Template to use when awarding stories/ other entries:
Ely edit 6 Nov 2021:
1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.
Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: o
Total: 2 qps
*****************************************
In a room long abandoned along a gallery in one of the unused wells of the Accepted Quarters, amongst a pile of clothing, jars, and candles, on a stone desk, Katherine found a book. Not a fresh book with a firm spine and the scent of new parchment, dry ink and glue. No, this book was old, frail and smelled of dust and old mice bones. It was the scent shared by this room, untouched for decades, its former occupant murdered just weeks after the book was approved by the Hall of the Tower and a copy published to the historical section of the Tower Library. This book, however, was the original manuscript and the only surviving copy.
It seemed the official copy of this book was lost to the swirling winds of time, much to the annoyance of the Brown sister who Katherine spoke with earlier in the day. The Brown Ajah is exact with the care of the volumes in the library, so it was unusual for a book so seldom sought out by the studious, to be missing. Indeed, if a book was rarely removed from its shelf, then how could it be misplaced by a novice when it is returned by some bibliophile?
Approaching a small stone table that once served as an Accepted's desk, Katherine carefully removed a small knife from the top of the book. Strange that Katherine failed to notice the weapon on first inspection of the room. Then she vaguely recalled the Mistress of Novices long ago ordered that the knife be left in the room with the Accepted's old belongings. Once the investigation was concluded, the items that belong in the Tower were to be distributed to friends. As it happened, she left behind two close friends, one was murdered in Amadicia but news had not yet reached Tar Valon of her chilling demise. The other friend stilled herself experimenting using the Power on random objects and was sent downriver back to her homeland, Tear. As such, the personal items on this table were never distributed and nobody bothered to return to tidy up the room. As the number of novices enrolled over time diminished, there was likely never the need.
Holding the knife, Katherine felt a darkness growing within her chest. The knife was unremarkable with a leather wrapped grip and a plain steel blade no longer than her hand. Coldness radiated up her arm and down her spine. It was the weapon of a gray man. The instrument that separated the Accepted from her life in the Tower garden near the roof. The Accepted likely died with a view overlooking Dragonmount and the vast eastern marches of old Caralain. Suppressing a shiver and without blinking, Katherine put the dagger down beside the book on the table.
Rumors passed down over decades say her thread was cut short on the orders of Moghedien who was involved in a battle at Tar Valon against an Aiel clan. Like any story, it was likely embellished and modified with each retelling. The very idea that the Forsaken could be breaking free of their imprisonment was farfetched, but somebody or something sent the gray man and the eyeless usually prefer to do their own dirty work. A dreadlord was the obvious explanation, but Katherine's thoughts considered a more terrifying possibility. Perhaps it was not a dreadlord from outside the Tower. Perhaps this power-wielder actually came from within. Katherine's mouth tightened, her heart skipping a beat. The possibility of the Black Ajah has never been discussed openly in the Tower--a taboo, but neither is it completely denied. Katherine calmed her mind and refocused her thoughts on her purpose.
Carefully lifting the book from its cradle of dust with both hands, Katherine brushed the cover lightly with her thumb confirming the title, REPORT ON THE BATTLE OF TAR VALON 904NE. Below the title in flowing script in the handwriting of the author, "By Accepted Amielia Day". An unimportant book, but one that may contain important insights into the power-wielder that called herself Moghedien during the final day of the battle.
Tucking the book carefully into a protective leather case and looping a leather fastener around the case to further protect the volume, Katherine spared a final look at the knife and then turned, gliding through the open door into the hall, taking with her the lamp and the only light the room had seen for many years.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-E4K8 ... bHjsODXfHQ
OOCNB: I wrote this report after a Aiel mob raid in Tar Valon back in 2017 when I played my first channeler, Amielia, who was also my first wotmud alt ever. Due to my ignorance of how to properly stat a channeler, Amielia met an untimely demise due to poor stats, and thus Katherine was born. A link to this report was posted on the old forums that existed that year, but I wanted to make it available in this new instance of the forums so the report is not lost to the "swirling winds of time" that wotmud seems to get caught up in over the decades. Special credit to Tlaloc and Vivienne and perhaps other members of staff involved in the mob raid and the ones that followed in that year. They were so much fun! Also to all of those who came to the aid of Tar Valon in her hour of need. In my mind as a new player, they were all Heroes of the Horn that day. A final credit to Merise and Archaela, two close friends that helped me through those challenging first days, and who found their own "demises" and were reborn in glory in another turn of the Wheel, but their stories are their own to tell.