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Aiel Clan Chiefs
Unlike the governments to the west of the Dragonwall, the Aiel are not governed by a king or queen. Instead, the Aiel are governed jointly by the clan chiefs and the Wise Ones. The interplay between the two groups is delicate and complicated. The end result, though, is effective leadership. When a clan’s chief dies, a possible replacement is sent into the shrouded city of Rhuidean. There he enters the tall glass columns which fill the center of the city. These columns are actually a ter’angreal through which the man lives the history of the Aiel through the eyes of his ancestors. This is a difficult trial for these candidates - only one in three men survives the trip to Rhuidean. Those who survive the journey are marked by a dragon on their forearm. The clan chief is not a king by any means. They do not expect the members of their clan to bow to them or obey their every order. The chiefs are certainly viewed with respect and followed because their orders make sense, but the differences between an Aiel clan chief and a wetlander monarch are many. The chiefs own the only chairs in the Waste, though these chairs are certainly not thrones. Aiel are uncomfortable in chairs; instead, chiefs sit in their chairs for formal occasions such as making judgments or accepting the surrender of an enemy. The chiefs frequently complain that the Wise Ones meddle in their affairs. Of course, the Wise Ones often grumble that the chiefs interfere in women’s business. But the chiefs and Wise Ones together have proven to be competent leaders to help their people survive in the harsh environment of the Waste.
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