History

After the Breaking of the World the Aes Sedai were left in the same disarray that permeated the entire known world, leaving them all but disbanded and wandering the world to work in small groups rather than the cohesive unit that they had formed during the Age of Legends. Tasks such as finding girls with the Talent, handling male channelers and healing the many injured were handled by whichever sister was available. In an attempt to reform the Aes Sedai, a decision was made in 47 AB (After Breaking) to build a new city to serve as the center of their power. There is little doubt that this decision was reached in negotiations between smaller groups of Aes Sedai that had formed since the end of the Breaking. This series of talks consisted of one member or 'sitter' from each of these groups of 'ajahs' with a total of twelve recorded participants along with several others from smaller factions whose numbers were too few to be considered significant. That this time, and during the Age of Legends, the term ajah is different from what we know of the seven structured one of the present day. In the Old Tongue ajah is defined as 'an informal and temporary group of people gathered together for a common purpose or goal, or by a common set of beliefs.'

The site was chosen and this new city of Tar Valon was constructed on a large island that split the River Erinin, beginning in 98AB. The Ogier, who had become stonemasons after the Breaking, were chosen to help in the construction for they were known to be the most skilled at their craft. The Aes Sedai most likely learned of their great affinity for growing things and for the beauty in the organic forms they created and thus gave the Ogier free reign in the building and development of the island city. The building took 104 years of uninterrupted work and in 202 AB Tar Valon was revealed as the first major city constructed after the Breaking that still survives today. The city was built with the intent to grow in population in the future, every structure was more spacious than necessary for the time, and even streets and parks were planned for growth. The only part of the city not left to the hands of the Ogier were the two harbors on the Erinin; Northharbor and Southharbor.

At around the same time that construction began on the island, the Aes Sedai began using the name 'White Tower' to describe the central structure and their center of power, those the building itself would not be completed for another hundred years. The first Amyrlin Seat at this time had a council of seven advisors, a precursor to the formation of the seven Ajahs which was to come later. By the end of the second century AB the seven ajahs as we known them were in existence and the Hall of the Tower now formally consisted of 21 Sitters, three from each Ajah. Each Ajah chooses its own Sitters internally and each has its own process for this decision, though the exact details are known to none outside of the Ajah.

Once the decision to build the city was made, the Aes Sedai went about the task of restructuring their numbers and striking out against those women who claimed to be Aes Sedai but were not. There seemed to be a great number of these women though it is unknown if they were just wilders who learned how to channel on their own or were in fact small groups of independent Aes Sedai who shunned the formation of one large society. There is evidence to show that many of these women were forced to kneel to the Amyrlin Seat and swear obedience while others who did not were stillled, bringing the rest obey lest they risk being stilled as well. This period of time is the only in recorded history where the Tower accepted woman who claimed to be Aes Sedai. Since then, they have proven to be quite rough with any outside the Tower to claim this title.

The Tower, as a building, is incredibly impressive, there is nothing in the modern world that compare to it. It was designed by the Aes Sedai and not the Ogier, thus it lacks the organic forms that fill the rest of the city. However, the Ogier added the Aes Sedai in the building of this mammoth structure of white stone. The main structure rises five hundred feet into the air and stands three hundred feet across at the base, making the White Tower the largest structure build since the Age of Legends. The top half of the tower houses the Aes Sedai, each Ajah residing in it's own pie-shaped section while the lower half is left for general purposes. A smaller building at the back of the Tower houses the novices and Accepteds while another structure nearby, a bit larger, is the Tower's famous library. A large courtyard stands in front of the Tower while a high white stone wall surrounds the perimeter of the Tower grounds, broken only by columns and rails.
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Aes Sedai

Aes Sedai are those trained in the White Tower who can wield the One Power. Since the Time of Madness all Aes Sedai have been women, the conterstrike from the sealing of Shayol Ghul causing a taint to the male half, saidin, of the True Source. Those few men that are found with the ability are hunted and gentled so that their madness will not bring about another Breaking. Most of the world distrusts or fears them, some even go as far as hate, considering all Aes Sedai to be darkfriends. However, there are very few rulers who would be without an Aes Sedai advisor, even in secret. Aes Sedai are known for their ageless appearance, a trait brought on by years of channeling in the One Power.

When an Accepted is raised to Aes Sedai she must swear the Three Oaths while holding the Oath Rod, a ter'angreal that makes the Oaths binding. The Three Oaths that every sister must swear are:

1. To speak no word that is not true.
2. To make no weapon for one man to kill another
3. Never use the One Power as a weapon except against Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme of defending her own life, that of her Warder or another Aes Sedai.

During the Age of Legends such Oaths were not taken, for everyone knew who the Aes Sedai were and what they stood for. Only after the Breaking of the World did these oaths become commonplace and required so that nations would continue to work with the Aes Sedai without the fear that the Sisters would used the One Power against them. Everyone knows that an Aes Sedai cannot lie, but it is also well known that Aes Sedai are skilled at carefully selecting their words. A common saying is "The truth an Aes Sedai tells you is not always the truth you think it is."

Amyrlin Seat

The Amyrlin Seat is the head of the White Tower, elected for life by the Hall of the Tower. She is of all the Ajahs and of none, wearing a stole that contains all seven colors of the Tower Ajahs. All Aes Sedai are pledged to obey her and not question what she says or does. This separation from the Ajah from which she was raised allows her to remain unbiased in her decisions with Tower politics. She is the supreme ruler of the Tower and is considered of the same social standing as kings or queens, or perhaps even higher and is afforded the same respect that royalty receives. Publicly she is the absolute power of all the Aes Sedai but internally she must continually play a political give and take with the Hall to retain her power.

Anyone can request an audience with the Amyrlin and receive it, however while a woman would be quickly admitted, a man, even a king, would be made to wait a long period of time, perhaps even days or weeks, to gain her audience. Even among those who hate the Aes Sedai recognize the Power the Amyrlin holds and would travel to the White Tower should she summon them.

The symbol of the Amyrlin Seat is the White Flame.

Keeper of the Chronicles

The Keeper of the Chronicles is second only to the Amyrlin in the hierarchy of the Tower. Chosen by the Amyrlin, usually upon her ascension to the Seat, and traditionally is from the same ajah that the Amyrlin rose from. Like the Amylrin Seat, the Keeper is of no Ajah though she does wear a stole, roughly a hand wide, in the color of the Ajah from which she came. The keeper speaks for the Amyrlin and also acts as her personal secretary, overseeing all of the offical business of the White Tower.

The Ajahs

With the exception of the Amyrlin Seat, each Aes Sedai belong to one of seven groups or Ajahs within the Tower. Each Ajah has its own philosophy on how the One Power should be used and the purprose of the Aes Sedai within the world. Each Ajah also holds his own form of rule and traditions based on their beliefs. The Seven Ajahs are each represented by a color which is reflected on the shawls worn by the Aes Sedai, the fringe colored to match the wearer's Ajah. Within the Hall of the Tower each of the seven is represented by three members or Sitters, a total of 21 plus the Amyrlin and the Keeper who comprise the Hall. While the Sitters are the visible leaders of each Ajah, the true leaders of each is unknown to those outside of the Ajah.

Red Ajah: The primary goal of the Red Ajah is to seek out those men who have the ability to channel and bring them to the Tower to be gentled so that they cannot cause another Breaking of the World. Reds are the only Ajah that does not bond warders, they work has caused them to find it hard to trust any man.

Blue Ajah: While one of the smaller Ajahs, the Blue is one of the more influential of them. Goal of the Blue Ajah is to champion worthy causes and see that justice is done. They are also known as skilled in politics and many become advisors to royalty and nobility.

Brown Ajah: The Brown choose to forsake the real world, content to search for and preserve knowledge. Their perserverence in this task has brought about the largerst singular library in the Land. Much that is known of artifacts and Talents was discovered by the Brown.

Green Ajah: Also known as the Battle Ajah, they are the Aes Sedai who stand ready for the Last Battle. They are fierce fighters against Shadowspawn and are the only Ajah that allows for the bonding of more than one Warder. And while it is unthinkable amoung other ajahs, and even rare in the Green, some have even married their warder.

Yellow Ajah: The Yellow are known for their Healing abilities, they seek out those who display an afinity for this Talent. They are devoted to Healing and continually seek out new cures and methods of using the One Power for this purpose.

Gray Ajah: They are the mediators, seeking harmony in all things. For this purpose many kingdons seek the Gray to insure that treaties between families or nations will stand though some believe this interaction helps allow the Tower to infiltrate further into that ruling group.

White Ajah: Unlike all the other Ajahs, the White avoid both the world and its knowledge. The revel in thought and philosophy, the search for truth is their singular pursuit.
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Gaidin

Gaidin, meaning "Brother to Battle" in the Old Tongue, is a title used by Aes Sedai for their warders, a warrior bonded to his Aes Sedai by the One Power. Through this bond the warrior is given gifts such as the ability to go for long periods of time without food, water or rest, quick healing, and the ability to sense the taint of the Dark One at a distance. The bond also creates an awareness between Aes Sedai and her Gaidin, no matter the distance. When a Gaidin dies, his Aes Sedai will know of it immediatly, as well as the manner of his death. Most Ajahs believe that an Aes Sedai may bond only one Gaidin at a time, while the Green Ajah believe she may bond as many as she likes and the Red Ajah refuse to Bond any. Bonding does not require consent, but it is rarely done without the Gaidin's acceptance for many see Bonding against one's will similar to rape. The Aes Sedai gain gifts through the bond as well, but these gifts are kept secret.
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Wanted