How many aes sedai are there

She is chosen by the Amyrlin, usually from the same Ajah as the Amyrlin. The Aes Sedai in charge of training and discipline for novices and Accepted. The governing body of the Aes Sedai. It comprises three Sitters from each Ajah who are elected by their Ajah.

Since the split, the White Tower and Salidar factions each has their own Hall. Pronuncation: AH-jah. Each follows a specific philosophy of the use of the One Power and the purposes of the Aes Sedai.

There are seven official Ajahs, each designated by a color. The eighth, unofficial Ajah, is the Black Ajah. Each Ajah has its own organization and communications network including a spy network called the eyes-and-ears. Curiously, the head of each Ajah is a closely guarded secret within the Ajah and the Ajah head is typically not a Sitter. She is likely dead or retired by now, as she was white haired in New Spring and we never hear about her again after this book.

She is sent as an emissary to Tarabon, but is captured by the Seanchan. She is later rescued by Mat Cauthon and eventually returns to the White Tower. Egwene al'Vere : The Amyrlin Seat. She spent time as a damane and then studying with the Aiel Wise Ones and Dreamwalkers and is the first Dreamer known since Corianin Nedeal. She was initially chosen as the Rebel Amyrlin, but after spending time as a prisoner in the White Tower, was chosen as Elaida's replacement.

She is killed in the Last Battle by drawing too much of the Power after defeating Mazrim Taim and healing the damage balefire and the True Power did to the Pattern.

She was captured by the Seanchan and made damane. She has the talent of Foretelling. He later became the Forsaken known as Ishamael. She is bonded to Birgitte Trahelion and Rand al'Thor. She is first-sister to Aviendha. She died by drawing too much of the One Power in an attempt to save Manetheren from the forces of the Dark One. She was captured by Elayne in Caemlyn and is killed in an escape attempt.

Her Warder is Kennit. There is a statue of her in Tar Valon. Elisane Tishar : A historical Aes Sedai. She is balefired by him while trying to help Semirhage escape. She is originally from Illian. He later became the Forsaken known as Balthamel. She flees the Tower to avoid exposure after reunification and is killed in Tel'aran'rhiod. She is a member of the rebel embassy to Rand and is captured at Dumai's Wells, where she swears fealty to Rand.

She has three Warders and is originally from Tarabon. She flees the Tower with Liandrin and eleven other members of the Black Ajah. She has now been captured by Elayne, but escaped and was killed in the Last Battle. Because she has not yet taken the oaths and was instead raised to the shawl by Egwene al'Vere, many of the Aes Sedai do not consider her a full sister.

She is one of the rebels sent to the Black Tower to look for men to bond. She is involved in capturing Egwene. They have since become lovers. She is the head of the Red Ajah, and just below the head of the Black Ajah in power. During the battle at Dumai's Wells, she is captured by the Shaido Aiel. She is currently on her way back to the Aiel Waste with the Shaido who wish to start over, as gai'shain to Therava. She was the first Keeper of the Chronicles for Tamra Ospenya. She had the Talent of Foretelling, and died giving a Foretelling about the birth of the Dragon Reborn.

She was sent as an emissary to Tarabon, but was captured by the Seanchan. She has since become an obedient damane. Haindar : A historical, male Aes Sedai who went mad after the Bore was sealed. She is bonded to Sleete. She is currently with the Borderland rulers.

She swears fealty to Rand. She is also stilled by Rand in the battle, but is later Healed by Damer Flinn and swears fealty to Rand. Isebaille Tobanyi : A historical Aes Sedai who delivered her brothers and the throne of Arad Doman to their enemies because the White Tower told her to do so. He later became the Forsaken known as Aginor. As she disappears from the Tower after Egwene is raised to the Amyrlin Seat, she is potentially Mesaana, although Egwene does not think that this is likely.

She has sworn fealty to Rand. She retains her seat after reunification. She was also a member of the Black Ajah, and was head of the Black Ajah before her death. She was killed by Ishamael. She was released after Egwene persuaded them of the error of their ways. She is the head of the Brown Ajah. She is originally from Tear. He later became the Forsaken known as Asmodean. She fled the Tower with Liandrin and eleven other members of the Black Ajah. She was killed by Isam after being captured in the Stone of Tear.

She is still in the city when the Seanchan take it, but avoids capture and is aided in escaping the city by Mat Cauthon, who she accompanies to Caemlyn, before returning to Tar Valon. He was killed when the Bore was unsealed. She was killed in the Seanchan attack on the Tower.

She was originally from Andor and her Warder was Llyw. She later the Forsaken known as Graendal. She is one of the Aes Sedai sent by Elaida to capture Rand, but she manages to escape capture herself and makes her way back to Tar Valon, where she briefly becomes Mistress of Novices before fleeing to avoid exposure. She is killed in Tel'aran'rhiod'.

Her Warders were Karile and Stepin. She is originally from Arafel and has four Warders. She, like the others, has sworn fealty to Rand. She was killed at Shadar Logoth while Rand and Nynaeve cleansed saidin. She was one of the Aes Sedai sent by Elaida to capture Rand, and was killed in the attempt to bring him to the White Tower.

Lannis : A historical scholar of the Blue Ajah. It is unknown whether or not she is still alive in the later books. It is unknown whether or not she escapes execution after the Black Ajah is revealed. She died during the Breaking of the World. They made their way to Salidar, where she was Healed by Nynaeve. She is captured, along with Egwene, by Aes Sedai loyal to Elaida. She is bonded to Burin Shaeren. He led a force of male Aes Sedai in sealing the Dark One's prison, and went mad immediately after the Dark One's counter-stroke tainted saidin.

In his insanity, he murdered his entire family and then killed himself, creating Dragonmount in the process. He is now a voice in Rand al'Thor's head. She flees the Tower with eleven other members of the Black Ajah. She is currently one of Suroth's da'covale. She later rebelled against the other Aes Sedai and was stilled. She later became the Forsaken known as Moghedien. She was exiled about fifteen years ago, along with Toveine Gazal and Tsutama Rath, but was later called back from exile by Elaida after she became the Amyrlin Seat.

She manages to avoid escape at Dumai's Wells and makes her way to Dorlan, a village outside of Tar Valon. She was influential in creating the Compact. She was supposedly ta'veren. After Anaiya's murder, Maigan is appointed to be on Egwene's advising council.

She later rebelled against the other Aes Sedai. She is originally from Kandor. She is from Andor. She is originally from Caemlyn, Andor. She was captured by Elayne, but escaped. She is one of the Aes Sedai sent by Elaida to capture Rand, but is instead captured herself at Dumai's Wells and has sworn fealty to him. She is captured during the Seanchan raid on the Tower.

She used to study ter'angreal , but accidentally burned herself out during her studies and left the Tower. She is likely now living under the name of Setalle Anan. She played a part in making decisions during the Aiel War.

It is unknown whether or not she is still alive. Mashera Donavelle : A historical Aes Sedai who bore seven children for a man she loathed because the White Tower told her to do so. She is originally from Arafel and is bonded to Rovair Kirklin. She is one of the Aes Sedai sent by the rebels as an emissary to Rand, but is forced to swear an oath of fealty to him. She accompanies Perrin when he goes to Ghealdan.

She is one of the Aes Sedai sent by Elaida to capture Rand. With the female Aes Sedai unable to control them, 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 of the world according to some. Others hold to the view that this was not as disastrous as if all the men had gone insane all at once.

Current Aes Sedai differ greatly from those from before the Breaking, most notably in their organization and their level of knowledge. Present day Aes Sedai are organized into what is known as the White Tower. Only those women accepted by the White Tower can be called Aes Sedai, and all other channelers are known as wilders. Additionally, their overall philosophy has changed drastically, and not for the better.

Modern Aes Sedai, by and large, are trained not only in the Power, but are taught how to manipulate those around them. As observed by Nynaeve and numerous others, most Aes Sedai tend to place the White Tower's status, authority, and well-being above all other considerations. As such, they are seen as being very self-interested and self-serving. Many Aes Sedai excuse their behavior with the justification that whatever is best for the Tower is best for the world, but needless to say, this outlook is not shared by others.

Additionally, the implementation of the Three Oaths, which make Aes Sedai incapable of telling an outright lie, have backfired with regard to their effectiveness. This is due to the fact that Aes Sedai simply use metaphorical doublespeak to circumvent the Oaths, and people are well aware of it.

Most people in the Third Age trust neither the intentions nor the words of an Aes Sedai, and many others outright hate and fear them. Due to their tendency to meddle in the affairs of others, and their poor reputation, the Aes Sedai have many enemies and few allies. They are still very respected in the Borderlands and a Sister is usually chosen as advisor by the rulers of Andor and Cairhien , due their historical links to the Tower, but in most places especially in the south they are unwelcome but tolerated, and in other places, they are even openly deterred or outright banned.

For instance, they cannot openly travel in the country of Tear , and the organization known as the Children of the Light the true rulers of the country Amadicia wishes to kill them all. Worst of all, the powerful Seanchan Empire wishes to enslave all women who can channel, and the White Tower is easily their most prominent target though this is due to the cultural views of the Seanchan rather than being a consequence of the White Tower's policies.

The White Tower was established in 98 AB , over one hundred years before the building of the same name was completed in AB. Elisane Tishar was raised at this time as the first Amyrlin Seat , the supreme head of the Tower.

It is said that the White Tower's reign in Tar Valon is the longest of any kingdom save for the Ogier. After consolidating their power, they began punishing those "pretending" to be Aes Sedai.

It is suggested that many of those punished in the beginning may actually have been Aes Sedai who did not submit to the authority of the Tower. Though still "servants of all," the present day Aes Sedai keep their own agenda.

They still provide aid to any who ask, but it is said that any gift from an Aes Sedai has a price, and often one you never see coming. The Amyrlin Seat, the woman chosen to govern the Aes Sedai, has become as powerful as any king, queen, or legislative body - and often more so.

Aes Sedai rank themselves according to a strict hierarchy based on the levels of powers in saidar and also the ruling positions established by elections as the Amyrlin Seat , the Ajah Heads , the Sitters in the Hall or directly chosen and appointed by this women to another ruling position as the Keeper of the Chronicles , the Mistress of Novices , the Head of a delegation, etc. Usually the women chosen in such ruling offices stand already in a high hierarchical position being among the strongest in the levels of power.

Despite the strict hierarchy based on strength in the One Power, a Sister's strength or standing compared to other Sisters is not usually openly discussed, and it is considered rude to do so. Rather, Aes Sedai naturally expect weaker Sisters to submit to the authority of stronger Sisters which younger initiates learn on their own without explicit instruction. This means that a Sister's social or economic status prior to joining the White Tower has little to no influence on her standing within the establishment.

A quite strong Sister born a commoner can easily outrank a sister born into a great noble family and holders of certain positions of power rank at the top. Morgase Trakand who is recognized as being given the right to wear the Ring was more a formality as a link to the Andoran Royal Family and her position as Queen, but her ability to channel was so little that she was seen as being below even the newest of Novices in the Tower.

She, as the public leader of the White Tower, is considered more powerful than any monarch in the land. The Amyrlin Seat does not always act as ambassador to other nations, but has been known to do so.

Tower law does not explicitly state that the Amyrlin Seat needs to be full Aes Sedai before being raised, as revealed when Egwene al'Vere is raised to the Amyrlin Seat.

This loophole was used to raise Egwene even though she was still Accepted , and her raising was used to grant her the status of Aes Sedai without having taken the test for the shawl.

The Amyrlin's second-in-command, the duties of the Keeper of the Chronicles include being secretary to the Amyrlin and overseeing the official business of the Tower Leane Sharif maintained an eyes-and-ears network in Tar Valon to help her with that task.

The Amyrlin chooses her upon being raised. Unlike the Amyrlin, the Keeper does not officially shed her Ajah affiliation; the Keeper wears a stole in the color of the Ajah she was raised from. Traditionally, the Keeper comes from the same Ajah as the Amyrlin, but there have been exceptions, including two relatively recent Amyrlins, Sierin Vayu and Elaida a'Roihan.

Sierin, a Gray "with a touch of Red", chose a Red Keeper. Elaida, a Red, had little choice but to raise a White , Alviarin Freidhen , because of her help in deposing Siuan Sanche. Egwene al'Vere , though without an Ajah, also picked a surprising Keeper in Silviana Brehon , choosing a Red both because she respected her choices and in an attempt to heal the rift between the Red Ajah and the rest of the Tower.

The Hall of the Tower is the deliberative body of the White Tower. It comprises twenty-one Sitters , three from each Ajah. The Amyrlin Seat presides over meetings of the Hall. This functions as a system of checks and balances for the White Tower. The Hall is also responsible for selecting a new Amyrlin when the office falls vacant, and can remove an Amyrlin or Keeper.

In that function, they are similar to the College of Cardinals in the Vatican, which elects the new Pope. Sitters are highly esteemed sisters who have been chosen by their Ajahs to represent their interests in the Hall of the Tower.

Each Ajah has its own method for selecting new Sitters, but the Ajah Heads generally have a significant role. The Sitters also vote to raise a new Amyrlin Seat. Each Ajah has its own hierarchy and internal positions of authority, and the women in charge of each Ajah are collectively known as Ajah heads, though the nature of the position differs from Ajah to Ajah. It is unusual for an Ajah head to also be a Sitter, but 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.

Though the names of Sitters are public knowledge, the identities of the Ajah Heads are a closely guarded secret of each Ajah and as such they have no extra authority outside their Ajahs.

Although Aes Sedai enjoy almost unrestricted power among the wider world, they have their own strict hierarchy that allows little room for deviation. The hierarchy is a custom as strong as law, and failure to defer to a higher ranking can lead to the offended sister setting the other a penance.

The hierarchy is based on four factors:. Following the hierarchy based only on the strength, the Aes Sedai can be divided in three main groups.