Aes Sedai History

[Phelix]

Elin sat there in her rooms, the furniture upholstered in rich reds and golds. Today she was giving a private lesson to one of the Novices, Aliena. Whenever Elin found herself in the Tower, the Highest and the Mistress of Novices conspired to involve her in teaching Novices and Accepted. It wasn’t usually that unpleasant, though some had been worse experiences than others.

Today, she was to teach on the history of Aes Sedai. She had prepared her notes with four sections, planning to teach on each era of History.

When she heard the knock at her door, Elin called out “Come!”

The Novice who entered looked like any other girl. That was one of the benefits and downsides of the uniforms the Novices and Accepted wore. They all looked the same, so they were all treated the same. But, at the same time, they all looked the same, so it was frequently difficult to recognize one at a glance.

“Sit, Child.” Elin gestured to a comfortable chair near her own. “Today’s lesson will cover the entirety of Aes Sedai history. It is an overview lesson, so we shall not go into the fine details, but will rather discuss the broader points. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. After we are done, I could schedule a more in depth lesson with you to cover any specifc era you would like. Alternatively, I could recommend you to another sister, perhaps a Brown, who can give you a more detailed lesson.”

Rising out of her chair, Elin walked to a tea setting, and heated the kettle. She poured two cups of good Tairen tea. Saldaean blends were more popular here in the Tower, but Elin preferred the southern blend. It had notes of citrus hidden in the strong flavor of the tea. Handing one cup to Aliena, Elin sat again.

“Before we begin, do you have any questions of particular interest?”

Edited March 3, 2011 by Phelix

[Christine]

Aliena didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse that she was to be given private lessons, but she knew it had to be because she could never pay attention in her classes. All of the novices whispering and giggling, the ANCIENT Aes Sedai that droned on and on, and the beautiful outside calling to her... pay attention was the last of her concerns. She had just barely passed her class on Etiquette that she recently completed, and really needed a class that would get her back into good standings with the Mistress of Novices. She had not been called to the office yet, but she knew that a visit was imminent should she fail another class.

 

Sliding down the Red Ajah Hallway, Aliena kept her head on the floor and prepared to curtsy any moment that someone walked by. While she had ventured the Brown Ajah Hallway to return a book to a generous sister, and she had also been down the Yellow Hallway to receive a poultice on an errand, she had yet to venture down these hallways. A few of the other novices were envious that she got to take private lessons and visit the Red Ajah, but Ali just hoped to make it out of there alive without thoroughly embarrassing herself.

 

Finding the right doorway after asking a stern looking sister, she knocked gently and waited to be told to enter. "Come!" Opening the door smoothly, Aliena stepped inside and curtseyed as soon as the door was shut, before looking up to take in the room. It was amazing. Ali had been mesmerized the first time she had seen her room, thinking it was a palace. Upon seeing other rooms like various offices and the library, she thought that only the truly blessed could live in such finery. This was so beautiful, she was scared to step in the wrong place for fear of disrupting the beauty. “Sit, Child.”

 

Aliena did as she was told, and sat down in a beautiful chair made of rich red fabric with gold trim. It was comfortable as well! She felt as though she had died and gone to heaven. Placing the journal that she had brought along for the lesson into her lap, she laid her hands on top, and smiled softly at the Aes Sedai. “Today’s lesson will cover the entirety of Aes Sedai history. It is an overview lesson, so we shall not go into the fine details, but will rather discuss the broader points. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. After we are done, I could schedule a more in depth lesson with you to cover any specifc era you would like. Alternatively, I could recommend you to another sister, perhaps a Brown, who can give you a more detailed lesson.”

 

Aliena nodded, and watched as Elin Sedai rose from her chair, and then weaved thin threads of Fire to heat the kettle. Ali was rather used to seeing most Aes Sedai filled with the power, but when she saw the beautiful red threads, it made her so envious. She was scared she would never even be able to warm a kettle, at the rate that her strength in Fire was slowly progressing. The room was soon filled with a fragrance of tea, and Ali smiled accepting a cup. It was rare indeed to take tea with an Aes Sedai, and Ali knew immediately that Elin Sedai could quickly become one of her favorites.

 

“Before we begin, do you have any questions of particular interest?”

 

Taking a small sip of her tea, Ali shook her head. "No, Aes Sedai. I am here to listen and learn whatever you think is most important for me to know." Taking the tea cup and resting it on the edge of the desk beside her, Ali pulled out her ink jar and lifted the lid. Setting that on the edge of the desk as well, she opened up her journal and pulled out a pen, ready to begin taking notes as soon as Elin Sedai began.

[Phelix]

“Good. To begin,” Elin sat up, but kept her mostly conversational tone. The girl seemed very compliant, it wouldn't do to bore her or frighten her away. “We shall begin with the Age of Legends. All that comes before that Age is myth now, and while one can study those myths, they are not the realm of history because there is insufficient information to corroborate any details. Slightly less mythical is the fact that the first Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends was named Tamyrlin. He began researching the Power, and the changes he and those first channelers wrought are what brought about the Age of Legends. The histories mention a “Ring of Tamyrlin” worn by Lews Therin Telamon, which was either a sign of his position as the chief of Aes Sedai or potentially a ter’angreal or sa’angreal. The ring was lost during the Breaking, though, so we shall likely never know.”

Elin paused to let the girl scribble her notes, and she used the pause to take a sip of her tea. She had sweetend the tea with a lump of unprocessed brown sugar and a dollop of honey. The citrus notes came through quite well, with this level of sweetness.

“Tamyrlin and the Aes Sedai that followed built a society that valued service to the common good over material wealth. There were no longer hereditary titles or much commercial activity. The basic needs of all people were taken care of, while only luxury items were left for individuals to purchase on their own. In this society, Aes Sedai embodied the meaning of their name. They truly were servants of all.”

“Children in a community would be gathered, beginning at the age when the spark of the gift might show until the age when it must have shown, usually twelve through twenty five. Any child who showed the spark would be taken to be trained as an Aes Sedai, while any child who showed the ability to learn would be given the opportunity to do so, but not required to. Anyone with any level talent would be allowed to train to the fullest of their potential.”

She took another sip of her tea. She would not say it out loud, but she felt that the Tower should go back to that particular policy. Now, the Tower turned away girls who were too weak, or they limited them to a certain level of training and prestige. Some of those girls might have Talents, or they might develop skills that the Tower now denied itself.

“Those with the gift were taken to schools in the larger population centers and trained for many years. That training covered the basics of channeling, the things all Aes Sedai must know as well as the basics of all the specialized disciplines. On that note, the specialized disciplines included many things, but most notably the production of angreal, sa’angreal, and ter’angreal, Restoring or Healing, Weather manipulation, and husbandry of the earth. Any one who achieved the rank of Aes Sedai would be expected to know the basics of any task an Aes Sedai might be asked to undertake.”

“While all were expected to know the basics, some chose to specialize and learn more. Once one became Aes Sedai, one had the choice of returning to the general world to take a career in any field one chose or staying in the Hall of Servants and making service to the public your career. Those who chose to return to the general world were obligated to answer the call to service if their skills were needed, but they could spend the rest of their time as they saw fit. Those who chose public service would often be stationed in regional centers to ensure the safety of the public from natural disasters, to offer Healing as needed, and to assist the peace keepers. Others taught or performed research.”

Taking a breath, Elin waited as the Novice scratched further notes.

“Now, at this time, Aes Sedai and non channelers shared the world government equally. It wasn’t until the War of Power that channelers took the forefront.” The next bit would be unpleasant... no one liked to discuss the Shadow, but all Aes Sedai must know it.

“Near the end of the Age of Legends, more than one hundred years before the War of Power, Mierien Eronaile was part of a research team with at least one other Aes Sedai, a man named Beidomon. They were seeking a Power that men and women could use together, as opposed to the split between saidin and saidar. What they found was the Dark One. When they bored through the Pattern to contact this “power” they released him from his prison. That day, the Collam Daan, the preeminent research facility of its day, was destroyed entirely. Mierin and Beidomon both survived, while many others perished.”

“That day began the decline. As the Dark One touched the world, he spread evil throughout, and men and women who would not normally have acted on their darker impulses embraced them. The next century ended the uptopia that had been the Age of Legends. Over the decline, violence spread, and many prominent Aes Sedai renounced the Light and gave themselves over to the Dark One. By the end, almost fully half of the Aes Sedai in the world served the Dark One. That was when the War of Power began.”

“I shall not go into great detail about the War, but you should know that men and women in the end both made many valiant plans to defeat the Shadow, but both made foolish decisions as well.”

Elin stopped speaking, and thought for a moment. “One thing every woman in the White Tower should know is that the Age of Legends was built by men and women working together. That the War of Power was fought by both men and women. That Lews Therin Telamon had a plan, and he did seek help from the women still serving the Light. At the same time, the women had a plan too. They were lead by Latra Posae Decume. Their plan might have worked, or it might have caused as many problems as Lews Therin’s plan did, or it might have caused a whole host of other problems. They might even have destroyed the world entirely. While Lews Therin Telamon and his hundred companions did act alone, they and by extension men in general, are not solely responsible for the Breaking of the World. The only one who is truly responsible for that is the Dark One. Lews Therin, his brothers, and the women who worked with and opposed them, all did their best knowing what they knew at the time.”

“Do you have any questions, child?”

Edited March 3, 2011 by Phelix

[Christine]

“Good. To begin,” Ali dipped her pen in the inkpot and looked to the Aes Sedai, ready to begin. “We shall begin with the Age of Legends. All that comes before that Age is myth now, and while one can study those myths, they are not the realm of history because there is insufficient information to corroborate any details. Slightly less mythical is the fact that the first Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends was named Tamyrlin. He began researching the Power, and the changes he and those first channelers wrought are what brought about the Age of Legends. The histories mention a “Ring of Tamyrlin” worn by Lews Therin Telamon, which was either a sign of his position as the chief of Aes Sedai or potentially a ter’angreal or sa’angreal. The ring was lost during the Breaking, though, so we shall likely never know.”

 

Scrawling across the paper, Ali wrote:

Age of Legends

• All based on Myth before
  
• AoL brought about by Tamyrlin and first channelers
  
• Ring of Tamyrlin showed rank as chief AS; ter'angreal or sa'angreal
  
• Worn by Lews Therin Telamon at time of breaking
  

 

Looking up, she saw that the Aes Sedai was finishing a sip of her tea, and then Elin Sedai began again. “Tamyrlin and the Aes Sedai that followed built a society that valued service to the common good over material wealth. There were no longer hereditary titles or much commercial activity. The basic needs of all people were taken care of, while only luxury items were left for individuals to purchase on their own. In this society, Aes Sedai embodied the meaning of their name. They truly were servants of all.”

 

“Children in a community would be gathered, beginning at the age when the spark of the gift might show until the age when it must have shown, usually twelve through twenty five. Any child who showed the spark would be taken to be trained as an Aes Sedai, while any child who showed the ability to learn would be given the opportunity to do so, but not required to. Anyone with any level talent would be allowed to train to the fullest of their potential.”

 

• AS built society that took care of common good
  
• All children tested from 12-25
  
• Anyone with spark trained to be AS
  
• Ability to learn COULD learn if wanted to
  

 

It made Ali pause for a moment and think about all of the girls that ended up leaving. Perhaps there would have been far more Aes Sedai had so many not been turned away... She shuddered for a moment, hoping that that would never happen to her. It was a pity as well that they could train to all of their potential in the Age of Legends. She felt so held back in some of her studies...

 

“Those with the gift were taken to schools in the larger population centers and trained for many years. That training covered the basics of channeling, the things all Aes Sedai must know as well as the basics of all the specialized disciplines. On that note, the specialized disciplines included many things, but most notably the production of angreal, sa’angreal, and ter’angreal, Restoring or Healing, Weather manipulation, and husbandry of the earth. Any one who achieved the rank of Aes Sedai would be expected to know the basics of any task an Aes Sedai might be asked to undertake.”

 

“While all were expected to know the basics, some chose to specialize and learn more. Once one became Aes Sedai, one had the choice of returning to the general world to take a career in any field one chose or staying in the Hall of Servants and making service to the public your career. Those who chose to return to the general world were obligated to answer the call to service if their skills were needed, but they could spend the rest of their time as they saw fit. Those who chose public service would often be stationed in regional centers to ensure the safety of the public from natural disasters, to offer Healing as needed, and to assist the peace keepers. Others taught or performed research.”

 

• Taken to schools in large population centers
  
• trained in basics of channeling and basics of specialized disciplines
  
• Specialized: Production of A, SA, TA, Healing, Weather, Husbandry
  
• All AS knew the basics
  
• Some AS returned to world to work, others stayed in Hall of Servants
  
• Some taught, others peace keepers, research, public safety, Healing...
  

 

It sounded as though they were the basis for the various Ajahs. It was a pity that the Aes Sedai were not more like those in the Age of Legends, as she could not choose an Ajah now, and just wanted to be a part of everything. “Now, at this time, Aes Sedai and non channelers shared the world government equally. It wasn’t until the War of Power that channelers took the forefront.” The next bit would be unpleasant... no one liked to discuss the Shadow, but all Aes Sedai must know it.

 

“Near the end of the Age of Legends, more than one hundred years before the War of Power, Mierien Eronaile was part of a research team with at least one other Aes Sedai, a man named Beidomon. They were seeking a Power that men and women could use together, as opposed to the split between saidin and saidar. What they found was the Dark One. When they bored through the Pattern to contact this “power” they released him from his prison. That day, the Collam Daan, the preeminent research facility of its day, was destroyed entirely. Mierin and Beidomon both survived, while many others perished.”

 

• AS and Nonchannelers shared governing
  
• War of Power, Channelers took control
  
• 100 years before WoP, Mierien Eronaile and Beidomon seeking combined power
  
• Trying to combine saidin and saidar, found the Dark One
  
• They released him from prison
  

 

“That day began the decline. As the Dark One touched the world, he spread evil throughout, and men and women who would not normally have acted on their darker impulses embraced them. The next century ended the uptopia that had been the Age of Legends. Over the decline, violence spread, and many prominent Aes Sedai renounced the Light and gave themselves over to the Dark One. By the end, almost fully half of the Aes Sedai in the world served the Dark One. That was when the War of Power began. I shall not go into great detail about the War, but you should know that men and women in the end both made many valiant plans to defeat the Shadow, but both made foolish decisions as well.”

 

• Dark One touched world, spread darkness
  
• Next century ended utopia of AoL
  
• Violence spread and good AS gave selves to Dark One
  
• By time WoP began, almost half of AS served Dark One
  

 

What a horrifying thought. How could anyone join the Dark One? There was so much good in the Light of the Creator! Nothing could ever be worth giving up the Light and joining the Dark One. The idea of it made Aliena shudder, and she tried to shake the thought from her head. Nothing would ever make her leave the Light, of that she was sure.

 

“One thing every woman in the White Tower should know is that the Age of Legends was built by men and women working together. That the War of Power was fought by both men and women. That Lews Therin Telamon had a plan, and he did seek help from the women still serving the Light. At the same time, the women had a plan too. They were lead by Latra Posae Decume. Their plan might have worked, or it might have caused as many problems as Lews Therin’s plan did, or it might have caused a whole host of other problems. They might even have destroyed the world entirely. While Lews Therin Telamon and his hundred companions did act alone, they and by extension men in general, are not solely responsible for the Breaking of the World. The only one who is truly responsible for that is the Dark One. Lews Therin, his brothers, and the women who worked with and opposed them, all did their best knowing what they knew at the time.”

 

• AoL built by men and women
  
• WoP fought by men and women
  
• LTT did want help from women of Light
  
• Women led by Latra Posae Decume
  
• Only one responsible for Breaking is Dark One
  

 

Aliena had never quite heard it like that before. So many blamed the Breaking on Lews Therin Telamon, but now she could see that, truly, it could have easily been Latra Posae Decume's fault... or any other woman for that matter. All they could do was thank the light that the world had not fully been destroyed. The fact that these ideas were coming from a Red Sister, who all seemed to oppose men so greatly, was what truly made Aliena see the Breaking in a whole new light.

 

“Do you have any questions, child?”

 

Shaking her head no, Aliena reached for her cup of tea and took a glorious sip. It tasted delicious in her mouth, and she ached to know where it had come from. Perhaps she would have to visit Elin Sedai more often. "No Aes Sedai. I find this all so interesting, please, continue." Aliena didn't mention that she preferred this to learning from a Brown. While she did love her History, Brown Sisters were overflowing with information that was rather unuseful unless she was doing some sort of a paper. This was much more pleasant and relaxed.

[Phelix]

Elin smiled at how enthusiastic the girl was. “Aliena, I know this is quite a bit of information to absorb in one sitting. If you find you have a question later, you may seek me out to answer it for you.”

 

After another sip of tea, Elin launched back into her lesson.

“After Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions sealed the Bore, the Dark One’s counter stroke tainted saidin. From that point on, all men who touch the source will go mad. Their bodies will waste away. They will be a danger to everyone around them. As the Hundred Companions went mad, they began the Breaking of the World. Soon after, other male Aes Sedai followed them into madness. Because men are generally stronger in Earth and Fire, much of their madness involved moving mountain ranges, creating canyons, and much destruction.”

Years ago, Elin had learned the secret of the Red Ajah from the recording ter’angreal... how the Red was founded on the principle of helping and protecting those men. That was for Ajah eyes only, though. This Novice did not need to know that.

“Over the next centuries, the male Aes Sedai went mad... some quickly, others over a long period of time. Many of the sisters tried to save them, tried to Heal their madness. Nothing they tried worked. The taint was too strong. Some of the men tried to hide within the Ogier Stedding, where the One Power cannot even be sensed. Some sisters to this day think that they prolonged the Breaking, making it worse than it could have been. Others feel that if all the world’s men had gone mad at once, the world would have been truly destroyed.”

Elin wove the flows of fire again, reheating the tea pot so she could pour herself another cup. She offered to the novice, as well. Elin remembered her years as a Novice and Accepted when Aes Sedai would ramble on and on not caring if their students were thirsty, tired, or bored. Now, as a sister, Elin could at least make sure her students didn’t thirst... and she hoped they weren’t bored. After serving the tea, Elin smiled at Aliena.

“Now, we will discuss the current Age. After the Breaking had calmed, there were fewer men going mad, and the last of the Forsaken who were left outside the Bore were caught and executed, people began to try to rebuild. Civilizations began to grow. Within a century, female Aes Sedai formed Ajahs like those formed in the Age of Legends. They were women united around a common purpose. Unlike the former ajahs, these became semi-permanent, rather than forming and dissolving at need. In the first century After the Breaking, seven Ajahs came together to form a central governance for all Aes Sedai.”

“There were women in other Ajahs, who felt no need to join up with these other women. They were brought in by force of arms, Aes Sedai fighting Aes Sedai. When these women were defeated, they were brought to Tar Valon, and given the choice to either join the women of the Tower or be stilled and executed. Eventually, all women in these lands were under the authority of the Tower. No one is allowed to claim the title of Aes Sedai unless they are granted it by the Tower.”

“It was not a peaceful time to be an Aes Sedai.” Elin paused. When she had learned this lesson, it had altered how she thought of the White Tower. Could a force for good, a force for the Light, be founded on coercion? Yes, it could. Their intent had been good, even if they had to use force to realize it.

“At the same time, many nations were founded by women claiming to be Aes Sedai. I am sure you can see why a sister would make a good ruler in an era of turbulence, when assassins roamed the land and every hand that could was seizing any land it could. These women were also brought under the authority of the Tower. Some agreed and were supported by the Tower, while others refused the Tower’s authority, and they were taken off their thrones and forced to submit to the Tower.”

“One woman who received the Tower’s support was the ta’veren, Mabriam en Shareed, who convinced the nine most powerful nations to join with hers in a compact of mutual protection and purpose. These were the Ten Nations. Aramelle, Aridhol, Manetheren, and the rest. I am sure you do not need me to list them out for you. If you don’t know all ten, please do go to the Library to get a list. Many of these nations had a strong Aes Sedai presence, some even being ruled by Aes Sedai.”

“After almost a thousand years of relative peace, Trollocs surged out of the Blight. They swarmed over the nations near the Blight Border and pushed far to the South. Every nation fought trollocs on their own soil. From the Blight to the Sea of Storms, the Spine of the World to the Aryth Ocean. The battles were fierce, mostly because the beasts were not simply swarming. They were lead both by the cunning Fades, but also by Dreadlords.”

This was another unpleasant topic, but Elin continued on... after another sip of her tea.

“Dreadlords were men and women who could channel, who sold their souls to the Dark One. The men were mostly protected from the taint, somehow, and the women apparently sought glory and greatness in serving the Dark One. These men and women were countered by Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. In these days, it was common for Green Sisters to ride with the armies of the nations so that they could be there directly to counter the Dreadlords. In fact, one Amyrlin, raised from the Green, made a point of riding with an army. In the end, she was defeated in a battle. She and her warders were found, dead of course, in a circle surrounded by dreadlords, fades, and other shadowspawn. Yes, they killed many shadowspawn, but the Tower lost its Amyrlin. I will let you think about the wisdom of her actions.”

“During the Trolloc Wars, the White Tower reached one of its lowest points. Tetsuan, of the Red Ajah, was raised to the Amyrlin Seat. She envied the Queen of Manetheren, who was an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. When Eldrene of Manetheren called for help to save their lands from a looming army of shadowspawn and Dreadlords, Tetsuan intervened to prevent reinforcements from going to the aid of Manetheren. The entire land was overrun by shadowspawn. While their armies held the Shadowspawn back, Eldrene sent their people to flee across the least hospitible lands in their nation. When the armies finally broke, Eldrene was alone in the capitol city. She felt her Warder-husband-king die, and Eldrene broke. She drew in more of the Power than she could handle, and she killed all of the dreadlords with the shadowspawn army. Unfortunately, the power she drew in killed her, and destroyed the city around her.”

“Tetsuan was found out later, and stripped of the Stole and Staff. That did not save the thousands of lives in Manetheren, but it was the best justice the Tower could offer. Tetsuan was replaced by a sister of the Blue.” Elin, like most Reds, felt that Tetsuan had done a great harm to their Ajah. The fact that she was replaced by a Blue galled as well. Her replacement had ruled well, which only made it worse.

“Shortly thereafter, the trolloc armies were broken all across the map. They were killed or harried back into the Blight. The Tower worked to salvage the nations, but the original ten were all broken beyond repair. As the Tower grew close to achieving a strong compact between the successor nations, the Amyrlin fell from her horse and died. Her work died with her. The nations did eventually stabilize, and that lead into the Free Years.”

 

“Before I go on, do you have any questions about the years After the Breaking?” Elin sipped her tea, waiting for the girl’s questions.

Edited March 3, 2011 by Phelix