ELLEN Memories of Ta'veren Well, well, well. On a lark, I typed in a few names that I recall from my days on Tales in google. I came across a few old pages, and a few pages that that mentioned characters I remembered now playing on Cuendillar MUX. I skimmed the results, and then I happened upon this one: http://vanderode.tripod.com/ Oh my. I showed my friend Sherry, and suddenly we were transported back to 1998-2000, when we were addicted to Tales of Ta'veren. We couldn't get enough of it. My husband had to pry me off the keyboard at night. Sherry burned out two modems playing during electrical storms. In light of those memories, and Sarah Hough's efforts we are creating our own monument to Tales of Ta'veren. We encourage other players to get in contact with us and we'll add your thoughts and materials to our site. I hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed recalling. Ellen Barbero & Sherry Meade. Ellen's Page I was referred to Tales by my friend Sherry, who had a few characters on there, and so I downloaded SimpleMU*, took great pains to read all of Tales' extensive newbie help guides and background materials, and finally I logged on. That's all she wrote. I had four main characters that I played with any degree of frequency, but in total, I had six (I found it to be great fun to create characters and describe them, building them rooms and houses, and puppets, boy did I love my puppets). The first one I created was Dacei al'Morr, a young woman of Andoran heritage who I enrolled in the White Tower as a novice. I didn't give Dacei very much thought, in truth. I picked Andoran as her nationality because it was generic. I named her parents Jon and Susa al'Morr (John and Sue), made them run-of-the-mill farmers, and figured I'd make up the rest I went along. Upon entering the White Tower, I looked at all the classes I would be required to role-play through to work my way up to an Accepted, let alone a full Aes Sedai, and, well, I found it daunting. I did give it a try, but Dacei soon languished, unused, and I role-played her into oblivion as a runaway. I decided that my next attempt would be someone less bland. Dacei's Description Dacei's Puppets Dacei's Property Dacei's Logs and +bbposts The next character I created was Ameleyne, Lady Ameleyne Feraine-Garaille of Amadicia, to be exact, and don't you forget it. When I started on Tales, there was a lot of good role-play to be had in the Andor area, with active and imaginative leaders playing both the Queen of Andor, Aislynn, and the Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light, Alrik, setting the area into tumult. The set-up was that Aislynn was getting resistance from some of her nobles, since she was openly and unabashedly a Tower-trained Queen, and a full-fledged Green sister. Lord Captain Commader Alrik, seeking to harness this political situation, encamped a sizable regiment of Whitecloaks on a large farm outside Caemlyn, which I believe was owned by an Andoran lord friendly to the Children. There was great friction there, and great friction leads to good role-play. I wanted in. But I didn't want to be a non-descript Andoran noble enmeshed in that situation, nor did I want to be a Whitecloak, since I don't think I could enjoy playing a male character. I hit upon the idea of combining the two, creating the closest thing to a female Whitecloak likely to exist. Ameleyne was born! Ameleyne was the daughter of a Lord Captain of the Children, his only child, and raised to share his dogmatic beliefs. Her father was an invalid, and Ameleyne had been given the duties of managing his estates, as well as tending to their house's support of the Children. Ameleyne was also a widow, having wed another high-ranking officer in the Children, Rovert Garaille, who unfortunately was killed during the Aiel War, and she had two young sons in training in the Dome of Truth. She was active supporter of the Children of the Light, and served as an ambassadress-at-large and proselytizer for them. She was granted rooms in the Whitecloak base at the Andoran farmstead, and in recognition of her work on their behalf, was given an honor guard of two Children to escort her on her missions. Ameleyne was a challenge to play, since her character was essentially an unpleasant woman, a self-righteous noblewoman who thought she bore the burden of saving others, but she did find herself embroiled in interesting situations, and I had great fun playing the noblewoman, showing up uninvited at the banquets and balls of the nobles in Caemlyn, and once or twice riding with the Children on campaigns. Ameleyne's Background Ameleyne's Description Ameleyne's Property Ameleyne's Logs and +bbposts Having settled myself in the Andor area, I now decided to throw myself into the other area of Tales, Tar Valon. Originally, I really wanted nothing to do with Tar Valon, since I largely saw it as an extension of the White Tower. I did note that Tar Valon's +bboards were always full, and it always had a fairly high turn-out of players, so I decided to make myself a character there as well. The area leaders in Tar Valon, Alderic, Maggae, Carinae and Igraesor, did a very good job of fashioning an area distinct from that of the Tower - Tar Valon was portrayed as a highly dynamic urban setting, with wealthy merchant houses and a bloc of foreign nobles vying for status and influence, mixed in with intrigue and espionage, with an active social scene. Oh, and the Tower sometimes got involved. I first created Dareane because I wanted to try my hand at playing a wily, seductive Domani femme fatale, and initially, I played her as a Domani woman of an undetermined background. However, Sherry and I decided that what Tar Valon needed was a dash of Domani-style decadence. They already had Cairhienin nobles, the Ildevwyns and Vanderodes, Saldaean nobles, the Zadneres, Tairen ones, the Divoras, and even a household of Tarabonners, the Sulamaaads, traditional foes of all Domani-folk! Sherry and I decided to open the NPC house of Dhamsid, and set up house in Tar Valon. As way of explanation for our presence in Tar Valon, Dareane became Lady Dareane Amira Dhamsid, Royal Ambassadress from Ebou Dar, the King's voice to the Amyrlin Seat. Dareane was given a scandalous past, and not much less scandalous present, and soon, the Dhamsid family was living in luxury in the shadow of the White Tower. Sherry created the role of Lady Eshira, my especially wanton daughter, and from there, the House bloomed - Cerille, Victar, Buran, Asan, Amisa among others. House Dhamsid's Official Webpage Dareane's Background Dareane's Description Dareane's Property Dareane's Logs and +bbposts Rhianille was created next. I had some fun playing Rhianille (called "Rhia" by her friends), for she's most unlike me in real life. She was a dry, fastidious woman, Cairhienin by birth, who worked a ho-hum job as an instructor in Patreine's Salon, a boarding school for wealthy young women, where she taught such "fascinating" subjects as penmanship and heraldic illustration. What made Rhia fun, though, was her double life. She was a member of the Red Circle, a secret band of agents who dedicated themselves towards protecting and defending Tar Valon from its enemies. The Red Circle allowed for Rhianille to don disguises and travel to Amador, to sneak into mansions of wealthy nobles to copy their letters, to attempt to infiltrate a circle of darkfriends! Rhianille's Background Rhianille's Description Rhianille's Property Rhianille's Logs and +bbposts Last, and probably least, I created Sylaine Isebaine, another Cairhienin woman, although her concept is something that probably sounds more interesting that it actually was. She was the owner and operator of a river galley, the Dawn's Grace, part merchant, part privateer, part brigand. At least that was the theory, but it wasn't very much fun to play a captain without a ship, and Sylaine operated primarily out of Tar Valon, although late in the existence of Tales, an Illian mini-area was opened, and that gave me a space to spread Sylaine's sails, so to speak. Sylaine was inspired by a re-read of a history of Ann Bonney and Mary Reid, except I added a dash of Cairhienin elegance and glamour to the role. Sylaine was literally all dressed up with nowhere to go. Sylaine's Background Sylaine's Description A slim woman of medium height, Sylaine Isebaine carries herself like a bared blade, all sharp and swift movements, coupled with steel-riven posture. Sylaine looks to be Cairheinin borne, with glossy black hair and large dark eyes, but her skin is tanned, and her hands seem well calloused. Sylaine is dressed unusually for a woman, snug breeches in black satin, a blouse of creased lawn striped in red and white, an elaborate brocade vest in currant colored satin, and a long black coat, unbuttoned, which falls to about mid-thigh. The upper coat is embroidered in silver, with matching work on the lapels, and wide cuffs of turned-back Bevaire lace. Sylaine wears her hair loose and flowing, although neatly trimmed to collar's length, topped by a wide black hat, one side pinned back by a jeweled ornament, a glittering ruby, with a long fluffy crimson plume trailing behind, and a scarlet and cream scarf wound about the band, trailing down her back. Sylaine wears large golden hoops at her ears, and a Sea Folk scent box hangs between her breasts, lacy filigree of gold from a matching chain. Low boots with cork soles cover her feet, and shockingly, a slender cutlass hangs on her hip. In poor weather, Sylaine wears a cloak of oiled canvas, although even that is posh, with a red satin lining and a sable-lined hood. Sylaine's Property Sylaine's Logs and +bbposts Sherry's Page I'm not nearly as good a writer as Ellen, so my blurb-thing is much shorter. I first came on Tales when it re-opened in, I think, 1998. I stumbled across the game, like so many others, through the Worldbook. I created my first character back when I still had an AOL account and a pokey dial-up connection. I know that my entry onto the Tales game happened quite early after they reopened, since my first character, Ielera, was based in Fal Moran, which eventually closed due to what I guess was a lack of player base. Or something. My inspiration for Ielera came from New Spring, Robert Jordan's short story in Legends, volume I, namely Iselle Gemallen, the young Malkieri noblewoman, living in exile in Kandor. So, Ielera Sahlin Tienmallen was a refugee Malkieri noblewoman, or more accurately, her mother was, and Ielera was the product of the marriage between her mother, Aiveria Tienmallen, a former lady-in-waiting to the last Queen of Malkier, and who had escaped the fall of Malkier, and the house armsman, Radel Tansowa, who had saved her. Ielera did not live the high life in the Fortress; rather she was reduced to running a chandlery, selling candles like a common merchant. I played Ielera as an eternal optimist, always hoping that a powerful lord would swoop down, marry her, restore her fortunes and eventually carve out an estate in lost Malkier. When Fal Moran was closed, I moved her to Tar Valon, where she sort of faded into the din, although she did have a romance with a gallivanting gleeman named Larence Alvien, who was more than twice her age. Until Larence stopped logging on, and was idle-dested. Bastard. I created Madellin to be an Accepted with a mean streak, perhaps even an evil streak. Madellin Belasien was a young, bourgeois Cairhienin girl, who stole from her father to finance her running away to Tar Valon (ruining his business in the process), and was not above lifting jewelry and coin when she saw something pretty that she wanted. Madellin was a delight to play, even though the other Accepted hated her. She sniffed, she sneered, she condescended, and yet, somehow, she was an Aes Sedai pet. Did I mention that the other Accepted hated her? Had Tales continued, I was going to have her join the Red Ajah. I had great fun making the most of an enmity between Madellin and Shantal, a sickeningly goody-goody Accepted. (Hi Shantal!) Her best friend was the haughty and thoroughly bitchy Solores, a puppeted Accepted played by Cetreise. (Hi Cetreise!) I am relatively sure that Janile and Eshira were created at about the same time. By midsummer 1999, Tar Valon was really rocking. All sorts of nobles had flocked to the city, there was a murder that shocked high society, Maggae was creating havoc in her ta'veren wake and in general, the city was buzzing. Janile Masowa was created to be an restless adventuring girl, born of farmers in Kandor, inspired by Areina from the books, and living in Tar Valon seeking excitement. In fact, I think I originally sent her to Tar Valon as a Hunter of the Horn. Before long, she was hooked up with the Red Circle, Alderic's team of spies and agents. Janile spent a lot of time going back and forth between Caemlyn and Tar Valon. Janile lived in Three Oaks Manor, the happening boarding house run by Maiane, and became fast friends with Maiane, who also was also a restless adventurer at heart, and Janile even got have a fabulous romance with a lord, Jerrot Belmond. It was a blast to let it play out, the uncouth Janile, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, and the pompous Jerrot, the boy with a silver spoon in his mouth, since we hated each other at first sight. Think Pride and Prejudice meets Pretty in Pink. Whoo-hoo! Janile and Jerrot were last seen fighting side by side below the Shining Walls during the War of the Two Dragons. But, I wanted to play a refined lady as well. I created Eshira to be the pampered noblewoman that Ielera was not. I just wasn't very good at role-playing a refined young woman (my mother would not be shocked to read this). The Lady Eshira Rhiyad was a temptress, a wanton harlot, and an incurable flirt. Altogether not surprising since she was Domani, and the daughter of the famous seductress herself, Lady Dareane, who actually encouraged her. Eshira had a series of affairs with all the most eligible men in Tar Valon. Waldin Andavell, Rhun Mayew, Lord Andraenes Rhiaghan, Zandar Gazere…. Let's face it, she was unapologetic tramp. I wanted to give Eshira a dramatic death, but it never happened, perhaps flinging herself into the river from one of the bridges. I like to picture her, right now, sitting before her dressing table, wiping off the make-up she slept in, looking over at the bed, trying hard to remember the name of the guy in it. Before Tales closed, I made one last character, trying one more time to create a proper young noble maiden. Fair Mierande Sienille of House Rhiaghan was inspired, more or less, by Sansa Stark of George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. Sansa is young girl caught up in the most awful of circumstances, a hostage at a hostile court, and a member of a family in open revolt against the crown. Yet through it all, Sansa keeps her courtesies, always remembering to say please and thank you to those who abuse her and keep her hostage. Mierande was in a similar vein, although her personal situation was never so dire. I liked to think of Mierande as the flip side of Eshira. Mierande always behaved like a sweet, well-trained debutante, even as her mother, exiled Cairhienin grande-dame Mieranille, got the two of them embroiled in Daes Dae'mar, and screwing it up royally (usually in botched marriage negotiations). Mierande was doomed to a boring, arranged marriage, orchestrated by her blowsy, inept mother, but she was a dutiful, sheltered daughter, and was going to do it with dignity. I definitely planned on giving Mierande a big splashy death. Something messy perhaps involving a crossbow. Or maybe a pox. Hmm. What is there to be said that hasn't already been said? I had four characters on Tales, three of which I thought were brilliant fun to inhabit. The fourth was a labour of love. I came to Tales late, but I do recall that I found it easy to get up to speed with the established characters and chronology, since everyone was enthusiastic about logging their role-play, and the Tales' resources were quite extensive. I made terrific friends on Tales, and still keep in touch with many. My first character was Tuan Santanes, a Tairen man from the Maule (in fact, I think every Tairen on Tales was from the Maule, even though it's just one neighbourhood in one city out of an entire country!), who wound up as a Tower-trained Gaidin awaiting his Aes Sedai. I believe that I created him as a Proven (the sort of Accepted analogue of the Warder Academy), so the leap to full fledged gaidin was easy (on Tales, one could be a trained warder and not be bonded, although the Aes Sedai characters were encouraged to bond the products of the Warder Academy as gaidin and not random warriors off the street). I recall hounding the new Aes Sedai characters via +chat and +comm to bond me. Weeks went by. I was getting desperate and forlorn, and then I met her. Young and adventurous, with a wide Saldaean nose and wider Saldaean temper, she was everything a new warder could dream of in a bond-holder. Soon enough, Tuan Santanes found himself the warder of Elivet Carnayar, Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah. We spent most of our time together in the Illian mini-area before Tales closed. Elivet's player and I met in person once when she flew to Yorkshire, and we still write occasionally. I was intrigued by the mysterious Ildevwyn nobles from the moment I set my virtual foot on Tales, but they seemed to be quite dense in their back story and hierarchy so I was reluctant to wade in. Lady Cionaeve, though, routinely posted recruitment ads with pre-fab characters for new players to assume, and so it was that I donned the elegant dress and adopted the cool and ruthless persona of Lord Ibaerdes Ildevwyn, Marquis of Ibaswen. Ibaerdes was the brother of the late Lady Ibaethien, founder of the House on Tales, who went out in a spectacular manner, poisoned at her own wedding. I truly enjoyed the Ildevwyns, played to perfection by the players of Igraesor 'Lord of the Gardens,' his aethereal fiancée Josaephine, the predatory sisters Cionaeve, the 'Madame of Manredi House,' and Alaeseille, and others such as Lady Courtaene, five times a widow, and her wolfish daughter Belaine. Mathaenes and Ivaenes, half-brothers divided by blood-fued, Caeringil and his mysteriously blinded sister Alaeve. I will also say that some of the Ildevwyn ladies were the kinkiest women I have ever met, and leave it at that. Andraenes Daien Rhiaghan My last character on Tales was that of Guensin Aniches, a nasty Red sister from, you guessed it, the Tairen Maule. Guensin was created in the nick of time to be involved in the Rebirth of the Dragon. Unfortunately, Guensin didn't have much of a personality, aside from being a shrewish Red, so after the War of the Two Dragons ended, I didn't do very much with her. From time to time, I trotted her out to harass the novices, and I believe she once got into a slap-fight with a Green named Rasuna, and that was that. In truth, I had more fun being Guensin's puppets than I did Guensin herself. Ian Daniel McCauley -- I was the key-slapper for two characters on Tales, Tobyas Rajin