Orientation (Attn: Te'Oran)

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Roudal pushed the papers on his desk aside as he heard loud conversations mulling up outside of his office.  It was a common signal that a new batch of recruits had arrived to sign up for the Children of the Light.  As if on que, a few moments later, a group of young men entered his office.  Like usual, the group was a rag tag bunch, many of the men talking loudly and some playfully hitting a friend on the shoulder.

 

This kind of behavior irritated Roudal, and he cleared his throat loudly to silence them.  Almost immediately, the group quieted down and paid attention to the large man at the front of the room.  Roudal stroked his forked Kandori beard thoughtfully as he looked over the group of newcomers before addressing them.

 

"I assume you are here to join the Children of the Light.  Don't think you will leave today with a nice shiney sword and a clean white tabard with a sunburst.  You will first start as a recruit here doing basic training.  This time will important for you to decide if you belong here with us."

 

Some complained, once again, this was a normal reaction to his usual introductory speech.  He responded with the same no nonense response he always gave, "This is for us to decide if we want you in our ranks as well."

 

The recruits became silent at that, listening closely to his next instructions.  Apparantly the group decided that if they wanted to join, it wasn't a good idea to get on Roudal's bad side.  Taking the recruit book from his shelf, he set it on the desk, the loud bang making some recruits jump.

 

"First, you will need to sign your name into this book.  This is our recruit book, and we need to have a record that you came to join us today.  If you cannot, please tell me your name and I will write it down for you.  Don't be ashamed if you cannot read or write. We have several recruits that have learned how to do so.  If you remain at the Fortress, you will learn.  After signing, please report to the Quartermaster outside," Roudal pointed to another office outside of his window.  "He will fit you with armor and a plain white cloak.  You will earn the sunburst only after your annoiting.  After that, please report to the pavilion outside.  There we will begin your orientation to the Children of the Light."

 

Roudal pulled out a pen and handed it to the first recruit to sign the book.

[Te'Oran]

  Amahn was the first among the small group of recruits to step forward, clearing his throat rather noisily. He reached out taking the pen from the man whom he thought was rather gruff. Nodding he leaned down, signing his name in less than elegant hand. After his name was signed Amahn placed the pen back onto the desk, stepping backwards quickly. He looked to the men at either side of himself and shook his head in disgust, their previous laughter had irritated him to a great extent. Rubbing his rough hands together Amahn began to wander off in thought. Quickly jolting back to reality when he realized he had totally forgotten the second part of the groups instructions.

 

  With a start at his random forgetfulness Amahn turned on his heels awkwardly and stepped towards the door to make his way outside. He was to report to the Quarter Master. Hopefully this man would be slightly less gruff than the other, though he doubted it. Either way his goal would be the same at the end of the day as it was at the beginning and many other days before that, to destroy the Shadow. He hoped desperately to be among the Hand. They were the true defenders of the light as far as he was concerned. Actually getting things done, they could root out a darkfriend no matter the place. You could not hide from the Hand behind petty titles or wealth . . . 

 

  After making his way outside Amahn met the man that he thought must be the Quarter Master. He stood in front of the man at attention and awaited his turn to be fitted with armor and cloak. " Amahn Luthgar, Reporting! " Though Amahn was not showing it, he was ripe with excitement. This was the beginning of an entirely new life for him. No longer would he be known as a lowly farmers boy. He WOULD become a Child of the Light. 

Edited October 21, 2013 by Te'Oran

[WolfbrotherKronos]

The Quartermaster was kept busy as new recruits began pouring into his office.  After years of doing this job, he was getting used to sizing people up with his eyes.  He went quickly, making a few adjustments and reminding the new recruits to report to the pavilion for orientation.  Although he kept his emotions pretty stoic, he really enjoyed seeing the new recruits come in.  He kept passing out armor until a young man spoke up.

 

"Amahn Luthgar, Reporting!" the young man said.  The Quartermaster sized him up.  He was about 5'6" tall and maybe 190 pounds.  He had shoulder length brown hair held into braids with leather cords.  Although he was darker, he had the look of an Andoran about him.

 

"Well someone is certainly enthusiastic," the Quartermaster said with a smile, handing Amahn some armor and a cloak. "Please try that on and make sure everything fits alright.  If something is off, please let me know and we'll get that fixed.  If everything fits alright, please head to the pavilion to finish your orientation."

 

He watched as the young man put on the armor.  He seemed to know how to put it on, so the Quartermaster didn't have to give him much instruction.

 

"So," he replied, "how does everything fit?"

[Te'Oran]

  Amahn noticed the man he thought must be the Quarter Master sizing him up as soon as he spoke. He

instantly straightened his stance as best he could and awaited any further orders. "Well someone is enthusiastic," the man said as he handed a cloak and a set of armor over to Amahn. "Please try that on and make sure everything fits alright.  If something is off, please let me know and we'll get that fixed.  If everything fits alright, please head to the pavilion to finish your orientation."

 

  " Yes Sir, " Amahn replied to the Quarter Master. He took the armor and began strapping the various pieces

onto himself. It certainly fit well enough, not bad at least. With that he nodded double checking straps here

and there, making sure they were nice and tight. Finally he nodded to no one in particular and threw the white cloak over his shoulders. He let a smile slip across his face as he did so, this was the beginning of his quest to destroy the Shadow. Excitement was not so strong a word as to be able to describe his feelings in this moment. " So, " The Quarter Master asked, " How does everything fit? ", " It fits well enough, " Amahn replied, replacing his smile with a stern look.

 

  After he was completely finished securing both cloak and armor Amahn began making his way towards the pavilion. There was a certain spring in his step as he walked now. Sure he had not earned the golden sunburst on his cloak that he so desperately yearned for yet but that would come in time. For now he had other matters to attend to. He quickly arrived at the pavilion and stood at attention awaiting further orders from a superior. Other men started to crowd in around him as he stood there. He stood with his back stiff unlike the rest who stood around casually messing around with there mates in small clusters. It certainly would not be hard for Amahn to distinguish himself if these were all of the other recruits, most of them appeared to be nothing more than battle obsessed numb-skulls.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Te'Oran

[WolfbrotherKronos]

While waiting for the recruits to return, Roudal went to the kitchens to warn them of the arrival of a bunch of new recruits after grabbing his copy of The Way of Light.

 

The recruits were standing around the pavilion, and one grabbed Roudal's attention. A short Andoran with dusty brown hair held in braids with leather straps.  He stood almost at attention.  It looked like that one would be a fine member of the Children.

. 

 

Roudal cleared his voice and lightly stroked his forked beard. "Welcome, to the Fortress of Light. As new recruits for the Children, this period of training is to help you determine your future with us-- if you will have one at all, that is. You see, we don't just take anyone into our ranks. We must be sure that you are truly dedicated to spreading our message."

 

He reached out and rested his hand upon the copy of Mantelar's book, laying on the table before him. "Some of you may know a little of the history of the Children, how and why we formed, and what we do. But most of what you have heard is probably not true, or only part of the story. So, let me give you a basic introduction."

 

"The inception of the Children of the Light dates back to the Hundred Years War, in which all lands fought for control of what remained of Artur Hawkwing’s empire. During that time, roughly 1020 FY, there was an order of priests from Amadacia, known simply as The Light. The knowledge of much of the order’s workings has since faded into history, but some is known about them. They were all pacifists, believing in silent meditation and prayers to the Creator above all else. They did not allow outsiders to enter their cloister, known as the Dome of Truth, and what they needed, they provided from within their own walls, becoming a small community unto themselves."

 

"Lothair Mantelar, a vocal young member of the group, started preaching that the order of priests should become more active in the current troubles. He believed that by spreading the message of peace instead of shutting themselves off in the Dome of Truth, the priests could make a difference in the war. He believed that another Trolloc war would come, and the nations divided as they were would fall one by one unless something was done to unite them. The older priests condemned Mantelar for his liberal thinking and were irate that a youngling would put himself forward as more wise than those members who had served for many years. The eldest among the priests wanted a reckoning, and the High Priest of the Light himself ruled on Mantelar’s case, banishing the boy from the Dome of Truth."  Roudal gestured to the Dome sitting in the distance behind the Recruits, who turned to look before returning their attention to him.

 

He continued, "And so Mantelar left the Dome and Amadicia, but he was not alone. Many of the younger members of the parish, those known to be in agreement with Mantelar’s liberal views, followed the banished priest out into a war torn world. The group traveled northward, stoping often to preach to the crowds of war-ravaged cities and encampments of refugees, and teach the people about the value of peace. In some places Mantelar’s message was accepted, but for the most part the priests were chased from town to town, sometimes even being forced to flee from angry mobs intent on killing them. There was little peace for the weary travelers, and much bloodshed. Over half of the men that left with Mantelar died on the journey north, and those that lived were aged tremendously by the struggle."

 

"A year later, Mantelar and the remainder of his group arrived in Andor, where instead of being chased off, they were welcomed by the Monarch. Queen Ishara ruled Andor at that time, and was widely known for her desire for peace. She accepted the men in to her homeland, and allowed them to preach behind the safety of Andoran guards. The priests became known as the Children of the Light, as they were literally young men cast out from The Light. In time, the priests became a powerful entity. Led by Mantelar, the group preached all throughout Andor. At that time, Mantelar also began to write a book based on the virtues put forward by the priests of The Light, adding to it the beliefs he held." Roudal held up the copy of The Way of the Light, before continuing on with his story.

 

"Though the priests were safe in Andor, Lothair believed that his true calling was to preach around the world. For this reason, Lothair and a now expanded group of priests, proudly calling themselves the Children, left the relative safety of Andor, and traveled east. The group planned to march from Caemlyn to Tar Valon, stopping to preach peace at every small hamlet they entered. At all stops, Lothair would speak to the people that had inevitably gathered to hear him preach, he also added a small segment to his book at each stop. He developed a following unmatched by any one of his era, and the Children of the Light grew. Because of the expanded size of the Children, they could not go anywhere peacefully. The large numbers attracted bands of warriors as a midden drew flies, and the Children’s trek to Tar Valon was streaked with blood. At first the priests had refused to commit acts of violence, but as they traveled and lost more and more men, they became less reserved."

 

"Eventually, the Children did reach Tar Valon, and by then they were being followed by one of the largest armies to gather since the death of Hawkwing. The army of Cairhein was neither small, nor particularly pleased by Lothair’s passage through their land, and they followed the Children to the island of Tar Valon. At that time, because of the war, there was only one bridge remaining into the city and many Aes Sedai guarded it. The Aes Sedai refused Lothair entrance into the city, claiming that he was stirring up dissension in the world. As a result of this act, Lothair and most of the Children of the Light were killed as the Cairheinen assaulted them from behind and trapped them with their backs to the river. It is from this act, and many others over the course of history-- that we know the Aes Sedai to be Darkfriends, because who else would let innocent men preaching for the Light be slaughtered like animals?"  At this point, Roudal paused for effect, noting the reactions of the men in front of him. Some appeared surprised, others angry or dismayed. Many did not know of the deceptions of the women of Tar Valon.

 

After giving a moment for the message to sink in, Roudal continued, "Some Children managed to escape, one being Lothair’s servant Arslan, who carried with him a copy of Lothair’s book. Arslan and the remainder of the Children returned to Andor, where they once again received shelter. Arslan took Lothair’s book, The Way of the Light, and released it to the masses, bringing new interest to the Children of the Light. Over the following years the Children grew and expanded, culminating in an organization that was a full-fledged military unit by the year FY 1111.This time around, the Children were warriors first, peacemakers second. They retook the Dome of Truth, long abandoned by the failed priests of The Light, and built a mighty Fortress around it. That is the Fortress of Light which you see today."

 

"Above all, they hated Darkfriends and other servants of the Shadow. They also hated Aes Sedai, and preached against them, blaming the Aes Sedai for the death of their founder, and claiming that such an act against peaceful missionaries named them as Darkfriends. After all, was it not the Aes Sedai who also Broke the World? For a few decades more, the Children worked hand-in-hand with the nation of Andor, with designs on bringing peace to the rest of the world, but the alliance was not destined to be permanent. Betrayal by the Queen led to bad blood between the fledgling military group and the great nation-- a disconnect that still has not been resolved to this day."

 

Setting the book down again, Roudal concluded this part of his lecture. "All this time, the Children have remained true to the original message of Lothair, despite our methods changing since his time. We are dedicated to bringing Truth and Light to the world, by defeating the Shadow wherever we encounter it. Our goal is simple -- we know that some day, the Last Battle will come, and if humankind is to survive, the nations of the world must be united under the Light to face it."

 

He pointed at the recruits, his voice growing firm. "You, you recruits-- YOU are the ones who will be responsible for carrying out that mission in the years to come. If your heart does not accept the message, or you feel yourself to be too weak to carry out your duty-- go, now. If anyone desires to leave, you may do so at any time during your basic training with no fear of persecution. But once you have taken your Oaths, you are ours-- for life. Anyone who deserts their post after taking up the mantle of a Child is dealt with harshly-- the penalty for desertion is death."

 

Roudal surveyed the faces of the crowd of recruits, looking for any sign of weakness, although it was impossible to tell for sure who would break and who would stand true. "I will pause now for a few minutes while you think on what I have said. Any who wish to leave, turn your armor back in to the Quartermaster before you go. You can get a hot meal from the kitchens, but then you must leave the Fortress."

 

He sat down in the chair behind the table with a heaving sigh, slightly out of breath from his long monologue. He wondered if any would leave this time. Sometimes there were none, other times, half the class would leave. Only time would tell.

[Te'Oran]

  Amahn watched as the gruff-looking man from before came out onto the pavilion with a small, leather-bound book in his hands. He knew enough of the children to know what that book was, and with it came the long speech he was soon to endure. Presumably from the gruff man holding it. As the man began to speak, Amahn leaned forward, intently listening to what the fellow had to say. What a rich history the Children had, of course he knew it to an extent, but not all of this as was contained in that book. When the section concerning the Aes Sedai came about Amahn grimaced.

 

  Of course, many would think that being from Caemlyn where the queen had an Aes Sedai adviser, that he would be more lax on the subject. That, however, would be a mistake on their part. Amahn could not count the number of years his, as well as his neighbors, crops had failed leaving them nothing for the winter, and where had the good queens Tar Valon witch then? Well he knew for a fact that she should was not helping him or any of the other farmers who truly needed her. She was too busy pulling the strings on her puppet queen. Amahn suddenly noticed a burning anger working its way into him and with a start he pulled himself together. Nothing made him more angry than talks of vile darkfriends. With that thought he quickly averted his attention back to the man speaking and caught the tail end of his speech.

 

   "You, you recruits-- YOU are the ones who will be responsible for carrying out that mission in the years to come. If your heart does not accept the message, or you feel yourself to be too weak to carry out your duty-- go, now. If anyone desires to leave, you may do so at any time during your basic training with no fear of persecution. But once you have taken your Oaths, you are ours-- for life. Anyone who deserts their post after taking up the mantle of a Child is dealt with harshly-- the penalty for desertion is death."  The man said in a booming voice. Amahn saw a few of the cowardly men scamper off towards the Quarter Master and spit in their direction. He stepped up, placing a balled-up fist over his heart and took a knee. " In the name of the light I, Amahn Luthgar, will stay and help with the efforts to unite man kind against the Shadow. " He did not say it in an excitable tone but a stern one.

 

 Amahn already knew his future with the Children would be a great one. He would assist his comrades in conquering the shadow to his last breath. Starting with the darkfriends all over the world pulling their strings...

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Roudal waited patiently for a few minutes as the new recruits reflected on what he'd said and talked quietly among themselves. He was pleased when none left.  This might be a good group.

"It is good that you have decided to remain. Remember, at any point during your recruitment period, you may leave of your free will. But once you have taken our vows, you belong to us, heart and soul." He nodded for emphasis, hoping to drive the point home. Nothing was more tragic than when a new Child had to be hanged for desertion mere weeks after taking his vows.

"Now that we have spoken of the history of this great organization, I will now give you an introduction into our ranks and divisions. The Children of the Light are divided into three major areas, each with a different focus and aim. Depending on your skills, you can choose to join any of these divisions that suits you best. While you may be 'guided' towards one or another by your advisors, we believe in free will and will not force you into a job that you feel unsuited for."

"The three divisions of the Children are the Army of the Light, the Hand of the Light, and the Eyes of the Light." Roudal ticked the divisions off with his fingers as he spoke.

"Now, the most well known of these three is the Army of the Light. It is our main military force, and contains the largest amount of our members. It is likely that many of you will find your way into the Army of Light. The entire Army is mounted, so you will learn to ride if you cannot already do so. Like most armies, we have units of lancers, swordsmen, bowmen and crossbowmen. If you enter the Army, you will be trained in one of these weapons. There are also many other duties for those in the Army. If you are a blacksmith, a cook, or a builder, then the Army is for you. Your skills will be put to good use in supporting our fighting regiments. If you perform well, you will advance in the ranks, perhaps to become a Hundredman, or even a Lord Captain someday."

Roudal noted that some of the Recruits sat up taller and traded small smiles with their friends as he talked of the Army. It was naturally the way of things; most men liked the glory of being in a fighting force. He pointed to the Dome of Truth behind them, and the recruits turned to look as he began to speak again.

"The Dome of Truth is the home of the Hand of the Light. They are known derisively in the world as our 'Questioners', but you would be wise to not use that term here. They call themselves 'The Hand that digs out Truth', and that should give you some idea of what they do. Their role is one of law and order, crime and punishment-- bringing Light where ever there is Shadow. Whenever someone is accused of a crime, their interrogations and investigations inevitably lead to the truth of the matter. When there is a dispute between two parties, they are often asked to arbitrate the issue. They are the closest thing we have to the original order of priests of The Light, and they can sometimes be found teaching the unenlightened about the words of Lothair Mantelar. Many of the uneducated fear them, but those who understand know that you only have to fear the Hand of the Light if you have something to hide. If you have an inquiring mind, a desire to help restore order, or a wish to bring justice to wrongdoers, then the path of the Hand is for you. If you excel at your duties, you may rise to be an Arbiter or even an Inquisitor during your career."

The group seemed more hushed during this section of his lecture, and with good reason. Roudal knew the rumors about the 'Questioners' were often unsavory, and would likely put off all but the most dedicated from joining.  Roudal also noticed the Andoran perk up a bit at the mention of the Hand of the Light.

"Finally, our third division is also our most unheralded. The Eyes of the Light is, for lack of a better term, our spies. They serve as scouts for our Army, and as a conduit of vital operational information to us. Due to their nature, not much of their division is revealed to outsiders, even within the ranks of the Children. If you take this path, you will learn of stealth and secrecy, politics and intrigue, disguise and deception. Our agents are stationed in all countries, providing us with intelligence that the Council of the Anointed uses to determine missions and policy for the entire organization. You will find a wide range of Children in their Ranks, though they are unlikely to let you know they are a member of the Eyes. You cannot mark them by insignia or any other device, as they appear to be like any other Child, while their true nature is a closely guarded secret. A wide range of people are found in their ranks, from former nobles to former thieves. If you have a capacity for politics, woodscraft, or making friends of strangers easily, then the Eyes of the Light is for you. If you do your duty exceptionally, you may find yourself promoted to be a Ranger or even a Spy."

Roudal paused, gauging the sun in the sky. It was near supper time, and these Recruits would undoubtedly be hungry soon. He turned back to the group assembled before him. "I have only one part of my lecture left, on the leadership of the Children."

[Te'Oran]

  Amahn listened closely as the gruff man resumed speaking after a short while. He was now going to give a brief description of each division to help guide the new recruits in choosing their paths. He started by giving a description of the Army of the Light. Though Amahn undoubtedly respected the Army of the Light, it did not seem a desirable path to him. That unit was composed of fighters or other types of people that would be useful to have around during times of war, and he was not that kind of person. However, as he looked around Amahn did notice several of the other recruits perk up as the gruff man went on with his description of the army. He could not help but feel at least a bit of respect for those men, after all they were as necessary in the battle against the Shadow as any other unit.

 

  After a short moment the man jerked his thumb back towards the Dome of Truth and the recruits, who had before been grinning over at their friends, averted their attention back to the gruff man. Amahn perked up as the man began describing the hand of the light. ' The Hand that digs out Truth ' he called them. Amahn liked the sound of that, if there was any doubt before as to what unit he wanted to join now there was none. The Hand settled disputes, saw that justice was always brought, and settled disputes between various individuals. According to the man they were the closest remaining thing to the original priests of the Light.

 

  Last came the description of the Eyes of the Light. Or as the man called them the Children's spies. As Amahn assumed, they were a very secretive division, not much for his taste. All the same though they were a part of the Children and that made them brothers in the eyes of Amahn. It was a bit unsettling to him however that they would not even reveal themselves to other children, even if they thought it was necessary. 

  

   "I have only one part of my lecture left, on the leadership of the Children." the gruff man said. With that Amahn and the others once again looked at the man expectantly.

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Roudal continued his speech.

 

"Well, I only have one more thing to cover, and that is the leadership structure within the Children. If you are to make it through your training successfully, you will need to know who to defer to, and when."

 

"The Children are led by the Lord Captain Commander. He is the absolute leader of us all, and handles the day-to-day running of the Children. If you are ever called to his presence, remember that no swords are allowed while you are near him. One unfortunate Child was called to serve the Lord Captain Commander supper one evening, about a week after he had taken his vows. He forgot the rule against wearing a sword, and he spent a week under the careful questioning of the Hand of the Light before they determined that he had made a mistake and was not an assassin sent by the Tar Valon witches."

 

The recruits looked at each other nervously, no doubt imagining themselves in the same position if they put a foot wrong. Roudal stifled a smile-- my, but it was easy to put the fear into the new ones.

 

"The Hand of the Light is led by the High Inquisitor. He is responsible for all of the Children in the Hand, and is a step below the Lord Captain Commander himself. You would be wise to give him a wide berth, as he brooks no nonsense in the ranks. Under the High Inquisitor, the Inquisitors are the 3rd Tier of officers, the Arbiters are the 2nd Tier, and Seekers are the name for the newest Children to join the Hand."

 

"The Army of the Light is led by the Lords Captain, of which there are 13. Each Lord Captain commands around a Legion of soldiers for the Light. There are many intermediate ranks, but the main ones you should know are the Captains, which are the 3rd Tier of officers, the Hundredman, which are the 2nd Tier, and the basic soldiers in the Army are simply known as Child."

 

"The Eyes of the Light are commanded by the Spymaster. His identity is only known to the Lord Captain Commander, but the Spymaster controls the actions of the Eyes completely, through the use of intermediaries, coded notes and messages. Under the Spymaster, the Spies are the 3rd Tier of officers, Rangers comprise the 2nd Tier, and new Children of the Eyes are known as Scouts."

 

Roudal paused a moment, wiping his brow with a handkerchief before continuing.  "The Council of the Anointed is a group of our top leaders, who meet on occasion to decide policy or major issues for the Children. They are made of the Lord Captain Commander, the 13 Lords Captain, and the High Inquisitor."

 

"That concludes your orientation into the Children. I have arranged for supper to be served to you all in the Kitchens, over there," he said, pointing towards a low whitewashed building to their East.  "After your dinner, someone will assign you temporary sleeping quarters. If anyone has an questions on what I have covered, please feel free to ask me now; I will linger here for a few minutes before heading to supper myself. Otherwise, go in the Light."

[Te'Oran]

  Amahn listened closely to the end of the gruff mans speech at first but towards the end began nodding off. He soon snapped back into reality and realized the speech had been concluded and all of his comrades were heading towards the kitchens. He made his way in the same direction, his boots making deep imprints in the wet top-soil as he walked across it. Eventually he made his way into the kitchen, ducking in through the door way and gathering some food along with the other recruits. Amahn made a quick meal out of some roast, olives, and cheese and then requested that he be shown to his temporary sleeping quarters. 

 

  With a nod another child led the way. After a short while the child stopped outside of a random door and opened it, moving to the side so that Amahn may enter. He nodded as he stepped pass the man, a faint smile on his face, and then closed the door behind himself. Quickly he unstrapped his cloak and armor, and awkwardly pulled off his boots. He threw it all messily into a big pile by his bed. Amahn had not been laying down for more than a few minutes before he drifted off into a deep sleep. 

 

  Amahn awoke the next morning not remembering his dreams from the night before and rolled out of his bed. He strapped all of his armor back on and then threw the cloak over his shoulders. He then made his way towards the door, opening it and stepping out into the hall way.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Te'Oran