See also:
=The Light=
Rand al'Thor is the main character. He is the Dragon Reborn, the one that will save the world from the Dark One. Born on the side of the Dragonmount, within sight of Tar Valon, he left his village after it was attacked, and admitted to being Dragon Reborn about a year later. He also cleansed the male half of the True Source, and has killed several Forsaken, at least two of them permanently. Rand was branded in a series of accidents and religious experiences, in accordance with prophecy. He has three lovers (listed below) who also hold his warder bond.
Matrim Cauthon, also known as Mat, a childhood friend to Rand al'Thor and one of the more mysterious characters in the series, is Ta'veren in such a way that he is granted extraordinary luck. Nearly dying after acquiring a tainted dagger from Shadar Logoth, Mat recovers to find holes in his memory. Later in the series, his memory is restored, but he finds that he has memories from other individuals who lived thousands of years before his birth.
Matrim Cauthon is also the sounder of the Horn of Valere.
Perrin Aybara, a blacksmith's apprentice and another of Rand al'Thor's childhood friends, is another Ta'veren. Perrin begins to change after meeting a mysterious man, named Elyas Machera, who is able to communicate with wolves. Elyas informs Perrin that he too possesses this ability. Furthermore, Perrin begins to adopt some wolflike traits, such as yellow eyes and superior night vision. However, after seeing a man lose all traces of manhood and become a wolf in all but the physical sense, he becomes terrified that the same fate awaits him if he is not careful.
As Daughter-Heir to the Lion Throne of Andor, Elayne is sent to study in the White Tower as a matter of royal tradition. Shortly before leaving for the Tower, she witnesses the parading of the false Dragon, Logain Ablar, and accidentally encounters Rand al'Thor when he falls into the palace gardens by mistake. She becomes a strong Aes Sedai, especially in the field of Ter'Angreal. She and Rand become lovers, and at the end of the tenth book she is pregnant with his child.
Childhood sweetheart to Rand al'Thor, Egwene discovers that she has the ability to wield the One Power and begs to leave with Moiraine, Lan, and the Ta'veren after the Trolloc attack on Winternight. Egwene learns that she is a Dreamer, with the inborn ability to navigate in the world of dreams, and she goes to the Aiel to apprentice as a Dream Walker. She is Amyrlin Seat of the White Tower in Exile, and as such has no Ajah. She may be the only Amyrlin in history raised directly from accepted status.
Wisdom of Emond's Field, Nynaeve follows the departed party in an effort to bring the villagers home. After coming to accept that she can wield the One Power, and that she has more potential than any woman in hundreds of years, she agrees to follow Moiraine and Egwene to the White Tower where she can learn to control her abilities and seek revenge on the woman for taking them away from their homes.
Nynaeve, as a wilder, has significant trouble learning to control her channelling. She is declared an (unBound) Aes Sedai by Egwene, and joins the Yellow Ajah.
Eventually marries Lan in a seafolk ceremony, and helps him deal with his psychological problems.
Verin is a member of the Brown Ajah who helps Rand and his friends. She knows a technique verging on mind control, which leads many readers to suspect that she is in fact a member of the Black Ajah.
These need to be listed, especially those who helped fix the weather
Also known as "The Dragon", he is a man who could channel the One Power. He won the War of the Shadow by sealing the Dark One in Shayol Ghul. However, the Dark One, in his last moments of access to the world, struck back and caused a taint to be placed upon Saidin, the male half of the One Power. This taint caused Lews Therin and every other male Aes Sedai (besides a few who escaped for a time in the Stedding) to go mad, resulting in the Breaking of the World and the end of the Age of Legends; Lews Therin also killed his wife, and many others, and committed suicide after Ishmael cured the madness and lead him to realize what he had done.
al'Lan Mandragoran is the full name of Lan, originally the warder of the Aes Sedai Moiraine Damodred.
He is the uncrowned King of Malkier, Dai Shan, a Diademed Battle Lord of the Malkieri and the last surviving Malkieri lord. One of his titles is Lord of the Seven Towers. Marries Nynaeve.
In training to become a Wise One, Aviendha retired as a Maiden of the Spear. Friends with Egwene and Elayne, and first-sister to Elayne. Also Rand's first lover.
Her mentors, as well as some of the clan chiefs, should probably have entries here
=The Dark=
The "Dark One" is an alias for his true name, Shai-tan. He is the source of all evil. He also goes by Ba'alzamon which means "Heart of Dark" in the Trolloc language.
Speaking the true name of the Dark One brings misfortunes on the speaker and as such there are many alternative names for him.
Demandred was a very successful general of the forces of the Shadow, winning many victories against his former allies. He, like all the other Forsaken, was sealed in the Bore by Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions when they made their strike at Shayol Ghul.
Since escaping he has served the Dark One in spreading chaos across the world. His current whereabouts are unknown although he is believed by some to be masquerading as the man Mazrim Taim.
One of the first Forsaken encountered in person by Rand, she is apparently killed by Moiraine. Also the only Forsaken to apparently aid the side of good, she at least pretends to be in love with Rand for a time, but it is unclear whether that is acting. May have killed Asmodean.
Ta'veren
Rand al'Thor
Matrim Cauthon
Perrin Aybara
Aes Sedai
Elayne Trakand
Egwene al'Vere
Moiraine Damodred
A member of the Blue Ajah, stronger than average in the Power, and childhood friend of Siuan, Moiraine meets Rand and his friends during the attack on their village and escorts them to Tar Valon. Disappears while battling Lanfear; passes Lan's bond to a minor Aes Sedai, after which he marries Nynaeve.Nynaeve al'Meara
Verin Mathwin
Kindred members
Lews Therin Telamon
al'Lan Mandragoran
Aiel
Aviendha
Full Name: Aviendha of the Nine Valleys Sept of the Tardaad AielBayle Domon
Elmindreda (Min) Farshaw
Min is a miner's daughter, and has occasional (and uncontrollable) episodes of prophecy; she is one of the few main characters to completely lack the Power. Hides out in the White Tower for a time. Rand's second (and most frequent) lover, and travels with him through the end of book 10.Loial the Ogier
Thomdril (Thom) Merrilin
Formerly involved with Elayne's mother, Morgase Trakand, Thom is friends with Moiraine Sedai, and aides Rand and his companions early in the series.The Dark One
The Forsaken
Aginor
AKA Osan'gar
Asmodean
A forsaken of no great significance, Asmodean is captured by Lanfear in Rhuidean (according to her) to train Rand to channel more effectively. He is killed several months later, though the identity of his assassin is unclear. He was known for his habit of oft-tratiorously throwing his lot in with whoever he thought would win; this is why none of the Forsaken attempted to rescue him after he was captured and shielded by Lanfear. As Rand's teacher, he worked under the alias Jasin Natael, a gleeman.Balthamel
AKA Aran'gar
Be'lal
Demandred
Demandred was a powerful male Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends. His real name was Barid Bel Medar and he was given the name Demandred after he willingly turned to the Shadow early in the War of Power. He was always a rival of Lews Therin Telamon and was envious of Lew's widespread fame and notoriety. It was this jealousy that caused him to go over to the Shadow.Graendal
Ishamael
AKA Ba'alzamon, AKA Moridin
Ishamael, who eventually becomes the head of the Forsaken, was a rival of Lews Therin Telamon who felt that he would be the premier man of the age if not for LTT. Attempted to kill Rand, and was killed by him; returned as Moridin. Now trying to stop squabbling between the other Forsaken, and holds Cyndane and Moghieden as prisoners.Lanfear
AKA CyndaneMesaana
Moghedien
One of Moridin's two mindtrapped slaves, Moghedien is captured by Elayne and Nynaeve while trying to kill them in the world of dreams and later is punished by Moridin. She is known for attempting to avoid personal danger by acting through complex webs of others.Rahvin
Sammael
Semirhage
Became a Foresaken after she was threatened with stilling and expulsion due to sadism targeted at her patients. Semirhage is one of the greatest healers in history, but has a habit of turning her skills to torture.