Aes Sedai (Age of Legends)
From A Wheel of Time Wiki
Aes Sedai, in the Old Tongue, means "servants of all," and the Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends lived up to this definition. They aided mankind as scientists, healers and philosophers. Women used saidar and men saidin, as today, although it is believed that channelers in the Age of Legends were much stronger, or at least more knowledgeable in the Power than their modern equivalents; it is believed that they could fly, and things that would seem miraculous today were supposedly commonplace to them. Some of their lost Talents, such as Traveling and Dreaming, have only just been rediscovered. One thing is clear, however; the greatest works were wrought by male and female channelers working together.
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[edit] Organization of the ancient Aes Sedai
In the Age of Legends, unlike today, being Aes Sedai did not define who you were; you could follow other courses of occupation, and often what you were did not elevate you much, though there was prestige in the position. The exception to this was in the fields of Healing, where even the best doctor was outmatched by a skilled Healer, and possibly mining and some of the sciences. Of course, the making of ter'angreal was strictly limited to the Aes Sedai. Note, however, that things that allowed non-channelers to use ter'angreal, the "standing weaves", have long since dissipated, so use of the Portal Stones by normal individuals may have occured.
Also, the principle of ajah (the definition of which has greatly changed over time) was also important. During the Age of Legends, the organization of the Aes Sedai were descibed as a sea of ajah, constantly changing. ajah, without the capital, meant "a temporary group, brought together for some common purpose", according to a recently found ancient Old Tongue dictionary. This is contrary to the current meaning which simply means "a sisterhood of Aes Sedai". Despite the claims of some Aes Sedai that their organization has been constant since the Age of Legends, it is apparent that it was greatly changed by the Breaking. However, the seven colours of the Ajahs seem to have some importance, as they were seen around the Portal Stones in at least one other reality, although that paving could have been added after the Breaking.
[edit] The Hall of Servants
The Aes Sedai were governed by the Hall of Servants -- the head of which was titled First among Servants -- the headquarters of which was based in Paaran Disen, the capital of the time. That individual could call Aes Sedai from their normal jobs to work in circles when the need arose, as became more and more common during the Collapse.
[edit] Talents of the ancient Aes Sedai
The Talent of Healing was much stronger during the Age of Legends, and it was said that anything short of death could be Healed. The Healing used by modern Aes Sedai was "the hastiest battlefield work" compared to the Healing of that time, until quite recently. Though it was said they could fly, this was not true, though they could "fly" using sho-wings. They could make ter'angreal, angreal, and sa'angreal. Examples of genetic engineering was also commonplace, though strictly controlled within a code of ethics. This resulted in fantastical constructs like the choras and the Nym, and other varieties of plant life. Unfortunately it would result later in Shadowspawn. Aligning the Matrix, making metal stronger, was also a known Talent, as was the making of cuendillar or "heartstone". Traveling, moving from one point to another without crossing the intervening space, was also commonplace to those strong enough. Those of lesser strength used Skimming, or simply used the transit systems of the time. The ability was there to travel to other worlds, using the Portal Stones.
[edit] The Collapse
It was, ironically, an Aes Sedai research team at the Collam Daan that ripped open the Dark One's Prison. The researchers, headed by Mierin Eronaile, thought they had found a power that both men and women could wield. They were mistaken. What followed was a general collapse of civilization over the course of several hundred years, followed by the War of Power. In the end, the Dragon, with the help of the Hundred Companions, sealed the Dark One and the Forsaken in his prison at Shayol Ghul, and the Dark One's final counterattack tainted saidin itself, eventually driving all male channelers mad. The female Aes Sedai could not control them, and the men rampaged across the known world, boiling oceans, raising mountains where there were none, killing countless innocents. This was the Breaking of the World. While some of the men managed to find refuge in Ogier stedding (where they could not touch the Power, and therefore could harm no one and were protected from the effects of the taint), after a time they left the stedding hoping that the taint on saidin had disappeared. It had not and they went insane, prolonging the Breaking according to some. Others hold to the view that this was not as disastrous as if all the men had gone insane at once.
