Brief Series Summary (Books 1-12)

On the eve of the spring festival of Bel Tine, Rand al'Thor and his father visit the isolated village of Emond's Field, watched by a Myrddraal. That night, their farm is attacked by Trollocs. They survive and flee. Tam is wounded by a Myrddraal blade and in his delusion speaks of how he found Rand on Dragonmount at the end of the Aiel War. They make it to the village where Moiraine Heals Tam and tells Rand that the Shadowspawn attack was directed specifically at him, Perrin and Mat and that they must leave the village to protect everyone. They head north, accompanied by Egwene who wishes to become Aes Sedai and Thom, a isiting gleeman who doesn't want to be associated with the trouble. The group passes through Baerlon, where Min tells Rand of the strange auras she sees around him and Nynaeve joins them. After leaving, they are forced into Shadar Logoth by a band of Trollocs. Here, Mat picks up a ruby dagger and the group is forced to split when the Trollocs chase them out of the city. Padan Fain, a darkfriend peddler who has followed them from the Two Rivers, is possessed by the spirit of Mordeth.

Perrin and Egwene meet Elyas, a man who can talk with wolves and trael with him his wolf friends and a group of Tuatha'an, learning Perrin can talk to wolves the same way Elyas can. They are apprehended by Whitecloaks before being freed by Lan, Moiraine and Nynaeve. Mat, Rand and Thom take passage with Bayle Domon to Whitebridge, where a Myrddraal catches up with them and Mat and Rand are forced to leave Thom. They head to Caemlyn, where, Rand meets Elayne and Gawyn and is taken before Morgase Gareth Bryne and Elaida, who has a Foretelling about him, but no crime has been committed, so Morgase orders their release and they return to the inn where they are soon joined by the others. Moiraine feels the evil of Mat's dagger and is able to temporarily seal it and Heal him, but says they must go to Tar Valon to complete the procedure. They are distracted however, by news of a plot against the Eye of the World so head through the Ways to Shienar. Here they discover that they have been followed through the Ways by Padan Fain, a peddler who had often visited the Two Rivers. They learn he is a Darkfriend and that he was caught by the Black Wind, but that it left him alone.

They leave Fal Dara and head into the Blight, accompanied by Loial who they met in Caemlyn. At the same time, the armies of Shienar head north to Tarwin's Gap to fight an army of Shadowspawn that had gathered there. At the Eye of the World, they meet the first two Forsaken to be freed, Aginor and Balthamel who are both killed, Rand channeling consciously for the first time. They retrieve the Horn of Valere, one of the Seals on the Dark One’s prison and the Dragon banner before heading back to Fal Dara. Rand trains the sword with Lan until the Amyrlin Seat arrives and tells him he is the Dragon Reborn.

Shadowspawn attack and in the confusion, Fain steals the Horn and the dagger, which had been kept in the same chest. Rand, Mat and Perrin follow after, under the command of Ingtar. Moiraine, Egwene and Nynaeve head with the Aes Sedai to Tar Valon, though Moiraine leaves early in the journey to visit Vandene and Adeleas to learn about Dark Prophecy. When the girls get to the Tower, they meet with Elayne, now a novice and Min, an unwilling guest. Egwene becomes a novice and Nynaeve is raised straight to Accepted. They also meet Elayne's brother, Galad and Gawyn, both of whom are attracted to Egwene, though Gawyn does not say anything because of Galad's interest. Egwene and Nynaeve together with Elayne and Min are tricked by Liandrin into leaving the Tower, as a result of which, Egwene ends up a damane.

Rand is separated from Perrin and Mat, who have learned he can channel when he goes with Loial and Hurin, a sniffer, through a Portal Stone into another world. He meets Lanfear there, posing as Selene and with her help is able to return. He takes the Horn back from Fain, but loses it again in Cairhien when it is stolen. Rand had been mistaken for a Lord and had been rejecting invitations from ever more powerful houses, culminating in ones from Galldrian, the king and Barthanes Damodred, his biggest rival. He and Loial enter the Illuminator's chapter house, trying to evade Trollocs. The Trollocs follow them and in trying to escape, Rand destroys the Chapter House. Verin joins the others and they make their way south, meeting up with Rand just after the horn is taken again. Hurin is able to determine the Horn is at Barthanes manor, and they use the invitation to try and steal it back. Barthanes tells Rand that Fain has taken the Horn to Toman Head and will wait for him. Rand and Thom speak there, drawing the attention of the King's men on Thom who murder his girlfriend. In retaliation, he assassinates the king. Barthanes is also murdered that night.

They try to go through the Ways, but find Machin Sin waiting for them on two occasions and so follow it to Toman Head, through another Portal Stone and take it back from Turak, who had obtained it from Fain. Mat blows the Horn. Rand is forced to fly the banner of the Dragon Reborn to lead the returned heroes in defeating the invading Seanchan. During the battle, Rand again fights Ba'alzamon, a fight that is seen in the sky above Falme, and also in Saldaea, where the False Dragon Mazrim Taim is defeated. During the confusion, Nynaeve and the others rescue Egwene, putting an a'dam on Seta, one of the sul'dam and also collaring Renna who had primer control of Egwene.

Mat, Elayne, Egwene and Nynaeve return to Tar Valon where Mat is Healed. After this is done, he starts showing unusual luck, speaking the occasional word of the Old Tongue in everyday situations and remembering battles long since fought. The girls are severely reprimanded and put on punishment, but Siuan also sets them to hunting the Black Ajah as they are the only ones she can be a hundred percent sure are not darkfriends. She also tells Egwene and Elayne they are to be raised to Accepted. they are fired on by a Gray man, but when Nynaeve captures him, he is already dead. A second is later found in Sheriam's bed. Verin gies Egwene a ter'angreal linked to the World of Dreams that almost causes the Raising Arches to melt down during her Raising. One each of her journeys through, she is forced to abandon Rand. Lanfear, masquerading as Else gives them clues that the Black Ajah has headed to Tear and though they know it is a trap, decide to go and try to spring it. Before they leave, they ask Mat to take a letter to Morgase, and he agrees as they are able to give him a second note, from the Amyrlin that will get him off Tar Valon. On the way, they are captured by brigands who intend to hand them over to a Myrddraal but are rescued by Aiel, including Rhuarc and Aviendha. In Tear, they enlist the help of Juilin Sandar to find the Black Ajah, but he i not careful enough and is forced to betray them and they are captured.

Mat meets Thom in Tar Valon, drunk and mourning and they decide to go together. In Caemlyn, Mat is refused entrance to the Palace grounds, but remembers Rand's tale of accidentally falling into the garden, so enters over the same wall. He overhears Rahvin ordering Elayne murdered, but before he can tell Morgase, realises that his is masquerading as Gaebril. He and Thom head to Tear, encountering Aludra on the way and saving her from Tammuz. He fights and kills Comar, the man Rahin had instructed to kill the girls, but is having no luck finding them until he tries to find a cure for Thom, who has developed a cough. He chooses Mother Guenna's establishment, only to find it was where the girls had been staying. When she tells him what happened, he decides to break in and rescue them.

Rand heads alone for Tear, followed by Moiraine, Lan, Perrin and Loial. On the way, Perrin meets Noam, a wolfbrother who had been consumed by the wolf and begins to worry this could happen to him. Later, he is forced to flee Remen after rescuing Gaul from a cage the villagers had imprisoned him in. As they leave they are joined by Faile, who has decided they look like an interesting trail to follow. He and Faile bicker on most of the journey. She learns that the Dragon has been reborn, and that not only has the Horn of Valere been found, but it has been blown. When they are attacked by Darkhounds and Moiraine reveals that Sammael rules in Illian, she is given the chance to leave, but stays. In Tear, she springs a trap meant for Moiraine and is caught in Tel'aran'rhiod. Perrin realises this is the Wolf Dream and goes to rescue her while Moiraine and Lan go to the Stone to try and help Rand, who they have realised will be going for Callandor.

Mat make his break in the same night, joined by Juilin, who had been feeling guilty over betraying the girls. He uses some fireworks Aludra gave him to blow a hole in the Wall and makes his way to the cells, fighting Darlin on the way. Within them, Egwene enters Tel'aran'rhiod, stilling Amico and Shielding Joiya but their own shields don't fall until Mat gets them out of the cells and Nynaeve knocks out Amico. They head off to find the other Black Ajah. The Stone of Tear falls to Rand and a couple of hundred Aiel. Moiraine kills Be'lal with Balefire and Rand proclaims himself the Dragon Reborn, before claiming Callandor then fighting and killing Ishamael.

Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve question the two captured members of the Black Ajah, both of whom claim to be willing to help them. Joiya tell them of a plot to rescue Mazrim Taim and blame his activities on Rand, and Amico tell them of an object in Tanchico, which could be used to control Rand. Rand is attacked in his room by his own reflection, scaring Berelain, who was attempting to seduce him at the time. Perrin is attacked by his own axe, while Mat is assaulted by playing cards whle playing with some young nobles. Moiraine claims that these attacks are the result of "bubbles of evil" rising from the Dark One, and that although they are likely to occur only around ta'veren at first, they will eventually become commonplace. Unsure what to do, Mat enters a redstone doorway, where he is given answers to three questions, including that he must go to Rhuidean. Lanfear visits Rand in his room, and whilst she is talking to him, he is attacked by a Gray Man. The Stone is attacked by Trollocs and Myrddraal, which Rand eventually kills using Callandor. Afterwards, the members of the Black Ajah are found dead in their cells, murdered by Slayer. Faile and Berelain fight, and Berelain promises she will take Perrin from Faile.

Rand instructs the Lords to start trading with Illian and sends the ones who have been plotting against him most north to restore peace to Cairhien. Rand, Egwene and Mat go to the Aiel Waste, Nynaeve and Elayne to Tarabon chasing the Black Ajah plot and Perrin back to the Two Rivers to deal with the Whitecloaks he has heard are looking for him. Rand learns in a ter'angreal that the Aiel are descended from the same people as the Traveling People -those who served Aes Sedai and followed the Way of the Leaf in the Age of Legends. He is marked as Car'a'carn. Mat enters a separate ter'angreal and is given an indestructible ashandarei, an amulet to protect him against saidar and saidin and the memories of battle leaders long dead, together with the ability to fully speak and understand the Old Tongue. Rand tells the Aiel the truth about their history and captures Asmodean.

Perrin and company are attacked by Trollocs in the ways and only just escape Machin Shin, which kills the Trollocs. In the Two Rivers, Perrin shuts the Waygate so it is only possible to open it from the outside. He discovers someone is killing the wildlife. In dreams he chases the man responsible for this, who is called Slayer. Slayer disappears through the Tower of Ghenjei, which leads to the worlds of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn. Here, Perrin meets Birgitte, one of the heroes of legend who warns him that Slayer is dangerous and that he is in the World of Dreams physically. Perrin learns his entire family has been killed. Trollocs have been blamed for this. Perrin decides against giving himself up to the Whitecloaks and instead to rescue people from them. Padan Fain has linked up with the Whitecloaks, and we learn that he was the one who killed Perrin's family. Bornhald does not trust Fain, as Whitecloaks sent to accompany him tend to die. Fain has killed two Gray Men sent after him and is keeping a Myrddraal prisoner in his tent.

He meets a man calling himself Lord Luc, who he does not trust, though the others think highly of him. Some of the young men agree to go with Perrin to free the Whitecloaks' prisoners. After doing so, he goes hunting Trollocs. After initial success, he and his men are ambushed and many of them are killed. Perrin is severely injured. They spend the night with the Tuatha'an before returning to Emond's Field, where Alanna, an Aes Sedai visiting Heals him. Faile tells Perrin about her father, Davram Bashere. Perrin talks to Slayer in dreams and notices how much he resembles Lan. He shoots Slayer and after seeing Luc injured the same way orders him arrested. Loial and Gaul go to shut the Waygate permanently; Slayer has told Perrin it is open again. Trollocs mount an attack on the village and are beaten back. They also attack a group of Tuatha'an, who Perrin convinces to come into the village for safety. When they return to the village, they see a wolf’s head banner, as well as a Manetheren banner. The Aes Sedai are behind this. One of the Tuatha’an, Aram, picks up a sword and asks to be taught to use it. Perrin allows it. Whitecloaks arrive to arrest Perrin on charges of being a Darkfriend. Perrin agrees to go with them if they stay and help defend the village against the Shadowspawn. The men and women of the village start coming to him for instructions.

In Tel'aran'rhiod, Perrin shoots Slayer before returning to the real world. Lord Luc runs through the house injured. Perrin realizes that Slayer and Luc have a similar smell and decides he is to be arrested if he reappears. Faile and Perrin get married. Perrin agrees to hand himself over to the Whitecloaks if they all survive, as long as the Whitecloaks help defend the village. It is almost overrun by Trollocs, but is saved by men from the other Two Rivers villages, some of whom were led there by Faile. They receive no help from the Whitecloaks during the battle, which enables Perrin to refuse to go with them when they try to arrest him. People start referring to Perrin as Lord Perrin, which displeases him.

Moiraine fights with Lanfear, falling through a ter'angreal which is destroyed along with her bond to Lan. Rand and the Aiel capture Cairhien with Mat gaining his own small army in the process. Elaida overthrows and stills Siuan and and is raised Amyrlin. Siuan and Leane escape with the help of Min and Laras and go to the camp of Aes Sedai who have rebelled against Elaida. They are followed by Gareth Bryne who agrees to build an army. Egwene is called to Salidar to be the Amyrlin after which she frees Logain.

Rand Travels to and takes Caemlyn, killing Rahvin who had been ruling there. Nynaeve captures Moghedien. The False Dragon, Mazrim Taim agrees to train men to channel for Rand. Nynaeve Heals Logain and partially Heals Siuan and Leane. Rand is captured by Aes Sedai under Elaida's orders. They are attacked by the Shaido, but Rand is broken free by Wise Ones, Aiel, Perrin and Asha'man under Taim. Sammael scatters the Shaido across the Westlands. The rebel Aes Sedai head for Tar Valon and Elayne, Aviendha, Nynaeve and Mat go to Ebou Dar to find a bowl shaped ter'angreal that can fix the weather. Here, they encounter the Kin, a society for women who failed to become Aes Sedai. The girls find the bowl before fleeing when the Seanchan attack leaving Mat behind. The girls use the bowl to fix the weather, collecting more members of the Kin. Elayne unweaves a gateway to prevent the Seanchan learning Traveling and loses control. The resulting explosion kills hundreds of Seanchan and is believed to be a new weapon by them.

The Seanchan capture Amadicia and Ebou Dar. Fain attacks and nearly kills Rand, who is saved by Damer. Rand defeats and probably kills Sammael in Shadar Logoth, before going back to Illian where he is proclaimed King. Elaida sends a group Aes Sedai to destroy the Black Tower and sets another to find the Black Ajah.

Elayne arrives in Caemlyn and proclaims, though does not Crown, herself Queen. Rand drives the Seanchan out of Ebou Dar. The rebels Travel to Tar Valon to begin the siege. Elayne discovers that many of the Andoran nobles do not support her and some are trying to take the crown for themselves. Rand tells Min, Elayne and Aviendha he loves them and they tell him the same. They all three bond him as their Warder. Elayne learns armies are opposing her and eventually defeats the armies coming against her and gathers enough support to be proclaimed queen as well as capturing several of the Black Ajah.

Rand Travels to near Shadar Logoth. He links the taint to the city using saidar. The taint is removed. People at both the White Tower and the rebel camp decide Aes Sedai should bond Asha'man. Logain informs Rand of Taim's treachery but is sent with Bashere to secure a truce with the Seanchan

Rand sends Perrin to Ghealdan, to deal with Masema and his followers and bring them to him. Faile is captured by the Shaido. Masema, who has been meeting the Seanchan agrees to help Perrin look for Faile. Perrin chases Faile and decides to align with the Seanchan to get her back. They use forkroot to incapacitate the Shaido Wise Ones and with Seanchan allies, attacks Malden, defeating them. The Seanchan collect the Wise Ones for use as damane. He heads north from Malden, with around a hundred thousand refugees. He encounters Galad, who has become Lord Captain Commander of the Whitecloaks by killing Valda in single combat and learns of Morgase's identity.

Mat escapes Ebou Dar with various people. Tuon tries to stop him leaving, but Mat ties her up and take her with them. Mat meets up with Talmanes and part of the band again and they defeat a Seanchan army trying to kill Tuon. He allows her to leave and she completes the marriage ceremony. Thom reveals that Moiraine is held in the Tower of Ghenjei and that he, Mat and one other can rescue her. Mat and Noal agree. Mat heads towards Caemlyn, meeting Verin on the way. In return for his promise to wait thirty days then open a letter from her, she takes him and his men there through a gateway.

Rand walks into a trap set by Semirhage and loses a hand, but manages to capture her. He meets with Tuon to arrange a truce, but she decides against it as she believe she must kneel to her. She proclaims herself Empress and decides to raid the White Tower. In a dream, Rand encounters Moridin and learns that the Dark One is able to bring the Forsaken back. Shaidar Haran frees Semirhage, who places a male a'dam on Rand. He is able to access the True Power and destroy it, before balefiring her. He banishes Cadsuane from his sight for failing and tells her he will kill her if he sees her face again. Aviendha leaves for the Waste become a Wise One. Rand discovers Graendal's location and Travels there, balefiring it and presumably killing her.

He tries to meet with the Borderland leaders but they will only do so in Far Madding so he tells them to return to their duty along the Blight or he will have no more to do with them. He decides to use the Choedan Kal to finish the Seanchan, but instead Travels to Dragonmount where he thinks about why he is bothering fighting. He concludes that life is worth living and laughs for the first time in months.

While organising the seige, Egwene is captured. She meets Aes Sedai and makes alliances before provoking Elaida who attacks her. Silviana stands up for her and is imprisoned. In her cell, she is visited by Verin who gives her a book with the names almost all the Black Ajah. Verin dies. Outside the Tower, Gawyn learns of her status and leaves the Younglings to join the rebels. The Seanchan attack and Egwene leads the defence. Elaida is captured and Siuan and Gawyn break in and rescue Egwene against her will. The Hall decides to raise Egwene as Amyrlin. In the Rebel camp, the Black sisters are arrested and executed, apart from a small number who escape. Egwene returns to the Tower and is raided by their Hall, learning that the Black Ajah members in the Tower have fled.