What will the future hold for the Red Ajah?

[michellem]

With saidin cleansed of the taint, and the need to hunt down male channelers no longer there, what do you think the new life goal for the Red Ajah will be? I know several Red sister have bonded Asha'man (other Ajah sister too, for that sake).

 

I am very glad the Red has a chance to "redeem" them self, both in the eyes of the rest of the world and in the Tower. But what will their new task be now? It seems like everything that has been set in the Red Ajah has been turned on its head.

 

I am sorry if this has been discussed before, I couldn't find a thread, but perhaps I was looking the wrong places.

 

 

 

ETA: This is NOT ment as a thread for bashing and badmouthing the Red Ajah. Go do that somewhere else.

[Mystica]

Hiya Misheru :)

 

In a way we can ask the same question about the Greens, as their focus is to 'stand ready' for the Last Battle. Once that battle is over, they too will need to reinvent themselves.

 

Part of the Red Ajah's expertise in the books is 'handling channeling men'. Before the cleansing, this meant preventing them from being a danger to themselves and others. That's the core business of the Red Ajah in the books. To prevent another Breaking and protect the world against the use of the One Power as a destructive weapon.

 

I imagine this will remain necessary in a world post-Taint still, as not all channelers are by definition of good intention. The Seanchan, for one, use the One Power for the majority as a military tool for political purpose and not primarily to fight the Shadow. Darkfriends may very well survive the Last Battle and some among them will be able to channel without necessarily have been Black Ajah. The threat of abuse of the One Power will remain so long as channeling remains.

 

So for me, it would seem a logical expansion on their existing focus to shift their identity to that end. Probably over time in coordination and cooperation with male channelers, most of which will possibly be bonded to a Red (or vice versa). They would remain what they have always been: guardians of the world against the destructive use of the One Power. They would simply expand on it and redirect it with the added bonus of being bonded to male channelers which would give the Reds easier access to linked circles that would increase their chances in such confrontations.

 

 

Edit: I've written a piece on the perception of the Red Ajah in the books some time ago. It may not be relevant to this thread, but it explains a great deal of the Ajah's current overall attitude towards men (obviously, this is interpreted by the Red Ajah members here on DM, but it may still be something to muse about). I'll put it in a spoiler box, so people can feel free to ignore it if they desire. Because I don't know how much of the 'they're all man haters! They will shrivel and die! Good riddance!' chants will be posted here, I figured I might as well anticipate and add it in

 

 

 

Red Aes Sedai: The history, missconceptions, reality

 

The Red Ajah is full of man haters, power hungry dominatrixes, who fill their lives hunting men and looking for ways to dominate others. They are the worst type of feminists possible.

 

That is one way to summarise the many missconceptions that exist about the book Red Ajah, it’s occupants and their purpose. As a result, and quite logically, this line of thinking is often carried through to any people that would link themselves to the Red Ajah in an online community such as Dragonmount. Many wonder ‘why would anyone wish to link themselves to such a negative image?’. A brave and honest question once asked by an Accepted of the White Tower at Dragonmount.com , named Quisalas.

 

The Red Ajah from Dragonmount presents this answer.

An answer that hopes to shed a new light and understanding behind the question ‘why’ the Reds are who they are. Both in the books and on DM. We recommend you get comfortable, get something to drink and take your time reading.

 

Join me on a journey into the past. The time is right after the first breaking. The world has gone from safe uforia to hell on earth and no one was equipped to handle the outbreak of evil that suddenly errupted. People who had, till then, been looked at for safety, protection, aid and comfort now suddenly were the cause of all hurts. Most of them without even wanting to cause those hurts and suffering themselves gravely from the curse laid on them by the Dark One. Meet our poor male Aes Sedai, now suffering from an all controling madness forcing them to hurt not only others but themselves as well. Forcing them to do the exact opposit of what they have lived for all their lives. Imagine the horror you would go through if you were suddenly forced by an unstoppable command to hurt your family, your friends, your loved ones. From 'Servant to all' they have gone to 'Bane of all' overnight. (or practically overnight, considering the timespan usually needed to turn an entire civilisation into a new direction of principles, beliefs, convictions, etc). That was the fate our Aes Sedai brothers faced back then. That was the fate that destroyed Lews Therin. That is the fate the Reds set out to fight. For the good of those men, the good of the people and the survival of the world. As it turns out, it would be at an extreme cost to those Reds, who weren't 'Red' at the time let's not forget, but just Aes Sedai setting out to 'serve' those ill fated men and the world at large. Not in some distant future at the Last Battle, but in every day life. Right here, right now.

 

Fast forward to present day Randland. 3000 years have passed. 3 Millenia. To compare, that's 1000 years 'before' Christ in our world. 2000 years 'before' our 'Dark Ages'. (just to give ya' a sence of how long it's been since the breaking). For 3 millenia, the Reds have fought towards that goal. Steadily, but surely, they have become feared and hated, not only by the men they hunted to save them from themselves, but by everyone else as well, including the other Ajahs. Still, they persisted. Continued on their task of protecting those that would cast them on the fire pire in a blink of an eye. No human, Aes Sedai or otherwise, however is capable of withstanding the bite of rejection. We all need a sense of belonging and our nature is such that a self defence mechanism will kick in when needed. And so over the course of 3000 years the Reds withdrew into themselves, closed the doors to their hearts and learned to be hard to stand against a worldwide attack on their sensitivities. Their need for warmth, understanding, acceptance, friendship. They didn't get it anywhere, except within the ranks of their own Ajah. But they never once gave up their fight against the evil of the Dark One. The evil that caused such suffering, not in the least to those men that would gradually go insane for no other reason than to be able to touch the Source. A blessing turned into a curse. And for their trouble, the Reds are shunned, hated, despised, rejected, turned away. So where would they go to find some measure of warmth? Something everyone needs, regardless how 'tough' they are? They were left with little other choice than to turn to themselves. Keep in mind the lifespan of Aes Sedai. It would be exceedingly difficult to deal with that kind of isolation in a normal human's life time. How much more difficult then would it be if that life time was doubled, or trippled?

 

The Reds never set out as man haters, and indeed that isn't the core of who they are, even in the books. Facing millenia of rejection and missunderstandings in combination with a constant increase of importance of 'power' in the societies that formed after the breaking (not only in the Aes Sedai, mind. But in all people, proof of which are all the wars that errupted for land controle and dominance. One only has to look at how the Sanchean turned out to be to see that the corruption of power wasn't limited to the White Tower. Or the Children, for that matter. Or the schemes and plots of the Cairhienen, etc), it is not so difficult to understand how and why these Sisters turned out the way they've become present day Randland time. Is it an excuse for their current arrogance and indeed the way they seem to loath men? No. Is it a normal development of the path they have chosen? Unfortunately, yes. And lets not forget that in the books, we only focuss on a few Reds. And most of those showing the worst of the Ajah to boot. The book Reds never developed diplomatic skills, because they were too busy saving the world from the insanity of channeling men. Can you imagine the anguish a sister would have to go through each and every time they had to still a man and see him wither and die? To see their attempt to save them fail each time and knowing that they have no choice? Can you imagine the pain these sisters must have gone through every single time they were faced with that choice? The doubt they must have had in the course of their self imposed duty? How does one protect himself from that constant onslaught on their heart, their feelings, their very soul? What determination and strength is there needed to keep doing it, knowing it to be the ONLY sollution and knowing full well the pain it will bring and still set out to do the duty?

 

The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills and the Wheel didn't will it for there to be another Dragon for 3000 years. How much chance would the Greens have to stand at the Last Battle, if the Reds hadn't prevented the destruction of the world time and again in the meantime? How much chance would the Blues have had to find the Dragon if the Reds hadn't stood strong against all that hatred and isolation for 3000 years?

 

All Aes Sedai have forgotten their primary reason for existance, which is to serve. They've all become arrogant beyond belief and sure of their supremecy over others, demanding full and immediate obedience. This is not something limited to the Reds. The Reds, however, have also faced isolation in the one place Aes Sedai call 'home'. And so they were left with no other choice but to form a home 'inside' their home: their Ajah. Each sister is convinced that their Ajah represents the top importance of their existence. Or they wouldn't have joined that Ajah. The isolation the book Reds have faced for at least 2000 years (using 1000 years of the beginning as a transition period) from even the other Ajahs have made it all but impossible for them to interact, form friendships, connect and bond with the members of those other Ajahs. More often than not they are rejected on the color of their Shawl and the prejudice that occurs even within the WT. How is a person to defend against that without falling to despair? You close yourself up, build up your wall, and keep to those that accept you and understand you. And even in today's Randland time, there are interajah friendships between a Red and one of another Ajah, but we mainly get to read about those troublesome ones with little to no attention to all the others.

 

Do I like the book Reds? Hell no! Except maybe for Pevara, I'd like to see them all taken by the Wise Ones and be put in Apprentice robes for a decade or 5. But what links the book Reds to the DM Reds is their thrive, their determination, their absolute dedication to do what must be done, regardless the odds or the level of difficulty. Not for their own sake, but for the sake of all those that can't stand for themselves. The Reds do not stand ready, they àre ready. Every day, of every year, at any time, against anything.

 

To answer Quisalas' question, I do not know what the original Reds at Dragonmount.com had in mind but I do know this now. The DM Reds do not wish to link themselves to a negative image. We do not wish to link ourselves to any image. We don't claim the book Red's image as our own, as that would undermine our own identity as individuals. What we do relate to heavily is that determination, the passion, the strength and the resolve to stand against what must be opposed, no matter the odds. To do what must be done, regardless the cost to ourselves. To not let peer pressure force us into a box we don't want to be in. We stand for total equality, for a person's right to be whoever they want to be, for an individual's right to independence and their opinions. But unlike the book Reds, we DM Reds haven't face 3 millenia of hatred and despise and so we haven't had the need to build up our defences to cope with that. Which leaves an awfull lot of freedom to form friendships and relationships with others.

 

Yours under the Light,

Mystica Ari’Yena

Highest of the Red Ajah at Dragonmount.com

 

 

[kght22]

i've always imagined that after the last battle all of the ajahs will become more as they were in the age of legends. temporary groups and alliances working on shared goals, with individual members even working in more than one ajah at a time. aes sedai will always be aes sedai, i think the permanent ajah thing was a product of the dark one's influence.

 

EDIT: oh, and screw the red ajah, regardless of what they may have started as, what they became is obvious. even silviana, a red ajah member from the books that i like some, shows the signs of what they have become.

[Pinzarn]

The Red Ajah could adjust to policing the mis-use of the One Power. This could apply to both men and women. After the Last Battle, there will still be wilders born and people that just don't want to deal with the Tower. The mis-use of the OP could cause serious damage, and a section of the Tower would still need to exist to police it.

 

For the Green Ajah, I see the short term purpose of cleaning up the miscellaneous Shadowspawn that will still exist after the Last Battle. Granted, this could take hundreds of years to hunt them all down. Also, I don't think that the Blight will just disappear with the Light's victory. Perhaps they can help "clean it up". For a long term goal, they could shift to hunting down dark friends.

 

For the very long term, I agree that they will eventually shift back to the AoL system that the ajah's were temporarily formed for tasks.

[Revim]

I think given the current state it is in that the world after the last battle will be a very different place.

 

The Green Ajah will likely remain a battle Ajah, prepared and able to hold, acquire and protect the towers interest more so than the other Ajah. I'm in agreement with the Reds becoming a sort of One Power Police. At the moment they're sort of restructuring to take on the task of bonding the Asha'man, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to see them becoming quite discerning over that bonding so that they match with powerful male channelers who are dedicated to seeing that the Power isn't abused.

[michellem]

I did NOT intend this thread for a place to bash the thread Ajah (and I will edit my original post and put that in). If you want to bash the Reads, create your own thread.

 

Mystica, thank you for your long answer! I have had alot of the same thoughts on the red and I do not view the whole Ajah as bad even tho some of the sisters are rotten eggs (but there are sisters I loathe in other Ajahs too).

 

The OP-Police thing is a very good theory, and I can absolutly see them converting to that. Thanks for the answers guys and gals!

[master]

I think that the greens should have been the ajah to handle the men [ashaman] instead of the reds.At least in the near future. Seeing as the greens have had a lot more experience working with warders and men. But in a generation or two I can see the greens taking up duties as the towers warriors fighting the descendants of taim and the black ajahs in open battle. the reds would be police hunting them down.

[kght22]

I did NOT intend this thread for a place to bash the thread Ajah (and I will edit my original post and put that in). If you want to bash the Reads, create your own thread.

 

Mystica, thank you for your long answer! I have had alot of the same thoughts on the red and I do not view the whole Ajah as bad even tho some of the sisters are rotten eggs (but there are sisters I loathe in other Ajahs too).

 

The OP-Police thing is a very good theory, and I can absolutly see them converting to that. Thanks for the answers guys and gals!

i wasn't talking about the reds on the forum, i don't even pay that any attention.

 

EDIT: sorry i think i miss read your post

[Amberfly]

I also like the idea of the Reds acting as One Power police. But I think they might also take on the role of searcing out wilders or people who can learn to channel. The White Tower currently has no mechanism to find these people (as the Wise Ones, Windfinders, and even Seanchan do), and many with the inborn spark die or accientally harm the people around them before they learn control on their own. In the world after the Last Battle, the Reds could serve this purpose for the Tower. This would probably be the closest thing to the purpose the Reds serve now, as I see it--tracking down channelers before they hurt themselves or others. The only differences would be that channelers of both sexes would be involved and no one would be severed once found.

[Revim]

I also like the idea of the Reds acting as One Power police. But I think they might also take on the role of searcing out wilders or people who can learn to channel. The White Tower currently has no mechanism to find these people (as the Wise Ones, Windfinders, and even Seanchan do), and many with the inborn spark die or accientally harm the people around them before they learn control on their own. In the world after the Last Battle, the Reds could serve this purpose for the Tower. This would probably be the closest thing to the purpose the Reds serve now, as I see it--tracking down channelers before they hurt themselves or others. The only differences would be that channelers of both sexes would be involved and no one would be severed once found.

Now that they have the Kin though, why would you waste full sisters? The Kin are experienced at the kind of recruitment you speak of. At least for women.

[bobarose]

They will all be assigned to take picnic baskets to grandmas house while sheilded

and told to talk to people with very big teeth.

[kght22]

They will all be assigned to take picnic baskets to grandmas house while sheilded

and told to talk to people with very big teeth.

the better to EAT YOU WITH!

 

(couldn't help myself)

[Amberfly]

I also like the idea of the Reds acting as One Power police. But I think they might also take on the role of searcing out wilders or people who can learn to channel. The White Tower currently has no mechanism to find these people (as the Wise Ones, Windfinders, and even Seanchan do), and many with the inborn spark die or accientally harm the people around them before they learn control on their own. In the world after the Last Battle, the Reds could serve this purpose for the Tower. This would probably be the closest thing to the purpose the Reds serve now, as I see it--tracking down channelers before they hurt themselves or others. The only differences would be that channelers of both sexes would be involved and no one would be severed once found.

Now that they have the Kin though, why would you waste full sisters? The Kin are experienced at the kind of recruitment you speak of. At least for women.

The Kin are only really based in and around Ebou Dar/Altara, as far as I understand things, so the extent of their contacts would not likely extend much beyond that area. The Red Ajah, on the other hand, would likely have contacts and eyes-and-ears in most if not all of the countries of Randland. Therefore, I think they would be in a better position to locate wilders and others than the Kin would be at this time. And they would be accepted by the other Aes Sedai as competent for the job, as the Kin may or may not be for a while.

[Suttree]

The Kin are only really based in and around Ebou Dar/Altara, as far as I understand things, so the extent of their contacts would not likely extend much beyond that area.

 

Not sure if that is correct. They constantly rotate their locations so as to not have anyone notice their age...

 

tPoD Ch. 3

Even Kirstian claimed to be older than any living Aes Sedai, while Reanne was over a hundred years more than that and not even the oldest of the Kin. Her title of Eldest went to the oldest of them in Ebou Dar, and the rigid schedule they followed to avoid notice had a number of still older women off in other places. It was obviously impossible, Sareitha maintained.

[startrek41]

I kind of thought that

 

Red Ajah were before some how linked to the men - maybe the focusing the linking with men and creating groups for to make things.

Which woule makes sence when the men went mad it forced them to become whthe hunters.

[Bromo Sapien]

The Kin are only really based in and around Ebou Dar/Altara, as far as I understand things, so the extent of their contacts would not likely extend much beyond that area.

 

Not sure if that is correct. They constantly rotate their locations so as to not have anyone notice their age...

 

tPoD Ch. 3

Even Kirstian claimed to be older than any living Aes Sedai, while Reanne was over a hundred years more than that and not even the oldest of the Kin. Her title of Eldest went to the oldest of them in Ebou Dar, and the rigid schedule they followed to avoid notice had a number of still older women off in other places. It was obviously impossible, Sareitha maintained.

 

They rotate out to the Farm, I believe. We never hear of them contacting any others outside of Altara, as you would assume they would once they are granted redemption from the White Tower. There definitely would've been Kinswomen in Caemlyn since it's so large if there were any outside of Altara so I think it's fairly safe to say it's limited to the Ebou Dar region.

 

As for their recruiting, they only ever recruited from the White Tower runaways. They were successful because they never had to try at recruitment; the girls pretty much fell into their laps. Full sisters would be much better for finding all the girls who can channel (though the best way would be getting a better PR director so nobody feared the Tower).

 

As for the Red Ajah, I'm going to parrot everyone else in the One Power Police role, or maybe confine it to exclusively White Tower Police so their don't infringe on Asha'man if they stay separate. Alternatively, what with the beginning of Red-Asha bonds, they could act as a go between for the two Power-wielding groups, though that would need a serious overhaul of the Red mindset. It would probably take a few generations for that to come about.

 

The Green Ajah could stay as is. I mentioned this in the Stalemate thread but I don't think this is going to be the official Last Battle where the DO is finished. The next Age will have a Last Battle as well, as will the one after, as will all the rest, imo. The Greens could hold together fighting Dreadlords and Seanchan (if Aviendha's prophecy comes true) and then begin preparing again or fighting or whatever they do between battles.

[Suttree]

They rotate out to the Farm, I believe. We never hear of them contacting any others outside of Altara, as you would assume they would once they are granted redemption from the White Tower. There definitely would've been Kinswomen in Caemlyn since it's so large if there were any outside of Altara so I think it's fairly safe to say it's limited to the Ebou Dar region.

 

If it was just the farm why would it say "other places"? In addition not sure how the WT would capture 90% of runaways by watching them if the Kin was only in ED? You would think they would have agents in various places keeping an eye out.

 

Also we have this...

aCoS Ch.23

"Look who is returned after all these years," a short, stout woman in her middle years blurted as she barged into the room, nodding at her companion. Despite her red-belted Ebou Dari dress and a tanned face that glistened damply, her accents were pure Cairhienin. Her equally sweaty companion, in the dark, plainly cut woolens of a merchant, was a head taller, no older than Nynaeve, with dark tilted eyes, a strongly hooked nose, and a wide mouth. "It’s Garenia! She -" The flow of words terminated abruptly in confusion as the stout woman realized others were present.

 

and

If Reanne noticed or suspected, she ignored it or did not care. "I cannot believe there are any who would refuse the offer," she said breathlessly. "It may take some time to send word to everyone. We remain spread out, you see, so... " She laughed, a touch nervously and still not far from tears. "... so Aes Sedai would not notice us. At present there are one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three names on the roll."

[bobarose]

the reds should try to free all the seachan prisoners,this would be the best task to

focus themselves on.if they have sucess it would probaly go a long way in mending

fences with the other ajahs.this new fight could bring glory back to reds again.

[Mr Ares]

The Kin are only really based in and around Ebou Dar/Altara, as far as I understand things, so the extent of their contacts would not likely extend much beyond that area.

 

Not sure if that is correct. They constantly rotate their locations so as to not have anyone notice their age...

 

tPoD Ch. 3

Even Kirstian claimed to be older than any living Aes Sedai, while Reanne was over a hundred years more than that and not even the oldest of the Kin. Her title of Eldest went to the oldest of them in Ebou Dar, and the rigid schedule they followed to avoid notice had a number of still older women off in other places. It was obviously impossible, Sareitha maintained.

 

They rotate out to the Farm, I believe. We never hear of them contacting any others outside of Altara, as you would assume they would once they are granted redemption from the White Tower.

"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!" That's from WH. The indications are that there are Kinswomen all over.