Novice

A novice is a female channeler training in the White Tower to become an Aes Sedai.

Novices are the first level of initiates in the White Tower. Those who can proceed to the next level of training become Accepted.

Overview

Novices receive instruction on the basics of channeling the One Power. They often receive classes in groups, as opposed to the one-on-one tutelage that is more common with the Accepted. Aside from learning to channel, Novices also receive education from the Aes Sedai on a range of other topics, including history.

Novices are also made to do various chores around the White Tower, such as scrubbing floors or cleaning up in the private quarters of the Aes Sedai. They also help out in the kitchens. These chores are believed to help build a woman's character.

When a Novice is ready to be raised to Accepted, she must pass through the Arches, a ter'angreal which shows the candidate her fears from the past, present, and future. She may refuse the test before it has begun on no more than two occasions, and will be put out of the Tower if she refuses it the third time. If she does not complete the test once it has begun, she will be put out of the Tower, no matter how many times she has previously been taken to the test. Many Novices have died during the test, in the alternate realities of the Arches. In the case of failure where the Novice survives, she will be given enough silver to support her for a year. If the Novice is successful, she is raised to Accepted.

Some Novices are considered too weak in the One Power to ever be raised to Accepted or to Aes Sedai.

Novices are typically not allowed to leave the White Tower, although they may be given permission to do so for special occasions.

History

Moiraine Damodred, Siuan Sanche, and Alanna Mosvani trained together as novices. As a novice, Moiraine slept with a dog named Jenny every night, although novices were not allowed to have pets.

Season 1

After learning of Nynaeve al'Meara's incredible channeling abilities, Liandrin Guirale is insistent that she must become a novice as soon as she reaches the White Tower. Moiraine keeps Nynaeve in the Warder's Quarters to keep her away from the prying eyes of other sisters. Due to being one of the potential candidates for the Dragon Reborn, Nynaeve and Egwene leave the city without being enrolled as novices, being taken to the Tar Valon Waygate by Lan Mandragoran and Loial after Moiraine's exile.

During this time, several novices also observe Logain Ablar being paraded around the city, following his capture and gentling.

Season 2

After the events in Fal Dara, Egwene and Nynaeve sign the book of novices and thereby become novices in the White Tower. They do various chores around their training, such as cleaning rooms and carrying dishes to the kitchens and washing them. Alanna gives the novices a lesson in the kitchens, and later reports on their progress to Sheriam Bayanar, the Mistress of Novices, in a meeting with other Aes Sedai including Liandrin and Joiya Byir.

Lady Elayne Trakand, the Daughter-Heir of Andor, enrolls as a novice in the White Tower and moves into the room next to Egwene's. An unnamed individual allowed Elayne's attendants in to furnish her room, but Sheriam has the items removed so Elayne's room is just as bare as any other novice's room.

When Nynaeve informs Egwene she's leaving, Egwene insists on going with her even though it is not allowed for novices to leave the Tower and she could be expelled for it. Elayne follows them, and Liandrin kidnaps the three. To cover up the kidnapping, she somehow has Sheriam write in her leger that the three were given leave to attend Elayne's brother's name day ceremony in Caemlyn.

List of novices

The following characters are currently novices in the television series, or were last shown as novices.

• Egwene al'Vere
• Elayne Trakand
• Unnamed novice who is in the kitchens during a lesson from Alanna
• Unnamed novice who is carrying laundry from Liandrin's room

All Aes Sedai and Accepted were once novices before being raised to Accepted. The following characters are directly shown as novices at some point in the television series, but are not a novice any longer.

• Nynaeve al'Meara

Quotes

Egwene

Being a novice is a rite of passage. Every single Aes Sedai has done it, even the Amyrlin. It builds... character.

Nynaeve

I have enough character.

— Season 2 episode 1 A Taste of Solitude

Sheriam

Who let your maids into the novice quarters with all of this nonsense?

Elayne

Oh, I...

Sheriam

You may be destined for the Lion Throne of Caemlyn, child, but here you are a novice, just the same as any other.

— Season 2 episode 2 Strangers and Friends

Nynaeve

I just came to tell you that I'm leaving. You don't have to come. I'm an Accepted, I can leave the Tower whenever I want. But if they catch you, they'll expel you.

— Nynaeve, an Accepted, to Egwene who's still a novice, season 2 episode 4 Daughter of the Night

Gallery

Egwene working in the kitchens as a novice, episode 201

Nynaeve as a novice in Tar Valon, episode 202

Elayne as a novice, episode 204

Unnamed novice (portrayed by Salle Salée) in episode 201, during a lesson with Alanna in the kitchens

Unnamed novice (portrayed by Raquel Cipriano) in episode 202, carrying laundry from Liandrin's room

Changes from the book series

Novices are adapted from the rank of the same name  (book spoilers!) from the book series.