Novel written by

Robert Jordan

Book summary by Rajiv Mote. Edited by Joan Albright.

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Lord of Chaos: Summary

(Choren 22 N.E. 999 - Taisham 13 N.E. 1000)

Demandred is summoned to Shayol Ghul to receive secret orders from the Dark One. The Dark One resurrects two dead Forsaken into new bodies and identities: Aran’gar and Osan’gar.

Rand al’Thor rules in Caemlyn and Cairhien as the nobles of those lands try to curry favor and scheme, egged on by Aes Sedai from both the White Tower and Salidar factions. Rand pieces together Andoran history from the nobles and realizes that his biological mother was Andor’s Daughter-Heir Tigraine, who fled to the Aiel Waste because of a Foretelling by Gitara Moroso. Mazrim Taim, a powerful false Dragon who escaped capture by the Aes Sedai, comes to Caemlyn to take advantage of Rand’s amnesty for men who can channel. Rand takes Taim to the farm outside of Caemlyn where his male channelers are gathering. He tasks Taim to find more, train them, and build an army. Taim transforms the farm into a place called the Black Tower, and the men into deadly Asha’man, to rival the White Tower and its Aes Sedai.

Rand begins making plans against Sammael, who rules in Illian, and mobilizes armies to march. Graendal attempts to use the threat posed by Rand to manipulate Sammael. Semirhage tortures the Aes Sedai Cabriana Mecandes to extract knowledge to allow Aran’gar to infiltrate the rebel Aes Sedai camp in Salidar.

In Salidar, rival factions of Aes Sedai under Sheriam, Romanda, and Lelaine scheme against one another while making excuses not to act. They spy on the White Tower from Tel’aran’rhiod, using ter’angreal that Elayne has discovered a Talent for copying. Elayne and Nynaeve have been gaining acclaim both for their own discoveries, and for other discoveries they secretly wrung out of Moghedien. The Aes Sedai are using the captive and gentled Logain to spread rumors that the Red Ajah propped him up as a False Dragon. Sheriam’s faction decides they need their own Amyrlin Seat, a woman strong in the Power but young and biddable enough to be controlled.

Queen Morgase, having escaped Rahvin in Caemlyn, is a reluctant “guest” of Pedron Niall in the Fortress of Light, who tries to pressure her into bringing the Children of the Light into Andor to help her reclaim her nation. But Niall himself is being plotted against by the Grand Inquisitor Rhadam Asunawa and Eamon Valda, who assassinate Niall and take a rougher approach to convincing Morgase.

The Aes Sedai Alanna Mosvani and Verin Mathwin arrive in Caemlyn with a group of girls from the Two Rivers who want to be trained as Aes Sedai. Rand comes to see them, and Alanna bonds him as a Warder without asking for consent. Rand is enraged, and forbids them from approaching the palace.

Tarna Feir visits Salidar from the White Tower, and is greeted with honors. Elayne and Nynaeve are worried that she could sway the Aes Sedai to give up their rebellion against Elaida. Elayne and Nynaeve decide to use Tel’aran’rhiod by focusing on a need, and taking blind steps into the World of Dreams. As they do so, they find themselves in a dusty storehouse in Ebou Dar, in front of the Bowl of Winds, a ter’angreal which they suspect can be used to counter the Dark One’s touch on the weather.

Egwene continues her training as a Dreamwalker with the Aiel Wise Ones in Cairhien. She has prophetic dreams, some of which she can interpret. She finds herself drawn to Gawyn Trakand’s dreams, from which she finds it impossible to escape. When she sees Gawyn in person in Cairhien, the two begin a romance in the waking world. Egwene also meets with the Salidar Aes Sedai in Tel’aran’rhiod, where they formally summon her to Salidar. Egwene’s conscience forces her to admit that she lied to the Wise Ones about being full Aes Sedai, and accept penance. Egwene puzzles out how to create a Gateway to enter Tel’aran’rhiod in the flesh, and uses that method to travel to Salidar quickly.

In Salidar, Nynaeve discovers how to Heal the captive Logain of gentling, accidentally restoring his full ability to channel the One Power. She tries again on Siuan and Leane, but it only restores them to a fraction of their previous strength. Still, it is an astonishing discovery that leaves the Aes Sedai constantly accosting her to demonstrate and explain. When Egwene arrives, Salidar’s Hall of the Tower explains that she has been summoned to be raised to Amyrlin Seat, straight from Accepted. The ceremony and formalities are quickly executed, and as her first decree, Egwene raises Elayne, Nynaeve, Faolain, and Theodrin to full Aes Sedai.

Mat leads the Band of the Red Hand toward Tear, slowly, so Sammael and Illian can see them coming. Rand visits Mat’s camp, and orders him to divert to Salidar, to escort Elayne to Caemlyn to be crowned Queen of Andor. When Mat reaches Salidar, he suspects that the Aes Sedai are using Egwene to take the fall for the rebellion, and to reunite the Tower. Mat declares that he will rescue Egwene along with Elayne, but Egwene maneuvers him into accompanying Elayne and Nynaeve to Ebou Dar in search of the bowl ter’angreal. Having sworn an oath to Rand to bring Elayne to Caemlyn, Mat is forced to comply. Mat orders the Band of the Red Hand to trail the Salidar army, and to provide shelter to Egwene should she decide to escape, but this also plays into Egwene’s plans. She uses the presence of Mat’s army to motivate her own to march on Tar Valon. Elayne and Mat compete for the loyalty of Mat’s retainers, and Elayne tries to cajole and bully Mat into letting her study his foxhead medallion ter’angreal. Queen Tylin of Altara takes a liking to Elayne and Nynaeve, and agrees to help them search for the bowl ter’angreal, which is somewhere in a rough district of Ebou Dar called the Rahad.

Min is with Salidar’s embassy to Rand, but when it arrives in Cairhien, she swiftly joins him and keeps Rand informed on the embassy’s plans. Min has a viewing that Aes Sedai are going to hurt him badly, more than once, and that Rand must be careful around them. Knowing from her viewings that she will have to share him with Elayne and Aviendha, Min sets out to use this time alone with Rand to make him fall in love with her.

Perrin and Faile arrive in Cairhien, and Perrin meets with, and wins the grudging respect of, Faile’s parents, Lord Davram and Lady Deira Bashere. Min has a viewing that Rand will need Perrin nearby, or something bad will happen. Men disguised as Aiel attack one of the Salidar Aes Sedai, seemingly to send a message to them from Rand, and the Salidar delegation responds by trying to assert their authority with him. The attempt fails, and Rand rallies his friends and allies to Travel to Caemlyn, inviting the Salidar embassy to follow in reduced numbers.

The White Tower embassy is the first he grants an audience, but they smuggle in additional Aes Sedai, and with a full circle of thirteen, they shield and kidnap Rand. Tied up and locked in a chest, they transport him north toward Tar Valon, taking him out for vicious beatings after his escape attempt kills two Warders. Perrin rallies soldiers, Aiel, and even wolves to chase the Aes Sedai and rescue Rand. Trapped in the chest, Rand has actual, two-way conversations with the voice of Lews Therin in his head, who teaches him out to break through a shield when the weaves have been tied off. Perrin’s attack of the Aes Sedai caravan, along with an ambush by the Shaido Aiel, distract enough of the Aes Sedai that they tie off their weaves to join the battle. Rand breaks the shield, overcomes the remaining Aes Sedai, and explodes out of the locked chest just as his Asha’man, led by Mazrim Taim, join the battle through gateways. When Rand is secured, Taim unleashes the full destructive capabilities of his Asha’man army, wreaking bloody carnage among the Shaido and forcing the Aes Sedai to kneel to Rand in submission.

Demandred knees before the Dark One, asking has he not done well, while the Dark One laughs.

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