You need one more post - I will reply for you today (seriously need to catch up again! At least I finished my last assignment for the term this weekend!) - then one more post from you and you're good :)

Seconds what Elgee said.

I don't want to stifle your creativity or nip your idea in the bud, so by all means plot and plan and see if you can work out something reasonable. I did get your PM Boopsie, and was going to respond in the same way! I'm sure we can make it work. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. I'm more than happy to approve it if all the boxes are checked.

So, you really need to decide -

- Why are they leaving TV?

- Why/How does the Aes Sedai die?

- How on earth do two Accepted not only survive but manage to escape?

These are things you need to get right for me to approve it. It has to be believable and make sense. But you can do it! :)

*coughs loudly and obviously* Not a v. good friend in New Zealand? ;D

You big fat tart, Elgee! How can you go from snuggling me to calling someone else your favourite? *mutters*

Thanks Arani!

Wilemi's class - what class is it?

Hehehe I didn't know you two had met!

And I really hope that was X rated type snuggling... ;)

You may already know, each month the ajah heads and MoN do a report on activity within the members and hand it to Elgee, who in turn does a White Tower report that goes on the staff board. What I will be doing from this report (april RPs) onwards is asking you guys - novices and accepted - to help me out a little. :)

What I want from you is this -

Handle/Character Name/Month last rped as that character

Class(es) currently RPing (if any)

So, for example, I would post for my novice like this:

Lavinya/ Evaline Perry/ JANUARY

Intro to Saidar

I'm not going to slap anyone for not helping, but I'd appreciate it if you can help me out guys, it saves me trawling through a bunch of posts to find out for myself for each of you. Thanks bunches!

You woke me up for cakes and drinks? No snuggling? How disappointing!

I'm never far. We just had two long weekends in a row and I have two assignments due (boo!) but I'm here and as soon as hubby leaves me in peace again tomorrow (funny how his constant travelling has gone from being a pain in the butt to leaving me in peace...) I'll be catching up on posts and looking for fun! :D

The first touch of Corin's hands on her hips made Lavinya gasp softly. The contact was entirely unexpected, coming from behind as he had. Instantly her skin prickled, all too aware of him as a virile man, instead of a mild mentor. Those hands weren't warriors hands in her mind's eye, but the skilled and tender hands of a lover. Almost how she remembered, though more certain, more practised. As those hands slid to the flat plane of her belly Lavinya had to bite her lip to maintain her composure as heat suffused her frame. Most everything he said fell on deaf ears as Lavinya tumbled into her own private imaginings. There, the touch became far more intimate, and the blush on her cheeks became far more pronounced.

It was the light tap at her foot that awoke her from her sensuous daze, and none too soon. Light! Corin was trying to train her to fight, and here she was daydreaming about his lovemaking. Did he have any idea just how he was tormenting her? He stood so close, Lavinya could feel the warmth from his frame, feel the fan of his breath at her nape. It took a great amount of effort not to lean back into his embrace. How could he not hear the thud of her heart? Still he continued his lesson, and Lavinya tried to stay focused on his words, letting him adjust her posture with teasing hands. Thanks to the creator he was behind her, Lavinya thought, or he would need only take one glimpse at her face to know just how wayward her thoughts were being. Would he be pleased? Like as not he would be irritated, she thought. Perhaps even disgusted. No, not that, not after the way he had eyed her dress. Still, it was best she pretend she barely even noticed his hands on her betraying flesh. If it was anyone but Corin, she thought, it would be an easy task.

Oh Light...And just like that, Corin was much closer, his hard frame pressed lightly against her back, his arms around her. Ahh, her betraying heart! It was thumping a rapid tattoo in delighted response to his nearness. If it weren't for his guiding hands, Lavinya would have released the trembling bow for certain. "need to be strong but gentle..." She breathed a highly unladylike curse and closed her eyes against his unwitting assault on her senses. Goosebumps prickled her skin as his breath stirred the fine hairs at her ear. If he had any idea what he was doing...oh she would make him regret playing with her. Play with fire and you will get burned! And oh, how she was burning now. Corin had fallen silent, but Lavinya was late to realise, so focused was she on the synchronisation of their breathing. Ebb and flow, in and out, closer press and release. Sudden weight on the string by her hear snapped her back to reality, eyes flying open. Corin's reflexes were razor sharp and he took up the strain in an instant, but for a moment there he had lost his control. Hmmm...

There would be no further pondering that moment for now, as Corin hastily stepped away and Lavinya was forced to school her expression, and with the way her pulse still fluttered it was no easy task. He didn't look her way though, fortunately she thought, but that in itself made her think he had been aware of the crackling chemistry between them, if only for those few moments when reality had seeped through his lesson. At least she had a moment to cool her cheeks and relax her arms, for which she was grateful. Alternating arms, she held the bow in one hand and shook the other, releasing the tension which had built not only in her straining muscles but elsewhere, too.

"On my own?" Lavinya was afraid the horror showed on her face before she could hide it. How under the light was she supposed to remember what he had told her, when she had been busy with her lewd imaginings? Not that she had deliberately let her mind wander, but with his hands on her, even in the most innocent manner...well thinking straight went out the window. "Right." She lifted the bow, and desperately scanned her useless brain for any hint of information that may have managed to sink in through the fog. Ahh, but it was only his hands that came to mind, hands firm and sure as they directed her hips...wait! Smiling to herself in triumph, Lavinya shifted until she was aligned as Corin had guided, core firm and chest open. She could almost feel his fingertips on her neck again as she moved her head, his arms beneath hers as she drew the string by her cheek. Her breathing slowed, mirroring the memory of his chest moving against hers in steady rhythm. Not moving her posture - she was scared to mess it up - she flicked her gaze to Corin's, where he stood watching with a critical (and she sincerely hoped pleased) eye. "Like this?" A little breathless, still.

Lavinya Morganen

What Claire said, I had a quick message from Elgee - We'll be looking out for you guys :)

Sorry for anyone who doesn't understand the cricket lingo, but good news is it means we are welcoming our third novice to the ring and banded dress in two days!

Please help me congratulate Regalia (aka Boopsie) on passing her testing.

Any novices out there, I highly recommend aiming your pranks her way ;)

Red hour outside of the aiel is rare but not totally out there - Morgase comes to mind too, and I always imagined Elayne's hair as a strawberry blonde kind of colour :)

Please welcome our newest Accepted to the world of colour! (even if it is only on their banded hems)

Kasi (Taei) and Amadine have both passed their tests and are ready to step up the study.

*Applauds and pops a bottle of bubbly*

Congratulations! Consider yourself officially Accepted :D

There was no need to open the box to determine the contents, from Kathleen's story Pia deduced what lay in the box. But for the girl, she accepted the key and opened the small wooden box. Inside, cradled on a bed of soft cloth was a ring, one that matched the silver ring glinting on her left hand. A serpent, biting it's own tail. "Do you understand what this is?" Pia asked, lifting it out. Kathleen nodded, and Pia smiled at her.

"I can take care of this for you. Hold it in trust, you might say." She replaced the silver ring back into its box and locked it once more, then shifted it until it was square on the desk. "This ring is given to all novices who successfully complete their testing and are raised to Accepted, a symbol of binding to the tower. When your day comes, I will give it back to you myself, and it shall be yours." The girl seemed joyful at the prospect, which made Pia all the happier to be able to grant such a simple gift. She placed the key in her drawer, and stored the wooden box in a trunk.

Moving to a large cupboard against the wall, Pia withdrew several items of white clothing - a dress, two shifts, stockings, shoes, belt. These she passed to Kathleen. "Until that day, you will wear these, as a novice. It is your duty to keep them clean and well mended. They should fit you close enough, and you may see the mistress in the storeroom for another dress or two." Pia seated herself once more and faced Kathleen across the desk, and began to give her a run down on what was expected of the girl now that her name was in the giant book. Classes, chores, curfews, rules. There was a considerable amount to go through, and Pia hoped the girl listened and heeded well. "Now, before I hand you into the care of another initiate, do you have anything further you would like to ask?"

Pia Tovisen, MoN

Pia didn't register any more reaction than a slight raising of her brows at Regalia's question, but it did provoke some questions. "Visitors? You will scarce have time to mingle with the other novices, let alone entertain visitors. On freedays, perhaps, but otherwise you have no need to worry about anything interfering with your studies." Pia filed her questions away in her mind for future pondering and pulled a fresh piece of foolscap from a drawer to pen a swift note.

"Go collect your things, then give this to the first novice or Accepted you see - she will show you to your room and direct you to the right classroom. As the day is still young, and you have lived at the tower for some time already, I see no need for you to settle in. You shall start learning immediately." The Gray sister passed the folded paper to Regalia and motioned for her to rise. "Remember Regalia, you are no longer a scullery maid, but an initiate of the White Tower. Let your behaviour and tongue reflect that, yes?" Her mouth took on a slightly sardonic twist as she dismissed the girl. "And do work on your curtsey." With that the door clicked shut behind the tower's newest novice, and Pia set about investigating her. There was precious little she did not know about her girls, and what she didn't she learned quickly.

Pia Tovisen, MoN

All good, I've approved your raising. Sorry, I was LOA and only just got back. Now I'm playing catch up :)

Stamp! Congrats hun, consider yourself Accepted :D

Just stopping by from Hong Kong! I am still on loa until Sunday, but if it helps, Kathleen, I will work with what YOU want. If you want a novice so you can befriend them, no worries. If you want a snotty accepted, no worries. No preference, no worries! I'll surprise you. Elgee rocks at this stuff, so ask her all you like, and feel free to just send me a PM with what you'd like me to include in my post (ie the novice's name is Suni and has dark hair) and I'll happily fit it into my post for you :).

*Whizzes back off into the awesomeness that is Chinese food and cheap markets*

I'll be gone for a week! Leaving in a few hours for Hong Kong, I will be back on Sunday the 18th of April. I will have internet access at time while I'm away, and on my mobile, but I can't guarantee how much time I will have. If you have any urgent issues while I'm gone or are desperate for an RP reply, please contact Elgee and she will see that you get sorted out! And stay out of my office! I will know ;)

GRAY AJAH

1) RP's done by Ajah characters during March

Lavinya Morganen

Advanced Saidar Attn Nesyer

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,50454.0.html

Lavinya teached Nesyer Advanced Saidar

Where you go I cannot follow

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,52761.0.html

Corin begins to teach Lavinya in weapons

Cake? bun? Fruit? honey? (OPEN RP)

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,54992.0.html

Lavinya catches some novices up to mischief in the kitchens

Pia Tovisen, MoN

10 Separate arrival threads

Back to the Basics (attn: Pia Tovisen)

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,55250.0.html

Saline seeks some advice from the MoN on how to foster appropriate relationships with initiates

2) Handle and character name(s) of members and when last RPed as that character, split into Active and Inactive

Lavinya - Lavinya Morganen & Pia Tovisen, MoN - March

Inactive

Claireducky - Cetaile - Jul 09 (I think)

3) RP plans / ideas

Recruit recruit recruit. There is a current idea of a debate/discussion of sorts with the novices, hosted by the whites and adjudicated by a Gray.

I am also doing up a revised Gray Ajah class, to begin after I have a LOA in two weeks time.

4) Interaction with N&A (remember that recruitment idea we discussed in another thread)

Both of the above include novices. Also, I will start an OOC thread to see how the novices would like to interact with the Grays.

5) Problems, ideas, etc

Still the sitter issue, and the lack of active members. Really hoping to snag a new recruit or two from the new batch of novices.

Also, I will have a week long LOA in two weeks time - off to Hong Kong again! Will post it officially but wanted to give you notice so you can plan for someone to post for new novices if need be. Smiley

It's purely my opinion - I guess 'wrong' may not have been the best word. But honestly, how in touch are you going to stay with your IC members and the application of your rules if you never play in your own division? I'm not saying you need to be in a zillion threads a week, but surely you should have some vested interest in playing in your own div, yes? :) We all started out RPing, and yes we get crazy busy at times and the rp part falls away. If you have so much admin stuff going on that you can't even spend time roleplaying (which is what we're all here for), then you are overloaded and clearly need to spread some work around. That's all. Not saying anyone who neglects to rp for a month is evil and should be shot, but if a staff member could go 12 months without a single rp with any of their characters, that's when I think something needs to be re-evaluated. :)

I agree with you, Lor. I think it's fair for an ajah head to say when a certain character hasn't played. However, it's then simple for Elgee to see well yes, Saline has not RPed her white, but she has been playing her red a lot. It would become pretty obvious I think, when someone turns up inactive on all applicable lists. THEN we look at removing them from user lists, not just because one character hasn't been played. That way no different work for the ajah heads at all, and it's still consistent across the whole div.

For example, Claire hasn't rped her Gray since the middle of 09. I mark her as inactive, but she has still been active OOC in the Ajah and I'm pretty sure also with other characters. She shouldn't automatically be removed from the Gray usergroup just because of one character. Sometimes we have slumps. I imagine someone is more likely to find inspiration for their neglected character if they spy some interesting plotting on their private board.

Also Tay, many of our RPs are done in retro here at the WT, right? Even things that are a little more than day to day stuff. If a character hasn't been tied to a big even (like watchers for example, that was only about 6 Aes Sedai I think), there is nothing to say said character has been missing for ages - they're not tied to the main plot. They're like any other Aes Sedai when new people are raised - it doesn't change their personal story at all. My biggest gripe is actually with the return requirement to rp and explain your absence, I think lol. Since as I said, not really much to say happened in what could easily have been a few quiet IC months.

Re-approval of bios is generally 6 months for the whole PSW as far as I'm aware. A lot can change in RP terms in that time, so it's really rather necessary. Removal from usergroup after a year sounds fine.

I think this is true in some instances, but in others it's not. Look at the WT main plot line. When I left DM, almost two years ago now, we were RP watchers, and had begun on the release negotiations. When I came back, the plot line hadn't moved much further at all. As far as RP was concerned, it had only progressed a few months maybe? Whereas in RL it was a good 18 months. So looking at that situation (and I found personally), it was tough, not updating the bio, but doing a return RP that explained where my character had been. Because really, as far as IC stuff went, she hadn't been missing at all. I ended up making something up that actually removed her from the tower so the RP made sense.

Basically, I think 6 months is too short, way too short. It's gotta be close to that since I last rped my novice, only because I've been busier with other characters and haven't had a chance to play her. Having to have her reapproved seems totally ridiculous - I haven't been away from the boards so I know what rules/staff/policies have and haven't changed. She hasn't progressed, so there's nothing to add to the bio, but hypothetically, I would have to AGAIN submit the novice quiz and my bio, yes? Doesn't that seem a little pointless and redundant?

I understand what you are all saying about uniformity, and I think it's fair to say 12 months as a time frame. I don't think it should be per character though. Again, use me as an example. I play the MoN constantly, but through business and a lack of inspiration, I neglect my other gray for 12 months. It seems silly to have to approve her again, and to be removed from the user group (assuming it was a different ajah :P) even though I am still active and RPing in the division. I think the inactivity should apply if NONE of the characters have been RPed in 12 months. Then you take the more drastic action. And frankly, if staff aren't rping in their own division at all there is something seriously wrong.

And out of curiosity, what kind of crazy stuff did you find approved before that wouldn't be now? Surely that wouldn't have happened for anyone only 12 months ago (from today?). And I ask that as the WT bio checker for over two years :P. Was it original bio stuff or the rewritten stuff? ie the rps done that were added to the history?

That's a good thing! Honestly, I don't feel harassed, I just get excited to see you guys excited. So keep em coming! :)