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"The boy was dead eager, which could soon lead to plain dead."
   —Mat Cauthon

Olver is a young boy orphaned after his father was killed by the Shaido and his mother died of illness.

Appearance[]

He is referred to as being very ugly with a massive, squashed nose, big ears that stick out, and a mouth which is too wide. He is gaunt.

Activities[]

Adopted into the Band[]

He was unofficially adopted by Mat Cauthon after the Aiel assassination attempt on Mat's life and it's clear that he idolizes Mat, copying his mannerisms and habits, most especially where women are concerned. Amusingly enough, Mat doesn't realize that Olver has learned how to deal with women from watching Mat himself, and is always on the lookout for the man or men of the Band of the Red Hand that he considers the likely source of corruption.

Olver has an intense dislike for Aviendha and constantly watches her with hatred. He slips into Salidar with Chel Vanin and travels with Mat when he leaves for Ebou Dar. While in Ebou Dar he rides in competitive races on his horse Wind and wins Mat a substantial amount of gold. Later he goes missing in Ebou Dar and Mat is forced to go find him. This leads to Mat being injured and leaving him and all the Redarms stranded when the Seanchan attack.

Fleeing Ebou Dar[]

Olver is taken out of Ebou Dar with Nerim and Lopin before Mat goes through his plan of freeing some captive Aes Sedai from the damane kennels and then escaping the city. He meets up with Mat again outside Ebou Dar and joins Valan Luca's Traveling Circus with the rest of Mat's group. He spends a lot of his time playing Snakes and Foxes in Tuon's carriage.

When Mat reads Thomdril Merrilin's letter, he reveals that Moiraine Damodred is trapped in the land of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn. Olver has a vast knowledge of the snakes and foxes and tells them that they need to enter the Tower of Ghenjei as told to him by Birgitte Silverbow.

Traveling with the Band[]

After a skirmish with Darkfriends in Maderin, Mat and the rest of his group decide to leave Luca's show. While riding through Altara they meet up with the Band of the Red Hand and begin to travel with them. Olver runs a message to Mat that Verin Mathwin has entered their camp. When the Band sets up camp in Caemlyn, the gholam attacks Mat's tent. Luckily Olver had fallen asleep in Noal's tent after playing Snakes and Foxes with him. He travels with Mat on their way to Caemlyn and discusses strategy on how to beat the snakes and foxes.

While Mat is at the Tower of Ghenjei, Olver plays snakes and foxes with Talmanes Delovinde. Olver actually manages to beat the game fairly, which may be linked to Mat's success in the Tower. Olver plans to travel to the Aelfinn and ask them where the Shaido are that killed his family. He then finds Mat's letter from Verin and opens it. He doesn't understand it, but Talmanes does. Talmanes races off to to rally the Band while Olver watches a bright orange glow start to take over Caemlyn.

Sounder of the Horn[]

He calls out to Faile while she is trying to excape the Trollocs on the hill at Merrilor. She says,  "I am sorry to place this on you, little one", gives Olver the Horn of Valere, and rides off on a different horse being chased by Trollocs, He is told to take the Horn to Mat or all is lost.  Olver gets on Bela and rides away from the Trollocs but Bela is shot out from under him and he becomes trapped in a small cleft in the rocks. During the Last Battle when the armies of the Light seem close to losing, Olver sounds the Horn, not only saving himself, but the armies of the Light. Noal is resurrected during the sounding and is the hero who saves Olver. After the victory of the Light at the Field of Merrilor, Olver flies on raken with Mat to Thakandar to sound the Horn there as well. Besides the Heroes, also the Ghost Wolves come to fight the Darkhounds. Then he sits with Noal on his horse and Mat comments he enjoys this.

After the Last Battle[]

It is revealed by Birgitte that she sent Olver away with trusted guards to "find someplace nobody would look, a place he could forget, and toss the Horn into it. Preferably the ocean.” It is presumed he was on his way to do this very thing.

Destiny?[]

Although it has been speculated that Olver could be the new reincarnation of Gaidal Cain, Robert Jordan asserted that this was not the case.[1]

Jordan has confirmed that Olver has a purpose other than being a red herring however. This is, beyond doubt, his sounding of the Horn.

Notes

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