Join this class!
hello everyone and welcome to my first of many classes to come. Most of you should know the standard practice to this thread. Simply post here your name, rank, and email and you can start posting immediately. Syd

Lesson 1: An Introduction
Sydias sat behind his desk and watched as the students filed in. Many of them were Learning Ranks, but he was slightly surprised when he saw one or two Aes Sedai and Asha?man that wanted to study the topic he was going to be touching over the duration of this and similar courses. He did not allow the shock to show on his face, but went on studying his notes and preparing for the lesson. He himself had had some of this taught to him by Sofina Sedai when he was still a Soldier, and the rest he had gained out of long nights in the Library and even longer ones within the World of Dreams. These students had it easy, but they would not believe it after his first class of five. Nor would they believe it when they learned that there were five classes in all that he would teach. Of course he had set up this whole culmination of knowledge in such a way that parties could determine how far they were willing to take their knowledge before attempting Dreamwalking on their own, but he did not recommend it without proper training. The logic of Tel?aran?rhiod was different from that of the waking world, but that did not make it any less real. It just made it?unique. When he was sure the students had settled into their seats and that those that may have been lost would have ample time to arrive, Sydias stood. The students were still going wild, but he calmly approached the chalkboard without a flinch or a shout. He was sure the full ranked individuals here were not pleased with this method, but he paid it little mind. Long fingernails slid across the chalkboard, a screech piercing through the classroom and halting the students who had gotten out of control. ?Welcome to Tel?aran?rhiod Part 1: A comprehensive study of the World of Dreams. I am Dedicated Sydias Caspian. This is an introductory class, and as such we will not enter the Unseen World.? Many students announced their disappointment verbally, with which he cut them all off with a hand gesture. ?If you pass this class, I will invite you to partake in Tel?aran?rhiod Part 2, where most of the lessons will actually occur within the Dream. This topic covers material that may be just as dangerous as your everyday Tower lives, if not moreso. I will not do something as irresponsible as send novices and amateurs, no matter what rank any of you really are, into foreign territory without fully understanding what it is you are getting into. As such, I have signed documentation with the Master of Soldiers and the First Seeker both, detailing what will occur in this class, what items may or may not need to be borrowed for such classes, and the fact that I take full responsibility for the lives I am placing at risk in this classroom. I do not mean to seem rude or indifferent, because I really do care. But as such I want to make my point clear, as there is more at stake than just your approval of how frequently I allow you to Dreamwalk under my guidance.? Sydias let all of this seep into the minds of all present before he continued. ?So now that that is out of the way, let me begin with Lesson 1. What is Tel?aran?rhiod? This is the Dreamworld. Most people have entered this world without knowing, touching it while they are in their normal sleep for brief moments before passing on to the rest of whatever it was they were dreaming. It?s an entirely separate reality from our own, ruled by its own laws of physics and logic. It is still based on the same concepts as ours, but still a dream. ?This other world has many uses. Perhaps you are a Dreamwalker in one group trying to reach another group far away. What if there is no one in either group who can Travel? If this other group has a Dreamwalker, or if both parties have an individual trained to enter the world with a Ter?angreal, then you can simply meet to discuss. Also, one may spy more easily on their enemies and gather useful information for the battle against the Shadow within the Dream. ?However, there are many dangers. Nightmares from those in normal sleep tend to wind up within this world, causing danger to any who come in contact with them. Certain parts of the world can allow access to another?s dreams, and they could pull you into them. Other Dreamwalkers that mean you harm could attempt to end your life within this new world. All of this I will cover later on in these classes. But most importantly, as this is an entirely different yet similar reality to our own, you will experience pain there. Any wound you shall receive within that world will affect your physical body in this reality.? Sydias still had his own scar that he kept on his thigh as a reminder of this caution, one few knew of and fewer offered to Heal, and one he turned down every time. It was his reminder of his stupidity, ignorance, and arrogance within this world. He stood on his desk and lifted his pant leg now to demonstrate this to his students. ?This scar on my thigh is from an? encounter I had not too long after learning to enter the Dream. I thought I could take on someone more skilled than myself, which was my first mistake. I am very lucky it had not been my last.? He lowered his pant leg and jumped off his desk. ?Now that I have given you a very basic overview here within the first lesson, I want you all to introduce yourselves to me and tell me why you have chosen to take this class. If you have a particular area of Tel?aran?rhiod that you would like to study more, now is the time to inform me. Also, if you have ever entered the Dreamworld, I would like to know of it now. Stand up one at a time in succession, and please keep your responses reasonable.? He looked to the first person to raise their hand. ?We shall start with you.? OOC: Welcome to the class! Don?t mind Syd. He?s not really a bad guy, nor am I. But he takes this topic very seriously, and he would not want harm to befall his students, as he recently lost a student within the world (I have a fanfic about it, if anyone is interested) which makes him bitter now when teaching students. As for this lesson, please just state the above information. However, as I am here to teach, I must request that these answers are well thought out. You don?t have to write a novel, yet I will not accept less than two paragraphs. Other than those stipulations, I want quality over quantity. I will try to respond daily to any posts, but for those novelists out there like myself, please allow more time to read, digest, and respond to your posts. I believe that is about it, so once again welcome, and I hope you enjoy the class!

Lesson 2: Methods of Entry
Sydias sat quietly at his desk as the students filtered in. This time the looks on their faces were less excited than before, but thankfully his previous lesson had straightened the trouble makers out on day one. He could not allow class clowns in a setting that was discussing such sensitive material as he was doing here. His very career and advancement to the next level was based heavily on this class, and after having lost Aidaen to that Nightmare?Sydias didn?t want to think about it. When the bell rang and he had the attention of his students, Sydias began his lesson. ?Welcome back class. Today we shall discuss how individuals might enter Tel?aran?rhiod on a frequent basis. I will remind you all once again that this is a very dangerous world, just as the one you are now residing in is. I am not saying that you can not enter this world, but if you die in your dream in that world, you are just as lifeless here.? He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to keep his pupils in line. Sydias seized saidin and wove wards about the room, then lifted a box up from under his desk. He opened it and withdrew two Ter?angreal which he had specially requested for today?s lesson. He had many more like them in this box for anyone who happened to be ready for Class 2 already in one of his later hours, but these students did not need to know that. These two items were made into necklaces with what appeared to be odd looking, swirling stones that changed colours. ?These are Dream Ter?angreal. Some of these require Spirit channeled into them to enter the world between worlds, and some require nothing but for the wearer to have it on them as they enter regular sleep. Many prefer the latter kind, including myself, as the channeling of Spirit may not always be available or may be deemed too dangerous. This is the most common method of entry into this foreign reality for anyone, and the only method that does not require a Talent or Ability. Both, however, require skin contact and sleep. These, however, require the Spirit weaves, as they are easier to make. I will pass these around now, which is why the room is warded. It will remain as such until I have gotten these items back, upon which time I will store them back in this heavily warded box.? He took each of the two necklaces and started them on opposite sides of the classroom. ?Examine these artifacts, but do not embrace the Source today. Not only is this not a suitable environment, but channeling anything near any object of power without proper precautions is suicide, both physically and politically for your advancement within the Tower. ?Now, to add to that, never use two Ter?angreal that are similar to one another in a very close proximity unless the item has been listed as being safe to do as such. I have heard of occasions where especially powerful Ter?angreal, or even Sa?angreal, have heated and then melted away when used for too long a time in close proximity to a similar artifact. This is why when it comes time to actually enter the World of Dreams, those lucky enough to take class two must have these items checked out to you. The penalty for neglect or improper usage shall be steep, and the punishment harsh. ?The next in the list of common ways to enter the Dream are through the Talent of Dreamwalking. One with this ability simply wills his or herself into the world after training on how to do just that. I?d go into detail here, but it is truly different for each person. The person must open up to this other world, and enter a sort of half-sleep to do so. It is easiest to enter this world first with a Ter?angreal and later when accustomed to the sensations of the world should one attempt self entry. This is the method that any of my Dreamwalkers will take in this class, as it seems to be the easiest and most logical method.? Sydias noticed the Ter?angreal had made it around the room, and he picked them up and returned them to the box they had been in. He returned the Wards to the box, then released those upon the classroom. He went on. ?Although I have covered much today, I would like to say that the third most common way to willingly enter Tel?aran?rhiod is through the Wolf Dream, which requires the Wolfkin Ability. More on that topic will be discussed in the next lesson." Sydias looked at his tudents and noticed how many of them seemed anxious to be done with the lecture. He looked at the time and noted he had gone over the time he had planned to speak, and he frowned before going on. "Sorry, I guess my tongue got the better of me. That is all for today. Are there any questions?

Lesson 3: The Wolf Dream
Once again the students filed into the classroom, and Sydias smiled as the students came in. Today he had a very special guest to introduce to the class, and he had worked hard to both find the individual and then convince her to appear as a guest speaker for the class. When he was sure that everyone was seated and that he had the room?s attention, Sydias proceeded with his lesson. ?Welcome to lesson three of Tel?aran?rhiod class 1. Today we will be covering Wolfkin and how they may enter Tel?aran?rhiod as something they call the Wolf Dream. As I am far from an expert on this topic, I have gone to great lengths to find a guest speaker with this ability. This individual is a little shy and not very easy going about their ability, and I would like you all to show her your utmost respect. It is with great pleasure that I present to you Lucretia Gervaise of Cairhien.? Sydias looked to the figure which was hiding between a bookshelf and a wall in the corner of the room where the light had purposefully been dimmed. Of course the name he had used was not the woman?s real name, nor was the country of origin her true nationality. She had requested to use an alias while within the confines of this classroom, and she had asked that her true identity be kept a secret. Lucky for her she was short enough to pull of the Cairhienin look, even if her accent gave her away as Tairen. To keep to her wishes, Sydias seized saidin and dimmed the rest of the lights in the room, allowing an almost eerie dim light alike to that of firelight illuminate the room as the woman wearing a large hooded cloak approached the front of the room. ?Good day students.? ?Lucretia? said in an emotionless, monotone. ?My name is Lucretia, as Dedicated Sydias had pointed out. I am what most people would label a freak of nature, but there are those who call me Wolf-sister.? A pair of golden eyes flashed briefly from beneath the hood as she spoke, Sydias?s light tricks aiding to the feel of the mystery. ?Wolfkin are very rare, but we are most easily discovered by our golden eyes. We communicate with wolves and often can be seen running with a pack. We become quite attached to our pack, and often lose ourselves to the Wolf within. I am what this Tower would call a Man-Wolf; I already feel the approaching doom of what you normal two-legs would call sanity. Yet I still have my humanity, though fleeting, and desire a day where advances in the study of my condition may one day either slow the process or stop it where it is altogether. While I do not ever want to give up the companionship I have with my pack, I would like to stay with those of my own kind that I have grown to love. ?Wolfkin can smell emotions; have higher stamina, speed and strength, short tempers, and the ability to telepathically communicate with wolves via mental imagery, or what the wolves call Thought Pictures. Each wolf-brother and wolf-sister is given a wolf-name based on a Thought Picture this kin member idealizes within the wolf society. My name is Dancing Red Cub, which is represented by the imagery of a red fox cub, usually with an added feeling of mischievousness. However, probably the most intriguing gift and curse we have gained is the ability to have prophetic Dreams and enter the Wolf Dream. ?The Wolf Dream and prophetic Dreams both are the same as Dreaming and Dreamwalking to anyone else save for we are given a guide for each. We have a wolf guide in Tel?aran?rhiod to guide us though the world, showing us the ropes and alerting us to the dangers. This guide is almost always there for us in the beginning, but as it is another soul can not always be with us within the Wolf Dream. We do not often enter the Wolf Dream by our own choice, often entering due to need rather than want, but with plenty of training one can learn to enter on their own accord. Our prophetic Dreams, as I stated, also have a wolf in them most of the time, and in my personal experience, all of my prophetic dreams are delivered as a message from a wolf by use of Thought Pictures.? She turned to Sydias, who sat at his desk out of the way. ?That is all I am willing to cover. Will that suffice?? Sydias looked up as she spoke and nodded. ?That will do for the lecture. Are you ready for the question and answer phase, or are you uncomfortable?? A low growl came from beneath the hood of the cloak. ?Do not patronize me, Caspian. I can handle a handful of questions from these two-legs.? With that, she turned back to the students. ?Students with questions raise your hands and inquire what you will of me, but note that anything I find too personal I will ignore. Please choose your questions wisely.? OOC: Ok, here?s the deal. This lesson is mainly here for anyone who may or may not desire the Ability of Wolfkin. I want some good questions that require a bit of thought about Wolfkin and the Wolf Dream. I think she left enough out in her broad talk that you can be creative. I want three well-developed questions from each of you. Thanks!

Lesson 4: The Dreamscape
Once again the students filed into the classroom, and Syd sat patiently at his desk. He was looking over his lesson plan for the day, marking out a note here or adding something else there. It was murder being his own worst critic, but he wanted everything to be to the best quality he could possibly make it. He had heard some of the other Learning Ranks ridicule him for this, calling him ?Syd the Perfectionist? or other such nonsense. When the class was seated and quiet, he rose and walked to the front of the room again. ?Good day class, and welcome to lesson four of part one to Tel?aran?rhiod. Today we will be covering the topic of the Dreamscape. Now, can anyone tell me what the Dreamscape is?? A young Novice raised her hand, and Syd called on her. ?Yes, Heliena?? ?Is that the place where dreams lie?? Sydias nodded. ?That would be correct, but do you know anything else about that place?? The Novice shook her head. She reclaimed her seat, embarrassed. ?In that case, allow me to demonstrate to you all.? Opening himself and seizing saidin, Sydias began to weave a net of Spirit that he enter-laced with threads of Air and Water. Before the room, an Illusion of blackness filled the air before Syd?s abdomen. Finally he nestled little bits of fire throughout this blackness, and soon orbs appeared to glow within the Illusion. ?If you were to look upon the Dreamscape, this is all you would see, no matter which direction you turned your gaze?if you could say you had one. In this space, it is really unknown if you are even in your own body, as you can not see yourself or feel your physical self here. However, the main concern here should not be what you see or feel of your own body, but what you experience with those two sensations when observing this world. We sometimes refer to it as the space in between dreams, or world between worlds. However, I myself prefer calling it the Dreamscape. ?Now this blackness is a Void. As I stated you can not feel your physical body. Many speculate that you are floating in this void, but that it is so dark you can not see your own body. However, I am of the belief that you do not need your physical body in this place, because there is nothing physical about it. There is only light, energy, and dreams. There is no ground for you to stand on, nor air to breathe, nor sun to illuminate your way or shelter to hide yourself. There is nothing but these orbs and your essence; your soul.? Sydias focused on his Illusion weaves. He was not very skilled with this Talent yet, and it started to show as it nearly collapsed on itself for a moment before he saved it. He managed to slowly dissolve the pieces he no longer needed so he could more properly direct the flows. Soon, the black void and most of the orbs disappeared. One of them, however, drifted forward. It was of a silvery reddish colour, one of those many colours that did not seem to have a name. ?This is what we call a Dream Orb. This bizarre occurrence in nature is, in theory, representative of a person, and more information on the theory of what exactly it is will be covered in depth in class 3: Theory of Tel?aran?rhiod. For now, it is fine just knowing that these orbs connect to the dreams of individuals. Each orb represents another living person?s dreams, and are only present in this space while the person sleeps. Just because the orb does not appear there again another night at the same time as it had before, there is no reason to believe the person is dead. Instead, they may just not be dreaming yet, or even asleep yet! ?Now the reason for this lesson is to explain the pros and cons of this place. The pros are mainly an ability to observe one?s dreams. You may ?approach? one of these orbs by singling it out and concentrate on peering at it. If you think about observing it, you will observe it. You can peak in on dreams at will, as well as share dreams and create dreams to give to another, all of which will be discussed later on in another class. However, the disadvantages almost outweigh the advantages. If the person shares or feel very strong feelings towards you of either love or hate, then they may pull you into this orb and control what happens to you like you were actually just another part of their dreams. If you see an orb rapidly approaching you, will yourself away from it or leave the Dreamscape at once and reenter it at a later time. You won?t always be pulled to the orb or have the orb drawn to you whenever you are here, so if you wait an hour, or even a few nights, that dream will pass from the person and you can safely enter and not be concerned with the problem.? Sydias paused a moment. This next bit was grim, so he let the weave go and released the Power so he could concentrate fully on the emphasis that he was trying to convey. ?Should you be unable to escape the approaching orb, there is nothing more that I myself or anyone else can do for you. You are stuck in the dream of that person until it ends. You have no control of anything but yourself, and very little control over that without much training. Whatever you do, do not allow yourself to die here, as the death will be as real as if you had died in the World of Dreams or if you had died in the waking world. So, at the risk of losing your life, if an orb approaches you and you have not taken the fourth class in this series, make yourself wake up immediately!? He drew a deep breath through his nose, but silently as not to sound like he was giving a ridiculing sniff, feeling a rush of calm envelope him as he felt the tension in the classroom thicken. A knife could have been used to cut a fair slice out of the air in that room. You could have dropped a pebble from a shoe and the whole class would have heard it. ?Now then, your assignment. I want you all to write a summary of what you have learned here, and then if you have any questions about this area please ask now.? OOC: Ok guys, this lesson is more of an introduction to a later entire class, so I really don?t have much in terms of homework for it. However, I would like you to at least ensure Syd of your understanding of this world, and then I?d like at least three good questions on this strange place called the Dreamscape.

Lesson 5: Nightmares
Sydias once again sat studiously behind his desk at the front of the classroom, making notes in his lesson plan. Hadn?t he just made these corrections the day before? This being his first class and the penultimate day of the class, he wanted to make sure this final lesson before the test was well delivered, as he was of the belief that the topic covered was the most important to newcomers to the world. When he was sure he had it right, he walked to the front of the room to begin. ?Welcome back again. Today?s lesson will be on Nightmares, and a brief description of what an individual should do should they see one. Like yesterday?s lesson, this one is mainly an introduction to multiple lessons in a later class, so we will not cover everything just yet. But as this first class is mainly a safety course for future dangers that you will have to face, I would urge you all to pay the closest attention.? He went to the chalkboard and began writing on it, this time starting with the heading Nightmares. He then listed Minor and Major in separate columns under this before continuing. ?Now as some of you may know, the nightmares that one experiences stem from an over exaggeration of something, usually an inherent fear, and grows to exponential size within the subconscious before taking root in the dreams during sleep. What many of you probably do not know is that these nightmares do not just die off until the person that is having them learns to defeat them themselves, and they haunt Tel?aran?rhiod until someone or something can conquer them. ?There are two subclasses of Nightmares. There are minor nightmares, which deal with a situation that plays on fears of nervousness, crowded places, or individuals learning secrets, and then there are Major Nightmares, with hideous creatures and bloody battles, murderers, Darkfriends and Forsaken, and anything else major the mind can come up with. Usually the Minor Nightmares do not make it to Tel?aran?rhiod, but those that do can do a lot of damage. They theoretically should be some of the easiest dreams to defeat, but sometimes can surprise an ill-equipped Dreamwalker. Major Nightmares take a great deal of both skill and luck to defeat in most instances, and you all would be much better off just running from one of these that approaches you. ?Now that I have informed you of what a Nightmare is, do any of you know what to do when you see one approach you?? No one raised their hands. Either they did not know or they did not want to say; neither option would surprise Sydias. ?Do any of you know how to spot an approaching nightmare?? Once again, there was silence. ?Very well, I will explain. A nightmare can be spotted as a strange appearance of an unnatural sight or creature, sometimes even a person, surrounded by some sort of foggy bubble. This cloudy oddity is the barrier between the nightmare contained inside of it and the World of Dreams around it. Most often you are better off just avoiding the Nightmare here, as it is not meant for you. However, these things move at unimaginable speeds and will be on top of you in moments. You either get away, or you get pulled in. Once inside, you are stuck there until the Nightmare is defeated, until you die, or infinitely.? Syd took this moment to pause and get a drink from his glass of water he had hiding behind his desk, his throat being parched. He then cleared his throat and continued. ?If you are pulled into a Nightmare, your best chance at survival is to disbelieve. Simply convince yourself it is in your mind, or that it is a very elaborate Illusion, and it should eventually weaken and dissipate into nothingness. There are few other ways to defeat a Nightmare, and we will not discuss those methods in this class. If, when I take you to Tel?aran?rhiod in class two and we run into one of these abominations, I want you all to run or wake up immediately. ?Now, do any of you have any questions?? OCC: Three questions on Nightmares, all with some level of thinking behind them. Make a White think! Try and stump me! It?s good for you, I swear! lol

Test
As the students filed in, they could see that Sydias was sitting at his desk with a book in his face. He was deep in his reading and studying. As each student entered, however, he looked up long enough to count them in attendance and then direct their attention to the chalkboard. Upon the board was the heading ?Tel?aran?rhiod 101: An Introduction to the World of Dreams TEST TODAY.? A description of the test could be seen written in delicate script across the chalkboard: ?The test consists of one well thought out essay. Pick one of the following topics and write an essay on what it is and what to do in the following situations. 1.) What is Tel?aran?rhiod? What are the dangers inherent in the world? What are the pros and cons? Who can enter this world, and how? 2.) Why do some people use Ter?angreal to enter Tel?aran?rhiod? What are Ter?angreal? How are they used for entering this world (do you channel into them and if so, which power and what weaves? Do you always have to channel?) What are some dangers inherent in using these items? 3.) What is a wolfkin, and why is knowledge of them important in this class? What is the most distinguishable characteristic about them? What is the Wolf Dream? What are Mind Pictures? Why do Wolfkin have guides within the Wolf Dream? 4.) What is the Dreamscape? What are the inherent dangers? Why would you want to go there in the first place? What do you do if an orb approaches you? What happens if you can not escape it? 5.) What are Nightmares? What causes them to appear in Tel?aran?rhiod instead of only in someone?s regular dreams? How do you spot a Nightmare? What are the two main types of Nightmares? What should you do if you see one? Once you get inside of one, how do you get back out?? OOC: Pick ONE of the above and write the essay. I WILL be reading them, so make them interesting. : ) Other than that, good luck! After this test you have successfully passed the first class of T?a?r and may pass on to T?a?r 102 if you so choose. NOTE: I am currently writing class 2.