A ward is a weave of the One Power that creates a barrier or triggers an effect if crossed.[1]
Definitions[]
A ward is a standing and passive enchantment, often with its weaves "tied off," so that the channeler does not have to maintain it, and "inverted," so that no one but that channeler can see them. Wards can be made to serve a variety of purposes. According to Rand, trying to make a ward do too many things will generally make it malfunction instead.
Wards act as shields to block or repel an external force. Certain wards will act as a defense mechanism and cause a reaction if anything should happen to a said object, or if it's disturbed. Naturally, the more powerful an effect or opposing force, the more complex a warding must be.
Types of wards[]
There are many different types of wards created specifically for certain things. Some standard wards are the ones used to keep rats and vermin from approaching within a certain amount of space, such as those that surround Tar Valon. Another common ward is that which is used against Shadowspawn or even other human beings, whether to either keep the being out or to even destroy them completely. Other wards can even simply be used as alarms, creating a sound either to anyone in the area or to the channeler alone as a warning.
Wards can also be placed around dreams to protect oneself against anyone with the ability to enter the world of Tel'aran'rhiod.
Another common ward is ones used for protecting certain objects, such as for causing a box or letter to ignite if touched by the wrong person. Such wards can also harm a thief instead, such as those placed around Callandor by Rand al'Thor.
Other wards include wards of keeping, which delay or prevent food from spoiling, and illusion wards which can create a standing illusion such as a fake wall or an illusion which hides a person or group of people. An example of the last is what Moiraine Damodred uses to hide the campsite in the Great Blight.[2]