Rand al'Thor

Chapter 1 - An Empty Road

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand travels with his father, carrying his bow and arrow while grappling with the unsettling feeling of being watched by a menacing black-cloaked rider. He interacts with Mat Cauthon, confirming the stranger's terrifying presence, and helps unload goods at the Winespring Inn before the attention of the village turns to the gleeman and festival preparations.

Chapter 2 - Strangers

Rand

Rand assists Mat in hauling barrels into the inn's cellar. He later encounters Moiraine in the Green, accepts her silver coin and request for assistance, and questions her presence before watching her move toward the Wagon Bridge with Lan.

Chapter 3 - The Peddler

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand watches Fain's arrival with a mix of fear and excitement about the news of the Dragon Reborn. He sits on a stone foundation while Mat and Perrin approach him to discuss the rumors, during which Perrin recounts his sighting of a mysterious rider, a claim Rand supports. Rand later engages in an awkward and tense conversation with Egwene about her future as a Wisdom and her potential departure from the Two Rivers.

Chapter 4 - The Gleeman

Rand

Rand watches Thom Merrilin's performance with interest, feeling a mix of excitement and wariness regarding the black-cloaked rider. He later joins his friends in discussing the watch, attempts to convince his father to let him join, and ultimately accepts Tam's decision to return to the farm, feeling relieved upon learning Tam now believes him.

Chapter 5 - Winternight

Rand

Rand works the farm with his father, then flees into the woods during a Trolloc attack. He sneaks back to the house, kills a Trolloc with a thrown sword, gathers supplies, repairs the broken cart shaft with Tam's sword, and prepares to carry his father to Emond's Field.

Chapter 6 - The Westwood

Rand

Rand al'Thor bandages his father's wound, constructs a litter from cart shafts and blankets, and drags Tam through the dark Westwood toward Emond's Field. He endures physical exhaustion and psychological terror as he evades a group of Trollocs and a mysterious hooded rider, while grappling with the truth of the world's dangers during his father's fever dreams.

Chapter 7 - Out of the Woods

Rand / Rand al'Thor — aliases: sheepherder

Trudging through the woods at dawn, Rand arrives at the ruined Emond's Field carrying his injured father on a litter. After finding Nynaeve unable to help and Mayor al'Vere arranging for Tam to rest in the inn, Rand seeks out Moiraine. He identifies her as an Aes Sedai and begs her to heal his father, promising to pay any price, which she accepts before they return to the inn together.

Chapter 8 - A Place of Safety

Rand — aliases: sheepherder, the boy

Rand pleads for his father’s safety and stays in the room while Moiraine heals Tam. He questions Lan about the rider, learns of the targeted nature of the attack, and reluctantly accepts Moiraine’s decision that he, Mat, and Perrin must flee to Tar Valon, remaining awake to watch his father sleep.

Chapter 9 - Tellings of the Wheel

Rand

Rand experiences a terrifying nightmare involving a black mountain and a fleeing white city before waking to tend to his father. Lan urges Rand to leave quickly, leading Rand to follow Mat and the Warder downstairs, where he hesitates momentarily before leaving Emond's Field behind.

Chapter 10 - Leavetaking

Rand

Rand gathers with Mat and Perrin in the stables, concealing his fear and checking his sword. He helps equip Egwene with a saddle for her horse Bela and mounts Cloud, a spirited gray horse, as the group prepares to leave the village unseen.

Chapter 11 - The Road to Taren Ferry

Rand

Rand gallops last in line, clinging to Cloud’s reins as the gray horse strains to catch Lan’s black stallion. He watches Egwene on Bela with worry, feels the terror of the Draghkar’s shriek which nearly pulls him from his saddle, and follows Lan and Moiraine into the freezing fog that obscures their path. Upon reaching Taren Ferry, he observes Master Hightower’s greed and attempts to hush Mat’s snickering.

Chapter 12 - Across the Taren

Rand

Rand walks stiffly through the fog and observes the tense interaction between Lan and Master Hightower. He questions Lan about the ferryman's motives and worries about Darkfriends before witnessing the destruction of the ferry. Later, he listens to Moiraine's explanation of the Power with discomfort and watches Egwene's successful channeling with desperate denial.

Chapter 13 - Choices

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand rides into Baerlon, gasping at the sight of the towering log wall and hundreds of chimneys. He walks with Thom Merrilin, questioning the gleeman about the Stone of Tear and the Sword That Cannot Be Touched. He dismounts at the Stag and Lion, listening to the gatekeeper and observing the city's atmosphere with unease regarding the Children of the Light.

Chapter 14 - The Stag and Lion

Rand

Rand takes a bath and listens to Lan's warnings about keeping their identities secret. He shares a room with Lan and Thom, and later experiences a terrifying nightmare where he confronts Ba’alzamon, who claims to be the Dark One and predicts Rand's doom.

Chapter 15 - Strangers and Friends

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand awakes with a headache from disturbing dreams and descends to the kitchen, where he speaks briefly with the cook Sara. He later wanders Baerlon's crowded streets, encounters the seeress Min who reveals prophetic images of his and his friends' fates, and is tricked into mud by Mat Cauthon while Whitecloaks pass. A brief, energized confrontation with Lord Bornhald follows before Thom Merrilin stops them to discuss the shared nightmares of Ba’alzamon.

Chapter 16 - The Wisdom

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand is intercepted by Min, who warns him of Nynaeve's dangerous connection to the Pattern. He later confronts Moiraine and Nynaeve, insisting they cannot return to the Two Rivers, and finally walks with Nynaeve, who reassures him about his parentage and dismisses Moiraine's inquiries about his birth.

Chapter 17 - Watchers and Hunters

Rand

Rand dances with Nynaeve and Moiraine before being confronted by a Fade in the inn hallway, where he is paralyzed by fear until Lan arrives. He helps the group escape, witnesses Moiraine's display of power, and rides eastward with the party, questioning their safety.

Chapter 18 - The Caemlyn Road

Rand

Rand rides Cloud through the hills, fighting off Trollocs with Tam's sword and shouting the warcry of Manetheren. He witnesses Moiraine's power against the enemy and later joins the group as they discover the ruined city of Shadar Logoth.

Chapter 19 - Shadow’s Waiting

Rand

Rand marvels at the grandeur of Shadar Logoth's ruins and explores the city with Mat and Perrin. He follows Mordeth into a treasure room, witnesses the man's transformation and attack, and flees back to the group. After learning the city's dark history from Moiraine, he helps prepare for the urgent departure when Trollocs are discovered nearby.

Chapter 20 - Dust on the Wind

Rand

Rand leads his companions through the misty ruins of Shadar Logoth, narrowly escaping the deadly Mashadar fog and Trolloc attackers. He reunites with Mat and Thom, and they flee to the river, where he eventually falls into the water alone. He boards Bayle Domon's boat, pays for passage with Moiraine's silver coin, and listens to Thom's lies while worrying about his missing friends.

Chapter 24 - Flight Down the Arinelle

Rand

Rand experiences a terrifying nightmare in Shadar Logoth, confronting Ba’alzamon in a maze of mirrors and stone before waking up on the Spray. He watches the river pass, engages with Captain Domon's accounts of the world's wonders, climbs the mast dangerously, and later discovers Mat's hidden dagger, sharing a moment of mutual concern about their shared nightmares.

Chapter 26 - Whitebridge

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand arrives in Whitebridge with Mat and Thom, seeking news of Moiraine and the others. He refuses Thom’s suggestion to flee to Illian, insisting on heading to Caemlyn and Tar Valon. When confronted by the Fade, Rand is paralyzed by fear until Thom commands him to run; he flees the town with Mat, carrying Thom’s bundled instruments, and continues the journey to Caemlyn with his friend.

Chapter 31 - Play for Your Supper

Rand

Rand travels with Mat, relying on Thom Merrilin's flute to earn meals and shelter from suspicious farmers. He plays for the Grinwell family, earning a warm bed and avoiding the dogs, though he feels the weight of Thom's memory and his own uncertain future.

Chapter 32 - Four Kings in Shadow

Rand

Rand arrives in Four Kings with Mat, performs flute music to earn a meal and lodging, and later identifies the merchant Howal Gode as a threat. He blocks the storeroom door, confronts Gode, and escapes the exploding room with Mat through the lightning-damaged window.

Chapter 33 - The Dark Waits

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand travels with Mat, suffering from the aftereffects of his illness and constant paranoia. He interacts with farmers who offer him rides, strikes Paitr in the inn, and hallucinates dark figures in the stable before collapsing from exhaustion and being picked up by Hyam Kinch.

Chapter 34 - The Last Village

Rand

Rand and Mat slip through the night to a village, where they overhear Holdwin talking with a Fade. Realizing the danger, Rand convinces a reluctant Mat to accept a ride from the farmer Almen Bunt. Lulled by the cart's motion and Bunt's incessant talking, Rand dreams of his friends being taken by the Halfman and a raven attacking him, waking in terror as they enter Caemlyn.

Chapter 35 - Caemlyn

Rand

Rand marvels at the immense size and noise of Caemlyn before riding into the city with Almen Bunt. He buys red cloth and white cord to wrap his sword, asks pedestrians for directions to The Queen's Blessing, and presents Thom Merrilin’s flute and cloak to Master Gill to prove their identity and receive aid.

Chapter 36 - Web of the Pattern

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand shares a meal with Mat and Master Gill, explaining their flight from Darkfriends while maintaining caution about the White Tower's influence. He seeks out Master Gill and, finding him absent, retreats to the library where he encounters Loial and reveals the full truth of their journey, eventually agreeing to speak with him and potentially meet in Tar Valon.

Chapter 39 - Weaving of the Web

Rand

Rand argues with Mat Cauthon before leaving for the streets, speaks with Master Gill and Lamgwin, flees a pointing beggar, climbs a wall to view Logain's procession, and is knocked off the wall by Logain.

Chapter 40 - The Web Tightens

Rand — aliases: Rand al'Thor

Rand falls into the garden, is treated by Elayne and Gawyn, is brought before the Queen, claims to be a shepherd from the Two Rivers, and is released after being identified as potentially significant by Elaida and Gareth Bryne.

Chapter 41 - Old Friends and New Threats

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Runs back to the inn, panting and frantic after escaping the Palace, and recounts his meeting with the Queen to Master Gill and Loial. He agrees to flee in two days and later expresses shock and relief at the arrival of his friends, eventually leading them to Mat's room where he witnesses Mat's feverish madness.

Chapter 42 - Remembrance of Dreams

Rand

Rand leads the subdued group back to the library, explaining the presence of the Ogier Loial to his amazed friends. He listens to Loial's stories and shares the burden of his dreams with Moiraine, who confirms the dagger is still active and that she is more concerned with her own failures than with them. He attempts to hide his fear and confusion regarding the ta'veren prophecy and Moiraine's plan to use the Ways, ultimately watching as the group decides to flee Caemlyn via the Waygate.

Chapter 43 - Decisions and Apparitions

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand questions Loial about the dangers of the Ways and ultimately agrees to the plan to seek the Eye of the World. He experiences a shared nightmare with Ba'alzamon, sustaining a splinter wound that vanishes after Moiraine touches it. He wakes to find Mat similarly disturbed and shares the horror of the dream's revelations before preparing to flee Caemlyn.

Chapter 44 - The Dark Along the Ways

Rand

Rand follows Moiraine through the inn and stable, leading the pack horse into the cellar and then through the Waygate. Inside the Ways, he struggles with the oppressive darkness and the strange flow of time, clinging to his sword for comfort before riding behind Loial. He eats while mounted and watches as the group is stopped by a gap in the bridge ahead.

Chapter 45 - What Follows in Shadow

Rand

Rand rides Red, following Loial toward the white line of a Guiding stone, feeling the oppressive darkness. He holds Egwene's hand as she clings to him, listens to Moiraine's promise of safety, and is terrified by the voices in the wind.

Chapter 46 - Fal Dara

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand rides into Fal Dara, noting the starkness of the landscape and the grim military atmosphere of the city. He attempts to convince Nynaeve and Egwene to turn back, arguing it is too dangerous for them to enter the Blight, but is firmly rejected. Later, he identifies the mysterious stranger brought before the Lord as Padan Fain, recalling their past encounter in Caemlyn.

Chapter 47 - More Tales of the Wheel

Rand

Rand paces the room counting strides and trips, anxiously observing his friends and listening to Moiraine and Agelmar. He feels an uneasy sensation when Fain's name is discussed and shivers when Moiraine reveals Fain's long-term pursuit by the Dark One.

Chapter 48 - The Blight

Rand

Rand rides with the group into the Blight, noting the diseased state of the vegetation and the suffocating heat. He is shaken by the sight of a giant lake creature but maintains his composure. Later, he helps set up the camp and is embarrassed by Egwene's public declaration of wanting him as her future Warder, internally recalling Min's vision.

Chapter 49 - The Dark One Stirs

Rand

Rand wakes to find the camp disappearing and watches as Nynaeve and Egwene have a private, silent exchange that he cannot understand. He rides his bay horse into the Blight, slicing at attacking trees with his heron-mark sword and shouting the name Manetheren to rally himself. Later, he gallops toward the mountains until the landscape suddenly shifts to green, where he sees the Green Man for the first time.

Chapter 50 - Meetings at the Eye

Rand

Rand leads the group to the Eye of the World, recoiling in terror from the pool of saidin. He grabs Egwene when she tries to face the Forsaken and pulls her to safety, fleeing the sanctuary as Aginor pursues her.

Chapter 51 - Against the Shadow

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand flees the Eye of the World, pursued by Aginor, and engages in a spiritual tug-of-war that allows him to channel the Light. He escapes into a vision of the Last Battle where he destroys the Trolloc horde with wind and earth. He then climbs stairs into a void and confronts Ba'alzamon, resisting hallucinations of his mother by wielding a blade of Light to sever Ba'alzamon's cord and collapse the dream palace.

Chapter 52 - There Is Neither Beginning Nor End

Rand / Rand al'Thor

Rand awakens in the ashes of Aginor, realizes he has killed the Dark One and channeled saidin, and fears the consequences of his power. He reunites with his friends, lies about his absence to them, and expresses his refusal to be controlled by Tar Valon or the Pattern before resting upon Moiraine's instruction.

Chapter 53 - The Wheel Turns

Rand

Rand rides out of the sanctuary, watching the oak tree disappear, and observes the Blight becoming quiet. He later stands on a balcony in Fal Dara, training with the heron-mark blade while reflecting on his desire to stay away from people. He speaks privately with Egwene, refusing to go to Tar Valon and declaring he is leaving forever.

Prologue

— aliases: The Swordsman, The man with the heron-mark sword

Rand's image is projected by Ba'alzamon during the gathering. He appears as a tall young man with gray-blue eyes and reddish hair, carrying a sword with a heron mark on the scabbard.