Shayol Ghul

[Jenny]

Proposal: Instead of dropping and re-swearing the three Oaths, new initiates will be taken to Shayol Ghul where they swear to the Great Lord. This gets around the whole Oathsworn vs Unsworn difference in the initiation ceremony.

Just to be clear, writing a fanfiction is not necessary for joining the Black Ajah. However, to gain the full rank insignia, the initiation ceremony must be mentioned sometime, somewhere, to "prove" that the character has indeed gone through with swearing his/her soul to the Great Lord.

Thoughts?

[Sunny]

I actually kind of like requiring the fanfic, but I'm kind of a jerk. <_<

[Roan]

Not sure if it matters, but I also like the idea of a fanfic. I may also be a jerk.

[Jenny]

I like the idea of a fanfiction too. Any other opinions?

[Jenn]

Pro fanfiction here.

[Bridget]

Also pro fanfiction! We should have a template for it, like with the Arches and the Stairs.

[Chris]

I'm all up for people documenting the experience if that's what people want but we already wrote 2 raising fics, I don't want to write a third.

[Jenny]

I suppose the key questions are: will a fanfiction dissuade people from the Black Ajah, and if it does, do we want to do so?

Personally, it would not dissuade me because writing about Shayol Ghul is super freaking exciting and awesome. I also find it to be kinda a rite of passage for all BA members. But I can only speak for myself; would it dissuade anyone else?

[Bella]

Perhaps require a fanfic but without a super stringent word count? I get not wanting to have to write too many, but this seems like a Big Thing and a fanfic or something would be a good marker. I don't think it would dissuade the very serious writers, although they may not like it. It probably would dissuade those who were more casual/didn't want the extra work.

[Jenny]

The [STICKY] has been updated with this:

If you are Oathsworn: you undergo the Oath-Breaking Ceremony and swear the Dark Oaths upon the Oath Rod. If you are not Oathsworn: you are taken to Shayol Ghul to swear the Dark Oaths before the Great Lord.

Therefore, from this point onwards, all new members of the Black Ajah are bound by the Dark Oaths.

And after sitting on the idea for a while... while I think a fanfic would be a lot of fun to write, I don't like it enough to force it as a requirement. I wrote the Oath-Breaking Ceremony for Mirin just for fun. But after struggling to write anything for Emmond's "raising" fic, I also see it from that POV and don't want to set another virtual hoop to jump thorough.

I also have another suggestion to posit. Should we open the Black Ajah forum to the public or not?