Just Words on a Page (Attn: Phineas)

[Leala]

Jhanic's mind was finding many new things to latch onto as he became a Dedicated. He had found out that he could be taught how to create ter'angreal, he had begun to hone his skills with Aligning the Matrix, and he had begun to spar in the Warder Yards. He had been wondering for a while about creating ter'angreal, really. To think that he could make something similar to what was found in Rhuidean... He thought perhaps even the Wise Ones would be impressed at that. Although, they would likely work to hide it. They would really only be impressed if he were properly trained in it. He had asked an Aes Sedai of the Indigo Ajah where the proper section for ter'angreal were. He chose a few books and sat at a table close to the section.

His mind wandered to the ter'angreal that he had drafted in the class that he had taken. He wondered if what he had considered was what was needed to make one like that. Was that even the right one to make? There were vast possibilities with these. He had heard of ones that could transport one to the World of the Dreaming, like a Wise One. There were ones that stored the One Power, there were ones that were activated by just touching them, some did not need to be touched, and on and on. It was the possibilities that enthralled him. How could one make them? Most of them came from an Age before this one. How could one discern its uses without harming oneself or others?

As questions like these raced through his mind, he looked at the text in the book he had selected, and realized that he had not taken in any of the words' meanings. His mind had simply recognized the words and moved on. He sat up and tried to realign his thoughts. He was Dedicated now. Wandering thoughts would no longer do, but it seemed it was his nature. He looked around at the Library, students and librarians alike moving around, going about their own business. They all wandered around the Library, like the thoughts and questions plaguing him. Calming himself, he looked at the book again. The book was on the very same subject that had him so focused, and yet the words were not what he needed, it seemed.

[Jon]

Phineas

Phineas had spent every spare moment, significantly more often for a Dedicated, in the Library studying ter’angreal. He was thankful to Elia for having shown him the proper section, but he hadn’t really had the time to show his appreciation. It seemed like almost immediately after their time spent in the Library together she had been raised to the Accepted, and then to the shawl. Thus, he felt a wide gap between them in any case. So, instead, he contented himself with his few friends from classes and the few shenanigans he had undertaken; he would rekindle the friendship if he could–once being raised to the Dragon pin. But all of that was too far afield from his current task, and he was not one to let himself be distracted by idle thought. Instead, he shifted his attention back to the book that lay open before him. Phineas was reading about the efforts of Aes Sedai and Asha’man to study ter’angreal. The typical warnings given the new channelers described how studying ter’angreal (among other innovative uses of the Power) could kill the channeler or leave them burnt out–unable to touch the Source any longer. However, while that was true to an extent, so much had been discovered in the Grey Tower’s history that Phineas was amazed at the names recorded in the pages before him. He even thought he recognized a few from seeing full Brothers and Sisters around the Tower. Most if not all of them were Indigo Ajah, but Phineas was not surprised by that fact. The Indigos existed to study lost Talents, which included the study of objects made with the Power. Engrossed in the trial and error and eventually discoveries, Phineas couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to touch a ter’angreal, let alone study it. A part of him itched to have ter’angreal at his touch, but he guessed that was simply his aspirations influencing his sensations. Looking up from his book, Phineas noticed a confused expression on a fellow Dedicated—one the thought was Aiel by the color of his hair and eyes. Phineas thought he had heard of this particular Dedicated too, but he wasn’t entirely sure. The lecherous man in Phineas noticed the scars on the man’s face and wondered if he might find more all over his body, and he coughed away those thoughts lest they cause an awkward physical reaction in him. Those thoughts, however, did make him a bit bold, and he grabbed his book, stood up, and made his way towards the other Soldier. “I couldn’t help but noticed you seem a bit confused,” Phineas said jovially. “I am Phineas Rubinia. Might I share this table with you and perhaps discuss whatever it is you are studying?” Phineas worked to make his voice and words a bit more formal; he thought that was what Aiel were like. Still, he waited for the man’s recognition and acquiescence before he took his seat.

[Leala]

Jhanic's current mood was one which required that he concentrate on something, but he had at the very least trained himself to be aware of what was around him, so he took notice when a figure of a man began to move towards him. His thoughts were still swirling, trying to land on what he was studying, but to no avail. The man drew closer to him, so Jhanic looked up. He tried to soften his expression when the other man commented that he looked confused. Perhaps discussing it with someone else would help direct his disquieted thoughts. "I see you, Phineas Rubinia," he said. "May you find water and shade," he added out of instinct.

"I took a class while I was a soldier that taught one to create a simple ter'angreal," he explained as he leafed through the book in front of him. "However, I'm having a bit of difficulty trying to pin down where to further my studies," he admitted. It almost seemed like he was having similar difficulties from when he had begun his life here as a soldier. Perhaps if he could find a good starting point, he would be able to convince himself that he could only study one thing at a time.

He considered the other Dedicated in front of him. The man had an accent that he had learned to identify as Andoran. He had pale hair and blue eyes that reminded him of his spear brother, Rhen. He did not have the mannerisms of one of his spear brothers, but Jhanic could also tell that he was not afraid of hard work. "I think perhaps discussing this technique may help, yes. I would owe..." He stopped himself before he had to go on about the entire system of ji'e'toh. "I would appreciate it."

[Jon]

Phineas

Water and shade What an interesting greeting, Phineas thought to himself, for a land that is so hot and dry. But it made sense that they would wish each other well by wishing them water and shade. Listening to the new Dedicated, Phineas had noticed the man’s shiny sword pin. He took had taken a similar class, though he didn’t think they had taken the same class. “So you are interested in ter’angreal, as well?” he asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down next to the Aielman. “Well, there are certain talents that will make the study of these objects easier,” he added, unconsciously slipping into a lecturing tone he had developed while giving classes to Soldiers. “Most of them you can learn, but there is one that you cannot. That one talent allows you to feel how a particular ter’angreal can be used.” He didn’t explain that he had discovered such a talent. It just wasn’t important to the instruction. “You’ve already studied how to make ter’angreal,” Phineas continued. “And you could develop that skill further to create more complicated works. Some of the best instruction for that, however, would come from the Indigo Ajah because their experience is practical. The theoretical knowledge in these books is beneficial but a bit over my head sometimes.” He chuckled a bit at his self-deprecating remark. Really, he felt like he was drowning in theory whenever he read those books. But if he wanted to match the best ter’angreal makers, he would have to know it all. “You can also learn to make cuendillar or to align the matrix,” he added. “Both give you stronger materials on which to work the flows of ter’angreal creation, so they can be of use.” He pitched his voice down low in a whisper. “Plus, if you do not mean to swear the Oaths upon receiving the cord, you will be able to strengthen weapons with the One Power if you learn to align the matrix—that makes weapons stronger, keep their edge longer, and more durable.” As he finished, he realized that he had been lecturing the other Dedicated. His face flushed with embarrassment. Was he so far into his studies that he was becoming more like a Brown? “Sorry, I’ve gotten a little too used to lecturing Soldiers,” he said abashed. “I am sure you already knew all of that, and I have just been wasting your time.” He looked down and put his hands in his lap after rubbing the sweat from his palms that had apparently just decided to gush from his pores like a geyser.

[Leala]

Jhanic lent his ear to most of what the other Dedicated spoke about. Or, at least he tried. What he did hear was that as he studied more and more about creating ter'angreal, he could make more complex pieces. His mind had latched itself onto creating such grand ter'angreal that would better the world, but he needed to start small. He narrowed his eyes and thought on his problem for a moment. He formulated a simple ter'angreal that would be a step toward the one that he had drafted, but when Phineas Rubinia apologized for lecturing, Jhanic looked up at him. "Oh, not at all, Phineas Rubinia," he said, shaking his head. "You did not offend. In fact, I believe you've helped. I think I need to slow my thinking and realign what I was planning," he explained.

He got out his notes and began to write. "My original draft was an orb that could project the user's surroundings behind them with a weave of Spirit, focusing on sudden movements," he began, "but, I think I need more practice to get to that point. Perhaps I could make one that I similar to a looking glass, one where the user can focus on something at will, without having the ter'angreal do all the work." He began to sketch the thing, wondering if an Accepted would be willing to volunteer her mirror for the exercise. "Or would that work better as an orb as well? I'll try both," he decided. "What weaves would you think should accompany this? My original thought the weave for Mirror of the Mists, to allow the images to be projected, but perhaps I'd still use that for this mirror ter'angreal, but a more simple weave."

[Jon]

Phineas

The color in Phineas’s face faded as Jhanic responded to his comments. So he hadn’t made as big of a fool of himself as he thought he had. However, the residual embarrassment was still lingering inside him. Idly, he thought about assuming the Void to remove the feeling, but he didn’t. There was a danger in living in the Void—of removing all emotion constantly so that one’s mind was not hindered. The danger was small; many Whites lived that way (or so Phineas thought). But for him, he wanted to feel. Inspiration came as a feeling, and he would not want to miss that. Jhanic’s explaining that Phineas’s comments were more helpful soothed the embarrassment further, and the stocky Dedicated settled into his seat for the explanation he could feel was coming. The plans for a ter’angreal that Jhanic showed Phineas were intricate and detailed. He nodded at the various markings for the different weaves and such that would be required to make the ter’angreal. The second sketch, made on the fly, was just as impressive. Jhanic had been thinking through this ter’angreal for some time and had been studying the theory of it so that he could draw plans for multiple ter’angreal. “I am honestly not very well versed in Illusion, Jhanic,” Phineas admitted with chagrin. “But from what I see in your plans, I don’t think the shape of the object matters so much as the material for the mirror. You’ll want as high a quality mirror as you can get, I think.” He looked again at the plans. “I am not sure projecting what’s behind would be that covert,” he added. “I am assuming you want this ter’angreal to be used by channelers who need to watch their back. If someone is following an Aes Sedai or Asha’man and they see themselves projected into the channeler’s field of view as a Mirror of Mists, they’ll more than likely run than allow themselves to be caught.” He scratched his forehead in thought. “Well, that’s assuming you want this ter’angreal to be used not just to warn but to warn without alerting whoever threatens the ter’angreal’s user.”