The Great Hunt

Context before you read:

At the end of The Eye of the World, Rand channeled saidin for the first time, drawing on the pure pool stored in the Eye of the World to destroy the Forsaken Aginor, break the Trolloc army crossing Tarwin's Gap, and seemingly slay Ba'alzamon. Moiraine declared that the Dragon has been Reborn.

From beneath the drained Eye the party recovered three artifacts: the Horn of Valere, the Dragon Banner, and one of the seven seals on the Dark One's prison—now broken. They travelled through the Ways to Fal Dara in Shienar, where they remain.

Wounded on Winternight, Tam let slip in his fever that he had found Rand as a newborn on the slopes of Dragonmount, born to a dying Aiel woman. The Aes Sedai Elaida also recognised Aiel blood in him in Caemlyn, where Rand met Queen Morgase, the Daughter-Heir Elayne, and her brother Gawyn.

Mat still carries the ruby-hilted dagger from Shadar Logoth. Moiraine partially healed him, but warned that without the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon, the dagger's corruption will consume him.

Egwene and Nynaeve can both channel and plan to train at the White Tower. Perrin has discovered he can speak with wolves, an ability he fears and tries to deny; his eyes have turned golden yellow.

Loial, a young Ogier from Stedding Shangtai, joined the group in Caemlyn and guided them through the Ways. The gleeman Thom Merrilin stayed behind at Whitebridge to hold off a Myrddraal so Rand and Mat could escape, and is presumed dead.

The peddler Padan Fain was captured at Fal Dara—a Darkfriend remade by the Dark One at Shayol Ghul into a hound to hunt the three ta'veren from the Two Rivers.