linuxmafia.com 2013/2013.06.linuxmafia.com/linuxmafia.com/pub/jordan/ATWT/g6sum

Text File | 1995-04-28 | 21.6 KB | 449 lines

**********************************************************************

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]

**********************************************************************

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 6 of _As the Wheel Turns_  14-7-94

And it was near the end of the tenth month that the
travelling companions did turn from Emond's Field toward
the Mountains of Mist.  In years past were the snows
already piled about the stone and wooden buildings of
Emond's Field, beside the Westwood, at the foot of the
Mountains of Mist, yet did the travellers lack any
knowledge or experience of the Two Rivers, save that
of this fortnight past, and perhaps that of a prior
visit while Kareina Sedai of the Green Ajah did walk
the earth.

For these travellers did come from across the land.  From
Cairhien and Tear and Ilian and Andor did they come, and from
the peoples of the sea did they come.  Even from cities
and nations beyond the world, from haunted Montreal and
the lonely Sierra Nevada where the people carry ter'angreal
of great power, and from the other wondrous places of
Earth did they come.  Wanderers all, who had in recent days
and weeks tarried little in one place and clime.  And even
as the people of Emond's Field did marvel at the weather,
they did not complain, for it is not the way of village
folk to resent the delay of winter cold with its heavy
snow, and the winds that howl across the countryside from
atop the nearby mountains.

And so it was, even as these companions did begin their
journey into the mountains along the Old Quarry Road, that
their discourse did turn to matters not quite personal.
For all of these travellers did first meet along this
journey, and in the way of fellow journeyers they did
band together against any who might assail them, yet were
their innermost thoughts unrevealed.  And their discourse
did find its way unto the weather, for such is the way
of speech amongst a diverse company with diverse ends.

Then did they speak of the lateness of the season, and of
the snows that were not.  But each, for their own reasons,
attached little significance to the matter.  Keilyndra
din Djanin of the Atha'an Miere knew not the ways of wind
and storm upon the land.  And neither Randy Carter nor
Jennifer understood the ways of weather, even of their
own Earth.  And Auric did travel from the Borderlands, near
lands Blighted by the Dark One's evil, where the winters
are as cruel as a Myrdraal's laughter, and he knew no
climes save his own.  And Akhel did keep his own cousel.

But Phil of Earth was wise in the ways of wind and sun.
In his youth did he earn many awards for meritorious
achievement and puissant skill, and he was compared to
even unto the noble eagle, ancient symbol of greatness
and the very standard of Manetheren itself.  And upon
leaving his childhood did his people honor him with the
task of protecting the Groves of their nation, and in
fulfilling this great obligation did Phil grow wiser still
in the ways of oak and ash, of earth and water, yet was
his knowledge of such matters different from that of a
farmer or a Warder.

Then did Phil cast his view outward, and he did look upon
the world anew.  And he did gather his recollections and
memories, and he did subject the plants about him to the
closest scrutiny.  Many things did he notice on that day,
that if this world did follow the patterns of his home,
of Earth, then surely the sun did tarry in the sky as
though it were the end of summer.  And he did choose
for himself a sapling from amongst the trees of the
Westwood.  And he did cut down this sapling, that he might
find portents in the pattern of its rings, for the people
of Earth know many things, strange and wondrous.  And he
did learn from the rings that there had never been a winter
this late in all the years that the tree did grow.

And Jennifer did say that perhaps this was a sending of the
Dark One, for the legends and stories of Earth do speak of
some evil being halting the seasons of the year, yet does
this cessation occur always during a severe winter.  But
Randy Carter did take issue with Jennifer, and the way she
did continually assume that this world shaped itself
according to the legends and stories of the Mirror of the
Wheel called Earth.  For some time did they speak of many
things, of myth and legend, of reality and dream, and Akhel
did join them, if only to assert that he believed neither
in myth nor in legend.

And the travellers did cease their journey for the day.  And
even as they did prepare themselves a place to spend the night,
did Keilyndra din Djanin notice a fierce Aiel watching the
travellers from hiding.  But quickly she did realize that the
Aiel warrior was but a child, hardly in his fifteenth year, yet
did he stand tall and wield the short spears of the Aiel.

The Aiel did look upon Kei and also upon Tsari with disfavor,
for each did wear a sword in open sight, yet did he call
himself Haemish of the Water Seeker Sept of the Taardad Aiel,
and ask to join their company.  But of his intentions he
said no word, nor did he speak of the circumstances that did
weave an Aiel boy into the Pattern so far from the Aiel
Waste, from where the Aiel had not ventured forth for many
a year.

And even as they had done in Emond's Field, did the travellers
set aside time to practice their weapons skills.  Haemish did
watch them test their skills, and much did he learn about their
abilities, yet his own did he not reveal until he had seen theirs.
Phil too, did practice the use of bow and arrow, a skill
forgotten by most people of Earth, yet was Jennifer proficient
and Phil somewhat capable.  So it was, that Jennifer did encourage
Phil to improve his skill, and she did urge him to consider the
trees she did designate as targets as though they were foul
Trollocs intent on murdering him and worse.

And Phil hearkened unto Jennifer's words, though never before
had he seen a Trolloc, whereupon he saw a nearby tree lunge
toward him, though trees do not lunge, nor do they attack.
Eschewing the bow he did carry, Phil did hurl a throwing dagger
into the advancing tree, yet was the tree unimpeded by the small
blade.  Then did Phil flee through the camp, pursued by the tree.
None from amongst the companions did come to stand by his side.
And Phil did run about in panic, followed by the tree, now
brandishing Phil's dagger in one of its branches.  In desparation,
did Phil run toward his belongings, toward a ter'angreal of
Earth called a flare.  Surely did Phil know that the fire of the
flare could not protect him from the tree bearing down upon him,
yet such was his terror that common sense eluded him.  Phil was
most desparate for fire to combat the tree, yet the tree did
hurl itself upon Phil, breaking his body and his life.

But Phil's companions never did see a tree of the forest attack
Phil, but only Phil himself running in circles about the camp,
screaming, until a nearby tree did burst into flames, whereupon
Phil did fall into a deep sleep.  Randy Carter did look within
Phil for any sign of hurt or illness, but found none.  But she
did continue to watch him as he slept, even as the others
returned to unfinished tasks.  And Akhel did wonder if Phil
did bear the taint of saidin, the male half of the One Power
that drives the Wheel of Time itself, for any man who can
channel saidin is doomed to fall into madness, ever since the
Dragon, though some say the Dark One, tainted saiding during the
Breaking of the World.

Then did Phil Dream, though he knew it not.  And behold, he did
find himself in the Grove that he did protect on behalf of his
people and nation, much like the Groves that the Ogier did plant
though most now are destroyed, but the people of Earth call their
Groves 'national parks.'  And Phil did look upon his raiment and
beheld them to be those of Earth.  No sign of his experience
away from his Mirror of the Wheel did he notice.  But the wind
did whisper amongst the leaves and branches, and Phil could
hear the mocking question in the air, "How, many rings do you
have, Phil?"

About him did the trees of the forest loom in encroaching menace.
Here too, was the day drawing to a close.  The shadows did lengthen,
and the trees did blot out the light.  But Phil did possess a large,
but strong ter'angreal of Travelling.  Yet even as Phil did begin
to walk toward the ter'angreal he called a 'Truck,' the wind did
whisper an incomprehensible statement, "Trucks are an ecological
disaster, Phil."  But Phil did understand, and screamed out, "Who
are you?"

There was no answer.  In Phil's eyes it did seem that some trees
did move about while his eyes were elsewhere, yet did they quickly
stop as he did turn to look at them.  And the trees did laugh at
Phil, and they said that they would kill him and count his rings,
for Phil did murder one of their own.  And Phil spoke words of
reason and remonstrance, and he did offer to regraft the tree,
yet did the tree remain unmoved.

And the wind did further speak of the enmity all trees bear
mankind, and especially Phil, and how trees once could walk.
Phil did persist in his efforts to find a compromise with
the trees, yet the wind mocked his every question, turning
it upon itself.  And then, when Phil could say no more in his
own defense, did a tree step forward to attack Phil and count
his rings.

Then did Phil flee before the wind.  The tree did follow him
with long, slow strides, and the earth did shake beneath its
weight.  Phil did follow the service road through the forest,
secure in the knowledge that his death was near, for there
should be none in the forest to assist him.

But Phil did not die.  For he did come upon a man who did
tend a large, hot fire.  And the man did invite Phil to
join him, for the tree did not venture close to the man and
his blaze, but it did cease its unnatural motion.

Then did Phil approach the man, but still was he filled with
great fear and trepidation.  And for a moment it seemed that
the blaze within the man's eyes was not but a reflection of
the fire burining without, yet was the moment gone, and the
man like any other, save for his formal black attire and
lace shirt.

Phil did question the man as to his name, whereupon the man
did reply, as though he were quoting from an ancient text,
"Call me Ishmael."  Ishmael did remark upon Phil's apparent
difficulty with trees, and upon the beauty of the park.

Now, after all these things had come to pass, Phil was eager
to speak with one who knew of trees that walked the earth
and thirsted for blood, and Ishmael was willing to advise
Phil.   "Trees? Yes, trees hate us people, you know. You
have to be strict with them," he said, and Phil did
request elaboration.

"Take that tree that's been bothering you. You let one tree
do that, and pretty soon the whole forest will be after you.
But you can show the forest once and for all who is boss,"
said Ishmael unto Phil.  Then did Ishmael point his finger
at the tree, whereupon the tree burst into incandescent
flame for a short, blinding moment, before that too ceased,
leaving only ashes where once the tree had been.

And so it was, that Phil found himself bereft of words.
Ishmael assured Phil that he too, could learn to control
trees in this fashion, and that the trees are filled with
hate and jealousy toward him and of his power.  Then did
Phil declare his desire to learn from Ishmael, who was
willing to teach.  But Ishmael did ask a price for his
teaching, for Ishmael declared himself but one member of a
company serving a cause, and that Phil should join, in
exchange for knowledge.

Then did Phil question Ishmael about that cause, and even
as Ishmael phrased his answer, Phil shivered, though the
fire was exceedingly hot, for Ishmael did say, "To Return
the world to its proper balance. There is so much out of
its proper order, you see that the natural way of things
is not right. I want you to help me bring about the Day
of Return."

Yet did Phil persist in asking, "The return of what?"

And Ishmael did answer, "The return of Balance to the world.
The return to the proper way of things.  Your skill, your
knowledge of the natural ways of plants and animals can be
most useful to our cause."

"Are you talking about the One Power?"

"That, and more. Serve this cause, swear fealty to me, and I
can teach you to avoid the madness. You will learn to keep
the trees that have fallen from the right way of things in
their proper place. Your destiny will be a great one."

Then did Phil ask Ishmael of the taint on saidin, and whether
Ishmael was the Dark One, or served the Dark One, and why
the Dark One tainted saidin to begin with, and about other
options, such as Gentling, though Phil had already learned
that Gentled men prefer death to further life.  But
Phil not wish to declare his allegiance to Ishmael and  his
cause, for never did Phil speak other than the truth according
to his knowledge.

Finally did Ishmael command Phil to choose, for he said,
"Enough! The choice is yours. Kill everything and everyone
you know and love , betray them in your madness, or join me,
and they need not die, friends, family, countrymen, all. Choose!"

And in that moment, Phil did think upon joining Ishmael.  But
instead, he did take a dagger from Ishmael's camp and plunge
it into his chest.

And in the waking world, Randy Carter did see Phil's unconscious
body reach for a dagger to stab himself in his chest.  Then did
Randy Carter let saidar fill her, and then did she weave Flows
of Air about Phil's hand to prevent the knife from further descent.
And so it was that Phil did not die, for the dagger had but broken
skin.

Then did Phil awaken from Dream and loose his grip upon the
dagger, and wept.  For now he did know that his uncanny luck
on Earth that he did call the Grey Light was none other than
tainted saidin, and that his doom was madness and a terrible
death, like that of three thousand years of male channellers.

Then did the people of Earth draw themselves aside from the
others to speak upon the matter.  But many of the companions
did listen unto the conversation, though the Earth folk knew
it not.  And together did Jennifer and Randy Carter persuade
Phil not to kill himself, nor to surrender himself to the
Red Ajah that he might be Gentled.

And so it was, that the company journeyed on the Old Quarry Road
into the Mountains of Mist.  And even as they travelled did the way
become more difficult, until, after a week, the road was no more,
and still they travelled, for their destination lay deep within
the Mountains of Mist, in Manetherendrelle of old.  One more week
did they travel through the mountains, through land that few
others in recent memories had seen, yet was the beauty marvellous
to behold.  But the emnity of the trees and shrubs did surround
Phil, and to his eyes the landscape was haunted.

Then did they find a plain stone building, that the people of Earth
recognized as an 'igloo,' for the peoples of Earth are many, and
some live in domed buildings built of ice and snow, yet was this
edifice ordinary, unmarked stone.  No other evidence of human
habitation had been seen since the road had failed.

And so it was, that after cautious inspection, all except for
Auric and Haemish did find themselves inside the stone
structure that they all now called 'igloo.'  But after a short
time, Akhel did emerge from the igloo, his calm composure
shaken, though he did not see the building vanish even as he
crawled from within.  Then did Akhel tell Auric and Haemish
of a large stone box within, which, when opened caused all the
others to disappear as though they never had been.  The stone
building also had gone, and try though they might, the three
remaining companions did find no trace that ever a building
had stood in that place.

But Akhel did declare that almost he could believe in the Dark
One, and in legends, but he did utter the Dark One's name, Shai'tan.
Even as Akhel uttered that foul name, did he find young Haemish's
spear at is throat and Auric also displeased, and for a time it
did seem that at least one man would die.  Akhel and Auric each did
all but accuse the other of being a Darkfriend, though Akhel assured
Auric not to worry, since the Dark One had no real existence.  Then
was Haemish questioned by the other two, and again, it seemed that
men would die, for they spoke of twenty years past, when the Aiel
did spill forth from across the Spine of the World to wreak havoc
upon civilized lands.  But none of the three was fated to die upon
that day, and no blood was shed.

But those who had been inside the stone igloo with Akhel did
find themselves in a large, gloomy room.  An uncomfortable scent did
linger about the place.  Then did a man with a foxlike countenance
approach the group, and spoke about the covenants.  Most pleased
was he to learn that none present knew of any covenants.  Then
did he ask if any of them had brought implements of iron, or
instruments of music, or a means to light a fire.  All present did
answer no, but Phil did admit to bringing a wooden flute.

The strange man did scream his outrage, and did leap to attack Phil.
But Phil forbore, and gave the man his flute, whereupon the fox-man
broke the flute into many pieces, and the pieces into more pieces.
Then did the foxman regain control of his temper, and he did bring
the weary travellers before a sumptuous banquet, and he bade them
to eat and drink their fill.  And they did look at the viands arrayed
before them, and they were filled with hunger.

But Jennifer trusted not the foxman, and told her companions not to
sample so much as a single bite of food.  Jennifer did threaten to
kill the foxman with her ter'angreal, but the foxman did leer at her,
without concern, for her ter'angreal was not of iron.  But Randy
Carter suggested a different course, for she did not want to kill
the foxman.  And so it was, that the foxman agreed to answer
questions in exchange for trifles.  From Jennifer he did receive
a ter'angreal that kept an account of the time.  From Randy Carter,
did he receive a ter'angreal called a Battery, that she did remove
from her other ter'angreal, called Walkman.  From Kei did he receive
a lock of hair, and from Phil did he receive toenail clippings from
the great toe of his left foot, and also a ter'angreal call Visa Gold
Card.  Phil did surrender this last ter'angreal with some misgivings,
for he did hope that the foxman understood not its use.  And from
Randy Carter did he also receive the singing of a song, Frere Jacques.
Great was the foxman's agony while the song was sung, for he did
writhe on the floor.  But his pleasure was boundless when the song did
end, though Randy Carter did sing as well as many a gleeman, or even
a bard.  But some questions, the foxman warned, must go unanswered,
however great the gift, including questions about Earth and about
Kadath.

And Phil did ask how to kill a tree without burning it.  The foxman
answered, by chopping it down.

And Jennifer did ask about the new aura Kei did see about her, amongst
the many others, for Kei had told Jennifer and Randy Carter about what
she had seen, the full moon shinng upon a calm sea.  But the foxman
would not answer that question, and he did retain Jennifer's watch,
for she had foolishly rendered the watch unto the foxman before learning
if the question was acceptable.  And the others learned from this
error, and were more careful.

And Randy Carter asked who the foxman was, and he answered that he
is of the Aelfar.

And Kei asked three questions, what is the meaning of the aura about
Selene, where can she find the Coramoor, and how do they return from
whence they came.  And the foxman told Kei to clarify which aura she
wanted explained, whereupon Kei told him of the sinuous lizard with
golden scales that she had seen amongst Selene's auras.  But the
foxman answered that the lizard meant that Selene believes herself
in love, that Kei would never find the Coramoor, and that they can
leave by saying, "We are leaving, but we remember the covenants
until next we meet."

Then did they all leave the realm of the Aelfar, one by one, until
only Randy Carter remained.  And Randy Carter took in her hand
an apple of purest red from the sumptous foods arrayed before her,
and she did ask the Aelfar why he traded such useful information
for gifts of seemingly little worth.  But the Aelfar only smiled,
and asked Randy Carter what she would  give for the answer to that
question, she, who had already given so much?  And Randy Carter
did decide that the answer might not be worth the price she might
choose.  And Randy Carter did next offer the Aelfar the apple she
had taken from their own banquet, in exchange for being told the
covenants.  But the Aelfar told Randy Carter that the apple was
originally theirs, and that Randy Carter was welcome to it.  But
Randy Carter ate not from the apple.  Instead she did ask the
Aelfar what he would accept for knowledge of the covenants, but
Aelfar did not answer, for that itself was a question.

And so it was, that Randy Carter set down the apple, and left
the presence and realm of the Aelfar.  And she found herself with
her companions in the igloo, but Akhel was outside.