Juggling the Ajahs (Another Sortie into the Reds)

[Chloro]

New novice Margeret seeks advancement from Chloro Sedai and soon learns the rich history of the Tower and just how big the island can be. For the lesson Chloro Sedai details the roles of the Ajahs in the War of the Second Dragon and the consiquences of the war.

View of Chloro:
Participants:Chloro, Margeret

Meeting Room of the Gray Ajah
Large, leaded glass windows surround the room on all sides, save the
southern where a large doorway leads out into a antechamber. The room
itself is dominated by a large wooden table around which sits at least
fifty matching chairs, something close to a record for the White Tower. In
the middle of the table are an assortment of unused parchments, quill pens
and stoppered ink jars. A small stand off to one side of the room holds a
large number of glass cups and a large pitcher of chilled water. An
inscription in fine lettering is etched upon the windows.
[ obvious exits: E ]
Zone: White Tower Upper Floors
Door east: door
A large round table built from black oak dominates the center of the room.
Evee the Journey Accepted is standing here.
A silver-haired Aes Sedai sits here, reading.
A Gray Sister walks here, considering her options.
Annoura Larisen is here, weighing your words.

Chloro says 'Annoura summon Margeret please.'

Annoura Larisen says 'I will send my scribe to summon her, Chloro.'

Someone knocks on the carveddoor from the other side.

The carveddoor is opened from the other side.

Margeret has arrived from the east.

Margeret curtseys before you.

Chloro looks up from the many reports in front of her nods to the novice. "Come child, we shall seek to increase your knowledge today. I am Chloro Sedai of the Gray Ajah. Who might you be?"

Chloro gestures at the doors with her hand.

Margeret says 'I am sorry Aes Sedai, I still have not finished the task you set me. '

The door silently swings shut and lock with a soft *click*.

Margeret shows "The War of the Second Dragon and Bonwhin's Rise" to you. It is "The War of the Second Dragon and Bonwhin's Rise".

Margeret says 'its the last one however. '

Chloro says 'A good topic for a lesson then.'

Chloro motions to the chairs around the large round table, her own high-backed chair on the south-western bend. "Have a seat."

Margeret says 'I am the novice Margeret. I am from Amadacia, I was learning to be a gleeman when I discovered I could channel, I make my way here, met a woman in whitebridge who helped me a little and said to seek council of the Aes Sedai. Then i spoke to Sarinda Sedai and she admitted me to the tower. '

Margeret takes a deep breath and sits with a smile.

Margeret sits down.

Chloro nods looking the girl over cool gray calculating eyes weighing and measuring her." Another from Amadaica then, perhaps the old blood begins to sing there. Tell me Novice, why the path of a gleeman before your new life?"

Margeret says 'I love children, the light in there eyes and smiles on their faces when juggling or tumbling always tugged at my heartstrings. I don't have much of a voice for singing, but the gleeman i was apprenticed to always said I was great at story telling and quick with my hands. I sold my gleeman's cloak after I received my novice dress, that life is behind me, but i still have a few of those talents. '

Margeret says 'I supposed i should also say my master gleeman was my uncle, and being from where we are, well when I could channel, I had no choice but to leave. '

Chloro says 'You will find those skills may come in handy in this life. The life of a tower woman is harder than most, and you will sacrifice more than you ever thought you could, if you seek the shawl. My sister Sarinda it seems has good things to say of you. What motivates you in tower life?'

Chloro looks to her report waiting for the child to respond.

Margeret says 'I want to be able to make a difference. I WANT to be an Aes Sedai, I have already thought about the Ajah's and which I would fit into. The limitation of the island is a big motivation as well. Traveling as I did, being restricted to an area has been tough, not to be able to just decide I am going to Caemlyn today and ride off. But I have buckled down, do dishes, tend the library and search for Shariam Sedai's tasks, today while searching I found a corpse in blue wing. Quite a start to me.'

Margeret says 'Then I thought. What if whoever had done it was still here? What would I have done? I contacted an Aes Sedai immediately and showed her the corpse. She dismissed me and went on to keep searching, by the way I found itching powder in this wing and the yellow wing. So be care Aes Sedai.'

Chloro says 'You will find child that even within the halls of the tower, danger is ever present. You seek to advance swifty, and I can safely say that is not wise. You must become Accepted before you are able to leave the island and even that is with restriction. That is a way off, we would not put a girl through that test we did not deem ready, as some who enter are lost to us forever. For now, I would focus on learning to be a good novice and absorbing as much knowledge from the Aes Sedai and Accepted as you can.'

Margeret says 'Yes Aes Sedai, I will definitely be learning as much as I can. I thirst for knowledge of all kind.'

Margeret laughs softly.

Margeret says 'Maybe my considerations of Ajah's is not as solid as I thought. '

Chloro smiles warmly, her face still a mask of calm. "That is good, for if you gain the ring and banded dress, you must be knowledgeable enough to aid Aes Sedai out in the world. Let us turn to Ajahs. You showed be a book about the second War of the Dragon, correct?"

Margeret says 'Yes Aes Sedai, the war of the Second Dragon and Bonwhin's Rise.'

Chloro says 'Can you tell me child, from which Ajah Bonwhin was raised?'

Margeret says 'she was the last Armylin from the Red.

Chloro says 'Correct the Red and Green Ajahs have produced the least amount of Amyrlin seats.'

Chloro says 'Can you tell me which two Ajahs have produced the most Amyrlins?'

Margeret says 'the blue and brown. '

Chloro raises an eyebrow, "Would you care to rethink that answer?"

Margeret ponders for a moment.

Margeret says 'Blue's definitely is one of them, and I could have sworn brown was next, is it gray?'

Chloro looks to Annoura and chuckles before looking back to the novice. "The Blue ajah raised only slightly more Aes Sedai to the Amyrlin seat than the Gray Ajah. You will find the majority of the Brown Ajah more comfortable among a cozy library than a political office."

Margeret smiles at you.

Margeret says 'Perhaps I was thinking brown because of the murals of all the armylins they had in their wing. '

Chloro says 'Now the War of the second dragon, called all Aes Sedai into action. We will discuss the Ajahs as we progress through it.'

Margeret nods at you.

Chloro says 'Now, for one, can you tell me which Ajahs you think would be used during the War?'

Margeret says 'All of the Aes Sedai. But... Greens are the battle ajah. If it came to that. Gray's first to negotiate and try to make a peaceful resolution, White's with their logic to try and convince everyone about how illogical wars are, yellows for healing, browns for the recordkeeping, blue's for their passion for justice, and red's because as opposite their views of the greens, they have the same drive. '

Chloro considers the answer and looks to the scales of justice at the center of the table. "I think novice, you will learn quite a bit today. The justice a blue seeks is not that of legal or political means. Blue sisters seek just causes worthy of their time and efforts."

Chloro says 'Gray sisters administer as Judges, Politicians, Lawyers, Arbitrators, and Negotiators.'

Margeret nods at you.

Chloro says 'Based on those two descriptions you can now see why they have produced more Amyrlins, it is almost in their blood you could say based on their training and life's work.'

Chloro says 'Indeed all Ajahs were called to service in the war. As that war and the battles after it led to the siege of Tar Valon by Aurter hawkwing.'

Chloro says 'However one more thing that resulted from that war which few mention in the same discussion was "Black fever", an illness that swept the continent and claimed 10% of all people living at the time.'

Margeret says 'the almost 20 year long siege upon the city, and I did not know of that illness. '

Chloro says 'Now as you can see the war had many aspects on Consequences. We have discussed the Blue, and Gray, tell me how the brown would have served.'

Margeret says 'the almost 20 year long siege upon the city, and I did not know of that illness. '

Margeret says 'the browns keep records, research, obscure knowledge that probably no one has thought about, and I assume from time to time that knowledge really comes in handy. '

Chloro says 'It does, part of the war not often discussed was the siege of the stone of Tear by the then false dragon Guaire Amalasan. '

Chloro says 'It took 39 Aes Sedai that took up residence within the Stone to defend it and keep it from being breached. Brown sisters among them using the cash of angreal for this purpose.'

Margeret nods at you.

Chloro says 'Many Brown sisters have lost their life so that we may gain knowledge of angreal. The brown Ajah fights the hardest of all opponents, Time. We all succumb to time in the end.'

Margeret says 'Time. Is definitely not an enemy you can defeat. '

Chloro says 'On our last topic "Black Fever", Kathala Sedai is in residence and an epidemic expert. That would be a good discussion for any Yellow sister to discuss how their Ajah operates.'

Chloro says 'I would not say that, perhaps we have not found the way to yet. Let us progress to the Red Ajah.'

Margeret says 'Kathala Sedai helped me gain the strength I needed to add my name to the novice book.

Margeret says 'Anything you want Aes Sedai, this is very enlightening and enjoyable. '

Chloro says 'As this is the war of the second dragon, and a Red sat the Amyrlin throne. It would not be out of line to say they would have been out in the world, in large numbers attempting to quell the false dragon.'

Chloro says 'Many do not speak of Bonwhin Meraighdin in a fond light, however before her demise, she had one of the longest reins on the Amylrin seat that any have. She presided as Amylrin for more than fifty years. Her downfall was attempting to control Artur Hawkwing as a puppet.'

Margeret nods at you.

Chloro says 'Her reign both aided the tower and crippled it at the same time. After her failed attempt, Aes Sedai were expelled from any kingdom Hawkwing ruled or had sway over. It is said that Aes Sedai blood ran in the streets. So many sisters lost and so much political power cut, it was nearly devastating.'

Margeret says 'the siege of Tar Valon, he also captured the bridges didn't he? '

Chloro says 'He laid Siege to them and did reach the gates. '

Margeret nods in agreement.

Chloro says 'After such a catastrophic failure, the lead investigator of her reign, Deane Aryman replaced her being raised from the blue. Afterwards, Bonwhin was stilled and served the next five years as a scullion in the tower kitchens until she died.'

Margeret shivers uncomfortably.

Margeret says 'that would be TERRIBLE.'

Chloro says 'Bonwhin is the second in tower history to ever be stripped of the stole and staff. Both disposed Amyrlins are of the Red Ajah.'

Chloro says 'The Red Ajah, while they are known for stilling men who can channel, police anyone with the ability, men and women alike to prevent abuse of the one power and bring those that do to justice. They have higher success working with channelers who develop blocks, and combating other channelers in 1 v 1 combat.'

Margeret says 'why do they have more success in 1 v 1 combat? '

Chloro says 'They master Saidar in a way that few do, and as such have high instincts in weave generation and combating it. They are also the most skilled with the Shield weave which can prevent someone from reaching out to the one power.'

Margeret nods at you.

Margeret says 'that weave would definitely favor them. '

Chloro says 'It does greatly.'

Margeret says 'and they police not just men who can channel but other women? '

Chloro says 'Indeed the Red ajah polices all who can Channel, even other Aes Sedai.'

Chloro clears her throat before continuing, "Their counterpart, the Green Ajah are known for being prepared for the last battle, however they hold another talent. Emotional control greater than others. Green sisters balance multiple warders at any given time, their mental fortitude is among the strongest."

Chloro says 'This leaves one final Ajah we have not discussed yet. The White.'

Margeret smiles at you.

Chloro says 'White sisters seek the truth, unburdened by emotion, unclouded by anger, fear, or joy. They suppress their emotions to think analytically on all subjects. Another thing they are known for is producing wards of the finest quality. You have the White Ajah to thank for the preservation of the food in your belly, the climate control within the tower, the wards placed on the Novice well, and the wards throughout the city.'

Margeret smile softly and says. "The white ajah for the wards? I would have thought that would have been a thing of the browns and their research.

say 'Indeed, some do for a time, however white sisters with their analytics calculate the smallest margin to produce the greatest results.'

Margeret says 'that actually does make a lot of sense when you say it that way. '

Chloro says 'The world has one view of the Ajahs, the Aes Sedai another. '

Chloro says 'There is a transcript of my class "Ajahs in the Last battle" that might aid you, however I may hold it again soon as well.'

Margeret says 'I would love to attend if you do hold it again. '

Chloro says 'Now after speaking on these, which ajah had you originally gravitated to?'

Margeret says 'Originally... The Red, or the Green, but... I have a lot to consider now. '

Chloro says 'Indeed you do child, but you will have a long time to consider. All Aes Sedai fight the shadow on different fields of battle, All Aes Sedai teach, All Aes Sedai seek to find girls that can channel. An Ajah is a collection of women with similar goals. '

Chloro says 'I would suggest you seek lessons from a White sister, to aid you with quieting the mind and sorting your thoughts. '

Margeret says 'Aes Sedai, why did you choose the gray? Did you have a hard choice when you attained the shawl, or did you know all along which Ajah you would belong to?'

Chloro says 'I was first entertained by the Yellow and Blue ajahs before settling on Gray. The reason is quite simple, then the last battle comes, the tower will need the support of the other nations to win for the light. As a Gray sister my political influence can help to ensure that when my Green sisters ride first into battle, an army of the other nations swiftly follows them.'

Chloro says 'The Gray Ajahs opponents are not as known as the Greens. They are not as bold as a trolloc or fade coming for you. At court, anyone could be an assassin, a cup could hold poison, a hard candy can kill as swiftly as a blade depending on who it came from. '

Margeret says 'for me, originally, coming from where I do, hunting men who can channel sounded like the perfect fit with the red, but the battle ajah, they green? That also sounds inviting. But, the brown, my thirst for knowledge. The yellows and their compassion and healing.'

Margeret smiles at you.

Margeret says 'But as you said, I have time to find where I fit. '

Chloro says 'All Aes Sedai must be capable of stepping in should a sister from another Ajah fall or be incapacitated. Remember an Ajah is just a group of women with similar goals.'

Margeret smiles and says. "In the end, you are all still sisters, even if you are from different Ajah's."

Chloro says 'Indeed that is a good way to look at it.'

Margeret says 'I promise that I will reach out to other Aes Sedai as well Chloro Sedai. '

Chloro says 'In my 58 years in the shawl. I have maintained the towers image abroad and quelled a near breaking of the bonds between Andor and Tower. Served on the battlefield alongside greens, manned the healing tents with yellows, assaulted dreadlords with the red, investigated dark friends with the blue, and produced fantastic wards with my white sisters. My brown sisters I see daily. '

Chloro says 'Any woman who is deemed worthy to have the shawl grace her shoulders has qualities of all Ajahs to a different degree.'

Margeret says 'I think that is a must to be able to wear the shawl. Hopefully someday I will be worthy. '

Chloro says 'Study hard and learn from those we came before you, that is the path to success. Should you not be able to find Aes Sedai awake, we are a pigeon away (forum mail).'

Chloro says 'For now I will leave you with your thoughts. I found doing dishes helps quiet the mind as a novice, allowing one's mind to wander.'

Margeret says 'Thank you for taking the time to teach me Aes Sedai, I enjoyed it very much. I will definitely be doing my do diligence doing dishes. '

Chloro says 'We will meet again soon.'

Margeret clambers to her feet.

Chloro gestures with her hand.

The door smoothly swings open.

Margeret curtseys before you.

Margeret says 'Thank you Aes Sedai. '

Margeret leaves east. >>

[Sarinda]

Base: 3
Special length bonus: 0
Rplizer: +1
Extra meticulous edit: +1
Summary: +1

Total:
Chloro: 6 RPQPs
Margeret: 3 RPQPs

Another enjoyable read, and a great example for Aes Sedai on ways to engage new novices in roleplay scenes. Thank you for sharing.

Please say "receive" at a silver-haired Aes Sedai for your rewards.