Urien

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A similar entry appears in the Wheel of Time Companion confirming the information available in the main story arc.


Author: Val a'Shain

General

Urien is the first Aiel we see in the series. He is one of the Aiel who cross the Dragonwall in search of "He Who Comes with the Dawn".

Urien is a Reyn Aiel of the Two Spires sept. He is a member of the Red Shield warrior society. Urien is a tall man with sun-darkened skin. His red hair is short except for a tail at the nape of his neck (TGH, Ch. 28).

Timeline

  • Urien meets Rand, Mat, Perrin and Ingtar's company during their pursuit of Padan Fain in 998 NE. Their conversation is a series of misunderstandings about each other. Neither seem to know much about the other's culture. The party is no help to Urien and he continues his search (TGH, Ch. 28).
  • We don't know anything about the period of time between this meeting and the next time Urien appears. It is logical to assume Urien helped take the Stone, traveled with Rand to the Waste and then to Cairhien and skimmed to Andor when Rand went to finish off Rahvin.
  • Urien leads the a Red Shield guard for Rand in Caemlyn when Rand receives a group of Andoran nobles (LoC, Ch. 6).

Miscellaneous

  • Uno, who fought the Aiel in the Aiel War, thinks Urien wanted to be seen or they would not have spotted him (TGH, Ch. 28).

Quotes

"'Why do you call me that? Do you take me for an Aiel?' 'No, Wise One. But you have the look of those who have made the journey to Rhuidean and survived. The years do not touch the Wise Ones in the same way as other women, or as they touch men.'" (Verin and Urien about Wise Ones; The Great Hunt, Chapter 28)

"'It is said we will know them when we hear of them, as we will know him when we see him, for he will be marked. He will come from the west, beyond the Spine of the World, but be of our blood. He will go to Rhuidean, and lead us out of the Three-fold Land.' He took a spear in his right hand. Leather and metal creaked as soldiers reached for their swords, and Perrin realized he had taken hold of his axe again, but Verin waved them all to stillness with an irritated look. In the dirt Urien scraped a circle with his spearpoint, then drew across it a sinuous line. 'It is said that under this sign, he will conquer.'" (Urien on He Who Comes With the Dawn; The Great Hunt, Chapter 28)

"'I wonder what has been done to him?' Sulin said, studying the fellow. A number of Maidens and Red Shields had come out from the columns, some even veiled. 'If he is not Shadowspawn, he is touched by the Shadow.' 'One like that might do things we cannot know,' Urien said. He was one of those with a scarlet strip of cloth around his temples. 'Kill with a touch, perhaps. A pretty message that would be to send an enemy.'" (Urien and Sulin about the messenger Sammael sent to Rand in Caemlyn)

"'I mean to return to Caemlyn an hour or so after sunrise tomorrow. Until then, visit the tents, see your friends, and try not to start any blood feuds. If you insist, two of you can hang about to protect me from mice; I don't think anything larger will jump out at me here.' Urien grinned slightly and nodded, though he did gesture about head-high to a Cairhienin and murmur, 'The mice can be big here.'" (Rand and Urien when Rand travels to Cairhien to see Rhuarc and Berelain; Lord of Chaos, Chapter 17)