Aes Sedai
Structure
Among the Aes Sedai, there are seven ranks one may hold: novice, apprentice, Aes Sedai, Sitters, Ajah Heads, Keeper of the Chronicles, and the Amyrlin Seat.
Novices
The lowest are the novices, these are girls who have been accepted into the order for training. Novices are typically taken in between ages 7 and 15. A novice attends to the Aes Sedai and helps with cleaning around the Tower as well as learning the most basic cantrips and concepts of arcane theory. During this time, they are also taught how to act in high society.
As early as 12 and as late as 16, novices are brought to be tested to become an apprentice, if their instructors feel they are ready. Novices that are not ready by age 16 are stilled (have their connection to the One Power severed). A novice who fails the test is either stilled by the ter'angreal administering the test or they never emerge from it. Most who are stilled stay in the Tower as servants or scribes as they already have a rapport established.
Novices tend to stand out by themselves, being older children and younger teenagers, but they wear a snow-white, cotton dress to signify their rank.
As early as 12 and as late as 16, novices are brought to be tested to become an apprentice, if their instructors feel they are ready. Novices that are not ready by age 16 are stilled (have their connection to the One Power severed). A novice who fails the test is either stilled by the ter'angreal administering the test or they never emerge from it. Most who are stilled stay in the Tower as servants or scribes as they already have a rapport established.
Novices tend to stand out by themselves, being older children and younger teenagers, but they wear a snow-white, cotton dress to signify their rank.
Apprentices
Second are the apprentices, made up of all who passed the test to become an apprentice. Most full Aes Sedai tend to snatch up an apprentice or two that they have taken a liking to in order to guide their studies on a more personal level. Apprentices that are not taken by an Aes Sedai are trained in a group setting by the Tower's instructors. Apprentices are taught more hands-on applications of magic, beginning to learn 1st-level spells. Additionally, apprentices who are under the wing of an Aes Sedai tend to go with them when they leave the Tower.
As early as 16 and as late as 27, an Aes Sedai who is guiding their studies may submit an apprentice's name to be tested to be elevated to full Aes Sedai. This test is administered by the Mistress of Novices (see below) and overseen by a representative of each ajah. An apprentice who passes the test must then ask one of the Aes Sedai to join her ajah, a request that has never been denied. They are admitted into the ajah of their choice in a ceremony at dawn. An apprentice who is judged not to be ready by the time they are 28 is stilled. The test to become a full Aes Sedai is more intensive than the test to become an apprentice, but far less deadly. An apprentice who fails is ejected from the ter'angreal and must wait a year to try again. Most who fail only do so by the skin of their teeth as their are great penalties to an Aes Sedai who puts forth an apprentice to be tested before they are ready, this is not the case is they just barely fail as it is hard to prepare for the intensity of the test.
An apprentice may be identified by their cream colored dress trimmed with the seven colors of the ajahs: green, red, gray, brown, yellow, blue and white.
As early as 16 and as late as 27, an Aes Sedai who is guiding their studies may submit an apprentice's name to be tested to be elevated to full Aes Sedai. This test is administered by the Mistress of Novices (see below) and overseen by a representative of each ajah. An apprentice who passes the test must then ask one of the Aes Sedai to join her ajah, a request that has never been denied. They are admitted into the ajah of their choice in a ceremony at dawn. An apprentice who is judged not to be ready by the time they are 28 is stilled. The test to become a full Aes Sedai is more intensive than the test to become an apprentice, but far less deadly. An apprentice who fails is ejected from the ter'angreal and must wait a year to try again. Most who fail only do so by the skin of their teeth as their are great penalties to an Aes Sedai who puts forth an apprentice to be tested before they are ready, this is not the case is they just barely fail as it is hard to prepare for the intensity of the test.
An apprentice may be identified by their cream colored dress trimmed with the seven colors of the ajahs: green, red, gray, brown, yellow, blue and white.
Aes Sedai
The most populous rank is that of full Aes Sedai. All Aes Sedai are members of one of the seven ajahs (the factions within the Aes Sedai), but they are all still Aes Sedai and refer to one another as "sister". The Ajahs are (ordered by size):
Between Aes Sedai, there is a strict hierarchy that allows little room for deviation. This hierarchy is as much custom as law, and failure to defer to a higher ranking sister can lead to the offended sister demanding a penance. The hierarchy is based on four factors.
- Green Ajah - Aes Sedai of the Green are also known as Battlemages. They serve as the main operatives and combatants of the order, and they are usually found as battle commanders of the forces of Avismore or military advisors to monarchs. Most of the Aes Sedai in this ajah are evokers, spellswords, sorcerers and other vocations suited to magical combat. The leader of the Green Ajah is the Captain-General, the position is currently held by Annette Sommer.
- Red Ajah - Aes Sedai of the Red are also known as Tamers. They serve to hunt down those who the Aes Sedai perceive as dangers to the known world, until recently, this included any and all male channelers, but since the cleansing of saidin and the return of Zolena, they have taken to hunting down Dreadlords, practitioners of the True Power. Most of the Aes Sedai in this ajah specialize in both debilitating magics as well as combat, so illusionists, enchanters, and sorcerers are common. The leader of the Red Ajah is the Highest, the position is currently held by Visellia Aerius.
- Gray Ajah - Aes Sedai of the Gray are also known as Mediators. They serve as diplomats, lawyers, and court wizards for monarchs all over Jalirûn. This ajah is one of the most diverse ajahs when it comes to specializations, as it takes all kinds, so long as they have tact and diplomatic ability. The leader of the Gray Ajah is the Head Clerk, the position is currently held by Eirina Reynelis.
- Brown Ajah - Aes Sedai of the Brown are also known as Learners. They serve in all the administrative functions of the Tower, ranging from overseeing the library, to teaching novices and apprentices, to overseeing the Tower’s servants; additionally, Learners sometimes serve as explorers and delvers, going on expeditions to uncover lost knowledge to add to the Tower’s library. This is the least diverse ajah, being made up of mostly diviners, sages, and loremasters. The leader of the Brown Ajah is the First Chair, a position currently held by Fandreth Zastari.
- Yellow Ajah - Aes Sedai of the Yellow are also known as Protectors. They serve as the keepers of the Tower’s wards as well as healers for any and all who come seeking the remedies of the Aes Sedai, which is often cheaper than the cost of temple services. Most of the Aes Sedai of this ajah are abjurers, necromancers, and mystic theurges. The leader of the Yellow Ajah is the First Weaver, the position is currently held by Zilviira Baenrahel.
- Blue Ajah - Aes Sedai of the Blue are also known as Seekers. They serve as fulfillers of prophecies and meddlers in most important events in history; the Blue are truly the most enigmatic of the Aes Sedai, as their actions are often unpredictable, but their goals are always in the pursuit of altruism and the betterment of the world. This is ajah is the most diverse in terms of specializations, it truly takes all comers, provided they are willing to serve the betterment of the world, even if it hinders either the Tower or themselves. The leader of the Blue Ajah is the First Selector, the position is currently held by Mélissa De La Croix.
- White Ajah - The Aes Sedai of the White are also known as Reasoners. They serve as scientists, researchers, alchemists, and all other manners of logisticians. Almost all Aes Sedai in this ajah are wizards, and the few that aren’t are summoners. The leader of the White Ajah is the First Reasoner, a position currently held by Runa Haaland.
Between Aes Sedai, there is a strict hierarchy that allows little room for deviation. This hierarchy is as much custom as law, and failure to defer to a higher ranking sister can lead to the offended sister demanding a penance. The hierarchy is based on four factors.
- Granted Authority: Where the Amyrlin sets one sister to lead a group, all in the group defer to that sister. The Ajah Head has a similar power within their Ajah. The Hall of the Tower may do this as well, but they only do it rarely.
- Strength in the One Power: Aes Sedai defer to those that are stronger in the One Power than themselves. If there is a large gap in strength, that deferral becomes obedience. This can put newly raised prodigies higher in the hierarchy than some sisters with several decades behind them; it also tends to put innate casters (such as bards and sorcerers) over trained casters (such as spellswords and wizards).
- Training Time: Where there is no difference in strength or so little difference that it is very difficult to note it, a woman is deemed higher up in the Aes Sedai hierarchy if she spent less time as a novice and apprentice than another.
- Age: Lastly, where women have roughly the same strength in the One Power and training time, their place in the hierarchy is based on age. Only in this case the older Aes Sedai are higher up in the hierarchy.
The Hall of the Tower
Main Article: Hall of the TowerThe Hall of the Tower is the deliberative body of the White Tower. It is comprised of twenty-one Sitters, three from each Ajah and is presided over by the Amyrlin Seat. The Hall creates all official policy for Avismore and the Aes Sedai, though much of this originates with the Amyrlin Seat. The Sitters are also responsible for selecting a new Amyrlin when the office becomes vacant. In extreme circumstances, they can also remove an Amyrlin or Keeper of the Chronicles.
Each ajah has its own method of selecting new sitters which is a closely held secret so the others cannot influence anything; all that is consistent between them is that the Ajah Heads have a significant role in the selection process.
Ajah Heads
Main Article: Ajah HeadsEach Ajah has its own internal hierarchy and positions of authority. The women in charge of each Ajah are collectively known as the Ajah Heads, though the positions and their nature varies from Ajah to Ajah. It is rare for an Ajah head to also be a Sitter, but it's not unheard of. Sitters are answerable to their Ajah heads for their actions in the Hall, and, for the most part, all Aes Sedai must obey the authority of their Ajah Heads in general, especially regarding ajah matters.
Demonym
Aes Sedai
Leader
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Location
Controlled Territories
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