The Age of Legends (Essay)
Author: Mazarin Ashinar
Essay submitted for raising to Soldier
During the Age of Legends, the world knew no war. Men and Women both could wield the One Power safely, as there was as yet no taint on the True Source. The technology was incredible, and great, huge cities towered above the landscape. The world hardly knew crime, and the way to gain more power was not through war, as there was no need for it. Mainly this lack of conflict was due to worldwide economic stability, extremely advanced food production, and the fact that doing things for one's self did not make one powerful. Rather, one's status and honor, gained through service of others, gave much more prestige than the alternatives.
During the Age of Legends, people started life with two names. Having a third name added on to those two was a high honor that many people strove for. However, the channelers were all held in high honor, even if they weren't very strong in the Power. The ability to channel is very rare, and only about 2%-3% of the population are even able to channel.
The Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends, headed up by the Hall of Servants, and headed by the "First Among Servants", mostly worked in groups, rather than as individuals. Most of the feats of the Power known only during the Age of Legends required more than one Aes Sedai, and usually at least one male and one female. The Aes Sedai were also largely involved in economic functions, such as increasing crop yields, mining, and especially healing. Because of the healing abilities of Aes Sedai, the life expectancy was greatly increased, as the only thing that was not healable by Restorers (the healers of the Aes Sedai) was death and old age.
There were many incredibly technological advancements made during this time period, such as flying vehicles and anti gravity cars, much like land speeders in Star Wars. The air was pollution free, and garbage was easily disposed of with the One Power. The building designs and construction achieved unmatched levels of advancement via the aid of the One Power. The everyday living of people during the Age of Legends was vastly improved with very advanced home entertainment, advanced 3D image communications, and advanced fabrics and clothing, including the fancloth that is now used only in Warder cloaks, as it is so rare now.
Even though there was no war and the world was very peaceful back during the Age of Legends, there was still a little crime. However, there was a type of binding that would not allow them to repeat the same crime again, so criminals were not sent to jail, and crime was greatly discouraged.
Information on the government is not well known, but what is known is that the government was composed of a council of elected leaders from each government. The Aes Sedai were probably often elected to positions of importance in this, but being Aes Sedai did not guarantee it to them.
However, this peaceful time abruptly was ended when a group of scientists in the floating research station Collam Daan bored a hole in the Dark One's prison that appeared to be a single Power that both men and women could use. However, this small bore allowed the Dark One to let his influence slowly spread over the world, causing dissent among the people and many Aes Sedai to fall over to the Dark One. The Aes Sedai soon developed weapons with the Power, previously unknown and unnecessary. Balefire was a big one, but use of it was soon discontinued, as the side effects of threads being burned out of the Pattern started to become apparent. This dissention eventually led to a strike by the last few leaders at the Dark One's bore, sealing him in and causing a wild backlash that sent all the male channelers mad, destroying the known world in "The Breaking", bringing an end to this Age of Legends. The knowledge of the technologies of this Age is now lost and lives only in legend and small bits of information from fragments of parchment from that Age.
