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Hi,

This is Ken Kofman, sending out yet another _As The Wheel Turns_
posting.  I suppose I should put some sort of copyright notice
on this, so here goes:

Copyright, Ken Kofman (c) 1994.  All rights reserved except for
those that Tor and Robert Jordan deserve, and except that anyone
who wants to copy this material may do so, so long it remains
unaltered, including this notice, and so long as no fees of
any kind are charged for its use.

In other words, enjoy it, show it to all your friends, be inspired
to run your own game, but since I'm not making any money off of
this, you shouldn't either.

I hope I did that right.

Anyway,

KenK        [e-mail]

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The Nine Rods of Dominion

One to come and one to go
One above and one below
One a friend and one a foe
One to hide and one to know.

Creation

Nine Rods rule over all
Eight Ajah preserve and fall
Seven Ages of the Wheel
Six Bound to serve the dead
Five Flows create the Weave
Four Peoples born to live
Three Supports of all the worlds
Two Powers never to be whole
One Dragon on the winds of Time.

Summary of Session 4 of _As the Wheel Turns_  7-7-94

And it was after these things had come to pass that
Auric did exhort his newfound companions to leave
Baerlon upon the moment, mentioning only the single
word Whitecloaks.  Yet such had become the reputation
of the Children of the Light, that none questioned
the reason for Auric's concern.  And thus they learned
naught of Auric's activities on the previous day.

With great haste, then, were only the most necessary
arrangements made for immediate departure from
Baerlon.  Auric did wish to travel northward, into
regions only sparsely inhabited in these troubled times,
thought it is said that once many people lived north
of Baerlon, and more than one were the great cities of
those lands.

But Jennifer did not agree with Auric's designs, for she
had come to respect the words of Elaida Sedai of the Red
Ajah, albeit with a measure of reluctance and reserved
judgment.  Thus was she unswayed by Auric's urgent counsel,
for if she could not yet travel unto the White Tower of
Tar Valon, and if she must heed the word of Elaida Sedai,
who did command her to shun Tar Valon until and unless she
returned with one of the nine Rods of Dominion, then so
would she accomplish, even at a great cost, for she would
not be denied.

And Auric, wise in the ways of women, did accede to
Jennifer's insistence, for only southward travel
would he eschew.  For he did believe that a goodly
distance between himself and Amador could be no other
than a goodly thing, every mile of added distance
a small measure of added security, for though the
Children of the Light know no boundaries save the
Spine of the World, their greatest power lies to the
south, in Amador.

Then did Auric devise a strategem, to divert the
Children of the Light away from his companions, for
he did not want them to share in his difficulties.
And he did take himself to an inn near the southern
gate of Baerlon, away from the western gate through
which the others were leaving, Kei and Randy Carter
and Jennifer and Selene.  And in this place did Auric
begin to relate a tale of his adventures, of a battle
with Trollocs near Baerlon.  Surely this tale could
be nothing more than sheer fancy, for no Trolloc had
been seen near Baerlon in many a lifetime, yet Auric
did continue his tale, and did brandish his sword to
dramatize his words.

And the people within the tavern did then heed Auric
most closely.  Moreover, they did heed his brandished
sword, even those who were not listening to his boasts
of mighty deeds.  And the people of Baerlon did put
distance between themselves and Auric, and many were
the murmerings about the previous day's encounter
between a Darkfriend and the Children of the Light.
Surely this man, who did bare naked steel within the
confines of a peaceful tavern, and who spake lies about
Trollocs and Myrdraal could be none other than the very
man of whom the Children spoke.  And Auric did bear a
striking resemblance to the Darkfriend whom the Children
of the Light did describe to any who would listen and to
many who would not.

Yet none would assail this foul servant of the Dark One,
for his skill with the sword was manifest, and none wished
to test their skills against his.  Then did Auric take
leave of the tavern, making his way toward the southern
gate of Baerlon.  And in a burst of great speed did Auric
gallop his horse through the gate, and such was the
guards' suprise that they could not impede his way.
And the the guards did refrain from shooting him with
arrows, for they would leave him to the Children of the
Light and their unkind interrogations.  And the
Children of the Light encamped outside the sourthern gate
of Baerlon did give chase, and it was some time before
Auric could evade their search.

And so it was, even as these events were unfolding, that
the other companions did come across an injured man, a
few miles west of Baerlon.  The man did call himself Phil,
and Kei trusted him not, for she the Dragon's Fang did
figure prominently amonst the images she did see about him.
And Kei did draw her sword.  Then was Phil's heart filled
with fear most desparate, and he did flee despite his
wound, yet could he not run with any speed, and soon did
he stop, heavy of breath.

Then did Kei and her fellow travellers again reach Phil, and
Kei no longer kept her sword drawn, for she did realize that
this man could harm her not.  And Jennifer and Randy Carter
both did recognize Phil's raiment as that of the people of
Earth, and they did speak words of recognition and assurance,
and they further spoke about the world in which they did
find themselves, so different from the place from which they
came, a place called they named Earth, though their world
did contain all five elements in great abundance.  And Randy
Carter did surrender to saidar, than she might Heal Phil of
his injury, yet this wound was beyond her meagre knowledge,
for the wound was attainted, and she could but close the
wound that it bled no more.

Yet Phil was not entirely pleased with his being Healed through
the One Power, for he was possessed of a strange Talent he did
name Grey Light.  Then was Randy Carter filled with great
surprise, for such Talents did not manifest in the place she
called home, the place she called Earth.  And the three Earth
folk did speak many words about the two worlds on which they
had set foot, even as they did wait with increasing impatience
for Auric's return.

And even as impatience waxed into concern, and the conversation
turned to the subject of the Children of the Light, did Kei espy
eight Children of the Light riding toward where they did wait
for Auric.  And Kei did vanish into the surrounding foliage, even
as Jennifer did exhort Phil to say no word unto the Children of
the Light.

And so it was, that the Children of the Light did meet the
travelling companions.  And the Children of the Light were
arrayed in full panoply, as is their wont.  Their armor did
gleam, and even the dust of travelling diminished the splendor
of their white tabards each emblazoned with a golden sunburst
not at all.  Lances and swords, they did bear, every lance angled
at a single angle.  Very great was their splendor.

Then did Jennifer engage the Children of the Light in conversation,
and one Child of the Light, elderly in appearance, looking like
a kind grandfather might, were he arrayed in the full regalia of
battle, did speak with Jennifer, and then with Phil.  The Children
of the Light were searching for a foul Darkfriend, who had sought
the death of an innocent woman only the day before, and who had
terrorized the people of Baerlon this very day.  Knowing
little and nothing of the Children of the Light, did Jennifer and
Phil say that which would most incense them, yet did the elderly
Child of the Light speak kindly unto them, to confess their crimes
and return unto the Light.  But Jennifer and Phil confessed
nothing, and were told that they would be made to find the Light
and repent their dark doings in Amador, beneath the Dome of Truth.

Now Auric had found his way back to his companions after having
evaded the Children of the Light, and he did watch the conversation
from afar.  And Auric found the predicament inauspicious, so he
did charge the eight Children of the Light on horseback, yet were
they ahorse even as he was, and their horsemanship exceeded his
by a wide measure.  Three of them did turn to meet his charge,
lances ready.

Yet the remaining Children of the Light did maintain their
attention on the others.  And as much as they did search for
a place to hide, neither could Randy Carter nor Jennifer
break away from this encounter, nor could Phil even stand
to fight, for he was utterly fatigued from having been Healed.
But Kei did emerge from hiding, striking left and right with her
curved sword, unhorsing and killing two Children of the Light
even as they realized their predicament.

Now only one Child of the Light faced Kei, for three were even
now on the verge of defeating Auric, a trivial accomplishment
even for a single Child of the Light, and two were preventing
Randy Carter, Phil and Jennifer from escaping.

And Kei did adopt a prowling, defensive posture, The Cat Walks
across the Deck, for the elderly Child of the Light appeared
to have great skill, perhaps equal to her own.  Yet the Child
of Light refrained from attack, settling into The Watchdog
Waiting.  But Kei did espy a weakness, a place the Watchdog
could not see, and she did exploit that weakness, driving forward
with The Swinging Boom!  Then did Kei realize, too late, that
her opponent was of a skill far surpassing her own, perhaps
equal to that of a Blademaster.  She saw her death in her
parried blade, yet did the Child of Light retreat instead.

For even as Kei did engage her opponent, did Jennifer convert
thought into action.  In a quick action did she raise up her
most puissant ter'angreal of the place called Earth, a powerful
ter'angreal called The Nine Millimeter Semi-automatic Pistol,
and she did let loose its power, killing a Child of the Light
with a great, booming noise.  Then did the Children of the Light
realize they were facing channelers of the One Power, and the
elderly one did know his remaining Children of the Light
overmatched.  They did retreat with great haste, but in good
order, yet was the memory of their encounter etched in their
hearts, for the Children of the Light do not rest whilst any
person yet lives who has dared to raise weapon to slay a
Child of the Light.

Yet they did not flee upon the moment, but deliberately took
their counsel, deciding how best to avoid the Children of
the Light, and where to go.  Again did Randy Carter and
Jennifer insist that they continue to Emond's Field and
then into the Misty Mountains, and again did they prevail.
It was further decided to travel slowly and secretly.

And so it was, that two weeks later they arrived in Emond'
Field, a journey of only a few days.  And on the first
night of that journey, did Randy Carter slip into Dream,
and she did seek a ter'angreal of Earth called a telephone
booth, through which the people of Earth talk to one
another no matter how distant they may be one from the other,
so long as another telephone booth stands near the other
person.

And Randy Carter did look for 'Elaida Sedai' in the Telephone
Book, a great book of all people and telephones, and she
did use the ter'angreal to reach for Elaida Sedai, yet another
answered in her place, a man who knew nothing of Elaida Sedai.
Again did Randy Carter attempt to speak with Elaida Sedai,
now manipulating Dream itself to create the telephone link
between herself and Elaida, this time with great success.

Then did Randy Carter ask Elaida Sedai how to reach Unknown
Kadath, and Elaida Sedai told Randy Carter to desist from
such foolishness, but Randy Carter still wished to know.
It was with great casualness that Elaida Sedai mocked Randy
Carter, for she told Randy Carter exactly how she might
attain Unknown Kadath, and Randy Carter quailed before that
awesome knowledge, that awesome temptation, but she would
not sacrifice her friends, even to reach Unknown Kadath.

Instead, Randy Carter beseeched Elaida Sedai to teach her
the One Power in Dream, that she might use it to overcome
the obstacles on the way to Unknown Kadath, rather than
use the life and soul of her friends.  And this request
did surprise Elaida Sedai, for lacking the Talent of walking
in Dream, she had not considered the possibility.  Yet did
she agree to teach Randy Carter, but made Randy Carter
swear an oath by the Light and her hope of rebirth, to obey
Elaida Sedai's every command until Elaida told her she was
fully trained.  Randy Carter quailed before this grave
condition, yet did she swear, and so did her training begin.

And so it was at this time, that Kei noticed a new image
amongst the auras of Randy Carter, that of a full moon
reflected off a calm sea, yet this aura was one of many
strange images, and Kei kept her counsel.  Randy Carter
also spoke nothing of what happened in Dream, except a
quiet word to Jennifer, who also wanted to learn the Power,
yet did not ask Randy Carter to bring her into Dream
for two weeks, for she was slow to recover from her
injuries suffered in Dream, and did not want to tire herself
by practicing with saidar.

But on the last night of their journey, Jennifer found herself
in Dream with Randy Carter, and she did swear as Randy
Carter had done before her, and together they learned from
Elaida Sedai.

And so it was, on the following morning, that amongst the many
images surrounding Jennifer, there was that of a full moon,
reflected off a calm sea.