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An
Essay written by
Shandryll, Novice of
the White Tower,
Aspiring Brown.
>
>The
following
information has been
gained through
gleaning the
Archives of
>the
Tower about what is
known as the Aiel
War and the events
that led to
>it.
>
>The
story begins when
the Aiel, nomads at
the time who were
making thier
>way
slowly along the
spine of the world
through what is now
known as
>Cairhien,
discovered that
there was still
generosity in this
world. The
>leader
of a pallisaded town
agreed to allow the
Aiel to take
whatever water
>they
wished, providing
the Aiel would dig
the wells to get it.
Though it
>may
have stemmed from
more the pure
generosity on the
part of the leader
of
>the town,
since the town would
gain long after the
Aiel had departed,
it
>still made
a large impact on
the Aiel and thier
thinking. For this
was the
>first
time the Aiel did
not have to fight
for what they
needed.
>
>It
was this act that,
hundreds of years
later, brought the
Aiel from the
>waste
bearing the gift of
Avendoraldera. A
sapling of one of
the surviving
>Chora
trees. This they
presented to the
descendants of that
long ago town,
>the
Cairhienin, who'd
shown them the
kindness so long
before. Also granted
>to
the Cairhienin
merchants, access
through Jangai pass
and the right to
>traverse
the Waste along what
was called the Silk
Path. This lasted
only
>from 566
NE until the Aiel
War of 976 NE.
>
>It
may be pure
speculation that the
cause of the Aiel
War can be layed at
>the
feet of Daes Dae'mar,
The Great Game. King
Laman Damodred cut
down the
>gift
the Aiel had given,
Avendoraldera, using
it's wood to make a
throne
>for
himself, one that
would be unique in
all the world. This
act later cost
>him
his life.
>
>Four
Clans of the Aiel
crossed the Spine of
the World, burning
the Capital
>city
of Cairhien as well
as many other cities
and towns. This
conflict
>extended
itself into Andor
and Tear before the
Aiel were defeated
at the
>Battle
of the Shining
Walls. However, some
speculate that the
Aiel
>themselves
were not defeated
because at that
time, King Laman lay
dead from
>that
battle and, having
finished executing
justice in thier own
way, they
>returned
home. {This is still
a subject of many
late night debates
amidst
>tea in
the library.} It is
also known, that
before the Aiel war,
the
>Damodred
Kings owned one of
the few Power made
heron-marked blades,
though
>if any
of them were
blademasters, it
remains to be seen.
Laman was wearing
>this
sword when he was
killed, and after
the battle, the
sword had
>disappeared
from his body. It's
wereabouts are still
unknown.
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