Avendesora
Encyclopedia
Avendesora, or The Tree Of Life, is a recurring object in Robert Jordan
's Wheel of Time
series.
Avendesora is the last cutting remaining from the chora trees that lined the streets of Paaren Disen, in the Age of Legends. Chora trees are distinguished by their tri-foil leaves and the feeling of contentment a person gets when under one's branches. All chora trees except one were destroyed during the Breaking of the World.
and the Aiel
. It is described as being "hundreds of spans high" with wide spreading branches and unusual trefoil leaves. Until recently, the whereabouts of Avendesora have been a mystery. However, it was revealed by Rand al'Thor
in The Shadow Rising
that Avendesora is located in the center of Rhuidean, a city located in the Aiel Waste
. During a battle beneath the tree in Rhuidean with Asmodean
, one of the Forsaken
, Rand set Avendesora alight, and just after, Rand believed that he had killed it. However, Moiraine Damodred
revealed soon after that the tree was still alive, if barely harmed.
In the Towers of Midnight
, Aviendha visits Rhuidean and observes that the Tree of Life has almost completely recovered from the harm taken.
. It grew in the palace grounds for many generations until King Laman cut it down to make himself a throne like no other that had ever been seen. When the Aiel learned of this, they crossed the Spine of The World (or Dragonwall) and started the Aiel War, not stopping until they had killed Laman, before they returned across the Dragonwall to the Aiel Waste. They did not cross it again until the coming of the Car'a'carn
.
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
's Wheel of Time
Wheel of time
The Wheel of time or wheel of history is a concept found in several religious traditions and philosophies, notably religions of Indian origin such as Hinduism and Buddhism, which regard time as cyclical and consisting of repeating ages...
series.
Avendesora is the last cutting remaining from the chora trees that lined the streets of Paaren Disen, in the Age of Legends. Chora trees are distinguished by their tri-foil leaves and the feeling of contentment a person gets when under one's branches. All chora trees except one were destroyed during the Breaking of the World.
Significance
Avendesora is symbolic to the many of the residents of the Westlands, in particular the OgierOgier (Wheel of Time)
The Ogier are a race of non-human creatures who have an intense love of knowledge. They are also great architects and stonemasons, responsible for many of the most impressive structures and cities of the world. Ogier stonework is known for its organic nature, often appearing to have been grown...
and the Aiel
Aiel
In Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, the Aiel are a race of people. They live between the "wetlanders" in the west and the Sharans in the east, in a desert which the Aiel call The Three-fold Land and which everyone else calls the Aiel Waste. They have earned a reputation as skilled...
. It is described as being "hundreds of spans high" with wide spreading branches and unusual trefoil leaves. Until recently, the whereabouts of Avendesora have been a mystery. However, it was revealed by Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor, also known as the Dragon Reborn, is the fictional main character and protagonist of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.Rand al'Thor has many other titles within the series:...
in The Shadow Rising
The Shadow Rising
The Shadow Rising is the fourth book in American author Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It was published by Tor Books and released on September 15, 1992...
that Avendesora is located in the center of Rhuidean, a city located in the Aiel Waste
Aiel Waste
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, the Aiel Waste is an almost waterless desert that had no inhabited cities until Rand al'Thor opened Rhuidean to all. The Aiel also call the Waste the Three-Fold Land....
. During a battle beneath the tree in Rhuidean with Asmodean
Asmodean
Asmodean is a major antagonist in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Age of Legends:...
, one of the Forsaken
Forsaken (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series, the Forsaken are the most powerful and favored servants of the Dark One. They were formerly Aes Sedai, but became corrupted by the desire for power and immortality...
, Rand set Avendesora alight, and just after, Rand believed that he had killed it. However, Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah and is the niece of King Laman Damodred of Cairhien.-Description:...
revealed soon after that the tree was still alive, if barely harmed.
In the Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is the sequel to the novel The Gathering Storm, and the 13th book in the Wheel of Time series.The novel is the second part of A Memory of Light, Robert Jordan's projected final book...
, Aviendha visits Rhuidean and observes that the Tree of Life has almost completely recovered from the harm taken.
Avendoraldera and the Aiel War
A cutting from Avendesora, named Avendoraldera, was given by the Aiel to Cairhenien nobility as a gift for the mercy bestowed upon their ancestors by the nobles in CairhienCairhien
Cairhien is a country set in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series of fantasy fiction novels. Cairhien is located in the east central part of The Westlands, on the east it borders with the Spine of the World. The sign of Cairhien is a golden sun rising on a field of deep blue...
. It grew in the palace grounds for many generations until King Laman cut it down to make himself a throne like no other that had ever been seen. When the Aiel learned of this, they crossed the Spine of The World (or Dragonwall) and started the Aiel War, not stopping until they had killed Laman, before they returned across the Dragonwall to the Aiel Waste. They did not cross it again until the coming of the Car'a'carn
Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor, also known as the Dragon Reborn, is the fictional main character and protagonist of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.Rand al'Thor has many other titles within the series:...
.