Tova

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

General

Tova was one of the nations of the Free Era. It was located in the eastern part of the Westlands. To the north, separated by the Alguenya, were Ileande and Hamarea, with the Spine of the World to the east, Khodomar to the south, with the Maraside Mountains along the border, Shandalle to the west, again, seperated by the Alguenya, and Tar Valon to the southwest. Eventually, this area of land became what is now Cairhien.

In the spring of FY 943, Artur Hawkwing was moving south out of Tova, across the Maraside Mountains, to join the fighting in Khodomar.

In the summer of FY 943, First Counselor Almindhra of Tova, along with King Tefan of Khodomar and Queen Nesaline of Caembarin, sent armies into Shandalle, Artur Hawkwing's homeland. By the winter of FY 943, Hawkwing held nearly half of Tova and parts of Caembarin and Khodomar. In the early winter/spring of FY 944, Ileande sent men to aid Tova, but it was to no avail.

Throughout the series, there are a few mentions of Tova.

Birgitte claims that, because people expect so much of her, she feels like "a feather-dancer walking into a Tovan conclave" (Looc, Ch. 40).

Birgitte complains that Elayne preaches like a Tovan Councilor if she ogles a man for longer than a heartbeat (ACoS, Ch. 21).

From his memories, Mat recalls that Tovans were "a stark and disapproving people, abstemious to the point of pain" (ACoS, Ch. 21).

"Who would sup with the mighty must climb the path of daggers" was an anonymous notation that was found inked into the margin of a manuscript that dates back to the last days of the Tovan Conclaves (The Path of Daggers, Header).

(References: Where not marked, information is from "The World of Robert Jordan's 'The Wheel of Time'")