Talent Descriptions - Talent Listing - Talent Discovery Form
Introduction:
Every channeler can do many basic things with the One Power. Almost from the day we first learn to channel, we can all make spheres of light, we can all lift objects, and we can all throw fireballs, for instance. A Talent is not like these uses, and it is not like being strong in one particular Power, either. A Talent is a specific and complex use of the One Power, to form a certain weave with a certain purpose. Well-known examples include Healing, Cloud Dancing and Illusion. Talents are specific to individuals, so that no two people are likely to have exactly the same Talents.
What Is a Talent?
As stated above, a Talent is a specific use of the Power which has been given a name and formally classified as a Talent. Talents are given capital letters to distinguish them from normal uses of the Power. For instance, although shielding someone is a normal use, Stretching Shields is a Talent.There are all sorts of Talents, both major and minor, using any number of different combinations of the Five Powers, and present in varying degrees of rarity amongst channelers. Healing, for instance, is the most common Talents, while Foretelling is one of the least common. For a list of currently accepted Talents of the One Power, visit the Talent Description Page.
Strength in Talents
Generally, those who are born with a Talent will all use it in similar ways, but there will naturally be variety in terms of strength. This applies to every Talent - there will be those who can just about perform the weaves, and there are those who are more Talented at it. For instance, Healing is a very common Talent, and almost every Aes Sedai and Asha'man is strong enough to make a Heal small wounds or bruises, but there are also channelers who can heal life-threatening injuries, plagues, and even stilling, even though they may not be especially strong in the Power, and this indicates a very strong Talent for Healing. This is expressed in the Tower by a five point scale of strength in Talents:
| Strength | Description | Examples | | | Individual has no particular aptitude for this Talent at all - this does not count as one of their Talents. They may have no ability at all, or a very small ability. They may be just able to perform the weave, but only with massive effort. | Egwene's ability at Healing,
Moghedien's ability at Cloud Dancing,
Rand's ability at Foretelling
(ie: little or none at all) |  | Individual is Talented, and can form this weave, but has no particular skill with it. This level of control can be taught to a person not naturally Talented. | Elayne's ability at Healing -
large cuts and bruises, but little more;
Verin's ability at Compulsion -
studied for years, can just about get the weave. | | Individual can make this weave easily, and seems to know innately how to work the flows. They can accomplish a little more than level 1, and can do it twice as easily. | Verin's ability at Healing,
Rand's ability at Dreamwalking,
Moiraine's ability at Earth Singing,
Elaida's Foretelling. | | Individual is strong in this Talent: they can perform these weaves excellently and easily, doing more with the Talent after a little practice than most channelers of lesser Talent could ever hope to do, even with decades of learning. | Alanna's ability at Healing,
Elayne's ability at Cloud Dancing,
Elayne's ability at Making Ter'Angreal | | Individual is exceptionally strong in this Talent: they could weave the flows almost without needing to be shown, and once practiced, can apply this Talent to almost its full potential. | Moiraine's ability at Healing,
most Windfinders' ability at Cloud Dancing,
Moghedien's use of Compulsion,
Aviendha's initial ability at Traveling | | Almost nobody has ever seen the like of the individual's ability at this Talent- they have been weaving it without thought almost from the day they first channeled, and can now accomplish near-impossible feats. | Nynaeve's ability at Healing,
Graendal's ability at Compulsion,
Moghedien's ability at Dreamwalking
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Strength in a Talent IC depends on a multitude of things - one's gender, one's strength in the Power, one's strengths in the Five Powers, one's experience and one's learning. Theoretically, anyone can have any level of Talent strength in any Talent, but it just generally happens that certain groups are more suited to certain Talents than others. Those who are strong in Earth are usually the best Earth Singers, for instance, and women are generally better Healers than men. This is just a general observation, and of course there is also the occasional strong male Healer, or an Earth Singer who is strongest in Fire.
OOC, anyone can have any strength in any Talent they choose, provided they do not overstep the maximum strength allowances as indicated below.
Who Has Talents?
Everyone who can channel will have Talents, whether they know about them or not. Non-channelers may exhibit certain unusual characteristics, and these have been listed on the Non-Channeling Abilities Information page. They are not linked to the One Power, and are not formal Talents.Generally, Talents are inborn, and genetically determined. Some Talents can be learned by one born without a special gift for them, but the taught person will never be as strong in the Talent as a naturally Talented channeler, and will probably never get beyond level one of strength.As a channeler moves through his or her channeling life, he/she is likely to discover an aptitude for certain uses of the One Power. The discovery of a Talent may be exhibited in many ways, such as in a class environment (such as Windfinders may benefit from in learning Cloud Dancing), in a wilder's first channeling experience (like Nynaeve's method of Healing), quite accidentally in times of great stress (such as Aviendha's first weaving of a Gateway), or in self-guided experimentation (like Elayne's duplication of ter'angreal).
So a Talent can manifest itself in many ways, at any stage of one's life and due to any sort of circumstances. Usually, once one has discovered one has a Talent, one's ability in it will improve until one reach one's own potential, which may be any of the five divisions of strength. Although any new Novice can arrive with a little experience of Healing, for instance, she will not be able to control the ability or use it to her full potential until she has had time to study and practice it, by which time she will probably be Aes Sedai. As a result, the most senior channelers generally have more and stronger Talents than the newer members, as they have had more time to discover and improve their abilities, and are also stronger in the Power.
In the Tower, this is represented by different ranks having different allowances of Talents, organised in terms of the above five-point system of strength as follows: If you reach a high position, and apply for lots of Talent points, then subsequently hold a lower position, you can retain the Talents you had, even if it results in having more points than would normally be allowed at your new, lower level. Former officials who have retired do not suddenly forget all they learned!
So What Do I Do? Well, decide which Talents your character is interested in having, and then it is best, but not compulsory, to RP their discovery and development. This does not apply for the rare and very rare Talents! To apply for a rare Talent, a short fanfic should be submitted regarding your discovery or use of it, of about 400 words. For a very rare Talent, either a roleplay thread or a fanfic of at least 600 words must be submitted. Of course, you may have a Talent already on arriving at the Tower, a so-called Wilder trick. Whether you RP it, already have it, or decide to just suddenly discover it, a new Talent must be formalised using the Talent Discovery Form.
- If your character is not listed yet on the Talents Listings, you should look at the two tables above and work out how many points of strength you are allowed. You should then think about which Talents you want and how strong you want to be in them. Once you have decided all that, simply fill out one form for each Talent, deciding how strong you are in it, and describing briefly how you discovered it. Include links to any relevant RPs, fanfics, or your biography.
- If you are already listed, but have increased in rank, you are entitled to more or stronger Talents. Simply send an updated form for the Talent(s) you want to increase in strength in, or a form for any new Talent discovered.
- Please note that you can only increase in strength in a Talent- not decrease. Once you have sent a form, your Talent is added, and will not be removed or decreased in strength. Think carefully before using your points, about how you intend your character to develop in the future. Maybe leave yourself room in terms of points, in case you get an opportunity later to find a new Talent. ie: be careful about using up your maximum points straight away, especially if you're already an Aes Sedai/Asha'man with little room for 'growth'.
- If a form is sent which would take an individual beyond the maximum allowance for his rank, the individual will be asked to revise their request.
- Finally, make sure you make full use of your Talents in your RPs- they will really add depth and personality to your character, as well as providing good RP opportunities. Try not to use Talents you don't have in your RPs -- it's more fun running to find another channeler for appropriate help.
If you have any questions about Talents, please mail admin or ask any Indigo for help.
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