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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ajanders" data-source="post: 2373645" data-attributes="member: 3271">Michael awakes at the start of the fourth watch, faintly surprised not to be murdered in his sleep and somewhat provoked.You'd think an assassin would have more sense...He rolls out of bed softly and pulls on a battered pair of hose and an old tunic.  His holy symbol he leaves under the tunic, next to his heart.The door makes no sound as he opens it, which he finds a pleasant surprise, and he washes his face and hands at the lavatory.  It is time for Work.Back in the dormitory, he reaches under his pillow and pulls out the bag of stones he's collected.  He sorts through them by touch until he finds the one Master Haddo gave him years ago:levin-struck sandstone, elongated, twisted, jagged, and altogether confusing, but still stone and worthy of respect.It's entirely right for her as it never has been for him.  Strange how Sela works.He rolls the stone between his fingers, rounding it smooth against the calluses of his palms, as he focuses his mind and smoothes the jagged edges of his thoughts.Breathing slows.  His mind focuses on the stone in his hands, then on the Stone whose hands he's in.Why was I called to a gladiator arena?No answer comes, of course.  Sela has never believed in easy answers, which can be frustrating.  The stone rasps in his hands as he thinks.A community is a group of individuals working towards a common goal.  Is Petra's gladiator team a community?The stone ceases to turn widdershins and rasps out a different rhythm as it begins to move deasil.It is a group of individuals, but each individual strives to better themselves, and only themselves.  The goal is not common: everyone wants to gain fame.How do they gain fame?The stone nearly drops from his fingers as the answer flashes in his head.The goal of the gladiators is to become famous.  But each team is only famous because of the gladiators within it: the group cannot become great unless each individual member is great, as one ill-shaped stone spoils a building.A second insight physically jolts him until he drops the stone in his lap.And each team is part of the organization of the arena: the arena has no value except as a place where teams compete.  If each team is a building, the arena is a town of buildings.  The arena is a community, and threatened by the chaotic acts of the murderer.  As Petra's gladiators die, the team is diminished.  As the team is diminished, the arena is diminished.  What greater community might be affected if the arena is diminished?  The concept of such a community staggers a man from a farming village of fifty people.Michael clutches the stone is his lap for a minute, dizzied from social vertigo."Now I know." he croaks."Ohh...meditation rush..."He closes his eyes and slows his breathing again, choosing his spells carefully.0 Level1.  Detect Poison2.  Guidance3.  Guidance1 Level1.  (Readied)2.  (Readied)Domain:Strength: Enlarge PersonThe sound of a flute recalls him to himself, and he looks up to see Rosalynn watching him.Instinctively, he checks his fly.  Yep, barn door's closed.  Satisfied, he looks back up at her and smiles."Good morning, Rosalynn.  Thank you for piping in the dawn."He looks at her for a moment."Did you sleep well?"</blockquote>

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