The Longevity of Channelers..

[Jon Paul]

I am curious as to the nature of the longevity of channelers.

 

I will take for example, Morgase Trakand.  She can channel.. though her ability is basically non-existant, she has managed to embrace the One Power however fleetingly.  Since she has not been bound by the Oath Rod she will not suffer a premature death.  I believe that in the Age of Legends, Aes Sedai lived for centuries, up to around 700-900 years I assume.  So, is Morgase's contact with the One Power enough to grant her the longevity of Aes Sedai before their finding of the Oath Rod?

 

Or must there be a more sustained use of the One Power for that longevity to come into play?  For instance, like the wilders from the Kin.

 

And also, does being severed from the Source, disregarding the psychological effects it has, have the same effects on life span as the Oath Rod?  For example, if a man was severed at the age of 22, but with the help of Aes Sedai, and maybe a hot Green sister, would he be able to live the life span of a non-bound channeler?

 

PS. If this has been done before, I apologise.  But everytime I try to use the search function, I get errors.

[Manel Rochaid]

In the AOL, Lews Therin was believed to be as strong in the Power as it is possible to be. I think I remember reading somewhere he had a potential lifespan of over 900 years, but not as many as 1000. It may have to be assumed though that this would require regular contact with the True Source. Stilled Aes Sedia, such as Setalle Anan would probably not have married had she known she would outlive her spouse by possibly over a hundred years. I'd have to say that as the Power is believed to slow the ageing process, and not halt it, stilled or gentled channelers, if they survived being cut off from the Power, would live a normal lifespan. 

[Nightstrike]

They age according to 1/X, and X depends on their strengths in the OP.

 

Morgase has slowed. Despite being really, really weak.

 

 

RJ's blog 4 October 2005 "ONE MORE TIME"

Morgase has slowed, and that is exactly why there is so much emphasis on her looking only ten years older than Perrin when she has children the ages of Elayne and Gawyn.

Knife of Dreams book tour 14 October 2005- Bryan Allen reporting

Q: Does the rate of slowing depend on your strength in the Power?

RJ: Yes: Basically; you age at 1/X your normal rate, with X being dependent up to a point on Power strength. The Power acts as a natural rejuvenator on you; even at the point of death you won't look or feel worse than a normal 65-year-old.

 

[Nightstrike]

From Thirteenth Depository's article "The Ages of the Characters":

Morgase Trakand - b. 957, 43

She was almost 16 when she contested the Succession in 972. Morgase looks young for her age because she has slowed (Robert Jordan on his blog), due to her successful attempt/s to channel the One Power.

...

 

Perrin Aybara - b. 978 NE, 21

Is the same age as Rand (The Eye of the World, A Place of Safety).

 

 

 

[Luckers]

In the AOL, Lews Therin was believed to be as strong in the Power as it is possible to be. I think I remember reading somewhere he had a potential lifespan of over 900 years, but not as many as 1000.

 

Nah. The Guide said that some channelers made it into their 700's (which implies that most only made it into their 600's).

 

It's unlikely, also, that a modern channeler would reach their 700's due to a decline in the food and quality of life (the average person lived as long as 160 years in the Age of Legends due to this).

[Nightstrike]

Winter’s Heart, A Plan Succeeds:

Reanne was called Eldest because she was the oldest Kinswoman in Ebou Dar. The oldest anywhere is a woman called Aloisia Nemosni, an oil merchant in Tear. Egwene, she's nearly six...hundred...years...old!

 

The BWB:

The average life expectancy was between one hundred and fifty and two hundred years [concerning non-channelers].

…

…, and some channelers may have lived seven hundred years or more.

 

I think it is possible that someone may have lived as long as 900 years during the AoL. Especially considering Aloisia.

[Luckers]

The statment is clear. The 700's were the limit. Some might have lived to 720, or 750--but it was withing the 700 range. Otherwise it would say 'some channelers may have lived eight hundred or more'.

 

And Aloisia is in her 600's, and concidered extreme. 'Especially considering' her we can say the average life of a channeler in the modern times is the late 500's, early 600's. In the Age of Legends, due to the quality of the food and better living standards and health care it was late 600's, early 700's--much as non-channelers lives were extended by 50-100 years by the quality of life, so too were channelers.

 

 

[Nightstrike]

..., and some channelers may have lived seven hundred years or more.

I think there's room for someone to have been 800 years or 900 years old. Most never reached seven hundred years, that's for sure. Some could have been considerably older than seven hundred.

 

In the real world, most people won't reach 90 years. Some could eventually reach 125 or more. (Not counting those yoghurt eaters). Oldest woman so far became 122 years.

 

[Luckers]

Yes. Or more. 720. 750. More than 700.

 

Not over 800.

[Nightstrike]

Not complete records after the Breaking. So I think there's room for yoghurt eaters.

 

(Hence the "may".)

[Agitel]

Luckers, you're being way too strict with this 700 thing. Most people live into their 70s. A bunch still live to be 80. Some live to be 90. Even fewer live to be over 100. It's rare, but some live over 110. And that's without slowing ;)

 

I'll give you that not many would ever get beyond the 700s, it just seems strange to put an absolute. Then again, there's really not much speculation can do here anyway.

 

On a slightly different note, those who can channel "today" likely have nearly similar lifespans to those in the Age of Legends (assuming they don't meet accidents), unlike their non-channeling counterparts. Channelers don't suffer from bodily diseases and the like. Unless there was some kind of stem-cell re-youthifying technology that literally made the body younger and not just healthier or something... But that hasn't been hinted at.

[Taura-Tierno]

I'd guess that the reason channelers don't seem to live as long in the books (the oldest mentioned being 600) is simply because those who did reach their 700's and possibly above would have to have been the strongest in the One Power, probably top-level forsaken strength or something like that. Since there aren't many people that strong, it's no wonder there aren't any 700-year-old people (that we know of, at least) ...

 

Since Aloisia is so old, I'd reckon she's also very strong in the Power. It would be interesting to see how strong she is compared both with Egwene and Nynaeve.

 

Also, I always assumed that non-channelers lived as long as they did during the AoL, not so much because of quality of life (though that probably played some part) but mostly because there were always Aes Sedai who Healed those who were ill.

 

If the average Kin lives for 450-600 years, that would mean that the life-span is basically cut in half by swearing the oaths. Cadsuane is almost 300 and the oldest, and most Aes Sedai live to somewhere between 200 and 250. And if Cadsuane could reach almost 600, without being anywhere near the strongest, well ...

[Jemlin]

I'd guess that the reason channelers don't seem to live as long in the books (the oldest mentioned being 600) is simply because those who did reach their 700's and possibly above would have to have been the strongest in the One Power, probably top-level forsaken strength or something like that. Since there aren't many people that strong, it's no wonder there aren't any 700-year-old people (that we know of, at least) ...

 

Since Aloisia is so old, I'd reckon she's also very strong in the Power. It would be interesting to see how strong she is compared both with Egwene and Nynaeve.

 

Also, I always assumed that non-channelers lived as long as they did during the AoL, not so much because of quality of life (though that probably played some part) but mostly because there were always Aes Sedai who Healed those who were ill.

 

If the average Kin lives for 450-600 years, that would mean that the life-span is basically cut in half by swearing the oaths. Cadsuane is almost 300 and the oldest, and most Aes Sedai live to somewhere between 200 and 250. And if Cadsuane could reach almost 600, without being anywhere near the strongest, well ...

 

Cadsuane is only barely the oldest, there are a few other Aes Sedai nearly her age, Ramanda for one. The two sister Aes Sedai who were with Elayne, were also close to that age. Caddy was speculated to be dead already because she went off into retirement and wasn't seen.  But yes, it seems that, with the Oath Rod, the life is cut in half, just about.  So, personally, I would think that the average normal should be between 450 and 600 years like you say. The Kin who is nearly 600 years old is probably close to Caddy's strenght, or stronger than your average Aes Sedai.

 

What I wonder is, with her weak strength, how long will Morgause live (if she isn't murdered lol). Even if her strength is the weakest, I would suspect she would live to 150-200 years easily.

 

[Nightstrike]

Knife of Dreams book tour 14 October 2005- Bryan Allen reporting

Q: Does the rate of slowing depend on your strength in the Power?

RJ: Yes: Basically; you age at 1/X your normal rate, with X being dependent up to a point on Power strength. The Power acts as a natural rejuvenator on you; even at the point of death you won't look or feel worse than a normal 65-year-old.

The rejuvenator/65-year old death part makes it a little difficult to judge how long they will live.

[scion9]

Given the overall theme of the series, and RJ's 'reverse engineering' mythemes, I always thought that AoL Aes Sedai lived about as long as people listed in the antediluvian geneologies of Genesis.  That ranges from ~600 to ~900 years old.

[Jemlin]

Given the overall theme of the series, and RJ's 'reverse engineering' mythemes, I always thought that AoL Aes Sedai lived about as long as people listed in the antediluvian geneologies of Genesis.  That ranges from ~600 to ~900 years old.

 

Aye the Greeks and other mytholodies had similar beliefs of "gold age" folks living 10 to 100x the length of "normal" lives, so it fits with AoL expectation of the age of Aes Sedai.  Although, its obvious that non-Oath Bound channelers are living a long time.

[Shadow Rider]

 

 

I've noticed that Aes Sedai in the series don't die of old age....they get killed ....

[Taura-Tierno]

What I wonder is, with her weak strength, how long will Morgause live (if she isn't murdered lol). Even if her strength is the weakest, I would suspect she would live to 150-200 years easily.

 

 

I wouldn't say that she could become 200 years easily, since she's about as weak as you can be. I mean, the weakest Aes Sedai probably die before the reach 200, since the average is 200-250. If we assume that non-bound channelers live about twice as long and the average is 400-500, the weakest Aes Sedai would die before 400. Possibly at 300, or maybe earlier? And since Morgase is considerably weaker than those, my guess would be that she would reach 150, at most, if she channels frequently.

[Mardragon]

What of male channellers? Do they slow as well? I understand that it's harder to tell with them as those with the spark tend to touch the source at a later age than females. And of course male channellers in the time period of the series have died young due to either the taint sickness or gentling. Logain and Taim have channelled for a while though, but they seem to look their ages, but that could be due to the taint.

 

Now that Saidin is clean, I wonder if there'll be longer lived men too. (Those that survive the wars, Taimon Gaidon, etc obviously.)  Of course living longer doesn't mean they'll visually slow, look younger in the way females do. From descriptions of the Age of Legends in this thread I'd assume the longevity is true for them too though, but I don't remember much mention of that in the books. (I haven't read the encyclopaedia though.)

[Mr Ares]

Do they slow as well?

Yes. Fortunate, as you wouldn't want to reach 700 in the body of a 700 year old.

[Jonas Dagaard]

...as mentioned they age at a slowed rate modified by their relative power, this would include those fella's out there that can channel.  Given that I do not subscribe to the max age, as present by Luckers, I would definitely say it is "possible" for someone who channels to reach the venerable age of 800+.  Although this would be a very exceptional case and extreme "power" and constant usage on the part of the individual in question. 

Since Aloisia is so old, I'd reckon she's also very strong in the Power. It would be interesting to see how strong she is compared both with Egwene and Nynaeve.

I would definitely be interested in that to be sure.  At this time I would assume she would be considered of the "upper" level in over all power, but there is nothing that I am aware of to cement this as fact.  There is also the possibility that she is beyond either of them in power level, although doubtful.  So indeed, would be a kind of cool to actually get the chance to encounter her with either Egwene or Nynaeve to get an over all "feel" for her relative power level. 

 

What I am kind of curious about at this point is how they pass away, assuming they die of "old" age versus being at the end of a trolloc spear.  Given the rejueve factor, how does that affect their passing?  Wonder if they play the tired game, and just basically go to sleep never to awaken or is it a bit more drawn out…how much are they actually affected by old age and what happens to their overall mental facilities.  I am currently of the mindset that they basically just "turn off"  basically they go to sleep one evening, probably knowing the end is here, and never awaken.  The body and spirit basically to tired to carry on. 

 

Dunno…just some idle thoughts while at work, make of em as you will.~

[Mardragon]

What I am kind of curious about at this point is how they pass away, assuming they die of "old" age versus being at the end of a trolloc spear.  Given the rejueve factor, how does that affect their passing?

 

I remember a post by Robert Jordan that suggests they pretty much remain hale right up to their death, the equivalent of 65. So I assume you're right, they just drop or die in their sleep. Not a bad way to go. :)