Andrea! Honestly it's been so long I don't even remember what or why. Baby brain never returns or I was an extreme drama queen, could be both! Great to see another familiar name :)

Lily! I'm sorely tempted, I never write anymore and reading my old threads has me all nostalgic with itchy fingers. 

Hi there. Last time I posted an RP was 8 years ago and something reminded me of the story arc recently and I found my way back and even replied. Long long time ago. I don't want to make hasty promises of return but I do miss writing and Lavinya is my favourite character whom I never gave closure. Not sure if anyone will remember me, but maybe I can be enticed back into activity again? Who knows! :)

It's only been 8 years but I just replied to an RP I'd left hanging on my Grey Lavinya. Ha. Anyone else actually alive around here?

Instinctively Lavinya knew better than to believe leniency would be forth-coming from her new task master, but the rebellious woman of old compelled her to push the boundaries all the same, to crack the façade of the surly guard, to penetrate his firmly erected barriers. He met her thunderous scowl with barbed words and the unsubtle reminder that in this, he called the shots. Did his hostility still simmer unabated beneath the surface? Was he counting down the hours for them to return to the tower and a parting of ways? Or was his temper at last cooling?

She watched as he sat across from her in one fluid movement, granting a brief respite despite his sharp words, raising questions anew. How much of his demeanour was sheer bravado? She hadn’t considered the possibility before, thinking only of him as a wounded, stubborn animal that would rather snarl and snap than be properly tended – but what if it was more than that? What if there was self-doubt, or fear?

Lavinya was pondering the puzzle before her when he asked his questions, bringing her back from a close study of the glitter of emerald in his eyes – so very like his daughters’, she thought with a twinge of melancholy for the child she missed – that she almost missed the genuine curiosity in his words. A simple tool for the tower, wondering at a puzzle? Progress indeed. Wisely keeping the thought to herself, her lips quirked and her eyes slid to her fingers twined in her lap, presently absent of the ring of her station.

“ When one of we…students,” she chose the word carefully following his lead in hiding their true identity from listening ears, “is first learning to use her skill, there is an exercise we are taught. A visualisation tool, I suppose, to help the mind bridge the gap between reason and reality.” She folded her legs neatly beneath her diaphanous skirts and straightened her spine, exhaling a slow, steady breath. As she had instructed countless novices before, so to she explained to Corin, eyes closing as she continued to quietly explain.

“Imagine a rosebud, tightly furled, hiding its secrets within a delicate prison of petals.” The rose, scarlet as fresh-spilled blood was conjured in her mind’s eye, the stem long and sturdy, with deceptive thorns ready to prick the unwary finger that sought to grasp to hard at the prize. “At the centre of the rose is that which we seek, the essence of life, or the warmth of the sun, the ultimate desire of your heart,” she paid little heed to her own words as she practiced the exercise, the image of the rose tickling memories she replayed often but tried valiantly to halt now. “Forcing the rosebud to open will only bruise and break the rose,” she warned, “so we must gently coax it into acquiescence, imaging the velvety petals slowly uncurling, opening and releasing its contents at last-“

Vivid as the day it occurred the memory flashed into the forefront of her mind rebelliously; another tender rosebud, vivid scarlet and perfectly formed, feather soft as it caressed and teased her face, her eyelids, her lips…even now, the same bloom carefully preserved and held safe in her private chambers. A scant year or so; still it felt ages had passed. She had endured such heartbreak and anguish as she could bear, was still haunted by their shadows. A mother now, older, wiser, and scarred. How is it she thought to heal the man before her when she was carrying such burdens herself? How lofty was her arrogance, how selfish her aims – oh yes, it was so very noble to care for a man who would sooner she left him and looked back no more. He did not thank her for her interference, nor would he, knowing her girlish dreams of forcing his heart to align with hers. A violent pang in her heart forced a humourless laugh to crack from her lips and her eyes opened, dropping again to her lap. She would give him everything, fool she was, and he wanted none of it. But could she let go? He did not even know he was a father, no doubt the knowledge would add to his loathing, was that why she delayed so long? She didn’t want to look to closely at her motives, was afraid of what she saw when she delved into herself. She was nothing more than what Linten had labelled her – arrogant, foolish, undeserving of aught but humiliation and depravation.

Aware of her charge’s penetrating gaze she cleared her throat. “That was, ahem, that was what I thought on and it seemed to help.” Light blind them both, she thought absently. Why could things not be different? If only he resented her less, if only she had not pushed him so long ago, if only she had not fled like a coward, if only, if only. “Different to your void, I think, but similar in purpose.”

Lavinya

I started this thread and then promptly was overtaken by life and didn't make it back, oops! Hello to the familiar faces! I'm not sure I have time to start writing any time soon but it's nice to poke my nose in again. It started rping here before my son was born, and he is turning 8 soon....how time flies.

And ohmyohmy it's THECHAD <3

I found my way over here for the first time in years and thought I'd at least stop in and say hi, look for any familiar faces. So, uh, hi!.

*tentative poke* Anyone around? Anyone maybe remember lil old me?

Remember me? Well, life has finally settled down some and my love of RP and WOT has led me back. I will be getting into writing again, but bear with me, I have a demanding promised to appease with posts first, then I'll gladly look to play with you all again.

What's new with me? Well, not much, except baby number three is on the way! Exciting stuff, I'm due in April next year.

So, to prevent further rambling, hi to you all, especially all you new members I've yet to meet! Great to see the Div still growing :)

Lavinya

(And yes...I need to change my sig )

'Ello Shan! I've been absent again but life is finally letting me get back to normal, and I'll be around again :)

Ahh Arani I'm sorry! I will have your last post up asap. I have an assignment due today, once it's done I'll get right on it for you.

Yes, Linten does prefer his prisoners to have some fire about them :P

Seriously, this man should be caged...or perhaps given to the right person at the White Tower to teach him some manners *evil grin*

You say that like it's a bad thing... ;)

*slinks out and stops hijacking your thread*

I didn't have time to add in some extra stuff Elgee and I already discussed - this was just her first email.

- There will definitely be a new MoN for old novices. Pia = Retro young novices, New MoN = Old novices main time line novices only. The new MoN will be played by Amadine when the time comes.

Gah blank...was there anything else? I can't find my reply to the email, Elgee.

I agree that this should only be available as a second or third character. I would want to see any other character raised first. So say they have a character they raised to accepted, I don't think the 'old' novice should be allowed to be raised to Aes Sedai until the first character has been raised. Maybe we could go so far as to say that you must have one Aes Sedai character before your 'old' novice can progress pass novicehood. Just a thought.

c) We can even put in something like they're looked down at by the "older" Aes Sedai due to their accelerated raising - something like being a Wilder puts you just a little bit lower in the hierarchy than your Strength in the OP should put you.

I totally agree with this. Your old fashioned 20+ years to get raised Aes Sedai will definitely look down their noses at these older women, even after they're raised. I can see them being treated much like Nynaeve and Faolain are in Salidar - not Accepted any more but not true Aes Sedai either. Of course I'm sure there will be the odd exception where certain characters aren't total bitches, but as a general rule they would sit at the lower end of the hierarchy, despite strength.

I think that's all I have to add for now hehe.

Ooh! It would be really really helpful if Visar could tell Corin that if the opportunity arises for him to be bonded by a super hot redhead who is the mother of his daughter he should leap at the opportunity with no hesitation, in fact he should start plotting a way to convince her to bond him. Something to that affect. ;D

Don't break a leg! :D

I've had this idea for opening the novice book to older women for some time. I wanted to run it past Owen and Taymist first, before working too much on it, just in case it was a flat no. They've given us the go ahead, though, so I'm sending you what I sent them - let me know what you think of the idea :)

In the Books, the novice book is opened to older women by the Salidar group. I'd like to do that at the PSW too, to keep it somewhat in sync with what happens in the Books (considering that we don't have the players for a formal split).

A rough outline of how this could work:

The Final Battle is approaching, various Aes Sedai are worried about the fact that there are simply not enough novices and Accepted who will reach the Shawl. A faction proposes that older women be allowed to join as novices. After much wrangling and debate (not necessarily all fully RPed out), the idea is accepted.

Aes Sedai are sent out to proclaim this, and search for women. (I think this would give RPers a nice opportunity to get out there and RP about something other than tea parties and their clothes :P)

I would suggest that most of these be non-sparkers, though the odd true Wilder would be interesting too.

As to how we would handle the novices: I would suggest a clear difference between the groups, ie:

1) "young" novices, who RP in Retro, and once raised can be any age (usually they pick to be 100 or older)

2) "older" novices, who would RP in current time, or maybe a year or so in Retro (I've not quite thought this through). The idea would be that by the time TG comes around, they'll have just been raised to Aes Sedai (we're a bit behind the time of the last books, right? a year or so?).

There are several ways to get them to Aes Sedai by the time TG rolls around. I would suggest a combination of the following:

a) This story would start a (very) few years back, so they would start their novice years slightly in Retro (but not as much as normal novices) - let's say they become Accepted in our current time line?

b) They will be "forced" (Aes Sedai panicking about the low numbers).

c) There's some mention in the Books of those older Salidar novices learning much faster than the more traditionally younger ones.

To help make the difference between "younger" and "older" novices clearer, they would:

a) have different IC MoNs (I propose an NSW MoN character for the "older" novices - both for the above reason, and to lighten the load on Lavi)

b) the 2 groups will not be allowed to RP together - they are NOT in the same time line.

In order for this not to become a stampede of people wanting to do JUST older novices, there would have to be a few negatives / drawbacks:

a) They're stuck with the age they started with (bar adding a few years) - ie they gain the Shawl in CURRENT time line (and that's the age they're stuck at), so if they were 40 when they started as novice, they'll be (let's say) 44 or so as Aes Sedai.

b) The character may not hold any IC position like MoN, Sitter, Ajah Head, etc - ever (except if we jump 100 years in time, at some stage ... lol).

c) We can even put in something like they're looked down at by the "older" Aes Sedai due to their accelerated raising - something like being a Wilder puts you just a little bit lower in the hierarchy than your Strength in the OP should put you.

"Younger" novices will have the "pro" of being able to RP themselves as "older" Aes Sedai, with all the bonuses attached to that, like becoming Sitters or Ajah Heads, etc.

I think this idea will lead to more RPs, and might even attract more members and/or characters. It opens up a whole new avenue for those who don't want to play the 15 year old, but rather someone with more of a history and who will have different struggles with being an initiate. Plus, as I said above, people with full Aes Sedai characters can use this opportunity to travel Randland searching for women who can learn to channel.

As I said, this is a rough draft - input would be most welcome.

I'm sure you've all noticed I sometimes struggle to keep up with the mountain of MoN RPs, but no longer! Please welcome Amadine to the staff team! She is going to assist me in RPing as Pia (yes, the Mistress of Novices is still going to be Pia) for all your MoNster needs. If you need the MoN for an RP, be sure that one of us is going to definitely be there to help you out.

All RP approvals for novices & accepted will still need to go through me, as will checking off requirements. However, any time I'm on Loa, Amadine has graciously (some may say crazily) offered her assistance - so if I'm not here, go bug her. ;)

Welcome Ama! I know you're going to be such a gigantic help! :D

The silly announcement board is not letting me post, so I'll post it here. I'm a little late to start the party, but party we will all the same! We have a brand new Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, tested and tried and proved worthy.

Please help me in congratulating Rochel Dion to the Red Ajah!

Sorry for your choice in Ajah, but no accounting for taste, eh Arath? Congrats all the same!

The encounter was rapidly worsening, Pia had to admit to herself. Not that she could have expected anything else, but the furious outburst from Kate was an irritation. A good woman? Cari Namere was a darkfriend and a murderer. Some issues?! The poor chit was clearly brainwashed. Pia maintained her Aes Sedai serenity if barely, her face giving away nothing of what she was thinking behind the calm facade. Preparing to strongly reiterate her words and send the girl from the room, something terrible happened. Pia looked on in dismay as her waste paper basket burst into flames. She didn't care about the basket, what she was disappointed with was the undeniable fact that Kate al'Ker was a wilder and had just that moment channelled saidar without assistance. The girl had to stay, however much Pia disliked the notion.

"Hush your ridiculous prattling!" Pia snapped harshly and for a wonder the girl did, as Pia hastily drew on saidar and wove water to douse the leaping flames before they could damage anything else in her pristine office. When at last the fire was out, Pia glared across the table at Kate, hating the position she had been put in. Not that it was really the girl's fault. Nor was the accident of her birth, she supposed. Pia heaved a heavy sigh and her features softened somewhat. "We both know that it was not I who lit that fire," she said gravely. "And it will serve you well to know that lying is not tolerated in the tower." Pia reluctantly reopened the heavy novice book and flipped to the appropriate page, finishing the entry she had begun with her own signature and the date, and a tiny postscript that simply said 'Cari Namere'.

"Given the fact that you are a wilder - you have begun channelling on your own - I have little option but to admit you to the tower for training lest you hurt someone in your foolishness. However," Pia raised a finger and pointed it sternly at Kate, "before I will consider you a novice you are to be examined by the sisters of the Yellow Ajah to ensure you are not....well not like your mother. I do not want a half mad wilder running about these halls, understood?" Pia waited for her very reluctant acceptance before hailing a passing Accepted and giving her stern orders to lead the girl to the Yellows and not to dawdle for even a moment. Light, what was she doing, allowing Cari Namere's child into the White Tower? She did not like this, not at all.

Pia Tovisen, MoN

Lesson Two is up!

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,59843.new.html#new

Keep your eye out for lesson 3, to follow soon...ish.

Pia sighed in deep contentment as she sat waiting for her class. She was outside in the gardens, enjoying the fresh breeze and warm sunlight on her face. It didn't take long for the girls to begin to show, having no doubt noticed the note pinned to the classroom door. Most of them looked flushed, she noticed with some amusement, as though they had been running late only to discover the class had moved all the way outside. No doubt there had been some discreet running from these Accepted. As each girl arrived Pia greeted them warmly and had them sit on one of the several marble benches that ran alongside a serene pond. When the last straggler had panted her way over to the group, Pia began to speak.

"No doubt you are wondering why I have brought you all out here for today's lesson. Let's just say that things are likely to get a trifle messy today, and I have no desire to set you all to cleaning - channelling will be exhausting enough, I think. Now," she smiled widely, “The first weave I’ll show you is a raincloud. First you’ll find the moisture in the air with threads of Water,” Pia stood and smoothed her already pristine skirts, then channelled to demonstrate. “And thicken it so it isn’t vapour any more, but pure water, and gather it with Air and Spirit. That’s how a cloud usually forms.” Pia motioned with her hands and pulled the threads together in a mound that hovered just above her outstretched palm as she continued speaking. “You’ll then use Fire to release the moisture in the form of rain.” Pia made sure all her pupils were watching attentively, then sank threads of Fire into the cloud and smiled as cold drops of rain spattered onto her hand. The cloud was about a foot in diameter and hovered over her palm. Pia used a hint of air to send the small cloud to rain on lightly over the feet of the nearest Accepted before letting the weave go. “You have to be careful with this weave, and not just because you’ll get soaked, but because forcing rain will affect the weather of this area for a long time. This weave should not be used on a large scale as results could be devastating to everyone. Affecting weather causes nasty side effects you have no control over when your weaving is through.” Pia paused and shrugged, “That’s why I made a tiny cloud of my own instead of causing one of those monsters overhead to rain. Practise this weave please. Keep your weaving small and remember to try to keep your clothes partly dry at least. We wont be returning inside for quite some time and it’s needless for you to catch a cold.” Pia waved at the girls to get moving then watched with a critical eye as each began her weaving, pausing to give guidance as needed.

”The next weave I’ll be teaching is creating fog. Watch closely! I weave Water and Air into the atmosphere around me, making it thin and spread out,” Pia channelled thin threads of Water and Air for a short distance around her, “and add a tiny amount of Fire to warm it, creating fog.” Pia did so neatly and delicately. Fire was not one of her strong points but she had spent many evenings as accepted and a full sister practising to at least increase her skill where her strength lacked. “The amount of fog can be easily altered, like this.” Pia drew in her threads of Fire until the edges of the fog cooled back to vapour, and contracted the fog around her. “I’d like you to practise this weave please. Again, remember to keep your weaves small and easily manageable.”

After some time in the misty fog, Pia moved the lesson along. “Next I’ll show you how to Weave the Winds.” Pia walked to a large maple tree and indicated that the girls should follow. “Watch carefully.” Pia embraced the Source and channelled a great deal of Air. The amount of Air was not that difficult to channel as Air was one of her strongest elements, like with most Aes Sedai, but the weave was intricately woven together with Water threads as well. Pia called a great gust of wind which swished leaves off the tree and made them dance round the group. “It takes strength in Air to make strong winds. You may not have that strength at the moment or perhaps will never have that strength. When you practise, don’t make it any stronger than I just did lest you hurt yourself.” Pia smiled at the Accepted and watched attentively from amidst swirling leaves as they practised Weaving the Winds, ready to step in at the first sign of trouble. “We’ll be moving onto more Air weaves now. The first one we’ll tackle is Bridge of Air.”

Pia strode back towards the pond. “This is where we’ll be practising. I’ll help dry out your dresses at the end of the lesson if you’re soaked.” Pia grinned at the wary looks that met her. "Did I not say today could get messy? This weave uses entirely Air.” As she spoke, Pia spun out several thick threads and began to lay them into a simple pattern. “Everyone does this weave differently. You have to find a way that comes the easiest to you.” Pia completed the weave and laid it into place across the pond. “Care to try?” When no one was brave enough to step forward, Pia stepped calmly on the glowing strands of saidar and walked across the Bridge to the other side of the pond. The edges of her long skirts glided on the face of the water as the bridge was built very low, but her shoes did not get a drop of water on them. Pia stepped off lightly and let the weave drop. “Your turn. Try bridging one corner of the pond or if you feel like risking it, make it all the way cross, but just remember you will all have to walk on your own Bridge to see if it holds.” Pia's eyes twinkled with amusement as she stepped aside to let the girls spread out around the pond. Pia remembered failing in the weave miserably when she had been Accepted. She had planned on proving to herself that she could do it. That she would do it. And ended up falling into the pond in the middle of winter and had to spend weeks in the infirmary to rid her of the fever. She shook her head at the memory. Some things you just had to learn the hard way, Sirayn Sedai had told her, refusing what she saw as unnecessary healing.

When Pia had witnessed each girl successfully cross the pond and had dried the dresses of those unfortunate enough to have slipped through, she gathered the girls to her once more to instruct the final weave for the day. “The final weave we’ll be covering today is Air Shield. This is a very flexible weave. For instance it can be used to block a punch,” Pia flung a small shield of air on top of Regalia's face and threw a punch at her. Her fist never hit Regalia, but the girl reacted by drawing back. No doubt the girl had a guilty conscience again and had fully expected Pia to connect. “It can be used to block an arrow, a fireball, a collapsing house if you’re strong enough- and so on. The weave is adaptable and can be done in many ways but this is the basic framework.” Pia wove a large shield such as she would have used against a mounted opponent and allowed the Accepteds to examine it. Pia showed its worth by giving it several firm kicks with one slippered foot. “Let’s see you all practise this.” Pia said "To make you really try, you will pair up and create a shield, which your partner will then try to punch you through. Be careful though, I do not want to see any bleeding noses or black eyes."

Having satisfied herself that all the girls could at least shield themselves minimally - and after healing the broken knuckle of a rather too enthusiastic girl - Pia dismissed the class. “That is all for today. Keep practising and I will see you again next week.”

Pia Tovisen, Mistress of Novices

It was hardly glowing praise, but Lavinya took satisfaction in the fact that Corin found precious little with which to criticise her. Thank the light for small mercies, she thought. She still hardly believed she had managed to take in any information while his hands had been upon her. At least he was sparing her from that now, using the impersonal touch of the arrow to direct her. It certainly made it easier to concentrate. Obediently she fetched an arrow, knocking it and taking her stance with slow care. It was wearing, drawing the arrow and holding it as Corin issued instructions. The muscles in her arms began to quiver in protest, and when she at last released the arrow, not only was it wide of its mark, but it slapped against her arm painfully. Hissing at the sting, she rubbed at her forearm, scowling at Corin's back.

He may have been turned from her, but Lavinya sensed the smugness in his voice, a further irritant to her already bruised pride. Resisting the urge to poke her tongue out in a very childish manner, Lavinya instead pulled on her shroud of Aes Sedai serenity. The trolloc-kissing mocker would not get to her in the slightest, she decided. Ignoring both her infuriating mentor and her smarting arm, Lavinya fetched another arrow, taking a moment to shake out her arms before knocking the arrow and drawing it by her cheek. When Corin had to again correct her on the spacing of her feet some of her Aes Sedai calm slipped under the influence of her irritation with herself, and the arrow again sailed too wide of her mark. "Don't say a word," she forestalled, lifting a hand and pretending she couldn't see the smile tugging at Corin's lips. If she didn't soon learn from her errors, Corin was going to think she was either a complete idiot, or not serious about her training. And then he would not help her.

Concentrate! Lavinya demanded of herself, snatching up a third arrow. Her wrist was tingling painfully after a second slap on her forearm, if a little less severe from the first. Corin's barely hidden smirk did nothing to help, but Lavinya forced her eyes away, focusing instead on the makeshift target before her. It was frustrating to think that she could cut down the wretched post in a heartbeat with a thread of finely honed air, but of course that defeated the purpose. And it highlighted her predicament - without saidar she was hopeless. In desperation she called on an old novice practice, using the image of a slowly opening rosebud to focus her mind as she adjusted her body in preparation to draw. Her eyes never left the post as she lifted the bow, fitting the arrow carefully and pulling it by her ear, frame locked and steady. Her heartbeat thumped in her ear but she heard only the sweet song of saidar as though behind a cloud as she loosed the arrow, blinking in disbelief for a moment or two as it quivered from it's resting place slightly off-centre in the wood.

"Aha!" Lavinya smiled in delight and lowered the bow, eyeing the arrow with triumph before turning her eyes to Corin. Thankfully he looked decidedly less smug than before. "I was aiming for the shucked pea," she said with a decidedly mischievous smirk. "Let me guess, a lucky shot?" Filled with new confidence, Lavinya sashayed down to the post and tugged the arrow free, before returning and taking aim again. Having found a good thing, Lavinya utilised the novice exercise again and loosed a tinkling laugh of joy when this arrow too found it's mark, and without even slapping her forearm. Several times more Corin made her repeat the action, pointing out her minor faults until her arms grew too tired and wobbled so wildly the arrow shot several feet wide, worse than her first attempt. Wearily she tossed aside the bow and dropped to the ground. "A break?" She asked, shaking out her tired arms.

Lavinya

Eep! *Races in* Sorry Ama had the PM written and forgot to actually hit send. Heh.

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,37272.0.html

That thread has the info you need. As for class content, just use a previous class as a guide because I don't think it's written up anywhere.

*tackles Visar and Kelitor* Just don't you two ever leave again, alright? Hehe. Seriously, great to have you back. Now hop to it! *cracks whip*