The Life and Times of an Aes Sedai; A Study in Stupidity

[JenniferL]

Dragonmount has 2600+ followers on Twitter. The average is something like 120. I'd be impressed with myself, but Brandon has over 6000. People like him better, I guess. =)

[balefireruinssteaks]

This is a really good summary/analysis.  I have often wondered why Aes Sedai spent more time with their own personal agendas than with what they COULD be doing utilizing the One Power.  One of the reasons the Age of Legends is so unbelievable is because the Aes Sedai of that era, while I'm sure they squabbled about their own plans and purposes, had a unified understanding of "Servants of All".  I don't recall reading about hospitals or anything, but Healers/Restorers were whisked to and fro through gateways to Heal people, and Graendal "worked with issues of the mind the One Power could not Heal" which makes me think there might have been centers where such people were housed and cared for.  (Unless she just made house calls)

 

You can see it most clearly I think when they are trying to choose a new Amyrlin after the Seanchan attack.  Each Ajah is arguing over which Ajah is the best candidate until finally they have to break through that and realize that Egwene represents the best choice because she gets it.  She understands the actual issues and what needs to be done in the White Tower. 

 

I like where the White Tower is headed now.  It makes me want to jump into the story's future and see how solid it becomes.

[jemron]

I agree with almost all of this accept for you not giving as much credit to the BA for the WT/AS problems.  The BA may not be responsible for all of these problems because, as you say, they are just as "stuck in the rut" as the other AS.  "Tradition!" and what-not; however, I do think that Ishy (Ba'alzamon) has a lot to do with how the Tower is so close to broken before Egwene came in and destroyed so many of his plans.  While the AS were in many ways screwing themselves over the last 3000 years, I think that Ba'alzamon had a hand in this as well.

 

Egwene and the forces of the Light are either (1) Falling right into Ba'alzamon's and the DO's plans or (2) Ruining 3000 years of well planned out destruction by Ishy/DO.

 

Still, your assessments of the AS and their problems are spot-on.  I just don't think it was all their doing.  I think that Ishy and the BA did help to make these problems come about by slowly but surely putting wedges between Ajahs, influencing tower laws and traditions, and generally reeking havoc (as was clear in New Spring) over the last 3 millenia.

[Netizen]

Brilliant post Luckers, you enormous WOT-geek you!  :P

 

And I agree with FarShainMael & Jemron. It's just an impression I've always had - that agents of the shadow have been guiding the WT over the course of its history. Although it's degradation has been slow, at each step along the way a nudge may have been given to take it in a certain direction. One example -recruiting only young girls, and only the ones who travel to the WT (despite the ill effects of channeling without training). I don't believe that it was like that in the AOL, so at some point that policy changed. So who changed it?

 

The BA are just as affected by the idiocy as anyone else but that doesn't tell me that their ajah isn't at least in some part responsible for it.

 

We know that Ishy has been at least partially free from the bore periodically over the last 3000 years. Did he form the BA and guide it's development? Did he/they implement new policies in the WT which has gradually farked it up for the Light? If only Moridin's POV would answer these questions!

 

Incidentally, we have a little parallel with the way Mesaana & Alviarin so swiftly managed to get all the Ajahs spitting at each other. It didn't just happen on its own.

[draconian]

Victims.

i will have to disagree and yet agree

the nature of current aes sedai cant be thought of without realizing that the black ajah has been arround for 2000+ years since the time of the trollic wars which lasted over 350 years. many laws and traditions or the very nature of aes sedai could be do the actions of early generations of the black ajah.

so the causes of the tower failing were set in motion by the early black ajah but the current black ajah r paying a price for there changes and action of those who r long dead.

[Casabamelon]

Very fun read. It was nice to remind myself why the Aes Sedai piss me off.

 

Must be said: Best. Quote. EVAR!

 

Effectively, they're kind of wankers, but they're on their way out of that, and they have all the tools they need to achieve it.

[AndyWalker]

This is probably the best explanation for how AS work that I've ever read.  And I've done a LOT of thinking about this.  In fact, I believe I may have figured out what initially triggered all of this in the first place.  And it starts right before The "First" Battle.  (Not sure what they called it.  ha ha)

 

In the newest book, (*bow* Brandon) Rand and Lewis Therin were starting to communicate with each other more then they ever have, at least, saying more important things.  And LT let slip that the first time around, the Female AS had a plan and were working on gathering the nations together to fight the battle, but LT had a different agenda.  He thought that the plan the women came up with wouldn't work, so went above everyone in the hall of servants, thinking they were running out of time and had to act quickly, and attacked with everything they could.  And when they attacked, I can only imagine that although not as big as The Last Battle will be, was still pretty awe inspiring.  What my guess is that the 100 companions were taking care of all of the shadow spawn, Lewis Therin made it his personal mission to single out the Forsaken.  So, with Callandor in hand, he drove them all back to a singular point when 11 men started making the weave to seal it, and put the knots in the cuendillar, Lewis Therin finished the weave with the 12 knot, right when the hand of the dark one was able to slip through the weave into the heart of Lewis Therin, and touch not only him, but the male half of the source with his taint.  It latched on, the weave closed, and the cuendillar having the tiniest amount of the dark ones touch that eventually it allowed the seals to be broken again. 

 

Now, here's where it get's interesting.  From what I've reasoned, everyone was thrilled that the dark one was sealed up, but nations must have revolted against the Aes Sedai for going against there plans, and ending up with a taint on the one power.  When Rand went through the door in the waste, he saw a gimps of the green man right before the decision was made to create the eye of the world.  And in that little couple of pages, you can tell that it's chaos in the world at that point, and people are desperate to save, something.  I believe that when Lewis Therin did what he did, the nations revolted and lost all trust in Aes Sedai.  They would never again do anything they say, because as servants, they are supposed to go where the public needs them, not where they need them.  (If that makes sense)  I'm guessing to save humanity, Lewis Therin broke a cardinal rule, and in so doing, the Aes Sedai agreed to being bound by the "Rod of Binding" (Some chapter in book 7 where Samael is talking to Grendal, he mentions that the Aes Sedai use the Rod of Binding, and bind themselves as criminals) with 3 oaths that the nations thought they could trust, and with that act, they were able to save what was saved, no matter the price or what was lost.  Life would go on, the Dragon would be Reborn.

 

The Key is in the "Rod of Binding", or the Oath Rod, how ever you want to call it.  To be bound as a Criminal can only mean that in the age of legends, where the One Power reigned supreme, and channelers lived for 700+ years, the worst thing you could do to that person in a paradise society, would be to make them swear an oath that forced them to never again be able to do what they did, Mark them so that all would know them, and cut there lifespan in half.  Since all Aes Sedai were responsible for the breaking of the world, then all Aes Sedai were henceforth to be labeled as a criminal so that all can know who was to blame. Because, after all, weather they liked it or not, they needed Aes Sedai, but only under certain conditions.  And with all of the adult and veteran adult Aes Sedai fighting to save the world, the only channelers that survived ended up being the students, and for the sake of the world, had to don the shawl and swear in front of the world, or be killed for destroying the world.

 

That's just my two cents, I welcome criticism on my reasoning.  : )  (I have read the entire series about 25 times, and almost constantly think about The Age of Legends.  Oh yah, I'm a nerd!  *Salute*)  lol

 

 

~Andy

www.facebook.com/tacobellandy  (I think that will work, facebook can get kind of confusing at times.  lol)

[yoniy0]

Andy, have you read The Strike at Shayol Ghul? It covers some of the events you speculate about. Also, I haven't read the BWB myself, but from stuff I see people quote from time to time I gather that it sheds more light on these subjects (for example, when the Oaths were first taken. If I remember correctly, the first one - the one against making weapons - originated somewhere around 200 years after the Breaking, the others at least some centuries after that).

 

Luckers, a really terrific essay. I've almost given up on my Twitter RSS feed (it's not that I don't understand why people enjoy speaking about JordanCon, but as someone who didn't attend, it gets old after a few days, if you know what I mean), buy now I'm happy I didn't :)

I agree on all counts, except maybe that I don't necessarily see the organization surviving TG in its current form.

[Crael123]

AMEN. FINALLY. aes sedai suck. thank you luckers very well said

[singogreatest360]

I agree completely with the op.

 

I'd just like to point out that if the tower did it's jobs there wouldn't be much of a book.

 

It would go... Rand kills Aginor. Green Man kills Balthamel  

The plenty of AS with Rand and HELPED in the fight document the event and spread knowledge of the event. The rulers and people are told of the event and trust the AS because of the active roles the AS play for the best of all.

 

The rulers seek to form an alliance to protect against the Forsaken and to prepare for the last battle.

 

The books would be simply a bunch of attempts to kill or capture Rand until the Last Battle. Oh and the Seanchen would have never made it off their boats.

 

 

[Shard]

I ruin everything. =)

 

BTW, you really ought to take a look at Larry Homer's "Renovating the White Tower" series, which he first posted in 1998. He hits on many of your same points.

 

http://www.dragonlibrary.net/1998/story053.htm

 

Ooo I haven't heard that name in a LONG time, is he still around??

[AndyWalker]

I had another thought about half an hour after my last post.  I'm guessing that the female Aes Sedai had a plan to seal the dark ones prison that involved a specially made Ter'Angreal, but when Lewis Therin did his thing, that ter'angreal (I'm horrible at spelling these terms, and I can't find a book in arms reach.  lol) couldn't be used, but might be used when the Dragon was reborn.  So, they sent it to the safest place they could.  The Sea!  I think the Athan'mere (whatever.  ha ha) were charged to protect the most important artifacts from the AoL, which is why they are vital to the last battle.  I think they have something that will seal the bore forever.  (Or until the grinding of the wheel brings it all back again. . .  ha ha)

 

~Andy

[Nandera]

Wow, very well-written piece on the AS. I agree with what you wrote, and here's to hoping the Egwene can get the Tower on the right track.

[Luckers]

Andy the female plan was to use the Choedan Kal to cast a shield around the bore until a more permenant solution could be found. It was suggested by Latra Posae Decume, and the Hall of Servants actually voted for it--they feared Lews Therin's plan might actually tear the bore open wider.

 

The problem was at the same time the Choedan Kal were completed Sammael launched an offensive and conquered the area where the Access Keys were held, though he apparently had no idea what was in his new lands. Lews Therin reproposed his plan, but twice the Hall opted to try and recover the Access Keys, both of which failed. Finally the Hall of Servants chose to follow Lews Therins plan (at least we must presume they did given Latra Posae Decume was forced to go to the individual female Aes Sedai who had enough strength to take part in the plan and convince them to refuse, which likely would not have been necessary had the Hall simply refused).

 

This agreement amongst the female Aes Sedai was later called the Fateful Concord, and with Demandred, Be'lal and Sammael all launching new offensives and with total loss in sight it forced Lews Therin to act without female aid.

 

This ultimately saved saidar from being tainted as well, which likely would have destroyed the world, but I still think the female Aes Sedai suffered a greater sin of pride--had Latra succeeded in stopping Lews Therin the Light would have lost. Whatever the cost of Lews Therin's actions he gave the light 3,000 years to regroup and a chance at victory.

 

 

[Noname]

awesome and very informative ideas on why the Aes Sedai are the way they are. agreed!  ;D 

[Random Man]

Thanks Luckers, you provided a very comprehensive argument on the dangers of getting stuck in an Ivory...erm...White Tower mentality.

[CUBAREY]

You’re stuck with two choices. 1 – Try (though you are unlikely to succeed) to influence them through inclusionary policies. 2 – Exclude them and deal with them as if they were a pariah.

 

Intersting insights Luckers although you missed one of the points which I think JR was making. Much of the failings of the White Tower (or the White Cloaks, or any other Institutional group) is that the Institution itself is a major source of te probem. In the long term the need to preservfe the Institution overshadows the reasons whythe Institution was formed in the first place. Adherents become focused on the need to preserve the institution and as the instituton  declines the greater the change in focus. In small way it can be seen more clearly in other groups. For instance, the Watchers were formed to wat for the Return of Hawkwings descendents but by the time of te actual Return the group has changed so drasticly that it is the first group that the Seanchen attempts to wipe out (inerestingly, the Seanchen only ask for an oath of alligence from most other powerful groups, i.e. the Queen and later King of Altara.

[Shard]

You know Lucker's I always knew the Tower was stagnating and failing but I didn't realize just how bad it was until you pointed out that the Browns were not building Libraries, the Yellows were not building Hospitals or that the Greens were not defending the light forsaken BLIGHT border! I was so impressed with Rand building schools that I forgot to think "Gee, shouldn't the AS have done this already?".

 

Seriously though I am all for human pride being a major failing but 3,000 years and the Wonder girls are the first to innovate anything? Really? I'm sure that Ishamel and the BA had SOME influence at least in the begining getting the Tower to be a stagnating insitiution that it is now. Some flaws that were added to the mixing bowl so to speak that even allows the BA to be stagnant as well. I mean you'd think Ishameal would keep his BA appraised of all the AoL weaves wouldn't ya?

[FarShainMael]

IMO that's the reason the BA were formed in the first place. Since then they've been manipulating people, ampilfying discord and negativity, and generally letting the Lord of Chaos rule at the WT. And their master stroke was to persuade the AS to be too ashamed/proud to admit the BA's existence even among themselves!

 

Mesaana must have been laughing her head off..

 

 

[Luckers]

I really just don't agree. I mean sure I doubt the Black Ajah improved the situation, but I see the exact same character flaws in the Black as in the rest of the Ajahs. I really just don't think this can be laid at the feet of the Shadow. Maria said it best in answering the question of whether Ishamael was responsible for the Oaths. "Sometimes things happen without an agent of the Dark One’s involvement, and sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

 

 

[Malruhn]

Luckers, while I agree with your premise that the White Tower is stagnating to the point of near total collapse, I will argue much of your reasoning as to the cause.

 

As with ANY existing organization, the HUGE majority of the hierarchy is contentious and self-involved. They are involved in their own position and self-preservation and maintainance of the status quo.  The HUGE majority of "change" will be to consolidate power and withdraw into itself.

 

This is done actively, but they are victims of their own devices...

 

Have you heard of the old story of the six gorillas and the banana?  These six are stuck in a cage with a box in the middle, under a savory banana, which is suspended by a string.  When one gorilla climbs the box to get it, all six are blasted by ice-cold water from a fire-hose.  This happens every time they reach for it.  Eventually, they stop reaching.  THEN, one gorilla is replaced with a new one - and when he spies the banana, he goes for it - only to be jumped by the other five, who pummel him into submission.  He learns that the banana is off-limits.  One after the other, the remaining gorillas are replaced until ALL of the original gorillas are gone.  They never reach for the banana.

 

Why?  Because that's the way it's ALWAYS BEEN DONE.

 

The Aes Sedai are the same way.  All of their traditions and "rules" are based on stuff that were established hundreds and thousands of years ago, and none of them know WHY!!

 

When you get into blasting the various Ajahs, you see the same thing:

 

GREEN: It's dangerous fighting the trollocks.  We are getting smaller and losing members. Let's pull back for a time and see how the Borderlanders do by themselves.  This eventually turned into, "See, they do fine... they don't NEED us!"

 

YELLOW: If you set up a hospital/hospice, you are EXPECTED to do healing.  We are AS, if we heal, we want to be APPRECIATED.  Familiarity breeds contempt.

 

BLUES: This is akin to a standard soldier... they fight for causes - OUTSIDE causes. The concept of "saving" the Tower is an internal interest - and the Amyrllin should be doing this - the Blue mission is looking outside.  Theirs is the life of fulfilling prophecy, not just righting wrongs.

 

BROWNS: There is SO much info in the Tower, why bother looking outside?  Why go to Australia to count sea shells, when there are so many on the beaches outside my home??  They are RESEARCHERS, not CREATORS.  They do the engineering for a better mousetrap - it's up to someone else to build it... but the plans will be available if they ever want to... signed by Jane the Brown Sister, dated LOOOOooooong ago.

 

GREYS: Mediators are supposed to be invisible. They aren't DOERS, they are smoothers.  You need something DONE, send in a Red or Green.

 

REDS: Who tainted Saidin?  The DO.  Can a Sister do anything about the DO?  NOPE, not until the Dragon Reborn takes him on with Tower Help in the Last Battle.  THEREFORE, to even entertain thought of cleansing something that can't be cleansed is just a waste of time.

 

WHITES: In our own reality, who truly cares for those that profess that they seek balance and logic in all things?  To be truly unbiased and "Spock-like" in their emotional detachment is VERY difficult. Therefore you have a very small Ajah that nobody really cares about.  They CAN'T get passionate about their Ajah... it isn't LOGICAL!

____________________________

 

Think of it like this - Aes Sedai are conservatives, locked into their old way of thinking, never changing, never growing, slowly decaying.  The upstarts (Siuan, Moraine, Cadsuane, etc) are the dirty, nasty liberals who see a new way of breathing life into the old organization.  Yes, they are breaking the "laws" and customs of the Tower - it's what liberal thinkers DO! 

____________________________

 

Think of the tower like the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages.  They were so interested in making sure that they didn't disappear, that they all walled themselves in their own "towers".  They didn't preach, they didn't prosthetize, they didn't do much of ANYTHING... and they helped create the Dark Ages (yes, there were other factors, but this one is germaine to the conversation).

 

Why don't they recruit more? Size!  There simply aren't enough Sisters to go out and recruit as they should... which means that fewer Novices are found, which means that there are fewer Sisters... it's a self-eating ice-cream cone.

 

I do totally agree with your opinion about what the title of Aes Sedai means, and that the Sisters forgot that they should bring honor to the title instead of vice versa.

___________________________

 

Regarding the implementation of the Three Oaths:

You forgot WHY the people hated them.  The AS broke the faith and seemed to be off on their own thing, lying, killing people and providing the means for others to kill - and they couldn't be trusted.  How do you fix this?  By swearing the Three Oaths.

 

Can you imagine the initial response?  They could very proudly stand up and proclaim to the world that they have taken three oaths to Protect and Serve humanity... and then they can beg to not be hated.

 

Do they work?  Yes... after a fashion.  Do the people hate the AS now?  Nope.  They don't TRUST them - but they aren't HATED.  Ergo, the Three Oaths are a success (from at least one point of view).  And the feeling of pride in the Three Oaths is a carryover of this original attitude.

 

Regarding the subtle dangers:

You are totally correct - in your original supposition.  They DO believe their version of the truth.  It's like the old adage about The Plan, and how it evolved from a bunch of (poop) that stunk, to an aromatic item that promoted growth... and every step of the chain spoke the truth as THEY saw it.

 

It is VERY easy to see how, if an "old" woman of 30 starts the training, the blocks are too great and she may never be able to channel enough to blow her own nose, that it isn't worth it.  If it isn't worth it, it shouldn't be done.  If it shouldn't be done, it should be banned. If it's banned, it's forbidden.  THEREFORE, no girl past 18 can start training.

 

Your opinion of why AS lie and how they rationalize it is spot on, and I applaud you.

_______________________

 

Decline in Numbers:  I argue your point about men channeling.  Up to 1% of men CAN channel - but that doesn't mean that they WILL.  Most need to be TAUGHT to channel to get the power to manifest itself.

_________________________

 

The Tower is the victim of any bureaucratic organization.  "WE'RE NUMBER ONE" is their chant - unfortunately every Ajah (save the Gray) is chanting the same thing.  This is like turf wars in any governmental setup which is only visible when disaster strikes.  I've seen it dozens of times in the US, and the set up and aftermath of the attack of the World Trade Centers highlights this.  All the info was known prior to the attacks... but turf wars kept this info from being put together to prevent disaster.  All the organization (and offices within... and even INDIVIDUALS) wanted to keep info to themselves and do their own thing.

 

Is it sad for the White Tower?  Yes.  They could be so much more... and I agree that they will finally become what they could have been... but in a thousand years, I see the same stagnation happening again.

 

It's inevitable.  Resistance is futile.

[Shard]

Why don't they recruit more? Size!  There simply aren't enough Sisters to go out and recruit as they should... which means that fewer Novices are found, which means that there are fewer Sisters... it's a self-eating ice-cream cone.

 

Are you serious? When it only took two AS to go to Emond's Field and collect like 6-8 girls? They don't do ANY recruiting! The Seachan, Sharans, Aiel and Sea Folk have NO problem searching out those who can channel. The Tower just got lazy.

 

Do they work?  Yes... after a fashion.  Do the people hate the AS now?  Nope.  They don't TRUST them - but they aren't HATED.  Ergo, the Three Oaths are a success (from at least one point of view).  And the feeling of pride in the Three Oaths is a carryover of this original attitude.

 

Except for the Whitecloaks and Seachan, they hate the Aes Sedai. The rest FEAR the Aes Sedai, Rand practically crapped himself when he realizes Moraine is Aes Sedai. Fear often leads to Hate.

 

It is VERY easy to see how, if an "old" woman of 30 starts the training, the blocks are too great and she may never be able to channel enough to blow her own nose, that it isn't worth it.  If it isn't worth it, it shouldn't be done.  If it shouldn't be done, it should be banned. If it's banned, it's forbidden.  THEREFORE, no girl past 18 can start training.

 

Except that we have several cases of women breaking their blocks. Plenty of AS seemed lined up ready to break Nynaeve through hers.

Your opinion of why AS lie and how they rationalize it is spot on, and I applaud you.

 

 

_______________________

 

Decline in Numbers:  I argue your point about men channeling.  Up to 1% of men CAN channel - but that doesn't mean that they WILL.  Most need to be TAUGHT to channel to get the power to manifest itself.

_________________________

 

I think you misunderstood Luckers, he was refering to those men who are not Sparkers and continue to contribute to the Channeling gene pool by never being found for thousands of years. Sparkers are fewer then those that can be Taught so really the Channeling gene pool IS safe, it's just gone mostly unnoticed due to the Teachable ones never channeling and the Sparkers dying or creating blocks on themselves. Sheriem (the old Mistress of Novices and BA) was just stupid enough to buy her party line that the Channeling ability was being culled.

 

Ishmeal may not have introduced the Three Oaths into the Tower but that doesn't mean he hasn't bent the Tower to his will and influenced their current state. He was after all responsible for Artur Hawkings war on the Tower. He seemed pretty pissed enough to kill a head of the BA for killing an Amrlyn.

[FarShainMael]

The Tower is the victim of any bureaucratic organization.  "WE'RE NUMBER ONE" is their chant - unfortunately every Ajah (save the Gray) is chanting the same thing.  This is like turf wars in any governmental setup which is only visible when disaster strikes.  I've seen it dozens of times in the US' date=' and the set up and aftermath of the attack of the World Trade Centers highlights this.  All the info was known prior to the attacks... but turf wars kept this info from being put together to prevent disaster.  All the organization (and offices within... and even INDIVIDUALS) wanted to keep info to themselves and do their own thing.[/quote']

 

Sounds like the British Civil Service, to me..  ::)

 

[Impressive Bosom]

Actually I disagree strongly. The Black Ajah have shown themselves to be just as indoctrinated on this subject as any other Aes Sedai--so much so that what remained of Liandrin's crew were fighting amongst themselves over who had precedence under the Aes Sedai hierarchy even after they were captured.

 

Similarily we see Galina show the same disreguard for wilders and non-channelers, Katerine show rage at the temerity of the Seanchan in attacking the Tower, and the Aiel wilders for thinking they equalled Aes Sedai. Elza is disdainful of Nynaeve, a wilder. None of them show any greater innovative ability than any Aes Sedai. None have achieved any great victory, and what they have done beyond the status quo was ordered by the Chosen.

 

The Black Ajah are victims of the same education failures as any Aes Sedai. The Shadow is not responsible for all the failures of the Light.

 

Agreed. Very few Black Ajah were darkfriends before they became Aes Sedai, which suggests that while they may work towards the DO's goals, they do so as an Aes Sedai would, with Aes Sedai prejudices and blinders. I honestly believe the Chosen regarded AS as potentially useful tools, but not as much of a threat for the very reasons that Luckers illuminated.

[Elend]

I think that those arguing the Black Ajah are the cause of this are arguing from the viewpoint of around 2000 years before, when the Aes Sedai perhaps didn't have the same problems then as they do now. Current Black Ajah having this traits is because the Black Ajah of 2000 years before worked to create them in all Aes Sedai. I don't really believe this, but that's what I get from those arguing the Black Ajah as being the cause.