"Time is a wheel with seven spokes, each spoke an Age. As the Wheel turns, the Ages come and go, each leaving memories that fade to legend, then to myth, and are forgotten by the time that Age comes again. The Pattern of an Age is slightly different each time an Age comes, and each time it is subject to greater change." (
The Eye of the World, Glossary)
Ages#
A spoke in the Wheel of Time.
Pattern of an Age#
"The Wheel of Time weaves the threads of human lives into the Pattern of an Age, often called simply the Pattern, which forms the substance of reality for that Age." (
The Eye of the World, Glossary)
Moiraine says that the Creator is good, the Dark One is evil, but the Pattern is neither. (TDR,Ch33)
Min's viewings read a part of the Pattern, but if the Pattern itself is destroyed by the Dark One then her viewings are moot. (TGS,Ch44)
Web of Destiny#
A great change in the Pattern of an Age, centered around one or more people who are ta'veren. In the Old Tongue, it is called "Ta'maral'ailen."
Pronunciation: tah-MAHR-alh-EYE-lehn
Ta'veren#
Pronunciation: tah-VEER-ehn
"A person around whom the Wheel of Time weaves all surrounding life-threads, perhaps ALL life-threads, to form a Web of Destiny." (
The Eye of the World, Glossary)
Known Ta'veren:#
References (Possible Spoilers)#
- In the Guide
- Glimmers Q&A - One becomes ta'veren according to the needs of the Wheel. No one is born ta'veren. Rand, Mat and Perrin became ta'veren just before Moiraine appeared.
- In The Great Hunt
- In The Dragon Reborn
- TDR,Ch8 - Rand causes chaos in the village of Jarra
setting off a string of marriages and a revolt among the Whitecloaks.
- TDR,Ch25 - Anaiya tells Egwene that dreams about ta'veren are almost always significant. The stronger the ta'veren the surer the significance.
- TDR,Ch33 - Moiraine easily tracks Rand through a string of villages because of the ta'veren upsets that he causes.
- In The Shadow Rising
- In The Fires of Heaven
- In Lord of Chaos
- In A Crown of Swords
- In Crossroads of Twilight
- CoT,Ch23 - Verin and Cadsuane get along well despite being on opposite sides of the White Tower rebellion. Cadsuane wonders if this is due to Rand and his ta'veren effect. None of her ter'angreal hair ornaments detects ta'veren.
- CoT,Ch29 - Mat begins to accept that his ta'veren nature and the Pattern will do with him what they want.
- In Knife of Dreams
- KoD,Ch3 - Ta'veren can be tracked and located by their effect on the Pattern. Ishamael and Lanfear were good at it, but it is more difficult for the other Forsaken, especially now that the Pattern is in flux.
- KoD,Ch21 - Rand's ta'veren effect causes improbable happenings when he visits Tear.
- KoD,Ch21 - Thom tells Tuon that Talmanes found them because Mat is ta'veren but she thinks it is a myth.
- In The Gathering Storm
- In Towers of Midnight