I need all of the Soldier classes, except for Basic Offence/defence. It'l be nice to see some more classes running! :)

Is anyone going to take the soldier classes, particularly Basic Elemental Manipulation and Basic Physical Training anytime soon? Just so I know... I'd like to finish up my soldier training soon.

(Sorry for the delay... German exchange is taking up more of my time than I expected!)

“I hope this will serve you as a reminder of what happens if you pull on Saidin too stronglyâ€, his instructor hissed. Forcing himself upright, Tomas regarded the angry look in his mentors’ eyes. The sight almost made him break his concentration, and fall to the ground again. Now that his body was exhausted after overchanneling, it was only willpower that kept him on his feet. That and the fact that his mentor had already used flows of Air to put him on his feet. Inside, Tomas cringed. He hated having to be helped. He felt sure he could have done it himself. Then he remembered the pain, still raging outside the void, and cursed his foolishness. The twenty laps would be well deserved. But however much he felt he deserved the punishment, white hot anger rippled along the edge of the void at the word “stupidityâ€. If there was a limit to how much one could draw, at least he now knew just what his limit was. He also noted that the tangle of threads had been largely ineffective. This almost made him laugh, it was ironic that he had achieved the exact opposite of what he had intended. His inner humour came to an abrupt end when an extra dozen Geds appeared in front of his eyes. He waited for some of the other Soldiers to finish before attempting anything himself. When his turn came, he stepped forward. Suddenly fireballs were flying around him, and he desperately blocked, mustering all the speed he had. A flow of Air and Fire snaked toward him. He had had ideas about making people explode, but he had no plans on becoming a living (or dead) grenade himself. As quickly as he could, he fashioned a wall of Air and Spirit around himself, trying to gain time so that he could think. He was a hair too slow, and the weave flew over his shoulder. He winced, but had no time for anything else. More fireballs. He gradually strengthened his weave, carefully avoiding using too much of the source. A lightning bolt struck just next to him, and he wove a roof on top of his little enclosure. Surely, now that he was enclosed, he was safe... It was at that point that the ground beneath his feet erupted, the shock throwing him to the ground. Laughing at his own negligence, he signalled defeat. Inside, he was cold, remembering the mistake he had made earlier. The more pain he received, the better.

"Now, you have learned how to kill an opponent who doesn´t move, who doesn´t strike back or is able to defend himself", Ged said, clapping sarcastically. "Well, even a child knows that an enemy moves. So, we´ll try just that. I want you to find something to attack me with and you´ll see how hard it can be to find your target. Don´t hold back and be creative."

As soon as he felt Ged sieze the source, Tomas siezed it himself. He had no idea what weaves he would try, as he still didn't really know what was possible with the power. He had often wondered exactly how Spirit could be used, as it had so many different applications. Starting, he turned his mind to the task. The others had already begun. Creative? Exelent. Weaving as quickly as he could, Tomas wove Air and Fire, slamming his fiery projectile as hard as he could into his instructor, not surprised to find it blocked easily. He tried again, weaving an elemental blade from Fire and Spirit, throwing it forward with all his strength. For some reason, he felt as though the Spirit used in the weave should have been used differently. For that reason, when he again found his weave blocked easily, he crafted a ... wall out of pure spirit. He had been tempted to craft something like a blade, but he felt that, as he had no idea what the consequences of the weave would be, he had better keep it simple. He was a little annoyed when Ged deflected it as easily as he had the earlier attacks. He would have liked to know what would happen if he wove a ...shield about a person with Spirit. He was also annoyed because he had put rather a lot of force into the moving wall of Spirit he had sent crashing toward Ged, and felt that such force should be treated with just a little respect. Damn! As soon as that little thought about respect had gotten out of the way, he hardened his mind. Ged was a Dedicated, probably had years more training with Saidin than Tomas, and had a perfect right to defend himself. He conditioned his mind. He was so tempted by the source, to draw it all. The life it gave him was so tempting. There was the taint, too, the madness, egging him on, making him want to take it all. Use it all. He gave in. If the instructor could defend himself, there wasn't really any limiting what he himself could try, was there? He Siezed Saidin, drawing as much of it as he could, not caring what flows he channeled, and hurled a frenzy of all five powers, mainly in spirit, at his instructor. The pain in his mind that swiftly followed made him cry out in pain, but there didn't seem to be any permanent damage. He was still holding Saidin. Unfortunately, he hadn't seen his instructor's reaction. On hindsight, he thought, a formless bar of the power with no real purpose probably wasn't that hard to block. He felt sure he would have noticed if he had caused anyone harm... Desperately trying to clear his mind, he waited for the lesson to continue, trying to ignore the pain that burnt in every fibre of his being. It was hard.

OOC: Feel free to reply to the outburst at the end. My character has 39 strength and he almost burnt himself out, just so you know how much he just tried to channel.

OOC: I've got no idea what to do when I get into the room, so i'll just leave off there... Isn't it supposed to be the Black Tower, not the Dark Tower?

IC: Tomas winced as Ged blinked in surprise, but felt a small twinge of relief as the man smiled and shook his head ruefully. The man was slow to reply, but Tomas was glad of the information. "You are in Andor. The Dark Tower isn´t ruled by any House and the only rules that you obey are: Obey those above you in rank without questioning and never, never, you hear me, never channel of your own account, never do anything you aren´t supposed to do yet. You will be taught here, they will help you to try and stand up against the taint on Saidin, but the main part, the main effort and discipline has to come from yourself. You´ll have to proof yourself worthy in more than just a physical way and you´ll soon see what I mean" No House? But didn't the Dragon Reborn command here? Surely, a man of such stature must have a house? At least he would learn to controll the Taint. That way he could at least learn a bit so that madness in the blight would be worth while...

Get cut off, as the heavy mahogany door swung silently open. "Well, here we go, just be truthful and show respect." Tomas felt a chill as he rose and entered the room. It couldn't be fear. Ruthlessly, he crushed the sensation, bringing cold, ruthless logic to his mind in an effort to hold off the final knowledge that he could channel. He hadn't really accepted it, but being in this place where nearly everybody could so obviously channel, about to enter a room that could quite possibly bring a final end to the only life he knew, he couldn't quite rid himself of the nagging doubt that he was as pure in his soul as he once was...Setting his mind, he stepped through the mahogany doors, prepared, at least in mind and soul, for whatever awaited him on the other side...

Tomas' head snapped around at a movement. A group of wooden training dummies were standing up, supported by what he must assume were flows of Air. "You know how to keep yourselves from suffering damage alright", Ged, the instructor, said. "But now the real business starts. The business of fighting. The business of killing. Show me how you would kill your enemy standing in your way. Those may just be mere puppets, yet I want you to imagine and to exercise what you would do to a real Trolloc attacking you. Train for the situation that will most inevitably come across your way one day and show me what you can do." His voice spoke of a certain reluctance to teach this, but Tomas grinned. How would going mad in the Blight be any good if he couldn't kill anything? Reaching out to the True Source, he wove Fire and into the dummy, which began to burn. Keeping the weave there, he snarled outside the void. this was taking far too long. Even a burning enemy could swing a sword. Using his arm as an aid to concentration he pointed at the dummy, clenched his fist, and crushed it in flows of Air strengthened with spirit. The dummy crumpled, being crushed smaller and smaller under the weave, untill the fire he had started earlier reduced the pile of kindling on the ground to a pile of ash. A savage smile burst onto his face as he looked at the pathetic pile of ash on the ground, and waited for the lesson to continue...

Letting himself be carried, rather than lead, was the one thing that Tomas would have really detested at any time but this. At least it meant he could keep his eyes open without having to worry about collapsing again. They appeared to be headed toward some sort of farm house. Why a farm house? Isn’t this supposed to be a Tower? For that matter, he couldn’t see any towers at all. Strange. Maybe the Black Tower was really a sham, or some sort of ploy in the Great Game. Then he remembered that hole in the air. Wherever he was, the people here could channel. Now they were travelling through the dark corridors of the farmhouse. Where were they going? Why? Surely things like this only happened in stories. Images remembered tumbled through his head. Huge glass columns. A glittering sword. A circle, half black, half white, forming the pupil of any eye he somehow knew to be his own... the fever pulled his mind down to the blackest depths of his soul.

He didn’t realize he’d closed his eyes until he was dumped on a bench outside a room. “I’m sorry for having dragged you off like that†the man who had, for reasons Tomas felt were probably rather more sinister than they appeared, “But it was necessary, trust me it was. My name’s Ged Maevere by the way and I can tell you I like this as little as you do but the Black Tower is the only possibility for you to have a chance against the taint.†Ged, if that really was his name, spoke quite quickly and was difficult to understand, but Tomas understood. “Well first things first. What’s your name and when did you first get into contact with the One Power? It...it can’t be that long past considering the state you’re currently in. I’ll see to you getting a bed and some rest after this, to be sure, but first we have to get that over and done with. But it won’t take long, no worriesâ€. All at once? “My name’s Tomas Deminshar. No House. I’m an orphan. I first came into contact with the One Power about... say, thirteen hours ago. What state am I in?†his eyes narrowed “I’ve heard of the Black Tower, but I haven’t seen any towers since I arrived. Who is in command here? What House rules here? Is this some ploy in the Great Game?†Thoughts tumbled through his head, shifting from subject to subject. “Curse the day my mother allowed my father that first flaming bloody kiss. What under the Light am I doing here? I should be on my way to the Blight to go mad and wreak havoc up there.†The shattered remains of his mind began to reassert themselves. “I’m sorry. If I have shown disrespect, I regret it. Could you please tell me what I’m doing here before I collapse again? It would be a great help.†Realizing he had lost the Void, he retook it, and waited.

OOC: Madness, you say? Excelent... *grins maliciously* fun, fun, fun...

OOC:Thanks for letting me join :D

IC:

Removing himself from the inn after his meal, Tomas couldn’t help but notice the angle of the sun. Snarling (again), he realised that he had a class running very soon. What was it again? Basic Offence/Defence. Beneath the hard shell he had built around his mind and emotion, Tomas Deminshar smiled. It would be good to get his chance to learn just how he could offset is certain future madness by killing as many shadow spawn as possible. Quickening his pace, he walked down to the Training Grounds, ready to begin his education into handling Saidin.

As he walked to the Training Grounds, he thought about how on earth he was going to make it through the class. He could take the Void and Saidin easily enough, but the only way that he could tell separate flows apart was by what he assumed they did. Fire burnt things, Air made invisible (usually) objects or barriers, Earth... well, it didn’t move mountains, but he got the general idea. Mostly he just did what seemed right, usually with Spirit predominating.

As he came to the Training Ground, he came to attention. He recognised the instructor as the Dedicated who had introduced him to the Tower upon his arrival. “Good morning to you all. Report your name and rank before you start to show me what you manage to do in terms of using the One Power as a means to attack and defend yourself as this is what you are here to learn.†Waiting until the instructor’s eyes focused on him, he spoke. “Tomas Deminshar. Soldier.†He waited, keeping his mind cold and clear. It was hard. Memories of his sickness after channelling for the first time were shouting to be heard inside his head. With difficulty, he shut them out. “I want you to listen closely and memorize every word that I say. Anyone who deems himself superior enough to show disrespect to my orders will have to explain himself in front of the M´Hael before receiving his rightful punishment by me.†Punishment? If it came to that, there would be a good reason. Tomas didn’t like other people punishing him for his mistakes. He preferred to punish himself. The instructor’s gaze hardened, but Tomas had been put down many times before. He looked the instructor in the eye, hardening his own gaze to match. He could retain his self respect and honour and still be respectful to the instructor. “Now that this is settled, I want you to show me what you know about wards. Just keep it simple. A simple ward of Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Spirit can sometimes be enough to block the most fervent foe.†Inside, Tomas winced. Wards? He supposed that meant something to keep people away. He inexpertly took the Void, weaving ... something, probably Air and Spirit, with a touch of Fire, into a barrier in front of him. He started with a weak ward, bringing it up as quickly as he could, although he wasn’t very quick. Seeing what he had done, he gradually put more and more energy into it, until it could probably, he estimated, stop a person. He looked around, and saw that the others had finished as well. It had taken a while though. Still, at least the sickness hadn’t returned. He still had nightmares about that. Mentally berating himself for that, he amused himself by imagining a solid bar of Fire , Air, and Spirit crashing down on him from above...

Great! As for Tomas, he hasn't yet worked out whether he's suicidal or homicidal. He's probably both :D .

Count me in. :D

OOC: Thanks! I saw the post for the Basic offence/defence class signup, but I was just too late. Maybe I'll find a class next month. :)

IC:

Light! What’s happening to me? It was bad enough that he was one of the few men who would break the world a second time, but did he have to collapse as well? I’ve just made a promise to myself never to show my weakness again, and here I am breaking it at the first opportunity. Snarling at his own weakness, Tomas heaved his body in a vain attempt to bring himself upright. Ok. I need to think. Pain coursed through his mind and soul, along with a hint of chaotic madness, lurking just out of sight, when he fumbled the Void, but took it in the end, forming as he had before that link to what he assumed must be Saidin, giving himself at least some energy. The oily surface of the Source surprised him, and made him almost throw up, but he held it. He opened his eyes, and took a stumble forwards. Noticing another man in a black coat with a strange pin on his collar, and an expression of –what, resignation?- , he struggled upright again, but he couldn’t hold it for long. He staggered forwards, but suddenly found his weight supported by the black coated man. Hating himself for it, he was grateful for the help. But he couldn’t accept. He had brought this, whatever it was, on himself. The other man must have noticed his perpetual snarl. “Forget it.†The man’s voice was cold, but not so cold to be unwelcome. “Just come with me and I’ll see to you getting the help that you need. Trust me.†Trust him? He’d been trusting people for his whole life, and what did he get out of it? No parents, a lifetime of pain and cruelty, and the clothes on his back. At least he was still alive. He could still feel the oily taint-like surface of Saidin, and he remembered the touch of madness that had come earlier. If there’s one thing I promise now, he thought, I’ll not give in without a fight. And if I do give in, I’ll just take myself to the Blight, and wreak my destruction there. But he could not help feeling just a little bit of fear at the thought of his own madness. He hardened his mind. Whether he was to go mad or not, the wheel wove as the wheel willed, not as he wished it to. Could he allow himself fear? If fear was a human emotion, he wasn’t sure how human he wanted to be. Resigned to the fact that at least for now, he couldn't stand alone, he allowed the black coated man to lead him away.

OOC: At this stage Tomas doesn't know what a Dedicated is, so he just sees "a man in a black coat with a strange pin on his collar"

Seizing the Void, Tomas gradually sat up. He began to feel stronger. After a few minutes, he got up, got dressed and gathered his belongings. There wasn’t much (he was an orphan after all), and quickly, he found himself stepping through what seemed like a hole in the air, and into a roped off area with buildings all around, followed closely by the black coated Asha’man he had met earlier. Light! How far away from home am I? it’s not even the same time here! The Void shook under the shock. Desperately, he tried to hold it, but it was like trying to balance a ten ton boulder on his nose. It was hopeless. The pain that he had been trying to hold with the void crashed through when the void shattered, and he crumpled to the ground. The one thought he held to, was that no matter how much pain he was in, he would never cry again. He had lost too much of his life to that mistake already.

OOC: If you need to get some info on my character, just read my bio. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5456

Thanks for the link.

Exelent. I'm going to post an arrival if anyone's interested, but otherwise, I've got no more questions as yet. However, I haven't managed to track down that training times thread mentioned earlier...

Ok. Funny... I just emailed Dali about it, and he told me to post here...

Care to explain the class system, or give me a link to somewhere that does?

K. Just quickly, I'd like a mentor. Can anyone interested please either post here, or pm me. Thanks.

*Waves and smiles manically*

Hi! Just wanted to say hi and find out what classes are available for me to get my training for Dedicated done.