The uses of metal (attn:Reyhen)
Rhys
in truth there seemed to be very little she could do about it. Novices
to be raised to Accepted, Accepted to be raised to full sisters, new
Novices appearing constantly and still a steady stream of paperwork
that never seemed to diminish no matter how hard she toiled. If this
was what being the Mistress of Novices entailed she understood why
most of her fellow sisters had gone into hiding when the job vacancy
was announced She only wished she had had the smarts to do likewise.
Sighing she pushed herself back from her desk and directed a glare at
the piles of work still upon it. Time for that later she decided and
gathering up her shawl she exited the room before the piles might find
a way to physically reach out and drag her back.
Her first stop was the library, she was a Brown after all and while
she didn't have quite the same enthusiasm for books that some of her
sisters did, it didn't hurt to show her face now and again if only to
remind them all that she still existed, not that any of them really
noticed. Scatterbrained the lot of them.
She made a brief inspection tour of the Novice quarters. Clean and
orderly at least that hadn't changed while she was otherwise occupied.
And she made a halfhearted attempt to track down Maerlin, who had gone
far too long without formally declaring her choice of studies, but the
girl was absent from her room and Myria wasn't really in the mood to
track all about the Tower looking for her. She left a note instead,
壮uggesting' that it might be a good idea if they met to discuss her
studies.
She was at a loss as to what else to do, the tower really did seem to
run quite well without her interference. Classes were taught, meals
were cooked, chores performed and she didn't quite have the heart to
shake things up just for the sake of interference.
In the end her footsteps led her back to her own quarters and the
realization that Lavender had left her flute there when she had
visited the day previous. Nothing else for it really but to return it
after all she was curious as to how Lavender's experiments in
tel'aran'rhoid were going and the flute was the perfect excuse to drop
by.
But Lavender wasn't in her rooms, irritating really. The first time
she made it out of her office in weeks and everyone seemed to be
hiding. She supposed she should take it as a hint and go back to her
paperwork or at least to her own studies. But she felt like a bit of
company for a change, unusual for a Brown but she had been keeping
herself to herself rather a lot lately.
In the end it was Lavender's flute that decided her. It was quite the
fascinating bit of metal work and she always had always wondered if
there might be something more too it, a ter'an'greal perhaps. She was
probably being fanciful, but it was power wrought metal, that much she
did know. And really why bother to shape metal with the one power if
not for some purpose. Really she should try to learn more about
ter'an'greal. It was silly really that she had focused so narrowly on
her craft and completely ignored that which the craft might be used
for.
Shaking her head slightly at her own foolishness she considered for a
moment. Who in the Tower might be considered a good source of
information as to ter'an'greal? None of her friends certainly but she
had heard that one of the more å–ªogue' sisters was currently in
residence and that that woman in particular was said to be an expert
on all things ter'an'greal. It was worth a shot, and really what was
the use of being a Brown if she couldn't use the Ajah's trademark
single-mindedness to her advantage.
Mind made up she made her way towards the Green Ajah's wing and rapped
loudly on the door of Reyhen Edrisal Sedai.
Myria der'Taryen
Mistress of Novices
Brown Ajah
Ouriana Sedai et al
>Mind made up she made her way towards the Green Ajah's wing and rapped
>loudly on the door of Reyhen Edrisal Sedai.
>
Reyhen stared at the pages of the book blankly, the beautifully scripted words
swimming together into a useless jumble. It was a informative treatise on the
known <i>ter'angreal</i> in the Tower and their uses, a topic she normally
found interesting. Her bond tugged at her, fuzzy and strained as it was. She
could feel that Pat was anxious and impatient, emotions that Pat usually did
not display. It was a vague impression, but given that she did not know where
he was to go to him, it was frustrating nonetheless.
The sound of knuckles on hard oak brought a welcome respite. Reyhen was
solitary person, and aside from Pat and Cinwyd she prefered her own company to
that of other peoples, but today, probably due to the strange sensations she
was feeling through the long silent bond, she was grateful for a distraction.
She wondered as she walked to the door. The string of visitors come to gawk at
the Wandering Aes Sedai had dried up over the last week. On top of that,
another Green Sister, who had been out of the Tower before her parents had been
born had returned a few days past. And oddity, an older Sister come out of
retirement, and rumored to had once been the Amrylin Seat, her arrival had made
Reyhen's presence blessedly forgotten.
She opened the door, staring dumbly at the woman on the other side. She was a
Brown by her shawl, but the face was utterly unfamilar.
"Reyhen Sedai?" The woman asked hopefully.
"That would be me." Reyhen quipped. She searched the Brown's face again, in a
last ditch effort to produce a name. Thankfully, the woman provided it.
"I am Myria Sedai, the Mistress of Novices."
<i>Mistress of Novices? What under the Light does she want with me?</i>
Vaguely, Reyhen remembered a older Gray Sister named Lakyda hammering at her
door, trying to coax her to teach novice lessons.
"Please, come in." Reyhen said, gesturing her inside. "I told Lakyda Sedai that
I would be happy to teach lessons, perhaps in another month, when I am more
settled." She said as she offered Myria a seat.
Reyhen Sedai
Green Ajah
Bonded to Pat Gaidin
Rhys
teaching lessons. Though it might do some of the Novices good to have
some new blood in the classroom. I shall make a note to return in a
month provided Lakyda doesn't beat me too it, she can be a bit
overzealous as far as cornering unsuspecting Sisters and thrusting
them into the classroom."
Taking a seat she continued, "I'm afraid my visit is intended more as
a way to quench my own curiosity, I am a Brown after all," she said
with a self-depreciating shrug. "My own studies have focused mainly on
power-wrought metal as I trained as a blacksmith/silversmith before
coming to the Tower. The thing is that while I've experimented with
all sorts of metals and all sorts of effects I've never really paid
all that much attention to what could be made from such a process.
Other than the obvious applications of course by which I mean, how and
where can such manufacturing processes be best used? Clearly
power-wrought metal is a stronger and higher quality material than its
traditional equivalent and it can be imbued with all sorts of
attributes, light sensibilities, memory, or just a strengthening or
highlighting of the metal's attributes…" she trailed off, suddenly
aware that she was babbling as only a Brown could.
"What I mean to say is that I've never really stopped to consider the
materiel for anything other than what it is, a material. Which
considering the propensity of Sisters in years past to create their
ter'an'greal out of power-wrought metal, seems quite silly. Therefore
as a known expert on ter'an'greal I appeal to you to help me further
my research. I have one item in particular about which I am most
curious. It's clearly power-wrought metal, specifically a silver
alloy, but I find it curious that such an object would be crafted in
such a labor intensive purpose if not for a specific reason. I had
hoped that you might have some thoughts on the matter."
So saying she placed Lavender's flute on the table between them and
watched silently as Reyhen picked it up and began to examine it.
"The whole piece is power-wrought, but I find the carvings
particularly curious as they were not made with any tool. Notice the
creator's mark, near the bottom, it's fading off now and clearly isn't
original to the piece. Someone, probably generations later, went to a
lot of trouble to get their mark on that instrument. Test it if you
like, the metal seems to reject any effort to alter it, or perhaps it
is simply meant to reject scratches. Either way it tells me quite
clearly that the vine patterning that runs it length could only have
been carved with the use of Saidar."
"The question of course is why. It's a pretty piece but while creating
power-wrought metal isn't all that difficult the pattern work on that
piece is intricate and using Saidar for that purpose is no easy task."
Myria
Proving once and for all that she was meant to be a Brown
Ouriana Sedai et al
>Despite herself Myria laughed. "I haven't come here to coerce you into
>teaching lessons. Though it might do some of the Novices good to have
>some new blood in the classroom. I shall make a note to return in a
>month provided Lakyda doesn't beat me too it, she can be a bit
>overzealous as far as cornering unsuspecting Sisters and thrusting
>them into the classroom."
"I will do my part if I am needed." Reyhen said, a bit grudgingly. "Please,
have a seat." She said, painfully aware of her surroundings. When she had
opened the door, she had expected a novice with a message or an Accepted come
to talk about ter'angreal. Here was the Mistress of Novices, when her
night-shift was hanging over the back of a chair and she was woefully lacking
the makings for tea.
>Taking a seat she continued, "I'm afraid my visit is intended more as
>a way to quench my own curiosity, I am a Brown after all," she said
>with a self-depreciating shrug. "My own studies have focused mainly on
>power-wrought metal as I trained as a blacksmith/silversmith before
>coming to the Tower. The thing is that while I've experimented with
>all sorts of metals and all sorts of effects I've never really paid
>all that much attention to what could be made from such a process.
>Other than the obvious applications of course by which I mean, how and
>where can such manufacturing processes be best used? Clearly
>power-wrought metal is a stronger and higher quality material than its
>traditional equivalent and it can be imbued with all sorts of
>attributes, light sensibilities, memory, or just a strengthening or
>highlighting of the metal's attributes…"
Thunderstruck, Reyhen could only stare at the Brown, blinking like an owl. She
had been long away from the Tower, and and spent many days during that time
with nothing but her own thoughts. The Aiel were not prone to go an at length,
and Dorin had rarely spoken to her at all. Myria Sedai's barage of words, and
assault that only a Brown could field, had hit her like a sack of stones.
>"What I mean to say is that I've never really stopped to consider the
>materiel for anything other than what it is, a material. Which
>considering the propensity of Sisters in years past to create their
>ter'an'greal out of power-wrought metal, seems quite silly. Therefore
>as a known expert on ter'an'greal I appeal to you to help me further
>my research. I have one item in particular about which I am most
>curious. It's clearly power-wrought metal, specifically a silver
>alloy, but I find it curious that such an object would be crafted in
>such a labor intensive purpose if not for a specific reason. I had
>hoped that you might have some thoughts on the matter."
>
>So saying she placed Lavender's flute on the table between them and
>watched silently as Reyhen picked it up and began to examine it.
Reyhen picked up the flute gingerly. It was a lovely piece, about a hand and a
half long. The metal was silver, beautifully crafted and without stratches or
other signs of wear. A repeating pattern of ivy vines ran the length of the
instrument, placed so that the finger-holes lay inside the leaves.
>"The whole piece is power-wrought, but I find the carvings
>particularly curious as they were not made with any tool. Notice the
>creator's mark, near the bottom, it's fading off now and clearly isn't
>original to the piece. Someone, probably generations later, went to a
>lot of trouble to get their mark on that instrument. Test it if you
>like, the metal seems to reject any effort to alter it, or perhaps it
>is simply meant to reject scratches. Either way it tells me quite
>clearly that the vine patterning that runs it length could only have
>been carved with the use of Saidar."
>
>"The question of course is why. It's a pretty piece but while creating
>power-wrought metal isn't all that difficult the pattern work on that
>piece is intricate and using Saidar for that purpose is no easy task."
"I would be glad to try." Reyhen said. Her time away from the Tower kept her
from studying <i>ter'angreal</i>, something she truly did enjoy. Her interest
in the things had almost prompted her to choose Brown, but, as Myria was proof,
Browns were often kind, sweet souls, but too pondeorus for her to abide for
long periods of time.
"There is one problem." She said as she turned the flute in her hands. "If the
thing was wrought with Saidin, or the weaves used to make it function as a
<i>ter'angreal</i> are comprised of Saidin, I will be able to tell you little."
"I understand." Myria grunted. She looked as impatient as Reyhen had ever seen
a Brown.
Channeling, Reyhen drove tiny threads of each of the Five Powers into the
flute. She let the threads run over the length of the flute, exploring.
Thankfully, she discovered that it contained only Saidar. She detested finding
<i>ter'angreal</i> made from Saidin, she could only stare at them in frustrated
ignorance. It contained complex weaves of all the Powers, but he metal was
covered in heavy residues of Earth.
Reyhen Sedai
Green Ajah
Bonded to Pat Gaidin
OOC: This could get long, so I am going to break it up into two posts.
Ouriana Sedai et al
>flute. She let the threads run over the length of the flute, exploring.
>Thankfully, she discovered that it contained only Saidar. She detested
>finding
>ignorance. It contained complex weaves of all the Powers, but he metal was
>covered in heavy residues of Earth.
"Interesting." Reyhen said immediately."
"What?" Myria said eargerly, leaning forward and peering at the flute.
"The metal itself was crafted almost soley with Earth."
"I had figured such." Myria stated. "Yet you sound surpised."
"Yes and No." Reyhen said. "As you probably know, metal is crafted one of two
ways. The first, and most common, especially in items of Saidar, is Fire and
Earth combined. One would use the Fire to heat the metal and make it malleable
while using Earth to shape it."
"The reason for this," Myria interjected, "is because women normally lack any
kind of strength in Earth. Even if they can wield Earth with any kind of
effeciency, they must do it in combination with other Powers."
"True." Reyhen agreed. "Most women cannot wield a thread of Earth thicker than
two fingers by itself. Crafting with Earth alone requires a great deal of
strength in that Power, as one must be able to utilize enough Earth to craft
the metal by force, without heating and softening it."
"Women with that must strength in Earth are rare." Reyhen continued. "In my
years at the Tower, I have met one woman who could handle that much Earth
alone."
"Who?" Myria asked, eyes wide. "I know of no such Sister. A novice?" Her tone
was incredulous, doubting that she could have overlooked a novice with such
rare a Talent.
"Be glad you know of no such Sister. Ouriana Sedai is a sworn member of the
Black Ajah." Reyhen said. Myria gave a soft gasp. "I remember her as a novice
and Accepted. It is a sad thing. She had much promise. Her affinity for Earth
was almost frightening."
"So you are saying this flute was crafted soley of Earth." Myria said, changing
the subject back to the flute. Reyhen was glad, she had not desire to discuss
Ouriana Sedai, now, or ever. "But you are also saying that for a woman to
create it is nearly impossible. Now we have a question for a White to solve."
The Brown laughed, and Reyhen joined her.
"Possible for one woman, perhaps with the use of an <i>angreal<i/>.
"You do not sound convinced." Myria said, arching and eyebrow.
I would say that the flute was crafted two women, maybe three." Reyhen
ventured.
"Linked?" Myria asked. Reyhen nodded. "It makes sense. Two or three women
combining their strength could handle that much Earth. But why the effort? Why
not just use Fire and Earth and be done with it?"
"That, "Reyhen said pointedly, "Will give us an insight to its use."
"Howso?"
"The crafting of the metal leaved residues of the Power, right?"
"Yes. All workings with the Power leave a residue. Working with metal is no
different."
"The use of Earth to craft it left residues of Earth on the metal. Had it been
crafted with Earth and Fire, it would contain residues of Earth <i>and</i>
Fire. The extra effort involved in crafting it soley with Earth would lead me
to believe that the crafters did not want residues of Fire left on the item."
"From this," Reyhen said, "I am led to believe that Fire negates its purpose."
"Interesting." Myria was looking at the flute and Reyhen by turns. "What of the
vines?"
"The vines comfirm it." Reyhen channeled again breifly, focusing on the
carvings. "The vines are formed curiously. There are fine traces of Spirit in
the lines of the carvings."
"Again, odd." Myria said, running a finger along the vines. "Normally, carving
would entail Fire and Earth. Fire to heat, Earth to make the depressions in the
form of a vine."
"Correct. But <i>here</i>, the vines were actually carved. Hard weaves of
Earth, sharpened to a point with Spirit."
"Of course!" Myria exclaimed. "The Wilder trick."
"The what?"
"Wilders, those who manage a odd control of the Power, and can use it
unblocked, often come here with tricks. They vary, depending on the girl. Crude
forms of a simple Compulsion, to bend their parents wills. A weave that
facilitates eavsdropping." Myria said.
"One that is very common," Myria continued, "something usually used to plague
younger siblings, is a thing that feels like needles on the skin. Tiny threads
of Air, sharpened with Spirit. Sometimes they add a small bit of Fire, of a
stinging sensation. I had never give the tricks much thought..."
Reyhen cleared her throat, drawing Myria out of her classing Brown musings.
"You are correct, Sister." Reyhen said gently. "It is much the same. This odd
utilization of Spirit leads me again to believe that the omition of Fire was
intentional."
Channeling again, Reyhen searched the instrument again, digging the flows deep
into the metal. She focused on the weaves imbedded in the metal. It was an
intricate mesh of Water, Spirit and Earth, traced with a tiny, single weave of
Air that was deftly threaded through the entire web. She noted the deliberate
lack of Fire, and continued to search.
"The weave is comprised of Earth, Air, Spirit and Water." Reyhen said lastly.
"The basis of the weave is Earth, woven together tightly, like a straw mat or
basket. The Spirit and Water were added after the web of Earth was set."
"And the Air?" Myria asked.
"It is a single thread, thin but long. It is worked through the whole of the
weave."
"In that order?" Myria asked. "Earth first, the Water, then Spirit, and lastly
Air?"
"Earth first." Reyhen agreed. "The Spirit and Water were woven <i>together</i>,
then added to the orginal basis of Earth. The Air was placed on top, almost an
afterthought."
"Healing." Myria offered. "That almost sounds like a Healing weave....except
that the Earth comes first. In a Healing weave, the Spirit would come first,
would it not?"
"Yes. Spirit would come first. Unless...."Reyhen trailed off in thought."
"Unless it was not intended for humans." Myria said.
"Exactly! Not Healing." Reyhen said. "Growing."
"Growing?" Myria arched and eyebrow. "Like plants?"
"Yes. The weave of Earth.....if I created that weave, and aimed it at a pile of
dirt, it would work to lift and turn the soil." Reyhen said.
"Tilling." Myria offered. "Like a plough."
"Yes. A plough. It would loosen the soil, preparing it to accept the weave of
Water and Spirit."
"So the intent of the instrument is Water and Spirit. The Earth is just to set
up the process."
"The Air puzzles me." Reyhen muttered.
"Stangnant air is not good for plants. They grow best in areas where the wind
blows." Myria said.
"You are right, Sister."
"But that brings us back to the original question." Myria said. "Why a flute?"
The Brown Sister brought the flute to her lips and blew a soft tone. It was a
pleasant sound, but not out of the ordinary. "Does its function as a flute add
to its purpose?"
With tiny threads, Reyhen channeled small flows of Water and Spirit along the
carvings. The flute seemed to glow, giving its silver color a golden tinge. The
vines seemed to spring to life, glowing green and rustling along the length of
the thing. Tying the weave off, she gestured for Myria to blow into it again.
The sound emitted from the flute was beautiful. Myria did not move her fingers
along the holes, but a wonderous tune came from the flute, in tones so
beautiful and pure that Reyhen thought she would weep. The sound was soft and
strained, as Reyhen had used the barest touch of Saidar, not wanting to
activate a calamity, but the flute's potential to make a glorious sound was
evident.
"Sister." Reyhen said in soft disbelief. "I think we have rediscovered the
Talent of Treesinging."
Ouriana Sedai et al
"Interesting." Reyhen said immediately."
"Possible for one woman, perhaps with the use of an angreal</i>.
"You do not sound convinced." Myria said, arching and eyebrow.
I would say that the flute was crafted two women, maybe three." Reyhen
ventured.
"Linked?" Myria asked. Reyhen nodded. "It makes sense. Two or three women
combining their strength could handle that much Earth. But why the effort? Why
not just use Fire and Earth and be done with it?"
"That, "Reyhen said pointedly, "Will give us an insight to its use."
"Howso?"
"The crafting of the metal leaved residues of the Power, right?"
"Yes. All workings with the Power leave a residue. Working with metal is no
different."
"The use of Earth to craft it left residues of Earth on the metal. Had it been
crafted with Earth and Fire, it would contain residues of Earth and
Fire. The extra effort involved in crafting it soley with Earth would lead me
to believe that the crafters did not want residues of Fire left on the item."
"From this," Reyhen said, "I am led to believe that Fire negates its purpose."
"Interesting." Myria was looking at the flute and Reyhen by turns. "What of the
vines?"
"The vines comfirm it." Reyhen channeled again breifly, focusing on the
carvings. "The vines are formed curiously. There are fine traces of Spirit in
the lines of the carvings."
"Again, odd." Myria said, running a finger along the vines. "Normally, carving
would entail Fire and Earth. Fire to heat, Earth to make the depressions in the
form of a vine."
"Correct. But here, the vines were actually carved. Hard weaves of
Earth, sharpened to a point with Spirit."
"Of course!" Myria exclaimed. "The Wilder trick."
"The what?"
"Wilders, those who manage a odd control of the Power, and can use it
unblocked, often come here with tricks. They vary, depending on the girl. Crude
forms of a simple Compulsion, to bend their parents wills. A weave that
facilitates eavsdropping." Myria said.
"One that is very common," Myria continued, "something usually used to plague
younger siblings, is a thing that feels like needles on the skin. Tiny threads
of Air, sharpened with Spirit. Sometimes they add a small bit of Fire, of a
stinging sensation. I had never give the tricks much thought..."
Reyhen cleared her throat, drawing Myria out of her classic Brownish musings.
"You are correct, Sister." Reyhen said gently. "It is much the same. This odd
utilization of Spirit leads me again to believe that the omition of Fire was
intentional."
Channeling again, Reyhen searched the instrument again, digging the flows deep
into the metal. She focused on the weaves imbedded in the metal. It was an
intricate mesh of Water, Spirit and Earth, traced with a tiny, single weave of
Air that was deftly threaded through the entire web. She noted the deliberate
lack of Fire, and continued to search.
"The weave is comprised of Earth, Air, Spirit and Water." Reyhen said lastly.
"The basis of the weave is Earth, woven together tightly, like a straw mat or
basket. The Spirit and Water were added after the web of Earth was set."
"And the Air?" Myria asked.
"It is a single thread, thin but long. It is worked through the whole of the
weave."
"In that order?" Myria asked. "Earth first, the Water, then Spirit, and lastly
Air?"
"Earth first." Reyhen agreed. "The Spirit and Water were woven together,
"You are right, Sister."
OOC: I thought I would repost that, without the html oopsie.
Rhys
singing? The flute could facilitate that? The flute that she had heard
Lavender play almost everyday as a Novice? The same flute she had
taken completely for granted until it was mistakenly left in her
office?
She shook her head to clear it, with the exception of a few talented
ogier, tree-singing had been a lost skill for thousands of years. And
now the flute before them opened up all sorts of possibilities from an
age long past.
"We'll have to test it of course," she said finally in a somewhat
strangled tone.
Then her Brown reflexes kicked in and her mind went into overdrive.
The tower would have to be alerted of course though not just yet. And
there was Lavender to think of, by rights the flute belonged to her
and she certainly didn't want the Tower wrenching the flute away form
her as they were like to do. Perhaps alerting the Tower wouldn't be
such a good idea after all.
"Lavender will be interested to hear what we have discovered," she
said slowly, "though I worry the Tower might try to take it away from
her as soon as news gets out, I would prefer not to be responsible for
that."
Myria