Game Date: 24-25 Heatblight, 994 KC; Play Date: 6/17/2000
24 Heatblight (continued): Ruqayyah found a clear space to practice her dancing. This attracted much attention from the Ranae, who were indifferent at first, but then became more appreciative by the time she stopped.
Naima and Darra, through Al-Zaki, asked the "seeker" Ildiko about whether any plant poisons were effective on Mynars. He did not know, but showed them the plants that the tribe's hunters used for normal prey. Ildiko was rather shy, preferring to talk to plants more than people, but proved a keen herbalist.
[That night, Darra had a dream in which she briefly saw the canyon she had dreamed of before. The scene then went dark, and she saw the vague form of a bull, which breathed fire from its mouth.]
25 Heatblight: Al-Zaki had spent the night before in his own form, far from the village. He returned before dawn, but stayed up to meditate. In the morning, after he had slept for a while, he told the women that he had been thinking about Ruqayyah's problem, and how waiting out her lethargic period slowed the party. He suggested that if Darra wanted to find the necromancer as soon as possible, then Laylah should discuss Ruqayyah's situation with her goddess. Laylah agreed, and Al-Zaki took her about a mile into the forest, where a rocky outcropping created a thin spot in the trees.
Laylah meditated and then asked Rashira how she could help Ruqayyah break her link with the moon. The answer: "Call on Me together, and she and I will talk." When Laylah asked what to do if Ruqayyah didn't want to do this, she was told, "She must choose to be My kitten. In time, she will."
After a nap to recover, Laylah returned to the village. She explained Al-Zaki's suggestion and the results of her divination. Ruqayyah took some time to think about this while meditating in her own way, and told Laylah she was willing to try it. They went to the rock where Laylah had asked the question. Ruqayyah taught her a song and dance used to honor Jin-Mubik, which they then performed together. Aftre a few moments of this, Ruqayyah swooned.
Ruqayyah had a vision of her own: She was in the desert, at a tiny oasis. She heard her full, formal name spoken, and turned to see Razil (the Umar's caracal). She abased herself, but he told her to stop, and asked what troubled her. She said that she needed a better way to work through her moon phases (at least temporarily), and asked whether, if she were to become free of that influence, would she still be special to Jin-Mubik. Razil led her to the water's edge, and told her to look at the water. She saw herself a she is now, but without clothing. As she continued to look, her image changed, first shifting back to her younger, all-human self, then forward to her current form, then into cat-woman and caracal forms. She then saw all of these images superimposed. Razil stated, "This is how the goddess sees you." Ruqayyah spoke heart-felt thanks to her goddess, then looked at her hands, which looked as they did before her prayer dance. She stood enough to shift to caracal form--which she did effortlessly--and thanked Razil cat-style. She looked at the pool again, which simply reflected her cat form, took a single lap of water, and meowed another thank-you.
Razil asked what she would do now. Now that she knows she's special regardless of the moon, she would be more willing to work around that problem--and that would let her help her friends more. She felt honored by this revelation, and wanted to prove herself worthy of that gift. Razil asked if she wanted to be free of the moon's influence. She replied that it was both good and bad, but it was a part of her, she had become used to it, and she wasn't sure how she would feel if it went away. She felt that life was a test, and she must earn whatever she got from it. (She explained this was why she had declined Al-Zaki's gift of flight.) Razil asked her what deeds she thought would be worthy of that freedom. She wasn't sure what Jin-Mubik wanted from her, or what situations she and friends would get into, so didn't know how to answer that. She felt that she needed to exercise her will and work through her problem, rather than negate it. She would not refuse the goddess's help in making that easier, but felt that she had not yet resisted it enough on her own to earn such help. So, as Razil put it, she would rather carry her burden with dignity than put it down. Yes, and by doing that, maybe she wouldn't be distressed if and when it went away. (Laylah's lullaby had shocked her.) Razil asked her whether, if and when this burdened passed from her, if she would accept another. She would--she saw every burden as a gift, a way to try to improve oneself. Razil bade her farewell, exhorting her to always remember that the goddess walks with her.
[Ruqayyah now has the ability to resist her Lunacy with a successful Will roll. She might be able to reduce the disadvantage further over time, or at least raise her Will.]
Meanwhile, Laylah held vigil. She saw Ruqayyah go limp, and after a few minutes shift to caracal form and back. She stirred a few times, and purred once, then was still. After about twenty minutes, Ruqayyah woke. After she had rested a while longer, she told Laylah about her vision, and expressed her wonder and joy about it. She thanked Laylah for that gift. As they returned to camp, Ruqayyah decided that they should leave soon--there was no point in her not making the attempt.
That evening, Tomorr took Ruqayyah to a location where owls could be seen, as they had arranged earlier in the day. (She wanted to study them further to help her experiments with trying to assume that form.) Meanwhile, Laylah informed the others that they could leave within a few days, but left the story for Ruqayyah to tell, if she wished.
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