Information on Child of the Light RP.

[Aira]

The Child Manifesto

By Exodio Hinane, Annointed Peer

The Children of the Light are an organization dedicated to ridding the world of darkfriends and the Power of the Dark One. They were formed by Lothair Mantelar to fight against the growing numbers of darkfriends during the War of a Hundred Years. Over the years they grew into a strict militaristic organization, fighting evil wherever they find it, both in the shadowspawn creations of the Dark One and his evil minions among the human race, both those that sold their soul to the Shadow and those that wield his One Power that he gifts to those that don't always know they are doing his bidding. It is against these evils that the Children ride, ridding the world of Trollocs, witches and other darkfriends.

As a Child of the Light, one gives up many tools to fight against the Dark One. While the One Power may appear a valuable aid in war, it is but a manifestation of the Shadow's chaos, and any time a witch slays a trolloc with the Power, it is the ranks of evil battling one another. The Power has broken the world once according to the Dark One's will, and left unchecked, will do so again, perhaps ending all life this time.

The Children maintain order wherever the Light walks, and if ever a person denies the rights of a Child, it is a sure sign they have fallen into the Shadow. Any city that grants free passage to wielders of the One Power must be watched closely. It is not a given that the city is beyond hope, for none are so far into the Shadow that they may not again walk in the Light, but one must use caution and foresight when dealing with the citizens of these cities. The Dark One hides his minions, and any may have sworn allegiance to his foul cause.

It is not an easy task being a Child, for the world fears that which is Right. Most are not actively evil, but instead have been lulled into a complacency and must be shown the true ways of the Light. It is a Child's duty to bring those that may into the Light, so that the world may battle against evil, and thus make the world safe for those on the true path to the Creator's glory.

With the Creator's blessing we do our work. We act as One, with One heart, One mind, One vision. We are the Creator's hand in these dark times, and we will not be stopped.

Walk in the Light, and you will be saved.

[Aira]

A Commoner's Guide to the Light

Ranga Traofann
Bannerman, Children of the Light
written in 596 NE

A quote from the "Way of the Light":
"Therefore abjure all pleasure, for goodness is a pure abstract, a perfect crystalline ideal which is obscured by base emotion. Pamper not the flesh. Flesh is weak but spirit is strong; flesh is useless where spirit is strong. Right thought is drowned in sensation, and right action hindered by passions. Take all joy from rightness, and rightness only."

This book should provide the mere commoners and farmers with enough of a guide to live in the Light, without using the language of the day when "The Way of the Light" was first penned down. Written after the fall of Artur Hawkwing's empire as chaos reigned supreme and the world was riven by war, it provides insight in how to live in the Light, mind, body and soul.

The Beginning of Enlightenment
To understand the background of why the tome was written, it is important to know that after many years of squabbling and disaster, Artur Hawkwing rose to prominence. His parents dead during the Black Fever in FY 939, he ascended the throne of Shandalle. Around the same time Guaire Amalasan, the False Dragon, wrecked the world. After a daring battle using unexpected tactics, Guaire Amalasan was captured by Artur Hawkwing and the Aes Sedai. The army marched for Tar Valon, where the mighty general whose effective strategy won the day for the Light was repaid with the message that he had five days to rest his troops and then had to take his army beyond Tar Valon borders. Then Tar Valon was besieged by the remnants of Amalasan's army. Only the presence of Artur Hawkwing's troops saved Tar Valon from being wrecked by men sworn to the False Dragon.

However, the Amyrlin of the day never forgave Artur that he took his army into Tar Valon, or that she needed him to defeat the Dragonsworn. For a mysterious and unknown reason three other nations started marching towards Artur's Shandalle. At the same time Trolloc activity rose and thought the Tower usually negotiated a treaty between warring parties, in the case of Shandalle against the armies of Caembarain (Andor), Khodomar (a nation south of Cairhien and north of Haddon Mirk) and Tova (Cairhien) never attempted to negotiate even though Hawkwing appealed to the Tower for help with negotiations. Aldeshar (Murandy), Ileande (north of Cairhien) and Talmour (Haddon Mirk) sent armies to aid their neighbours. The very nations Artur Hawking had saved from being wrecked by the False Dragon turned against him and all gained an Aes Sedai advisor. However, Artur's magnificent strategic skills had the treacherous nations defeated within twenty years. All nations west of the Spine of the World, with the exception of Tar Valon fell under Artur Hawkwing's rule.

Next followed twentythree years of peace, where men and women lived their lives in safety and plenty. When Artur had had an Aes Sedai advisor for some years, he trusted the Tower enough to appoint Aes Sedai to highranking positions in his empire. For reasons that cannot be retrieved in the libraries of the world, Hawkwing suddenly turned against the Aes Sedai in FY 974, even setting a price on the head of every Aes Sedai who refused to renounce Tar Valon. He laid siege to Tar Valon, which lasted until his death. It is suspected that the Aes Sedai rulers had been taking orders from the Amyrlin Bonwhin and that Hawkwing thought the Aes Sedai were using him to spread their own influence, perhaps even take over the world. Some sources claim he discovered that the Amyrlin had had a hand in the deaths of Artur's first wife Amaline and their children.

As the siege of Tar Valon continued, in FY 986 a sudden invasion of Trollocs ravaged the northern provinces. With swift and decisive action this invasion was crushed, and the Shadow given such a blow that the Blight remained quiet for fifty years. Relations with the Tower were cool, but not hostile. After sending expeditions to Seanchan and Shara, Artur mysteriously fell ill and died. A letter found in the Cairhien library mentions "the great Hawkwing died less than an hour before the nws arrived of the tragic deaths of his daughter Laiwynde and her son, the last of Hawkwing's blood this side of the oceans."

After the relative peace for the common man during Hawkwing's long reign, his death plummetted the world into chaos. All nobility seemed to want to carve a piece out of Hawkwing's lands for themselves and wars and chaos were daily occurences. Thieves, bandits and darkfriends thrived in these circumstances and soon they were running rampant. At that time, in FY 1021, a group of priests were founded by Lothair Mantelar. They preached against darkfriends, but in the War of the Hundred Years they swiftly turned into warriors, actively fighting the dark wherever it lurked.

With the events between Hawkwing and the treachery and manupulation of the Aes Sedai fresh in the memory of the people, as well as scholars making the link between the Tar Valon siege and the sudden wakening of the Blight, Lothair Mantelar, a philosopher and a man of considerable knowledge, realized the Aes Sedai were darkfriends themselves. He proceeded to write a book about how one should live, so that one's soul will find peace in the hand of the Creator.

Friends of the Dark
Darkfriends come in many different forms. Some come in the shape of a smiling old man, or in the shape of men running with wolves, others can appear to be normal citizens. Odd and suspicious goings on around their homes and businesses may indicate their true allegiance. Once should also be wary of men suddenly becoming very lucky or gaining sudden wealth and status. Should you find such a person among you, observe him and alert proper authorities.

One of the best known organizations of darkfriends is the White Tower. Lulling the comman man into a sense of security with their easily circumventable Oaths, they manipulate kings and nations and prepare the world for the coming of their Great Lord, the Dark One himself. Some of these women serve the dark in the open, women such as Kedelacia or Cenae were once members of the White Tower before they showed whom they served in reality. There will be more to follow, for the power of the Creator is tempting, and the Dark's lure is strong. Thus the women of the Tower shall continue to claim their innocence and go about their treachery unhindered.

With secret rituals in the bowels of the island of Tar Valon the witches prepare young women for their evil tasks. In those same dark places they claim to 'gentle' tainted men, however they set them free to undo the balance of the world for the Dark One will return in chaos. Under the Hand's protection there have even been repenting women stating that the Aes Sedai use the tainted men to breed with innocent women, so that they may bear more future dreadlords for the dark. However, these rumors must be discarded for no Lightfearing woman would willingly do such a thing, and should this be a widespread practice it would have become part of the knowledge of the people, spreading from village to village in wild tales.

He who will Break the World
The Karaethon Cycle speak of the Dragon Reborn and how he will lead the Last Battle against the Dark. A great many people take solace from this, hoping that once the Last Battle is done the world will see another Age of Legends where the world will prosper and be at peace. However, it is prudent to realize this man, the Dragon Reborn, will be a male channeler and therefore tainted and crazed. Like his predecessor Lews Therin Kinslayer he cannot be trusted and can leash out at the people surrounding him at any time. This will include the armies of the Light he is said to be fated to lead. Should he lead these armies, the renewed breaking of the world is inevitable, like the Karaethon Cycle suggests. To keep the world from falling into chaos and darkness the Dragon Reborn will cause he must be slain, so that the Children of the Light may expertly lead the armies of the Light during Tarmon Gaidon and free the world of the Dark One and all his minions.

The Way of the Light
There are a number of things one should know so one's soul may remain pure:

Everyone has his or her purpose for the Light. Some may be excellent fighters, whereas others can best serve the Light being a good wife to a Lightfearing husband. A farmer is important to the Light providing the good citizens with food, as is a noble who has been schooled by the best tutors. However, do not try to overstep your place. Some are not suited for being a soldier and are best off in a position of seemingly lesser status.

For those who are farmers, hunters or travelers, they will well know the danger a pack of wolves may pose. They are eyes of the shadow and viscious beasts only out for the kill. Their dark mentality was used to craft them into wolf muzzled trollocs. They must be slain. Authorities in Amador will reward you well for your acts for the Light.

The flesh will distract a man from the purity of the mind and the purpose in his life. Only humor the flesh to bring new lightfearing children into this world, so that they may do their part. Women, in all their ignorance, may tempt the flesh. Resist this temptation and scold her for her actions, for she may unwittingly lure you to the dark.

Should one be wed before the Light, one is to keep to the weddings vows as if they were the strongest Oath spoken. Bedding another than one's spouse means you have strayed from the path of the Light and have passed into the ways of the Dark.

For those who have what the darkfriend Aes Sedai call 'the spark', fear not. You have not been born in sin, but if you use the Creator's Power you will be sinful. The Creator tests us all to see if we will use his Power in vain and challenge him and his power. Should you fail the test, you are lost to the Light forever. The test comes for us all, as we are respun throughout the ages. Should you have the ability and wish to pass the Creator's test, the Children and the Hand are there to aid your path in the Light. Purification of the soul by confessing your sins and receiving absolution are all possible. We have the means to make sure you will not be able to touch the Source again, so you may return to the Light. Even should you not know this, and train in the dark Tower, your soul may still be saved, though the price may be higher. Those men who posess the ability to touch the Source can receive peace in death.

Excessive alcohol use may cloud the mind and cause you to stray off the path to the Light. The effects of alcohol may be tempting, but resist and remain pure.

Committing sinful acts does not only threaten the passing to the Creator of ones own soul, but also those of your children and your children's children. Men can be held entirely accountable and the sins of the father are visited to the tenth generation. Sins of the mother are only visited to the fifth generation, for women cannot be held entirely accountable due to widespread ignorance among their kind.

Use these guidelines as a rope to cling to in life, and one shall be reborn pure and innocent.