Harrune quickly notices that this Pattern is subtly different than the one he's walked before. The sparks stirred by his feet are blue-white instead of silver-white. Harrune is carrying the image of the Tir-Na Nog'th Pattern in his mind, and begins to notice minor differences. Some of the turns are slightly different...just enough to force him to watch his steps very closely.
The first Veil rises before him, taking the form of a mirror. The reflection Harrune asks, “Why did you walk this Pattern?”
“Those two ahead of me...they are in trouble and...”
“Lies! You know that you can't catch them in time. You don't even know who they are. You have no connections to them. Why are you here?”
“Ossian was ready to enter. I had to stop...
“Lies! Ossian is wise enough to not enter at this point and you know that. He was in no danger. Why are you here?”
“Well, I...”
“You're not here for a noble reason! You're hear for a selfish one! You wanted to walk this Pattern. Yes, you hoped to learn, but that was for your benefit. You are here because you wanted to be. Isn't that the truth of it?”
“But..I...you are right. I was afraid that if I asked permission I might be denied. I knew there were risks, but I let me own selfish desires guide. I'm here because it's what I wanted for myself.”
“So you can face the truth. Aren't you proud?”
“No, I'm not proud of myself for this. I acted rashly, and for all the wrong reasons. But I will no compound my folly by stopping now. I am committed to my course and I will see it through to the end.”
With that Harrune pushes the mirror aside and continues onward.
07.07c Turning of Wheels
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
(For those of you observing from the outside, it's starting to become more and more obvious that time on the Rebma pattern is flowing faster than elsewhere. It normally takes 30 minutes to an hour to walk a pattern. Krajk likely did it in 5-10 minutes of 'outside' time and Harrune is going at a similar pace.)
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
Harrune continues to trudge forward. He knows he should be nearing the second Veil. Suddenly the pressure on him ceases completely. He is in a calm spot in the storm. The sense of peace is short-lived as the Pattern splits and there are two Patterns laying before him. One is clearly Tir-Na's and the other clearly Rebma's. He instinctively knows he must chose between the two, and that somehow the choice isn't just which to walk, but which will be real to him.
If he follows the Tir-Na path it will cause him to step off of the path and into his doom. If he lets go of the image of Tir-Na in his head he abandons an important part of himself. Either choice is a loss...a failure, but choose he must.
But Harrune is Cani, and conflicting loyalties is something they are all too familiar with. He also recognizes that this is a trick question...a trap. He cannot choose one or the other, so instead he chooses both. He fixes the Tir-Na Pattern in his mind and the Rebma Pattern at his feet. Then he begins to interweave the two, with them crossing and joining at his center...his heart. They both belong there now. Perhaps the Tir-Na Pattern shines a bit brighter, like the favorite child, but both are part of him now.
He sets his feet to the Pattern at his feet and continues forward.
If he follows the Tir-Na path it will cause him to step off of the path and into his doom. If he lets go of the image of Tir-Na in his head he abandons an important part of himself. Either choice is a loss...a failure, but choose he must.
But Harrune is Cani, and conflicting loyalties is something they are all too familiar with. He also recognizes that this is a trick question...a trap. He cannot choose one or the other, so instead he chooses both. He fixes the Tir-Na Pattern in his mind and the Rebma Pattern at his feet. Then he begins to interweave the two, with them crossing and joining at his center...his heart. They both belong there now. Perhaps the Tir-Na Pattern shines a bit brighter, like the favorite child, but both are part of him now.
He sets his feet to the Pattern at his feet and continues forward.
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
(Also, for note, these were worked out beforehand in chat. We'd have posted them all at once, but I wanted to give the original thread time to catch up. Oh yeah, and as a note, only the person walking sees the visions and things from the Veil. Even if two people are on the pattern at the same time, these things are separate.)
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
(And it would be awful storytelling to just say "Harrune trudges along the Pattern until he reaches the center.") 
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
The first Veil was a blow to Harrune's self-esteem, but he has to call it a victory. Had it been a failure he would be dead. The second Veil was a clear victory and serves to boost his spirits for the final challenge. The path is as difficult to walk as when he walked Tin-Na's Pattern, but he beat that so he is sure he will beat this one as well. He drives forward with stolid determination.
Suddenly he suffers a wave of dizziness. His vision swims and everything blurs. It was passes quickly enough, but when he does he sees four Patterns heading off in different directions. He can't tell which one if the one he has been walking, and he knows that to follow the wrong one will cause him to step off of the true Pattern and fall into Oblivion.
Harrune considers briefly and then compares the Pattern in front of him with the one in his heart. He traces each turn until...wait, this Pattern turns clockwise where it should turn counter-clockwise. It must be a fake. With that realization this Pattern bursts into flames and vanishes.
He traces the second, but can find no discrepancies. Could this be right, or did he miss something? Unsure he decides to test the other Patterns to be sure. He traces the third and again, they match. He traces the last, and again it goes clockwise when it should turn counter-clockwise. The deception revealed it crumbles to dust and vanishes.
That leaves two to chose from, but which is the right one? Harrune kneels and traces his left hand over one path. It creates the familiar shower of sparks. Just to be sure, he traces the other with his right. The sparks have a silver-white cast to them. Harrune realizes the truth and the last false Pattern is swept away like dust in the wind.
Harrune starts down the true Pattern and onward to the Center.
Suddenly he suffers a wave of dizziness. His vision swims and everything blurs. It was passes quickly enough, but when he does he sees four Patterns heading off in different directions. He can't tell which one if the one he has been walking, and he knows that to follow the wrong one will cause him to step off of the true Pattern and fall into Oblivion.
Harrune considers briefly and then compares the Pattern in front of him with the one in his heart. He traces each turn until...wait, this Pattern turns clockwise where it should turn counter-clockwise. It must be a fake. With that realization this Pattern bursts into flames and vanishes.
He traces the second, but can find no discrepancies. Could this be right, or did he miss something? Unsure he decides to test the other Patterns to be sure. He traces the third and again, they match. He traces the last, and again it goes clockwise when it should turn counter-clockwise. The deception revealed it crumbles to dust and vanishes.
That leaves two to chose from, but which is the right one? Harrune kneels and traces his left hand over one path. It creates the familiar shower of sparks. Just to be sure, he traces the other with his right. The sparks have a silver-white cast to them. Harrune realizes the truth and the last false Pattern is swept away like dust in the wind.
Harrune starts down the true Pattern and onward to the Center.
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
With all the differences between the patterns that are noticeable, in the paths taken and the veils that are there... the center of the pattern is the same as you remember. The lens that you can choose any place to look at and go to.
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
Harrune will be looking around the chamber of the Rebma Pattern. First, he wants to look at one of the guards to establish a baseline for someone who has not walked the Patter. Second he will look at Cameron to establish a baseline for some who has. Third he'll look to Osmund to try to understand his talk of a "partial Pattern" and what effect it has had on him. When he is satisfied with that (or as satisfied as he's likely to get) he will move to be with Cameron and Osmund again.
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
Unfortunately, Osmund's power is no longer active, so the specifics of it are not immediately visible. On the plus side, once you get a good look at him, there is a definite 'something extra' he has that Cameron also has. It's subtle, but the general thought is that Osmund has 'potential' and Cameron has 'talent'. From your home shadow, it's on par with telling a prime from a non-prime, then telling a prime warrior from a prime mage.
There is one additional thing. With the lens, it is clear that Osmund is holding something that looks like a 'gap'. It's small, maybe 9 - 12 inches (the edges are difficult to pin-down), and concealed in his robe, close to his chest.
Oh yeah, you can also tell his race with a little effort.
If you want to check more, post here, otherwise, feel free to drop into the other scene whenever you wish.
There is one additional thing. With the lens, it is clear that Osmund is holding something that looks like a 'gap'. It's small, maybe 9 - 12 inches (the edges are difficult to pin-down), and concealed in his robe, close to his chest.
Oh yeah, you can also tell his race with a little effort.
If you want to check more, post here, otherwise, feel free to drop into the other scene whenever you wish.
Re: 07.07c Turning of Wheels
Harrune will take another moment or two to look around the room. He will be checking other people to try to recognize this "potential" in others...if any others in the room have it. (OOC: Basically laying the groundwork for buying Pattern Lens at some point.)
For a few seconds he toys with idea of jumping back to the Tree, but thinks better of it for now. Instead and turns his attention back to Cameron and Osmund and goes to them.
For a few seconds he toys with idea of jumping back to the Tree, but thinks better of it for now. Instead and turns his attention back to Cameron and Osmund and goes to them.