Intro to Saidar Lesson 4 (Atten all who signed up)

[claireducky]

OOC: Sorry about this, guys!  I completely forgot about this class and you guys should have kicked me in the butt sooner!

 

 

Lesson 4: Air and Water

 

Claire started the day ready to teach. She had been very happy at how far her class was progressing and she knew that the group had a good grasp on the importance of caution and control. She placed the things she had brought with her on her desk and sat to wait for the Novices to arrive. As she waited she reflected on how much they needed every Novice and Accepted to succeed. The time was fast approaching when Aes Sedai of all Ajahs would need to fight and the more they had the better.  Claire was brought out of her reverie by footsteps at the door.  It was the Novices, as expected.  Once they were seated, Claire launched into today’s lesson.

 

"Hello class, today will most likely be one of the hardest days for you since you have been at the Tower. At the end of this lesson you will be so tired that you will not want to lift a finger to do anything.”  The Novices all had a properly concerned look upon hearing that remark. “But do not worry,” Claire continued, “I have asked that you be excused from all chores today so that you can rest. This will not happen again so take advantage of it.” Claire smiled and began to lecture.

 

“First of all, are you having any problems with the topics we have covered so far?”  The Novices each shook their heads no, but Claire wanted to be sure.  “If so, I will work with you until you get it or until I get tired of you.” She tipped a wink at the Novices to let them know she was joking. “If you ARE having any problems, please let me know after the lesson so I can know where we have weak spots to work on.”  The girls nodded at Claire, and so she moved on. “First we are going to do a small exercise. In our second lesson when you learned to touch the Source, I knew the second you held it.  Now you also will learn how to tell if another woman is touching Saidar.” Claire smiled at the Novices, who were trying very hard to keep the eager look off of their faces. They have a thirst for knowledge, so they do…perhaps some of these will be Browns.

 

“Every female channeller can see when a woman is using the Source, because a glow springs up all around them the second they hold it. I want you to try to see this glow, I will walk around the room holding Saidar. You are allowed to embrace the Source, as it makes it easier to see the glow in the beginning, but try to see it also when you are not holding Saidar.” Claire walked around the room while holding Saidar.  She watched as the girls squinted and followed her with her eyes.  Each of them in turn broke into big smiles after only a short while. Claire stopped walking and turned to the Novices. “Wonderful job!  You now can see when a woman is holding the source.”

 

Claire gave the class a short break, then continued the lesson. “Today you are also going to learn a few weaves that use Air and Water.  I expect you to be careful since you have not had any real experience at weaving.  Please watch carefully and go slow so that you can get the hang of it. And before we start with the weaves I want you to promise me NEVER to pick your weaves apart, but to let them dissipate on their own. Picking apart a weave is very dangerous and it can cause severe explosions or even getting burned out.”  They all looked sufficiently cowed by this, and mumbled assurances that they would never pick apart a weave.

 

She then turned to her desk and pulled out a handkerchief. She dipped it into the bowl she had placed on the desk earlier. She held the dripping wet cloth over the bowl and embraced Saidar. Weaving pure Water, she slowly drained the water in the handkerchief back into the bowl. (OOC: This Weave is called Dry, and requires Water score of 2) When she was done, she held it out for all to see. She saw a look of awe and puzzlement cross the Novices’ faces. “Now you watched that I used a pure weave of Water to drain this, right?” They nodded. “You can not only use Water to dry something, but also to gather water to you.” Claire took the glass she had placed on the desk and concentrated, weaving Water she gathered all the moisture from the air and guided it to the glass. (OOC: Create Water: Water score 2) The Novices watched all of this carefully, and Claire was satisfied they had seen the way of that weave.

 

“Next, we're going to move on to Air.  Devrion, would you please stand up?”  The Novice obliged, pushing back her chair to stand in front of Claire. Still embracing Saidar, she snared the girl in flows of Air, which snaked out and wrapped around her waist. She was slowly lifted up. Claire stopped lifting her with Air when her head got to close to the ceiling. The young woman looked like she would faint. Claire swayed her slowly back and forth in the air while speaking.

 

"Air can be pretty handy when you are trying to protect yourself." Claire then let the Novice down to the ground slowly in front of her chair. (Air Lift requires Air 2+)  She set the girl loose from the threads only to quickly wrap her up in another weave of Air. The young woman struggled against the bonds but was totally immobile. "As you can see, or feel….you cannot move at all." Claire then released Devrion from the weave, who quickly collapsed into the chair right behind her. (Arms of Air requires Air 2+) "Not only can Air be used to protect but it can be used to attack or damage as well," Claire added.  She tossed an apple into the air and then with a blunt flow of Air she smashed it and sent it flying across the room. (Air Club requires Air 1)

 

"Air and Water are the two elements that are also used in weather control. Should you develop the Talent of Cloud Dancing, those would most likely be your strongest elements. Regardless, you will learn some small amount of weather control, at a later time when you are capable of it. These are the two elements that women are usually more proficient in than men. Spirit is shared equally among the genders."

 

Close to exhausted from handling that much Air and Water, Claire sat down and faced the class. “Now, this is your time to practice these weaves while I can watch you.  Practice with the handkerchief and bowl for Dry, the glass for Create Water, and with this feather for the weaves I showed you using Air.  The supplies you need will be found on the large table at the rear of the classroom.”  After all of the students had practiced awhile and seemed to have the hang of all of the weaves, Claire dismissed them and headed to the library, thinking about weather and weather control.

 

OOC: For this lesson, please RP seeing the glow around me, my lecture and practicing with the objects I mentioned.  Does your character have a hard time with these things?  Or is it easier than she expected? 

 

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel trudged along the hallways, heading toward the classroom where Claire would be waiting for her and the other novices.  It had been a rough night, and she was still tired from the efforts of the previous day.  And the pot scrubbing.  Light how she hated scrubbing pots.  Upon reaching the room, she filed in with the other's who had just arrived and slumped into her seat.  Claire's first words brought a mixed reaction from Rochel.

 

"Hello class, today will most likely be one of the hardest days for you since you have been at the Tower. At the end of this lesson you will be so tired that you will not want to lift a finger to do anything.  But do not worry,” Claire continued, “I have asked that you be excused from all chores today so that you can rest. This will not happen again so take advantage of it.”

 

She did not look forward to exhaustion, but no chores sounded like a good deal.  Rochel tried to sit up and pay attention a little better.  It wouldn't do to get punished with chores for not paying heed to the Aes Sedai's words.

 

“First we are going to do a small exercise. In our second lesson when you learned to touch the Source, I knew the second you held it.  Now you also will learn how to tell if another woman is touching Saidar.  Every female channeller can see when a woman is using the Source, because a glow springs up all around them the second they hold it. I want you to try to see this glow, I will walk around the room holding Saidar. You are allowed to embrace the Source, as it makes it easier to see the glow in the beginning, but try to see it also when you are not holding Saidar.”

 

Rochel observed carefully as Claire walked around the room.  Try as she might, she didn't see anything.  She squinted, screwed up her face, tilted her head, blinked rapidly ... nothing seemed to work.  Finally, she embraced Saidar -at least that came on the first try this time!- and tried again.  Still nothing worked.  In frustration, Rochel glanced around the room at the other novices, to see if they were having any luck.  As her eyes fell on one of them, she suddenly saw a soft white glow surround her.  Rochel blinked in surprise, then turned back to Claire.  After a moment, she saw the same glow surrounding the Brown sister.  Releasing her own grip on the source, Rochel continued to stare at her instructor, but the glow vanished with Saidar.  Finally, after a few excrutiating minutes and a lot of squinting, she briefly saw the glow again and smiled.  She knew she'd beat it eventually.  The lesson continued soon after that.

 

“Today you are also going to learn a few weaves that use Air and Water.  I expect you to be careful since you have not had any real experience at weaving.  Please watch carefully and go slow so that you can get the hang of it. And before we start with the weaves I want you to promise me NEVER to pick your weaves apart, but to let them dissipate on their own. Picking apart a weave is very dangerous and it can cause severe explosions or even getting burned out.”

 

This time, Rochel leaned forward eagerly.  They were going to learn something useful!  Actual weaves!  She was a bit curious about picking weaves apart, but decided that it would have to wait until she was much more experienced.  When Claire began demonstrating the weaves, thoughts of picking them apart fled from Rochels mind quickly.

 

She watched curiously as they were shown how to drain water from an object, then how to create water from the air.  Rochel nodded to herself as she watched.  Both of those seemed useful, under the right circumstances.  The air weaves were much more entertaining.  Rochel watched with a surpressed grin as Devrion was lifted almost to the cieling with a large band of air around her middle.  That was most definitely useful.  A few moments later the same girl was immobilizied with an even larger band of air.  Also terribly useful.  The last weave came as a bit of a surprise, as Claire tossed an apple into the air and obliterated it by slamming it with an air weave.  Rochel pulled a small chunk of apple from her hair and logged that weave in her memory.  She could see that one having a great many practical purposes as well.

 

"Air and Water are the two elements that are also used in weather control. Should you develop the Talent of Cloud Dancing, those would most likely be your strongest elements. Regardless, you will learn some small amount of weather control, at a later time when you are capable of it. These are the two elements that women are usually more proficient in than men. Spirit is shared equally among the genders. 

 

"Now, this is your time to practice these weaves while I can watch you.  Practice with the handkerchief and bowl for Dry, the glass for Create Water, and with this feather for the weaves I showed you using Air.  The supplies you need will be found on the large table at the rear of the classroom.”

 

Eager to begin, Rochel quickly went over to the table and collected a cup, a bowl, a feather, and a handkerchief, then returned to her own seat.  She decided to begin with water as Claire had.  Placing the cup in front of her, Rochel embraced the Source and pulled on the water thread.  It quickly fell into her control and she began to weave with it.  She created a funnel of sorts, the bottom end hanging over the cup, while the larger, upper part spread into the air around it.  It was a little tiring holding the weave in place, but she was determined.  Soon enough, water began to drizzle into the cup, and after a short while the small cup was filled.  Rochel revized her opinion of that particular weave.  She had thought it would be useful while travelling, as she wouldn't have to carry water with her.  It was too tiring though.  It just wouldn't do to exhaust yourself trying to get a drink.  Maybe it would come easier to her in the future?

 

Moving on to the next weave, Rochel poured the cup of water into her bowl, and dropped the handkerchief into the water.  Holding it up with her finger, she once again wove water, this time wrapping it tightly around the sodden cloth.  Pulling the weave tighter and tighter, Rochel soon drained the water from it, leaving the handkerchief mostly dry, if a little wrinkled.  That one wasn't so hard as making water.

 

Setting bowl and cup aside, Rochel reached for the feather.  She stopped just before her fingers closed on it, then pulled her hand away with a smile.  Some things just came habitually.  Embracing Saidar again, Rochel pulled on the air thread, which came away quite easily.  She suspected that air might be her strongest element.  It had seemed so easy to manage yesterday, not like earth and fire which had seemed to resist her command.  Deftly wrapping the thread around the feather, Rochel easily lifted it into the air in front of her, making it dance around in front of her.  Releasing the weave, she let the feather float gently toward the desk.  At least it started to.  Quickly, Rochel tried the second air weave, and wrapped the flow of air around the falling feather.  It halted its descent a few inches from the table top, encased in the weave.  Rochel poked at it experimentally with her finger.  It was like poking at a stiff, invisible jelly.  It had some give to it, but her finger couldn't reach the feather inside.

 

For the next while, she cycled through the weaves, practicing first water, then air.  When Claire finally dismissed them, she was surprised how tired she was.  It didn't seem like filling a cup and lifting a feather should tire you out so much, but Rochel was exhausted.  She briefly considered skipping her evening meal and going straight to bed, but decided against it.  Stifling a yawn, she walked off toward the kitchens, eager to grab a quick meal and then go to sleep.  Sleep was a precious thing here, and she meant to catch up on some. 

[Jehaine]

Aeryn listened to everything Claire had to say, frowning a little here and there when she brought up several things, but waited until she was certain the Aes Sedai had stopped speaking before raising her hand to ask a question. All this time she had sat almost serenely in her chair, her legs crossed and hands folded in her lap, and even the way she raised her arm was so composed it was almost Aes Sedai-like.

 

- "Claire, if picking weaves apart is so dangerous, why would people do it in the first place?"

 

After the answer was given, she nodded, leaning forward to squint when Claire told them to try and detect the glow of saidar around her. She failed to see anything, and tried again with the enhanced perception saidar gave her. She still didn't see anything, or rather nothing she couldn't write off as being her own imagination. There was... something, but she was unable to tell if it was just an effect of the sunlight coming in through the window or actually saidar itself. She glanced to her side, and noticed a Novice with the same glow she believed to have seen around Claire as well.

 

Turning back to the Aes Sedai, she confirmed the glow to be the same, and leaned back in her seat with no small amount of satisfaction. Oh, she still needed to see the glow without using saidar as a crutch, but at least she knew what to look for. Forming the cloud between the flower and sun from one of the exercises, she slowly eased away from saidar, trying not to lose sight of the glow. It took several times backtracking, but eventually she managed to see the glow without forming the flower at all, telling her she passed that part of the class.

 

Then came the weaves, or what she could see of them anyway. Given that she was sitting on the front row, Claire would have little trouble noticing that forming the threads was not a problem, but how to form the threads into weaves was. After several attempts -- including one that actually ended up drawing more water into the handkerchief -- Claire showed her the weaves again, and this time Aeryn did get them right. Though a bit tired from the attempts, all the weaves came with little to no trouble for her, though the ones with Water were a little easier than the ones using Air. Her weaves were also much weaker than Claire's, she noted, hinting that there was another factor aside from being strong enough in the elements that determined the power of a weave. Her arm went up again.

 

- "Another question... What determines the strength of a weave? We can all form the weaves you've shown, but yours are considerably stronger. Is it just a matter of experience or are there more factors involved?"

 

 

Aeryn

Has two questions

[Far Dareis Mai]

Daraniea sat in her seat, waiting for the lesson to start. She was beginning to feel the wear of time at the White Tower. Supposedly this was going to stop soon, and Daraniea couldn't wait. Although it was also said the main reason why time stop mattering so much, is because she will be so busy with chores--made it a hard lump to swallow. Either way, she was beginning to realize that a year or several as a Novice was nearly unbearable to contemplate. All that time!

 

Claire Sedai started speaking and Daraniea felt a long suffering sigh pass through her lips. Hardest lesson yet? Great. The last thing she wanted was to be so weary she collapsed in the cauldron while scrubbing it out. What followed the Aes Sedai's warning hardly seemed believable though. While she knew it to be true, it was too good to be true! No more lessons or chores for the day? Blessed be Claire Sedai in the Light! It took nearly all of her self control not to giggle at her inside joke. Quickly on the heels of her joy however, was the realization that if the lesson was to be that hard, she should probably feel worried. Oddly enough, she still mostly just felt giddy at the thought of a day off.

 

As per the usual, the Aes Sedai started off the lesson with a warning, this time requiring a solemn vow never to pick apart a weave. Though Daraniea tried to deny it to herself, she felt a momentary desire to find out just why on her own...though she knew deep down she didn't have it in her to openly defy the Aes Sedai. Murmuring that she wouldn't do such a thing, she anxiously waited for the Aes Sedai to begin demonstrating the weaves.

 

Soaking up the information, Daraniea could hardly wait to try them out for herself. FINALLY, she was going to start weaving, going to start doing something productive. Something where she could feel, see, control, and experience the results for herself! Standing, she embraced Saidar with relatively little problems. It was becoming easier with each day that she practiced. Weaving Water, she did as the Aes Sedai did, taking the water from the handkerchief, and placing it back in the bowl. Upon inspection, she realized that she hadn't quite removed all the water the first time, and so went back through it again, this time making sure the cloth was in fact dry. Silently proud, she began the next part of her task. Standing in front of the glass, she began to collect the water from the air, and place it slowly into the glass. This she found to be much more difficult, mostly because she couldn't actually see the water in the Air, and so had to rely mostly on the feel of the thread she was using. Through some effort, she managed to collect about a swallow of water into the glass. Satisfied--or perhaps anxious to try everything at least once, she moved onto the Air weaves.

 

Walking over to the feather, she frowned. How hard can lifting a feather be? She wanted to lift the Aes Sedai to the ceiling! Glancing over to the Aes Sedai, and seeing the knowing smile on her face, Daraniea gave a good-natured smirk and focused on the...feather. If she had to lift a feather, then perhaps she could do something fun with it. Still full of the One Power, Daraniea weaved a respectable thread of Air, and lifted the feather into the air. For whatever reason, weaving the thread of Air seemed even easier than weaving Water. With a small flourish, Daraniea manipulated her thread so that the feather was twirling and weaving about the air, above the Novice's heads. With a smile, Daraniea strengthened her thread of Air, and gave the feather a good thwack! Unfortunately, feathers do not share the same mass as an apple, and the result was rather anticlimactic. Her turn finished, she gave the Aes Sedai a small curtsey and headed back to her seat. Over and over she watched as she and the other Novices took turns practicing the various weaves. By the end of the hour, a small sheen of sweat beaded on Daraniea's brow, and she could feel an ache between her shoulder blades. Truly, she was exhausted. When the Aes Sedai dismissed class, she trudged back to her room, and fell upon her bed, already asleep.

[claireducky]

During the course of the lesson, there were some inevitable questions that came up.  Aeryn seemed quite inquisitive today, and had two different questions.

 

"Claire, if picking weaves apart is so dangerous, why would people do it in the first place?"

 

Claire nodded, smiling.  "Excellent question!  There are several reasons one would try, I suppose, including boredom and not knowing better.  The most common one is because of residues.  When a female channeler weaves, the different threads and the pattern they make leave a residue behind after the weaving is completed.  If another female channeler with the Talent of reading these residues comes along not long after, they could determine that Saidar has been used in that area, and if the woman is particularly talented, they could reconstruct the weave that was used.  Now you might not believe that is much of a problem between Aes Sedai, but you must remember there are other people out there that you probably won't want to know where you've been and what you have been channeling.  There are channelers in the armies of the Dark One, ladies, men and women known as Dreadlords.  It is possible one of them might have this Talent. Hence why some would choose to pick apart a weave, which removes all traces of it and prevents reconstruction of it.  To me, the risks of blowing oneself up outweigh the supposed benefit of keeping somebody off your trail."

 

Later in the lesson, Aeryn had another question for Claire.

 

"Another question... What determines the strength of a weave? We can all form the weaves you've shown, but yours are considerably stronger. Is it just a matter of experience or are there more factors involved?"

 

 

Claire stood and considered a moment before answering.  "That is another good question, Aeryn.  Every woman is born with a certain...potential for strength.  Some women have a large potential than others, but that does not make them more valuable to the Tower, necessarily.  You will all have several jumps in your ability and capacity to hold larger amounts of the power, which will even off around the time you attain the shawl, or shortly before or after.  In addition, your SKILL with weaving will also increase at a more steady rate, enabling you to make more difficult weaves in addition to stronger ones.  Some of you will always have trouble with weaves heavy in a particular element, but that sometimes can be aided with long practice and use.  If a muscle is weak, you exercise it.  Right now, your channeling "muscles" are weak.  Over time as you exercise them, you will all become more deft and strong in your weavings.  I hope that answers your question."

 

 

OOC: I <3 you guys, but seriously, kick me when I forget about a thread!  Lesson 5/final coming up!