|
|
|
The Ten Nations
Although it took nearly two hundred years, nations again rose. The Shadowspawn that had survived the Breaking retreated to the Blight. It was obvious to all that some sort of unification was necessary to hold off the forces which were still loyal to the Shadow. Queen Mabriam of Amaraelle, who was also Aes Sedai, led the movement to form the Compact of the Ten Nations. The Ten Nations were Aelgar, Almoren, Aramaelle, Aridhol, Coremanda, Eharon, Essenia, Jaramide, Manetheren, and Safer. The Compact held for approximately eight hundred years, and hopes arose that the wonders of the Age of Legends could be rebuilt. Those hopes were shattered when Trolloc hordes flooded south out of the Blight. The reason for this is still unknown, but the Trolloc Wars lasted for nearly three hundred and fifty years. The Trolloc armies were led by Dreadlords, men and women who could channel. The Compact was successful in that each nation sent aid to threatened countries. However, it was weakened in that each nation kept a separate armed force. Some Aes Sedai were supporting the armies of the Compact, but they were under the direct command of the White Tower. The Trolloc armies they faced overwhelmed them with sheer numbers. Each nation was at the mercy of the others. Manetheren fought hard against the Shadow in aid of its allies, such that it became known as the sword that would not break. The Shadow sent concentrated forces against the Mountain Home of Manetheren. King Aemon led his men of Manetheren back to their homes, at a forced march to meet the threat of the Shadow. They held out against overwhelming armies of Trollocs for ten days, waiting for promised reinforcements that never came. Queen Eldrene’s heart broke when her husband died. Also an Aes Sedai, she drew on the One Power, she channeled balefire to destroy the Dreadlords, Myrddraal, and Darkfriends of the Shadow’s army. In doing this she drew more of the Power than she could handle, and destroyed herself and the city of Manetheren. Other nations, such as Aridhol, fell from within. Twisted by their own hatred and corruption, the people of this once-proud nation destroyed themselves. After almost three hundred years of fighting, the tide of war turned and the Trollocs were pushed back to the Blight. The one hundred years following the Trolloc Wars were filled with turmoil, as others of the Ten Nations fell apart, and newer, stronger nations grew to prominence.
|
