Narrative Atlas 5: The Dragon Reborn – From Falme to Tear

These maps cover the third part of our heroes’ journey in The Dragon Reborn (Book 3 of The Wheel of Time). For a detailed summary of The Dragon Reborn , please follow this link.

This part of the narrative atlas covers our heroes’ journey from Falme to Tear. My previous maps drew on Steven Cooper’s excellent Wheel of Time chronology for dates. However, Mr. Cooper’s chronology was not created with a concern for the geographic distances involved. In the case of The Dragon Reborn, in particular, these dates break down when subjected to geographic scrutiny, with characters sometimes travelling twice the distance in a single day that normally would be expected from people on horseback. Fortunately, The Dragon Reborn has some narrative flexibility with regards to dates and I have adjusted the dates to make such travel more feasible. Please see the appendix at the end of the article for how these dates were reworked.

Between the Books

As was relatively common in the early books in the series, the action does not immediately resume from the end of the previous volume (or even before). Instead, it opens several months later. Based on Mr. Cooper’s timeline, the battle at Falme that ends The Great Hunt takes place on Day 243 (that is, 243 days elapsed since Winternight, the start of The Eye of the World and the series as a whole). On Day 244 Egwene, Verin, Nynaeve, Elayne, Hurin and Mat depart for Tar Valon. Around Day 248, Moiraine and Lan join the characters on Toman Head and they leave the town for the Mountains of Mist, where they establish a camp in the mountains.

From the Mountains of Mist to Illian

The action of the book proper opens on Day 337 (Saban 8th in the WoT calendar, or around February 23rd 999 NE converted to our calendar) with the Trolloc attack on the camp in the Mountains of Mist. Rand disappears afterwards, having decided to travel by himself overland to Tear to see if he really is the Dragon Reborn. Moiraine, Lan, Loial and Perrin resolve to follow Rand with their Shienaran troops, whilst Min is dispatched to Tar Valon to bring news of the events to the Amyrlin Seat.

Rand’s path, and that of his pursuers, leads down from the mountains, through the foothills and into the Kingdom of Ghealdan, then across Ghealdan and the narrowest part of Altara to the River Manetherendrelle, then downriver from there to Illian and overland to Tear. Rand leaves a trail of chaos – spontaneous marriages, deaths, celebrations and other random events – in his wake.

On Day 344, in Jarra, in the Ghealdanin foothills, Moiraine decides they need to move faster and resolves to leave the Shienaran troops behind, under the command of Uno, Ragan and Masema. Masema has become a fanatical believer in the Dragon Reborn and Moiraine believes it will be a good idea to leave him behind (note: she is wrong). The Shienarans are given directions to hook up with an ally of Moiraine’s, whilst she, Loial, Lan and Perrin head out. They eventually reach Remen on the Manetherendrelle on Day 379, where Perrin meets two people who will become important to his future: the Aiel Gaul, whom he rescues from execution, and Faile, a Hunter for the Horn of Valere. Faile attaches herself to Moiraine’s party.

The group reach the city of Illian on Day 390 and discover that the Forsaken Sammael has taken possession of the capital. They quickly depart, surviving a Darkhound attack, and hit the road to Tear.

From Tar Valon to Tear

Egwene’s party, meanwhile, reaches Tar Valon on Day 361. Despite interference from Whitecloaks, they reach the White Tower and face an awkward situation where they are to be publicly punished for leaving the Tower without permission whilst also rewarded for what they have discovered about the Dragon Reborn and the Seanchan would-be invaders. Egwene and Elayne are raised to the rank of Accepted, the Horn of Valere is placed in the Tower storerooms and Egwene is also shown how to Dreamwalk in Tel’aran’rhiod, the World of Dreams. Mat is also Healed of his link to the dagger from Shadar Logoth, but wakes up with holes in his memory.

With limited resources, Siuan decides to use Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne as hunters to flush out the Black Ajah. When they uncover evidence that the Black Ajah is headed to Tear, she agrees to send them after the Darkfriends. She also gives them letters of passage, one of which Elayne gives to Mat Cauthon to take to her mother. Mat meets Thom Merrilin in an inn and convinces him they should team up again.

Egwene’s group leaves Tar Valon on Day 364, Mat and Thom a day later, travelling down the River Erinin to Tear, some 1,600 miles further south. On Day 379 Egwene’s ship runs aground. Unwilling to wait the several days it might take to float the ship again, the three Accepted disembark and head overland to the nearby Cairhienin port of Jurene. However, they are attacked by Myrddraal along the way. With the help of a band of Aiel led by Rhuarc and accompanied by Aviendha, they defeat the Myrddraal and resume their journey. Unbeknown, the Aiel follow overland. The Aiel’s superior fitness and stamina means they are only somewhat slower than travelling by boat, although to be fair the ship Egwene’s group picks is the awful, slow-moving Darter (which leaves both Egwene and Nynaeve sick for almost the entire voyage). They eventually reach Tear on Day 405.

Mat and Thom have a less eventful trip from Tar Valon to Aringill, Andor’s main port on the Erinin. After rescuing Aludra, a former member of the Guild of Illuminators (who rewards them with fireworks), they travel overland to Caemlyn, deliver Elayne’s message to her mother (discovering that Queen Morgase’s new paramour, “Lord Gaebril,” is up to no good) and quickly return to Aringill and another ship downriver to Tear.

In Tear

Events culminate in Tear. Egwene, Nyaneve and Elayne try to find the Black Ajah sisters, helped by thief-taker Juilin Sandar, but are captured by the Black Ajah and imprisoned under the Stone of Tear. Mat and Thom follow their trail, join forces with Juilin and blast their way into the Stone using Aludra’s fireworks, where they effect a rescue. At the same time they see the Aiel led by Rhuarc entering the Stone by climbing the exterior.

Meanwhile, Moiraine’s group arrives overland and learns that the “High Lord Samon” is in reality the Forsaken Be’lal. Perrin discovers that Faile is in danger from a ter’angreal trap and uses the Wolf Dream to save her. Rand enters the Stone by stealth, only to be faced by Be’lal. Be’lal wants Rand to seize Callandor, the Sword That is Not a Sword, one of the most powerful sa’angreal ever created. Once Rand has done so, Be’lal can kill him and claim the sword for himself. This plan is undone when Moiraine arrives and simply vapourises him with balefire.

Rand claims Callandor and declares himself the Dragon Reborn. The fighting ends quickly. The Aiel reveal that one of their ancient names is “The People of the Dragon,” further confirming the fulfilment of prophecy. For the first time (and the last, for many, many months), the group from the Two Rivers is able to reconvene with their new friends and allies.

Revised Timeline and Travel Notes

The main deviation from the Cooper Timeline is beginning the main thrust of the action on Day 337 rather than 354. This 17 day discrepancy is relatively minor, but expands the travel times by road to saner levels.

The biggest timeline problem is synchronising the journey of Mat and Thom with that of Team Egwene. Egwene’s group proceeds by ship almost directly from Tar Valon to Tear with a day’s distraction when their boat runs aground and they encounter Aiel and Myrddraal before boarding a new ship at Jurene. Mat and Thom have a much longer side-adventure in which they depart their ship at Aringill, travel just under 600 miles on foot (a round-trip from Aringill to Caemlyn) and then board another ship for Tear. However, the book’s narrative as them arriving in Tear relatively shortly after Egwene’s group.

This doesn’t make sense, so the only solution was to extend Egwene and her group’s voyage on the Darter from Jurene to Tear. This makes sense because Egwene notes that the ship travels slowly and “corkscrews” in the water, leaving her and Nynaeve extremely nauseous. This still leaves Egwene and her companions in Tear two weeks ahead of Mat and Thom, which is not reflected in the text but not ruled out by it either. As it stands, this is the best solution I have found.

Day 244 (Nesan 27th/November 22nd 998 NE) – Egwene’s party leaves Falme for Tar Valon.

Day 248 – Rand wakes, the party begins moving towards the mountains.

Day 337 (Saban 8th/February 23rd 999 NE) – attack on the mountain camp. Rand disappears. Pursuit begins the next day. Min leaves for Tar Valon.

Day 344 – Rand reaches Jarra. Perrin’s party arrives a few hours to a day later (138 miles in 7 days – 19.7 miles per day).

Day 359 – Perrin’s party passes through Sidon (211.5 miles in 15 days – 14.1 mpd).

Day 361 – Egwene’s party reaches Tar Valon (very approximately 2,000 miles by road and across country in 117 days, averaging 17 miles per day).

Day 364 – Egwene’s party leaves Tar Valon by boat for Tear.

Day 365 – Mat and Thom leave Tar Valon by boat for Aringill (note: one year since Winternight and the events of The Eye of the World began).

Day 369 – Perrin’s party reaches Willar (204 miles in 10 days – 24 mpd).

Day 374 – Perrin’s party passes through Samaha, Tallan and Fyall (157.5 miles in 6 days – 26.25 mpd).

Day 379 – Perrin’s party reaches Remen, meets Faile and takes ship for Illian (128 miles in 5 days – 25.6 mpd).

Day 379 – Egwene’s party abandon their boat after it runs aground. They meet the Aiel, defeat three Myrddraal and take a new ship at Jurene, leaving on Day 380 (664.85 miles in 15 days – 44.3mpd by ship).

Day 380 – Mat and Thom arrive at Aringill, meet Aludra and receive some fireworks. They head for Caemlyn (839 miles in 15 days – 55.93mpd by ship).

Day 390 – Perrin’s party reaches Illian (861.9 miles in 11 days – 78.35 mpd by ship). They depart for Tear.

Day 392 – Mat and Thom reach Caemlyn. Mat sees the Queen and they immediately head back to Aringill (299 miles in 12 days – 24.92mpd).

Day 404 – Mat and Thom take ship again at Aringill (299 miles in 12 days – 24.92mpd).

Day 405 – Egwene’s party reaches Tear, meets Juilin Sandar (979.05 miles in 25 days – 39.16mpd by ship).

Day 419 – Mat and Thom arrive at Tear (804.95 miles in 15 days – 53.66mpd).

Day 421 – Perrin’s party reaches Tear (779.63 miles in 31 days – 25.15mpd).

Day 422 (Saven 9th/May 19th 999 NE) – Battle of the Stone.

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