Ajah

A flag for Tar Valon showing the seven Ajah colors

Ajah (pronounced: AH-jah) is the name given to one of the seven different groups of Aes Sedai: the Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, White, Gray and Brown. Each Ajah has its own specific purpose and rules, and is governed by its own internal leader(s). Upon joining her Ajah, each new Aes Sedai is given a vine-embroidered shawl fringed in the color of her Ajah of choice.

The early Tower

In the Age of Legends, ajah meant a temporary group of people banded together for a specific purpose. This carried over into the first few centuries after the Breaking, especially during the founding of the present White Tower, when there were more ajah than exist now. Elisane Tishar, the future first Amyrlin Seat, was one of more than twelve groups of women who 'Sat' each for her ajah. By 98 AB, the number of ajah decreased from this twelve to the current seven, though it is not known if these seven had any purpose that was close to the purposes of the current seven Ajahs, nor what the purposes of the lost ajah were. By the end of the second century AB, seven Ajahs were in existence, and the lowercase form of ajah was no longer in use.

The modern Ajah

Currently the Aes Sedai divide themselves into seven Ajahs, each dedicated to a particular task. Each of these sub-societies has representation on the administrative councils, its own ideology and purpose for its members, own ruling head or heads (known only to the members of that Ajah), and most have their own spy network. They also have secret weaves that are only taught to members, and own traditions governing things ranging from conduct in everyday life to what one might wear inside the White Tower.

Every Accepted requests acceptance into an Ajah when she becomes Aes Sedai. No woman is ever refused entry into the Ajah of her choice. The Amyrlin Seat is the only Aes Sedai who no longer belongs to a particular Ajah - formally she is "of all Ajahs and of none." The Ajah she was raised from is significant however, since that Ajah enjoys the prestige of having a sister of their Ajah as Amyrlin, and key roles such as Keeper of the Chronicles and Mistress of Novices are commonly given to women from the Amyrlin's former Ajah.

Red Ajah

Main article: Red Ajah

Focuses on castigating the wrong and dangerous use of the One Power which mostly consists in capturing male channelers and bringing them to the Tower for gentling. Also it means, especially in the past, to search and eradicate any group of female channelers who gathered outside the White Tower law. They are the largest Ajah with approximately 200 sisters, comprising one-fifth of all Aes Sedai. The leader's title is Highest and at the time of the Last Battle it was Tsutama Rath. Red sisters bond no Warders.

Green Ajah

Main article: Green Ajah

Also called the 'Battle Ajah', Greens stand ready for the Last Battle. They are the second largest Ajah, and the leader's title is Captain-General. The current holder of the title is Adelorna Bastine. Green sisters bond as many Warders as they wish, though a Green with only one Warder is typically married to him.

Gray Ajah

Main article: Gray Ajah

Focuses on diplomacy and mediation in politics. They are the third largest Ajah, and the leader's title is Head Clerk. Serancha Colvine is the current holder of the title.

Brown Ajah

Main article: Brown Ajah

Focuses on gathering and preserving knowledge. They are the fourth largest Ajah, and are governed by a ruling council, the head of which is called First Chair. Jesse Bilal is the current First Chair. The librarians of the Tower Library are mostly Brown sisters.

Yellow Ajah

Main article: Yellow Ajah

Focuses on Healing. They are the fifth largest Ajah, and the leader's title is First Weaver. Suana Dragand is the current First Weaver. Accepted with a great Talent for Healing generally join the Yellow upon raising.

Blue Ajah

Main article: Blue Ajah

Focuses on causes of righteousness and justice. They are the sixth largest Ajah, and the leader's title is First Selector, which, at the moment, is Lelaine Akashi. They have the largest eyes-and-ears network.

White Ajah

Main article: White Ajah

Focuses on logic and philosophy. They are the smallest Ajah, and the leader's title is First Reasoner. The current First Reasoner is Ferane Neheran. White sisters rarely bond Warders, and apparently they have no eyes-and-ears network.

Black Ajah

Main article: Black Ajah

The existence of an eighth Ajah, the "Black Ajah", whose members are Darkfriends has been vehemently denied and remained unconfirmed until recently. Black sisters keep their allegiance a secret and belong to one of the seven main Ajahs as well. The Black Ajah is ruled by the Great Council and it is unknown whether the head of this council has an official title. Until the Last Battle, the head of the Supreme Council was Alviarin Freidhen.

The sizes of the Ajahs have remained in roughly the same proportions since their formation, with rarely a shift of more than one place in the ranking. But the cleansing of saidin means that the Red Ajah's current purpose is now no longer valid, so it remains to be seen what effect this will have on the Ajahs and the Tower itself.

Ajah loyalties

The seven Ajahs are not all on good terms with each other. Mesaana notes that the machinations of the current Ajahs at times almost matched that of the Age of Legends ajah, and indeed, inter-Ajah politics play a huge part in Tower life. Below is a general guide as to some Ajah loyalties.

• Blue and Green have a long-standing friendship, but recently it weakened due to Green Ajah beginning to side with the Red in the Hall shortly before the Schism (this was in large part due to Black Ajah manipulations). Moiraine and Siuan comment that before recent events, the Blue and Green had spoken with almost one voice in the Hall. At the beginning of the Schism, Min comments that the majority of Greens did not stay to support Elaida
• Blue has a slight animosity with Yellow due to past actions in Altara
• Gray and Yellow often support Red against Blue and Green. However, At the beginning of the Schism Min mentions that the Gray and Yellow split almost equally
• Regarding the Altara incident, Brown supports White over Blue, and Blue over Yellow, but in most cases this Ajah is neutral. At the beginning of the Schism, Min mentions that the Brown split almost equally
• Red has a long-standing and fierce animosity with Blue
• Red has a long-standing animosity with White, but not as fierce as against Blue
• White has a very slight animosity with Blue due to past actions in Altara, but usually supports Blue over Red. At the beginning of the Schism, Min mentions that the White split almost equally
• Green and Red usually do not agree to each others' behaviour

Changing Ajah

Upon joining an Ajah, there were thought to be only three ways to leave it: death, stilling, or being raised to the Amyrlin Seat. With Nynaeve al'Meara's discovery of how to Heal stilling and gentling, and the subsequent changing of Ajahs by Leane Sharif from Blue to Green, an important question has been posed. Should an Aes Sedai who has been Healed of stilling be allowed to join a different Ajah than the one she was raised to? And where do you draw the line after you allow this? Leane was allowed to join the Green, as the Salidar Aes Sedai determined that her Stilling had effectively ended her membership in the Blue. It was not mentioned how she handled her knowledge of Blue secrets after she joined the Green.

List of current sisters of unknown Ajah

Throughout the series, many Aes Sedai have been mentioned without any confirmation of which Ajah they belong to. The sisters living though the first few centuries after the Breaking may not have belonged to any Ajah as we know them today, and as for the sole recorded Seanchan sister, it is never made clear whether anything resembling the White Tower's Ajahs evolved on the continent. Following is a list of all current Aes Sedai whose Ajah is unknown.

See also Category:Unknown Ajah

Arebis (loyalist, so not Blue Ajah; with a Warder, so not Red Ajah) Birlen Pena (loyalist, so not not Blue Ajah, also Black Ajah) Carenna (rebel, so not Red Ajah) Cavandra (former ambassadress to the Queen of Altara; possibly Gray Ajah; loyalist, so not Blue Ajah) Elswell Illeisien (unaligned, so not Red nor Blue Ajah) Maralenda (rebel, so not Red Ajah) Melvara (also Black Ajah) Mestra (also Black Ajah)

Nianh (possibly Grey Ajah; possibly not Blue) Notori (also Black Ajah) Piava (she has a Warder, so she is not Red Ajah) Raemassa Ramola (also Black Ajah) Serinia Shemaen Zanica (she has a Warder, so she was not Red Ajah; she was loyalist, so not a Blue Ajah; also Black Ajah)

List of former or past sisters of unknown Ajah

1. Anghara, an ancient Amyrlin Seat humiliated by a powerful Queen
2. Azille Narof, was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power and after she was one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
3. Ballair, she was the first advisor to the first Queen of Andor
4. Barashelle, a sister heroine during the Trolloc Wars
5. Biranca Hasad, was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power
6. Catlynde Artein, was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power
7. Corianin Nedeal, the last known Dreamer among Aes Sedai
8. Deain, Aes Sedai in Seanchan continent, she created the first a'dam
9. Dumera Alman was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power and after she was one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
10. Eldrene ay Ellan ay Carlan, famous last Queen of Manetheren
11. Elisane Tishar, the first Amyrlin Seat, founder of the Withe Tower
12. Isebaille Tobanyi, a historical sister mentioned by Faile
13. Jestian Redhill, a historical sister mentioned by Faile
14. Karella Fanway, one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
15. Kiam Lopiang, one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
16. Lideine Rajan, one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah" and opposed the project to found the White Tower, later she was stilled
17. Mailaine Harvole, one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah" and opposed the project to found the White Tower, later she ceased her resistance and led her followers to kneel
18. Mitsora Caal, one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
19. Mashera Donavelle, a historical sister mentioned by Faile
20. Nemaira Eldros, was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power
21. Renala Merlon an historical sister which situation was similar to that of Egwene
22. Salindi Casolan was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power and after she was one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
23. Saraline Amerano was one of more than twelve women who sat for her "ajah", in discussion of building a new city as a center of Aes Sedai power and after she was one of seven women who closely advised the first Amyrlin Seat, Elisane Tishar, probably she also was the founder of one of the seven Ajah
24. Turanine Merdagon, a dead sister which ghost appeared to Beonin