Chapter 8 - Whirlpools of Color

Summary

Perrin chases Arganda through the snow to catch up with Elyas and a Maiden, learning that the Shaido have established a massive camp near a town forty miles away. Confronted with reports of ten thousand warriors and hundreds of channeling Wise Ones, he rejects ransom proposals from Berelain and Gallenne, opting instead to infiltrate the camp directly. After Grady opens a gateway to a nearby ridge, the group observes the sprawling encampment through looking glasses while Elyas shares lore about Darkhounds. Marline confirms the presence of nearly five hundred channeling Wise Ones among the Shaido. Suddenly, Perrin is overwhelmed by a vivid vision of swirling colors that reveals Rand and Nynaeve sitting together, indicating a massive surge of saidin and saidar occurring elsewhere. Dismissing Annoura's urge to investigate the distant event, Perrin refocuses on his mission to rescue Faile and requests prisoners from Sulin to gather intelligence on the camp's layout and hunting parties.

Characters

• Perrin / Perrin Aybara — Rejects ransom proposals and orders Aram to fetch Grady for a gateway, then experiences an overwhelming vision of swirling colors revealing Rand and Nynaeve before demanding prisoners from Sulin to scout the Shaido camp.
• Stepper — Races through deep snow to overtake Arganda's horse, carries Perrin through a gateway, and follows him on foot toward the ridge overlooking the enemy encampment.
• Arganda / Gerard Arganda — Rides recklessly to catch up with Elyas, questions the Shaido about ransom, removes his gleaming armor to avoid detection, and struggles to keep pace while climbing the snowy ridge on foot.
• Elyas / Elyas Machera (Long Tooth) — Reports the location and massive size of the Shaido camp, explains Darkhound lore and their origins from twisted wolf souls, and leads the group stealthily toward the ridge to observe the enemy.
• Elienda — Rides alongside Elyas with an expressionless face, raises a hand in passing, and prepares to deliver her own report to the Wise Ones while the others focus on Perrin.
• Aram — Urges fighting despite the odds, rides ahead to fetch Grady, and follows Perrin through the gateway with his sword drawn while navigating the snowy underbrush.
• Berelain — Offers her jewels and Mayene's gold for a ransom, attempts to talk Perrin out of his decision, and rides alongside him toward the ridge before leaving to confer with Gallenne.
• Gallenne — Questions the Shaido's trustworthiness regarding ransom, argues against walking instead of riding, and peers grimly through the trees while climbing the slope on foot.
• Marline — Examines Perrin with a measuring gaze, estimates that nearly five hundred channeling Wise Ones are present in the Shaido camp, and confirms the massive surge of saidar occurring elsewhere.
• Annoura / Annoura Sedai — Hesitates before offering to negotiate with the Shaido, rides through the gateway while grimacing at the tainted male channeling, and urgently demands to investigate the distant magical surge before Perrin silences her.
• Grady / Jur Grady — Arrives on a dark bay gelding, creates a large vertical gateway to a sunlit clearing near the ridge, and observes the massive magical surge from saidin and saidar with concern.
• Dannil / Dannil Lewin — Rides close behind Grady with longbows instead of spears, suggests sneaking into the camp at night like they did with the Whitecloaks, and lies in the snow along the ridgeline to observe the enemy.
• Sulin — Steps out from the undergrowth with a fellow Maiden, reveals the Shaido are staying put and forcing city dwellers into gai'shain, and explains an aqueduct system while refusing to torture prisoners for information.
• Tuandha — Rides alongside Sulin as a taller, scarred Maiden of the Spear, examines her altered coat with confusion, and listens to the group's observations from the ridge.
• Rand / Rand al'Thor — Appears in Perrin's sudden vision sitting on the ground facing Nynaeve, indicating he is handling a massive surge of saidin that threatens to overwhelm everyone nearby.
• Nynaeve / Nynaeve al'Meara — Appears in Perrin's vision sitting opposite Rand, confirming the presence of an enormous amount of saidar being handled by someone outside normal limits.