da’covale: (1) In the Old Tongue, this would be translated literally as ‘one who is owned,” or “person who is property “ (2) Among the Seanchan, the term often used, along with “property,” for slaves Slavery has a long and unusual history among the Seanchan, with slaves having the ability to rise to positions of great power and open authority, including over those who are free See also so’jhin.

Darkhounds: Shadowspawn created from lupine stock corrupted by the Dark One While they resemble hounds in their basic shape, they are blacker than night and the size of ponies, weighing several hundred pounds each They usually run in packs of ten or twelve, although the tracks of a larger pack have been sighted They make no mark on soft ground, but leave prints in stone, and are frequently accompanied by the smell of burned sulphur They will not usually venture out into the ram, but once running ram fails to stop them. Once they are on the trail, they must be confronted and defeated or the victim’s death is inevitable. The only exception to this is when the victim can reach the other side of a river or stream, since Darkhounds will not cross flowing water. Or supposedly not. Their blood and saliva are poison, and if either touches the skin, the victim will die slowly and in great pain. See also Wild Hunt.

Daughters of Silence, the: During the history of the White Tower (over three thousand years), various women who have been put out have been unwilling to accept their fates and have tried to band together. Such groups – most of them by far, at least – have been dispersed by the White Tower as soon as found and punished severely and publicly to make sure that the lesson is carried to everyone. The last group to be dispersed called themselves the Daughters of Silence (794 – 798 NE).

The Daughters consisted of two Accepted who had been put out of the Tower and twenty-three women they had gathered and trained. All were carried back to Tar Valon and punished, and the twenty-three were enrolled in the novice book. Only one of those, Saerin Asnobar, managed to reach the shawl. See also Kin, the.

Deathwatch Guards, the: The elite military formation of the Seanchan Empire, including both humans and Ogier. The human members of the Deathwatch Guard are all da’covale, born as property and chosen while young to serve the Empress, whose personal property they are. Fanati­cally loyal and fiercely proud, they often display the ravens tattooed on their shoulders, the mark of ada’covale of the Empress. The Ogier members are known as Gardeners, and they are not da’covale. The Gardeners are as fiercely loyal as the human Deathwatch Guards, though, and are even more feared. Human or Ogier, the Deathwatch Guards not only are ready to die for the Empress and the Imperial family, but believe that their lives are the property of the Empress, to be disposed of as she wishes. Their helmets and armor are lacquered in dark green and blood-red, their shields are lacquered black, and their spears and swords carry black tassels. See also da’covale.

Defenders of the Stone, the: The elite military formation of Tear. The cur­rent Captain of the Stone (commander of the Defenders) is Rodrivar Tihera. Only Tairens are accepted into the Defenders, and officers are usually of noble birth, though often from minor Houses or minor branches of strong Houses. The Defenders are tasked to hold the great fortress called the Stone of Tear, in the city of Tear, to defend the city, and to provide police services in place of any City Watch or the like. Except in times of war, their duties seldom take them far from the city. Then, as with other elite formations, they are the core around which the army is formed. The uniform of the Defenders consists of a black coat with padded sleeves striped black-and-gold with black cuffs, a bur­nished breastplate, and a rimmed helmet with a faceguard of steel bars. The Captain of the Stone wears three short white plumes on his helmet, and on the cuffs of his coat three intertwined golden braids on a white band. Captains wear two white plumes and a single line of golden braid on white cuffs, lieutenants one white plume and a single line of black braid on white cuffs and under-lieutenants one short black plume and plain white cuffs. Bannermen have gold-colored cuffs on their coats, and squadmen have cuffs striped black and gold.

Delving: (1) Using the One Power to diagnose physical condition and ill­ness. (2) Finding deposits of metal ores with the One Power. That this has long been a lost ability among Aes Sedai may account for the name becoming attached to another ability.

Depository: A division of the Tower Library. There are twelve publicly known Depositories, each having books and records pertaining to a par­ticular subject, or to related subjects. A Thirteenth Depository, known only to Aes Sedai, contains secret documents, records and histories which may be accessed only by the Amyrlin Seat, the Keeper of the Chronicles, and the Sitters in the Hall of the Tower. And, of course, by the handful of librarians who maintain the Depository.

der’morat: (1) In the Old Tongue, “master handler.” (2) Among the Seanchan, the prefix applied to indicate a senior and highly skilled handler of one of the exotics, one who trains others, as in der’morat’raken. Der’­morat can have a fairly high social status, the highest of all held by der’-sul’dam, the trainers of sul’dam, who rank with fairly high military officers. See also morat.

Erith: Daughter of Iva daughter of Alar. An attractive young Ogier woman whom Loial intends to marry, although at present he is on the run from her.

Fain, Padan: Former Darkfriend, now more and worse than a Darkfriend, and an enemy of the Forsaken as much as he is of Rand al’Thor, whom he hates with a passion. Last seen in Far Madding with Toram Riatin.

Pel, Herid: The author of Reason and Unreason and other books Pel was a student (and teacher) of history and philosophy at the Academy of Cairhien He was discovered m his study torn limb from limb

First Reasoner: The title given to the head of the White Ajah This position is currently held by Ferane Neheran in the White Tower Ferane Sedai is one of only two Ajah heads to sit in the Hall of the Tower at present

First Weaver: The title given to the head of the Yellow Ajah This position is currently held by Suana Dragand in the White Tower Suana Sedai is one of only two Ajah heads to sit in the Hall of the Tower at present

Fists of Heaven, the: Lightly armed and lightly armored Seanchan infantry carried into battle on the backs of the flying creatures called to’raken All are small men, or women, largely because of limits as to how much weight a to’raken can carry for any distance Considered to be among the toughest of soldiers, they are used primarily for raids, surprise assaults on positions at an enemy’s rear, and where speed in getting soldiers into place is of the essence

Forerunners, the: See Hailene

Forsaken, the: The name given to thirteen powerful Aes Sedai, men and women both, who went over to the Shadow during the Age of Legends and were trapped in the sealing of the Bore into the Dark One’s prison While it has long been believed that they alone abandoned the Light during the War of the Shadow, in fact others did as well, these thirteen were only the highest-ranking among them The Forsaken (who call themselves the Chosen) are somewhat reduced in number since their awakening in the present day Those thought to have survived are Demandred, Semirhage, Graendal, Mesaana, Moghedien, and two who were reincarnated in new bodies and given new names, Osan’gar and Aran’gar, although it seems possible that Osan’gar may also be dead The life of a Forsaken is always uncertain. Recently, a man calling himself Moridin has appeared, and seems to be yet another of the dead Forsaken brought back from the grave by the Dark One. The same may be possi­ble regarding the woman calling herself Cyndane, but since Aran’gar was a man brought back as a woman, speculation as to the original iden­tities of Moridin and Cyndane may prove futile until more is learned.