Portal Stone

From A Wheel of Time Wiki

Portal stones are gray cylinders covered in hundreds of archaic characters, each symbol corresponding to another stone in the 'network.' Those wielding the One Power can use them to travel to other realities or other possible timelines or simply other locations in this world, by channeling into the appropriate symbol.

Study of portal stones paved the way for the formation of the Ways; perhaps the Ways are even in another, otherwise empty world, found by a portal stone. No one is sure; Aes Sedai have long forgotten.

On the continent of Seanchan, portal stones were used to bring back creatures such as grolm and raken to aid in the fight against Shadowspawn; afterward, these animals were made a regular part of the Seanchan army. It is believed that these animals were brought from a parallel world, or worlds.

Portal stones were originally made in the First Age.

[edit] Usage in modern times

Lanfear, traveling as Selene, uses a portal stone^[verify] to transport Rand, Loial and Hurin to a parallel world while they are sleeping. In this new world Rand's party follows a trail where the Trollocs they are hunting in their world will be. Later, under the encouragement of Lanfear/Selene, Rand uses another of these strange columns to take them back to their world. When Rand is trying to get to Falme, he uses a portal stone again, but accidentally moves them forward in time about four months.

In The Shadow Rising Rand uses yet another of these portal stones to transport himself and his party of Aiel from Tear to a portal stone near Rhuidean.