Jenn Aiel
From A Wheel of Time Wiki
The Jenn Aiel were a lost tribe among the Aiel. Uniquely among Aiel, they did not abandon the Way of the Leaf. Their story is told in chapters 25 and 26 of The Shadow Rising.
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[edit] History
[edit] Age of Legends and Breaking
The Jenn were descended from the Da’shain Aiel of the Age of Legends. During the Breaking of the World, at the command of Solinda Sedai, they were assigned to bring a cache of angreal, sa'angreal, and ter'angreal to the place that would one day become the site of Rhuidean.
[edit] The first split
The first split among the Da’shain Aiel occurred while the Aiel were travelling south towards the site of Rhuidean. Following a raid, some of them, led by Sulwin, decided to forsake the command of the Aes Sedai and instead seek out the Song of Growing. These people went on to become the Tuatha'an.
[edit] The second split
The Aiel who kept to the Way of the Leaf adopted the term ‘Jenn’ around the second split. This, too occurred after a raid.
After some Aiel children were kidnapped, a few young members donned dust shrouds and launched an impromptu rescue mission. They were able to save the kidnapped members, but one of them, Lewin, accidentally killed one of the raiders. Because of this, Lewin was not allowed to return to the Aiel wagon train.
However, Lewin insisted that he was still Aiel, and followed the Jenn’s wagons in order to provide protection. Over time, various other Jenn drifted over to follow Lewin, and their different attitudes eventually gave rise to the various warrior societies among modern Aiel.
[edit] Last Days
As time went on, the Aiel population swelled while that of the Jenn dwindled. The Jenn, protected by the Taardad clan, which was descended from Lewin himself, founded the city of Rhuidean with the help of Aes Sedai. The city was originally intended as a cache of One Power objects and a haven for Jenn and Aes Sedai; however, there were too few Jenn to make this viable, and so a new purpose was introduced.
A huge ter’angreal was constructed in the middle of Rhuidean, which would function as a test to select new clan chiefs and Wise Ones. This ter’angreal showed candidates the true history of the Aiel, in order that their leaders would know their true heritage.
[edit] Attitudes towards Jenn
Today, Aiel prefer not to speak of the Jenn. If they do, it is hushed tones and with reluctance. They are also referred to as the 'clan that is not'.
