Tel'aran'rhiod - Characteristics

Characteristics

Though normally accessible only through dreams, Tel'aran'rhiod is in fact a real place. Its geographical reality is dependent on the waking world, but its contents can be and are altered by the works of non-sleeping people. Those things which are sedentary in the waking world—buildings, furniture, mountains, forests—tend to stay put in the Dream, but things that move or see use—utensils, personal correspondence, clothes, even tent or wagon settlements—are much harder to find, and may disappear once discovered. All reality is mutable in Tel'aran'rhiod; those inside it can alter themselves and the world around them, including abilities such as instant wardrobe changes, the creation of scenery (or once, a horse), flight and levitation, instant travel across huge distances, and so forth. These tweaks are often subconscious, and it takes a certain amount of concentration to control or prevent them. Skilled Dreamwalkers, those who can enter Tel'aran'rhiod unaided, can also impose their creations upon other people, often with frightening and, if desired, lethal results. Injuries taken in Tel'aran'rhiod, including death, are reflected in the waking world. Wild animals and humans can enter Tel'aran'rhiod, while domesticated animals have lost this ability. Normal people occasionally visit Tel'aran'rhiod through their dreams, generally flitting in and out for a few seconds without ever realizing it. Most come to no harm, but rarely some are fatally injured and never wake up.

Despite its idiosyncrasies, Tel'aran'rhiod has proved a vital source of intelligence for the series' characters. Visits to allied settlements and enemy headquarters (specifically the Amyrlin's office in the White Tower) have yielded important intelligence, and Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne and the Aiel Wise Ones use it to share news, formulate plans, and sometimes just to socialize.