B. Groups - Types of Characters

[Arie]

TYPES OF CHARACTERS

more than just an organization

 

This is a simple summary of the types of characters in play. Further information will be found within the WORLD LORE forum.

 

COMMONERS - NOBILITY - CHANNELER (NEW) - DARKFRIEND - CHILDREN - WOLFKIN

BLACK TOWER (LEGACY) - WHITE TOWER (LEGACY) 

 

 

COMMONERS

 

The feudal society of the Westlands is based on a rigid social structure dividing the population between a hereditary nobility set above commoners.

A strict political hierarchy is in place, consisting of kings and great lords who command the allegiance of lesser lords who serve as their vassals. This "government" is based on personal oaths of allegiance: while one can speak of "the realm" on a vague level, they do not possess an abstract concept of the "Nation-state" in modern terms. While your character is usually born into one social class, it is possible to sometimes change between them depending upon circumstances. In general, there is only a limited interaction between the various social classes but during major events, as well as wars the walls between the classes tend to break down and become far less.

The society and legal system of the Westlands recognizes a hereditary noble class set above a class of commoners. Members of the nobility are also known as "highborn", while commoners are known as "lowborn". Nobles officially possess more legal rights than the commoners do. Many crimes for which a lowborn peasant would be punished by having their hand cut off a noble will only be punished for by paying a fine. The noble-born also have the right to demand a trial by combat. Women, even noble-born women, do not have the same legal standing as men. Inheritance only falls on a woman if there are no males in her family ahead of her in line of succession. However, women can rule in their own right if they have no surviving brothers (and their brothers left no surviving heirs).

Commoners are your everyday People. The Innkeepers, the Merchants, the Farmers and everything in between. They come from every walk of life and are often content in their lives. They can be adventurers, secret-keepers, or assistant shop-keepers that round-out the Wheel of Time world.

 

NOBILITY & ROYALTY

 

Nobility is a traditional hereditary status. In the feudal system, the nobility are generally those who hold a fief, often land and/or office, under vassalage, i.e. in exchange for allegiance and various, mainly military, services to the Monarch and at lower levels to another nobleman.

 

Whether King or Queen, is at the top of the pyramid; and has ultimate power. Technically, they may stipulate anything they like. Their word is law. In the objective sense (disregarding personal loyalties) the King's word holds more weight than the Queen's, regardless of bloodlines.

 

The ruler sits on the throne, claims ownership of the land, has the final political authority and holds the ultimate power in all matters. Which means it is very difficult to prove a ruler to be guilty of a crime. If not outrightly impossible, the ruler both creates and enforces the law but he is also above it at all times. Although in practice the ruler is constrained by political realities, and while no individual command is likely to be countermanded, he could still lose his position to intrigue if he were to offend the wrong people. Of course, as rulers do not retire, this loss of position would involve his/her death.

 

The Queen (or Consort) is expected to reside over the Court - an open congregation of all nobles. In order to ensure support instead of difficulties from the managers of his lands, a ruler must have the personal support of the individuals of the nobility themselves. This is where the Court comes in. The Queen holds a weekly session of Court in order to meet the members of the nobility less formally; in a friendly atmosphere that encourages discussions, trades and agreements of loyalty that can be then used to assist the ruler. This aside from the production of heirs is one of the more important aspects of their role. Along with arranging matches for their own staff, listening to those who want political favors, receiving gifts and also handling the matters of the household staff, and organizing feasts, and celebrations. This is so the ruler is not forced to deal with trivialities.

 

The ruler in turn has vassals, the high lords of great houses. These high lords control the major regions of the Westlands, and in turn employ vassals of their own; even these lords might have vassal lords sworn to them. This system terminates with the lowest-level subordinate knights or minor land owners.

 

All nations of the Westlands follow this classic model of feudal nobility. By contrast, the AIEL live by the system of ji'e'toh, whereas the Seanchan adhere to a much harsher system of blood right and ownership. For more information on the AIEL, please see the relevant details.

 

CHANNELERS - WIP

 

Channelers are Men and Women who can touch the One Power (Saidin & Saidar respectively). They are a complicated group with a vast history that reaches beyond the Final Battle in our history. Learning how to channel is steeped in either years of tradition for women, or out of pure survival for men.

 

Within the White Tower, women will spend many years learning how to channel in addition to gaining a vast education that includes politics, history, and cultures in addition to the weaves known to most Aes Sedai. 

 

The Black Tower was built within the final years leading up to the Final Battle and lacks the same level of finesse in skill but makes up for it in raw power. Saidin a more violent aspect of the One Power, and having only a short time before the Final Battle to wrestle the demons of the Taint before and after its cleansing from the One Power. Asha'men have a very small "spellbook" and limited education in comparison to their female counterparts.

 

With the devastation of the two groups leading up to the Final Battle, an alliance was made at the strong encouragement of the Dragon Reborn and out of necessity.

 

It is noted in the books that channelers were becoming more and more rare by the end of the last age. However with the Dark One sealed away once more, children are being born with the ability (or spark) to channel. Young channelers are growing in great abundance and are on the search for the right Teacher.

 

Please see the White Tower & Black Tower for Channeling characters older than 42 years old.

 

DARKFRIENDS

 

Darkfriends, known as Atha'an Shadar (People of the Shadow) among the Seanchan and Shadowrunners among the Aiel, are humans who have been tempted with promises of immortality and power by the Dark One, or by other Darkfriends, into serving the Shadow.

 

They refer to themselves as Friends of the Dark rather than Darkfriends, which is what they were known as during the Collapse and the War of Power. Although the Black Ajah are Darkfriends (as are Dreadlords and even the Forsaken), the vast majority of Darkfriends cannot channel.

 

CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

 

The Children of the Light are an independent military organization dedicated to finding Darkfriends and rooting out evil and corruption wherever it may be found. Their zeal in this endeavor often borders on the insane and makes them dangerous opponents. Their headquarters is the Fortress of the Light in the city of Amador in Amadicia. Although Amadicia has a king, the Children hold so much political and military power there that they are undoubtedly its true rulers.

 

They typically refer to themselves as 'the Children'. They are commonly referred to by others as 'Whitecloaks' due to their snowy white cloaks worn over their armor which is the most distinguishable feature of their uniform and the aspect that makes them easy to identify and instantly recognizable. This is not a name favored by the Children themselves and is likely to offend them if used in their presence.
 

WOLFKIN

 

Older even than the Age of Legends comes the existence of Wolfbrothers and Wolfsisters. These rare human beings have the ability to telepathically bond and communicate with nearby wolves. Many times, but not always, a fellow Wolfkin will serve as a guide, able to help open and establish that bridge between human and wolf.

 

Once the connection has been forged, the human begins to experience physical changes. Their irises change to a golden ring, like a wolf, with keen eyesight even in the dark. Their senses of hearing and scent also grow, and often a Wolfkin can pick up on other humans’ and, sometimes, animals’ emotions by their scent.

 

Wolfkin also experiences the “wolf dream”, which is the ability to enter Tel’aran’rhiod. Within the dream, they can continue to communicate with wolves, including ones that have died and now reside within the dream world.

 

Telepathic communication with wolves is described as being visual and visceral rather than spoken like human language. Time, for example, is imagined as a giant fiery serpent eating its own tail high in the sky (the sun). It makes translation from wolf-thought to human speech difficult as it would take too many words to convey the full meaning of a wolf conversation. This is particularly seen in wolf naming conventions, where a human might be called Young Bull but really the wolves imagine the human carrying a great bearded axe as a bull with giant metal horns used to cut ruthlessly through packs of enemies. Wolves also seem to have ancestral memories, where they can remember the experiences of wolves from all-time before them, and they share these memories with their human compatriots.

 

Wolfkin must always guard against losing their humanity to the call of the wild. This requires firm concentration and a strong self-image of their human side. If this does not occur, the wolfkin will grow feral and abandon humans altogether, believing themselves to be only a wolf. Many wolfkin still prefer the solitude of the wilderness to cities and other human settlements, a combination of wanting the closeness of their packs (often hunted by humans if they get too close to town) and the overwhelming array of sights, sounds, and smells that come with civilization.

 

The connection between man and wolf is not part of nor driven by the One Power, nor is it driven by the Dark One. Wolves would not accept a Darkfriend into their pack and they openly hunt any creatures of the Shadow whose scent they pick up.

 

 

THE BLACK TOWER - LEGACY

 

Spoiler

-Placeholder-

 

THE WHITE TOWER - LEGACY

 

Spoiler

The Aes Sedai of the White Tower in Tar Valon is viewed as one of the most influential characters in the world, and the sole channelers of the One Power. They are women who have been trained, passed the tests for earning both the ring and the shawl and are bound by the Three Oaths. Aes Sedai are identified by three things; their serpent ring, the look of ‘agelessness’ that is gained from their access to the One Power, and by one of the seven Ajah that she belongs to.

 

The lore behind the White Tower is vast and expansive and with 14 books to pull information from and multiple wiki’s and resources that this guide is but a small window of a large tower. Let’s keep this bite-size and chewable.

 

The term Aes Sedai means "Servant of all" in the Old Tongue, which is what they were and still are, even though the majority of today's population would not agree. This is because Aes Sedai seeks to bring all political matters in the Westlands under control of the White Tower, as they believe that only the Tower can guide the world safely through the Last Battle.

 

Because of the effects of channeling the One Power, Aes Sedai can live up to three hundred years and not seem to age past their middle years. Generally standing in high regard, they are often mistrusted and/or feared. They have a great influence on many nations and provide advisors to kings and queens.

 

The Tower Guard are the soldiers who protect Tar Valon and the White Tower. The Tower Guards wear nearly black coats and cloaks, with the Flame of Tar Valon on both cloak and chest. They also wear steel breastplates and helmets with face-bars. Bannermen and officers wear seven-striped tabards over their breastplates. Under-lieutenants have short white plumes on their helmets. The Tower Guards will obey any Aes Sedai, but march on the command of the Amyrlin Seat.

 

The guards come from all around the world and are never turned away for their origin or gender. The majority of the Guardsmen of Tar Valon are predominantly male.

 

Tar Valon is the home of the Aes Sedai in the White Tower and the Warder's Yard. Please visit our World Lore section for more information.

 

Edited February 4 by Arie

[Arie]

 

MERRILOR UPDATE

from servants to channelers

 

The White and Black Tower no longer remains as it once was. Because of this the "WHITE TOWER" character group does not exist in the same way in our current timeline. Please see "We have a City!" thread for further development!