well, I recall that all especially lucky males were targeted during the Vileness - not only channelers : The Vileness | A Wheel of Time Wiki | Fandom : Immediately [Jarna] started a great hunt, an even more intensive search than usual for men who could channel - for every male of any age who showed any sign that they might be able to channel or to be a ta'veren. Even a rumour, a hint was enough. And since being lucky or having a sudden rise to prominence were among the signs to look for, it was a very bad time for men with a bit of fortune. For that reason hundreds of men were killed secretly by "accidents" engendered by Black sisters. When that was not possible, they were accused of being channelers and killed with the excuse that they were "trying to escape" or the like.

You already had the Red Ajah hunting male channelers for millennia in Randland, while Seanchan had a systematic culling, Aiel went to the Blight to die, and in Shara you had the male Ayyad as breeding stock. Another point not discussed for Randland is 20 years before with the Vileness : Red Ajah overhunted potential male channelers, manipulated by the Black Ajah. So I would say a lot of potential male channelers went into hiding then - and they had no reason to go back afterwards, until Rand's proclamation.

Reading the thread above, I guess one part is not very much discussed : yes Egwene was an ambitious young woman when leaving the Two Rivers, and then encountered Moiraine which was an ideal Aes Sedai - which could have influenced her. At this time, she has no strong beliefs about the White Tower, she still is somewhat overwhelmed by the White Tower - maybe thinking all Aes Sedai are like Moiraine - and that she can help Rand from within. Then she is tricked by Liandrin, and becomes a damane under the Seanchan at Falme - unlike Elayne and Nynaeve. She is tortured psychologically, and we know that even experienced Aes Sedai are broken under this kind of treatment. I think she was a damane for weeks or even months. Now imagine the impact of such torture on a 18 years old. Her survival instincts say that she doesn't want to be collared anymore. What is the best, no, the only way to do so ? Only by having a strong White Tower to counter the Seanchan. So yes, Egwene is seen as very driven about the White Tower, unlike the other protagonists. But she was also traumatized in ways that no other protagonists encounter - until Rand is forced in a box.

I guess we could also infer somewhat : Age -2 : Lovecraftian horrors, then the Dark One is contained behind the Bore Age -1 : the dawning of Man : Atlantis Age 0 : our current time with no magic - but we could also say we are already moving to the next Age at least since the Industrial Revolution Age 1 : technological heaven / Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic : invention of the One Power, "mundane humans" are replaced with those being able to channel. Age 2 : the Age of Legends Age 3 : after the Breaking : setting for WoT Age 4 : a bit like Age -1

The cyclic nature of Time - hence the name 'Wheel of Time' is certainly a great idea, very well used for reincarnation shenanigans or to imply our world is merely 2 or 3 Ages before. Plot Armor being redefined as the Will of the Wheel follows, and even the philosophical implications with Herid Fel. Then having villains which are from the previous Age, and having the books introducing / describing the dawning of a new Age definitely separates WoT from other fantasy epics (but as I write - this is also true for LotR ! but then we don't seem common people on the brink of the new Age in LotR).

And also subtly indicates that he would follow Egwene, not the Hall... Which is caused by the Hall being out of depth -> which is caused by mostly having young Sitters, as the Ajah Heads kept a leash on both Halls to edge their bets, and the various Black Ajah / Forsaken / Darkfriends meddlings. But all this would be revealed afterwards, IIRC. I like this kind of obfuscation, having many different people with all kinds of secret motives - reminds me a bit of Amber.

If I recall correctly, having seen the Bowl in Tel'aran'rhiod can be an argument - Ebou Dar is a labyrinthine city, what about seeing something in it through the world of dreams. So it's one argument for Elayne going, and we can say it's a joint decision between the wonder girls. At this time, Egwene has no power upon the other Aes Sedai, she is seen very much as a figurehead : so she is effectively deploying her strongest assets - the 2 other girls which are also the strongest in the One Power - against the biggest issue at the time - the unending summer. On the other hand, both Elayne and Nynaeve are described as foolish in Ebou Dar, what with antagonizing Mat, being seen as Accepted by the other Aes Sedai, using foolish disguises, negotiating with the Sea Folk... but they have their big time to shine afterwards

We should compare notes. As another TTRPG fan - I am interested also 😀