Aes Sedai
Encyclopedia
The Aes Sedai are a special society in the fictional universe of Robert Jordan
's The Wheel of Time
book series. Aes Sedai means "Servant to All" in the Old Tongue. They are the wielders of the One Power. Their organization is headquartered in the White Tower in the city of Tar Valon.
The Hall of the Servants was located in Paaran Disen, which was also the center of world government at the end of the Second Age.
The leader of the Servants was known simply as the First Amongst Servants. He or she wore the ring of Tamyrlin
as a symbol of their leadership. Tamyrlin was the first person to channel the One Power, and the ring may have been a construct of his or hers, perhaps even the first angreal.
Just before the War of Power, Lews Therin Telamon
was First Amongst Servants. He was also said to have summoned the Nine Rods of Dominion, which were regional governors of the planet, making him similar in power to a global president. Given the attitude of Aes Sedai and non-channelers in the Third Age it is not likely that all leaders of the Hall of Servants could summon the Nine Rods, but that this power was linked to the individual's ability rather than his or her station as First Amongst Servants.
society. Men and women with the ability to channel used the One Power
to aid all of mankind—as scientists, healers, philosophers, etc.—constantly developing new innovations and technology to make everyone's life easier. In the series these people were therefore known as Aes Sedai, meaning "Servants of All" in the Old Tongue
. In spite of the use of the word “servant,” Aes Sedai had considerable status and respect, gained from their use of the One Power. The characters called Aes Sedai convened in the Hall of the Servants in the city of Paaran Disen. The greatest Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends was a man named Lews Therin Telamon
, also known as The Dragon
.
In the Wheel of Time story, The One Power is divided into male and female halves, known respectively as saidin and saidar. Men who can channel do so using the male half and women use the female half. The greatest works of the Aes Sedai were always performed by groups of men and women channeling together.
It is explained at various points throughout the story, certain Aes Sedai felt that the separation of the two halves of the Power constrained them. Researchers working at the Collam Daan discovered what they thought was a new source of power able to be channelled by both genders. Mierin Sedai (later Lanfear
) and Beidomon Sedai bored into it, soon discovering that they had unwittingly enabled the Dark One, formerly imprisoned outside of Time, to influence the world. The power they sensed was in fact the True Power, a dark force akin to the One Power that stems from the Dark One. The former utopia began to slowly decline, until the outbreak of the War of Power, in which many Aes Sedai went over to the Shadow and commanded the armies of the Dark One. The most powerful "dark" Aes Sedai were selected by the Dark One and called themselves the Chosen, although the rest of the world named them the Forsaken
. By the end of the War of Power, thirteen of the Forsaken remained, although there had been others who died before the resealing of the Dark One.
Later revealed by Jordan, in a desperate move to end the devastating conflict, Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions, all males and actually numbering 113, led a last-ditch assault on Shayol Ghul
, successfully resealing the Bore and trapping the Dark One, as well as (almost) all the Forsaken, outside of the world. However, the Dark One's final counterattack tainted saidin itself, and the surviving Hundred Companions (sixty-eight in total) went mad instantly—Lews Therin himself murdered his entire family, earning the title "Kinslayer". Over time all surviving male Aes Sedai were driven mad by the Dark One's attack on saidin. In their madness, they began to channel wildly, causing almost total destruction to everything that hadn't already been wiped out by the war, their powers even altering the geography of the world. Some few male Aes Sedai sought shelter in stedding, areas of the world in which channeling was impossible and the taint had no effect, but eventually all male Aes Sedai abandoned the stedding and went mad. By the time the last male Aes Sedai had died, the world map was all but unrecognisable, and the remains of humanity were scattered and destitute. This catastrophic period was called the Breaking of the World.
Among Aes Sedai in the time period of the series, some Aes Sedai, primarily the Red Ajah, believe that male Aes Sedai sheltering in stedding exacerbated the Breaking, making it longer and more damaging than it might have otherwise been. Others, primarily the Blue Ajah, hold that the Breaking might have destroyed the world entirely had all male Aes Sedai gone insane at the same time.
However, female Aes Sedai of the time Foresaw the Rebirth of the Dragon, and undertook several wonders (the Eye of the World, the Stone of Tear, Callandor, etc.) to guide his path and provide him with what he needed.
, where, with the assistance of the Ogier, they built the White Tower. The Aes Sedai there became a monastic order, taking in initiates and shaping them into fully-fledged sisters through years of hard training. Their elected leader held the title Amyrlin Seat
and became as powerful or more powerful than any king, queen or legislative body. The Aes Sedai ensured that any man with the ability to channel would be gentled, i.e. severed from the Power. The common people of Jordan’s series had a tendency to fear the Aes Sedai, knowing that they channelled the same power that had caused the Breaking of the World. As a result, paired with their general aloofness, Aes Sedai have often been the focus of mistrust and even hate, some being convinced that all of them were Darkfriend
s in service to the Shadow. As a way of making themselves "safer" and more trustworthy, Aes Sedai began to employ the Oath Rod, taking binding oaths that might make them seem less dangerous. They also developed the weave for bonding Warders at this time, as narration from the point of view of the Forsaken
indicates that this weave did not exist during the Age of Legends.
On the continent of Seanchan
, Aes Sedai set themselves up as local governors and rulers rather than establishing a single, united order. During the conquest of Seanchan by the armies of Luthair Paendrag, these Aes Sedai were turned against each other and a device called an a'dam, able to hold women who can channel against their will, was invented. Aes Sedai on the continent were eventually rendered extinct as Luthair Paendrag's successors consolidated control over the entire continent, and Aes Sedai are outlawed in the Seanchan Empire. Instead, all women are tested for the ability to channel at a young age. Those who can channel are made damane
and leashed with a'dam, while those who can learn to channel are made sul'dam, who control the damane using a'dam. The Seanchan themselves are unaware that sul'dam can learn to channel, only that they can control damane through a'dam, and it is speculated by characters within the series that, if that discovery were to be made, the fabric of Seanchan society might suddenly collapse. Men and women who cannot channel are unable to control damane using a'dam, while men who can channel or learn to channel feel great pain upon contact with a'dam, and if the contact is long they die.
Only the members of a certain Ajah are supposed to know their head's identity. However, the heads of the Ajahs know each other, but this is not widely known.
Ajahs have certain traditions and ceremonies involved in entering them, which aren’t entirely known. Generally Ajahs accept entrance almost immediately; it is however rumoured that some of the Aes Sedai raised by decree of Egwene al’Vere had to beg. Aes Sedai cannot switch Ajahs after being accepted into one; however, when Leane Sharif, a former member of the Blue Ajah, was Stilled and then Healed, she was considered to have lost all titles and right along with the ability to channel. Thus, when she was Healed, she did not resume her position as Aes Sedai but rather regained it, and was allowed to choose a new Ajah, the Green. She and Siuan Sanche are also the only known Aes Sedai to have been raised to the rank twice. Siuan, for her part, chose to return to the Blues.
The Ajahs, in alphabetical order, are as follows:
Recently among the rebel (Salidar) Aes Sedai the age restrictions have been lifted, and there are novices of all ages, even as old as grandmothers. This is causing consternation among some traditional sisters, but most are happy that the number of Tower initiates has ceased dwindling.
A novice's life is deliberately harsh, in order to prepare her for the difficult life of an Aes Sedai. Her room is tiny, the bed uncomfortable and hard, and she must wake every day before dawn to scrub the floor and sweep the room. Meals are taken in silence and are extremely brief, so the novice must eat quickly or go hungry. She will have lessons and classes; some on learning to channel but just as many on history, the Old Tongue, geography, politics and philosophy, and if needed reading and arithmetic - to all of which she must pay strict attention or face punishment. However, most of her day will be taken up with such chores and duties as labouring in the kitchens, scrubbing floors, doing errands for Aes Sedai, and working in the gardens.
Novices are not permitted to channel except when supervised by an Accepted or Aes Sedai (though many do so anyway in secret), and must do all their chores by hand. The idea is that the hard work builds character, though it is likely that there is a desire to keep them too busy, and too tired, to start playing around and experimenting with the Power. Novices are strictly confined to the Tower, and there are no days off, except for occasional freedays.
Novices are subject to strict discipline, decided and handed out by a sister appointed to the post of Mistress of Novices. She is both disciplinarian and confidante, punishing those who have broken the rules and comforting those who are finding novice life too tough to handle. It is she who decides when a novice or Accepted is ready to be tested, or if the girl will be put out of the Tower for good. Punishment ranges from a lecture to a severe switching, and extra chores are usually involved. Although it is known what happens in the study, no one ever makes references to the punishment a person receives. For all that Aes Sedai act like they rule the world, within the Tower there are hierarchies and rules, and discipline and obedience are instilled from the earliest days. In addition novices are carefully cloistered from men. It isn't that the
Tower disapproves of intimacy, but that they don't want their novices thinking too much about heart and family, especially if they are successful because they will outlive all their relatives and friends. If two novices get into a relationship, the Mistress of Novices will usually turn a blind eye.
Understandably some novices find the pressure too much, and resolve to run away. They rarely get away with it, usually being caught and returned. Life for a captured runaway makes ordinary novice life look pleasant, with anything less than perfection being swiftly and harshly punished. The reason given is that a half-trained channeller is a danger to herself and those around her, which is not untrue, but it is also the case that the Tower considers itself to have absolute right over all channellers, and does not permit them to leave until it is finished with them.
The novices studying under the rebel Aes Sedai have been arranged into "families" of seven or eight women, making them much easier to organise and also establishing close friendships that help novices to get through the day. This new development has meant that this faction has almost no runaways to deal with.
The expected time spent as a novice for most girls is ten years. Those showing greater potential might be raised Accepted after five or six years, and there have been cases of, gifted novices like Moiriane Damodred, Siuan Sanche and Elaida a'Roihan being raised after only three, and truly exceptional ones, like Egwene al'Vere and Elayne Trakand after a few months. When the Mistress of Novices decides that a girl is ready, she arranges for her to face the Arches. In only one known instance has a Tower initiate bypassed novice training completely. Nynaeve al'Meara
began her training as one of the Accepted at the insistence of Amyrlin Siuan Sanche, but many Aes Sedai and Tower initiates (especially Accepted) disagreed with this decision.
The workings of the Arches is not completely understood, though they are known to involve tel'aran'rhiod. When the novice walks through the first arch she is faced with a fear from her past, one she must conquer to return back through the arch. The second arch is a fear of the present, and the third a fear of the future. To return, a novice must enter an arch inside the ter'angreal, which is said to only appear once. Each is harder to fight than the last. The novice must enter completely naked and unprotected, and once inside the arch are not allowed to channel due to risks of burning out or dying inside of them. The only people who have channeled inside of the arches and survived have been Nynaeve and some of the first people to use the arches. Traditionally what is experienced in the Arches is not spoken of to anyone, but many novices come out weeping or furious, which can last for weeks, so it is known to be a terrible experience.
Should she return through the third Arch, she will be given a banded dress and a Great Serpent ring, proclaiming her to be one of the Accepted.
The Accepted have larger and more comfortable rooms, and are trusted to channel alone and to direct their own studies. The Accepted also have the greater responsibilities of her own studies while being expected to prepare and teach novice lessons on a wide range of topics (the purpose of doing so is to learn how to manage and control others, and she can expect to be reprimanded if she runs to the Mistress of Novices for every little problem). Being Accepted does not mean less deference to Aes Sedai, and while she has more freedom - she is allowed to visit the city, for example - if she does break a rule, her punishment will be all the harsher.
An Accepted must learn much, as the Tower will not permit ignorant Aes Sedai. It is expected that she will be ten years in the banded white before being tested for the Shawl, though again there are exceptions to this. Elaida a'Roihan, Moiraine Damodred
and Siuan Sanche all spent three years as novices and three as Accepted before being raised Aes Sedai. Egwene al'Vere
, and Elayne Trakand
spent a matter of months in both novicehood and the status of Accepted.
she's lucky, as many women die in the test for the shawl.
Should she manage to complete the hundred weaves, she will certainly be badly injured. She is given Healing and sent off for a night of meditation. She is expected to stay awake all night, despite her certain exhaustion, and reflect on her new duties.
and representatives of all seven Ajahs present. They are presented with the Oath Rod, a ter'angreal, that binds Aes Sedai to whatever oaths they swear while channeling into it. The Accepted then swears the Three Oaths. The Oaths were not always a part of the Aes Sedai tradition, and some sisters wish it still wasn't. The Rod was discovered some time between the Trolloc Wars and the War of the Hundred Years. It is unknown to the Aes Sedai that the Oath Rod is in fact a ter'angreal which was used in the Age of Legends to bind criminals against further acts of law breaking.
Even though all sisters were bound to their respective Ajahs, they needed a common set of goals and principles to bind sisters of every Ajah together. The Accepted swears to:
Sisters physically cannot break these oaths, though they can be circumvented - for instance, an Aes Sedai may deliberately put herself in danger to remove the constraint on using the Power as a weapon, or she could make a statement that is misleading but technically true (giving rise to the saying, "An Aes Sedai never lies, but the truth she tells you isn't the one you think you hear."). Once she has sworn the oaths, the Accepted is an Aes Sedai and is allowed to choose her Ajah.
Unknown to most channellers is that the Oath Rod also has the facility to unbind, useful for those sisters who become members of the Black Ajah and swear new oaths to the Dark One
. Channellers are also freed from the oaths when severed from the Power. The sisters who later hunt the Black Ajah (due to misunderstanding of Elaida's order) in the Tower, have used it to make the sisters they suspect are Black to re-swear the old oaths and swear allegiance to them.
Recent evidence has come up that shows that the Oath Rod might in fact also lower the life expectancy of a channeller bound by it. The Oath Rod's original purpose was to bind channelers convicted of an offense in order to stop them committing more crimes. It is known that Semirhage was ordered to be bound, but joined the Shadow to escape this. The ability to channel the One Power dramatically slows the channeller's aging process and extends her lifespan by centuries. When Elayne was in Ebou Dar, however, she came across a group calling itself the Kin which was composed mainly of women who failed, at some point or another, in their training to become Aes Sedai and were put out of the Tower. Some of these women have lived up to a hundred years longer than the longest recorded Aes Sedai lifespan and still have much life left in them. Egwene has declared, as Amyrlin Seat (of the Salidar Aes Sedai), that any woman who wishes to be a full Aes Sedai must swear the oaths on the Oath Rod. Some fear that this might hasten the death of those potential sisters who have already exceeded the normal Aes Sedai lifespan. Another significant difference between Aes Sedai bound by the Oath Rod and female channellers who are not, is the fact that while Aes Sedai look "ageless" (looking as if they're in their 20's from one angle, then in their 40's from another), the latter simply look much younger than their years.
Egwene has plans to allow older sisters to retire into the Kin (freeing them of their Oaths, but no longer considering them true Aes Sedai) in the hopes that this will allow them to live the longer lives enjoyed by those who have not sworn on the Rod.
The oath rod has only been shown to prevent actions that would break the oaths. For example, a Sister's tongue will cleave to the top of her mouth if she tries to lie, preventing speech. It is unknown if the Oath Rod can force actions to fulfill the oaths.
, Egwene takes the Three Oaths on the Oath Rod, though Elayne and Nynaeve remained unbound. During The Towers of Midnight, Nynaeve volunteers to take the formal test and (narrowly) passes, after which she swears her oaths and becomes bound. However, during the testing, Nynaeve modifies the formal lines as she is already Aes Sedai and therefore does not need to be tested to establish her worth, but rather to prove it as she sees. Elayne remains unsworn as she is worried of the effect on her unborn babies, and the remaining two unsworn Aes Sedai are at the Black tower.
, or simply the Amyrlin, is possibly the most powerful woman on the continent. She is appointed for life by the Hall, and sheds any affiliation she has to her Ajah. The Amyrlin is from no Ajah, and from all. She wears a stole with all seven Ajah colors, although Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan removed the blue from hers upon becoming Amyrlin. She is the head of all Aes Sedai, and they refer to her as Mother and she to them as Children ("Daughters"). She is assisted in her duties by the Keeper of the Chronicles
, who is second in command, and usually from the same Ajah as the Amyrlin. The Amyrlin's full title is "The Watcher of the Seals, the Flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat" (in reference to the seven seals used to shut the Dark One's prison, though until quite recently, no one knew where any of the seals were). The actual chair from where the Amyrlin rules over the Hall is also called the Amyrlin Seat. The Amyrlin's relative power depends on her political power and ability. Some Amyrlins have been able to bend the Hall to their will, while others have found themselves subject to it. Although the Amyrlin is bound by Tower law and custom, any proclamations she makes are usually considered (depending on how powerful the Amyrlin is) law or as good as. But almost every time an Amyrlin proved so incompetent or otherwise problematic that she threatened the future of the Tower, sisters have risen up to remove her.
The Keeper wears a stole to indicate the Ajah she was raised from, but legally she is no longer a member of that Ajah, serving only the Amyrlin. Recent Keepers include Leane Sharif, a Blue sister, for the former Blue Siuan Sanche
; Alviarin Freidhen, a White sister, for the former Red Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan; Tarna Feir, a Red sister, also for Elaida; and Sheriam Bayanar, a Blue sister, for Egwene al'Vere. Elaida's former Keeper, Alviarin, was replaced by the Hall of the Tower after her frequent absences from the Tower were deemed to be interfering with her duties. The current Keeper is Silviana Brehon, for Egwene al'Vere once she is officially recognized in the White Tower.
is the administrative body of the Aes Sedai and the White Tower. It is composed of twenty-one Sitters, who act like senators
, three from each Ajah. The Hall has several checks on the executive leadership of the Aes Sedai by which it maintains a balance of power in the Tower; in theory, the Hall is equal in power to the Amyrlin Seat and the Keeper of the Chronicles together. The Hall creates all official policy for Tar Valon.
. Typically, the leader or head of the Ajah is not a Sitter. The Sitters often jealously defend the Hall's power, and an Amyrlin's reign is often judged by how well she manages to keep the Sitters under her control.
himself to seal away the Dark One
. The plan originally required a circle of men and women, placing seven seals on specific points of the Bore into the Dark One's prison at Shayol Ghul
. The women refused the plan on the grounds it was too risky, and, led by Latra Posae, all female Aes Sedai of the strength required to be useful (and some less powerful) signed what became known as the Fateful Concord, leaving Telamon with only male Aes Sedai to carry out his plan.
Although they succeeded in sealing him away, the Dark One launched a final counter-stroke, the taint of his touch on saidin. The 68 surviving Companions and Lews Therin went insane immediately, and began what was to became known as the Breaking of the World.
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
's The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
book series. Aes Sedai means "Servant to All" in the Old Tongue. They are the wielders of the One Power. Their organization is headquartered in the White Tower in the city of Tar Valon.
Hall of Servants
The Hall of the Servants was the center of Aes Sedai power in the Age of Legends, analogous to the White Tower in the Third Age. It is unclear if the name referred to the organization of Aes Sedai as well their headquarters (as in Lews Therin Sedai of the Hall of Servants).The Hall of the Servants was located in Paaran Disen, which was also the center of world government at the end of the Second Age.
The leader of the Servants was known simply as the First Amongst Servants. He or she wore the ring of Tamyrlin
Amyrlin Seat
The Amyrlin Seat is a fictional title from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.The Amyrlin Seat, or Amyrlin as it is often shortened to, is the leader of the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon. The term can also refer to the actual seat upon which the Amyrlin sits...
as a symbol of their leadership. Tamyrlin was the first person to channel the One Power, and the ring may have been a construct of his or hers, perhaps even the first angreal.
Just before the War of Power, Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He was the Dragon of the Age of Legends. He is the most powerful, most hated, and most feared man in history, for his part in the Breaking of the World and killing his loved ones, earning him the...
was First Amongst Servants. He was also said to have summoned the Nine Rods of Dominion, which were regional governors of the planet, making him similar in power to a global president. Given the attitude of Aes Sedai and non-channelers in the Third Age it is not likely that all leaders of the Hall of Servants could summon the Nine Rods, but that this power was linked to the individual's ability rather than his or her station as First Amongst Servants.
In the Age of Legends
The Age of Legends is a relatively utopianGolden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...
society. Men and women with the ability to channel used the One Power
One Power
In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. It comes from the True Source, and it is separated into two halves: saidin , the male half, and saidar , the female half. It is used in the series by people...
to aid all of mankind—as scientists, healers, philosophers, etc.—constantly developing new innovations and technology to make everyone's life easier. In the series these people were therefore known as Aes Sedai, meaning "Servants of All" in the Old Tongue
Old Tongue
The Old Tongue is a fictional language from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. It is depicted as a now-dead language, spoken only by scholars and certain nobles, but still plays a role in the plot of the books.-History:...
. In spite of the use of the word “servant,” Aes Sedai had considerable status and respect, gained from their use of the One Power. The characters called Aes Sedai convened in the Hall of the Servants in the city of Paaran Disen. The greatest Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends was a man named Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He was the Dragon of the Age of Legends. He is the most powerful, most hated, and most feared man in history, for his part in the Breaking of the World and killing his loved ones, earning him the...
, also known as The Dragon
Dragon (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the Dragon is the champion of the Light and the Creator against the evil Dark One. Although the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator at the moment of creation, he continually seeks to break free of his prison. In each Age, the Dragon...
.
In the Wheel of Time story, The One Power is divided into male and female halves, known respectively as saidin and saidar. Men who can channel do so using the male half and women use the female half. The greatest works of the Aes Sedai were always performed by groups of men and women channeling together.
It is explained at various points throughout the story, certain Aes Sedai felt that the separation of the two halves of the Power constrained them. Researchers working at the Collam Daan discovered what they thought was a new source of power able to be channelled by both genders. Mierin Sedai (later Lanfear
Lanfear
Lanfear is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is one of the Forsaken.-Age of Legends:...
) and Beidomon Sedai bored into it, soon discovering that they had unwittingly enabled the Dark One, formerly imprisoned outside of Time, to influence the world. The power they sensed was in fact the True Power, a dark force akin to the One Power that stems from the Dark One. The former utopia began to slowly decline, until the outbreak of the War of Power, in which many Aes Sedai went over to the Shadow and commanded the armies of the Dark One. The most powerful "dark" Aes Sedai were selected by the Dark One and called themselves the Chosen, although the rest of the world named them the Forsaken
Forsaken
Forsaken or The Forsaken may refer to:In gaming:* Forsaken , a first person shooting video game similar to Descent* Forsaken , a series of World of Warcraft machinima produced by Edgeworks Entertainment...
. By the end of the War of Power, thirteen of the Forsaken remained, although there had been others who died before the resealing of the Dark One.
Later revealed by Jordan, in a desperate move to end the devastating conflict, Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions, all males and actually numbering 113, led a last-ditch assault on Shayol Ghul
Shayol Ghul
In the Wheel of Time fantasy novel series, Shayol Ghul is a mountain beyond the Great Blight in the north of the known world. It is the place in the physical world to which the Dark One's prison seems closest...
, successfully resealing the Bore and trapping the Dark One, as well as (almost) all the Forsaken, outside of the world. However, the Dark One's final counterattack tainted saidin itself, and the surviving Hundred Companions (sixty-eight in total) went mad instantly—Lews Therin himself murdered his entire family, earning the title "Kinslayer". Over time all surviving male Aes Sedai were driven mad by the Dark One's attack on saidin. In their madness, they began to channel wildly, causing almost total destruction to everything that hadn't already been wiped out by the war, their powers even altering the geography of the world. Some few male Aes Sedai sought shelter in stedding, areas of the world in which channeling was impossible and the taint had no effect, but eventually all male Aes Sedai abandoned the stedding and went mad. By the time the last male Aes Sedai had died, the world map was all but unrecognisable, and the remains of humanity were scattered and destitute. This catastrophic period was called the Breaking of the World.
Among Aes Sedai in the time period of the series, some Aes Sedai, primarily the Red Ajah, believe that male Aes Sedai sheltering in stedding exacerbated the Breaking, making it longer and more damaging than it might have otherwise been. Others, primarily the Blue Ajah, hold that the Breaking might have destroyed the world entirely had all male Aes Sedai gone insane at the same time.
However, female Aes Sedai of the time Foresaw the Rebirth of the Dragon, and undertook several wonders (the Eye of the World, the Stone of Tear, Callandor, etc.) to guide his path and provide him with what he needed.
After the Breaking
On the eastern continent of Robert Jordan’s world, the remaining female Aes Sedai eventually reorganised themselves on the island of Tar ValonTar Valon
Tar Valon is a fictional city in Robert Jordan's fantasy series the Wheel of Time.-The City:Tar Valon is an island city in the River Erinin, within sight of the Dragonmount. It is the home of the White Tower, which is the center of Aes Sedai power...
, where, with the assistance of the Ogier, they built the White Tower. The Aes Sedai there became a monastic order, taking in initiates and shaping them into fully-fledged sisters through years of hard training. Their elected leader held the title Amyrlin Seat
Amyrlin Seat
The Amyrlin Seat is a fictional title from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.The Amyrlin Seat, or Amyrlin as it is often shortened to, is the leader of the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon. The term can also refer to the actual seat upon which the Amyrlin sits...
and became as powerful or more powerful than any king, queen or legislative body. The Aes Sedai ensured that any man with the ability to channel would be gentled, i.e. severed from the Power. The common people of Jordan’s series had a tendency to fear the Aes Sedai, knowing that they channelled the same power that had caused the Breaking of the World. As a result, paired with their general aloofness, Aes Sedai have often been the focus of mistrust and even hate, some being convinced that all of them were Darkfriend
Darkfriend
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series, Darkfriends are followers of the Dark One. Darkfriend in the Old Tongue is Atha'an Shadar, which translated more directly to "People of the Dark"....
s in service to the Shadow. As a way of making themselves "safer" and more trustworthy, Aes Sedai began to employ the Oath Rod, taking binding oaths that might make them seem less dangerous. They also developed the weave for bonding Warders at this time, as narration from the point of view of the Forsaken
Forsaken (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series, the Forsaken are the most powerful and favored servants of the Dark One. They were formerly Aes Sedai, but became corrupted by the desire for power and immortality...
indicates that this weave did not exist during the Age of Legends.
On the continent of Seanchan
Seanchan
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Seanchan is the name of a continent, the empire that occupies it, and the people that live in the empire...
, Aes Sedai set themselves up as local governors and rulers rather than establishing a single, united order. During the conquest of Seanchan by the armies of Luthair Paendrag, these Aes Sedai were turned against each other and a device called an a'dam, able to hold women who can channel against their will, was invented. Aes Sedai on the continent were eventually rendered extinct as Luthair Paendrag's successors consolidated control over the entire continent, and Aes Sedai are outlawed in the Seanchan Empire. Instead, all women are tested for the ability to channel at a young age. Those who can channel are made damane
Damane
A damane is a character class from fantasy author Robert Jordan's best-selling Wheel of Time book series.Damane are women born with the spark or ability to channel...
and leashed with a'dam, while those who can learn to channel are made sul'dam, who control the damane using a'dam. The Seanchan themselves are unaware that sul'dam can learn to channel, only that they can control damane through a'dam, and it is speculated by characters within the series that, if that discovery were to be made, the fabric of Seanchan society might suddenly collapse. Men and women who cannot channel are unable to control damane using a'dam, while men who can channel or learn to channel feel great pain upon contact with a'dam, and if the contact is long they die.
Ajahs
In the Age of Legends time period of the Wheel of Time series, an Ajah was a temporary group of people banded together for a specific purpose. In the present, or time period of the main plot of the Wheel of Time, the Ajahs are seven sub-societies among which all Aes Sedai, except for the Amyrlin, of the White Tower are divided. These societies each have representatives in the legislation of the Tower, have personal ideologies, customs and purposes for joining, their own ruling heads, and all except the White have networks of spies.Only the members of a certain Ajah are supposed to know their head's identity. However, the heads of the Ajahs know each other, but this is not widely known.
Entering an Ajah
Traditionally, every sister chooses an Ajah immediately after being raised beyond the rank of Accepted. Egwene al’Vere, the current Amyrlin Seat, never chose an Ajah as she was raised directly from Accepted to Amyrlin without being made Aes Sedai first; according to a technicality in the law it was actually the act of raising her to the Amyrlin Seat itself that made her Aes Sedai.Ajahs have certain traditions and ceremonies involved in entering them, which aren’t entirely known. Generally Ajahs accept entrance almost immediately; it is however rumoured that some of the Aes Sedai raised by decree of Egwene al’Vere had to beg. Aes Sedai cannot switch Ajahs after being accepted into one; however, when Leane Sharif, a former member of the Blue Ajah, was Stilled and then Healed, she was considered to have lost all titles and right along with the ability to channel. Thus, when she was Healed, she did not resume her position as Aes Sedai but rather regained it, and was allowed to choose a new Ajah, the Green. She and Siuan Sanche are also the only known Aes Sedai to have been raised to the rank twice. Siuan, for her part, chose to return to the Blues.
The Ajahs, in alphabetical order, are as follows:
Blue Ajah
The Blue Sisters involve themselves with causes and justice. The Blue Ajah is the second smallest one, but it has the most extensive network of eyes-and-ears. The head of the Blue Ajah is called the First Selector.Brown Ajah
Sisters of the Brown Ajah are dedicated to the search for knowledge and spend much of their time engrossed in study. They are led by a Ruling Council, and the head of the Council is called the First Chair.Green Ajah
Sisters of the Battle Ajah prepare for Tarmon Gai'don. They are by far the most tolerant towards men and many even marry. The head of the Battle Ajah is called Captain-General.Gray Ajah
Sisters of the Gray Ajah are mediators, seeking harmony and consensus. They are usually the most skilled negotiators among the Aes Sedai and are often used for this purpose. The head of the Gray Ajah is called the Head Clerk.Red Ajah
The purpose of the Red Ajah is ostensibly to prevent a second Breaking of the World. To that end, the Red Sisters bend their energies to finding men who can channel and gentling them. Although women cannot detect saidin, they can read the residue of the weaves and that is their primary tool for tracking. The Red is the largest of all the Ajahs. The head of the Red Ajah is called the Highest.White Ajah
The White Sisters, largely eschewing both the world and the value of worldly knowledge, devote themselves to questions of philosophy and truth. The head of the White Ajah is called the First Reasoner. They tend to be very serene, even for Aes Sedai.Yellow Ajah
Sisters of the Yellow Ajah are Healers. The head of the Yellow Ajah is called the First Weaver.Black Ajah
An eighth, and mostly secret, Ajah. Sisters of the Black Ajah are dedicated to the Dark One and have forsaken their Oaths to the Tower and the Light. However the existence of the Black Ajah was consistently denied by all, and, until the later part of the series, it was assumed to be myth. Even in the later part of the series many Aes Sedai within the White Tower did not believe in its existence until its presence was revealed by Egwene in The Gathering Storm.Novice
Traditionally the White Tower only accepts girls for training who are between sixteen and eighteen years old, though the rules are bent sometimes for a novice of great potential. Becoming a novice is known as being "put in white", because they are held to a strict dress code: white dresses, stockings, shoes, and even hair ribbons.Recently among the rebel (Salidar) Aes Sedai the age restrictions have been lifted, and there are novices of all ages, even as old as grandmothers. This is causing consternation among some traditional sisters, but most are happy that the number of Tower initiates has ceased dwindling.
A novice's life is deliberately harsh, in order to prepare her for the difficult life of an Aes Sedai. Her room is tiny, the bed uncomfortable and hard, and she must wake every day before dawn to scrub the floor and sweep the room. Meals are taken in silence and are extremely brief, so the novice must eat quickly or go hungry. She will have lessons and classes; some on learning to channel but just as many on history, the Old Tongue, geography, politics and philosophy, and if needed reading and arithmetic - to all of which she must pay strict attention or face punishment. However, most of her day will be taken up with such chores and duties as labouring in the kitchens, scrubbing floors, doing errands for Aes Sedai, and working in the gardens.
Novices are not permitted to channel except when supervised by an Accepted or Aes Sedai (though many do so anyway in secret), and must do all their chores by hand. The idea is that the hard work builds character, though it is likely that there is a desire to keep them too busy, and too tired, to start playing around and experimenting with the Power. Novices are strictly confined to the Tower, and there are no days off, except for occasional freedays.
Novices are subject to strict discipline, decided and handed out by a sister appointed to the post of Mistress of Novices. She is both disciplinarian and confidante, punishing those who have broken the rules and comforting those who are finding novice life too tough to handle. It is she who decides when a novice or Accepted is ready to be tested, or if the girl will be put out of the Tower for good. Punishment ranges from a lecture to a severe switching, and extra chores are usually involved. Although it is known what happens in the study, no one ever makes references to the punishment a person receives. For all that Aes Sedai act like they rule the world, within the Tower there are hierarchies and rules, and discipline and obedience are instilled from the earliest days. In addition novices are carefully cloistered from men. It isn't that the
Tower disapproves of intimacy, but that they don't want their novices thinking too much about heart and family, especially if they are successful because they will outlive all their relatives and friends. If two novices get into a relationship, the Mistress of Novices will usually turn a blind eye.
Understandably some novices find the pressure too much, and resolve to run away. They rarely get away with it, usually being caught and returned. Life for a captured runaway makes ordinary novice life look pleasant, with anything less than perfection being swiftly and harshly punished. The reason given is that a half-trained channeller is a danger to herself and those around her, which is not untrue, but it is also the case that the Tower considers itself to have absolute right over all channellers, and does not permit them to leave until it is finished with them.
The novices studying under the rebel Aes Sedai have been arranged into "families" of seven or eight women, making them much easier to organise and also establishing close friendships that help novices to get through the day. This new development has meant that this faction has almost no runaways to deal with.
The expected time spent as a novice for most girls is ten years. Those showing greater potential might be raised Accepted after five or six years, and there have been cases of, gifted novices like Moiriane Damodred, Siuan Sanche and Elaida a'Roihan being raised after only three, and truly exceptional ones, like Egwene al'Vere and Elayne Trakand after a few months. When the Mistress of Novices decides that a girl is ready, she arranges for her to face the Arches. In only one known instance has a Tower initiate bypassed novice training completely. Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara is one of the main characters of The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Personality:Nynaeve's personality often runs a gamut of emotions, meek at times before more experienced women but also able to stand up and run down others. While she will deny it, Nynaeve is...
began her training as one of the Accepted at the insistence of Amyrlin Siuan Sanche, but many Aes Sedai and Tower initiates (especially Accepted) disagreed with this decision.
The Arches
When a novice is raised to the Accepted, it is after completing a trial in a ter'angreal deep in the lower levels of the White Tower. It consists of three silver arches which, when the ter'angreal is activated, are filled with odd flickering light. The novice is warned only at the actual testing that if she enters the arches, she might not come back, and is given the option to refuse the test. She may refuse twice, but at the third time if she does not go on she is put out of the Tower.The workings of the Arches is not completely understood, though they are known to involve tel'aran'rhiod. When the novice walks through the first arch she is faced with a fear from her past, one she must conquer to return back through the arch. The second arch is a fear of the present, and the third a fear of the future. To return, a novice must enter an arch inside the ter'angreal, which is said to only appear once. Each is harder to fight than the last. The novice must enter completely naked and unprotected, and once inside the arch are not allowed to channel due to risks of burning out or dying inside of them. The only people who have channeled inside of the arches and survived have been Nynaeve and some of the first people to use the arches. Traditionally what is experienced in the Arches is not spoken of to anyone, but many novices come out weeping or furious, which can last for weeks, so it is known to be a terrible experience.
Should she return through the third Arch, she will be given a banded dress and a Great Serpent ring, proclaiming her to be one of the Accepted.
Accepted
Where novices wear plain white, Accepted wear the same dress with seven bands of colour at hem and cuffs - the colour of the seven Ajahs. She must wear her Great Serpent ring on the third finger (ring finger) of her left hand.The Accepted have larger and more comfortable rooms, and are trusted to channel alone and to direct their own studies. The Accepted also have the greater responsibilities of her own studies while being expected to prepare and teach novice lessons on a wide range of topics (the purpose of doing so is to learn how to manage and control others, and she can expect to be reprimanded if she runs to the Mistress of Novices for every little problem). Being Accepted does not mean less deference to Aes Sedai, and while she has more freedom - she is allowed to visit the city, for example - if she does break a rule, her punishment will be all the harsher.
An Accepted must learn much, as the Tower will not permit ignorant Aes Sedai. It is expected that she will be ten years in the banded white before being tested for the Shawl, though again there are exceptions to this. Elaida a'Roihan, Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah and is the niece of King Laman Damodred of Cairhien.-Description:...
and Siuan Sanche all spent three years as novices and three as Accepted before being raised Aes Sedai. Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Description:She is described as beautiful, with large brown eyes and long dark hair. Like all adult women in her home village of Emond's Field, she initially wore her hair in a long braid, but as soon...
, and Elayne Trakand
Elayne Trakand
Elayne Trakand is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She bears a resemblance both in name and appearance to Ilyena, the doomed wife of Lews Therin Telamon from the Age of Legends.-Description:...
spent a matter of months in both novicehood and the status of Accepted.
The Test for the Shawl
Long before she is ready to be tested, the Accepted will learn by heart a sequence of one hundred complex weaves, often whose purposes are just for the testing. The test for the shawl is to perform all these weaves, perfectly, in order, while maintaining outward serenity. The exact nature of the test is kept secret, but Accepted do what they can to try distracting each other while practicing the weaves. She enters a spinning ring structure, and the sisters conducting the test create illusions to try to break her concentration and serenity. These illusions are far from harmless, involving anything from armies of Shadowspawn to frigid temperatures, from minor embarrassments like having all her clothes disappear, to heart-rending choices and decisions. For every weave, a separate illusion is created, and if there is any hesitation, or any break in composure, the Accepted fails. And that's ifshe's lucky, as many women die in the test for the shawl.
Should she manage to complete the hundred weaves, she will certainly be badly injured. She is given Healing and sent off for a night of meditation. She is expected to stay awake all night, despite her certain exhaustion, and reflect on her new duties.
The Oath Rod
Once an Accepted passes the test, she is brought to another ceremony with the Amyrlin SeatAmyrlin Seat
The Amyrlin Seat is a fictional title from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.The Amyrlin Seat, or Amyrlin as it is often shortened to, is the leader of the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon. The term can also refer to the actual seat upon which the Amyrlin sits...
and representatives of all seven Ajahs present. They are presented with the Oath Rod, a ter'angreal, that binds Aes Sedai to whatever oaths they swear while channeling into it. The Accepted then swears the Three Oaths. The Oaths were not always a part of the Aes Sedai tradition, and some sisters wish it still wasn't. The Rod was discovered some time between the Trolloc Wars and the War of the Hundred Years. It is unknown to the Aes Sedai that the Oath Rod is in fact a ter'angreal which was used in the Age of Legends to bind criminals against further acts of law breaking.
Even though all sisters were bound to their respective Ajahs, they needed a common set of goals and principles to bind sisters of every Ajah together. The Accepted swears to:
- Speak no word that is not true
- Make no weapon for one man to kill another
- Never use the One PowerOne PowerIn The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. It comes from the True Source, and it is separated into two halves: saidin , the male half, and saidar , the female half. It is used in the series by people...
as a weapon, except- Against Shadowspawn (Darkfriends also qualify),
- To save her own life, or her Warder's, or the life of another sister
Sisters physically cannot break these oaths, though they can be circumvented - for instance, an Aes Sedai may deliberately put herself in danger to remove the constraint on using the Power as a weapon, or she could make a statement that is misleading but technically true (giving rise to the saying, "An Aes Sedai never lies, but the truth she tells you isn't the one you think you hear."). Once she has sworn the oaths, the Accepted is an Aes Sedai and is allowed to choose her Ajah.
Unknown to most channellers is that the Oath Rod also has the facility to unbind, useful for those sisters who become members of the Black Ajah and swear new oaths to the Dark One
Dark One
The Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
. Channellers are also freed from the oaths when severed from the Power. The sisters who later hunt the Black Ajah (due to misunderstanding of Elaida's order) in the Tower, have used it to make the sisters they suspect are Black to re-swear the old oaths and swear allegiance to them.
Recent evidence has come up that shows that the Oath Rod might in fact also lower the life expectancy of a channeller bound by it. The Oath Rod's original purpose was to bind channelers convicted of an offense in order to stop them committing more crimes. It is known that Semirhage was ordered to be bound, but joined the Shadow to escape this. The ability to channel the One Power dramatically slows the channeller's aging process and extends her lifespan by centuries. When Elayne was in Ebou Dar, however, she came across a group calling itself the Kin which was composed mainly of women who failed, at some point or another, in their training to become Aes Sedai and were put out of the Tower. Some of these women have lived up to a hundred years longer than the longest recorded Aes Sedai lifespan and still have much life left in them. Egwene has declared, as Amyrlin Seat (of the Salidar Aes Sedai), that any woman who wishes to be a full Aes Sedai must swear the oaths on the Oath Rod. Some fear that this might hasten the death of those potential sisters who have already exceeded the normal Aes Sedai lifespan. Another significant difference between Aes Sedai bound by the Oath Rod and female channellers who are not, is the fact that while Aes Sedai look "ageless" (looking as if they're in their 20's from one angle, then in their 40's from another), the latter simply look much younger than their years.
Egwene has plans to allow older sisters to retire into the Kin (freeing them of their Oaths, but no longer considering them true Aes Sedai) in the hopes that this will allow them to live the longer lives enjoyed by those who have not sworn on the Rod.
The oath rod has only been shown to prevent actions that would break the oaths. For example, a Sister's tongue will cleave to the top of her mouth if she tries to lie, preventing speech. It is unknown if the Oath Rod can force actions to fulfill the oaths.
Recent exceptional cases
Since the Tower became divided against itself, certain women among the rebel faction, beyond reach of any of the aforementioned ter'angreal, have become Aes Sedai by exceptional means. The first was Egwene al'Vere, who is technically Aes Sedai by virtue of having been raised Amyrlin Seat, despite never having tested for the shawl. After becoming Amyrlin, she had four other Accepted raised to the shawl (including Elayne Trakand and Nynaeve al'Meara) by proclamation, a move that most sisters objected to. At the end of The Gathering StormThe Gathering Storm (novel)
The Gathering Storm is the 12th book of the fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It was incomplete when its author, Robert Jordan, died on September 16, 2007, from cardiac amyloidosis...
, Egwene takes the Three Oaths on the Oath Rod, though Elayne and Nynaeve remained unbound. During The Towers of Midnight, Nynaeve volunteers to take the formal test and (narrowly) passes, after which she swears her oaths and becomes bound. However, during the testing, Nynaeve modifies the formal lines as she is already Aes Sedai and therefore does not need to be tested to establish her worth, but rather to prove it as she sees. Elayne remains unsworn as she is worried of the effect on her unborn babies, and the remaining two unsworn Aes Sedai are at the Black tower.
The Amyrlin Seat
The Amyrlin SeatAmyrlin Seat
The Amyrlin Seat is a fictional title from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.The Amyrlin Seat, or Amyrlin as it is often shortened to, is the leader of the Aes Sedai in Tar Valon. The term can also refer to the actual seat upon which the Amyrlin sits...
, or simply the Amyrlin, is possibly the most powerful woman on the continent. She is appointed for life by the Hall, and sheds any affiliation she has to her Ajah. The Amyrlin is from no Ajah, and from all. She wears a stole with all seven Ajah colors, although Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan removed the blue from hers upon becoming Amyrlin. She is the head of all Aes Sedai, and they refer to her as Mother and she to them as Children ("Daughters"). She is assisted in her duties by the Keeper of the Chronicles
Keeper of the Chronicles
Keeper of the Chronicles is a fictional title that exists in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series.Although second in authority to the Amyrlin, the Keeper of the Chronicles has no real authority over Aes Sedai, except what the Amyrlin Seat chooses to give her. She also acts as the Amyrlin's...
, who is second in command, and usually from the same Ajah as the Amyrlin. The Amyrlin's full title is "The Watcher of the Seals, the Flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat" (in reference to the seven seals used to shut the Dark One's prison, though until quite recently, no one knew where any of the seals were). The actual chair from where the Amyrlin rules over the Hall is also called the Amyrlin Seat. The Amyrlin's relative power depends on her political power and ability. Some Amyrlins have been able to bend the Hall to their will, while others have found themselves subject to it. Although the Amyrlin is bound by Tower law and custom, any proclamations she makes are usually considered (depending on how powerful the Amyrlin is) law or as good as. But almost every time an Amyrlin proved so incompetent or otherwise problematic that she threatened the future of the Tower, sisters have risen up to remove her.
The Keeper of the Chronicles
The Amyrlin's second-in-command, the Keeper's duties include being secretary to the Amyrlin and overseeing the official business of the Tower. What is known is that the Amyrlin chooses her and that she, too, is appointed for life (either hers or the Amyrlin's, whoever passes away first). Traditionally, the Keeper comes from the same Ajah as the Amyrlin, but there have been exceptions. Recently, Elaida a'Roihan (of the Tower) chose Alviarin Freidhen, a White sister, as Keeper, although Elaida herself is a Red.The Keeper wears a stole to indicate the Ajah she was raised from, but legally she is no longer a member of that Ajah, serving only the Amyrlin. Recent Keepers include Leane Sharif, a Blue sister, for the former Blue Siuan Sanche
Siuan Sanche
Siuan Sanche is a character of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.The sharp-tongued daughter of a fisherman from Tear, Siuan Sanche joined the White Tower at the same time as Moiraine Damodred...
; Alviarin Freidhen, a White sister, for the former Red Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan; Tarna Feir, a Red sister, also for Elaida; and Sheriam Bayanar, a Blue sister, for Egwene al'Vere. Elaida's former Keeper, Alviarin, was replaced by the Hall of the Tower after her frequent absences from the Tower were deemed to be interfering with her duties. The current Keeper is Silviana Brehon, for Egwene al'Vere once she is officially recognized in the White Tower.
The Hall of the Tower
The Hall of the TowerHall of the Tower
In Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time universe, the Hall of the Tower is the supreme governing body of the Aes Sedai of the White Tower.- Composition :...
is the administrative body of the Aes Sedai and the White Tower. It is composed of twenty-one Sitters, who act like senators
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
, three from each Ajah. The Hall has several checks on the executive leadership of the Aes Sedai by which it maintains a balance of power in the Tower; in theory, the Hall is equal in power to the Amyrlin Seat and the Keeper of the Chronicles together. The Hall creates all official policy for Tar Valon.
Sitters
Each Ajah has three Sitters. Sitters are highly esteemed sisters who have been chosen within their Ajah to represent their Ajah and its interests in the Hall of the TowerHall of the Tower
In Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time universe, the Hall of the Tower is the supreme governing body of the Aes Sedai of the White Tower.- Composition :...
. Typically, the leader or head of the Ajah is not a Sitter. The Sitters often jealously defend the Hall's power, and an Amyrlin's reign is often judged by how well she manages to keep the Sitters under her control.
The Hundred Companions
The Hundred Companions were a group of powerful male Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends. They agitated for a quick solution to the war against the Dark One, disrupting meetings and trying to force through Lews Therin's proposal. Numbering 113, the companions were led by Lews Therin TelamonLews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He was the Dragon of the Age of Legends. He is the most powerful, most hated, and most feared man in history, for his part in the Breaking of the World and killing his loved ones, earning him the...
himself to seal away the Dark One
Dark One
The Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
. The plan originally required a circle of men and women, placing seven seals on specific points of the Bore into the Dark One's prison at Shayol Ghul
Shayol Ghul
In the Wheel of Time fantasy novel series, Shayol Ghul is a mountain beyond the Great Blight in the north of the known world. It is the place in the physical world to which the Dark One's prison seems closest...
. The women refused the plan on the grounds it was too risky, and, led by Latra Posae, all female Aes Sedai of the strength required to be useful (and some less powerful) signed what became known as the Fateful Concord, leaving Telamon with only male Aes Sedai to carry out his plan.
Although they succeeded in sealing him away, the Dark One launched a final counter-stroke, the taint of his touch on saidin. The 68 surviving Companions and Lews Therin went insane immediately, and began what was to became known as the Breaking of the World.
Other Famous Male Aes Sedai
- Jorlen Corbesan was considered one of the most talented Aes Sedai during the age of legends. Lews Therin himself was amazed at the ter'angreal that Corbesan created. Corbesan was killed when researchers bore into the Dark OneDark OneThe Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
's prison.