believe, but decides to continue on with her and Lan since her whole reason for leaving Emond's Field was to take the boys and Egwene home safely. Chapter 22 -- A Path Chosen Perrin finds Egwene on the other side of the river and after much debate, they decide to head towards Caemlyn with the hope that Moiraine will find them there. Chapter 23 -- Wolfbrother Perrin and Egwene meet Elyas, a man who travels with wolves and can apparently communicate with them by means of telepathy. The wolves identify Perrin as one who is like Elyas. Perrin refuses to believe this in spite of the fact that he can "feel" things from the wolves. Chapter 24 -- Flight Down the Arinelle Rand (and we learn later that Mat too) has a dream of Ba'alzamon chasing him in the maze of the Ways. While traveling down river, Rand sees statues of Kings and Queens that are a hundred feet tall. Rand experiences temporary insanity at the top of the mast swinging around dangerously. He didn't know what was happening until he gets down and can't figure out what had gotten into him. Mat reveals to Rand that he took the ruby hilted dagger from Shadar Logoth. Chapter 25 -- The Traveling People Perrin, Egwene and Elyas come across the Tuatha'an (The Traveling People). The three of them enter the camp. Although Elyas doesn't like the company of people, he is an old friend of the leader of this pack of Tuatha'an. Aram, a young and handsome Tinker takes a liking to Egwene. He takes her dancing which makes Perrin some what jealous. While sleeping, Perrin dreams about the wolves. Chapter 26 -- Whitebridge The Spray makes its way into Whitebridge. Rand, Mat and Thom, go to an inn to inquire about the whereabouts of the others. They find out that a Fade has been there looking for them. When leaving the inn they see a one in the middle of the town Square. Thom gives the boys his cloak and his instruments and wrestles with the Fade in order to allow them to escape. Rand and Mat head down the Caemlyn road believing Thom is dead. Chapter 27 -- Shelter From the Storm Perrin has a dream where a raven of the Dark One plucks out his eye in the Luhhan house, after having burnt a guard-wolf to a crisp. The threesome depart as both Elyas and Raen, the Mahdi, feel the ominous feeling in the air telling them to move on. Chapter 28 -- Footprints in the Air Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve arrive in Whitebridge to find half of it burnt down. It has been a day since Rand and Mat fled from the Fade. Moiraine decides to head for Caemlyn to find the one boy she can still sense because he still has the coin she gave to him back in Emond's Field. Chapter 29 -- Eyes Without Pity Elyas, Perrin and Egwene find themselves on hilly plains with large flocks of the Dark One's ravens all about them. They cover mile after hilly mile with ravens on all four sides of them. Perrin experiences a disturbing moral dilemma. If eventually attacked by a viscous flock of ravens, he can't decide if he should let Egwene go with one merciful swing of his axe, or let her be eaten alive by the ravens. They eventually find refuge from the ravens in a Stedding. Chapter 30 -- Children of Shadow A group of Children of the Light enter the Stedding and stumble upon the threesome. Perrin and Egwene hide in the hand of the half buried statue of Artur Hawkwing, but they are found regardless. Elyas and the three wolves take down some Whitecloaks and their horses, but Perrin and Egwene are taken prisoner while fighting to escape. Perrin kills two Whitecloaks. Chapter 31 -- Play for Your Supper Rand and Mat are traveling along the Caemlyn road. They manage to earn a bed or a spot in some farmer's barn to spend each night by doing chores for a couple of hours. They are asked to leave one house where they had originally been offered them a bed because the framer is afraid of them. The next night they stay at the Grinwell's farm. The eldest daughter, Else, takes a liking to Rand. The two boys play the flute and juggle all night to entertain the family and to pay for the food and shelter. The following morning they leave and arrive in Four Kings later that day. Chapter 32 -- Four Kings in Shadow Rand and Mat go to The Dancing Cartman, an inn with a very unfriendly innkeeper named Saml Hake. The two of them play all night to earn food and shelter. A man named Howal Gode, a Darkfriend, sits in the common room all night watching the boys. Once finished performing, they are given an old storage room with palettes to sleep on. During the night, Gode comes to the boys' room, and from the other side of the locked door, tries to convince them to submit to their rightful master; The Dark One. With no way to escape the inn, a bolt of lightning strikes the room killing Gode and Hake's henchmen, allowing Rand and Mat to escape. Mat is blinded by the flash. Chapter 33 -- The Dark Waits The boys each have another dream with Ba'alzamon in it. That morning they get a lift form Alpert Mull to the town of Market Sheran. In an inn, another Darkfriend approaches them. He is about the same age as Rand, and his name is Paitr. Rand and Mat leave the town telling Paitr to leave them alone; Rand punches him in the nose. They proceed on to another town and another inn (The Queen's Man), where they play again for payment. However, Rand becomes very sick and they stay in the stable yard that night. In the early hours of the morning a female Darkfriend tries to kill the two of them. They manage to stop her, lock her in a stable and then proceed to high-tail it out of town where the get a ride from Hyam Kinch. Chapter 34 -- The Last Village Arriving well after Dark in Carysford, Rand and Mat overhear a conversation between an innkeeper and a dark figure, later identified as a Fade, who are talking about the two of them. They leave the town right away with a man on a cart named Almen Bunt. They are on the last stretch to Caemlyn, and Bunt talks all night about how it is the grandest city on Earth. Chapter 35 -- Caemlyn Upon their arrival in the city, the two boys are incredibly overwhelmed to say the least. Bunt reveals to them that he did recognize them from the Fade's description but had no inclination to get involved. Rand buys some red cloth to cover up his sword as an effort to fit in. They eventually find their way to the Queen's Blessing, the inn that Thom had mentioned. The innkeeper, Basel Gill, a good friend of Thom's, takes the boys in and is very helpful to them. Rand feels at least a little bit safer under Master Gill's care. Chapter 36 -- Web of the Pattern Rand and Mat further explain their on-going predicament to Master Gill. Mat is becoming more pessimistic all the time. When in the inn's library, Rand meets Loial, the Ogier for the first time. He is scared at first since Loial is tall and somewhat resembles a Trolloc. The two of them exchange the story of how they came to be in Caemlyn. During the discussion, Loial gives the impression that he thinks Rand is an Aielman. This causes further anxiety for Rand since he still wants to believe that Tam is his real father. Loial also tells Rand that he is ta'veren. Chapter 37 -- The Long Chase Nynaeve, Lan and Moiraine have finally found Perrin by means of the Aes Sedai's ability to sense the silver coin he still carries. The Warder gives Nynaeve instructions to sneak into the Whitecloak camp where Perrin is located and cut the horses' ropes so when Moiraine makes a "distraction" the Whitecloaks will be concerned with their runaway horses rather their rescue effort. Chapter 38 -- Rescue Child Byar is about to let Perrin and Egwene escape, when lighting fills the sky and Lan is there to rescue them. The wolves are also there helping out. Lan leads them out of the camp fairly easily since the Whitecloaks are running around trying to catch their horses. Chapter 39 -- Weaving of the Web Rand learns that the beggar is asking for him and his friends around town. He also learns that the red cloth covering his sword means that he shows support for Queen Morgase, whereas the white shows one's disapproval of the Queen's association with the White Tower. While waiting in the crowded streets to see Logain, the beggar spots Rand and begins to approach him. Rand runs away and eventually finds himself in a part of the city without any other people. He then proceeds to find a wall that he climbs in order to see the false Dragon. Once atop the wall, he is startled by a female voice from the other side of the wall and ends up falling over. Chapter 40 -- The Web Tightens Rand meets Elayne and Gawyn. Galadedrid, their half-brother, comes later and reports Rand to the guards as an intruder. Against Elayne's wishes, they are all escorted into the presence of Queen Morgase herself. Gareth Bryne comments on how the heron marked blade belongs with Rand however odd it may be for a shepherd to be wearing it. Elaida says, for Rand's ears only, that he stands at the center of the darkness that the world is going to experience in the near future. Morgase decides to let him go in lieu of keeping him in jail, for she takes his word that he is telling the truth about his identity. Just before leaving, Gawyn tells Rand that if he were to wear a shoufa on his head he would be the spitting image of an Aielman. This adds to the anxiety that Rand's feels about his Tam. Chapter 41 -- Old Friends and New Threats Rand recounts his story of the palace and the beggar to Loial. Their conversation is ended by the news that five Whitecloaks are inside the Queen's Blessing on a city wide search for two People from the Two Rivers, but nothing materializes. Moiraine and the rest of the party show up in the kitchen of the inn; they are finally all reunited. Moiraine attends to Mat who is still sick in his room. She tells everyone about the taint that the dagger from Shadar Logoth has put on him, and how Darkfriends are drawn to it; that is why Rand and Mat were so easily found while they were on the Caemlyn Road. Chapter 42 -- Remembrance of Dreams Moiraine has healed Mat for the time-being, but says that a large group of Aes Sedai will need to be gathered once they reach Tar Valon to permanently free him from the curse. The remainder of the party meets Loial for the first time. Everyone shares reports of their journeys since their separation. Loial tells of a man who, twenty years ago, told him that Shai'tan intends to destroy the Eye of the World. Egwene tells the story she learned with the Tinkers; three years ago a dying Aiel approached the Wanderers, an odd enough occurrence in itself, and said much the same thing that Loial had just said. Rand, Mat and Perrin finally reveal their dreams to Moiraine in which Ba'alzamon mentions the Eye of the World. Loial tells the group that he senses all three boys to be ta'veren. Moiraine decides that time is short and that the party will have to venture through the Ways if they are to get to the Eye of the World in time. Chapter 43 -- Decisions and Apparitions Loial is very apprehensive about traveling in the Ways as he tells of how they have become incredibly corrupt and have not been used in ages. That night, before leaving for the Ways, the boys have another dream of Ba'alzamon. In this one the Dark One is able to identify each of them by their appearance, something he hasn't been able to do before. Chapter 44 -- The Dark Along the Ways Loial leads the party through Caemlyn in the pre-dawn hour, as he can sense the location of the Waygate. They eventually find it in the cellar of a shop and Moiraine opens it up. They all enter into the Ways where it is unnaturally dark and there is no wind and no ground except the path they are on. Loial is able to lead them through to their eventual destination of Fal Dara by means of the Guidings beside each bridge. One bridge that Loial leads them onto is broken in the middle, blocking their way. Chapter 45 -- What Follows in the Shadow The party is forced to find another path to Fal Dara. At one point Loial becomes very homesick as Stedding Shangtai is only three crossings away. Rand and Egwene tease each other about Min, Elayne and Aram respectively. Lan senses someone following them. Moiraine doesn't allow him to go back and find out who because they are pressed for time. The party comes across the ruins of Trollocs who died in the Ways. Rand is the first to feel what Loial identifies as Machin shin, the evil of the Ways. It is quickly approaching them. They manage to reach the gate to Fal Dara in time, but the Avendesora leaf is missing. Moiraine cuts a door in it in order to save them all from being killed by the black wind. Chapter 46 -- Fal Dara The party arrives in Fal Dara where Lan is greeted as Dai Shan, and with cries of The Golden Crane. Once in the keep, they are greeted by Lord Agelmar. Loial is greeted by the Borderlander's with Kiserai ti Wansho. They learn of Agelmar's plans to ride to Tarwin's Gap. Padan Fain, who Rand recognizes as the beggar, is caught trying to sneak into the city and brought to Agelmar and Moiraine. Moiraine interrogates him privately. She calls him, "Less than human, worse than vial and more dangerous than you can imagine". Chapter 47 -- More Tales of the Wheel Agelmar explains Lan's childhood to Egwene; how he got the title of Lord of the Seven Towers and how he is the last, uncrowned King of Malkier. Moiraine finishes her interrogation of Fain and reveals to the group of them what she has learned. She tells about how he has been the Dark One's Hound for the past three years looking all over the world for Rand, Mat, and Perrin. She tells of the horrors that he faced when the Trollocs took him to Shayol Ghul, how the Trollocs came through the Waygate at Manetheren (The Two Rivers) unnoticed by anyone. She also tells of how Ba'alzamon appeared in front of him, and that how, in the Ways, the Black Wind had no sooner engulfed Fain, then it fled from him. Moiraine and the rest of them get some sleep before they leave for the Blight and the Eye of the World in the morning. Chapter 48 -- The Blight Lord Ingtar escorts the party to the border of the Blight complaining about how he is going to miss the battle at Tarwin's Gap because he had to accompany them. As they get further and further into the Blight, it gets warmer and warmer until it is incredibly hot and humid like the hottest summer day. The land becomes more corrupt as trees take on diseased and unnatural shapes. Rand sees the ruins of Seven Towers in the distance and realizes that the land they are on was the country of Malkier just one generation ago. While they stop within viewing distance of a lake, they see a monstrous creature surface and then head back into the depths of the tainted water. When everyone else has gone to bed, Nynaeve and Lan reveal their feelings for each other for the first time in an emotional confrontation by the fire. Chapter 49 -- The Dark One Stirs As they head further into the Blight, the trees become so corrupt that they have taken on sentient life to obey the Dark One. The forest and other horrid creatures attack the party viciously for quite some distance. Once that battle is over, they hear a pack of huge worms following them. Just when they are about to be overtaken, they find the Green Man and are protected by his garden. Chapter 50 -- Meetings at the Eye The Green Man leads the party to the Eye of the World, but does not go in with them. Once inside they are all astonished at what they see. Moiraine says it is the essence of saidar and that it was made by male Aes Sedai over three thousand years ago. Since then it has been waiting for some unforeseen event in the future when it would be needed. This comment instills fear in all of the Emond's Fielders. When they go outside, they find that Aginor and Balthamel, two of the Forsaken are waiting for them. The Green Man attacks Balthamel, killing him, and himself too. A huge Oak Tree sprouts up to mark the Green Man's grave. Moiraine catches Aginor in a field of flames but is overwhelmed by his strength. Chapter 51 -- Against the Shadow Rand is running up the hill away from where Moiraine was fighting Aginor. When he gets to the top he finds that his path ends in a cliff. Aginor is right behind him and has him trapped. Aginor tries to convince Rand to join the Dark One with rewards of power beyond imagination. Rand refuses, and unknowingly enters a fight of the One Power with the Forsaken. Rand overpowers him and kills him. All of a sudden he finds himself in Tarwin's gap where the soldiers of Fal Dara and the surrounding cities are being overwhelmed by a huge army of Fades and Trollocs. Rand destroys the earth underneath some of the Dark One's forces and burns others. The men of the Borderlands see this and never come to a consensus as to what it was they had really seen. Rand then finds himself in the presence of the Dark One. He tries, much like Aginor, to tempt Rand with power and to join forces with him. Rand refuses and denies that he will ever succumb to the Shadow. He is almost swayed by what is apparently his Mother, Kari al'Thor crying out to him to release her from the Dark One's prison. Eventually Rand is able to free her to the light, and then engages in an intense battle of the One Power with Ba'alzamon. He swings a sword made from the power. It shatters the Dark One's rope to the source of the One Power thus ending the battle with Rand as the victor. Chapter 52 -- There is Neither Beginning or End Rand eventually awakes at the top of the cliff where he battled Aginor. He is completely disoriented, but he sees Aginor's remains and realizes his victory. At some point while he is wandering down the hill, he realizes that he was wielding the One Power and is incredibly frightened by the thought. When he finds the others, Moiraine is the only one seriously injured, but she is still conscious. Only Moiraine, Lan, Egwene and Nynaeve know at that point that Rand can wield the Power. Loial, Mat, and Perrin return from the Eye with three items; a shattered piece of cuendillar,(an unbreakable seal on the dark ones prison that has been broken), a chest with the Horn of Valere (able to call an army of heroes from the past to fight a battle in the present), and the banner of the Dragon. Chapter 53 -- The Wheel Turns Before setting out, Loial sings a Treesong to the Green Man's grave which helps it keep the filth of the Blight from overtaking it. Less than two days later, the party returns to a Fal Dara full of bells and music celebrating the victory at Tarwin's Gap. Over the next week Rand engages in intense sparing with the Lan in order to become a better swordsman. Rand tells Egwene that he is leaving, not for home but for some place where he will not be able to hurt anyone like Lews Therin did when he went mad. He intends to do this without Moiraine's knowledge, but little does she know she is listening in by means of the Power. Moiraine whispers to herself: "The Prophecies will be fulfilled, the Dragon is reborn." Craig Cassar