Summary:
While compiling information for her comprehensive field research project, Amarea stumbles across a peculiar item. Recognizing at once its potential significance, she brings it to the attention of her mentor, Liia Sedai of the Brown Ajah. The two discuss the nature of angreal, their history, and the significant benefits -- and risks -- to wielding them.
POV: Amarea
Main characters: Amarea, Liia
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Study of the Brown Ajah
Tall, arched windows in the northern wall open to a balcony, providing a
choice view of the Erinin as it flows south from the Borderlands. Half the
seating in the room is drawn up around the windows, showing that the
occupants appreciate the panorama. The remaining seats are drawn up in
circles of six to eight, allowing Brown Sisters to discuss the furtherance
of knowledge, or new theories in an informal atmosphere. Colorful wall
hangings depicting still lifes decorate the pale white walls.
[ obvious exits: S ]
A large desk made of fine, thick wood stands across the room from here.
Lady Liia Averon, Brown Cartographer is standing here.
A silver-haired Aes Sedai sits here, reading.
A Brown Sister is here, frowning pensively.
Danelle Sedai, sitter for the Brown Ajah stands here deep in thought.
Amarea hurries excitedly into the room, a smile barely kept in check on her otherwise calm face.
Amarea beams a broad smile from ear to ear.
Amarea curtseys before Liia.
Liia gestures at the door with her hand.
The door silently swings shut and lock with a soft *click*.
Liia smiles happily.
Liia says 'Accepted, welcome.'
Amarea says 'Good evenin' Liia Sedai. It's been a while since I had the chance to check in with you.'
Liia says 'It has been a while.'
Liia says 'How are your studies progressing?'
Liia smiles softly, listening.
Amarea says 'Steadily and as good as can be expected, I think. I have been spending most of my waking hours poring over notes on my research into common criminals and hunting parties' efforts to stop them. I hope that when I am finished, it will be a useful document that will help all the citizens of the Light.'
Liia says 'I have heard a rumor or two of your progress.'
Liia grins evilly.
Liia says 'I imagine that once complete it will be most impressive.'
Amarea blushes faintly and smiles, 'I hope it is at least useful, Aes Sedai, but if it happens to impress, all the better.'
Liia says 'How are you planning on gathering information about those criminals outside of your boundaries?'
Amarea says 'Across my time traveling with others on these hunting parties, I have made some allies who have been appreciative of my aid and have learned a little about the work I'm doin'. I hope to ask them to assist me, perhaps in exchange for a favor or an item.'
Amarea taps her lip in thought, brow furrowing as she continues, 'I've also been reflecting on my research paper and a topic I'm quite intrigued by, but so far it has been an internal thought process, so I have not yet actually committed any of it to ink.'
Amarea's smile widens again. 'However, that's not the primary thing I wanted to meet with you about tonight. I recovered something and wished to discuss it with you.'
Liia says 'Interesting. Bring it out, child, and place it on the desk here so that we may examine what you have found.'
Amarea gets a greenish, translucent sphere from an embroidered, cotton shoulder bag.
Amarea carefully, reverently, removes a spherical shaped translucent orb from her shoulder bag with both hands. Setting the bag out of the way, she slowly walks over to the Brown sister's desk and sets the object down.
Liia's green eyes flash in recognition as she observes the sphere Amarea has produced.
Liia says 'I assume you have an idea of what you have here?'
Amarea explains, 'I recovered this from a band of Dragonsworn bandits, camped in a cavern just southwest of Cairhien. I have not attempted to study the object with the Power itself, but I noted that when I try and Locate it with the One Power, the weave...passes over it. It resists my channeling, even with my Talent.'
Amarea frowns at that last comment.
Liia strokes her chin thoughtfully.
Liia says 'Interesting'
Liia examines it closely.
Liia looks at Amarea.
Amarea says 'Based on its qualities and appearance, I would bet a day of our bakery's earnings that it was an item of the Power of some kind. From the...resonance around it, I would guess an angreal.'
Liia says 'It does seem to resist revealing itself from our locate vision.'
Liia nods at Amarea.
Liia says 'You are correct.'
Amarea beams a broad smile from ear to ear.
Liia says 'This is in fact an angreal.'
Amarea's eyes light up with curiosity.
Liia says 'It is not a particularly powerful one, but still useful.'
Amarea kneels down, placing her hands on either side of the sphere on the desk so it rests at eye level.
Liia says 'Tell me, have you read anything in your studies about the properties or benefits of angreal?'
Amarea's eyes remain locked on the angreal, but she replies in a clear voice, 'I've never used one, but I have studied them a great deal in the Eighth Depository.'
Liia carefully picks up the sphere and rotates it in her hand, viewing it from all sides.
Liia lightly places the sphere back down on the table.
Amarea recites, 'The knowledge on how to create them has been lost since the Breaking, but angreal are items of the Power that increase the amount of saidar, or saidin, that a channeler can safely channel without burning oneself out. They are attuned to one half of the One Power.'
Amarea says 'There are mixed accounts on how angreal function, or perhaps something caused the angreal we have so far recovered from the Breaking to gradually weaken over time. Some of the oldest reports suggest that angreal had no limits to how many times they could be used, and the amount of the One Power they provided access to was simply a permanent quality of the item. But so far, all of the reports from this Age suggest that the angreal eventually cease to function with repeated use.'
Liia says 'You have done your homework.'
Liia chuckles politely.
Liia says 'That is correct. The angreal that we know of, except but a few instances, will eventually burn out after extended use.'
Liia says 'Some seem to be more resilient than others.'
Amarea nods thoughtfully.
Amarea frowns. 'A pity.'
Liia says 'In this case, it's somewhat middle of the road. I have studied these before, and this one specifically can be used approximately 10 times
before failure.'
Amarea blinks, taken aback by this news. 'So few times?'
Liia says 'Even though they may not be infinite, even the weakest of angreal can provide that tactical need when used at the opportune moment.'
Liia nods at Amarea.
Liia says 'You would find that it does reduce the amount of power needed per weave while it is held.'
Amarea asks, 'Is there any way to tell how many more times one can use a particular angreal before it ceases to function properly?'
Liia peers closely at it again.
Liia frowns slightly and says 'Unfortunately, there is not that I have found. You can only know by using it how much power remains.'
Amarea nods with another frown. She reaches out and taps at the sphere, attempting to scratch its surface. 'So far, the items of the Power I have found appear like stone or some other unusual substance, but have been impervious to touch. They seem incredibly hard to break.'
Liia looks at Amarea seriously.
Liia says 'I want you to keep in mind that angreal are not entirely safe.'
Amarea freezes at that comment, a frown passing across her lips while her finger remains on the sphere.
Liia says 'I assume their creators wove a power of preservation into them. Otherwise I can't imagine they would have survived this long.'
Amarea says 'Fascinating.'
Amarea turns to the Brown sister and asks, 'Is it true that some of them used to be able to recharge at least some of their strength? I heard that was possible, but some of the newest reports contradicted the older ones.'
Liia nods in agreement.
Liia says 'It was at one time, but for some reason unknown to us, such a thing is no longer possible.'
Liia gets a gleam in her eye, 'My personal theory is that for a time angreal crafted by potentially some singularly skilled individual from back in
the Age of Legends were found. But that now only the work of lesser craftswomen remain.'
Liia says 'Of course that is just a theory to fit my own musings.'
Liia grins.
Amarea nods with a longing expression as she studies the sphere.
Amarea says 'It is such a shame, to know that these items likely used to be more prevalent, and how much could be done with them.'
Amarea focuses her eyes for a moment as she embraces the Source, not touching the sphere or weaving but looking at it with sharp eyes. She asks her mentor, 'Is it alright if I attempt to channel the Locate Object weave on it myself, Aes Sedai? I wish to try something.'
Liia says 'Yes child, go ahead. It should be safe here in this setting.'
Liia says 'Just be sure to not channel -into- the object.'
Amarea nods and begins to deftly weave flows of Earth, Air, and Spirit for the Locate Object weave. She narrows and then closes her eyes, focusing as she wraps it around the sphere. The weave slips over it like oil on water. She presses harder, and for just a second it seems like the weave might connect with it, but it snaps back.
Amarea sighs, releasing the Source as the touches the translucent sphere again. 'I thought perhaps with my Talent that I could connect with it differently, somehow, but it seems to resist even me.'
Amarea pauses, noting aloud, 'It does feel...a touch warmer, though. Some reaction to resonance with saidar being channeled nearby?'
Liia thinks hard.
Liia considers this.
Liia says 'Some objects tend to absorb or reject the One Power. One example is cuendillar. It is possible that something similar is happening here.'
Amarea nods thoughtfully.
Liia says 'Just as a test, I'd like you to hold the angreal'
Amarea nods in agreement.
Amarea gently picks it up, holding it in both hands.
Liia says 'And then attempt a weave, let's say a locate? And see the effects first hand.'
Liia observes Amarea carefully.
Amarea grabs a greenish, translucent sphere.
Amarea feels the flows of saidar coursing through her body.
Amarea takes a breath and embraces the Source, instinctually drawing on saidar through the sphere, and channels the Locate Object weave once more. She splits her flows, sending out tendrils of Earth, Air, and Spirit in all directions.
channel 'locate object' ring
You begin to weave the appropriate flows...
-=+**+=- -=+*
Amarea draws some energy from the sphere in her hand.
Amarea's eyes widen.
Liia smiles happily.
Amarea says 'I felt it, Liia Sedai. The angreal. The Locate weave was barely a drop in the pool of the Source I can tap into right now.'
Liia says 'How much of a difference did you notice?'
Amarea says 'The same amount of energy it would normally take me to Blind a target, I think.'
Liia nods at Amarea.
Liia says 'Very good.'
Liia says 'That amount would have equal effect across any weave you might use.'
Amarea nods thoughtfully.
Liia says 'It can even reduce it to much that you do not notice the use of strength at all.'
Liia says 'The Armor weave is a good example.'
Liia says 'It is probably best to reserve their use for when you need them the most.'
Amarea feels a pull to draw deeper on saidar, to savor the stronger pool of energy flooding her, and considers it for the briefest moment. Instead, she takes a breath, and the halo of saidar winks out around her as she passes the sphere over to Liia Sedai.
Amarea stops using a greenish, translucent sphere.
Amarea gives a greenish, translucent sphere to Liia.
Liia smiles at Amarea in understanding.
Liia says 'One reason why we keep such things closely to the Shawl is the learned control to not get carried away by the One Power that can be wielded through them.'
Amarea comments quietly, 'I know that the amount I can safely channel is greater with this item, but I see what you mean by your caution. There is a siren call there to drink deeper on saidar, one that I do not think I should test myself with, at this late of hour.'
Liia nods at Amarea.
Liia puts a greenish, translucent sphere in a backpack.
Liia says 'I am glad that you brought this to me.'
Liia says 'It was a valuable opportunity.'
Amarea sighs all the same when the sphere is put away.
Amarea smiles at Liia.
Liia says 'I will be sure it is added to the Tower's safest holdings.'
Liia smiles at Amarea.
Amarea replies genuinely, 'Thank you, Liia Sedai. Your lesson was valuable indeed, as always. Thankin' you kindly for your time tonight.'
Liia says 'Please bring other items similar to this to any Aes Sedai you find awake as soon as you can, if you come across them.'
Amarea nods in agreement.
Liia says 'I am glad that we were able to catch up.'
Liia says 'I look forward to your continued progress on your research of criminals and future research project.'
Liia smiles happily.
Amarea senses Liia connecting to the True Source.
Liia gestures with her hand.
Amarea senses Liia is channeling saidar.
The door smoothly swings open.
Amarea stands, smoothing her skirts. 'Of course, Aes Sedai. The Light favor you, and keep you safe.'
Amarea curtseys before Liia.
Liia nods at Amarea.