Of course Trom is sapient! He actually speaks to Galad on multiple occasions.

<>Interestingly the phrasing would suggest this is at least somewhat suspected IU, but... It's the Seachan we're talking about.IDK what that is supposed to imply. Since the Seanchan tend to be more on the ball about stuff than other cultures, are you suggesting they make systematic use of it, as they do with so many other oddities they encounter, even over the course of the series, from forkroot to Min?

Well, would a fireball or lightning bolt stop at the edge of the Guardian? If not, that would answer the balefire question.

It might actually work. They are the police, not the judges. And they police nations, not individuals. Their whole ideology is based on the concept of meeting obligations and being, if not good, at least reliable. That's what Aiel honor is all about - that a person is reliable and can be counted on absolutely to do what they say. Motivations don't come into it for them, living up to their own presentation is motivation entire.

Channeling is just a tool, like a gun. Skill with weaves no more translates into situational awareness, combat reactions or tactical ability than marksmanship. Even military training does not generally impart those qualities, little actually does, except for combat experience. In the AoL, few people had that. Also, gholam would have made excellent assassins of other people, besides channelers. In the AoL, where there were standing flows, and multiple devices that utilized the One Power, that immunity of the gholam would have been useful even if they never came near a channeler.