Previous post. Go ahead and chang the name of the thread if you want to.

As you drift to sleep you allow your focus to align itself to the other Ta'Verin. You end up with a nauseating feeling at first as your mind shifts back and forth. After several confusing moments, you realize the problem in that trying to focus on the three of them is pulling your vision in different places. The resulting cascade of blurring colors and backdrops aren't intelligible to your eyes.

Assuming you're willing to put off a little sleep and take the time to try to separate the visions out, you realize that Matt is no longer traveling with Rand and Perrin. You get the sense of a distance when you shift your thoughts from focusing on Rand/Perrin to Matt, not a good enough sense to estimate how far apart they are, however.

Your vision of Rand has him in a valley bordered on all sided by white-topped mountains. There are several borderlander tents set up in a tidy order. Three tents stand separate, and you can tell Rand's is one of them. You also notice the Dragon banner raised in the center of camp.

Perrin is with Rand and has his tent set up with the others, but on the perimeter closest to Rand's tent. He is talking with a woman you have not seen before. She has raven black hair and a fierce light in her eyes. She seems to be arguing with Perrin though you can't hear any of the words.

Meanwhile, Mat is riding in a cart. You get the sense of pain and anguish just focusing on Mat, and notice that he is largely resting and lying limp. You notice that Verin appears to be tending to him, riding in the cart by his side. Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne all check in periodically as well. They all seem in good health, though with your vision being based on Mat, there are only brief snippets of each of them.

With the scrying done, and fatigue hitting you fast after it, you finish drifting to sleep.

You wake up the next day, still somewhat unsteady on your feet, but feeling more agile than the previous day. You think you could likely practice the sword and not make a fool of yourself, but you don't think you would best anyone in a sparring match despite your significant skill advantage.

When you leave your tent in the morning, you see Master Flinn walking over towards you. He smiles and says, "I was told ye rose in the middle of the night. I'm glad to see your standing again. Tell me son, how do you feel? Any strange aches or lingering effects...?"

OOC) Sorry for the delay, the longer posts are just much easier from my computer, and I have been too busy recently to find much time where I'm at my computer and have the energy.

OOC: No Problem man. Real life takes precedent.

Would you want me to use color for my speech? or do you want it to remain like it is?

Yeah, I would change to only focusing on one.
----------

I'll reply to Master Flint
"I feel like the brew you gave me is still slowing me down and making my clumsy. Which is odd since you gave me it a week ago. What did you give me?"

OOC: I find the colored speech very helpful, but will probably not do it myself when posting from my phone. I'll try to remember to do so when posting on my computer though. Is there a guideline we have for what is speech, thought and ooc?

Flinn replies, "It was a mixture I use frequently for particularly bad injuries. It's several herbs blended for a combination of pain relief, light sedative, and increased recovery speed. I'm honestly at a loss for what would have caused such a strong and protracted recovery, unless you were more deeply injured than I believed at the time. One of the benefits of the mixtures is that it seems to be more potent for a tired body. You can take the same mixture for a mild headache or severe burns. Taken for a headache you get a little drowsy but can operate well enough. Taken for severe burns you have trouble staying awake, but the pain is removed and recovery times are significantly reduced. But it still requires administering further doses at least every other day even for the worst wounds I've seen...."

He looks curious from an academic perspective, and incredibly confused by the situation.

OOC: We generally agree that Orange is a good color for OOC stuff. I generally render thoughts as italics. And the Color of speech for your character is up to you. As long as your consistent with which color you use for which character.

"I see. I might have been more injured that I appeared. Did you give me more of that mixture since that first dose?"

OOC: That works for me.

"None, the only thing we've been having you drink is a light tea to keep you hydrated. We had been discussing what to do about finding a way to feed you if you stayed under for too much longer. Speaking of which, we should get some breakfast in you."

And he gestures you to walk with him as he heads back to the central campfire. He doesn't move terribly fast though because of his limp, so you have a few minutes to ask further questions if you want, while out of earshot of the others.

My stomach rumples at he mention of food. I nod at his suggestion and follow him.

"so no more of that mixture was given to me. and yet... How very odd. Seems like the only way to test what went wrong would be to test the individual components of the mixture on me. But I would rather not do that. It's rather unnerving to be so uncoordinated. Hmmm... Have you ever treated an Aes Sedai with that Mixture? I suppose most of the time they wouldn't need herbal healing if they have another Aes Sedai to heal them."

Master Flinn replies:
"I've only ever seen Aes Sedai a handful of times, and never spoken to one let alone had the need to administer a tincture. I'm not a fool, they are near royalty or perhaps they would say royalty is near them in stature... Why do you ask? I would imagine a man who can channel would be doing everything possible to not think about them at a time like this..."

He's looking at you with concerned eyes and winces at the end as he's talking about you channeling and the Aes Sedai.

I look around and make sure no one else is around.

"I suppose that is true for most men like myself. But, I need to think about them and learn all that I can. So that I can be careful and do what I need to do.

The reason I ask about you using that tincture on an Aes Sedai is because I was wondering if a herb you used adversely affects those that can use the One Power.

Although... there might be another reason for my long recovery. I might have burned up my insides when I tried something new."

I look wistful for a moment.

"I was training to be a Warder at the White Tower. I was the best in my Class and was about to train with the Master of Arms. I was friends with several Novices and an Apprentice. Which is why I knew what was happening when I felt the connection awaken. I thought I used it too early and was forced to go. Part needing to go and correct my mistake. Part running away so that they don't cut that part out of me. I have seen how men are after they do that to them.

I can't let them do that to me. The Final Battle is close and the Light needs all the help it can get. I just have to not go crazy before then. Or rot while alive.
You know drugs and herbs. You know how some of them can be addictive so that a man will do anything to get more. It's sort of like that but worst. It isn't just a feeling of power. But cosmic fire that can do anything you can force it to do with your will."

He nods sadly when you mention how men act that are stilled, and reaches out to put his hand on your shoulder reassuringly, but stays quiet and lets you finish completely before responding:
"What you say has some potential, I've never heard of anyone experimenting with herbs on Aes Sedai to see the differences, nor anything that they have made known on the subject. Though they are a secretive lot.

As to addiction, I have seen many struggles with the hooks different herbs put in them. It's one of the reasons that a herbalist's job is both so difficult and so valuable. I need to know not only what herbs will help, but in what portion for what period of time, and when the adverse effects of them are outweighed by the benefits they provide. I don't know whether it can be applied to the temptations you feel, but I find an outside party is often the best counsel on benefits versus detriments of substances. The benefits always look so great from the perspective of the one who will be getting them, because they are here and now and the consequence is not..."

He looks slightly sadder by the end of that, but still smiles at you in a warm comforting way.

"Well. There is a constant reminder of the danger of drawing on it. You can get anything without touching the taint. And that feels Horrible.

The Irony is that the temptation is connected to the Technique I use all the time. The Flame and the Void. I use that to focus with my swordsmanship and everything. But now I'm riding the razor's edge when I use it. Too weak and it is not much benefit, Too strong and I draw on tainted power.

I also hesitate to use it because I don't know how fast using it drives a man mad.

But. I also have a feeling that I might need to know how to use it soon. Messing up with it can be fatal. And I can't help but be curious about what this power can do. Can it be used to heal? What could I build with it? Things like that."
"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 14:49, Mon 13 May 2019.

After a few moments of quiet contemplation, Flinn says:

“Well, all I can speak to is the handful of tales of the Age of Legends that I’ve heard from passing gleemen. Back then, the power was untainted for men as well, and while the different genders had greater strength in different areas, there are stories of men healing and women with great destructive power. So clearly some had talents outside the natural bias of their gender.

And as to walking the razors edge, addiction is always like that. People always think they’ve beaten it, let their guard down, and that’s when it flares. I can’t speak towards its specific temptation, but I do warn to never assume you have full control over the temptation... if there is anything I can do for you, you have but name it. I’m just not sure how to help fully, past treatment of your wounds, which seem to have largely healed.”

"True true. Now that I am over that fever I can think clearer.

You have helped me quite a bit by just talking and giving advice. After I recover fully and feel that I could hold my own in a fight, I should leave. I am probably needed elsewhere where the Wheel is weaving.  I can't go back to the White Tower since that is a really dumb idea for one like myself. I guess I will need to go near Falme on the coast of the Aryth... "

Do I remember the sigil that I drew with the power to open up that portal with the platform of fire in a void?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:05, Wed 15 May 2019.

"The White Tower is likely the most dangerous place in the world for you right now, I agree. But don't underestimate the influence the Aes Sedai have in most cities of the world. Most Kings and Queens have an Aes Sedai advisor and if they can tell that you can channel, they won't stop until they've found you.

But you have a long journey to reach Falme... but I won't try and stop you, it's as good of a place as any to try and avoid the reach of the Aes Sedai."

Yes, you have a pretty clear memory of the sigil you used.

"I guess I will focus on resting and recovering for now..."


I'll walk with him the rest of the way to the camp fire then try to carefully prepare breakfast for myself. Unless they already have food ready. In which case, I will eat what they have prepared and are willing to give me.

I will give my body 3 days to recover. Then we will see where we are at the end of it. I will try to be as pleasant and helpful as I can in my condition.

OOC: How much do I know about this world's metamagic(how magic works) based on what I overheard from Moiraine's and the Others  conversations about the One Power? I remember the basics of there are male and female halfs to the Source. And Male and Female Channelers draw on them very differently.


This message was last edited by the GM at 18:28, Thu 16 May 2019.

OOC: You know the following (list form as it's easier for future reference)

*Men and Women draw on different sources
*There sources have different strengths though share many elements
*There are several different elements that are woven into specific patterns to create an effect, Improper weaving can have very unpredictable effects
*Men's side of the power is tainted, causes eventually insanity and withering of the body.
*Women's side does not seem to have this problem, and is called Saidar
*The two sides of the power collectively are referred to as The One Power
*Women embrace the power by allowing it to flow through them, described to you as opening yourself and allowing it to wash over you while gently guiding it. Your limited experience with the male half of the power was very unlike this.
*Women have a mental exercise to embrace the power, likewise you find the flame and the void brings you closer to the power.

That's all I can think of that you would know. If there are specific questions let me know, I could have overlooked something.


You walk to the campfire, and while you feel incredibly sore you feel you have decent control over your body at this point. You find there is stew already prepared when you get to the campfire.

Over the three days, you begin to feel more normal. The first day lessening your muscle ache to a dull throb. The second day it's only when you end up moving slightly wrong, and the third day you have freedom from pain as long as you don't over exert yourself.

OOC:Cool. I'll keep it in mind.

Not quite fully recovered. I'll give it three more days.
I'll chill on the first day. Then do stretches and some light exercise on the second day. On the third day I'll see if I can do my sword forms.

If I am satisfied with what I am capable of on the third day(I am pretty much back to normal), That night I will check on Rand and the other Ta'Verin with the link. Sitting down and meditating. Focusing on where the Wheel is weaving the destiny of the others. I am mainly focused on determining where they are.

You rest three more days, and begin testing out how well you've recovered. By the third day you can confidently do sword forms again, with some mild discomfort. That discomfort is entirely assuaged if you embrace the flame and the void. I wasn't clear whether you intended to do so or not.

When you focus on Rand and the others, your mind snaps to Rand first. You see a swirling image of him laying with blankets up to his waist. His face looks rather pale and you see a large bandage across his midsection that has turned dark red over his lower left side. The image of it snaps you out of your meditation and causes you to wince painfully as if you felt some of his pain.  You get the feeling they are still near Falme, but don't have more of an inclination than that.

Ok time to go.

I'll pack my things and then go talk to Master Finn. I will ask for a few days supplies. But I am going to pay for them. I have 42 silver marks left if I am remembering correctly. So I am going to give 10 Marks to Master Finn for the food and taking care of me. 5 Marks to the Trader for stopping and letting me rest. And 2 each for the guards for putting up with not moving. So that should leave me 23 marks left.

After that is taken care of I will walk off until they can't see me.

I am going to Channel again to go to where Rand is near Falme. or at least near him.
Once again I fully Embrace the Flame and the Void, Sensing the tainted light. Once again I grab it and Pull. Forcing it to obey my will. I pull strands of power out and layer and weave them into a sigil like I did before. Once I am done, I let the threads of power snap into place to perform it's effect.

Then I will step onto the flaming platform in the void. Then I will Direct it to Falme near Rand.

Each person gives a polite objection, mentioning that they weren't caring for you for any money. They do accept the marks with significant thanks if you insist, however.

With that taken care of, you walk off and find a wooded area that doesn't have much of a line of sight to anything. You find it takes you a few minutes, as when you try immediately after getting there something just feels wrong and you can't bring your concentration about correctly. But that passes, and you are able to weave the sigil,  and the last strand snaps into place and a portal rotates into existence. On the other side is the void with a flaming red disc waiting to carry you away.

As you step on and think about Falme, it lurches in a direction and the portal you came through rotates closed. You note it takes a lot longer than the last time, where you were only in the void for a little over a second last time, it's a minutes this way. It's tough to tell exactly how many, as the void has an element of sensory deprivation to it. But eventually the disc comes to a stop, and you the portal rotates into existence. There looks to be a sparse forest on the other side.

When you step out, you see that you're on a wooded hill overlooking the town of Falme. There is obvious damage of a recent battle here, but people are moving about on the streets down below working on repairing the damage.

I wonder,
Huh? what caused that?,
when my concentration was interrupted the first time.

Once I get there.
... now that I think about it I should have brought Master Flinn with me. Although it would be hard to go in unnoticed with him.

I can see Falme. Do I also see the Black Ships from the Invaders?

The first thing I will do is confirm which Direction Rand is in again with the Meditation. Exploiting the connection to get a bearing towards him.

You do not see any black ships, only a hand full of merchant vessels.

When you think of Rand you get a piercing headache as colors overwhelm your vision. You see a camp nestled into the mountains and the dragon banner flying above one tent. You get the sense that they are nearly due east.

Well. I might be over using that. Anyway,  I now have a bearing.

I'll head east to try to find them in the Mountains.  Heading in what feels like the right direction.

I wonder if Perrin is with Rand.

What type of provisions do you have, and what are you wearing/is your sword visible? It’ll impact how your travels go and how people react to the sight of you.

When you think about Perrin, or any of them really for more than a passing second, you get the same swirls of color and brief glimpses of them. You see Perrin and Matt talking in a clearing in the mountains and feel sure it’s with Rand.

I got a few days of provisions from Master Flinn but we didn't detail what they are.

I should still be wearing my training uniform since I didn't have the time to get
Looks back.
Huh. I did buy some traviling cloths. So I am down to 22 marks.
They are brown pants, shirt and a cloak.
I'll try to keep the sword out of sight with the cloak.

You set out east, finding a relatively small road that heads generally towards the mountains.

Camping at night is a little rough, as it rains heavily on the first night, making the second day of travel miserable both for slogging through the mud as well as because there wasn't adequate sites to stay completely dry.

The second and third night go by much smoother, and the mountains in the distance are beginning to look larger. Your provisions are starting to grow scarce however, with one full days worth of meals at a normal diet. Do you intend to try and hunt for more, ration what you have to try and make it last, or try and find a place to get more? Or something different altogether?

I would probably realize fairly quickly that it would take awhile to get to those mountain and that I would not have enough supplies to make it.

Have I seen people traveling along the road?
I would probably ask who ever I meet if they would be willing to sell some of their food.

If I see an Inn or somewhere else I could buy food along the way, I would buy food.

If I don't fine anyone to buy food from, I would start hunting while I walk in the direction of the mountains. I'm walking with my bow out and an Arrow nocked. Embracing the Flame and the Void (But not Channeling the One Power) to help me notice prey before it runs or flies off.

When I stop to rest I will build a fire, cook up what I managed to kill and then eat.

You don't see any fellow travelers for the first two days, so you supplement your food with various animals you're able to find in the woods near the road. There doesn't seem to be much game to hunt, but you get a few rabbits which cook up nice.

On the third day, you see an approaching traders caravan. The leader of the caravan is a short man in a rich looking coat. It takes quite a bit of effort to hail them to stop, at which point he looks down from his wagon and raises an eyebrow at you, “Yes, what is it you be wanting with me?”

Edit:finished post
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:30, Sun 19 May 2019.

Is he heading in the Direction I am going or is he heading towards Falme?

"I wish to do business with you. If you got food to sell I would Like ten days worth of supplies for myself. Surly a caravan of such size as yours would have that much extra."

”We are on our way to resupply Falme, we hear it’s been the sight of a great battle. It would be unethical for me to part with food meant to help those in need where we be going...”

He says the last bit with a smirk, and you get the clear impression that ethics don’t keep this man up at night. He reminds you of an arms dealer that sells to both sides while dropping little bits of provoking comments to keep a war going.

This man is going to gouge the snot out of Falme. There is not much I can do against such corruption at the moment.

"I am but a refuge myself. Surly you would be willing to sell such a trifling amount to a refuge moving away from Falme? Would 6 sliver marks be a fair price For ten days worth of food?"

I have a feeling that he is going to try to gouge me as well. I think I offered a generous amount at 6 silver pennies per day of food. I will accept up to 9 marks for the food and take him up on the price.

If he demands a price too out of line. (I would consider 10 or more marks for 10 days of food, out of line.) I will Suggest
"I see. Perhaps you would prefer a wager. Surly such a trifling amount is nothing for a merchant as obviously rich as yourself."

I pull out my coin bag and shake it a bit to prove that there is quite a bit of money in there.

"How about 20 silver marks against your 10 days worth of food. Your best guard against myself in a sword dual to first blood with live steel. Winner take all."

He makes a pained expression and goes on at length at how the food is supposed to go directly to Falme, but effectively monologues into excusing selling to you as you are a refuge. So it’s like it going to Falme. He does however counter with 8 marks.

He wishes you well after the exchange and adds your coins to a large pouch with a smile and an eager expression as he looks towards the horizon. And with that he sets off.

——————————

With food sorted away and now plenty to easily reach the mountains and have several days time to search for Rand and the others, you head off.

After two more days, you’re beginning to enter the slopes of the mountains where the trails are closer to hiking trails that cart paths. In the distance you see a few Shienaren soldiers filling water skins.

I part with the 8 mark while grumbling under my breath so that I appear normal.

I pack the food away and move on my way.

-----------------

Recognizing the Shienaren uniform from my time in Fal Dara. I smile. These are probably the soldiers that went with Rand to find the Horn.

I move out of sight and then change in to my more Noble like practice cloths.

Then I will head Directly to the Shienaren and Hail them so I don't Surprise them. (Although I doubt that I am that sneaky. )

"Hail Shienarens! I am Eli Bumbalough! And I am looking for Rand Al'Thor!"

They look seriously as you approach, but ease slightly at the sight of you. One of them responds to you with ”Hail and well met Eli, May peace favor your sword.” And he bows respectfully. ”What is it that you seek Rand Al’ Thor for?”

I stayed at Fal Dara for about a month. So I might Have picked up a bit of knowledge about their customs. So I will bow back the expected amount. (Or at least what I think that is.)

"I have a feeling that I will need to join and aid him on the next part of his journey. I also have a feeling that some of my friends are with him. And I would like to met up with them."
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:52, Mon 20 May 2019.

"Who are your friends that might be with him? You can tell that the Shienaran is trying to validate you are a friend of Rand's, without directly challenging you on it. From your time with them you know that pride and honor are huge tenants of Shienaran culture, so they are careful not to imply one is lying without cause.

"I know that Perrin Aybara and Matrim Cauthon when with him.

I believe that Moiraine Sedai and Al'Lan Mandraggaran when with him as well."

He smiles at you, "You keep quite noble company my friend, an Aes Sedai, her Warder, and two of His closest friends. I hope you'll forgive me for being cautious, but the friends of the dark are everywhere it seems"

He goes and finishes filling a few more water skins and gestures for you to follow.

"We can't take you immediately back to the camp, we have another three hours to patrol. We could give you directions or you could join us for our patrol and we'll bring you back to the camp at the end."

"Your Caution is completely understandable my Friend."


I'll let them fill their water-skins. Then I'll follow.

"I'll join you on your patrol. Another set of Eyes and Ears is always helpful on patrol.

I'll Embrace the Flame and the Void. The One Power's sweet call is there. But I don't need it at the moment. So I Ignore it.

I'll do what I can to help their patrol.

Their patrol passes rather uneventfully. They are covers two mountain trails, with a somewhat unpredictable routine, which occurs to you is to prevent one from being able to study their route as a way to sneak past them.

At the end of the three hours, they are relieved by three more Shienarans who raise an eye when they see you but say nothing about it. After the exchange of guard duty, the Shienarans you were patroling with lead you up one of the routes you were patrolling. On the way you see that the two trails eventually join back together before leading through a narrow pass between two sheer mountain slopes. Past the narrow pass by about half a mile you see a clearing that opens up considerably, with various tents.

There is also a half circle of elevated terrain, with a handful of tents set up. The one in the center has the Dragon Banner flying.

I'll look around the Dragon Banner and see who I can find. I am needing to talk to Rand and Moiraine about channeling.  But that can wait until I can talk to them alone.

You make your way through the camp, up to the tents on the upper section. The Shienarans who recognize you greet you with the familiar greeting of "Peace favor you" or "Peace favor your sword, Eli" The second greeting is more common among the older Shienarans.

When you get to the top you notice that candles have been lit inside the tents, all except the one in front of the Dragon Banner. All of the flaps are tied shut however, even on the lit tents.

So far you've not seen Rand or Moiraine.

I'll check the Tent with no candles are lit.

If I don't find anyone in there, I will ask around to see if the Shienarans know where Moiraine Sedai or Rand are at.

You undo one of the knots on the tent and peer in. Your eyes are just beginning to adjust to the darkness in the tent when the world shutters. You feel an intense way of awe-inspiring power and are then thrown through the air backwards as the earth bucks like a wild bronco.

You fall backwards and barely catch yourself before careening down the steep slope between the lower portion of the camp and these tents. The earth is violently rumbling and tossing and you feel a pervasive menacing power unlike any you have felt before.

I'll stay on all fours until the earthquake stops to prevent myself from Falling and hurting myself.

What is this power I feel?

I'll wait for the quake to stop and then head back to the dark tent.

"Hello? Is anyone in there? It is Eli."

The earthquake continues for what feels like forever, as you see the mountains around the camp loom and threaten to cave in and collapse on you all. And then they suddenly stop and the power you sensed vanishes.

When you stand back up and look back in the tent you see no one, just a slightly messy tent with some fine clothing with embroidery about. No one responds from within when you call in.

Well. That is probably Rand's tent. So he will probably show up here eventually.

I'll wait until someone shows up.

After ten minutes or so you see Rand approaching his tent from an opening in the back mountain pass with a waterfall behind it. He carries himself with more confidence than you remember and radiates an aura of nobility.

And then there's his scowl, which looks like it could make stones turn in terror. After a moment approaching though he sees you and his visage brightens as he calls out to you, "Eli! Where did you come from? And how in the light did you find us?"

He continues walking towards his tent and gestures for you to enter, pulling you up a chair and sitting in one himself.

I'll Follow him in.

"Well. I just did a long walk from Falme. As for how I found your camp, You are not the only one with Talents. Basically I felt like this is where I needed to go."

I enter and take the offered set.

"It's good see you Rand. How are you doing? Are Mat and Perrin here as well?"

<aqua>"So long as how you found the camp wouldn't be easily replicated by others, you may keep your secrets on it. It is good to see you again. I am doing as well as could be expected for one destined to go mad. Matt is on his way to Tar Valon to be healed of the dagger, but Perrin is in camp."

"It wouldn't be much of a secret if I said it out in the open.
But I think that this one should be be shared among those like us.

The Method I used chould only be used by Ta'Verin that are linked like we are. I focus and meditate on our connection. And then I a impression of what you are doing. Or was doing.or will be doing. And a feeling of which direction you are in.
Please forgive me for intruding on your privacy. It only gives a few seconds and I think I need the glimpse to follow you here.

As for the madness... it is good to be Cautious about it and to limit your Channeling to just when you need to use the One Power. That will let us hold on as long as possible. But I have a feeling that... Something will happen to change the situation.  The Light needs us to succeed.

That segways into the next Dangerous secret. I had a viewing from Min Farshaw in Tar Valon. She was being kept there so the Aes Sedai could study her power. She sometimes sees things in the Auras of people and sometimes she knows what will happen. I'm inclined to believe she has that power. The viewing basically says that I will save you in the future and the Fate of the Wheel depends on it. The viewings also say that I will Channel and that has come to pass."

He looked confused at what you describe with the scrying-like ability, but nods anyway, apparently not concerned about it.

His confusion begins to shift to concern when you use us instead of you, and shifts to partial shock when you mention Min's viewing and that you can channel.

"Min had a viewing of you like THAT? Do you remember exactly what the viewing was? It may be an important part of the prophecy, and not everything was recorded throughout the ages. I need to learn more about the prophecies but there's so precious little information at hand."

He then takes a deep breath,
"Also, you must tell no one else other than me that you have channeled. It won't be safe for you, even here. They only follow me because I am the Dragon Reborn, I don't think they would stay their hand for a friend of the Dragon who can channel. We should speak more of this in the morning, when I can get some of Min's time. For now it's best that I'm not seen out at camp... after that disaster I caused earlier. I can't bear to see the pain people are in due to my inability to control the power.

"I see. So that was your power.
I understand and I don't hold it against you.
Apparently I can feel it when you Channel.

So Min is here. That makes things simpler to check if I made the right choice.

As for her viewings it was a collection of viewings. The first one she didn't tell me what the exact image was only that I will have a choice to save your life and thus save everyone.  Or let you fall and doom us all... So obviously I am going to save you.

There where two viewings that where Fighting each other for control of my future. One was me in a black coat with two pins on the collar. Surrounded by a golden aura and holding a flame in one hand and a sword in the other.
The other image was me frail and decrepit and rotting.
The meaning the two images is this. I will channal. For the first time, I must Channel to protect someone that will also save your life in the future. If I did it too soon, Madness and the taint will overwhelm  me.

Hopefully I chose correctly.

What about Moiraine Sedai. She swore to help you win the Final Battle. Do you think she would accept the help of a male Channeler?

...When you Channel, do you use the Flame and the Void to access the Power?"

“You should not intrinsically trust any Aes Sedai, at least for now. They are sworn to bring those like you and I to be gentled, and they may not ask many questions first. I trust Moiraine most, due to some of the things she has done, but for now this should be kept secret.

And yes, I use the flame and the void to grasp the power, I believe it’s the only way for men.”

"ok. I will stay silent for now.

I think that is correct.  It is how I learned to do it. Although I have almost no clue what I am doing. Besides pulling on it and then forcing it to do what you want. The Technique seems to be splitting it into streams or threads or lines of power. Then draw a sigil. Or maybe it is weaving it. Then the thing I drew or made does the thing I wanted to do.

But the problem is I don't have a clue how it does it.

I know there are certain parallels to the way men and women do this. And I also know there is critical differences.
"

He chuckles, ”I wish I could tell you how, but I hardly have control. Most of my channeling has just happened. I need to learn faster... I can still do so little. Anyway we really should talk more tomorrow, it will appear strange if I spend too long talking with you. We need to be careful lest people learn too much. And it doesn’t take much for Moiraine to learn too much.”

"That sounds dangerous. Let's go on a walk or something tomorrow with Min then we can continue talking.

 I guess I should get going and talk to the others. Do you know where Perrin is?"

I'll follow his Directions for finding Perrin.

"A walk could be arranged without looking out of place, I agree. And Perrin should be in the camp below somewhere. He was with me when I started the earthquake, and went to check on some people after it was over.

You actually struggle to find Perrin, as it's getting on in the night so it is starting to be difficult to scan the surroundings due to the low light. The fact that the camp is in chaos still, with injured from the earthquake getting treatment and overall high excitement levels doesn't help.

I'll try tomorrow. I'll find an out of the way place for tonight and prepare it to sleep on. I'll go ahead and eat some of the food I bought for dinner. And I'll stay up for 1st watch. Then I will go to sleep.

I am going to try to enter Tel'aran'riod with my usual meditative method.
I'm intending to emerge in this corresponding in the dream world.

Assuming nothing needs my immediate attention, I will pull out the statue I made of Egwene from my soul.
Then I will use Structural Grasp on it to get it's history. That way I can figure out how I made it.

(Basically produce mana and then send it into the object to pick up its history.  Then gather the mana back to read the history it picked up)

I have a theory that that I made a little Awareness for it when I made it. Effectively it's least god. That Awareness maintains it's existence in the Dream World.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:40, Thu 23 May 2019.

Are you planning to sleep in one of the tents? There are also some small cabins that I forgot to mention. It’s a pretty decently built up camp. Or are you finding a secluded area away from the others?

They might have build those cabins for Perrin and the others. Since they are close to Rand. I'll go and check them out.

Hopefully I'll find someone that doesn't mind me borrowing the floor of their cabin.

You knock on one of the doors of one of the cabins, hoping to find free space when the door opens to a tall broad shouldered man with yellow eyes. Perrin says “Eli, when did you arrive? Where did you come from?” And then he blinks “but first come in, your presence caught me by surprise.” And he steps aside to let you in to a cabin he shares with apparently 5 other people. One is asleep but the other beds are empty. There’s a small table in the corner which he goes to and pulls up a seat.

I smile when I see Perrin.
"It's good to see you Perrin. I got here earlier today from a long walk from Falme."

I walk in and sit down in a seat if there is an extra chair. Otherwise I will sit on a bed.

"How are things going Perrin?"

He looks saddened when you mention Falme, but nods.

“Things are... tense. Rand and Moiraine argue every day about what we should be doing, it’s killing Rand inside that there are men who have declared for him who are being hunted down. But he knows that Moiraine is right that we need to wait out the winter, and gather our forces. And Rand can’t stand how people treat him now that he’s raised the banner... it’s been tense.”

"I See. That would cause a few problems. Well. More than a few.. And I can understand how he feels with the others deferring to him. It felt weird when they where treating me like a noble.

How are they treating you Perrin? You seem to have a fairly nice cabin. Who are you sharing it with?

“We are working on transitioning all of the tents to cabins. I happened to be in the same tent as Uno, so we got one of the first cabins. The others in the cabin are Uno, Masema, and Loial. I am sometimes treated differently because of my friendship with Rand, but mostly I’m treated as Shienarans treat anyone else.”

"I suppose that you appreciate it more when the Shienarans treat you how they treat anyone else. You and Rand dislike being treated as nobles, Correct?

So is there an extra tent I could use? I didn't pick up a tent or bedroll when I made my way here."

“I think most people like being treated based on their merits and what they’ve earned. But yes.

And you are welcome to set up there” and be points to one of the beds.

"True True. I didn't say it quite right.

Thank you for the bed. I didn't want to force anyone out of their bed. I was expecting to need to sleep outside.

I was planning on joining first watch then calling it a night. Do you think I should let Moiraine know I am here? Or should I let her rest?"

"You're welcome, we have enough beds at this point that no one should be sleeping outside. As to Moiraine, I'm not even going to try and guess what she would prefer, I see some logic in both, with Aes Sedai it seems whatever path one picks is always wrong."

"I guess one has no choice but to endure such things. I will go and let her know that I am here. Could you tell me which cabin is her's?"

If he tells me, I'll go to her cabin and give a polite knock on her door.
"Hello Moiraine Sedai."

"Of course, she and Lan are on the upper landing, on the far left side if you're them from this direction."

You find it without trouble.

After a brief moment, Moiraine opens the door with Lan standing behind her. Lan has a stern expression on his face and Moiraine says "Ah. Eli. I had heard you'd made your way into camp, I was wondering when we would speak. I would be most interested in hearing about what you've seen in the world, and how one training to be a warder ends up here."

"... That is a bit of a long story. May I come in?"

I assume that she let's me in and closes the door behind me.

"... Before I start I do have a few questions for you Moiraine Sedai. Are you aware of Min Farshaw's power? Where she sees bits of the future in the auras of people?"

I'll Let her answer that then I will continue with my next question.

"I have a feeling you swore to help Rand win the Last Battle for the side of the Light. Did you swear an oath to help him win the Last Battle? I'm sorry for the rudeness of the question. But it is important for what I am going to reveal."

"You may come in, I'll send down for some tea and we can talk." and she gestures over to a passing Shienaran and after a quick exchange of pleasantry and formality asks that he bring a fresh pitcher of tea. She waits at the door for him to return before heading back in to take a seat. Lan stays standing, watching over her left shoulder. She pours herself a cup and offers you one as well. The teacups are rather ornate looking and bear a sigil of a tree and crown.

Moiraine responds, in a quiet and serene manner:
"I'm familiar with Min, and would say that I know her quite well. I also suspect she would be quite cross with anyone implicating that she has Powers. Some would see shadows in one who could tell the future."

When you ask about if Moiraine swore an oath, however, she raises an eyebrow slightly, the only mark of anything outside of absolute serenity in her entire speech and disposition. Lan's face has grown markedly dark at this point however, with more danger behind his eyes than you've previously seen with the exception of when you saw him face down shadowspawn. He stays quite though as Moiraine continues:
"I am no Dragonsworn, I am an Aes Sedai."

"... I guess I just have to continue... I'm sorry about the question. I... Just wanted some reassurance. What I am about to tell you is quite dangerous to me. But I trust you Moiraine Sedai. An Aes Sedai would make sure the Light wins the final battle.

While at the White Tower I had a few viewing from Min. One was that at some point in the future, I will have a choice between the Light and the Dark. and that choise will echo through the ages. Another one was that in some point in the Future my actions will ether save Rand's life and thus save us all or I can let him fall and Doom us all.

Obviously I am going to do all I can to help him..."

How Are she and Lan reacting so far?

Moiraine listens patiently, and Lan relaxes slightly after you apologize for the question. Moiraine says at the end:
"I appreciate you bringing this vision of Min's to my attention Eli, but why would you think there is any danger in it from me?"

As to reactions, they're both bloody hard to read anything from. Lan looks like a stone, the only emotion he's shown throughout this being annoyance about asking if Moiraine was sworn to Rand. Moiraine has held the serene expression of a scholar, who is listening and processing every detail.

"... because that is not all I need to tell you. While at the White Tower, Alanna Sedai and Verin Sedai figured out that I was Visiting Tel'aran'riod when I sleep and I learned to control when I enter. They agreed to keep quiet about it. They told me about the dangers of the Dream World and I have been burned from my mistakes there. I haven't learned much in my expeditions into the Dream World. But I did find out about the Invaders. You probably already know this but they come from a land called Seandar that is across the Aryth Ocean. And they have special Ter'angreal called a'mam that are used to enslave female Channelers. I warned Alanna Sedai and Verin Sedai.

They said that Dreaming is generally assumed to be a channalers Talent. But that the link hadn't been proven...


I take a drink of tea to calm my nerves.

"Which brings me to Min's next viewing.  She saw two futures Fighting for control of my future. In one, I wore a black coat with two pins on the collar. I was surrounded by a golden aura and had a sword in one hand and a fire in the other. The other vision was me rotting and decrepit. I was destined to channel. The First time I channeled, I needed to use it to save someone that will save Rand's live in the future. If I did it too early, I will go mad and be unable to do what I need to do.

At the White Tower, I was at the top of my class. I earned training from Master of Arms Coulin... But I didn't get to say. The Flame and the Void is apparently how men learn to channel. I recognized what was happening and I fled. Because I am sure the Wheel needs me whole wo do what I need to to.

I went south via boat and then west. The boat trip was twice as fast as it should have been. I thought I needed to go to Falme to met up with Rand and You. So I took a job as a guard to a trader's caravan that was heading west. But we came across his friend's house that was on fire. I could hear him inside calling for help... I needed to save him. I reached for the tainted power. And... I opened a hole in reality and steped outside. Traveled to him and opened another hole to pick him up. And take him to safty. At that point I was hit with channelers sickness.  And then Rand appeared in the sky Fighting someone. I assume it was a Forsaken. It took me a while to recover.

Then I came to Falme. I have enough control to do that whenever I want. Then I walked here.

And that is how I got here.

Moiraine Sedai. I think my channeling will be needed for the Last Battle. Are you going to let me help?"

She injects when you talk about dreaming: "Quite the contrary, I believe there is a fair deal of proof that it is not a channelers talent. Some in the tower can be a little too quick to assume just because some sisters can do it that it must because of the one power..."

She seems to be mostly just correcting what she sees as a common fallacy.

Her eyebrows raise when you mention the image of fire in your hand, she frowns when you mention channeling.

"So, allow me to make sure I fully understand. You say that Min saw a vision of you, and that she knew that when you first channeled you would save someone who will in turn save Rand. So who is this man who, we all must hope,  will save Rand?

She seems to be mulling over everything you said, but your direct question.

"He is called Master Flinn. He is a Master Herbalist. I... Might have messed up. I hope to talk with Min in the morning to see if anything changed with the reading."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:11, Tue 28 May 2019.

She nods, thoughtfully, "There are many things that I'd be interested in hearing from Min. I will have more questions after discussing things with Min. I will need to see the two of you first thing in the morning."

With the she finishes her tea and sets it down, with the obvious intention that the conversation is over for now. Assuming you take that as true and head towards the door, she'll speak up as you set your hand on the handle.

"Oh, and Eli. Don't leave camp."

"I Understand. I Think I made the right decision to save him. It... Felt like the thing I should do. I sometimes get gut feelings on what I should do. Maybe it is part of being Ta'verin. Goodnight Moiraine Sedai. Goodnight Lan."

I'll leave and go back to Perrin's cabin and then go to sleep.
I will go through with my previous plan to go into the Dream world and perform structural grasp on Egwene's statue. To see how I made it permanate in the Dream World.

Just to double check, you were originally stating you were going to participate in first watch (which is about 1/3 over due to the time spent talking to Moiraine). You're definitely not expected to, but you mentioned sticking to the original plan but also mentioned going directly to sleep.

true. It is already half over so I will go ahead and go to sleep. Then do my plan for the Dream World.

You go to sleep and wake in the Dream World, to a still backdrop of the cabin you're in. You reach into yourself and pull out the figurine of Egwene, and you begin focusing on performing structural analysis of it when your brain feels like it has been lit on fire. Every synapse feels blistered and jittery.

It continues for what feels like forever, the shear level of pain leaving you incapable of movement. Reprieve only comes when you are shunted out of the dream world by the feeling of your body crashing against the floor as your bed is overturned. You are in a daze as you see a half naked Uno rushing out the door with sword in hand. Then you hear Lan's voice piercing the bedlam:

"To Arms! Trollocs! Rise and Fight if you want to see another day! To Arms!" This is repeated, with some variation, but pretty much to that effect. You notice you are the last in the room, you feel exhausted and have a splitting headache.

I force myself up and pick up my sword. I'm not even bothering to get dressed. I focus and enter the Flame and the Void as deep as I can without grabbing the Source. Basking in the Light to help me ignore the exhaustion and the headache. I'll enter a Balanced Style and then go out and help kill the Trollocs. I am Reserving a quarter of my effort for parries.

You head out of the cabin and see a terrifying number of Trollocs and multiple Myrddraal in open confrontation with the Shienarans. Perrin is wielding an axe near Moiraine's Cabin, fighting with a Myddraal.

Lan is wading through trollocs, flowing like water leaving a growing pile of bodies around Moiraine as she flings fireballs and lashing trollocs who get to close with a branch. Their skin lights on flame where the branch would have hit them.

Two trollocs charge towards you as soon as you're out of the cabin. You neatly parry the first blow, but get a nasty gash across your thigh from the second. You land a glancing blow against the first as he passes but then stumble and nearly lose your footing.

Damn it...I am no good like this. I'm going to get killed by Trollocs if I continue like this. I refuse.

I Grab the source. Pulling life and Energy into myself to counteract the fatigue and headache. I try to enhance my self with the power. My Will and my martial stances forces the power to flow through my body. Strengthening it and making me faster and tougher. Instinct Guiding my Will to weave the proper effect instead of burning me alive.

Then I continue the assault on the Trollocs in front of me

OOC: ... This is rather risky. But That Is what I would do in that situation. Enhance myself so that I can function as good or better than I normally do.

You embrace the flame and the void further, to where the light of the one true power is brilliant. You reach out to grab it and feel like there's a wall around the source. You feel infinitely close, yet so far away at the same time.

The fight flows on however and you bisect one of the two trollocs using the technique parting the silk, sliding in under his blade and cleaving him clean in two. Unfortunately the other trolloc gets a nasty hit across your back. You spin around and sever his head, sending it toppling.

You feel cold from the amount of blood thats seeping out of your cuts as you see a third trolloc charging towards you. You hear a howl and see a white wolf lunge forward and tear the trolloc's throat out.

You hear several more howls from all around the camp.

... oh well.

I continue fighting. I'm in no condition to take on a Myrddraal. So I will help who I can with the Trollocs.

You manage to take down two more trollocs before you look up and see Perrin killing the last Myrddraal. You see the Myddraal casually cut the throat of a brightly dressed woman who has latched onto his leg. And then Perrin lunges forward, dips under the Myddraal's sword and slashes his axe across the back of the knee of the Myddraal bring it to it's knees. Perrin spins about and embeds the spike side of the axe through the Myddraal's throat and tears it free leaving the body twitching on the ground. You hear several howls throughout the camp and see Perrin let out a howl of his own, as the last of the trollocs fall dead as their Myddraal dies.

The camp looks like a scene from a horror film, blood everywhere, monstrous trolloc corpses strewn about with several Shienaran and wolf corpses as well. The wolves retreat quickly after the threat is gone.

I'll walk to Perrin. dropping the flame and the void to the lowest level to keep me standing.
"Perrin...Are you hurt?"

You can’t let go of much of the flame and the void and stay standing. You’re quite badly hurt yourself, with your leg being partially numb below the deep cut from the trolloc. But you manage your way over to Perrin who responds, “I’ve been better, but I’ll live. You look in pretty bad shape though, I know Moiraine is healing the worst first, but you should see about not being too far down on that list. Too much blood loss could turn that serious.”

"True. Sorry I wasn't much help tonight. Congratulation on Killing the Fade...I'm sorry I didn't help you. maybe if I did the woman would have lived..."

I'll Head to Moraine. Hopefully she decides to heal me soon.

In the mean time I will hold my hand over the deep wound and

He shakes his head sadly and says “Leyas death isn’t your fault Eli. You handled yourself well”

When you find Moiraine she has a couple of Shienarans that have immediately life threatening wounds that get priority over you, but you’re still pretty close to the top of the list.

When she comes to you she asks whether you were struck by any Myrddraal blades, but otherwise goes about her healing. She sets her hand on your head and you feel a shiver run down your body, and then feel your skin knitting itself back together and bruises disappearing. As she finishes she says “Those were deep wounds. A lot of the energy for healing comes from inside the person being healed, you’re going to be tired and especially hungry. It’s important that you listen to your body and eat enough. But I must be off, there are many in need of healing tonight.”

And as if your stomach was listening it grumbles angrily and you feel as if you haven’t eaten in a week.

"Thank you Moiraine Sedai."


I'll go to the food I bought and then eat my fill. Then I will go to sleep.

You’re around the fire pit which quickly becomes crowded with people eating. Emotions are solemn, and largely quiet. But that could be due to everyone being busy eating. You get some thick stew that doesn't taste great but fills you up.

——

When you wake in the morning it’s still very early and you already feel ravenous again. You go out and get food, which is being made in larger portions than normal as many are eating to recover strength.

So what do want to do first today?

I was suppose to talk to Min, Rand and Moiraine. So I guess I'll look for Min first.

You see Min at one of the campfires cooking, and clearly grumbling. When you approach she says “Eli, I heard you were here. Can you believe this? Me. Cooking. Never thought anyone would be so desperate for food that they would want me to cook.” She’s clearly grumpy about this, and her stew looks and smells... edible is the kindest word you could put to it.

"It's good to see you Min. Both Moiraine Sedai and Rand wanted to talk with you and me this morning. About my Aura. When you get to a stopping point, I would like to talk for a bit before they get here."

She nods, “As soon as this pot is done we can go and talk somewhere. It’ll be a few minutes though.” And she continues stirring and complaining about how she’s been set to cooking.

After a bit she goes back to Perrin’s cabin with you where you can talk without fear of others listening in as much. The others in the cabin are still asleep, most snoring quite loudly.

“I’m not sure I’ll be too much help Eli, the images are swirling together and difficult to make out. I feel like they’re in a state of chaos, where your fate could change rapidly... I’m sorry that it’s not very useful, this ability is more of a burden than boon to those who know of it. Myself included.”

She seems frustrated with herself

"It's ok. I was just trying to figure out if I used the Dangerous Thing too soon. If I saved the right person. I hope so. I will just limit myself. I suppose that you can't make out the two Fighting images?

Oh well. Hopefully I made the right choice. I guess we should go find Moiraine Sedai. "

She squints at you slightly before starting to say “I can’t make those out, but that might be a good sign. If you were heading towards frailty you might not have so many images, but no, that’s not really true it still could. Argh this is such a useless ability.” And she’s pouting when Lan opens the door in, approaches Perrin in two quick strides and roughly shakes him awake and says curtly “Rands gone” before turning on his heals and heading out the door.

"... That is not good. Where would he have gone?"

Unfortunately I am still tired from the healing,  so I don't want to use the link.

"I guess we need to go to Moiraine Sedai. We need to get organized to find him."

Perrin bolts out of bed and dresses quickly, but Min is already out the door heading after Lan before you even get your question of where Rand may have gone out. Uno and Masema are getting up having heard the commotion and look only half awake and still processing what Lan said.

Masema seems to be distraught as he releases what happens while Uno lets out a string of curses, with every other word being 'flaming' or 'bloody' which with your time in cities realizes are strong curse words.

When you head out of the cabin, you see that Moiraine is just outside of her Cabin, looking around. Lan meanwhile seems to be going to select cabins and tents and rousing people, some of which are already heading towards Moiraine.

I will walk over to Moiraine. Hopefully I can figure out how to help the Search.

Moiraine gestures that you go into the cabin, and she follows behind.

“As I’m sure you have heard by now, Rand is gone. I would like to know what the two of you talked about yesterday.”

"Pretty much the same thing that I talked with you about. He was interested in Talking with Min and me this morning to see if my aura things could give any insight into the Prophecies of the Dragon. Wouldn't have helped. According to Min, my aura imagines are moving too much to make out. Like my Destiny if in a chaotic flux.

Otherwise I only reported Min's visions from when we where at The White Tower. Waking up my connection... and I also told him about the connection between us Ta'verin. I can exploit the connection to get an idea of what the others are doing. And a vague direction they are in. But using it deliberately tends to take a lot out of you. I'm not sure it is a good idea to use while this tired from healing. "

I thing for a bit.

"However... there is a great need. If you think I should try it, I will."

If she asks me to Look for him through the link. I will sit down and meditate to clear my mind first. Then Focus on Rand to get a feeling of the direction he is in and what he is doing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:03, Sat 01 June 2019.

Moiraine looks to carefully consider your words before saying, "Please do, locating Rand immediately may be more valuable than anything else."

You sit down and meditate and start getting an image of Rand on horseback and as you begin to get the feeling of direction you get eye watering pain as the image dissolves into a million small strands of light that flash in front of your eyes. You feel the need to scream, but with effort you could restrain that impulse if you choose.

I let out a hiss as I bite down the scream with force of will. I clutch my face and curl up trying to endure the pain.

I will try to focus enough to say what happened.
"He is... On horseback somewhere...Something Messed up... Couldn't get a direction...Damn that hurts... Like I poked myself in the brain or some thing... always with the pain from doing something fucking weird... Maybe the Motherfucking Loom of Fate is Pissed at me for all the weird shit. Knew this would fucking happen, Knew I was pushing my damn luck. Poked Me right in the third eye mystic bullshit sense"

After that it devolves into angerish from the pain. There is quite a few modern curse words in there.

Moiraine comes to your side quickly and sets her hands on your head, with an uncharacteristically worried look on her face. She focuses and your pain lessens significantly. Rather a large portion of your pain completely disappears, but your mind has the memory of the pain that is still pulsing slightly. Similar to how one might feel a phantom limb you still have a sharp memory of those excruciating seconds.

Moiraine says softly, "Rest Eli. You must rest for now, we know so little of how ta'veren change the pattern, and even precious little in comparison of what happens when multiple ta'veren interact with one another... let alone ones as strongly ta'veren as you lot. You seemed to have been speaking gibberish, I healed everything I felt but sometimes the mind is tricky. Are you ok now? I believe you should rest for a while, I have more people to talk to, we still must find out more."

As you guessed, the modern curses mean nothing to Moiraine, so it sounded like speaking in tongues or gibberish for those parts.

I uncurl and set my hands down.

"I am ok now. I'm sorry I messed up and didn't get anything useful.
That was some intense pain... I... should get going. I will take it easy for now. I will be in Perrin's cabin.
 "

I'll get up and walk to Perrin's cabin. I will sit on the Bed I slept in last night.  Then I will meditate to calm myself and not think of anything. Once I am hungry again I'll find some more food.

She reassures you, "No information is useless. You did what you could, now rest."

When you head out of the cabin you see Uno head in shortly behind you.

You sit on the bed and meditate and find yourself drawn to embrace the flame and the void, to distance your mind from all else. It's not a compulsion, just a desire to use that as your form of meditation.

After about 15 minutes your stomach rumbles again that it wants more food. The healing is definitely making itself known to your metabolism. When you head out to grab food you see Min and Loial stepping into Moiraines cabin.

I will embrace the Flame and the Void but I will be careful not to go too deep and Grab the Power.

I will go ahead and relax and eat in the cabin.


How do I feel after I Eat?

It's pretty much impossible to eat until you're full currently, but you manage to get to the point where you're no longer hungry.

Your actual pain is gone, keeping your mind off the previous pain long enough has helped make it a memory of a deeply uncomfortable event as opposed to a trauma with physiological reactions to the thought.

Is there anything you'd like to do or just waiting for whatever happens next?

If I am feeling up to it. I will help the men clean the place up of the Trollocs and Fades. I will also bury the dead wolfs that helped us last night.

You lend a hand, and the Shienarans that you are assisting are appreciative, it's tiring work physically but keeps your mind clear and makes the time go by quickly. Perrin gives you a hand when you're burying on of the wolf corpses, though he seems particularly quiet during it.

Various people filter in and out of Moiraine's cabin during this time. After another half hour, Min comes over and tells Perrin that Moiraine wants to speak with him. He nods and heads up. A few moments later you see Perrin, Uno, Min, Loial, and Lan all speaking with Moiraine. It looks like Perrin and Moiraine were talking and it drew the attention of the others. After a few minutes, you hear Perrin's raised voice and see him and Moiraine ... vigorously discussing something. You can't quite hear him, just make out the tone from here.

At that I Become curious and walk up to the group.

"What is going on?"

Perrin says "We were just discussing Rand's disappearance, where he may be, and what could possibly have made him leave." and he has a pointed look at Moiraine with the last part.

Meanwhile Loial is mumbling to himself (or what he views as to himself, which is still easily audible to others) "Periiin, it is unwise to anger Aes Sedai.

Uno appears to be trying to get a word in, but that's a tough proposition with Perrin and Moiraine obviously arguing in what is a thin guise of discussion.

Moiraine continues with, "What is important is not why he has left. We must know where he is going, he's not ready to be on his own. But you must read this." and she hands over a scrap of paper to Perrin.

Perrin unfolds it and say, "Rand says the Ba'alzamon is after him again, that he doesn't want others dying for him, and that he's gone off to finish this..."

I am a bit surprised at the the name Ba'alzamon. It sounds similar to Beelzebub. A demon in Abrahamic religions. It's weird etymology. Like how some Old Tongue words have cognates with words I am familiar with. Like Tarmon Gai'don and Armageddon, which sound similar and have similar meaning. But I can't make heads or tails of Old Tongue otherwise.

"I See. That does sound like Rand. I wonder if he got a hold of more of the prophecies... Although determining the next thing needed from prophecies is tricky. Tspecially since I don't know the prophecies that well. I heard a part of them once.
I'm pretty sure that his nature as a Ta'Verin will point him in the direction he needs to go."

Moiraine says in a matter of fact voice that has a cold ring to it ”We can not simply rely on Ta’veren nature and prophecy. The shadow has prophecy as well. And prophecies are fragile. If any one part of the prophecy is thrown off, or if one person dies or is turned to the shadow at the wrong time... we can not just rely that Rand will always just be at the right place and time.”

Uno interjects, sensing a slight lull, ”Pardon me Aes’Sedai, but to what you were talking with Lord Perrin about early with how he could have just rode out of camp, and just told the guards to stand aside, I don’t think so. I found a flam... ah er, a crack in the back bowl that Rand sometimes goes to. I think it broke open during that shakeup. I followed it out and followed some horse tracks up to a ridge. I think we could follow them.”

"Well. All I got most of the time is Ta'verin nature. I agree that we need to use our brains too to make sure things turn out right. We need information for our minds to work on, however.

We have a general idea which Direction he is heading in and something to try to track him with. We still need to figure out his destination in case we lose his tracks. Any ideas on how to determine where he is going?

Uno, Which direction where the tracks going to?"

Uno says, "His tracks followed a small trail that wound up the mountain and meandered to the east slightly. Once I reached the peak I decided it didn't do me any blo... any good to track him on my own so I turned back."

Moiraine nods at this and says "Unfortunately east doesn't give us much, as the Mountains of Mist are already quite far west. And Eli is correct, we need more information. Has anyone observed anything abnormal with Rand or has he confided anything with anyone?"

There is a momentary silence, Moiraine looking across everyone's face in the room trying to discern any information, Loial seems like he wishes he could just shrink into the background, Perrin re-reading and mouthing parts of a scrap of paper, Min looking worried, Lan standing vigilant, and Uno looking like a man who would rather be anywhere else.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. I don't want to do this. Not so soon after the failure before trying to use the connection between us. Seeking a possible alternative, I note that it sounded like Perrin summarized the contents of the note.

"Perrin. Can I read the note? Maybe I can get something different out of it."

Perrin shrugs and hands over the note, which reads:

"Hmmm... He talks about Dreams. Wish I could have talked to him about his Dreams before he went. It sounds like he went to Tel'aran'riod, The Dream World. Or He was confronted in his dreams by those that follow the Shadow."

Everyone other than Moiraine and Perrin give you an odd look when you mention the dream world, and Perrin still gives you a puzzled look.
But then Perrin shakes his head slightly, breaking himself out from whatever thought had a grip on him and adds, "He was talking about dreams yesterday too..."

And with this Moiraine steps forward and says, "and what dreams have you all been having?" She seems to be addressing the room, but has brought her attention on you first.

" I whent to the dream world last night to examine something. Messed up and gave myself A nasty headache and made myself extremely tired. Didn't help that the Trollocs showed up with Fades. I didn't do that well Fighting against them despite my training. "

Moiraine looks to be making a mental note of something but doesn't comment before shifting her eyes to the others.

Loial says in his rumbling voice"All ogiers dream of the stedding when we are away.

Perrin then comments "I dreamed of a room with huge columns of polished redstone encircling a domed room with a ceiling at least fifty paces high. The room was paved with pale gray stone, with a worn look to them. But mostly I saw the sword there, hanging hilt down just hanging in the air without support. But it wasn't really a sword, it was made of glass, crystal maybe, every bit of it, blade, hilt, crossguard. I tried walking towards it and touching it, but no matter how hard I pushed I couldn't touch it. And then I woke."

There is a momentary still in the air when Perrin finishes, and Lan breaths out <Callandor with a stunned expression.

And Moiraine says, "Yes, but we must be sure. Speak with the others." and with that Lan leaves the room, heading towards the bulk of the camp.

Moiraine then asks Uno if he dreamed of a sword, which he replies:"I always dream of flam... uh, of swords. I suppose I dreamt of a sword the past few nights but I don't recall my dreams as Lord Perrin here does."

OOC:There's more, but it's a lot of stuff that you may or may not react to. Wanted to give you the opportunity to chime in before the next block of stuff.

I note the details in Perrins dream. I will need to talk to him later about the Dream World. In case he goes there as well.

"Callendor? What is that? Sounds like a name of a sword in the old legends."

Loial speaks up when you ask about Callandor, "Callandor is the sword that is not a sword. It is part of the prophecies of the Dragon" and with that his eyes light up and he stands up and bumps his head on the roof, before continuing excitedly, "But that's excellent news! If Rand is going to retrieve the sword it'll fulfill the prophecy and the nations will flock to him. The Prophecies say the Stone of Tear willnever fall till Callandor is wielded by the Dragon's hand. It's one of the greatest signs of the Dragon's Rebirth, all must acknowledge that."

Moiraine says icily, "Perhaps, but I would not be so quick to rest assured the world will flock to Rand. Callandor is neither the first nor the last, but merely one fulfillment of The Karaethon Cycle, just as his birth on the slopes of Dragonmount was the first. He has yet to break the nations, or shatter the world. Even scholars who have made this their life works do not know what all the prophecies mean. What does it mean that he 'shall slay his people with the sword of peace, and destroy them with the leaf?'? What does it mean that he 'shall bind the nine moons to serve him'? Yet these are see as equals to Callandor in the Cycle. What 'wounds of madness and cutting of hope' has he healed? What chains has he broken, and who put into chains? And some are so obscure that he may already have fulfilled them, although I am not aware of it. But no, Callandor is far from the end and we can not just sit and wait for prophecy to fall into our laps.

Any who think he has but to put out his hand is a fool, as is he if he thinks that. Even if he lives to reach Tear, he may never reach the heart of the stone. Tairens have no love for the One Power, and less for any men claiming to be the Dragon. Channeling is outlawed, and Aes Sedai are at best tolerated and only if they do not channel. Telling the prophecies or even having them is a prisonable offense there, and no one enters the Stone without permission of the High Lords, and none but the lords themselves enter the Heart. He is not ready. Not Ready." There is a note of grim finality to the end of Moiraines speach.

"Sword that is not a Sword?... I suppose that it was designed to do something besides cutting. And the sword shape is aesthetics.

Anyway,  I suppose you are having Lan ask the men about their dreams to make sure that is where Rand is going. I guess I will start preparing to go."

With that I will go and start packing things up that we will need on a long trip.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:06, Thu 06 June 2019.

Moiraine nods as you surmise what Lan is up to.

You pass Lan a short ways outside of Moiraines cabin, and see he's on his way back in.

You pack up quickly and then hear a short knock at the door followed by Min saying, "Eli, may I come in?"

Assuming you let her, she opens the door and enters with apparent frustration on her face. She closes the door before angrily saying, "Moiraine has insisted I carry a message back to Tar Valon. The was told where I was going, the others were asked. And to pour salt on the wound I was instructed to ASK you to help me get there quickly and safely. I'm supposed to say that time is of the essence and the Amyrlin Seat must be made aware. Why do you all get choices, when I'm TOLD what to do."

She throws herself into one of the chairs and sulks.

"Sure, Come in."

I let her in and offer her a seat

"... This is a rather stupid plan for me. Being near the Red Ajah while... And yet... I am the fastest way to get you to Tar Valon.
I will need to to make up a story on how you got to Tar Valon. Make sure it is a good lie and stick with it. I am going to separate with you at Tar Valon. And I will have my own story on how I got back... Actually Make up a story on how you got to South of Tar Valon. Then You met up with me heading back to Tar Valon.

This really is a stupid plan for me. Going back and acting like nothing happened."


This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 03:46, Fri 07 June 2019.

Min sighs and says, "My story has already been established for me... Once I get there I'm supposed to enter the line of petitioners, calling myself Elmindreda and request an audience with the Amyrlin Seat... and there's someone I'm supposed to meet in the city that supposedly will help me not look like myself." and she scowls slightly, "I hate dresses. But anyway, my story is established, and since I will not be going as myself doesn't really need to explain how I got anywhere fast."

"Ok. I suppose you need to met with the person that will disguise you as soon as you enter Tar Valon?

Anyway.  Go ahead and start packing what you want to take to Tar Valon. Don't bother packing a horse. I doubt we could get one through. But bring a day or two of food and water. I'm not sure how close we will end up to Tar Valon.

... I sorry you have to go through with this. I imagine this is going to be unpleasant for you. I am pretty sure that it would be a Terrible idea for me to carry the message. Hopefully things will work out for you."


I assume she would go and start packing her things at that.

I will go ahead and take my own advice. Pack my things up and switch to a training  uniform. Then get a day or two worth of food and water. I assume I don't have anymore food that I bought.

I will meet up with Min when I am ready.

...But First I need to warn Perrin. I will find him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:47, Fri 07 June 2019.

She nods slightly, looking a little uneasy and still sulky but heads out to pack up stuff.

You have plenty of food made available to you, as the camps food stores are available to you. So if you want to bring more food that just what you brought it wouldn't be a problem (up to you though.)

You finish packing and changing and as you're heading to the door Perrin opens the door and starts heading to his belongings. He's clearly about to start packing as well.

"Hey Perrin. have you had weird dreams before? Ones where you where aware that you are in a Dream?"

Perrin doesn't bother looking up from packing but comments, "Everyone has weird dreams sometimes. They're just dreams." He has a harder note of finality in his voice than you know to be common for Perrin.

"Perrin. That is not always the case. I was severely burned in the Dream World and I woke up with the burns in the Physical World. Had to be healed by an Aes Sedai.

Just... When you are aware you are in a Dream. Be Careful please. You are a friend to me and I don't want you to get hurt."

I'll finish up packing and then head out. Perrin is in his stubborn mood but I don't think he will stop me.

I would have just packed my food instead of getting food from the camp.

I will look for Min.

Perrin definitely looks like he has his mind set, and goes about packing without responding.

You find Min just finished packing and walking towards you as you step out of the cabin. She looks dressed to travel and has a small pack that looks fairly full. She says “So... where to now?”

"A ways for a bit. At least far enough that the scouts don't see me do my thing. I'm sorry about this."

I'll head south around a mountain or two. Or three. I will be in the Flame and the Void so I can see the scouts better. Once I am convinced that there are no scouts around to see me use the One Power, I will stop.

"I'm Sorry about this. But it is the Quickest and Safest way to get to Tar Valon. I am going to use the One Power to take us there... or about a day south of there. Appearing directly there would get the Red after me."

With that I will Grab the power and force it to do the same thing I did before. Weaving or Drawing is sigil like the one I used before. Opening a hole in reality with a flaming platform on the other side. That is going to be really terrifying for her. I wish I could make it a boat or a stone platform or something else.

Once we get going in the void. I am aiming for about a day's walk south of Tar Valon.

Min says, "Nothing to be sorry for Eli. If this gets me there faster, and thus back faster, I welcome the assistance." She says this but still looks uncomfortable with it all. She stays fairly quiet on the journey out to a safe location.

You reach out to seize the power when you get there, and feel resistance as you grasp for it. But you apply slightly more pressure and feel the resistance dissipate. You get the familiar sensation of life rushing through you coupled with a stomach-turning slick of oil.

You fumble around with conjuring the image of the sigil in your mind for a moment and it feels almost slippery to keep at the forefront of your mind but after about 15 minutes of struggling with it you're able to keep it in clear enough to weave the pattern and see a portal into darkness rotate into existance. Min lets out a slight squeak and when you look at her she's already set her expression and seems to be daring you to even think of commenting on the noise she just made.

She follows you inside with only a slight bit of hesitation. After you both are in, the portal rotates closed and you feel a sense of moving through the infinite dark. The journey is much much longer than your previous ones. Time is hard to tell without any sun as reference point, but you suspect it takes upwards of an hour and a half before the flaming disc comes to a halt. You once again weave the pattern and the portal once again rotates into existence with a dense forest on the other side. It looks like it's mid to late-afternoon at this point based on the light making its way through the canopy. Min moves in what seems like eager haste to step out into the forest and starts peering around.

I will take note of the sun's position and the time to figure out which direction is north. I drop out of the Flame and the void to talk a bit.

"...? That took longer than the other trip... anyway. North should be this way. If I navigated hyperspace correctly,
Tar Valon should be that way as well. By the way. You are quite brave to come with me like that."

I return to the Flame and the Void. And note my surroundings. Do they seem familiar?

"I guess we should start walking. We have less than a half a day of daylight left."

She bites her lip, but replies, "I'm not sure I could be described as brave there. I just followed you. But thank you."

You re-embrace the flame and the void to bring the world into focus. You take in your surroundings and don't notice anything that feels familiar. The forest is darker and denser than any you've seen so far, and outside of that, there is precious little to help you place where you might be.

You and Min walk north for a few hours before the sun begins to set. You're still in a dense area of the forest.

"... We will set up camp here tonight. I'll do first watch and you will do the second watch. In the morning I will try again, because I am pretty sure I messed up on navigation."

With that I will get to work finding the things we will need to build a fire and the camp.

It seems like I will need to go into the Dream World tonight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:50, Thu 13 June 2019.

You struggle to find adequate tinder to start the fire, it's apparently rained heavily here recently, and it takes you well into dusk before you have camp set with a small fire for warmth. But you get the camp set up enough for the night and you take first watch.

When it's your turn to go to sleep and Min's to stand watch, you fall asleep quickly and wake in the dream world. The forest in the dream world is serene and almost eerie in how quiet it is.

What is it that you wish to do in the dream world?

First thing is that I am going to get the lay of this land by flying up. First I Form Power armor with wings. One, to allow me to breath in while really high in the atmosphere or in low orbit. And two to fly up there in the first place.

I'm Fairly familiar with the map of the ... continent that Tar Valon is on. (Huh. what do they call the collection of countries there?) So I should Recognize it if I am somewhere on that Continent.

Once I'm Sure that I have no clue where I am. I will imagine myself in Tar Valon and teleport there. Then I will Fly south looking for for a spot that is about half a day or a day's walk away and is obscured by woods or being way out of the way.

Once I find a spot. I will sit down and memorize this spot so I can go through Hyperspace to here. I did it before when I dreamed of Falme Then Managed to go there.

So I'm Thinking that I need to be somewhat familiar with the location to go there or it has to be within line of sight

Once I'm sure I can't memorize this spot better. I will retreat out of the Dream World and then sleep normally.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:53, Fri 14 June 2019.

You form a power armor, wings and all, about your body. You then launch yourself upwards through the canopy of the forest and high into the air, using the wings to keep you aloft.

It's a stunning sight from here, and you see in the far distance to the north the towers of Tar Valon and closer to your southwest is Caemlyn, the capital of Andor.

Tar Valon looks to be about 4 hard days of hiking north if you try and stay off the roads, or about 3 days if you head to the road as soon as possible and walk along there.

...Huh? I didn't mess up that bad. It's about 3 or 4 days north.
I return to where I emerged into the Dream World.

I sit and think.
I should just exit and dream normally. But I could try again to figure out how i made a Permanent thing here... It won't take that long.

I carefully consider how I failed before. Note where I made my mistake. Then I meditate to clear my mind.

I pull out the Statue of Egwene again. Opening Imaginary circuits to generate mana. I suffuse the statue with my thoughts and mana, picking up it's short History. And Exactly how I made it.

You meditate on the statue and realize every failure has always come when at the instant when you connect your mind to delving when the statue was created. This time around you manage to avoid what you feel confident was what was causing brain burn in the past by probing the surfaces of the object and from that reaction determining what you are looking to know. And that’s when it occurs to you why the answer to your question is paradoxical and dangerous to the mind.

The statue is both permanent and not. It’s impossible to think of the statue and have it not exist, but you’re quite sure that it ceases to be when you store it in your soul. But it remembers its history the second you think of it again. As you trace it’s history backwards your mind wants to follow both what it thinks reality is and what you learn mind thinks it is, which repeatedly diverge every time you have pulled it out. Following this path still gives you a painful headache, but your probing technique isolates you from the paradoxes effect on your brain.

It’s effectively Schroedinger’s  Cat, where while it’s inside you before you pull it out it both exists and doesn’t exist. The second it’s observed it changes into existence. What’s special about it however is that when it exists it takes no concentration to maintain. You believe that’s because of some level of self definition the object seems to have.

I see. This is a weird thing I made. It's permanence is tied to it's self definition. I... have a idea on how to replicate the feat. But making a mind for an object might be a bad idea. I need to think on this.

With that I will retreat out of the Dream World and sleep normally.

In the Morning I will explain to Min.

"Turns out that I didn't mess up as much as I thought. We just need to walk west until we hit a road. And then Tar Valon is about 3 days walk north. I probably should not risk a second trip through that void... So it is going to be a bit of a walk. But I should be able to afford to stay at inns during the night."

Min smiles and says, “Three days isn’t so bad, but we should get started. I’d like to get this all over with as soon as possible. I don’t look forward to being back there.” And she begins packing up her pack.

You set out west and roughly around noon the forest gets considerably less dense and you can make out a trade caravan traveling from the north is just coming into sight. They almost definitely haven’t seen either of you yet.

I'll head to the road and then start heading north along the road. The trade caravan doesn't matter too much. Since it is heading south. I'll ask Min as we walk to the road.

"Do you think we should try to talk to them and trade for some more food?"

Min thinks for a moment and stares at the approaching caravan in the distance, "It would make the journey more pleasant, but how would we explain why we're emerging from the woods? I don't know, I'm torn between trying to let them pass while staying hidden and then continuing on, or getting some extra food... we could make due with what food we have but I'd be mighty hungry by the end of the trip..." She trails off slightly and seems lost in thought while staring towards the caravan.

"My explanation would be terrible. This is a road between Caemlyn and Tar Valon. Two Major Cities. There should be towns and other trade caravans along the way. If nothing else I can try to hunt rabbit or deer or something.

So let's let them pass then we will go along the road."

You delay heading out from the denser part of the woods and the caravan passes on without anyone even looking twice in your direction. After a few minutes to make sure they've cleared line of sight for sure you and Min start walking the road towards Tar Valon.

You make good progress that day, but don't come across any towns or other caravans. You do find a travelers waystation when you're somewhat near dusk. It's little more than shelter from the elements and a prepared fire pit, but it beats nothing.

Durring the walk I think about how I am going to do SCIENCE in the Dream World. I carefully consider What I am going to build and how I will do it. I am going to start with something relatively simple compared to giving Archer or Kyotsu a mind to maintain themselves. A pokemon or a small Elemental Spirit. A fire fox just for the pun on the web browser that only makes sense to me in this world. So Vulpex,Flareon or Fennekin... they would look really weird as not anime. So a smallish Fire Elemental Fox. So I work on its appearance and history and mind while I walk. Obviously just in my head for now.

I will stop at the traveler's waystation.
"I think this is probably the best spot to camp for the night. Most people shouldn't bother us. What do you think Min? We might be safer if we camp away from the road a bit. But if we stop here I might be able to hunt something before nightfall."

You find yourself enjoying the mental exercise of creating history and mind while walking, finding the process relaxing and a good outlet for curiosity in a time when all effort has had to be focused on necessity.

---------

Min replies, "It would look more natural if we stopped here at the least. If anyone noticed us camped within a handful of miles of a more convenient structure they might assume we were up to no good. I can get a fire going while you hunt."

She gets her stuff set down in the shelter, and heads to gather some small branches from nearby trees. She seems to be very content to busy herself doing something, and you realize she's uncomfortable about something and has been all day.

I stop before I go when I notice that.

"Sorry Min. I just noticed that you have been uncomfortable about something all day. What is going on?"

She grumbles slightly, "I'm just not sure. Ever since we set out on this journey, I see new images over your head but I have no bloody idea what they mean. Except I know they're linked to the One Power, and the number 13. Well technically the number 13 twice, or I suppose more like 'beware 13, and twice twice 13'. I got the image of image of you standing in a nimbus of light with darkness pounding down, with thirteen figures in dim light surrounding you. I know the dimness of the light represents danger. Then outside of that circle there are 13 figures circling and 13 taller figures behind each of those. They are in pitch black and I know the danger there is much.. much... much worse. But I keep trying to get the image to reappear, or to figure out MORE, and I just can't. And I know it's important." You see she's crying slightly.

I rub my chin in thought.

"That does sound Important and Dangerous. Where I am from 13 is considered an unlucky number. But I don't know if that Number is significant in your land. It seems to indicate that the danger is from Channelers. Probably aligned with the Dark one based on the blackness indicating danger... the pitch black would represent how aligned to the Dark One they are. And possibly their Strength too... Forsaken maybe? How many Forsaken are there? I'm not from here so I don't know.

What other visions did you see or are currently seeing? Maybe they can give context to the Danger of those groups of 13."

She kicks a nearby rock in frustration, "I know it's in part their strength, but I don't think it's the same thirteen between both. And there are 13 Forsaken, so it could be... hopefully not though. Rand already killed one though right? So could it still be them?

And I've been struggling to get different visions of you, when you all were in the same camp it was overwhelming but not really discernable. I get strange ones of you sometimes though that make no sense. I feel uncertainty at an image I see of you firing a bow. That one has come up a few times but never made me feel anything specific... or rather it specifically makes me feel nothing specific.

That sounded dumb, what I mean is that I've never had a vision that wasn't important or pivotal point. And often I don't know what they mean, but when I know I know. Yet I know on this one, but what I know is that it's uncertainty which makes no bloody sense."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:54, Fri 21 June 2019.

"I don't know. I'm Guessing at interpretations. Maybe the Dark one appointed someone equally dangerous to the position. I don't know.

As for the Me Firing a Bow... Could you Describe the Bow to me? And is there anything odd about the Arrow I am firing? Am I wearing anything weird?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:08, Fri 21 June 2019.

She shrugs slightly, "The images are often too quick or fleeting to get fine detail out of them... I don't remember thinking there was anything odd about the bow, arrow, or your clothing. But I don't really know anything about bow and arrow so I'm not even sure I'd know what is weird, other than Perrin and the Shienarans constant arguments over Perrins longbow versus the Shienarans bows meant for horseback."

"That is not much for me to go on. I only have one connection to bows that I can think of. But no data to confirm or deny the idea... if true, I have an idea why you don't feel anything specific from it. Was the bow black and was I wearing a red cloat?"

Min looks to be thinking hard before she responds, "The bow was definitely dark, it could have been black. And I really don't remember what you were wearing, sometimes the visions seem to flicker as you see them, as if they are fleeting and fickle. But I would think I'd notice a red coat..."

"hmmm... yeah. I don't have enough details to confirm it. I might be causing the nonspecific vision by doing weird things in the Dream World. So the Wheel doesn't have a context to go with the Vision. Are there any other weird ones?"

"Those are the only ones I can think of, a lot of the time we've been together recently there has been three other ta'veren, and Aes' Sedai, and a warder... To say the least, I've been a tad bit overwhelmed at the sheer number of visions above people. Most don't mean anything to me, but it's still exhausting at times..." and she then kicks a rock angrily, "So of course I'm on my way to the White Tower, where they have so many visions over there head..." and her speech disolves into angry mutterings.

"I sorry about making your life so difficult. "

I think a bit.
"I am in danger from Channelers. Therefore I should try to learn how to use the One Power better... I will try something that is hopefully simple and safe. I will gather some firewood with you and try to start the fire... If you are ok with that. I know when I use the Power it will make most people uncomfortable at best."

If she says she is ok with me practicing, I will help her gather wood. Once we have enough, I will set it up to start a fire. I will have Min stand 10 or 20 feet back in case I mess up.

I will enter the Flame And the Void and go at deep as possible.  Grapping the power and forcing my will on it. I will pull out the tiniest stream of fire that I can imagine and wind it around the end of a stick to hopefully set the stick on fire. Then use the stick to set the rest of the wood on fire.

(Note: If I instinctively think that A weave or something would be better to start the fire I will go with that.)

Her grumblings seem much more targetted around the Aes Sedai, less so the ta'veren. Still, she calms slightly when you apologize for something you have no control over and goes to just brooding slightly as opposed to ranting.

She shrugs when you mention using the one power making her uneasy, "I've seen Rand do it often enough, just don't go going mad on me... I'll be very annoyed with you if you die before you have to help Rand." Her mood has brightened by the end there and she's back to a familiar smirk at the end there. "Now lets go get the firewood."

You don't instinctively know a weave for starting a fire, but you embrace the One Power to the familiar rush of life-enriching sweetness tainted with the foulest substance imaginable. You peel off a tiny stream into wrapping around a stick you've selected. At first it seems to be going well, but as the stream gets slightly longer it starts begining to be difficult to control and your hold on it shatters as it lashes about and strikes you and the stick (as well as the are you were around) in a violent and uncontrolled fashion. You manage to cut off your connection to the One Power before it deals much more damage to yourself, but even in that short period of times you sustained pretty nasty lacerations and burns on your right hand. The stick also has a pattern of burnt scarring on it, though it didn't catch on fire.

I hiss in pain and clutch my hand. After a second I have the pain under control where I can endure it. I flex my hand to see if any tendons where cut.

"Damn that hurt. Going to need to clean this up and sacrifice some cloth to keep it covered.  Going to need to find a stream or use some of our drinking water.

You flex your hand, and realize with relief that none of the tendrils cut too deep. It's severely painful and sore, but you have full movement and control and don't think there's any lasting damage should you clean it well and take it a little easy.

Min speaks up, "I didn't see any streams on our way out of the forest, and we can't wait that long. Go sit down, I'll get a fire started and boil some of our water. Work on getting some bandages prepared if you feel up to it."

She goes about getting the fire started and a small metal cup to boil the water in. She's hyperfocused, and clearly using that to deal with what just happened. She asks over, "Do you have anything that will help with the pain? Or anything to sanitize the wound?"

I sit down and pull out the brown traveler shirt from my pack. I enter the Flame and the Void to distance myself from the pain.

Then I will cut bandages out of the shirt with my knife.

"I can deal with the pain. But I really don't have anything to sanitize the wound. I don't know herbalism and I don't usually carry strong Alcohol.

She says "I don't know much herbalism either, so we'll have to settle for washing the wounds out really well with warm water that's been boiled previously. We really should get you to see someone who does know how to treat this time of thing, however. Do you know anyone in the area we could go to?"

"The closest person I know that knows herbs is west of Caemlyn. I would rather not backtrack. If we did, we would probably have to find someone in Caemlyn. Or some strong alcohol to wash the wounds out. Maybe I should start carrying some with me. This seems to come up a lot."

She looks at you oddly, "You find yourself with your hand torn up frequently? From... this sort of thing or just in general? Please be careful Eli... but in order to not backtrack perhaps we could trade for alchohol with a passing caravan tomorrow? We'll need a reasonable story for your hand though, it'd be somewhat difficult to cover up and while I'd be happy to do the bargaining it'd be considered odd for a woman to be bargaining for hard alcohol..."

"No no. Not this specifically.
That was pretty much the first time I experimented with that Power. I was referring to the fact that I will probably get injured from Fighting or other things fairly often. Probably should make it a point to learn Herbalism to patch myself up.

As for my hand... We could say that I wasn't paying attention and tried to pick up a pot that just came out of the fire. What do you think of that story?"

She thinks for a bit and nods, "That should work, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to learn some herbalism. But from what I understand it can matter a lot where you currently are. You can rely on some herbs if your in Caemlyn or it's surroundings but not on the borderland and vice versa. Or so Nyneave has gone on at great length. We should more significantly wrap your hand tomorrow though anyway. We'll need to make it look like a significant burn, those laceration marks don't make much sense with our story so we need to make sure they won't be able to see them."

And you feel your pain reignite as she begins cleaning your wounds with one of the strips of cloth soaked in now warm water. She's quite not that she's begun, and you get the feeling she was trying to get you to focus elsewhere before she began.

Did you plan to do anything yet tonight or after you go to sleep?

"True,true. We will deal with that tomorrow.  Thanks for helpingme clean the wound."

I am not planning on doing anything else with the one power in the waking world.

But I am planning on going to the Dream World.
when I get there but before I start, I will look around in the area to make sure I am alone. Then I will examine my hand to see if the injury is reflected in the Dream World.

 I think that the Image of myself in the Dream World forms a sympathetic connection to myself in the Physical World.  Or I am actually projecting a part of my soul out into the Dream World. Ether way the connection is such that damage to the Image in the Dream World reflects back to the body in the Physical World.  So, What Happens when you heal the Image in the Dream World?

The Hypothesis would be that the healing reflects back to the Physical World. The major hurdle is that I have to convince myself that my hand is healed. The standard way where I force reality to conform to my will wont work because the change will reverse by the time I wake up.

That statue existed without my concentration because I was utterly convinced that it existed. Therefore it did. So the question is how do I convince myself that my hand is healed?...
This sound like a Lunar thing. 'To change the world, change Yourself.'
The purpose of the Chants in the Nasuverse is to Help hypnotize yourself into believing the magic that you do is possible.

I Enter The Flame and the Void as deep as I can. Drawing on the power to fill myself with Life and Supgagate it to my will. Stitching the cuts closed with threads of power before tying it off.  I also Generate mana to shape into a spell. I chant focusing my will and energies into healing my Hand. "Life's Refreshing Breeze, Heal From the Sky! CURE!" I also impose An alteration on my own mind. Forcing myself to believe that This will heal my hand and work perfectly. Restoring the image of my hand into it pristine state.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:17, Mon 01 July 2019.

Setting up camp goes slowly, with Min refusing to let you do much out of fear it'll risk infection. But everything is set up and you go to sleep and wake in the Dream World.

As you gaze across the landscape of the dream world you don't see anyone else around, just a lifeless expanse of road in two directions with fields in either direction.

When you examine your hand, it appears completely fine. And then after a second, it flickers slightly and you see the lacerations and burns you were trying to inspect. They seem ephemeral in nature however, as in they were but a thin veneer atop your hand.

I don't know whether this will alter what you were planning.

I stare at my hand, deeply confused for a moment then realize my error. One of my axioms was wrong. The Dream World  doesn't necessarily reflect your injuries in the Physical. Although Injuries in the Dream World always reflect on your body in the Physical. Hmmm... what could cause that?
Perhaps I am projecting my Soul or Self  Image or something into the Dream World. Most injuries wouldn't get to that layer of Me. But how to figure out what is going on?...

This reality is Objective despite being effected by the Subjective. This is demonstrated by my Structural Grasp  here. Where I get objective information from a Subjective Manipulation of the World...

...I wounder... What happens if I use it on my body here in the Dream World? I do need to buffer myself from possible Paradoxes. A good first step is writing the info in something else than directly into my mind.

I'll form a blank book. Then maintain its existence while I generate mana. I'll send the mana into myself to pick up the information but instead of recalling the mana to my mind I will send it into the book and Direct it to write it's information down in the book.

You form the book, and begin gathering mana and directing it inwards as you probe yourself to better your understanding and direct the mana into the book, which begins to glow with a light blue hue. You're feeling pretty confident about everything until the hue seems to warble and the book folds in upon itself as the reality here ripples.

Seconds after the book folds in upon itself a mirror copy of you but dressed in a black coat and with two silver pins on each lapel steps out. The eyes however seem stressed as he squints at you and you feel a massive menacing presence and you see him begin to expertly weave a pattern in the air.

Your mind racing you realize that he's holding the One Power, and you have but fractions of a second before something happens.

Oh Shit!

First instinct is that a hostile me would ether go for a massive frontal assault or try to restrain me somehow.

So I use the two ideas that come to me.

I immediately thrust my left hand forward and shout "Rho Aias!"
Forming the familiar image of summoning the shield Noble Phantasm that Archer uses.

 It was originally the shield of Ajax the Greater. Made from a bronze shield covered with seven layers of ox hide. It was the only shield to stop the spear of Hector of Troy.

When called as a Noble Phantasm it forms 7 iridescent flower petals that form a seven layer shield where each layer is said to have the Defensive power of a Fortress Wall. (The flower petals are from the Consolida Ajacis. The flower that is said to have sprung up from the blood of Ajax as he was dying.)

It has an absurd Defense but it does have a defect. If he does manage to break a layer of Defense the rebound from the Noble Phantasm will also hurt me.

As i perform the obvious Defense I will also do something more subtle. In my right hand I will form a sword with countless runes engraved on it. Perversely the runes make it easier to target  me with magic.
But it doesn't matter. I hold the sword in front of me Defensively. I am mimicking a class from Final Fantasy.  The Rune Knight. Their signature ability is Runic. Which turns them into a lightning rod for magic. All magic in the area gets redirected to them where they absorb it and dissipate the magic harmlessly. Basically taking the magic in to themselves and pulling it abart before it can harm them. They get some mp out of the process too.

I will analyze what he is doing while i deploy these Defenses.

After his first attack I will shout. "What the hell Man? You Attacked without even trying to talk. What is wrong with you?"

You form your shield, which coalesces in front of you exactly as you image, and ready your rune sword immediately behind it. Meanwhile, you see your doppelgangers hands gesture a complicated pattern as you see a stream of bright white fire sprout from his fingers directly towards you. The beam hits your shield and your shield turns to bright white light and ceases to be. You feel a nasty backlash as you feel all 7 petals fail at once.

Worse, the beam doesn't seem to have stopped, and hits your runesword. This likewise glows, however gets even bright before shattering into a cascade of light that leaves a pattern burnt into your vision. You feel the beam very nearly still got to you. The backlash however drained you so significantly that you feel your hold on the dreamworld slip. You see your doppelganger smirk, turn, and step through a portal as your vision fades to black.

-------------

You wake up to find yourself in a dark room, and feeling terrible. You're famished, sore, and have an unbelievable migraine. You also don't recognize where you are.

I think 'That fucker...' as I pass out.

----------

I get up pissed and continue the thought of 'that fucker tried to erase me.' I know what that was. Balefire... or was it banefire?... whatever.  It retroactively erases things from existence.  I read about it a long time ago. Stupid Teenager me started from the damn middle of that series and couldn't figure out what was going on. So I didn't get far. Certainly not enough to be useful.


...what the fuck is going on? Where am I?

I will get up and look around.

You get up, although very stiffly and uncoordinatedly, and see that you're in a relatively small room with a bed, bedside table, and a small closet in the corner. There are windows on one side of the small room that have golden colored drapes pulled shut.

You hear faint bustling sound from below you, so you must be on at least the second floor of wherever you are, or perhaps on the first floor with stuff going on in the basement.

Eh?... I guess I will check down stairs.

I will walk down stairs using the rail to keep my balance.

It becomes very obvious as soon as you open the door to your room that you’re in an inn. Quite the loud one from the sounds below. You head over to the head of the stairs and looking down you see a fairly packed common room. You notice that Min is serving drinks, and that a large percentage of the patrons have the sunburst symbol of the whitecloaks.

I take one look at all those Whitecloaks and Decide 'Nope. I am not dealing with this at the moment.' I turn around and walk back to bed and go to sleep. But end Up freaking out because I nearly got erased, fucked up the entire Wheel and let loose an evil more powerful version of myself in the Dream World.  I realized that I have been an amazing fuck up today. The stress eats at me for about an hour before I force myself to not think at all and just go to sleep. I have fucked up enough today. I am just resting and recovering.

You sleep fitfully, dreams wrought with nightmares about your doppelganger invading and killing or erasing you, or doing evil deeds in your name, or a variety of other unpleasant nightmares. You wake up as you're being shaken. As you open your eyes you see Min is shaking your shoulder saying, "Eli, Eli, wake up. It's ok, it's Min. I saw last night that you finally regained consciousness. How are you feeling?"

I get up.

"...Better than I was, but still not good. Where are we? And how long was I unconscious?"

Min replies, "We're in one of the towns that's just south of Tar Valon at this point. I found a passing merchant going in the right direction, and convinced him my brother had an episode after a nasty cooking mishap. Between the story and some coin I got us here. I've been working the last few days to help out around here and cover our food and lodging... it's been a pretty long four days. What happened to you? I know I didn't dress the wounds that badly, and I've had them seen to since then by someone who actually knows something."

"... I messed up in the Dream World and was Attacked.  I accidentally made an... evil copy of myself but he is much better than me. He immediately attacked me and nearly Erased me from existence. He used something that erases things retroactively in the past... i managed to block it. But the backlash from destroying m ugh shield really hurt me. He came this close to hitting me with it... I have really messed up letting him loose in the Dream World. "

She blinks in surprise and says, "But, if he's a copy of you how can he be much better? And ... oh this is very bad isn't it... Do you think we should let someone know? Is there anyone you trust that might be able to help, I worry an Aes Sedai would ask certain questions before helping and that they'd never get past those..."

Her expression seems strained, she's clearly thinking hard and she looks scared and lost.

"He probably formed around the image of me being a skilled mage. So he is better than me at that..."

I sigh

"Yes. that is very bad. But it is not hopeless. He didn't try to fight me as a Dreamer so he is probably limited to doing things like a mage... Although I have no information on his actual capabilities besides Making balefire or banefire and a copy of my ability to go places fast... Hopefully he can't get out of the Dream World. If he gets out that would be very bad for me and my reputation. He is dangerous enough in the Dream World and he might attack the others that find themselves there. Unfortunately I am the most Advanced person I know with messing with the Dream World... There might be one other that might be similar. But I don't know where to find him.

As for Aes Sedai... They haven't had a Dreamer in a long time. So they can't help me in the Dream World. The closest they got is Egwene and she is not ready to fight in a Dream...

It looks like I am going to have to deal with this by myself...

Min. Hopefully you don't end up in the Dream world ever. But if you see me in a Dream. Please Run. Although... I should probably make up a password or something to signify that it is really me...Things to do later."

She smiles half heartedly at the end, obviously very concerned but not knowing how to help, "Don't worry Eli, I stick to simple dreams. I leave the dangerous type to Ta'veren... do you think Rand might be able to help with your issue... or at least we should warn him if possible."

She obviously seems at a loss, but then seems to remember, "Oh, and I better get downstairs, I still have to cover this morning in payment for last nights lodgings. The deal was working the tables the night before and morning after. The innkeep is a kind woman for offering us to even stay here, she's had her hands full with the whitecloaks... But can't solve everyone's problems, have to focus on the one's I can. Do you think you'll be fit to travel today or should I see about getting the room another night?"

"He has spoken of Dreams. Perhaps he could have helped. But I didn't get a chance to talk to him or warn him. One of my problems is that I haven't figured out a way to talk to people without going into their dreams. Never again on going into another's dream. But pulling them out seems rude too..."

When she switches track in the conversation, I will get up and check how well I can move around.

After she finishes I Reply.
"I'm sorry I forced you to work. I have some money left I think... Although It would be weird to start paying now. If it is ok with you, I will Eat a meal and see how I am feeling. I'm sorry for the inconvenience..."

She smiles, "It's not the first time I've cleared a table Eli, I worked in an inn not too dissimilar to this one before I got swept up int he path of ta'veren." Her tone at the last part makes it sound like a complaint, but there's a bit of a fond smirk to it.

As to getting up and moving around, you don't have difficulties with doing so, you suspect you could walk a decent journey in the state your in. Every muscle is sore however, you do have a significant headache bordering on migraine, and while your hand seems to have gotten good attention, it's still healing. Getting into a fight would be ill-advised, and you're going to have that level of discomfort that is tolerable but makes people grouchy, but there's nothing preventing you from reasonably doing most of what you normally would.

"I could continue to travel but I am in no condition to Fight or defend us.
...I should probably rest a few days. But we could get going today."

"Are you intending to return to the tower then? I'll trust your judgement, but I assumed you would simply be getting me more or less to Moiraine's contact and then heading... well honestly anywhere else. We're only about half a day out from the person I'm supposed to talk to about approaching the tower, if you wanted to head your own way I could complete the last bit of the trek myself. I just didn't feel right continuing until I at least knew you had awaken."

"That would be the Smarter plan. Minimizing my possible contact with the Red...But I can't shake a feeling that I need to go into the tower for some reason. The Wheel has revealed to me that it is a place where important things are woven. And the presence or absence of Ta'verin there can have consequences that echo throughout time.

So... I am going to do the dumb thing and go to the tower.

If I can get in, I might be able to ask Susan or Nynaeve to heal me without alerting the other
 Aes Sedai.

...damn this is a stupid plan."

"As I said, I'll trust your judgment. So if we're going together it sounds like we should plan to stay another day or two? Do you want me to bring you anything or do you want to go downstairs when you're hungry?

Oh, and also you should start thinking about what story you're going to use for why you left the warders training. I don't know they'd let you rejoin the classes, but they will expect an answer regardless."

"... I assume there are still Whitecloaks down there? It is best if I don't interact with them. Their methods piss me off. And I am in no condition to deal with them. If they are here I would rather eat up here. But if they are not here I would not mind going down to eat.

As for my explanation on leaving suddenly. The best I got is that I got a letter that I immediately had to go out and deal with. Unfortunately It is a private matter.

Admittedly it is not a good explanation."

"There are, they've been stationed here for quite a while. It seems the whitecloaks are trying to pressure Tar Valon. Of course this is as close as they'll go, so it's mostly a pain to the townsfolk in the area while only a mild inconvenience to the Aes Sedai. I'll bring you up some food after I'm done downstairs.

And the explanation will have to do I guess. I just wouldn't expect any of the warders to be happy with you, or most of the Aes Sedai for that matter. I don't envy your position."

And she gets ready to head downstairs to work on clearing the tables and getting people food and drink.

So what do you plan to do for the day?

"It's not very good. Perhaps, saying that I had to settle an inheritance dispute in Baerlon would be better.  I don't know."


For the day I will relax and stretch to help the soreness. And mull over what would be a better lie. I'll eat when Min brings up food.

... I wonder if I can ask the Wheel what would be the best lie for this?

Min brings food up a couple of hours after heading down originally, which is a hearty oatmeal and some juice to go with it. It's nothing amazing, but you do feel incredibly hungry so it still tastes great.

Over the day you stretch periodically to work out the muscle soreness, and otherwise relax. It does you quite a bit of good to have a day to focus on taking care of your body. You also contemplate the lie that you tell, and work yourself around in circles trying to figure out a good one. While you don't come up with a better lie, you do realize a disheartening likelihood. There are no men in the tower or on the tower grounds that are not warders or warders in training. If your goal is to be in the heart of the tower, it won't be possible without being in one of those two groups or being a significant deviation from the norm.

... It looks like I am going to have to play it by ear when I get there...Sigh

I will sit down and meditate on the Wheel and try to get an Insight on what I need to do. Or what is needed at the White Tower. I will take my time and not rush at all.

<Orange>OOC: I'm not entirely sure I get what you're looking for. The wheel of time kind of represents the generic passage of time in this universe. While its effects Ta'veren significantly, more so at some times that others, and effects everyone to some degree, it's not really a consultable entity. I think I'm just not clear what you're trying to get exactly.

OOC: That is true. But he got images seemingly from the Wheel when he leaned too much on his Ta'verin nature. In effect he was asking 'what is your plan Wheel?'

After a bit he would realize that he is basically asking the loom of fate things and then he would switch to asking the Light what is it's plan is for a bit.

After a while he would shrug and give up.

You meditate on the wheel's intention for you, and get the mild sense of calm. But it's the type of calm that you feel in the weather before a significant storm hits. You don't get a sense of what's going to happen, or your particular role in it however.

You shift to thinking on what Lights goal for you specifically is, but simply feel tranquil while meditating. It's hard to tell whether that's a response, or simply part of the process of meditating.

Min eventually knocks, having come up with a tray of sandwiches, which she sets down and grabs one herself and sits down, clearly exacerbated from whatever she was dealing with downstairs. She says, "I hope you're mending quickly, I'm not sure how much longer I can go without stabbing one of those Whitecloaks."

I'll pick up a sandwich and comment.

"You are handing it much better that I would. I would not stop at stabbing. I am probably healed good enough to continue traveling. So we can continue if you like. I'm sorry my mistakes forced you to have to deal with Them.

We should probably go after this meal."

Then I start to eat.

She lets out a sigh and bites into her sandwich, "I'm not actually going to stab anyone, they're just infuriating to overhear. But if you're up for it I'm willing to get on the road. So long as you're sure you're ready."

She continues eating then.

It's roughly midday, are you planning to try and get a ride when you head out, get horses, or walk? Or some other option.

"As long as I don't get into a fight, I should be fine."


If I can find someone heading north to Tar Valon, I would not waste an opportunity to catch a ride.

I don't really have enough resources to get horses. And I am not really inclined to gamble for them. Since I don't have a contest that I could reliably win.

If I don't find something, I will by a day's worth of food and start walking to Tar Valon.

You don't manage to find any caravans heading north today, but get rations easily enough and set out with Min.

You get outside of the small town and heading towards the city of Tar Valon and make decent time. The movement actually makes you feel a bit better as you get to stretch more fully. In the late afternoon, about half an hour before the sun is going to set, you see that you're nearing the small outlying buildings outside of Tar Valons bridges (the city of Tar Valon surrounds the White Tower, all of which is on a river island). As you've been getting closer to Tar Valon the road has gone from few travelers to a good number that appear to be on pilgrimage or something similar. Up ahead though you see there's a slow down of some sorts, and you see the familiar uniform of the Whitecloaks. It appears they are stopping and questioning those who are heading towards the city.

How many Whitecloaks are there? Are they blocking the entrance to the bridge or is it theoretically possible to go around them and get to the bridge? Are there cover and other things we could use to sneak by them? Can I spot any Aes Sedai in the Crowd? Or anyone else I know?

There are 8 Whitecloaks that you can see, mounted on horseback. It's easy to see that one is clearly the leader, who is questioning people, and there is a clear second while the rest seem to be of lower rank.

They're not blocking the bridge, but rather holding up the road that leads to the parts of the town right before the bridge. Min is actually supposed to meet with Moiraine's contact before entering Tar Valon itself, at an inn very near the bridge.

The difficulty with getting around them to get to the bridge and the small town/inn is that this area isn't really wooded at all. You have farmland to either side with fields that haven't begun sprouting their crops yet.

It's sometimes difficult to spot Aes Sedai unless they want to be seen, as without seeing their faces to find the ageless features about them, they could be just another woman. Looking around however you do not see any. There are several women who have travelers cloaks on however, with the hoods up likely to protect from the sun, which prevents you from seeing their faces.

You don't see anyone that you recognize either, which is partially good news. Studying the whitecloaks, none of them are ones you've interacted with in the past.

"... Min. Do you think that you can get past their questions and go through to where you need to go? I am too suspicious to get through without causing a scene. I don't think I would make it through a confrontation in my condition. But if they try to stop you, I will do my best to be an excellent Distracton. "

"I'll be able to hold my own, they're just trying to make their presence felt. What are you going to do though?"

So what is your plan? Hang back to give some distance and observe as Min gets through? Then are you planning to turn back or what?

"I am going to hang back and watch you go through. And intervene if they try something. Then... I'll ether wait them out or go to another bridge. There are only 8 guys, they can't question at the bridge all day."

Just to be clear, the questioning is on the road that leads to the bridge. It's just fields around it however, so there's good visibility making it hard to sneak by.

But you hang back in the crowd, trying to not draw attention to the fact that in a crowd of people trying to move forward and largely annoyed by the delay in travel that you're now not moving forward.

Min continues forward, and eventually is questioned by the Whitecloaks and after a few questions is waved on without fuss.

How long do you intend to wait them out before heading to another road into town? And what do you intend to do if the crowd thins down which would make the fact that you're just hanging out fairly obvious should the Whitecloaks think too hard.

After Min gets in past the Whitecloaks, I realize that they would notice me if I waited until they leave. So I will start heading down the road away from Tar Valon. I will try to get to the back of the line by basically letting everyone cut in front of me. Picking people that are old or Tired and switching with them. Obviously if someone gets annoyed at the others for getting to cut ahead, I will offer to switch with them as well. I will use the Crowd to hide myself while making my way to the back of the line.

Once I am in the back I will start walking away from Tar Valon for a while. Still within sight of Tar Valon. Then I will start circling around keeping the City in sight. Untill I hit another road into the city and follow it in.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:01, Tue 16 July 2019.

You gradually sift towards the back of the line, as appreciative people thank you for your patience or just seem glad to not have to wait even longer.

By the time you're at the back of the line, it's getting late in the afternoon. I assume you plan to push on however to get to the next road in?

Assuming you do:

You have to walk an inconvenient distance out before you find a crossroads that appears to swing around Tar Valon. Following it however you do make your way to a new road heading into Tar Valon and start back approaching. It's just after dusk at this point, so sight is getting a bit more difficult unless you're planning to use a light source of some kind.

You do eventually see that this road also has Whitecloaks stationed on it, however, it's only 3 this time and none look high ranking. Perhaps it's due to the hour for the reduced number, or this may be a less significant point of entry in their opinion or just luck.

There is not currently a line heading in however, they just appear to be looking around.

Yes, I would push on to the next road.

Are the three Whitecloaks on horseback? Are they carrying a light source?

I will go ahead and pull out my brown traveler's cloak and put it on. Using it to break up my outline a little bit. Then I go off to the side a little bit and huddle against the ground. Underneath the cloak I will have my sword ready to be drawn with my left hand. Just in case.

I'm planning on waiting out these three Whitecloaks. With just three of them, they are probably not ment to block the road all night. Once they go, I will slip into Tar Valon.

The Whitecloaks don't have horses with them, but are carrying lanterns that are shedding pretty good light.

You hunker down, concealing yourself underneath your cloak and keep an eye on the Whitecloaks. After a few hours you see two of them head off to the side and get a small campfire started. They seem to be getting ready to bed down for the night, with one currently overlooking the roadway.

I'm going to try sneaking around them. Basically keeping far enough away that the light doesn't help them see me. And trying to do most of my movements when they are facing away from me or at least not looking directly at me. I'll enter the Flame and the Void to help me perceive in these low light conditions.

You embrace the flame and the void to aid you in moving quietly through the fields in the low light, and begin navigating silently avoiding the light the Whitecloaks lantern is casting. The internal light of the One Power is singing a siren call to you however which is increasingly difficult to resist.

After a difficult struggle of both resisting the One Powers call, and avoiding the light, you make it far enough past the Whitecloaks that you feel like you are out of their view. It's very late at this point, where do you intend to go?

I'm going into Tar Valon and I will look for an inn to sleep in. How much does a night cost? I still have some silver marks.

Once I rent a room for the night. I will meditate for a while in the room. Gut instinct is telling me I need to be here. But not necessarily what I need to work towards. Unless... do I really need to go into the White Tower? Tonight?

I'm  meditating to decide how much of that is ta'verin things I need to do and how much of it is just me being stupid.

When you say you're going into Tar Valon, do you mean into the city proper (the area past the bridges) or in one of the inns just outside the bridge? The bridge's don't operate as frequently at night as they do during the day and Min had expressed she's going to be in one of the outer inn's meeting Moiraine's contact.

The Whitecloaks were questioning on the road that leads up to the outer city, which encircles the bridges, with the inner city encircling the White Tower itself. Not sure I was clear enough on that earlier.

If I could get to the City proper, I would go ahead and do that. Unless the guards stop me on the bridge. Or they have some sort of portcullis on the bridges.

The bridge does have a portcullis at the inner end of it, which is currently closed.

You are able to find an inn close to the mouth of the bridge however that only charges 50 silver pennies (.5 silver marks.). The room is small but clean and a small dinner is included. The inn has a portrait of an Aes Sedei of the green ajah above a mantle in the common room, which is more flagrant support of Aes Sedei than you see most places south of the borderlands or this close to Tar Valon proper.

You meditate for a long while on the wheels needs for you and get a supreme sense of tranquility, but with just a twinge of ominous foreboding. You get the mental image of the calm before a storm wall but nothing more.

Your meditation is then interrupted by a commotion from the common room, where you hear some raised voices. You can’t make them out well except for the last word of an angry shout. “...darkfriend”. It sounds very accusatory.

OOC: I thought it was 10 silver pennies to a silver mark. I would assume there is lesser currency too. So am I paying 0.5 marks or 5 marks?

Once I feel the sense of foreboding I think to myself dryly
oh joy...

Once I hear the commotion from the common room. Only one group would have the gall to come into an inn and accuse someone of that. Whitecloaks. They are ether here for me or some other innocent bystander.
I sigh as I put my sword on on the right side so I can draw it with my left hand.

I tried to not fight them today.

I enter the Flame and the Void as deep as I can go without grabbing the One Power
I'll head to the common room and make my Presence known. Focusing my cold killing intent on the Whitecloaks in the room. Making them feel the cold inevitably of death if they oppose me.

"Accusing someone of being a darkfriend. Those are Fighting words where I come from, Whitecloak. Who are you accusing?"

OOC: I am actually trying to do something with psionics. Connecting to their minds and imposing the feeling of dread and the grim certainty of their death if they oppose me. One of the limitations of this would be the need to be in the Flame and the Void to have the proper mindset.

ooc: Hmmm. I was fairly sure I’ve been consistent with the website I’ve been using for currency. Either way, it’s half of a silver mark. It’s a rather lucky find/inexpensive inn.

You make yourself look at intimidating as possible and prepare yourself for a fight as you head downstairs and glower at the whitecloak doing the shouting. There are three whitecloaks here, but only one seems to be pitched into the argument while the others are looking warily at the growingly hostile room. There are guards who were playing cards at tables who have stood and are angrily staring with hands rested on swords or cudgels, and overall a level of hostility in the air from the average patron.

You threaten the Whitecloak but don’t feel your words or aura bite in as much as you wished. Your words, or perhaps presence, enrage the whitecloak who re-ups his vehemence while shouting at the innkeep ”See! You harbor a darkfriend! For who would hide in the shadow from the light than a darkfriend. We tracked him here after he snuck past us on the road, slinking in the night, likely on task from the witches of Tar Valon”

There is the hiss of anger from several guards and patrons at the last part there, but the Whitecloak seems not to notice, eyes emblazoned with zealotry. The other two seem less sure as they look at the room.

"Of course... You lot are lucky I decided to sneak by you. Because I know you overzealous idiots would have tried to take me in for your Inquisitors. And then I would have to force my way out. I tried to be merciful but you Idiots forced my hand.

Guardsmen, what are the local laws regarding dueling?"

”And why would any but a friend of the dark be concerned over questions from the Hand of the Light? You all but condemn yourself darkfriend.”

One of the guardsmen you were addressing however speaks up ”This is not Altara. We don’t encourage disputes to be settled over duels. If you insist on one, it must be witnessed by a blade master in accordance with Andoran law.
The guard seems to be trying to dissuade you from dueling when the hothead Whitecloak piped in again,
”however all Nations have accepted the sanctity of Trial under the Light for any accused, and he stands accused of being a darkfriend

The guard flares angrily at the Whitecloak but doesn’t speak against what the Whitecloak said.

"Any sane man would be concerned about your Inquisitors. They start with the premise that those they torture are guilty. They are only trying to get a confession of guilt. Such barbarism should make anyone truly in the Light burn with righteous indignation at the mistreatment of there fellow man.

You lot are just a bunch of self righteous bullies. And I would be happy to smack some sense into that thick skull of yours. A Trial Under the Light would be stupid to do at night. We will duel tomorrow.  Which gives us enough time to contact a Blademaster and perform the duel correctly under Andoran law.

Now go. Leave the people here alone."

”Be it as you wish, though the darkness is never so deep that the light can’t shine through to prevail. I will see you face Justice tomorrow.  I will have your word that under penalty of death you shall not seek to escape this combat, with these good people as witness. I will hear you pledge this under the light and by your hope of salvation and rebirth.”

The oath he is asking you to take to not flee before the combat is a severe one. It’s actually insulting to ask it of another, and something even close friends would feel obligated to turn another in for breaking. Any who violate it would be deemed oathbreaker at the least and likely darkfriend and executed.

"You know, I am insulted you would ask this Oath of me. But Fine.

Under Penalty of Death I will Not Flee from this duel. With These people as witnesses. I pledge this Under the light and by my hope of Salvation and Rebirth.

Now Get Out!"

He bows ever so slightly, eyes aflame, ”Till we meet tomorrow.” And turns and walks out trailed by his two compatriots.

The room is abuzz with chatter as he leaves, but no one is approaching you yet.

...
I walk to the guard I was talking to before.

"How much will it cost to have a Blademaster observe the duel in accordance to Andoran law?"

”there’s not really an established price, you would need to find one who would be willing to for that matter, nothing obligates them to the service. I’m not entirely familiar with who is and who is not a blade master, I know I’ve heard that Hammar, one of the warders often in the tower, and there’s always questions in the guards and trainees about whether Master Coulin has formally earned the Heron. Outside of that, based on the overall size of the Whitecloak presence that’s been being a nuisance, they likely have at least one recognized blademaster. Overall though, while duels are strictly legal they aren’t part of our culture. Violence seldom reduces tensions. “

I drop out of the Flame and the Void now that they are gone.

Sigh...
"I see. It looks like I need to go to the White Tower tomorrow.

I'm sorry if my hot-headedness caused you trouble. I had hoped my visit here would have been quiet...

What would it take to talk to Master Hammer or Master Coulin tomorrow?"

”I can see about having a message delivered to one of them, letting them know the situation and asking for them to come observe. I think it would be best for the message to be carried by a messenger rather than you going tomorrow. You wouldn’t want to give the Whitecloaks any position to claim you were fleeing, and I don’t imagine there’s any way they won’t interpret it that way should you enter Tar Valon. Do you know either Master Coulin or Hammar? Anything that might help encourage them to come to bear witness on short notice? I could even carry the message to them personally tonight, you seem a good lad and it’ll keep my life easier if there isn’t open conflict in town...”

"Yes. They would see it like that. I know Master Coulin. I am... well was one of his Students. I doubt he would accept me back.

Would it be better for me to write a letter? Or would a verbal message be better?"

”A letter would likely be best, sealed with your sigil or another way of identifying you as the writer would be best.”

"Ok. Excuse me for a moment."

I go to the Innkeeper and ask.

"Do you have some parchment, Ink and wax that I could buy? Or do you know someone I could purchase those things from?"

The innkeep replies, “Of course, give me just a moment.” And he disappears into a side room and comes out with some parchment, ink, and a red was stick. “No need to pay me anything for them, it’s just good business to have the stuff available.”

I assume that the innkeeper brought a quill as well to write with.  If not, I'll ask for one.

I'll thank the innkeeper for the writing supplies and return to my room to write.

Fortunately I have had some practice writing with ink and quill in this world when I was writting notes for the rpg I was going to run for Susan.

I'll meditate for a bit and consider my words before writing them down.


Dear Master Coulin

I am sorry that I left Tar Valon suddenly and without a word of warning. But a matter of dire necessity came up that demanded my Presence.

I tried to come back quietly to Tar Valon to explain my actions. But I was accused as a darkfriend by a Whitecloak while comming in. And Challenged to Trial under the Light tomorrow. I was forced to swear a severe oath under the Light to not flee from this conflict.

Honestly I am not expecting that you will take me back as a student because of my foolish action. But I humbly request that you act as a witness to this duel so that it is in accordance to Andoran law.

Sincerely
Eli Bumbalough.


I'll wait for the ink to dry and then fold up the letter. Melting some wax to seal it and pressing the Emblem on my cloak in the wax to leave a impression.

It really is a nice emblem.  Moiraine Sedai got it for me when she gave me the noble looking clothes in Far Dara. It is a Bear's head holding a sword in it's mouth.  There are four Vines entwined along the blade.

Once the wax hardens, I'll return the writing supplies to the innkeeper and give the letter to the guard.

(Going through this thread it turns out that I have 13.5 Silver marks left. )

I'll ask the Innkeeper what the supplies I used would have cost.

-------------

I will ask the guard.
""How much does carrying a letter usually cost? You are helping me out quite a bit and I won't see you go empty handed."

I'll pay him the going price for carrying a letter.

Then I will return to my room to eat my food and rest and Meditate for a while.  I am expecting that Master Coulin will show up tonight. But if he does not, I will go ahead and go to sleep at my usual time.

A quill was provided with the other supplies.

You write your letter, and at the end have a nicely folded and sealed parchment, bearing your bear emblem.

The Innkeeper insists that at the quantity he often needs to buy this stuff that the cost is insignificant. A couple of silver pennies at the most for the small amount you used.

It sounds like he’s downplaying it, but also as if he believes this is well within the responsibilities of an innkeep.

—————-

The guard is another story on the other hand, he seems willing to accept payment.

”I don’t know that there is a traditional amount, but 1 silver mark is likely appropriate. It’ll cover the cost of my room that I will largely not get to sleep in tonight, and one for Master Coulin should he make it out this night.”

Assuming you find this acceptable he’ll take your letter and head off.

When you say you’ll wait up and then go to sleep at your regular time, it’s already somewhat late. How late do you intend to wait up for Master Coulin? You snuck past the guards at sundown, (roughly 7:30) then about half an hour to get past them and get into town/the inn (8),1 hour meditating (9), the altercation that just happened, writing the letter and all, (10).

I'll give the innkeeper 2 silver marks and the Guard 2 silver marks.

I'll stay up to about 1 in the morning waiting before I go to sleep.

They both thank you for your generosity, with the innkeep insisting it’s completely unnecessary while the guard just thanks you.

—————
Coulin does not show up that night, but is in the common room the next morning when you wake. You also see Hammar sitting at the table with him.

I bow to both Master Coulin and Hammer.
Can I tell what their mood is?

Greetings Master Coulin and Master Hammer.

I expect that I am in quite a bit of trouble.  May I purchase a meal for all of us so we can eat and talk somewhere privately? "
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:47, Wed 31 July 2019.

Master Coulin speaks up, “We can discuss any trouble you may be in outside of this pending duel this evening. Breakfast and a quiet room would be nice.”

Once in a separate room, Coulin continues ”So how did you manage to get accused of being a darkfriend and why would you agree to trial by combat? Legally he’s not allowed to request trial under the light, but I doubt he realizes that. But the duel is just as deadly whether it’s a trial or duel. Do you know who this man is? How capable is he as a swordsman? And have you kept with your training?”

I will go ahead and buy breakfast and the use of a private room.

"I've been keeping up my forms as best I can with my travels and injuries. My right hand has been burnt and lacerated. So I can't use it at the moment.

I do not know the Whitecloak but he seems to be a common soldier. He uses their standard longsword.

As for how I was accused... You are aware of the letter I found on a dead Whitecloak durring our Survival training exercise. It indicated that the Whitecloaks where watching me as a person of intrest for some reason it did not mention.

So obviously I would want to avoid interacting with Whitecloaks if at all possible and never let myself get taken in for Questioning.

I encountered a group of three Whitecloaks  on a road to Tar Valon at night. I didn't want to talk to or deal with them. So I tried to sneak around them unnoticed.  But They noticed me and followed me into this inn and then accused me as a Darkfriend.

... I was rather foolish and angry about the accusation. And wanted to beat the stupid out of the Whitecloak...
Is it possible to show mercy to your opponent in such a duel? Or do I have to kill him?"

He scowls as you mentions your hand but let’s you continue, expression grim set. ”Under Andoran law, a duel can finish in one of two outcomes, death or surrender. Well, three actually. The observing blademaster can declare a completely disabled or unconscious opponent to have surrendered. But the blademaster is honor bound to only call this when there is absolutely no other interpretation. If there is any way the opponent could continue fighting, this is not a valid ruling. On the topic, Hammar will be acting as today’s blademaster for the duel. He is obliged to be unbiased. I however have come to see that my trainee doesn’t get hit fool head cut off. Let me see your arm.”

"I See..."

I'll unwrap my hand.

"The injury doesn't seem to go down to the tendons. So it doesn't seem to be permanent. "
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:15, Wed 31 July 2019.

 Coulin takes your hand and prods at version points with his thumb as he works through the muscles. It’s painful because of the soreness but clearly he’s experienced diagnosing injuries.

<darkblue>”injured pretty bad, but you’re right, shouldn’t have any lasting damage. Too severe for getting you healing right before a fight to be a good idea. After the fight we’ll see about getting it healed though. I won’t have it holding up your training, you’re already unacceptably far behind Gawyn and Galad.

Now eat up, you should neither be hungry nor digesting during a duel. And I suspect the whitecloaks will not plan to wait too long before seeking you out. Do you have a strategy in mind? I truly wish we knew who the swordsman was, I could go over preferred styles and counters.”<darkblue>

I'll start eating and explaining my strategy.

"I was planning on starting out really defensive with an occasional attack to probe his Defenses and possibly start bleeding him out.  To get his measure as a swordsman. The follow through would partially depend on how good he actually is. But generally it would be a sudden shift to aggressive attacks and attempts to disarm him.

What do you think? Is it a foolish plan?"

”It’s not a bad plan. So long as he is roughly the same skill level. If he is significantly more skilled, you don’t want to draw the fight out into many exchanges because chances are he’ll work the margins on you, consistently coming out ahead. Significantly less skilled and it may make sense to never shift into the offensive. Just bleeding him out might make for a boring but less risky fight.”

Is there anything else you wanted to do before the fight to prepare?
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 14:01, Thu 01 Aug 2019.

I'll do some light practice with my sword in my left hand. To feel the differences between it and the short sword I usually use in my left hand.

Not enough to tire from the exertion.

Other than that I am as ready as I can be.

About two hours after sunrise, the innkeep comes over to let you know that the Whitecloaks have been spotted approaching.

Assuming you go out, Hammar and Coulin will walk out with you, Hammar distanced and in front and Coulin at your side.  Outside you see 13 whitecloaks, including your challenger and an officer bearing obvious signs of rank. The officer wears a heron marked blade.

The officer bows nods to Hammar but does not say anything else. Hammar meanwhile speaks up, “I have been called to officiate a duel, as has been written under Andoran Law. I call forth to see whether the matter in question can be resolved with words instead of upon ones body. I will leave you to consider peace one last time, if that is not viable, meet me on the east side just outside town limits.” With this he begins moving eastwards with a aura of confidence about him that only a blademaster can truly hold.

I will go out when the innkeeper says the Whitecloaks are coming. I'll let Hammer make his speech and then deliver my ultimatum.

"Renounce your accusation and apologize to me for making it. If you do so, I will consider my honor satisfied with out the need for your blood on my blade"

I don't expect the Zealot to accept that. But let's see how it goes.

The Whitecloak seems to be holding his temper in check much more than the previous night and says, ”There are only two outcomes for this, either a duel or you agree to come in for Questioning. It is highly suspicious for any but a Darkfriend to avoid children of the light by slinking through shadows. However should you be questioned and found innocent, I will renounce my accusations publicly. ”

"I am aware of what Your Questioning entails. And I will not allow myself to be subjected to it. It seems we are at an impasse. I'll met you on the Dueling field."

I will walk to where Hammer is. Entering the Flame and the Void  as deep as I can without drawing on the One Power when I get there. I Draw my sword When the Duel is officially starting And enter my defensive stance. I will put must of my effort into parrying but Occasionally perform a probing strike. Let's see how good he is.

The Whitecloak removes his cloak and hands it to one of his compatriots, and draws his sword in his right hand and a parrying dagger in his left hand.

He adopts what you identify as a fairly balanced stance and begins probing attacks. The first three exchanges you gracefully deflect, and nearly land home on the counter. On the fourth probing strike however his sword sliced deeply across your left leg as he pivots under an attempted deflection. He quickly darts backed after the hit and shifts into a more defensive posture. You can tell he’s clearly had training under a blademaster, although clearly has a ways to go before he could even be close to being considered for the honor.

Damn. That dagger makes my usual Unarmed maneuvers too dangerous.

I shift to an aggressive stance. But I will hold back just enough effort to parry the inevitable counters.

I circle my opponent favoring the side that he holds the sword in. Suddenly I press the attack but it is just bait to fish for a counterattack. I forcefully knock his to his inside, putting me outside the reach of his sword and dagger. I rush in temporarily switching the side I lead with and snaking my arm around his neck and planting my right foot behind his. Hooking into his ankle. Then I twist my hips and throw him to the ground. Where I will use my high ground advantage to hit him while he is down and punish him for trying to get up.

You make your feigned attack to provoke the counterattack, but the counter is still very conservative, not overextending his reach enough to get the proper leveraged to knock the sword hard enough to the side. He doesn’t seem to realize what you were trying to set up, but his balance is very good.

You also are starting to feel a tingling from your leg where you were cut.

The Whitecloak is still staying oddly defensive in nature, not even making probing attacks but just deflecting and the very conservative counter.

It takes mere moments for me to put 2 and 2 together.

A cold rage briefly flares and then is consumed by the Flame and the Void.

I coldly state my outrage loud enough for everyone to hear.
"You honorless bastard. You are using a damn poisoned blade."

I back off enought to give me room to rip the bandages off my right hand. With my teeth. I am going to need it to beat this bastard.

Your accusation sends waves through the crowd. There are gasps from townsfolk who have come to watch, angry calls form the whitecloaks to the effect of you’re just trying to get the duel cancelled, to a momentary worried expression on Coulins face.

You find that the flame and the void soaks up your anger quickly, and seems to shine and beckon for you to more fully embrace it. It seems more alive than normal.

Your opponent keeps his distance, even as you tear the wrapping off your hand. You get the feeling he was looking for a moment to strike while you were doing so but was unwilling to risk any counter.

I go even deeper into the Flame and the Void, grabbing the One Power but not pulling it or using it.


I switch to a two handed grib that favors my left hand to give me more strength and control with my blade.

I charge the Rat bastard and force a confrontation. I'll attack, Attack and Attack trying to force himto use that dagger to parry. Then I will do something unexpected and try to fling that dagger out of his hand.

If one was going to disarm him. It would make the most sense to disarm his main sword. No one would expect me to try to get that dagger away.

As soon as I get that dagger away, I will rush into a grapple. Using my sword to keep his sword away. Using the Little bit of time I got to try to throw him to the ground.

You launch into a massive frontal attack and while he deflects most of your blows, one comes down much harder than he’s able to deflect and slashes deep across his face across his left eye.

Unfortunately in the process he sneaks his dagger behind and plants it firmly into your stomach in the side and twists. You manage to shift in such a way that breaks his grasp from the blade and then execute your tossing maneuver landing him on the ground. He did manage to keep a hold of his primary blade however.

The dagger is currently stuck in your side, and you are losing quite a lot of blood from it. Also you have begun losing feeling in your leg, and have a tingling sensation beginning in your side and radiating outwards.

Instinctively, I step on his sword And Swing my sword at his wrist. Aiming to ether severe it or cut the tendons there. Or possibly the tendons in his elbow if that would make a better target.

After I cut something in his arm. I will swing for the jugular to end this bastard now.

You swing down viscously and sever the whitecloaks swordhand, and step in to swing for the jugular when you misplace your number leg and topple to the ground. The frenzied Whitecloak at this point seizes the opportunity to grab the dagger from your side and twist and pull it out and begins stabbing at you. He’s clearly in a blood rage, the only thing from stopping him going into shock, but that andrenaline is unfortunately enough strength to get him a few good stabs into your upper chest before you can fend him off slightly. The numbness is beginning to be more and more alarming, as you feel it getting close to your heart and lungs, now coming from two sides. The Whitecloak seems to be faltering slightly as you hold him at bay, due to his own blood loss, but not quickly enough that you can just let him bleed out and still have time to get healing for yourself.

(I assume he got on top of me to hold me down and stab me)

As soon as I can, I grab his dagger hand with my right hand to prevent it from moving and stabbing me and I bring my left hand up and across his jugular with my sword. At the same time I use my right leg to trap his left leg and reverse the grapple with an upa. Basically thrusting my hips up and throwing him to the side. Following him into a guarded mount and using my sword to continue cutting into important things in the neck.

Correct assumption.

You reverse the grapple and get a clean cut across his jugular. You can tell instantly as you finish the maneuver based on the thick spray of blood and increase in spasms that quickly fade to nothing that you fully severed his jugular. He's dead.

Seconds later, Hammar steps forward and is helping you to your feet, "Eli is declared the winner of the duel, observed under sight of a Bladesmaster in due coarse with Andoran Law."

You realize at this point you can't actually speak, at least not past a whisper. The poison seems to have begun seizing at your lungs and getting proper breath to make vocal noise is getting impossible.

I tell Hammer as loud as I can.
"It's paralyzing poison. It's getting hard to breath."

I assume my leg is completely numb as well.

I want to go to the White Towerbut I doubt that I would make it very far on my own.

You get out a whisper, but even as you're talking you feel Coulin lift you up and start jogging. Consciousness is difficult, and vision swims into blackness as you see the Whitecloak leader leading the others back out of town, the corpse of your opponent being carried.

In that moment you realize that the blademaster had supreme control over the Whitecloak crowd, and subsequently, they acted as you might expect a well-disciplined army to. You suspect had he not been there that the whitecloaks may have caused a scene at their compatriot's death.

-----------

Later you wake, finding yourself laying in a bed with white linen cloth. A girl in all white comes over with a large tray of food and drink, "Please don't get up, you are to rest as much as possible and eat as much as possible. I am supposed to tell you that you very nearly were past the point of healing."

I sit up to eat the food.

"I know. I very nearly died from the poison and injuries. How long have I been unconscious? Which Aes Sedai healed me? I will need to thank them for saving me."

I'll start eating and listening.

She responds, "You were brought to the tower yesterday around midday, and Nisao Sedai healed you."

Having given you the food and drink, she sets about her other tasks quietly. She's clearly a novice and one you haven't seen before.

I nod and say
"Thanks for the food. Have a good day."

I'll eat all the food I can, set the tray aside and then go back to sleep.

They are going to expect me to rest for a few days. Sooooooo... I should have time to take care of my problem in the Dream world. I can't let that Nightmare version of me run around and erase people from the Dream World.

...if I wasn't so tired I couldn't think straight. I need to actually rest for a while.

So going for a normal sleep.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:31, Sat 03 Aug 2019.

You easily eat the entire tray, far more than you ever would otherwise, and set it aside.

You quickly fall to sleep then, and sleep well throughout the night only to be awoken by the same novice with a new tray of food for breakfast. You feel tired still but mental clarity is starting to reform.

I'll thank the novice again for the food. And then eat all of it again. Before going back to sleep.

Probably need another round of sleep to get clear headed enough to go into the Dream World.

You sleep throughout most of the day, only waking for yet another large meal for lunch. By the end of the day you feel you have your wits about you but still feel some physical exhaustion. You think you may be able to convince an Aes Sedai to clear you to wander the tower grounds even.

I will get up and ask a Aes Sedai if I can walk around the tower grounds so I can talk to some people.

If she lets me walk. I'll go and talk to Susan.

You manage to find a short, thin Aes'Sedai in a yellow dress that's leaving a nearby room. You've never met her before however, how do you intend to ask and address her?

"Greetings Aes Sedai. I've rested for a while from the healing and feel like I have enough energy to walk around. May I walk around the Tower and talk to some people?"

She seems to look you over with a quick glance and asks, "I see. How much have you eaten today? How's your appetite?"

She considers your answers, and assuming you don't say you're skipping meals or starving beyond anything you've felt she'll respond:

"Well, you should start getting some exercise I suppose. You're free to walk around the tower, but not leave the tower grounds. I want no thought of picking up a sword or doing any martial practice until you clear it with me personally."

Where do you intend to go to look for Susan?

I'll respond truthfully with I had big meals for breakfast and lunch. And I am not hungry at the moment.

I will reply to the Aes Sedai
"Thank you Aes Sedai. Practicing sword forms feels like it is a bad idea at the moment. May I ask you your name? So that I can find you later. "

---------------

It's a bit after lunch, so I will check her room first. Then see if she is in Nynaeve's or Egwene's room.

She thinks for a moment before replying, "My name is Narenwin Barda, and you seem fit to walk the tower, but no training. I will hear about it if you do and would be most cross. be on your way then." And she nods her head at you and heads off about her business.

-----------

You knock on Susan's door, and are greeted by a short redhead in a white dress with a sandwich in her hand. She looks around 15 and looks startled to see you when you open the door. "Um... may I help you... Sir?

I nod in acknowledgment of her instructions and head off after she leaves.

----------------------------------

"ah. Sorry to startled you. I'm looking for Susan Eila. This used to be her room. Do you know where she is?"

She looks up at you, seemingly overwhelmed, Um, I haven't met a Susan yet. I was just shown to my room here yesterday. I could come help you find her, I'm supposed to learn my way around the tower... but it's a little bit too much all at once."

She seems painfully shy, but not dishonest.

I smile at her offer.
"Thank you for the offer to help me, Novice. You will get used to the White Tower eventually. Go ahead and enjoy your sandwich.  I will look on my own for now. My name is Eli Bumbalough.  What is your name?"

She returns the smile and looks slightly reassured, "My name is Marsial. Thank you Eli, I hope I get used to the tower quickly... best of luck finding Susan.

You check Egwene's room next, and then Nynaeve's. Neither door is answered when you knock.

"Thank you. Have a good day."

Hmmm... where could they be?

I will try knocking on Elayne's room next.
If they are not there I will try to find Galad and Gawyn to talk to.

Elayne's door also goes unanswered as well.

When you go looking for Galad and Gawyn you find them in the training yard, practicing with several of the other trainees.

Do you plan to go over while they're training or wait until they leave the field?

I will wait and watch what they are doing. I'll stand where my presence will be noticed. Ether they will notice me and stop practicing for a bit to talk. Or they will finish practicing and then come talk with me.

Is Master Coulin here too?

Master Coulin is not present, it seems to be an extra training session that they have organized.

You stand in a location and eventually they notice you. A few moments later sparring partners switch and Gawyn walks over to you, and gestures towards a hallway away from the training yard, "I had heard you returned. You left quite suddenly, and at a pretty peculiar time. Have you seen my sister? Mother is quite worried about her."

I will follow him into the hallway.

"Unfortunately, I have not. I assume the Nynaeve and Egwene have not returned with Elayne? I was looking for Susan to talk to her but I haven't found her yet."

His eyes light up when you mention returning, "Returned? Returned from where? Galad and I have been worried sick not knowing where they went..."

I take in Gawyn's reaction and then realize the implication of what I said.
I realize that I can't really lie my way out of this.

I sigh and say in a whisper
"...ok. I know that they are heading back with Verin Sedai. And As far as I am aware they are safe. But I can't tell you how I know because It would be very dangerous to me. Gawyn, I'm trusting you with this much because I know how much you care for your Sister. Please keep it a secret that I know."

Gawyn gets a slightly confused look on his face, but says, "Of course Eli, I wouldn't put you in danger. She's with a sister though? We must let Galad know however, he's also been most worried. And you said they? Is she with Egwene and Nynaeve as well? They all disappeared at the same time and I know they're fairly close..."

"They are all together with Verin Sedai as far as I am aware. I would imagine that Verin Sedai is taking them back to the Tower...

"Well, they're together at least. I have more questions, but I think they would be best saved till later when we can talk in private. You said you were looking for Susan however? She hasn't come to the training yard quite as often since you left, but I imagine she's either in her room or practicing. She's been spending most of her time with the green sisters though I believe."

"I checked her room first. But I only found a new Novice that hadn't heard of her before. Perhaps Susan is now an Accepted. In which case she would have gotten a new room."

I smile a bit. Relieved that Susan is still here.

"It does sound like her to spend time with the Green Sisters. Looks like I will have to figure out where Susan's new room is "

Gawyn nods when you mention her being accepted and says, “Ah my apologies Eli. I forgot how long you’ve been gone. Susan was raised to accepted about two weeks ago. Apparently it’s a record, but a number of green sisters pushed hard for her. She’s a bit of a polarizing topic right now.” He also gives you directions to the accepteds rooms, but doesn’t know which room is hers.

"I see. That is very impressive for her to pull that off. Thank you Gawyn. See you later."

I'll follow Gawyn's directions to the Accepted rooms. I will knock on the door that my gut tells me is Susan's room. If I am wrong. I will ask the Accepted for Directions to Susan's room.

You find your way to the Accepted rooms, and knock on a door that just feels right to you. You get no answer, but after a moment you hear a door from behind you open, and as you turn around to see you see a shocked Susan dropping a plate as she stares, jaw dropped and tears in her eyes.

Seconds later she's rushed you and has you in a very tight hug.

I smile and catch her in a tight hug as well. I gently stroke her back and let her calm down.
"I'm so glad to see you again Susan."
Honestly I am in no hurry to let her go. I'm going to enjoy the feeling of being alive and holding her.

She doesn't let go for a long while, squeezing you very tightly, but eventually she relaxes and steps backward. She still has tears in her eyes but seems to have regained control of herself.

"When did you get back? Where have you been? Is everything ok? Are Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne alright? Have you had lunch yet? I can get some food and bring it back here for us to eat."

She seems like she's struggling to figure out what questions to even ask first.

I smile at the barrage of questions.

"I have been back for a few days, I think. But I was knocked out from the severe healing that I needed after my duel. Things are ok...ish. I should tell you those things in your room. As far as I am aware. Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne are ok and they are with Verin Sedai and Mat.

I have had Lunch. But I could eat more since healing takes a lot out of you.
Congratulations on becoming Accepted. I am happy for you. How long do we have before you need to do something?"

"Duel? What Duel? Why are you getting into duels!? Are you Ok? Who checked on you? How have I not heard of this? And Verin is with them? Really? Does the Amyrlin know that?"

She's clearly a little overwhelmed by the amount of news, and hasn't processed your question yet. She does not appear to be in a hurry or anxious the way most novices are however, so you suspect even without a verbal answer that you have at least a fair amount of time.

"I tried to sneak pass the Whitecloaks into Tar Valon because I didn't want to deal with them. But they noticed me and accused me of being a darkfriend.  Circumstances forced me to accept a Trial Under The Light. I was lucky that I contacted Master Coulin. Because the Bastard Whitecloak used a poisoned blade and dagger. Nearly died from that because I was forced to use just my left hand. I've been knocked out from healing for a while. I'm fine, but still weak from the healing. Apparently Nisao Sedai healed me. Verin is with them as far as I am aware but the Amyrlin wouldn'tknow that. We might want to go into your room to discuss all the news."

She nods, and takes you by the hand heading back into her room. She closes the door behind her  and gestures at her room, "Not super impressive, but it's more than the novice quarters. And I get to choose my own lessons now for the most part, and make my schedule. More or less at least... I'm glad to hear Nisao Sedai cared to you, she's one of the most talented at healing. I don't claim to understand yellows well, I've been giving a lot of thought to what Ajah I'll eventually join and I've all but ruled out yellow. You should know though, you shouldn't trust everyone in the tower. After you left, a number of sisters, apprentices, and novices were killed when Leandrin left, along with 12 others. The consensus is that they are Black Ajah."

She says the last part in an even more hushed tone, despite being in her room.

"Black Ajah?... Let me guess. That means they are darkfriends... and there is 13 of them gone now... Min had a viewing of me that involved the One Power. Me surrounded by a nimbus of light. Surrounded by 13 figures in dim darkness. Surrounded  by 13 more figures in darker Darkness and then surrounded by 13 more taller figures in pitch blackness.

Min seems to know that the level of Darkness represents the danger each one poses. We are not sure of the specifics of the danger.  But I think the last set of 13 represent the Forsaken.

... I guess I should start from the beginning when I left... Do you think they would notice if you warded your room from Eavesdropping?"

She goes wide-eyed when you mention Min's viewing and your suspicions about the Forsaken being the last set of thirteen but regains her composure very quickly, much quicker than you would have expected of her from before you left. You realize that self composure even in extreme situations is likely one of the key tenants she is being taught, and she's obviously excelling at it.

"It would only be noticed if someone tried eavesdropping, which means probably. But even if one were to notice... there are many reasons an accepted who has paid substantial attention to the Green Ajah might decide to ward her room against eaves dropping..." She smirks a bit at the end, and you feel a prickle and she says, "Feel free to speak freely, no one will be able to listen in with the Power."

I sit down on Susan's bed to get off my feet and rest for the long story that I will tell her.

I blush as my mind goes into the gutter with the thought of why a aspiring Green would ward her room.

I shake off the perverted thought and Start.

"Thank you Susan. Ok. You know I left because I thought I channeled unintentionally in my dreams. And I needed to go so I would not mess up the Patten. It seems the Pattern has means to direct the flows into the proper paths.

As I was going south, I did not suffer from any kind of Channelers sickness.
It turns out that I didn't Channel in my dreams. I don't know if one can not do such a thing or if I simply don't know how....

Anyway I went South by boat and then stopped in Arringill. Where I met a merchant that was traveling west. I hired myself as a guard. Apparently we were going to stop by one of the merchant's friends house. But when we got there the house was on fire and I felt there was someone inside.

 I felt I needed to save him. I could not sit idly by. I used it. I needed to use it. I opened a hole to a space outside of the space we inhabit.  And rode on a platform of crackling fire. I returned to our space inside of the burning building and saved the man by carrying him through the space outside of ours.

I ended up back behind the wagon. And at that point Rand showed himself to the world. I have no clue how he did it but  he projected himself in the clouds fighting what I presume was a Forsaken. Unfortunately he took a wound that can't be healed from that fight.

We walked back to the house where they where Fighting the fire. And the man covered for me and didn't reveal my secret.

At that point I passed out from the sickness.

The man's was Master Flinn. Apparently he is a herbalist and a former Andoran Guard.
Hopefully he is the right one to save Rand in the future.
"

I will pause and let Susan ask questions before continuing.

She bites her lip slightly when you mention using the Power, but listens attentively. Her eyes widen slightly more when you mention how you used the One Power however and she seems about to interrupt you at that point but lets you continue.

When she realizes you've paused to accept questions however she begins:

"You... you Traveled? How? A crackling fire platform... that you rode? And what do you mean a wound that can't be healed? And I think I know how Rand showed himself... there's a talent that some have to create illusion, but the scale he would have had to do that for is impossible... Or should be impossible."

She's obviously processing a lot of this all at once, and seems very stream of consciousness about this.

"I'm not sure if it is what they called Traveling in the old world. It is fast but not instantaneous like what you described before.

Whatever it is, it seems to take advantage of a dimension parallel to this one that seems to only be filled with air. Perhaps space is twisty there like in the Ways so that you move further than you physically traveled there. Without instruments to measure it there isn't really a way for me to tell...
Lacking a better name I am going to call it Hyperspace.

How to illustrate it...
Ok. Imagine a sheet of paper that is infinitely wide and long but also so thin that it effectively doesn't have a thickness. This plane is inhabited by creatures that are only aware of the with and length of things that are on that plane. The equivalent of what I do for them would be one of those creatures lifting himself out of the plane traveling along in 3 dimensional space and then reentering the plane at another point.

As for how I do it.
When I do it it feels like I am trying to brute force my way to another point in our space without going the distance between the two points.
I assume the platform was made of raw Power. When I felt saidar used on me, it felt like being chilled. I think you described it as a river that you allow to flow through you and you gently guild it.

Saidin is very different. It feels like a torrent of raging liquid fire. I have to dominate it and force it to do what I want. Otherwise it will burn me up and scour me from existence.
Hence a platform of crackling fire.

You will probably need to come up with your own way to do that using Saidar. I know you can do it.

As for Rands wound, It's exactly what I said. He hid it well, but it is still there. Moiraine Sedai was with him and she would not leave him wounded. Therefore the wound is beyond her ability to heal.

Rand is insanely strong. But he doesn't have much control over his power even whether he uses it. At least I am able to choose when I use it. Honestly I don't know how I would help him with that. He describes that it sometimes comes in torrents and other times it seems infinitely far away.
 

She seems to be processing what you say, and is perhaps most surprised by your description of how you handle the one power.
"That sounds completely alien to everything I know about the power, I am sure I would burn out in seconds should I try to FORCE Saidar to do anything... Perhaps we can learn more based on having both halves to the puzzle, but I was hoping there would be more similarities. We need to understand this to keep you sane... and to help Rand and the Light all we can..." She blushes slightly, "that last part was not meant to sound like an afterthought, I'm just worried about you, not being derelict in fighting the Shadow at every turn."

I smile

"It's ok. I understand what you mean. I would never accuse you of that.

Helping me figure out Saidin will help out Rand in the long run. By allowing me to do more things or teach Rand what I learn...

Assuming I don't go mad. I'm still not sure how fast that progresses.

I have a feeling that I need to Learn how to use it. Because it would be the only way to effectively resist Black Ajah and Forsaken.

What can you tell me about metamagic?... I mean how the One Power works? For me it was like layering lines upon lines to form a sigil. There are strings? Lines? Flows? Of one power. I think they can be made of Elemental power. But I don't know what the elements are...

Point is I have almost no clue what the hell I am doing."

She lights up when you start talking about the way that you layer the strands of the One Power to create magic and starts in:

"Well, perhaps there are some things that are similar after all. I don't have helpful information on how long it takes to go mad. I've been reading what I could without looking suspicious... it's really only browns and reds that research that topic much... and it's kinda well known at this point what I think of the Red Ajah. Well not well known, but more so than I should have allowed, it's proven troublesome. But madness tends to vary dramatically by all reports. Some go mad with months of channeling, while others go years and appear to maintain sanity. Mazrim Taim for example is a false dragon that was only recently captured, and he supposedly has been able to channel for many years. But the yellow have documented times of poor souls who have snapped before they even recover from channelers sickness...

But I'd like to focus on what you call metamagic, you're describing weaving. And not just something similar, but exactly. The One Power is comprised of five different elements, Earth, Spirit, Water, Air, and Fire. One achieves results by pealing off strands of the power and laying them into a pattern before setting them in place and activating the weave. This is where many novices fail, as controlling the One Power with the proper dexterity is difficult as it can fight at times or be slippery. And should a sigil be finished improperly, or released before being finished it tends to do unpredictable things... and unpredictable is not something that you want when dealing with the Power to shape the world."

You notice she entered an almost teacher like the pace of speech, and realize she likely actually gives classes on this to novices.

"hmmm. Hopefully I will last long enough. Hopefully limiting how much I use it and how much power I use will help.

Hmmm. They must have provoked you quite a bit to get that out.

Five Elements. Seems to be the standard 4 Greek elements with Spirit in addition.

I suppose Spirit is used to interact with your own and other's sigils. I wonder why they call it a weave or weaving? I suppose it is just a different way to look at what we are doing. I wish there was a way for me to look at your sigils.

Wait a minute.
You helped Moiraine Sedai with that ward in the Eye of the World. Something like providing power for Moiraine to use.
What was that? "

"It's called weaving for the way one uses a loom to layer and weave fabric together. Strands must go in exactly the right place, at exactly the right time, with exactly the right amount of force or everything can be ruined. As to examining one's weaves, it's possible for me to see other women's weaves, and I don't know that I've ever been around a man who was channeling so I can't say there... but you've been around plenty of women who have channeled and it sounds like you've never seen the pattern forming. I don't really know anything more there though.

And what Moiraine Sedai did was called linking. One opens oneself to Saidar, just a hairs breadth from embracing the power, while the leader forms a connection and forms a circle, bringing you in to her newly formed conduit. I believe it's a fairly advanced topic, no one tends to talk about it outside of full sisters to other full sisters. I don't know whether Moiraine even should have been allowed to do so with us... but the wheel weaves as the wheel wills."

"I see. We probably can't see each other's sigils or weaves normally. Lan indicated before that Detecting Saidin was something like a Talent and not all sisters can do it or practice it.

I am curious if you could link up to me like that. Obviously not here. It would be a very bad idea for me to Channel here. The question would be how it would work? Can the one in control use the other side's power? Can we see what the other is doing? My curiosity will have to wait until we are both away from the White Tower. But durring my duel I was forced to grab Saidin to fill me with life and power to counteract the poison a bit and give me enough of an edge to win and not die. The Red didn't seem to detect that when I did it.

Although... I also don't know if that would cause you to touch the taint or if It would be filtered through me... I will leave it up to you if you want to try to do that experiment later. Grabbing Saidin means touching the taint...

Sorry I am rambling a bit. What do you want to talk about?"

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:22, Mon 21 Oct 2019.

"I'm not sure Eli, it's not a lesson that is taught to accepted, forming a circle is uncommon because not many tasks require such significant levels of channeling. I wish I had more I could tell you on the topic, it's just not something I know much about."

When you ask what she wants to talk about she focuses on mostly small talk, mainly geared at reconnecting with you after being away. She does eventually work the conversation around to ask whether you intend to stay in the tower now that you're back, and if you still intend to train to be a warder.

I nod and accept her answer about the linking. I engage in small talk with her, enjoying reconnecting with her.

I answer her question about staying and training to be a Warder.


"I am planning to stay here as long as I can and train with the Warders.  But I don't know how long the Wheel will let me stay. Things are moving and I don't know exactly what I need to do.

I should continue my story. Because there is quite a bit of news in it.

I was knocked out from Channeler's Sickness for a while. Master Flinn gave me herbs to help. I dreamed and tried experimenting with the power there. Seeing if I could purify a stream by filtering out the taint. I messed up and burnt my insides. This caused my recovery to be a week long. Master Flinn gave me a mixture that knocks you out based on how hurt you are. Once I recovered enough to walk and fight in an emergency. I rewarded Master Flinn and the others for taking care of me.

Then I walked into the woods and ... Traveled  through Hyperspace to Falme where Rand and the others was.

I meditated a bit and got my bearing towards Rand. He was in the Mountains between Falme and Baerlon. I had to walk for a while to get to him. Since I didn't want to risk another use of my power. Ended up having to buy food from a dishonest merchant. I continued and ended up meeting with the Shienarens and being let to Rand's camp after I proved I was a friend of his.

I searched the camp for him and found his tent. He wasn't in it and then I suddenly felt awe inspiring power. Then suddenly an Earthquake hit and I was thrown about. It turned out that this was one of His uncontrolled uses of the power. So I can detect other men channeling and probably get a rough idea on how strong they are."



I will pause and let her ask questions again.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Thu 24 Oct 2019.

Susan seams deep in thought for a moment, and looks like she’s struggling to process everything before she starts slowly, but picking back up to her normal speaking pace pretty quickly:

“The Warder’s wont turn you away. They may threaten to, they may want to, but they don’t turn away talented disciplined swordsmen, and definitely none that they think could be a blade master. They also don’t turn down any who ...” and she blushes for a moment “...are obviously going to be asked to take up the cloak... especially when the green are involved. W... The green tend to be territorial more than most over warders.

It’s concerning that Rand does not have control however, the Power can easily burn oneself out and being strong in it is not a defense to that. It just gives more fuel to the eventual fire if someone...” she cuts off at the point as her head snaps over to look sharply at the door.

“Someone just tried to eavesdrop on us. I don’t know who, but we better get moving.”

She strides across the room and runs her hands through your hair, tussling it vigorously, and does the same although much less to her own hair. She also pulls at your shirt slightly and undoes the top button before staring at you contemplatively and nodding. “That’ll do” she then smirks and pulls you in for a deep kiss.

“We should get going though, the rest will have to wait, what were your plans for the rest of the day? Perhaps I could walk with you for a bit yet.”

I listen to her, Blush deeply and enjoy the deep kiss with Susan. Embracing her along with the kiss.

"Honestly my plan was to rest and talk with you Susan. I had quite a story to go over. I am hungry again though. Why don't we find some food and eat together somewhere? "

She nods and says, "I've eaten rather recently, but you definitely should eat whenever hungry after healing. I'd be happy to join you. We can get the food and eat in the gardens near the training yard."

She opens the door and strides out. When you step out after her she turns and smiles warmly and reaches up to neatens up your hair that she just messed up, and gives you another quick kiss. She then turns and leads you to one of the kitchens to get some food.

On the way you notice she doesn't talk as much and seems to be trying to nondescriptly look for those who are nearby.

Her efforts seem to wane as you get further from her room, and with her not mentioning anything that she may have spotted.

I'll try to do something similar and pay attention to my surroundings to see if I can notice the one that tried to spy on us as well.

Otherwise I will follow Susan's lead to the food.

You don't notice anyone following you, but you realize you're getting a large number of looks especially anytime you pass a group of accepted.

As you get closer to the kitchen you see off in the distance a young man turn quickly and dart down a side hall as you approach. Susan was looking the other way, and you're fairly sure she didn't see the man and he was far enough off that you couldn't make out specifics.

I raise an eyebrow at the unusualness of the man near the Kitchen.
I whisper to Susan
"It seems rumors spread faster than wildfire in here...
Anyway. I saw a young man that way turn and dart off. It is Suspicious. But I am in no condition to give chase. And I didn't get a good look at him."

She looks in the direction you indicate, and her brow knits slightly, but calm comes over her face pretty quickly after,

"You were going to be a popular topic regardless of rumor, you have been a common topic among some even before you disappeared. Doing so did not quell rumor. But you are correct, rumors spread wickedly fast here...

As to the young man, there aren't many men in the Tower really... one of the trainees, yourself, some of the younger warders, Matt, and any visitors seeking the consult of the Aes Sedai... but each group has a reason to be unlikely. Warders never seem to dart, but move with quick and decided action, I haven't seen Matt since he arrived in the tower as I'm told he was bedridden, visitors aren't allowed to just wander the halls, and if it was one of the warder trainees why would they be trying to avoid notice... I fear the Tower is home to more rumor and subterfuge than I would best like..."

She talks this over with you very quietly and you can tell she's channeling something, perhaps to avoid eavesdropping but likely very minor in nature. At the very least she does not seem to be exerting a lot of effort on it.

"oh? Matt is here? Did he get here with Verin Sedai and the others?

... Hopefully it was just Matt being Matt. Let's get some food and see if we can find Matt. I haven't talked with him in a long time."

She nods, "Matt arrived a day before you I believe, along with Verin Sedai, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne. Although I haven't seen any of them yet... perhaps their arrival is just another rumor that I've clung to in hope."

-----------

Grabbing food from the kitchen goes uneventfully. How do you wish to try and find Matt/what do you want to do after eating?

"hmmm... Gawyn and Galad didn't know that Elayne was here. Gawyn seemed surprised when I mentioned that they where heading here with Verin Sedai."

I will probably just look around with gut instinct for a bit before sitting down to eat. I would probably start at the training yard.

I would probably walk around and chat with Susan and see who we can find. Elayne, Egwene, Matt or Nynaeve

"Ah... they've been rather persistent and at times bordered on disrespect to some of the sisters... I would not be surprised if they are close to the last to know."

You don't find any of the four in the training yard, though you do see Gawyn and Galad both leading small groups of trainees. It looks like each has developed enough respect to be allowed to guide training in the absence of the warders.

After eating though, Susan apologizes and says, "I'm sorry to cut our time short, but I have to go train with a few of the green sisters. I managed to convince them that special lessons would help me make an informed decision... I think they realize I have no intention to be anything other than a green and are just being kind."

How long do you plan to wander around looking for the four you listed?

"See you later Susan...

I hug her and whisper into her ear.

"Be careful when you go to the world of dreams. I accidentally made a nightmare that looks like me. I'll talk to you about it later."

---------

I will look around for about an hour before I get tired and then go to bed.

Since this is the only time I am expected to get bed rest before they start training me again. This is the only time I will have free to take care of the nightmare.

The nightmare didn't seem to warp the dreamworld like I do. Instead he acted like a mage and used One Power. Even so. I will need to prepare and come up with a plan.

The statue was sustained my my belief that It existed. If I convinced myself Archer Emiya...

Maybe I am going about this process wrong. I was planning to fight a nightmare of my future self when I am basically self-taught in the dream-world. Verin mentioned that Elyas and the wolfs had a connection to the Dreamworld. maybe I should talk to them before I Do something crazy or try to fight.

I will head to the Dreamworld and will myself to appear before a wolf.

She startles slightly as you mention the nightmare, but then squeezes you tight. "Be careful Eli. I don't think any of us really understand the depth of dangers there..."

------------

You spend an hour looking around but don't find anything outside of various Aes Sedai, novices, and accepted. But not Matt, Nynaeve, Egwene or Elayne.

At the end of the hour you go to get some rest, and as you drift to sleep you enter the Dreamworld, waking in the dream world to find yourself in a muted version of the White Tower.

You close your eyes, and exert your will to appear before a wolf. You find yourself in the middle of a large field with a wolf stalking a deer off in the distance. The wolf seems to quickly be aware of you and turns and tilts it's head in curiosity. You hear in your mind,

What are you doing here, friend of Young Bull? These lands are not safe.

The message comes to you with strong emotions conveying some of the words. There is a distinct chill that passes through you as the wolf communicates that the lands are not safe.

I will try to project my thoughts and emotions to the wolf in a similar manner that he is communicating with me.

I am aware that there is danger here. I wish to talk to Elyas... the older Wolf Brother. I am weak and new in this world. I tried to learn by myself but I keep making mistakes. I need someone to teach me.

The wolf looks puzzled for a moment, before replying:
Longtooth does not hunt the dreams currently. Why do you wander here though, there is only danger to be found here for humans.

The wolf's hair seems to bristle at the end, and you get the strong sense that he does not like most humans.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 05:32, Sun 15 Mar 2020.

I am feeling a mixture of sadness and determination.

I am curious about this world. Curious about everything really. I want to learn all that I could. So I tried learning on my own. But I made a mistake and accidentally made A Nightmare. It nearly killed me with... fire that erases the threads of fate.

I made it more dangerous for everyone here, Humans and Wolfs. I must fix my mistake. I can't let that wander freely here. I must learn how to fight here. My doubts are holding me back. I can't help but know in the back of my mind 'this is impossible' therefor it is. Because my will is divided.

Basically I need help learning. I intend to fix my mistake. But I am not sure I can take on that Nightmare as I am now.

The wolf tilts his head, looking at you with deeply intense yellow eyes:

You aim to clean up after your own mess? Or is there something else you're after, care for the world is not a human trait.

You feel the ice in the last bit of his words, but also sense he isn't sure about you specifically yet.

It's not a common human trait.  Usually it requires that human be very knowledgeable about the natural world and realize that it resources are not infinite. Even then it is hard for humans to take a long view of the world. Still they where where I was from... I guess that doesn't matter. There is no way to get back there.

You where talking about me specifically. I fully intend to clean up my own messes. My nature would not allow anything else.

Therefore that is my primary aim at the moment. I will be honest.  Teaching me would benefit me beyond the ability to eliminate the Nightmare. It would give me insight into the nature of this world and what can be done here. It would also give me power to fight Other Nightmares and agents of the Shadow here. And perhaps I can use knowledge I gain from here to help fight the Shadow in the Waking world.

Can you teach a human? And would you be willing to?

The wolf looks at you intensely for a long while before responding,

I will help you, to an extent. I will teach you enough to help you avoid trouble, you may be needed in the Last Hunt if what you say is true. Tell me, why do you think you will be able to fight the Shadow?

Well. It would be useful to learn how to avoid trouble here. Because trouble will probably be looking for me both here and in the physical world. Thank you for helping me.

As for why I think I can fight the Shadow. It is practically inevitable that I will fight against the forces of the Shadow.  Because I am a Ta'verin like the Younger Wolfbrther, Perrin. The Wheel has intertwined my fate with the other Ta'verin and we will fight the Shadow during the Final Hunt. And before that as well. We just need to learn as quickly as we can.

We need to fight the Shadow in the Final Hunt Therefore we can do it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:45, Tue 31 Mar 2020.