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Wikipedia has an article about this subject at Randland. This page aims to provide supplemental material not suitable for a general encyclopedia such as detailed plot analysis, summaries, or fandom.
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Usage of the term "Randland"[]
I've seen a number of pages here that make reference to "Randland" (eg. Tanchico). Given that most of the contents are supposed to be "in universe", should those references be removed? --TheParanoidOne 09:58, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not too worried about it as yet, since it's a little cumbersome to say "in the world". Maybe later when we get more complete on content and have nothing bigger to worry about... ;) If you're already editing a page, though, feel free to excise it. -- nae'blis 03:51, 4 October 2006 (UTC)
- In this and most other in-article contexts, wouldn't "the Westlands" be appropriate? --Gherald 02:52, 5 October 2006 (UTC)
It's called "Earth".
I started the books many years ago. I'm re-reading them and planning to finish the series now. Reading the term "RandLand" (shudder :) ) on some web pages as I was starting out, I was primed to pay attention to my reading. There *is* a term for the world in the books! "Earth". More than once or twice in the first couple or few books, "earth" is used as a reference for the world -- for instance, "on earth" or "on the earth". Please scan your copy of the first book. (In fact, anyone have electronic copies? That would make for quickly finding these uses again.)
By the way, I specifically am not referring to the word "earth" used when referring to the Earth weaves of the One Power.
Now I realize that I'm not likely to change what has become an incredibly widespread term, and that a lot of WoT fans are going to resist a name for their world that happens to be the same as ours. And the fact that I don't care for the sound of "RandLand" -- using "Land" for a planet, naming the whole planet for just him, and the silly-to-me sound of it -- isn't such a big deal, I grant.
Still, I'm simply a stickler for correct information and accuracy. And the name here is "earth" :) . The author may even not have intended it specifically; it might have just crept in to the writing because of its common use in English speech, without conscious realization. But, gee, it is there, in characters' speech -- it is how denizens of the world refer to it when they mean to talk about something more than a region, kingdom, or continent, when they *don't* just say "the world" or "the whole world".
("The world" is the most common referent, I grant you. The fact is, in this kind of society where travel is restricted to foot, horse, and boat, there just isn't much of a relevant global concept. So a name for the world isn't used much at all, and so it isn't easy to remember after reading so bloody many pages, and is not even easy to notice since it *is* part of common expressions :) . I don't blame anyone for not noticing or recalling it. But if you look with that purpose, you'll find it in the first two or three books. I guess I should have written down the references when I found them, knowing I'd ***eventually*** find myself on one of these boards again, and eventually want to post this info. *sighs at self* :) But I haven't. So this is your chance to be the hero. Look them up, scan the pages for the word "earth", and post the precise quotes to every relevant place you can find. Make your mark as the one who re-found "RandLand's" real name for people :) ! Maybe you can start to make a living as a featured WoT guest and lecturer!)
When someone competent to edit the actual article is armed with specific quotes and citations, I hope you'll edit the article to mention this fact -- even if "RandLand" remains an article- or stub-worthy term simply because fans use it after failing to notice or recall the term from the books :) .
Yours In Service, -- Carlos Vigil, Milwaukee, WI =)
P.S. found one I remembered from the Glossaries, with Google '"Wheel of Time" WoT +earth':
From the Glossary: "Breaking of the World, the: During the Time of Madness, male Aes Sedai who had gone insane, who could wield the One Power to a degree now unknown, changed the face of the earth. [...]"
Wouldn't it be captialized if it was the offical name of the planet? 'Earth' can refer to our planet specifcally, but it can also refer to the dry surface of a planet as distinguished from sea or sky; land; ground.
Redirect[]
'Randland' is not an in-universe term, so using it to refer to the main continent is not appropriate in an encyclopediac entry. We are, after all, supposed to be broadly following the same rules as Wikipedia itself here. Anyway, 'Westlands' is not entirely satisfying either, as it only appears once in an official product, and that only in the RPG (which I would say is of secondary canonical importance, possibly alongside the Big White Book). I remember Jordan using it in other interviews (although Googling hasn't turned them up, so that may be unattributable for now). The Big White Book uses 'The Land'. To be honest, the best compromise may be to use the Aiel name, the 'wetlands'. For now I've put the main article on the Westlands and redirected Randland to there, but I'm open to other ideas. As for the world, I simply suggest calling it 'The World of the Wheel of Time', as the Big White Book calls it that.--Werthead 19:41, 11 September 2008 (UTC)
The continents' names[]
Can anyone make a good guess? Which of our continents now will end up as the continents in Randland? I'm inclined to think that Seanchan had been the Americas, the Land of Madmen had been Australia and the Westlands had been Asia and Europe. Perhaps most of Africa went down the sea during the Breaking of the World? When you think about it, it kind of makes sense. 175.156.221.158 15:48, December 27, 2011 (UTC)
I think your right, except I believe northern Africa became the Aiel Waste (It got wedged between Europe and Asia). MegaZeroX 18:44, December 27, 2011 (UTC)