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Text File | 1995-04-28 | 7.2 KB | 139 lines

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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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Our next session will be on June 30, Thursday, 7pm EST.  I hope
you all can make it.  If you cannot, please let me know in
advance.  If you have not yet received a copy of the game summary
up until I began GMing, please let me know, and I shall send one
to you.  Comments, kudos and criticisms are always appreciated and
acknowledged, even welcomed.

In our last session...

On the night following the battle against the Trollocs in the Two
Rivers, Ezra dreamt a strange dream, in which he climbed unto a
high place amongst the mountains, and saw a wondrous sight, a bush
of roses that burned and was not consumed.  Ezra did converse with
the Voice that emanated from that living flame, begging forgiveness
for past crimes.  Then were words of forgiveness spoken unto Ezra,
and a strange command, to go down unto the Pharaoh of Egypt and
say 'Let my people go, that they might worship Me.'  Ezra abased
himself, and left the Presence and his shoes upon the mountain.
Climbing down the treacherous slopes, Ezra's grip was confounded, and
he did fall into the cloudy abyss, where a different voice mocked
him until his body broke itself upon the ground below.  And Ezra awoke
from this dream, and slept again until the morning, for still it was
night.

And it was evening, and it was morning.  Jennifer emerged from a
restful sleep and did ask Kareina Sedai of the Green  Ajah all
manner of questions, many of which the Aes Sedai did answer.  The
people of the Two Rivers, unaccustomed to war as they were,
nevertheless were of strong and stubborn stuff, and were about the
business of rebuilding their village, Emond's Field, even as
the outsiders were leaving for parts unknown.  Accompanying Kareina
Sedai, Ezra and Jennifer were Randy Carter, Suldan, Elaida Sedai,
three young men from Emond's Field, and Selene.

Then did Kareina Sedai begin to train Jennifer in the ways of
saidar, the female portion of the One Power, of the True Source
that turns the Wheel of Time, as she had done for Randy Carter
only a few weeks before.  But on the fourth morning of travel,
Randy Carter and Jennifer awoke to discover that Kareina Sedai
and the young villager, Rand al'Thor had disappeared from amongst
their respective beddings.  Their belongings were untouched, and
their beddings undisturbed.  Neither the woodcraft of Ezra and
Suldan, nor the channeling of Elaida Sedai of the Red Ajah could
detect any sign of abduction or secretive leavetaking.  The
Aes Sedai and the village boy were no more.

Elaida Sedai searched Kareina Sedai's belongings, but if she
discovered any clue she spoke no word.  Kareina Sedai had left
a letter addressed to her 'teacher, Elaida Sedai', and another
letter for Randy Carter.  Of her own letter, Elaida spoke no
word.  But of the letter addressed to Randy Carter, Elaida seemed
of two minds, whether to keep it for herself, or to give it
to Randy Carter.  Finally, the Aes Sedai gave the sealed missive
into Randy's hands.

Kareina Sedai's final words were startling, for they spoke of a grave
Foretelling, not to follow Elaida Sedai in her travels or otherwise
travel with her in any manner whatsoever, for any Earth people
who travelled in her company would surely be dead within the span
of one month.  Again did Kareina Sedai reaffirm her belief that Randy
Carter should lead her own life and make her own choices, despite
the wishes of others, perhaps older and wiser, yet did Kareina hint
at her own wish, that Randy Carter stand in her stead at Tarmon
Gaidon, the Last Battle, which Kareina had long known she was fated
never to see.  Kareina Sedai further told Randy Carter that she
would not make withdrawal easy, were that her decision, for Elaida
assuredly would release the warrior Suldan from her service, and into
Randy Carter's, whether Randy Carter would or no, and that Ezra
would surely go with her on his own volition.

Randy Carter read these words, and Jennifer was anxious to read
them as well.  Kareina Sedai had been teaching Jennifer the ways
of saidar, and Jennifer was thirsty for more of such knowledge.
Yet still there was the great Tower of Tar Valon, with its
knowledge of the world and of the Power; here she could learn.
But Elaida Sedai was reluctant to take Randy Carter and Jennifer
to the Tower, for that was her own destination, and she would cast
no doubt upon the Foretelling of Kareina Sedai, for all their
unspoken enmity.  Only this did Elaida Sedai say, that since her own
destination was the Tower, they could best preserve their own
lives by going elsewhere, preferably in the opposite direction.

Yet the Aes Sedai's words did not sit well in Jennifer's heart, for
her thirst for knowledge and Power could best be slaked in the White
Tower of the Aes Sedai.  She mocked and cursed the Aes Sedai's words,
and only the Three Oaths protected her from Elaida's anger, though
Elaida did take the air from Jennifer's breath, advising her to mind
her manners, and then allowed her to breathe again.  Jennifer nodded
an apology, but was undeterred.  Thus did she set forth ahead of Elaida Sedai,
reluctantly accompanied by Selene, Randy Carter, Ezra and Suldan, in
the hope that perhaps she could be swayed from her current path.  But
if Jennifer's will could not be deterred, her horse was made of baser
stuff, for the people of Earth know not the ways of horses, and how
best to ride them.  Then did Elaida Sedai and the two villagers overtake
and pass Jennifer, for they were familiar with horses and Elaida Sedai
possessed a singular ability to wring the most work from anyone, man or
beast.  Jennifer abjured Elaida Sedai to delay her own journey, but she would
not dally, for to bend the words of Kareina Sedai's Foretelling was
surely a child's foolishness.

Then did Jennifer express her despair.  Better to die than to live in
ignorance.  Randy Carter rolled her eyes in exasperation, but Elaida
Sedai decided to give Jennifer what she asked for, what she deserved.
Thus did Elaida Sedai hand Jennifer an ancient text called _The Nine
Rods of Dominion_ which she herself had studied, and advised her
to return to her with one of the Nine Rods of Dominion, supposedly
lost in the Mountains of Mist.  This surprised Randy Carter, who did
not expect to be sent on an errand, but understood the intent of
Elaida Sedai, who wished to preserve their lives.  Yet Jennifer was
undeterred.  She demanded to know more about the Nine Rods of Dominion,
whereupon Elaida Sedai advised her to read the book, for they
surely have such on the strange planet Earth.