So he's the fungal kingdom of the pattern. No wonder he's causing food and drink to spoil and vermin to thrive.
Energy efficiency, probably. Or curiosity. As I recall, Robert Jordan talked at length about how there would be no interest in setting novels during the AoL because it was this idyllic, peaceful, beatific, utopian world. They literally never knew what a sword was til they opened the bore. Nobody was ever dissatisfied with anything up til they let out the DO. So, what was to prevent them from trying to further improve their lives?
I figure opening the