Omens
General
The Seanchan believe that their lives are governed by omens, which tell them of the weave of the Pattern. Omens do not change according to location. (WH, Ch. 14)
Meanings
- An owl calling at dawn
A death (WH, Ch. 14).
- A white winged albatross following a ship
Victory (WH, Ch. 14). - Tuon notes that although the wings on the bird following The Victory of Kidron were black tipped, the omen must mean the same.
- Rain without clouds
An unexpected visitor (WH, Ch. 14).
- A broken nail
Bad luck (WH, Ch. 14).
- Three porpoises sounding once before disappearing
Stay on your chosen course (WH, Ch. 14).
- A bird getting trapped indoors
An ill omen (KoD, Ch. 8).
- A torn spiderweb with a spider still in it
Death of someone close to you within a month (KoD, Ch. 8).
- Flight of birds circling more than once
Storm coming (KoD, Ch. 8).
- Length of time it takes for ants to rejoin their line after being seperated
Number of days of fair weather ahead (KoD, Ch. 8).
- Putting a hat on a table
Bad luck (KoD, Ch. 11).
- A bird circling three times above someone's head
Tuon sees this and interprets it as omen to stay close to Mat (KoD, Ch. 26).
- An owl hooting twice
Some will die soon (KoD, Ch. 27)
- A black dove
Bad news/death. Tuon sees a black dove when she hears of Turan's situation in Arad Doman and believes it means he will not return alive (TGS, Ch. 19).
- A hawk and three Towers
A difficult decision. Tuon sees a pattern like three towers in the sky and a hawk passing between them and takes it as an omen (TGS, Ch. 19.
Quotes
"How did these people live, not knowing the omens? Had they no desire to understand the visions of fate the Pattern was giving them? (Tuon, The Gathering Storm, Chapter 19).