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Message: <blockquote data-quote="vulcan_idic" data-source="post: 2970950" data-attributes="member: 19615">One possibility for why there isn't someone perched on it sucking it dry for the edge is if the existance/possibility of it was unknown - it's a big world out there and knowing something is theoretically possible is different from knowing that it actually exists, if so where, and how to use such a thing if you could find it.For example we know about nuclear reactors.  Have you ever wondered if, given that uranium is a naturally occuring substance, if there had ever been <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_reactor" target="_blank">a naturally occuring stable, self sustaining nuclear reaction similar to that which occurs in a nuclear reaction which oddurred in nature with no human intervention</a>?  If you had thought about the theory, would you be able to locate one, or figure out a way to tap into the energy it created?  Also it could be possible that Touchstones are a transient phenomena - i.e. in Eberron where the planes "orbit" the prime material it is possible that a conjunction creates a touchstone affect that lasts as long as the conjunction does - potentially anywhere from moments, to years and might reccur elsewhere or at a time table  which is unpredictable preventing it from being reliably sat upon and tapped.  Which leads to an interesting plot idea - a touchstone will be created at a certain place at a certain time, but will only exxist for a two minute window, aand there is an "arms race" to get it before the competition.  Or, for a more permanent touchstone, perhaps there are other factors that make it difficult to sit on top of - it's at the bottom of the sea, or in the middle of a vast uninhabited desert where you could sit on it all you want, but as long as you sit on it there's nothing you can do with the power, and if you do sit on it you'll probably die of heat/dehydration, it's a disputed territory that several people want but are more interested that others don't get it than that they do, in a volcano, on the back of something like the island-fish/whale Jasconius from the tale of Saint Brendan the Navigator (I remember seeing something like this in a sinbad the sailor type film too, also reminds me a bit of the giant sea snail portrayed in the Dr. Dolittle movie with Rex Harrison).  There are any number of possible reasons why such a source is difficult/problematic to just sit on.</blockquote>

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