Lillian gets out a pipe and props feet up. Cozy!

Wow! The forums have really changed. I do like the new layout. I stumbled upon the new forums by accident actually.

I like the post in my sister's keeper Phelix. Congrats :)

Just joined in with Rydia too to knock a req out and well mostly because it looked fun

speaking of reqs could one of the MoN help continue with Rydia's entry here? http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,55344.msg1579761.html#msg1579761

Cheers :)

It was warm, too warm.

The trapper's daughter woke from her night of dreamless and deep slumber with a sweaty shift. Her roommate Tilly had gone already, but left the window open to its full on the fine sun-filled morning. There she stood for a few minutes, breathing the warm, soft air charged with the scent of white lilies underneath. Then she changed into the white cotton dress of a novice, tucking her stockings into the band inside it so they would stay securely when she walked. Saying a quick prayer before she locked up the door and left. Breakfast with the group was a luxury in which she did not choose to partake. Rydia and Tilly had that in common, at least.

The classroom, too, was warm. Rydia was still in awe that the Tower could maintain this level of heat all year round, not just the summertime, as their teacher, an older girl named Amadine--marked to be an accepted by the white cotton dress with a colorful band on the outside lining the hem--introduced Rydia and her fellow novices to each other and then the nature of saidar. Rydia liked having an accepted teaching her. She definitely felt more at ease getting to know the novices and the accepted than that Pia Sedai whom Rydia had met the first day when she accidentally stumbled into Tilly's meeting with the Grey.

When Amadine mentioned getting into trouble by touching saidar without supervision, Rydia silently agreed it would be a very sorry novice silly enough to cross Pia Sedai, who might be capable of eating novices for breakfast for all Rydia knew.

But Amadine mentioned saidin, which was infinitely scarier than even Pia Sedai.

“The Light protect us and the Creator shelter us in his hand.” Rydia shivered and crossed herself quickly to dispel any unwanted attention, as though the mere mention of saidin would invite bad luck into the classroom. She had heard of saidin, of course, everybody who hailed from the small but superstitious village Rydia and her father inhabited had heard such terrible things people did with saidin.

After which the class was instructed to touch saidar.

Rydia found the exercise to be an affirming experience. Opening up to saidar felt like floating on warm water to her. Delightful. Perfect.

But then it stopped. Rydia bit her lip as they were dismissed, realising that this aes sedai training was not all fun and games. Not for the first time, she broke out in a cold sweat.

Congrats Rochel. :)

It would be too much to say that Lillian Tremina snorted. Women of her upbringing do not snort. Instead, she gave a sombre nod. The kind of nod that Artur Paendrag Tanreall might have given if somebody had asked him in 939 "ah, so you just came back from Tear?" (after all, the destruction of the second dragon was how the high king had gotten the name Hawkwing.)

She had known of Kasi's existence. After all, Saline was the first to inform Lillian who Kasi was in relation to Taei after Lillian set eyes on the girl and walked away from them both. But, just looking at Kasi, it hurts too much. Emotions she thought she had resolved threaten to trickle out like beer from a jug. There was still a fair bit of mud on Lillian's face, but not so much that it hid her wounded expression.

"Thank you for the food, Kasi. You may continue your training with your teacher now."

She had always been unremittingly kind to Saline, but if the woman would not do such a little thing for her, Lillian would kick Saline's head through her hat.

The Ying/Yang of Saidar/Saidin it is then  :D

Rightio. Back from the awesome trip now and ready to post whenever. Taei I owe you a post 8)

Me too. Final assessments, then I'll be gone from May 13th to June 21st to visit a v. good friend :)

Hmm. Is there a format for raising ajah heads or should we make up a ceremony? =)

I'm up for playing with you. Rydia Burgess is the name. :)

The patrol rode forward, watching the brilliant swordplay of the far-off lightning, white and purple, startling in the clarity of the night air. The going was slower than Saline would have liked. Their horses were fine, and the men were disciplined, fighting exhaustion with a calm and profession reservoir of will which Saline fully appreciated. They did not ask questions when she sensed the activities of another channeller, just as they did not talk much when the boy Si' had been placed in her path.

Cavil turned his mount toward Saline so swiftly that Saline's horse almost fell back a step--and then the both of them stumbled slightly as the rocks they had been making their way toward now decorated the new green several feet below.

"How did you know?" Saline said, between her teeth.

Cavil said, "our horses can handle themselves"

Saline looked through her magnified vision. The fade stared burningly up the vale, his hatred unveiled, a pinprick as bright as bood between where ordinary eyes should be. He parted his lips in the scariest smile Saline had ever seen before ruthlessly butchering the throat of a soldier.

"Let's make haste, then" she replied.

Saline flicked the thread of water at novice Enduran, since she was making eyes at another. As the novice stared at the growing wetness on her whites, Saline told her. “Pay attention, you. Water is all around us, in the air. Learning to pull threads of water from the air needs a certain knack, but with effort you can do it. Now everybody, I want you all to pair up and toss water on each other. No shrieking, please.”

When the novices worked on getting themselves some water, Saline said “sweet, now watch closely, because if you don’t succeed in this you’ll be going around in your wet clothes. I know you are all tired, but that’s no reason to remain wet. This is called dry. Though it is one of the easiest weaves, you will have to handle multiple threads of water to form a drain, and then tighten the weave until the water drains from your dresses.”

The aes sedai sat, thinking her more sober thoughts. Though she had done so many times before, such meditation was still a new thing to her, novel with the drawing of each breath, sweet in a melancholy sort of way, but still utterly without practical value: she could see no solution to the problem of Kasi without the one her heart offered--and that was simply too painful. There might have been some good in the situation, but the aes sedai did not see that; she saw only the predestination that had always been there. And finally, Lillian's more natural character reasserted itself and she smiled kindly at the woman bringing her an ale.

For all her nostalgia, she felt no self-pity: Lillian was not a woman to dwell on the past. The world had moved on, but her mind was still sharp, and the answers came closer.

"You did just right, Kallim. I certainly missed the talk of my family."

"You remember Bertie had a grandson?"

Her present run of thoughts rather amazed her. Each name called up others--Kallim, his current master, the old man Bertie Caltarra; and Bormwhim, at Kallim's side trying to absorb it all in quiet thoughtfulness. Lillian looked at the young man speculatively. "Yes, I think I do."

"If you take him," Kallim said in his prodding way, "I can finally rest these old bones."

Lillian smiled, "Perhaps in time, not for a while at least. His Lordship relies on you too much for that. Please, sit, and join me for a meal." Behind them she heard the dull thunk of the mallet as a scullion tapped a keg of beer.

OOC: After the meal Lillian will take us to the yard. :)

Before she had gotten a chance to punch Serg, they were to pair up in another exercise. Tris moved quickly toward Elynde, figuring if the other woman hadn't recognised her as that misbehaving lad in the tavern she was gold. But she was intercepted by their trainer.

Her eyes flicked to the other pairs, bustling with activity. She turned to look at what she had gotten into. There were just the two of them and the bags that hung at eye level.

"This is how I would have punched Serg" the girl said impatiently, "give him an uppercut. Look."

She pulled herself up and with her eye on the target, her fist managed to connect with the straw rather than the undersides of the ropey straps. It swung up and smacked her in the face. Unbelieveable as it sounded, her last two knuckles hurt even more than her face, though that stung too.

Tris flinched away from the bag with a small whining cry. It was a lot harder than she thought, punching straw.

Here! Sorry, saw your postings. Had a busy week. Just wanted to wave here ;D

Saline Wastrel

North (DR)>Blood on the Ground - Saldaea - Pitched Combat RP (Open)

Players (so far): Saline, Myyrth, Estean

Timeline: 1000NE (current)

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,54373.0.html

Borderland skirmish

East (DR)> The White Tower (DR)> Back to the Basics (attn: Pia Tovisen)

Players (so far): Saline

Timeline: 1000NE (current)

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

Saline and Pia's chat

East (DR)> White Tower Classroom (DR)> Lessons 1 & 2: Source (Open)

Players (so far): Saline, Salandrian, Maryam, Amadine, Ray-ray, Kyntiri, Yovela, Patience Tilly, Elody

Timeline: N/A Retro

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,55093.0.html

Saline and Salandrian are teaching novices

East (DR)> White Tower Classroom (DR)> Lesson 3: Control (Open)

Players (so far): Saline, Salandrian, Ray-ray, Amadine, Patience Tilly, Maryam

Timeline: N/A Retro

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,55801.0.html

Saline and Salandrian are teaching novices

East (DR)> White Tower Classroom (DR)> Lesson 4: Elements (Open)

Players (so far): Saline, Patience Tilly, Ray-ray, Amadine

Timeline: N/A Retro

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,55804.0.html

Saline and Salandrian are teaching novices

Lillian sedai, with a little S because she’s off duty, strolled into the inn and sat down. She did this without grace or elegance but with a great deal of sturdiness and intention. Her legs were sore; she wanted to sit down, and she did. She had her seat and she sat on it too.

She was here to meet the grandson of a distant relative, with whom she was barely acquainted but who had delighted her with a missive. And so she was here, which was a conflict in schedule. It’s hard to be one of the only active sisters of the White Ajah, and by active I don’t mean listed members because that would be too cheeky; I mean White Ajah sisters travelling around doing what she was doing, which was an awful lot.

Lillian had already sussed the room because she was a member of the White Ajah and very little escaped her; that, and the White Tower was filled with backstabbers and power-plays she didn’t much like, which was which was why she had been trying so hard to unite the tower into some form of cohesive machine rather than just a giant feminist phallus, disseminating ideas and objectives like water from a garden hose.

She took notice of the sick girl but discarded her needs because they were no longer urgent and she wasn’t a Yellow and everyone knows if you’re not a yellow you can’t heal. She also took note of the rather suspicious boy who she’d decided was there to meet her but refused to walk over because see paragraph A.

In related news, she marvelled at how many swordsman ‘unconsciously’ ‘let’ hands ‘fall’ to their ‘swords’.

Some day, somewhere, some one is going to lose a finger.

Yes, as Amadine says, lessons are on-going. Catch up and you're good. ;)

As for the rest who are already caught up, next update on lesson 4 is soon.

Also I will do putting up lesson 5 too. But one post in each thread up to 4 should be fine reqs-wise if your main concern is with getting raised. I would however, love it if we do continue the RP until the lessons 1-5 are all finished, simply for fun.

Edit: Although if the lessons are overwhelming/moving too far along I am open to teaching one-on-one. Just a thought.

If you're using Eqwina and Ful's bio gets reapproved. Young Ful was Isha's mentee and present at the Full House thread after the Watchers so he knows about Linten and Isha bonding Faile and Eqwina, respectively. Also, as a sidenote for WT RP, Saline knew of Isha wanting to die only she couldn't find it in herself to kill him (yes she was a red but she thinks there is a bettter way, plus she has her oaths . . .) so we could Rp about Isha and Corwin or something if you're up for it.

I'm bored too  ;D

When the others filed out in a rush of chatter, the accepted remained. Salandrian appeared to be softening toward the novices.

Smiling, Saline didn't waste any time, “I wanted to teach you a new weave. Observe.”

She embraced saidar and quickly wove all five elements, predominantly spirit but with a tinge of earth over the basket of roses. "It is called Keeping. Now these roses will not wilt or rot for a long time."

“Your assignment is to find out different ways the Keeping can be used. If you need to find me for any reason I’ll be in the shed. Be ready with the research in one week’s time. You may go.”

Sitting back, Saline frowned as something occurred to her. “I’m so sorry. Would you mind walking with me?” The novice had been obedient, unnoticed until now. Saline had been so eager to show Salandrian a new weave, she had almost forgotten that she kept Patience Tilly after class. Leaping from her position at the front of the room, Saline grabbed the basket of roses off the table and gestured the novice to the door. “Come on, I’ll see you back to your quarters.”

“No doubt you are wondering why I've asked you to stay behind after class. Don't worry, nothing's wrong. As it happens, there is something I'd like for you to come help me with. But now is not a good time. I am free for a few hours in the morning; I would like to meet you in our regular classroom if you are not too busy?”

Together they rounded the corner to the novice quarters. Saline wondered if she would be permitted inside the room, but turned away before the shy novice could offer. One could only push lady luck so far, as ‘Rome would say, and she had a feeling – after a tiring session -- entertaining guests was one distraction the novice she was teaching did not need: aes sedai presence in a room of one's own.

“Here,” impulsively thrusting the basket of roses into the novice's hands “take this with you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

OOC: As I said, those who haven't posted yet, just catch up and you're good!

@Barmacral I wouldn't hide behind Quibby if there are women after him . . .

@Quibby They are just appreciating the view running after you like that :)

All around, in an endless fierce glitter, were countless image. She stood there, blinking at the sudden brightness. Her vision steadied, and Rydia began to sort out what she could see. They were in a high vaulted hall; its white walls were hung with rich tapestries and brilliant paintings. She looked back. There, across the hall, were the immense carved doors which had slammed behind them (with a long creak and a deep-echoing crash) when first they entered, side by side.

Here and there were groups and pairs of people walking; they lifted their heads, now and then, to acknowledge the aes sedai’s presence beside her. The sunlit hallway seemed to go on forever and ever, and they  were studded with more windows than anything Rydia had yet to see. At length they rounded the bend, and came to a stairwell.

The aes sedai stood at the bottom of the steps, a neat dark figure, her face upturned and inscrutable. “Ah, here we are.”

She glanced at the aes sedai, and then ahead. The narrowing stone staircase rose to a square pillared doorway ornamented with carved scrolls and figures.

The aes sedai said, as Rydia climbed the folding steps, “it is the office of the Mistress of Novices. Pia Sedai, she is called. Go inside, child . . . she has been expecting you.” The last words wafted up faintly, “we will meet again, if it pleases the light.”

Rydia was shaken, alarmed. But the aes sedai had already walked away, not waiting to see whether or not her words had any impact.

The door stood slightly ajar. Nothing but darkness was visible from within. Rydia stained to see more clearly, hardly daring to breathe. The door opened before her a little more, but the light that shone within reflected nothing but its own brilliance, like the gleaming empty page in a huge book.

Taking a deep breath, Rydia pushed in without the aes sedai and spun around, making sure to close the door swiftly behind her so it didn’t slam shut. Nevertheless, she had disturbed the expectant one called Pia Sedai, or so she assumed was the woman sitting on the other side of a desk which, like everything else in this tower so far, looked very nice.

The trapper’s daughter said uncertainly, “So sorry for this intrusion, but I have come to learn how to be an aes sedai.”

Despite the clear request in her words, she backed off a little way; her face looked pinched and ill. Her entrance was definitely not how she had envisioned.

Hmm you might not have access to the usergroup yet, PM Elgee/Whitewolf about being added?

In the meantime, the first lesson is where you might want to start reading.

The brilliant thing about having a teaching assistant was—and she congratulated herself on this discovery—Saline could indulge in a nice book while the accepted and novices worked hard.

Over the next hour Salandrian had the novices continue to build the rosebud in their minds. Each time they had the rose blooming she instructed them to hold it in their minds, and then let it fall only to start again.

When Saline looked up again, most of the novices seemed to have grasped the concept. She set her book quietly on the table and spoke: “Excellent work, class! The reason we are practicing this technique is so you are able to call up saidar at all times. Many channellers use it to clear their minds and draw upon the source in the most chaotic of events.” Saline said with a smile “it is beyond a simple novice exercise; many sisters use it for focus, and Salandrian can assure you repetition is not something you can put behind you when you’ve outgrown the white dress. The more you practice it the less daunted you will be. And Patience Tilly . . . stay behind after class.”

“Now I want you to open up to the light. Once the sunlight immersed you, hold yourself there. Now, picture a cloud slowly covering the sun. As the light from the sun is diminished on the bud, so should your hold on the source. Push it away from you, while still maintaining contact. Behind the cloud the sun provides warmth; let the source just barely trickle into you. To pull it back into you fully again, imagine the cloud slowly drifting away from the sun, and the full light and heat back on the rosebud. Do not do that too quickly, as snapping it back can hurt."

It was very draining work, for most had an easier time drinking in saidar than pushing it away. After some time Saline said, “alright, that was very well done.”

OOC: This technique is called pushing. After you finish with pushing you may leave/class is dismissed except for Tilly and Salandrian. Saline has something to show each of you.