TVTT Novice/Recruit Edition - Why it's better to be a Novice at TarValon.Net
Author: Estelyn Blackfyre
Published: March 4 2021 Tar Valon Times Blog Link
Anyone can be a Novice, regardless of gender or age. We do not roleplay, but we do mirror titles and organization in the books as a way to recognize our members’ contributions to the community. One of the first ranks of the Tower initiation is Novice.
Here are some reasons why it is better to be a Novice at TarValon.Net than it would be if you actually sought to become an Aes Sedai in the novels.
First, there are no chores. There isn’t any kitchen duty, scrubbing floors, or any other unpleasant tasks that the Tower in the books assigns to its newest members. You don’t even have to clean your room, much less anyone else’s. Since our Novices don’t have to worry about busy work, they can focus on their actual goal, which is to learn about our community.
In the Tower, the purpose of a Novice is to teach people how to channel safely. Not every Novice is strong enough to make it to Accepted. At TarValon.Net, all of our Novices are set up for success. Each Novice is assigned two senior members as mentors, one from the Gaidin path and the other an Aes Sedai.
Even the Mistress of Novices and Recruits is here to help. There is an absolute lack of straps, birch wands, or slippers in the MoNR’s office. In the books, slight breaches in protocol or rules generally result in an encounter with one or all of those things. The worst you can expect here is a quiet reprimand. (Or maybe a haiku.)
Also, everyone gets a room with a view. As written, Novices have the absolute worst quarters. Here at TarValon.Net, Accepted and Novices (and Soldiers/Recruits) share the same space. We don’t have families as they are described in the books. But we do assign roommates and as likely as not they are going to become fast friends and boon companions.
There are some limitations of course. While not everyone looks good in white, you are required to display one of the official Novice banners for two weeks after joining the Tower. After that, you can “wear” whatever you want and display whatever signature lines you prefer. You also gain access to the Tower proper, and most notably The Gardens. But you no longer have access to the City. At least for a while. The City is considered something of a distraction for Novices.
The next step on your journey is to become Accepted. In the books, Novices think that Accepted are a huge step towards Aes Sedai, while Sisters see Accepted as only a small step above Novices. At TarValon.Net, becoming Accepted is a significant event and a goal in and of itself. As for where you go from there, that is a discussion for another time.
