Alternate Realities--Portal R'lyeh From: raven@pawl.rpi.edu (Jennifer Lynn Piatek) Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1989 06:15:40 +0000 After Laisir finishes speaking, Marin looks somewhat relieved, and he returns to his seat and accepts the vial. After adding to the wine and drinking it quickly, he looks up sheepishly and speaks. "Excuse me, I have lost all manners, contemplating the Prophecy, I have forgotten to introduce myself. I am Sharik Marin Ni Afri ze Urik Na Burin, but you may call me Marin. This beloved little terror of a white fox is called Windwalker. Please forgive him if he misbehaves, his heart is good, if mischievious. I have some talents with the spirits, particularly in the air, though I can call on some others. May my spear stand between you and the ice bear, may my harpoon give you food, and may my home shelter you in the long night." He then sits down again, looking relieved at having remembered to do this. Luagha and Serroli also accept the vial and drink it Luagha and Sir Widdershim are speaking at the far side of the table... "There are certain things that a 'jack of all trades' learns to use as part of his trade." says Widdershim. "And what are those, Sir Widdershim?" "Ah yes, I am speaking to a unicorn, I must remember this. The Lady Jenelle does not understand me either." "Come now, simply because I am a unicorn, do not think me unwise in the ways of the world. Just so you ply your trade only with those you truly love, is the path to virtue." "Love is a commodity, much like money, that can be given away in order to acheive a higher objective." "Do you consider money a higher objective than the love you would trade for it?" "No, not money. Higher objectives meaning an objective that furthers your cause: a position in the enemy's court, knowledge of the next attempted ambush, things like that." "That is certainly more admirable than trading love for money, but I would then argue that love cannot be traded in such a fashion, and that only lust and physical fullfillment are commodities. Do you believe that there is no spirituality to love?" "The spirituality of love is something that comes from the combination of the true loves of both parties involved. Once this is found, lust and physical fullfillment are no longer usable as commodities, so I have not searched for the spirituality." "So you admit that you have never traded a true, spiritual love for a higher objective. Is this an admittance that there are few, if any, higher objectives than true love?" "Yes, my friend, you are correct. True love is one of the highest objectives, right there under survival." "Under survival? If you had a true love, and if you knew that sacrificing your life would allow her to live, sad only for your loss but alive and well otherwise, would you not do it?" "That is not a question of love, because she would do the same for me, and we both might end up dead. The question there becomes who is the one who should most be alive, i.e. is it worth staying alive when your true love is dead, or other things like that. I honestly don't know what i would do, though, because I've never been in such a situation." "I might advise you to take the steps that lead to such a situation, but not to find yourself in it. And, indeed, you already have. Would you sacrifice your life for your country?" "Touche, my friend, touche. You are correct in your assumption, and your advice is well taken. Perhaps someday I shall have the chance to act upon such a motive." "Ah, give me only partial credit. I was trained well in rhetoric by the Lord Octavious, a Seer in my own land. He defined rhetoric as 'the art of asking bothersome questions that can only be successfully answered the way the querent desires'. As such, he felt it was required for any scion of a noble house, so that the could appear to have the wisdom of a Solomon when necessary. Not that rhetoric degrades from truth, you understand, it simply makes it difficult to argue against." Widdershim grins at this. "This is a wonderful ability, you and I will have to have long discussions on this subject after your successful return." "I would also advise that you be sure your sacrifice will be of use." Luagha discreetly points to the chair that obviously once belonged to Wearenth/Ruenic. "Your point is well taken, as it is perhaps the cuase of some emotional problems, especially in Ruenic, as the Lady hides them well. It has also severely damaged our power structure in that we lost our best swordsman and our most promising mage.." "All through hasty action in the face of not necessarily a deadly force. What might have happened had he not done so is not known." "There is no time to look back on the past, however, for the future is at our throats and she has sharp fangs." "But in any case, do you know what is meant in the prophecy by the Six Hands? Are they six servants of the good king, or six items of his that must be used on the wheel of time?" "It seems to be that the hand is possibly a unit of measurement, as one might measure a horse, as they are Six Hands of Loring the Lost, and Loring did not have six hands, and also something about being at the right time when Bazel seems to be engaging the Seven Daughters in battle." Hachiro and Tarrin, meanwhile, are addressing Gwydion: "The only suggestion I would like to make is I would like to see Luagha added to our group and give Shuitsu to the other group. Personal preference, whatever works for you is fine." says the Samurai. Tarrin, on the other hand, says "That's fine and good, Sir Gwydion, the teams seem balanced enough, and we even have a thief in this group." He indicates Midnight. "What do Sarnath and Kadath mean though?" Gwydion replies, first addressing Hachiro's request. "I understand your reasons for wishing to be with the unicorn, but I believe that you and he are the most powerful fighters in the two groups, and putting you together would unbalance the strength of the parties. You are not in competition, but rather two parties working towards the same goal. We are splitting our forces, as the Evil One knows of your presence here now, and He will surely attempt to stop you. Tarrin, Sarnath and Kadath are just mythological names that we can use to identify the parties easily. They have no real meaning, nor any implication on your quest." Tarrin speaks again, "And why won't we get to see each other after we depart? Are you going to use another one of those Portal thingys to send us out? Do we get any nifty items to help us? Any guards?" "You will be placed in separate parts of the Loring wood. Perhaps you will run into each other, perhaps you won't. If you do, you are welcome to join forces or continue on separately, your choice. As for items, you will be equipped with some before you leave. However, you will be going along. We cannot spare any personel to help you." "Exactly what are the objectives of our parties?" asks Hachiro. "This is the first part of the Quest. We must determine if it is the right time to resurrect Llewellyn, or else the whole Prophecy may be destroyed if we try and it is not. You are being sent to Loring's Wood, where we believe the Wheel of Time to be. If the Prophecy is correct, then we will continue with the Quest. Otherwise, I'm not sure what our course of action will be." Lady Jenelle approaches the three, and addresses Gwydion. "My Lord, the unicorn Luagha has inquired if there are any other healers in the party, and I believe that the healing potion will give Peter Herrick some. Please,if you would, put Luagha in the other party. We will also supplement them with medical kits and healing potions, of course." Gwydion thinks for a moment, and then addresses the whole group. "Ok. We are all set now. You will be equipped, and as soon as this is complete you will be sent out to attempt the Quest. Good luck, and fare thee well. Here is the final split of the parties: The party denoted by Sarnath will include: Luagha, Dorian, Shuitsu, Helecites, Kelso and Marin. Party Kadath will include: Hachiro, Midnight, Peter Herrick, Serroli, Casha and Tarrin." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will be sending you equipment sheets and details on the effect of the potion (for those of you that drank it) as soon as I can (before the next move, however). There is no need to respond to this move, but if there are any equipment requests you would like to make, you are welcome to make them now. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next move is Sunday, December 4 "Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand" we try and h time to resurrect Llewellyn, otherwise the Up