agelesseyes | Second Weaving: Bel Tine. [Action/Written]

Entry tags:

Second Weaving: Bel Tine. [Action/Written]

[Moiraine has spent the last month or so settling into her home and practically living out of the library. She's scoured every book she can possibly find on her own world, history, magic, even stories and fables and parables from other worlds. Some of it's been useful, like giving her ideas for new ways to wield the Power, while others have proven to be nothing more than idle time spent with her nose buried in a book.

But today is a bit different. In the Westlands, it would be about the proper time for Bel Tine, and doing anything that even resembled work was all but forbidden on such a day. Besides, it's been a while since she truly had the time for personal enjoyment, and there are few things Moiraine Damodred likes more than riding and with no pressing matters to attend to, she'll stop by the stables to saddle and bridle Aldieb before taking the white mare out for a good long ride through the spring air. She'll be riding down to the southern lake and back at a fairly easy pace, just enjoying a trot through the forest before returning to town. During the afternoon she can be seen around House 27, opening up windows and doing a bit of sweeping outside to keep the place neat and tidy. Siuan...is not the best for such things, and that was one little bit of custom she was willing to break in order to have a clean home.

During the evening, the Aes Sedai can be found at Good Spirits, thinking on things that have occurred since the last Bel Tine. She'll be sitting at a corner table, sipping a drink slowly throughout the night. She's more than happy for company, anyone coming over greeted with a smile.

Sometime during the afternoon, she sends out a Written message as well, more for her own curiosity than anything.]

Good Day Luceti,

I understand that this was a long winter for the land here, but I for one am glad to know that spring has finally arrived. In my world, the first few weeks of spring are when the celebration of Bel Tine occurs. A festival for young love, the end of winter, prayers for a good harvest and new beginnings. Are there any such celebrations in your own worlds for the coming of spring?

Secondly, I am seeking a partner for a little bit of exercise. I fear I have fallen out of practice with my staff and I should like to find someone to train my reflexes back to where they should be.

And finally, I should like to thank whoever manages the stables here. I greatly appreciate your services in tending to Aldieb, as is she. If there is some way I might repay you, I would be more than willing to offer my help however I can.

Regards,

Moiraine.

[Even here, she still pointedly leaves off her House name, for reasons known only to Siuan.]

(ooc: Catch Moiraine anywhere! In town, at the stables, down by the lake, in the woods, at the bar!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Mention of a god once again, something she's encountered over and over in other world's stories. It still strikes her as odd.]

May I ask what these celebrations are called? I am curious, and I admit I'm looking for things to read about. Similar threads in the pattern of worlds, I suppose.

The one my religion celebrated is called 'Easter'. The religion itself is Catholicism, which is a sub group of Christianity.

The supposed religion celebration it was taken from is known as 'Ostara' these days by reconstuctionists. It's was pretty much the celebration for the spring equinox. Return of life and the sun.

I've read about Christianity. Or heard mention in books at least.

As for Ostara, it sounds quite like Bel Tine. Do you celebrate either?

It's a relatively young religion, but it's been spread pretty far in my world.

As for celebrating Ostara, no, not really. Then again, I rarely celebrate my own religion, either. I've been in places during their celebrations, though. It's been interesting to watch. Folks really get into it sometimes.

Is Bel Tine more religious or a marking of the seasons for your people?

It marks the seasons. Religion is...much different in my world than most, I've come to realize. The existence of cosmic forces and guiding hands and patterns is not something of belief, it's a known fact. As surely as our own existence.

I know a lot of priests that would argue with you that their belief is fact, despite most of it being found in a book written by other men over the ages. But I get what you're saying. Things have happened that at least support some of what our religious leaders say, but sometimes I have to question if how they're taking it really matches up with what's actually going on.

Have you seen these forces, then? Must be something if you have. I'm wondering too, if maybe it's similar to what we call science back home.

I've found those sorts to be blinded by faith rather than truly aware.

As for myself? Yes. I can feel the tugging of the Pattern, I know from history of the turning of the great Wheel, I've touched the source of the Creator's power every day since my twelfth name-day, and I've seen the influence that the Dark One has on the world at large.

Not the same thing as what people from my home would recognize as 'science', then.

And what would the difference be?

people being able to recreate the same effect over and over again using natural interactions with no outer agency. Nothing they feel inside themselves to prove that there's anything other than nature interacting with itself, and no need to call on any outer power.

Like, say, gravity. If you have it, and you drop something from a height, it will always be drawn down--it will fall towards the source of gravity--without any further action on your part other than letting the object go. And it will do it every single time, without fail. No god, no 'power' or hands of fate involved. Just the result of a natural phenomenom caused by the rotating of the planet you're on.

Well, I suppose that would change from reality to reality, now wouldn't it? In mine, some of us are born with a spark to wield the One Power, and some are not. I presume that it is not the same in your own.

In mine, the One Power is just as natural a phenomenon as gravity or the sun rising.

The closest thing we have are the religious folks who have enough 'faith' to make things happen by sheer force of belief in whatever they follow, and they're fewer and farther between these days. I doubt it's the same thing as your One Power, though.

No, it is probably not. The One Power is what I believe most would think of as magic. But it's very much something quantifiable. If you like I can give you a demonstration.

[There's a slight pause in reply while he thinks about that.]

Sure. Where would this happen?

I suppose over the journal? Or at the Battle Dome if you'd prefer.

How would you do it over the journal?

[Yep, definitely not from a place with magic.]

[She switches over to a video, an orb of magical blue light dancing on her palm]

Like this, of course. Though, this is just light.

[Yep. To Derek that is most definitely magic. Still, he nods appreciatively]

So that power comes from...? [Still a little shaky on the process, though.]

Saidar. The female half of the One Power. I am channeling it through myself and into this Weaving, the ball on my palm.

So it requires a link to her and concentration? Like a conduit?

Oh. no. Saidar is not female, it's just the portion women are able to touch. It's less of an entity and more a wellspring just...outside of the physical world. We can feel it and touch it, but seeing it is beyond us.

All right.

[He thinks about that for a long moment.]

Almost reminds me of the yin and yang concept from one of the countries of my own world. Probably off on the comparison, though.

Is that so? Could you explain the concept?

Don't really know a lot about it, but the base concept seems to be that the universe is divided into two concepts--Yin, or the female, and Yang, or the male. Everything in creation has either one or the other as a...'vibration', or internal set of traits and spiritual power.

They're also complimentary; you can't have one without the other, even though most things supposedly lean one way or the other of their own accord. too much of one over the other is considered an imbalance.

Other than that, I really don't get the whole concept. And I probably have half of that wrong, anyway. I wasn't raised in that system.

It sounds similar, at least. Perhaps not quite the same, but who can say? Symbolism and spellcraft and power all seem to work in...similar ways in other worlds, but are quite different in just as many. It's something I'll have to look into when I return to the library tomorrow.

Oh, forgive me. I don't believe I asked your name yet. I am called Moiraine. May I ask yours?

Second Weaving: Bel Tine. [Action/Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

Re: [Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written]

[Written--Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]

[Video]