Traveling

For the Gareth Bryne's horse, see Traveler.

Lews Therin Telamon using Traveling

Traveling is the art of using the One Power to transport oneself over vast distances nearly instantaneously. Traveling is also related to Skimming, which is the simplest way to use this kind of weaves.

Traveling was an unknown skill since the Breaking, and has been only recently rediscovered by both the Asha'man and Aes Sedai.

While the ability of Traveling is a Talent, Skimming is not, so the second can be utilized by all the channelers strong enough, instead Traveling can be used only by the ones with enough strength and a minimum Talent.

In fact both Traveling and Skimming are usually related to the strength in One Power because only strong channelers are able alone to open suitable gateway that are large enough to pass through. Fortunately less strong channelers can link to each other in a circle to provide the strength necessary to open a suitable gateway.

There are exceptions to this rule and some of the weakest channelers, such as Androl Genhald, have demonstrated the Talent to be able to open larger and more precise gateways than other, more powerful channelers. Conversely, some stronger channelers, such as Damer Flinn, have encountered difficulty opening large gateways and in the right position because they lack the Talent.

Strength

As it is stated above in the use of Traveling weaves it is needed a minimum strength (or an extraordinary Talent) to open a suitable gateway. We don't know exactly how much power it is needed, also because the description can vary from a book to another.

For instance we remember that Mesaana told Alviarin that she has just the minimum strength necessary for Travel and in "The Wheel of Time Companion" Alviarin's strength level is described as 17(5).

Instead we know a lesser strong female channeler, Ashmanaille Sedai, who is described using suitable gateway and in "The Wheel of Time Companion" she is with only a strength level of 22(10).

In both cases the strength level can be a mistake, in fact many times the levels given by "The Wheel of Time Companion" are clearly wrong.

Usually a pair of linked Aes Sedai with each an average strength are described to provide enough power to open a suitable gateway. An average Aes Sedai is described around a strength level of 28(16).

If linked together in a circle four Kinswomen very weak as Alise are able to obtain the same as two average Aes Sedai as it is described in ToM. For instance Alise's strength level is described as 46(34).

We can find in the books other strength discrepancies: in 'Lord of Chaos' Elayne (with a strength level described as 8+5) is unable to open a gateway high enough for Mat to go trough riding a horse, so he had to dismount to travel on foot pulling the horse by the reins.

Instead in 'Memory of Light' Berisha is able to open a gateway high and large enough for Faile to pass guiding from above a wagon, and Berisha is surely many strength levels below Elayne. If this is not another mistake, the only explanation could be that Berisha was very talented in Traveling like Androl.

Gateways

For other uses of the word "Gateway," see Gateways.

Traveling is done through the use of gateways. It is important that the channeler knows their current location well. A gateway appears as a thin vertical line in the air, then expands into a rectangular portal. One cannot create a gateway within a gateway. If two gateways are created to the same location, the second gateway will open beside the first, with a small gap between the two.

The weave holding the gateway open can then be tied off temporarily, after which the portal can be used by anybody in the area until it dissipates. If the weaves are left to dissipate, the gateway will shrink back to a single vertical line and eventually disappear. Using the One Power, it is possible, though difficult, to stop this process after it has started. Asmodean claims that of the ancient Aes Sedai, only Demandred, Semirhage, and Lews Therin Telamon could prevent a gateway from closing.

It is very important to first memorize the location from where you wish to open a gateway and to quick this process a channeler can hold the source for a while.

It is later revealed a trick to elude the need to know very well the starting point of Traveling, in fact a channeler can create a gateway travelling to a short distance (within eye sight, for instance) without needing to know an area. Then, once he has opened that gateway, he automatically learns the area well enough to make a second new gateway to go anywhere.

Male channelers describe the forming of a gateway with saidin as "boring a hole in the Pattern" to the channeler's destination.Instead forming a gateway with saidar is done by creating a similarity in the Pattern, then stepping through the gateway to the channeler's destination.

Apparently, in the Second Age, it was customary for the user to use a sound to herald the coming of a gateway.

Opening a gateway inside an object is possible, but the edges of a gateway will slice through objects cleanly. In this respect, it can be used as a weapon, but it would likely be difficult to target a gateway to open directly into a person, in fact only people with an exceptional Traveling Talent as Androl are described able to decapitate a Fade using this way. Recently Yukiri and other Gray Sisters developed a new way to open Gateway horizontally instead than vertically. It is revealed useful to open this last kind of gateway far high in the sky to spy the enemies from above.

Shadowspawn cannot survive Travel through a gateway, and are killed upon passing through one. This fact was used by Lews Therin when he seized control of the One Power from Rand al'Thor when he was channeling. Lews Therin used a weave he called Deathgates, moving gateways which open and close rapidly, trapping Shadowspawn.

It is revealed by Rand that gholam were created to be able to travel through gateways. However, this ability was ultimately turned against the last known gholam when it was forced through a gateway to a void and sealed inside.

True Power

Traveling with the True Power is described as ripping a hole in the Pattern and stepping outside it entirely and seems to be inherently destructive, possibly damaging the Pattern permanently. To Moridin's ears 'the world screamed' as he did it. It does not use gateways; the air seems to warp and distort around users and then they simply vanish. Users of this technique can take others with them by touching them as Hessalam did with her pets at Thakan'dar.