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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nephis" data-source="post: 9442117" data-attributes="member: 20459">ARUNNY continues to stare at the unbearably lovely alpine flowers as she allows the basso thrum to reverberate against her bones. She can feel something stirring in them, in her being. And she waits.Naturally, her apparently distracted silence adds to Xin Mae's anxiety, and he begins to chatter excitedly, examining and reexamining what is being said to them -- so obviously by the Voice of Stoneroot -- parsing over words, turning over phrases, taking apart syntax to get to the meaning. "'Where you tread' ... well! That can mean where we are walking now ... or where we have gone before ... actual roads or the metaphorical paths we have each taken. Are those paths meant to be the ones we have taken together? Or are they the ones to get here? Tal Guk the Diviner talks about the weaving of our separate paths becoming a stronger rope than that of a single, shared road. Does that apply here? And how?"The Scrivener draws a desperate, panting breath, and images begin to coalesce before the Seer's eyes -- bubbles of history, personal and broad, with winding, twisting ropes of connection turning into strong heavy iridescent strands of ... time? Possibilities? She watches this unfold as Xin Mae continues to speak."After all, in the seventh century of the Ninth Dynasty of Xuan Taqlin, there was that controversy about time and its malleable nature ... or lack thereof. Let me see if I can remember: who was it with the stronger argument? And what was their evidence?"As he rambles on, Maba's Piercing Eye is now able to discern the within of the bubbles. Some of these contain moments she has seen before, some moments she has only heard of, others relating moments completely unknown to her -- of the Now? the Then? ... the Beyond ... place or time? As the sacred scent of cardamon fills her senses, along with the thrumming of Stoneroot's Voice ... and an echo from the Moon above ... another Sacred Stone, Arunny allows these bubbles to simply dance in her "sight" without thinking of meaning: the Meaning will become clear when the Time is right: * There is her brother among the Blessed Ten.* In that bubble her mother battles Nerull ... and falls.* A strange image of an ancient Dragon inhabits that one -- familiar figures nearby -- but the time is inconstant -- green leaves whither and are reborn -- Dragon becomes skeleton and reforms into Dragon...* A thunderous warcry resounds out of a bubble filled with duststorm and whirring blades.* Her own fellowship fighting an undead priest of an undead god in a dark canyon.* One bubble holds a curious battle of bladeling against bladeling, some glowing with primordial fire, Pa'avu upholding the first group of warriors.* A strange landscape fills yet another, the Astral Sea? For so it seems. Chanvati flying ... and the goliath as well? Is that even possible?The priestess continues to watch the bubbles, transfixed by the possibilities and histories and memories held within them, all while continuing to listen with half an ear to the murmurings and speculations of their travelling scholar."And did not Tal Guk also speculate whether Time Changed breaks into separate strands? Hmmm. Let me see: did they fall on the side of yes? Or that it would be too dangerous to attempt? There is that history of the ancient dragon beneath the City ... does that apply here? But..."The bubbles continue to form before Arunny, containing more images, sometimes very obscure and confusing:* A dark lizard's eye, filled with smoky flame.* A fierce, scarred human face -- of someone unknown to Arunny ... or not remembered?* Bodies -- burned beyond life -- scattered across a mosaic-tiled floor.* A shadowed visage, eyes blazing a dark silver luminescence.* The Moon, with a Woman's face, a Mountain superimposed/beneath/above/within/without: the Ancient link between Maba and Stoneroot in sharp relief.That final bubble pops suddenly, startling the Seer out of her distraction. She looks up to meet the gaze of her fellow travelers and becomes aware that even Xin Mae has fallen silent. They are all watching her carefully, Ibhea perhaps a bit guardedly. "Tal Guk is correct, my learned friend, but we have already walked our separate strands. Our path now is to build the stronger, connected rope. We must be careful as we leave the Beyond to enter the Then, only changing what is absolutely necessary to repair the Now. Judicious care must be taken, without incautious impetuousity."Suddenly the Seer seems to vibrate and glow: her face becomes incandescent, and Ibhea and Xin Mae hold up their hands and look away. Qamra, Radiant Shamishar, stares, transfixed.[HR][/HR]Xin Mae is using his Encounter power Pedantic Dissertation (CBu5): Target: Xin Mae and each ally in burst (everyone); Effect Choose a skill (History). Until the end of the encounter, each target gains a +2 power bonus to his/her next check using that skill Arunny makes a Primary Skill History check both to understand the meaning of Stoneroot's words and His ancient connection to Maba: r20+8+2 PD = 30 vs. 22 Moderate DC. Success!!</blockquote>

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