Dreadlord Progression System

== Dreadload Advancement ==
When you first arrived in the fortress to start training to become a Dreadlord, you do not leave until you become one yourself, unless you are under the supervising of a full-ranking Dreadlord. Runaway initiates are hunted down and will receive an appropriate penalty.
Normal minimum age of testing or showing signs of channeling is 14-16 for girls, 19-21 for boys, the training take minimum 5-6 years to full Dreadlord-hood, min age of raising is 20 for girls and 25 for boys. It takes time to earn a higher rank, 3 years min for greater Dreadlord, and 5 minimum for Mae'shadar (25/30 years). Before being raised you also need to decide on a rough age span where your Dreadlord lays within main plotline's time frame.
== Ranks and Advancement Criteria ==
Dreadlords do not specialize, like Darkfriends, as they are already a specialized type of DF. To become an Adept, or a Dreadlord is relatively easy, advancing after that exceptionally hard. Throughout your time as an Acolyte and an Adept, we hope that you’ll concentrate on developing your character’s personality, how they use the One Power, whether they’re quiet, noisy, abrasive, whether they like swords, or hate Shadowspawn. Although the One Power is our most powerful weapon, well-written character traits are enjoyable to read, so please try and make a well-rounded character by the time you’ve been promoted to Dreadlord.
• RPs must be at least 3 posts for each person, unless otherwise stated.
• OP RPs will generally take more between 4-6. The better the posts, the better the RP will be, and really good RPs will be rewarded.
• An average post is 2 paragraphs long, as an Acolyte. Thus, the 3-post rule only applies if your posts are as long or longer than 2 paragraphs, at first.
• On the flip side, writing posts that are 5 or 6 paragraphs long, if you want to write less posts, count as double, or triple. Around 50 words per paragraph is expected, on average.
== Darkfriends ==
As per normal, Darkfriends, upon finding out you can channel, you go to learn, and to become an Acolyte.
== Discovery of the Power ==
Most Dreadlords are natural channelers, who come to Shayol Ghul when they learn they can channel. However, some Darkfriends are tested by Dreadlords, upon request, and can so learn to channel. If your character was already a Darkfriend (As in, your bio stated you to be a Darkfriend), you forfeit all rank you once had when becoming an Acolyte. You do, however, keep all former WS, and other skills. (However, since the maximum WS for Dreadlords is 10, you will not be able to learn to channel after you exceed that WS, in order to avoid people trying to 'max out' their stats. Thus, people who want to have a Dreadlord, but already have an CotS character, can switch only if they do not exceed the ws 10)
== Acolyte ==
Acolytes are Darkfriends who have consciously channeled the One Power, this is when you are ranked as an Acolyte. An Acolyte ranks as an Initiate in terms of command, but generally has far more protection, such as a Dreadlord might have, as the Great Lord does not wish such assets wasted.
To become an Adept, you must complete the two following modules, plus three of your choice.
•Training with the Power: Training with the Power to learn basic flows, to recognize all Five Powers, and to make the Power come when you wish. These are the things you must do before you can be safely sent to study on your own.
•Test for Adept : Challenge in both OP and of the mind
This test is to see if the Acolyte is ready for the next limit, it tests what they learned in their studies both of OP and way of thinking/problem solving. The test consists of Dreadlords hiding within a maze (opposite sex of the candidate so the candidate cant read the weaves coming). The Acolyte is put at the start of the maze and if chose to enter must finish or dye trying. In the maze they will meet obstacles of different sorts, some may be problem solving like riddles or likewise that will allow them to pass gates by putting sign-stones in a set rank, others will be needing OP, it may be need to get over a cliff in the floor by channeling to make a bridge by materials, while other yet may be of the body and stealth like passing over buckling floor. (Generally be creative as we leave it up to the author to come up with the challenges, just make sure to keep them within the limit of what your acolyte would be able to channel). Upon walking out of the maze in the end the acolyte is raised to Adept without further ado.
== Adept ==
Adepts have reached some measure of power, and can be trusted on their own with the One Power. Most lessons are private studies, although a few lessons are taught by the tutor as well being given tasks to complete. The only mandatory RP at this level is Graduation, and you may choose from any of the pre-set modules, or, if none of them suit your needs, submit a new one, and it will be looked over, and possibly included in this system.
• You have to complete the following RP, plus 4 more optional ones.
• Three-paragraph posts are expected at this level.
•Test to Dreadlord: Dreadlord’s Judgment
This test pushes the Adept to their limits and beyond. Nothing less than total effort is accepted. No quarter is given. The test consists of 5 Mae'shadars sitting in judgment of the Adept. Four Dreadlords of the opposite sex will test the Adept using the One Power, while the others observe. Two will weave to distract, two to injure. It is up to the Adept to defend themselves from these attacks. After the Adept is driven to near-exhaustion, the four will pause to prepare for the final part of the test, where they will not hold back in their weavings. This is to test whether the Adept is willing to push themselves to the breaking point and beyond when ordered to do so. Once the Adept’s dedication has been established, the Dreadlords will cease. All the Mae'shadars must agree that the Adept is ready to move on, after which they will adjourn and send the Adept to their room to rest. The next day comes the most difficult part. At dawn, one of the Mae’shadar will escort the Adept to Shayol Ghul, to the Pit of Doom itself, and there, the Adept will make his oaths directly to the Great Lord. (And male ones rescive protection from the taint)
Broken down, the test looks something like this:
-Adept arrives with their trainer and receives instructions.
-Dreadlords begin the test. The Adept will write the various tricks that the Dreadlords try.
-Pause in the onslaught, where the Adept catches their breath and the Dreadlords prepare their weaves for the next part.
-Dreadlords redouble their efforts. Adept reacts as best they can.
-Judgment. Dreadlords decide if the Adept is worthy of the rank of Dreadlord. All must agree.
-Adept is sent back to their room for the night.
-One of the Mae’shadar arrive the next day to bring the Adept to Shayol Ghul.
-Mae’shadar presents the Adept to the Great Lord.
-Adept swears their oaths to the Great Lord and is named Dreadlord/Dreadlady
== Dreadlord/Dreadlady ==
Once you are a Dreadlord, that's it, you're free. Apart from the fact that you’re answerable to those above you, you’re free to work as you will within the Shadow.
Note that there are no official ‘modules’ for Dreadlords, just as there are none for Aes Sedai, and none for Asha’men. You’ll be taught more important weaves from here in, by more knowledgeable Dreadlords, or those of higher rank.
• To be promoted to a Greater Dreadlord, you must do 15 RPs, of your choice.
• Helping an Adept or Acolyte meet one of their RP reqs counts as two RPs.
• Inter-group RPs count as two RPs.
• Any RP with 5 or more people, which has at least 5 posts from you, also counts as two RPs.
• From here, however, 4-paragraph posts are expected. In any RP, you’re expected to make at least 4 posts.
• Note that bonuses do not stack, an inter-group RP that helps Acolytes/Adepts meet their reqs do not count as 4 RPs.
Also, for the teaching RPs, one Dreadlord, and one Acolyte/Adept must participate in them. Therefore, it is good to teach. Also, if you're advancing your Dreadlord, but choose to teach as a NSW instead, the RP in which the NSW participated still counts.
== Greater Dreadlord/Dreadlady ==
This Rank is not a rank, as such, but it the equivalent of a senior Aes Sedai. It is from here that Mae’shadar are chosen from, and here is where you learn the most powerful and secret weaves.
Note: All RPs from this point are optional, but tend to preclude any Mae’shadar promotions. People who are promoted to Greater Dreadlords need to be writing, at least, Dreadlord-level quality writing, although better is expected.
•Increased Responsibility – This is a RP with your Chosen, giving you a task of importance to the Shadow that has to be completed.
== Mae’shadar ==
Mae’shadar are the elite, the greatest rank a Dreadlord can attain. They are in more modern time often appointed by each of the Chosen, to serve them. Thus, being a Mae’shadar can be reliant entirely on the success or failure of your Chosen. However before the release of the chosen becoming a Mae'shadar was done by becoming the best of the best, and outpolitic someone else on the council to gain a place. We are again going to see this trend as chosen through internal competiton and in battle with the light starts dying. Since these is no advancement from here on, there are no required RPs to advance.
However, if you become inactive for a long period, in order to maintain an order of active Mae’shadar, your character may be demoted, to make room for more active players.
== The Chosen ==
The Chosen are a special rank, as they are chosen by the CotS staff. As such, you cannot use Chosen RPs to advance your Dreadlords, as they are main plotline RPs. However, it is quite ok to have your Dreadlord meet one of the Chosen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
== Useful Advice ==
• One Power classes are assumed to have taken place regardless of whether you RP them or not. Likewise, you can obtain a skill without RPing for it, allowing you to make more open-ended decisions about what you RP.
• Lists are available of the weaves taught in each class so that you will know what your character has been taught and what they have not.
• Don’t assume that you have just learnt weaves that aren’t on this list – someone will need to teach you IC. Some weaves are restricted, such as Travelling, and you won’t be able to use them until they are taught to you by a Chosen or Mae’shadar.
• Weapons training is not assumed to have taken place unless you have RPed this class. The WS maximum for Dreadlords is 10. However, since the reliance on the One Power over the blade, very few, if any Dreadlords, will ever reach this score.
• Post totals are for the entire thread, not for each person involved in the thread. Length will be taken into account when making sure threads fit the requirements – three sentence posts will not be accepted.
== Optional Modules ==
Module Note: These modules are simply the base modules, the modules that have been written for your convenience, so you can complete the required number of RPs. If you wish to do something different, submit a new module, and your reasons for submitting said module, (For instance, it'll allow you to do new things, it replaces Module X and Y, etc) to shadowhall[at]gmail[dot]com.
Some modules can be done more than once, ones that can be done more than once are marked with an asterix. (*). Ones that can be done more than once, but do not 'stack', or have conditions on doing them twice, (for instance, two Elemental Studies RPs), are marked with a plus sign. (+)
== Acolyte-Only Modules ==
• Reading/Writing – If your character happens to be illiterate, they will be taught to write by a teacher. This module can also be used on barely-literate characters, who require more practice in scribing.
• Alertness – A simple module, the Acolyte in question must learn to listen, and make sure he pays attention to any potentially dangerous things.
• Social Interaction (*) – Your Acolyte, as isolated as she is likely to be, will obviously interact with other people from time to time. This is a simple interaction with another person/s sworn to the Shadow, and how your character’s personality has changed after becoming an Acolyte of the Shadow.
== Acolyte/Adept Modules ==
• Elemental Studies (+ - You can only do this class once for each of the powers you have 8 or greater Strength in)– (Fire/Water/Air/Earth/Spirit) – Whenever a student shows great power in one of the Five Powers, they tend to be taught more complex and difficult weaves in that particular Power. To qualify for this class, when your character becomes a Dreadlord, he must have 8+ in the power that he intends to study in. This class may be taken multiple times, but for different Powers each time.
• Advanced Weaving - For any student who has shown dedication to the wielding of the One Power, this can advance your weaving skill greatly, and teach you how to weave more than one thread at a time, with speed and accuracy. (Note: This is another Skill-required thread, thus giving the women, who tend not to have incredible strength, their own weaving thread). Your character must have over 32 Skill (As a Dreadlord) to take this class.
• Pointy End Bad – A basic training class with any training master, or retired soldier, you can find. This class goes over the basic aspects of many weapons, and how to use each. This class should raise you to WS 3, enough to handle a weapon with reasonable competence.
• Rivalry (*) – Your character develops a rival, whether it be in the aspects of the One Power, popularity, or skill with a blade. RP out the beginning of this rivalry.
• Additional Skill – (*)This is simply an RP in which your character develops a skill, whether it be learning to knit, learning to track animals through the forest, or learning to make clay pots. This class may be taken multiple times, but for different things each time.
• Learning with a Dreadlord (*)– choose a subject that your character is interested in, and take lessons from one of the Dreadlords or Mae’shadar. This could be anything from how to play stones to Trolloc language to dark prophesies.
• One Power, Progression –This lesson will be more or a test, where you will be required to show what you have learned so far, and how strong you have become. This is usually a set of tests, ranging from weaving while in danger, to sparring with your teacher.
• Mourning, and Revenge (+ - As you grow greater in the Shadow, your emotional attachments to non-Shadowsworn will grow less and less)– Someone you knew, and cared about, has died. This person, although not sworn to the Shadow, was someone you cared dearly about. RP your mourning, and whether or not you choose to take revenge.
•One Power Basics: In this class, you learn how to weave, how to tie off weaves, how to cut the flows of others, and how to grasp the Power when you need it.
•One Power Weaponry; Facing non-channelers – This class teaches you how to destroy non-channelers with quick, deadly, and mass-destructive weaves which are hard to dodge.
•One Power Weaponry; Facing channelers – This class teaches you how to face another channeler, how to cut flows you can’t see, how to shield, or sever, another channeler, and how to recognise other channelers.
•Weaponry Specialization (*)– After learning how to wield weapons with some basic skill, you are allowed to choose a weapon, if you would so like, in order to fight with. This class will generally take you up another WS point if your within the amateur level of the WS-system, if not it can count as one of your electible RPs on the 2nd level.
== Adept-Only Modules ==
• Political Studies (+ - Has to be done for a different country/region/city each time)- Simple, useful, and deadly, how to understand the politics in the country you live in. Knowing how to manipulate the deadly undercurrent of daes'damar is useful indeed. This module is limited to Adepts, as Acolytes must focus on their usage of the One Power, and Dreadlords will not be given books to study, they will be manipulating the political currents for themselves.
• Studies of Shadowspawn (+ - An advanced version of this lesson can be given, on interesting facts on Trollocs. This is a hands-on lesson)– Lessons any child in the Borderlands would learn; this is important for any Adept. How Trollocs were bred, the bond between Myyrdraal and Trollocs, information on Dragkhar and Grey Men, and other creations of the Shadow.
• One Power, Destruction – Generally only of the One Power modules will be taken, as this is not so much a module, as what you choose to study during your time as Adept. For instance, those who choose to study destruction, will tend towards killing soldiers, ripping apart buildings, and other destructive ends.
• One Power, Manipulation – Those Adepts who choose to use others as their tools will learn may be considered simplistic versions of Compulsion, ways to manipulate the mind, and the body, to suit their own ends.
• One Power, Subtlety - The way a Dreadlord who kills from the shadows works, weaves which make little mess, use next to no power, and can mask their ability to channel. These Dreadlords tend not to learn Healing, or other ‘wastes’ of the Power, and prefer to develop their skill over their strength, preferring to strike from the shadows.
• One Power, Enhancement – Those who are obsessed with Shadowspawn, with their own armies, and Healing. These Adepts are more interested in aiding others over all, protecting them with wards, Healing them, and spinning webs to make them more silent. Needless to say, these Adepts are few and far between, but their abilities make them exceedingly useful.
• Ter'angreal and angreal (+ - Studying angreal only takes one lesson, but studying ter'angreal can happen over and over again) - Valuable artifacts both, these can make your life much easier, or make it hell. Comprehensive studies can only be done if you have some, but experts on ter'angreal are rare, and some are very powerful
• On the Shadows Side (*)– You must interact with a Lightfool, and try to hide your allegiance from the unsuspecting person. Simply hide your new allegiance from them, and hide the fact that you are on the side of the Shadow.
• Lessons of Power (+ - Advanced versions of this may include Chosen alliances, and the daes'damar of the Shadow) – In this, an Adept must recognise the complex systems of power in the Shadow, how Darkfriends, Mae’shadar, and the Chosen interact, as to avoid any deadly mistakes upon reaching Dreadlord.
== Other Modules ==
These can all be done infinite times.
• Political Manipulation - Manipulation of the Houses of any country, using a combination of cunning, and charm, to do the Great Lord's will. This will prove your intelligence to your Chosen, and is a chance to impress. War and peace are in your hands.
• Proving Your Loyalty – Generally a dangerous mission against either another of the Chosen, or Lightfools, this module is made for those who wish to prove their absolute loyalty and devotion, as well as worth, to their Chosen.
• Evil Deed – This RP is about proving that you can indeed do what it takes, this can be anything, frame someone for murder, ruin someone’s business, etc. Basically this RP is a chance to show off your creative side.
Category:All
Category:Congress of the Shadow
Category:Congress of the Shadow Training