The Path of Daggers & Winter's Heart Chronology

Robert Jordan has been trying to make his novels more difficult to read. In one interview, he stated that some people can create such huge logical structures that they can nearly predict the entire story line. One of the tools, RJ uses to confuse things has been his folding of time. But with careful reading, the Winter's Heart reader will soon find that the novel's time line is closely tied to The Path of Daggers. The chronology makes more sense when reading The Path of Daggers and Winter's Heart as one novel.

• Robert Jordan's Time Warp
• The White Tower
• The Great Purge
• The Salidar Aes Sedai
• Caemlyn
• The Black Tower
• Rand al'Thor
• Cadsuane Sedai
• Perrin Aybara
• Mat Cauthon

The key to understanding what Robert Jordan has done to the timeline in Winter's Heart, is to understand exactly when Egwene's Aes Sedai Army begins the seige. Robert Jordan describes the start of the seige during Chapter 30 of The Path of Daggers (one month after they declared war on Elaida). However, in Chapter 26 of Winter's Heart when Elayne meets with Egwene in Tel'aran'rhoid, Elayne says "I know you are moving the army tomorrow." This ends Egwene's thread in Winter's Heart. That next day Elayne goes meets with the Borderlanders and her thread in the story is ended. Apparently, Egwene's army began the seige on the same day that Elayne convinced the Borderland army to move. This means that chapter 30 of The Path of Daggers occured on the same day as chapter 26 in Winter's Heart. That's alot of reading!

Winter's Heart opens with the scene in the tower where Seaine, Pevara, and friends are gathering their cronies to bring down Black Ajah. Exactly when these events occur is critical to how the seige of Tar Valon will progress because an army seiging a city divided in on itself has a much better chance of success.

We do know that the events surrounding Pevara and Seaine begin to cascade during chapter 26 of The Path of Daggers. The scene ends with Yukiri, Doesine, Saerin, and Talene discovering them. "'Three times under,' Yukiri muttered, during the questioning session that broke Talene. According to Tower law, someone may not be questioned for a period longer than sunrise to sunset or from sunset to sunrise" (chapter 4, The Path of Daggers). Therefore, no more time than three days has passed since Talene was taken during the Path of Daggers.

Somebody may challenge the above point by saying, that they may have taken hours or days before applying the Chair of Remorse to Talene. However, their great sense of urgency in this section is illustrated in the dialog.

Yukiri said, "but we cannot hold Talene long before the Greens start asking where she is. Not to mention the ... the Black. We'd better decide what to do fast, or we'll still be digging at the bottom of the well when the rains hit" .... "We don't dare tell Elaida anything until we can cripple the Black at one blow," Saerin said ... "If Talene is right... The Black knows about Seaine or soon will, so we must ensure her safety, as much as we can."

Apparently, they believe Elaida is Black Ajah, and that they must act quickly before their discoveries are uncovered by the wrong people. Clearly, a sense of urgency exists of Seaine and Pevara's companions. Therefore, they took as little time as possible in bringing Talene to the Chair of Remorse. Perhaps as little as five hours has passed since chapter 26 of The Path of Daggers, but no more than three days.

Assuming no forsaken intervention, the Black Ajah should be crippled for years to come with in the coming weeks. In Chapter 29 of The Path of Daggers, Elaida meets with the Sitters. Rubindhe Sedai says, "The rebels are caught by the snows in Murandy, and we'll make winter hot enough for them that in the spring they'll come crawling back to apologize and beg penance." So as of that chapter, Egwene's Aes Sedai have halted in Murandy. Also the off hand way that Rubindhe mentions this fact means that it is common knowledge in the White Tower. Assuming that Rubindhe got her information from a pigeon, it is atleast a week old. So we know that, as of chapter 29 in The Path of Daggers, Egwene's army has declared war on Elaida and has been preparing for the a seige for atleast a week.

At the end of chapter 29 in The Path of Daggers, Messana tells Alviarin to discover why the heads of the Ajah's are meeting in private.

The great 'secret' of who headed the Ajahs was none to her - every Black sister was required to relay to the Supreme Council every whisper inside her supposed Ajah - but only Galina among them had been Black. That mean querying the Black sisters among the Sitters, which meant going through all the layers between them and her. That would take time, and without any certaintly of success.

Talene was abducted because she wanted to know why the heads of the Ajah's were meeting in secret. From Talene's confession in Winter's Heart that she is a darkfriend, we know that the order came from Alviarin to find out why. Therefore, chapter 30 occurred after chapter 29 in The Path of Daggers. From earlier in the series, we have learned that the Black Ajah communicates via encoded notes left in secret places. Since it would take time for Talene to receive the directives from Alviarin and since it would take even more time to conscript companions, atleast one day passed from the end of chapter 29 and the end of chapter 30.

Also in chapter 29, the renegade Asha'man attack on the Sun palace is not mentioned. The later event would be an important enough matter to inform the Amyrlin Seat. The most important news the White Tower has about the Asha'man and the Dragon Reborn includes Rand's occupation of Illian and the discovery that the Asha'man can Travel. Therefore, this meeting took place no later than one day after the attack on the Sun Palace and atleast five days after Rand seized Illian.

In chapter 30, Seaine thinks about Elaida's mad decree.

A great prity the Hall could not obstruct Elaida's mad decree, but first one Ajah, then another had leaped on the new perogatives, few Sitters were willing to think of giving them up now they were in place, and the result was a Tower divided very nearly into armed camps.

Some people may think that this is proof that Seaine has not yet heard about Elaida's decree about nobody being able to approach the Dragon Reborn except through the White Tower will be attainted of treason. It is reasonable to believe that Seaine may not see this as a mad decree since she knows nothing about Rand al'Thor's personality. Therefore, her lack of thought about Elaida's decree in chapter 29 has little bearing on the timeline.

In chapter 15 of The Path Of Daggers, Egwene remembers how the Salidar Aes Sedai's stopped for prayers and thanksgiving when the drizzle began. A few days later it began snowing. By the time Egwene heard about the Andorans and Murandians army attempting to bar their way, she was grinding her teeth in frustration over how slowly they travelled. It would probably take Egwene atleast three days to start grinding her teeth in frustration. Noting the geographical nearness of northern Murandy to Elayne's location; the Aes Sedai were probably rained on one day before Elayne's party was rained upon.

In chapter 16, after lunch and before dinner, Romanda and Lelaine knew about the opposing army. By the next day, Egwene and the Sitters meet with the Andorans and Murandians (chapter 17). Later that same day, in chapter 19, Egwene's Aes Sedai declare war on Elaida. Egwene also mandates that the Aes Sedai Travel to Tar Valon one month later. In chapter 31 of the Compendium, it says that a month is 28 days. Therefore, chapter 30 is 28 days later.

The critical tie in comes in Chapter 26 of Winter's Heart. When Egwene and Elayne meet in Tel'aran'rhoid, they meet the evening before the Salidar Aes Sedai begin the seige of Tar Valon. The same day that Elayne pays a visit to the Borderland royalty.

In the Prologue, Elayne thinks, "Her formal claim to the Lion Throne was only a few days old..." This means that the chapter took place atleast three days after it occured. Assuming that a formal announcement meant public announcement, this means that Elayne needed to inform the city of the announcement. This public announcement means that Elayne would try to gather atleast one days worth of intelligence before announcing her presense in Caemlyn. So Elayne probably arrived in Caemlyn atleast two days before that. Adeleas was found murdered two days before the day that Elayne arrived in Caemlyn (chapter 28 of The Path of Daggers). Nine days before that, Zarya (Garenia) and Kirstian were discovered as White Tower run aways. This was a few days after the snow began: the same day that Merillile begins teaching channelling to the Sea Folk. Nine days after the flight from Ebou Dhar, the first rain drops fell on Elayne's caravan (chapter 20 of The Path of Daggers). That next day it began snowing. The flight from Ebou Dhar was on the same day that the Bowl of Winds was used. The prologue occurs on the same day that Taim meets Elayne, and Elayne and Aviendha perform the Aiel adoption ceremony.

Chapter 9 in Winter's Heart, Halwin Norry informs Elayne of Elaida's decree which occurred in chapter 29 of The Path of Daggers. A pigeon flying from Tar Valon would take around three days to fly a message to Caemlyn. Halwin Norry talks about the degree somewhat off handely, as if the news may be a few days old.

Chapter 26 in Winter's Heart, Merrilille returns after preliminary negotiations with the Borderland army after being sent away "seven days earlier." This is significant because Merrilille begins scouting the borderland army the day after Elayne is drugged.

Chapter 9, Halwin Norry said, "She [Norry's correspondent] sends a pigeon only once a week, and it seems that right after her last, someone attacked the Sun Palace using the One Power." If it takes a few days for a pidgeon to travel to Caemlyn from Cairhein, then it took around nine days for the message to reach Caemlyn.

In Chapter 11, Careane teaches the Seafolk the day Merille leaves to inspect the borderland armies. On the next day, Elayne becomes pregnant, and Nynaeve teaches the Seafolk. Next Day, Nynaeve, Rand, Alivia, and Lan leave for Far Madding.

In the space of two days, fifty-one Aes Sedai had fallen captive to the black-coated monsters... Except for Logain's intervention, they would have had their revenge their first night here. She did not love him for putting a stop to it and making Carniele Heal the welts left by belts, the bruises left by fists and feet.
Toveine's perspective - Prologue, Winter's Heart

This quote takes place in the morning as Toveine wakes up. Notice the quote does not mention last night. According to chapter 26 of The Path of Daggers, Toveine's party was to "join" nine groups of Aes Sedai and gaurds. In this same chapter, Vinchova expresses disbelief because Taim has bonded a second Aes Sedai. It seems, RJ is hinting that Toveine's party was taken on the second day. So the Prologue takes place on atleast three days after Toveine's capture and atleast four days after the first Aes Sedai was captured. Also in the Prologue, Gabrelle says, "It took me two days to decide I should 'surrender' to his [Logain's] lusts, as you put it. I feel lucky it only required four to convince him to to let me." A total of six days and its the morning of the seventh.

In the same section, Toveine spies on Elayne and friends inspecting the Black Tower. This event occured at least one day after Taim confronted Elayne: atleast one day after Elayne and Aviendha performed the Aiel adoption ceromony. Taim ignored Elayne's summons for a great deal of time; then suddenly Taim shows up. He is adamant about Elayne being escorted through the Black Tower grounds. On the surface it appears that Taim is being a bully, but Taim is too intelligent for that. More likely he is appearing to bully because he wants to hide the captured and bonded Aes Sedai. Which is another reason why he was so quick to unload the sul'dam and damane onto Elayne. He did not want the damane and suldam talking about the Aes Sedai they saw on the Black Tower grounds. Despite RJ's warping of time, it appears that the meeting between Elayne and Taim takes place after Taim knew about the Aes Sedai capture but before Gabrelle slept with Logain.

The last significant thing that occurs in the Prologue is the announcement of the new traitors to be hanged, and Taim's return from Cairhein that day. This section of the Prologue apparently occurred the morning after Taim's return to the Black Tower after an audience with Rand in chapter 29 of The Path of Daggers.

Rand al'Thor & Cadsuane Sedai

When Rand begins to organize his campaign against the Seanchan, his followers do not know what to make of "the unrelenting storms" (Chapter 13 of The Path of Daggers). Unrelenting storms would be atleast four days of storms. Judging that it only took one day for the snow flurries to begin once Andor received rain. The storms probably began as soon at it started raining a few days after the Bowl of Winds was used. In chapter 21, the next day, the Asha'man Rand sends for arrive. This is the same day that Rand camps outside of Illian. The next day Rand moves his forces to the Nemarellin Mountains and sends off the Asha'man to begin scouting the Seanchan.

In chapter 24 of The Path of Daggers, the last battle of Rand's assualt on the Seanchan eastern front concludes. This is six days after Rand's assaults begin. The campaign ends with the sun half way down to the far horizon. In chapter 27, Rand surprises Min with his appearance in Cairhein. Assuming that Rand would fall back to his supply train first, Rand probably gave his people a nights worth of rest. Then dispatched the nobels that next day. Some he took with him to Cairhein.

Not that she would ever have the chance to rip down his banners, but the point applies. Rand had been stunned at first by the news Taim brought from Caemlyn at dawn, but as soon as the man left, he had stopped looking like a poleaxed bull and starts ... This!
Min's perspective - Chapter 29, The Path of Daggers

According to this quote, this chapter occurs after Taim has visited Caemlyn; Elayne has arrived in Caemlyn; it occurs atleast one day after chapter 24 of The Path of Daggers. In the Winter's Heart Prologue, Elayne gives Taim his first audience. During this chapter, Elayne thought about "another blizzard pelted Caemlyn, darkening the midday sky..." So Taim visits Elayne in Caemlyn at midday. Since Cairhein is east of Caemlyn, the earliest Taim could have visited Rand was the next morning. A few hours later, Rand's bedroom is destroyed by the renegade Asha'man.

In the Prologue, Min talks about what Rand and her have been doing for the last few days.

First we Traveled to Rhuidean, where you asked so many questions about this Shara place that anybody would think you meant to go there... The same as in Tear last night. Making sure every cat and blackbird knew you were there. In Tear, it was Chachin you asked about.

From this quote it appears that Rand is making his presence known and then leaving. Perhaps he spent more than one day in Rhuidean. In Rand's mind, every day he stays in a place, he risks the lives of his followers. So I do not think he stayed any more than 24 hours in any one location. Since Min only listed two locations that they had visited, Rand stayed the night of the attack in Rhuidean and then the night after the attack in Tear.

In chapter 13 of Winter's Heart, a number of significant things happen around Cadsuane. Dobraine frees the Lady Caraline and the High Lord Darlin from the Lady Arilyn's palace. Damer Flinn restores Irgain Sedai's ability to channel. Alanna Sedai collapsed unconscious.

[Alanna asked,] "You did something, I know. I was unconscious for three days! What did you do?"...
[Rand replied,] "I decided if I was going to be bonded, it might as well be by someone I said could."
Chapter 25, Winter's Heart

Apparently, Allana passed out on the same day Rand was bonded by Elayne, Min, and Aviendha. This also delays Cadsuane's trip to Far Madding by four days because she arrived with Alanna conscious (chapter 23). Which means Rand has stayed in Far Madding for atleast three days before Cadsuane arrives. The day after Alanna arrives in the city, Alanna and Cadsuane visit Rand.

Alanna was somewhere in Tear. He had felt her [Alanna] leap just north of Far Madding to somewhere much farther north, then, a day later, to somewhere far to the south and east. She was distant enough that he could not say whether she was in Haddon Mirk or the city of Tear itself, yet he was confident she was one place or the other, with four other sisters he could trust.
Rand al'Thor's perspective - Chapter 32, Winter's Heart

Notice that Rand does not think to himself that Alanna Travelled yesterday. So I think atleast one day has passed since Alanna Travelled to Tear and when chapter 32 occured. This is the same day that Cadsuane gives channelling lessons to Nynaeve, and Alivia; Min joins them for a change of scenary.

Also in chapter 32, Rand recalls "More than a week had passed since he had killed Rochaid and Kisman had gotten away..." This is the same day that Rand and Lan try to kill Torval and Gedwyn. Padan Fain ends up doing the job for them; Lan ends up killing Toram Riatin. Padan Fain is not heard from again, and Rand and Lan end up being arrested by Far Madding's Watchmen. That evening they are released into Cadsuane's custody by the Far Madding Councel (cahpter 34). That next day they leave, and cleanse saidin (chapter 35).

The one event that places Perrin is the web of the One Power the channellers saw across the sky a few days before the snows began. Unfortunately, the way RJ writes the story leaves alot of room of error on where exactly the Perrin fits in the over all chronology.

[Perrin Aybara thought], more than half a week ago [5 days], now, a lace of the One Power streaking high across the sky had created quite a stir among the Aes Sedai and Wise Ones. And with Grady and Neald. Which fact had made a bigger stir still, as close to panic as any Aes Sedai was likely to come. Asha'man, Aes Seda and Wise Ones all claimed they could still feel the Power faintly in the air long after that bar of lace vanished, but nobody knows what it means. Neald said it made him think of wind, though he could not tell why.
Chapter 7, The Path of Daggers

Apparently, a half week before, Elayne, Nynaeve, Aviendha, the Sea Folk, and Kin use the Bowl of Winds. This is the same chapter that Perrin sends Berelain to meet Alliandre in Bethal, Ghealdan. In chapter 10, that next day, Elyas joins Perrin's party; Balwer informs Perrin of Masema location; Alliandre swears fealty to Perrin; Perrin hears a peal of thunder under the baking sun. Perrin would have heard that peal of thunder around the same time the rains started in Ebou Dar.

In chapter 30 of The Path of Daggers, "None of the three [Neald, Grady, and Balwer] seemed at all affected by what they had seen and heard this past month [28 days] since crossing the border into Amadicia, or by what lay ahead." So Perrin's army has been in Amadicia for a month. Perrin's army was in southern Amadicia when he heard that peel of thunder. Judging how fast the storm pounced on Andor, he was being snowed on two days after hearing that peal of thunder. With the snow slowing them, it would take several days to cross the border into Amadicia. So the amount of elapsed time between chapter 10 and 30 is 28 days plus the travel time from Bethal, Ghealdan to Abila, Amadicia. I say 34 days in my time line.

Note that Chapter 30 of The Path of Daggers and Chapter 1 of Winter's Heart occur on the same day. In chapter 1 of Winter's Heart, Balwer reports that the Seanchan armies smashed the Amadician army and captured all of their nobility approximately ten days before in Jeramel. He also reports that the Seanchan have been defeated in Altara by an unknown force. Since the prophets country would slow the progress of news, this scene takes place atleast five days after the last battle in chapter 24 of The Path of Daggers.

The rest of the scenes for Perrin's party are rather straight forward. Perrin learns of Faile's, Maigdan's, and Alliandre's capture. He nearly freezes to death that night searching for Faile in Tel'aran'rhoid. The next day, they learn what direction the Shaido are moving. Perrin convinces Masema to travel with them to catch up to the Aiel.

Faile's story is just about as straight forward. She travels day and night to rejoin the Shaido, and then she wakes up the next day to find out that Aiel traditions towards Gai'shain will not keep her safe.

Mat Cauthon is the most difficult to place, because he has not participated in the story line for about 1000 pages. "The Seanchan were not going to be driven off by anyone except an army with Ash'man, like the one rumor said had fought them to the east a week ago [10 days]," Mat mused in chapter 16 of Winter's Heart. Apparently, this scene takes place one week after Rand's assaults into Altara. This is the same day that -- the Corenne enters Ebou Dhar; Noal Charin saves Mat from the Gholam; Mat meets Tuon, The Daughter of the Nine Moons; Valan Luca agrees to let Mat travel with his menegerie for a price; Aludra sets Mat to figure out the puzzle of the Bellfounder.

In Chapter 14, Aludra tells Mat to return in two or three days. Chapters 14-17 all occur on the same day. Chapter 18 takes place over several days. From the way the Chapter 18 reads, it appears that the Mat meets with Aludra 2 days after they met in Chapter 14. Chapter 18 spans the entire period of time from after the attack on the Gholam till Mat agrees to help an Aes Sedai. In the beginning of the chapter it talks about how these events occur during the next few days. On the day that Mat burns his pink clothing; Mat secures a place to store his belongings; Mat meets with the bellfounder; Tuon begins watching Mat. Over the next two days, Mat meets with the bellfounder and Aludra. On the second day, the bell foundry's doors are closed to Mat. This chapter also discusses how Tylin has been making Mat waste alot of day light hours in the Palace. Mat rues to himself that he has another trip to the bellfounder and Aludra planned when a Mat receives Tylin's summons. This is after the bell founder's doors have closed to Mat. An afternoon after that, Tuon and Mat meet alone in his quarters. This chapter covers atleast five days. In my timeline, I say that these events take seven days. The chapter ends with Mat making the decision to check on his belongings in the Wandering Woman.

In chapter 19, Mat enters the Wandering Woman while it is still dark out. Mat eats gilded fish for breakfast. Therefore, this scene takes place before sunrise. Mat then agrees to help Joline escape, and later that same day he agrees to help Teslyn and Edesina escape. In chapter 20, Bethamin inspects Teslyn's quarters and Teslyn had a small smile on her face. Since Teslyn has a natural sour disposition, the only thing that makes Teslyn smile would be Mat's offer of escape. It appears that this inspection took place on the same morning as Mat promised to help Teslyn escape. Later that day, Bethamin meets with Egeanin in her room.

The next day, chapter 28, Suroth and Tylin leave to inspect the parts of Altara under Tylin's control. Tylin says that they will be gone for a little more than a week. Later in the chapter, Noal tells Mat about the Gholam killing another victim near Modine Gate. Every day between Tylin's departure and the seventh day, the Gholam kills. On the seventh day, Thom finds out about the Seekers being ordered to forgoe sleeping and eating to find the killer. On the eighth day, the entire city is in an uproar over the killings. This is the same day that Egeanin and Mat agree to leave Ebou Dar together that next day.

The next day, Tylin returns early from her tour of Altara because Suroth learns about an army in Murandy that disappears (chapter 31). This means that this chapter occurs a few days after the Salidar Aes Sedai begin the seige of Tar Valon. This is the same day that Mat learns that Tuon is the Daughter of the Nine Moons; Mat frees Nestelle din Sakura South Star.

The Farede Calendar:

• 1 Week : 10 days
  
• 1 Month : 28 days
  
• 1 Year : 13 months
  

The Months of the Farede Calendar:
Taisham, Jumara, Saban, Aine, Adar, Saven, Admadaine, Tammaz, Maigdhal, Choren, Shaldine, Nesan, and Danu.
Chapter 31, The World of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (The Compendium)

Piecing the Puzzle Together

My timeline pieces all of these proofs together. Of course the timeline will not be 100 percent accurate because Robert Jordan is rather vague in areas of the story about exactly how much time passes. But it is a good reference tool so check it out!