TheStarsAreRight:CarlNote12
REDLAND JACK
While waiting for nightfall after mapping the leylines, Redland approaches Carl.
"Howdy. Do you have a minute? I was hoping to run a couple of things by you."
CARL
"Sure. Have a seat. What's on your mind?"
REDLAND JACK
"As always, a bunch of stuff, but most pressing, I suppose, would be this business with the Outsider (whose name is definitely not 'Joe'). I know that my summoning him up earlier botched up the ritual you were trying to perform. If things work like I hope, are there likely to be any consequences of which I'm unaware? You know, along the lines of interfering with your ritual, such as screwing up something for the Tsar or the Alchemists or whatnot."
CARL
“Well, let’s talk about that. What you did really did not interfere with my work, but it was unexpected, so I got distracted and alarmed. I suppose the remedy there is simply to make sure that we know you’re going to perform a summons, so that it doesn’t take anyone by surprise.
“Beyond that, how exactly do you hope things will go?” Curiously.
REDLAND JACK
"Ah. Fair enough. I mostly just want to summon him up, ask a whole stack of questions (if you have any, feel free to let me know), have him give me some crystal-clear answers, see if there's anything he wants, and then let him head back 'Outside'... I mentioned 'things working like I hope,' because I figure if things don't happen that way, there will almost certainly be consequences of which I'm unaware!"
CARL
“I see, yes.” Carl nods. “Jack, I don’t like summonings,” he adds candidly. “Don’t care for Outsiders, and my experience has been that the least of them is a disaster waiting to be unleashed. So far you have not had any difficulties, for which I am profoundly grateful, but always I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. It makes me feel better if I can have something in place to react if – when – bad things happen.” He shrugs. “I have only recently come around to the position that negotiation is a useful tool to have. Not too long ago, I would have simply done whatever I could do to ensure that no communication was possible, from either direction.
“I don’t know what the Tsar will want to do with the Dead Spot. Frankly, I hope he will want to close it tight as quickly as he can, but there is always the possibility that he may want to use it, or have his alchemists use it, which amounts to the same thing. Either way our time here is well spent if we armor the walls as strongly as we can, so that nothing can spread from here to infect the rest of the Rodina.
“As for questions, the ones I have are few, and probably unanswerable. Such as, what can we do to make all the Outsiders simply go away?”
REDLAND JACK
Redland looks a touch deflated. "Hmm. Insofar as you have little to gain by my proposed summoning tonight, would you prefer that I abandon the plan entirely? To an extent, it gets at the situation which has always, I'd say been implicit more than explicit. That is, if you actively wanted me to not summon Outsiders, it would be a simple matter, as the disparity in our knowledge and power is enormous. If you order me to not summon Outsiders, it would place me in the position of either leaving the group or abandoning my goal (or being underhanded, I suppose). If you indicate that I probably shouldn't, my position is roughly where I'm at now, namely, proceeding in fits-and-starts, mostly opportunistically. If you're neutral on summoning (or better), I'm more likely to press the issue and start summoning at a greater rate (until something happens that makes me rethink my strategy).
"I've considered us to be residing somewhere between 'probably should not' and 'neutral'. Is that a misread of the situation? I know that sometimes (often?) I rely on your lenient nature / goodwill and do things (repeatedly) of which you disapprove, which is assuredly discourteous of me. Do you resent this? Is it your belief that something like the 'Worldsoul' has put me in your path, and this is what allows you to tolerate my disruptions?"
CARL
“A fair question,” Carl replies. “Questions.” He turns to you with a hint of a smile. “It is funny, isn’t it, that we tiptoe around all this so much? You’re right, we ought to be candid with one another. So, okay.” He spreads his hands.
“I have a choice, Jack. I believe, wholeheartedly, that the Outside is not for us. We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it is bad for us and for the world. But – having said that – I, we, cannot afford to ignore it, because it is not ignoring us. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.
“We’re ignorant. Ignorant of what is there – of what the Outsiders want with us – of what they value – of what they fear or love or whatever evokes alien reactions, to make them come – or make them go.
“For whatever reason, I have been given a role that grants me some influence with the Outside. The right to offer and refuse; given my Kingship, I believe my demesne is one of possibility, that I can, at least in theory, offer up or withhold the power and potential for change in the World. That is worth a great deal to me. I wish I knew what it was worth to Others.
“But regardless – the fact remains that, like so many other powers, my ability to place these things on the table is worthless if I collapse or am incapacitated by the presence of the Other. You saw it yourself, with the alchemists. That is a fatal weakness. There is no point in attempting trade if I cannot be certain that I can finish the deal.
“So I need a voice to speak for me. Hands to work for me. To represent my interests and execute my promises, steadily, faithfully, and with as little risk as possible, where doing it myself would be too risky. Do you see? That voice, that negotiator, he must not only be steadfast and loyal – he must be knowledgeable. He must learn to ride those alien rapids, to read the currents and the signs, to know when deals should be made and when they should not – but if they are made, then they must be good ones. Because we have little room for mistakes, no wealth to squander.
“Does that make sense, Jack? I see in you a man who does not – or at least has not – fallen prey to the Allergy. You do not quail before the Other, and that is vital. But at the same time, you do not know what any of this is worth, any more than I – and you do not seem to have the desire to bargain hard to keep safe what is yours. It has been hard for me to watch what you do. Sometimes I am terrified. But again, we both need to learn – and doing is the only way to learn right now. So I try to stay silent, although my feelings probably show. Hoping, always, that you will find the knowledge to make yourself strong – and bring me the knowledge to defend us all.”
He swallows.
“So there you have it. Not sure what sort of an answer it is. You have the tools; but are you made for the job?”
REDLAND JACK
"It is an important question, and it is one to which I don't the answer. Am I fit for the job? Whether or not I'm fit, I've been operating under the assumption, so far, that I'm the only one for the job. But, of course, that just raises your other question: Should the job be done at all?
"I agree with you that doing is probably the best way of learning, at least at this point. We'll just need to make sure that you and Dale, and others, keep an eye on me. Make sure everything is going okay. It's frightening to contemplate that if things go wrong for me, I may be unable to tell ... that I may become a different person, corrupted.
"Please let me know if I am acting in a way that seems unusual for me. You've only known me for a short while, so it may be hard to tell. Also, let me know if I am trying your patience too severely. I know how I can be. I won't take it well, of course, but sometimes we have to face things that are unpleasant."
CARL
“Jack,” Carl replies soberly, “I have tried not to interfere with your studies unless you asked me for help. Rest assured, however, that I do what I can to watch, and to help, whenever needed.” He tips his head, quietly amused. “You have not always made it easy. You hide things, and you like to slip away. I can appreciate that; I know that I seem often disapproving of the things that are important to you. And the other things – the illnesses, the holes in your memory – those cannot be any comfort to you – any more than your amiable relationship with the Dark Pharaoh is to me.
“But if we keep talking, if you continue to share your concerns, show me the world from your point of view, and don’t merely stay quiet for whatever reason, then I *will* know you better, and can better help at need. Same for Dale and the others.
“On top of it all, you know, I do like you.” He shrugs. “And yes – if the job is to be done, right now you’re the best man we’ve got. That’s no small thing, and it means that we need to help you get ready any way we can, even if the ultimate need never arises.”
He shifts a bit in his seat.
“So let’s get you some good tools. I have a bit of knowledge and some techniques which I can share. You may find it a bit more, ah, disciplined than you like, but a bit of rigor may save your life someday, hmm?”
REDLAND JACK
"That sounds good to me. I can't imagine that actually knowing what I'm doing (to some extent) will harm me. It's always good to know more."
He thinks of something suddenly. "Oh. As a brief aside, I've been talking about some of this sorcery stuff with Dale, and one things he's mentioned is that it is not a good idea to use the names of Outsiders casually. That it can draw their attention. Should I refer to the Dark Pharaoh by some other appelation, going forward (and similarly with my other Outsider pal, once I learn/give him a name)? Or is 'Dark Pharaoh' already a 'safe' nickname?
"Anyways, I'd appreciate any knowledge or techniques you can teach me. I can't promise that I'll necessarily agree with them, but it is assuredly better to have the knowledge, and hence options, then not."
CARL
“Dale is right. It is not recommended to use any real names in sorcery, unless you know you are among friends. That applies both to Outsiders and to the sorcerers who contact them. In the case of the Dark Pharaoh, well, that is a nickname already, and in fact a nickname for a particular subform of that entity. You’re safe using it. Likewise, you should never use your own true name, or that of anyone else you care about, in conversations with Outside beings. The Redland Jack handle should suffice for you; amongst the Outsiders, I am generally known as the Philosopher King, or sometimes Galileo. As well, now, as the King of Life, which is a title more than a nickname but is not personal.
“Tell you what: I have a small sorcery kit in my luggage. Let me get it for you, and show you what’s in there and how to use it; then I’ll try to get in touch with Tony and get some further answers for you. Hmm?”
Carl's sorcery kit:
A small box containing the following:
- several colors of chalk
- three each, white, black, red, green candles
- matches and a striker
- a small wooden bowl
- a small copper bowl
- a glass rod and six wooden rods
- a 50' spool of 20ga silver wire
- a 10' spool of 20ga copper wire
- a small spool of silk cord
- two small spools of thread, one red, one white
- a handful of small wound-wire charms, some of which have been imbedded in resin
- three knives, one pair scissors
- three small squares of cloth
- a square of slate 6" across
- a square of dark metal 6" across
- a small vial of silvery paint
- four other small vials, wax sealed. One labeled 'wine', one 'water', one 'spirits' and one 'a.v.'
"Tony Grimaldi carries a much more elaborate ritual kit. He knows more about such things than I; perhaps you two should talk at some point. But here goes...."
"Hmm. I'm going to give you the simplified tale here. Actual occult sorcery is very rich in imagery and significance, but we'll look at the more sterile and streamlined version here.
"What is in this kit can be broken down, roughly, into three different categories. Stuff to keep you safer, stuff to help you know what you've called up, and stuff to make the calling-up easier and the mood of the conversation more genial; in a word, bribes.
"Wat you will not see in this box is a lot of information. I figured I would always be responsible for the signs, patterns, and so forth myself -- that way I don't give away information to people rifling my bags. Much of what I have to teach you, that isn't in the box, are signs and symbols that actually do have power -- I'll show you some of those, talk about what they do and how you can use them yourself.
"First, though, some safety tips. When you are calling up something, you want to be safe. Safe from distractions, safe from interference, and safe from the thing you're calling. And you probably want to ensure that others nearby are safe from you as well. Yes? So we will start with walls and wards. Here."
Carl tears out several sheets of paper from his little notebook, and busies himself for a minute drawing pictures.
"Learn these," he says, handing them to you. "Memorize them and then give them back or burn them, just to be sure. These are useful things.
"First, this is the basic circle of protection. It's called a Hayes-Waite ward, after the men who codified it. Essentially a circle, as you see, with some symbols crossing it and others surrounding. The ward creates a barrier against magic. It isn't particularly strong, you can throw a bolt of energy across it, but it will disrupt spells aimed through it, and it keeps bodiless critters out. Or in. Serves both ways. Draw the circle around your summons? A little demon or Outsider cannot take the taste of you across the ward, has trouble crossing without help. Gives you some control. Contrariwise, if you are out in the world and believe you are being hunted by people with psychic powers, draw one of these around you before you sleep or try mental contact; you will be less disturbed. The ward will also limit the effect of a random misfire, tend to keep it inside the circle. All good things, yes?
"Wards and symbols can be drawn on just about anything solid, but the more distinct and durable the inscription, the better it works. Chalk on stone; a ditch dug into the earth; both are effective. A pattern in iron or silver wire is much more powerful, however -- and a pattern in silver, imbued with ponic force, is very powerful indeed. With me so far?
"Two other patterns I want to teach you, the ones marked A and B there. The first, A, is an ignore-me. Draw it out and enchant it, as before, or stamp it into cement, any other durable form, and it deflects attention away from itself. Distracts the observer, confuses the mind. Good for making hidey-holes. B, on the other hand, is something of a weapon. It makes the viewer uncomfortable - in a powerful form it even causes them pain if they try to approach too closely. Keep the papers for now, both of those are very tough to memorize, for that very reason.
"There's another form of ward too -- a modern one. Many magical effects and critters are disrupted when crossing a simple loop of wire carrying a high-frequency alternating current. There's nno generator in the box, but if you're in an apartment, you can use house current, yes?"
"Now, as I said, any of the wards and sigils work better when they are made more durably -- and best when made from materials very distinct from their surrounds. Chalk lines are just about the weakest, as I said; he strongest combination I have made so far is an enchanted silver pattern, imbued with power, inset into a matrix of enchanted iron. That second square plate is enchanted iron; the paint pot there contains metallic silver. Together they will do well if you need to make a powerful sign.
"Most summoners will work with two wards. One, smaller, between them and their demon, to keep the demon from harming the caller; the other, larger, drawn around the outside, to keep the caller and the outside from interfering with one another. I have one more protection to show you, of a rather different kind. Hand me the spool of silk cord, if you would."
Carl pulls out a penknife and cuts off a length of cord. He then slowly makes a loop and weaves a knot around it, the end result reminiscent of a hangman's noose a few inches across. He undoes it and repeats the process once or twice, so that you can learn to tie the knot also, then gives you the result to keep.
"There are sorcerors out there who protect themselves by sending their perceptions out of their bodies and scouting nearby. The same technique can be used to spy on -- or even interfere with -- a summoning or a sending. I cannot teach you how to travel that way, I've never mastered the technique myself -- but these little knots are called spirit traps. They draw in bodiless spies, catch them, and -" he pantomimes drawing a garrotte tight. "You never know when they'll be needed, hmm?" Carl shrugs. "No enchantment in the making -- the secret is in the cord itself, which is made in a very exacting way.
"Now let's see -- what else...?
"So you've prepared your site, inside and out. Now you want to minimize distractions.
"Most goetic sorcery relies on three basic principles: Similarity, Contagion, and Will. You've probably heard about these before. Similarity says that two things that are similar are connected in some way, and that connection can be used. Contagion says that two things that have come into contact are forever after connected in some way, and that connection can be used. And the principle of Will says that the mind and the will can forge connections between the sorceror and his desired target, and those connections can be used.
"From what I heard you say, you make use of all of these principles when you contact your Outsider. Similarity; you form a bond through your near-death experience. Contagion; you have already touched and know the Other's signature; and Will, in that you concentrate on these things and reach out with your will to open the doorway.
"Naturally, when you must focus your will, distractions can be a bad thing. You can lose your way, or lose control. And if you were dealing with a hostile entity, or needing to dominate or otherwise control one, you might imagine that distractions could be trouble. What you may not realize is that the same is true for the entity you reach. It may be struggling to stay focused on you as well." Carl raises his eyebrows.
"So we want to remove distractions. For both of you, in order that you both can concentrate. Hmm?" Carl nods. "While some contact rites require elaborate productions, your technique would probably benefit from isolation. I recommend a closed room or a tent -- close off external sights and sounds. For most sorcerors, I would also recommend complete and utter darkness. You don't need to see the thing - most sorcerors benefit from *not* seeing them. Easier to focus the will, see?"
“That brings us to the summoning itself. You already have your means to call your friend, and the Pharaoh … but if you will call others, you need three things: A way to catch their notice, a way to lure them to you, and – usually – a way to pay them for their visit.
“If you know a particular entity, and want to call them, chances are you know their Name, or at least something about them that is unique enough to use as a name. Speaking that name, or investing it in a ritual or an object, will catch their notice if done correctly. Most summoning rituals involve a lot of repetition; this serves two purposes. One, calling the name many times increases the likelihood that the target will hear and respond; two, repetition increases focus and is a useful way to invest ponic energy for people who aren’t accustomed to moving it on their own.
“If you don’t know the name or the particular entity, but want to talk to something, you choose qualities and symbols appropriate to the thing you hope to meet. In effect you build up a partial Name from what you have and what you desire. The more qualities you specify, the more likely something out there will match the qualities of your Name and notice the call.
“That is why dedicated sorcerer summoners have large and complex ritual kits with many ingredients prepared in precise ways. It’s all about symbols, and the Principle of Similarity. They memorize countless formulae, and know that, oh, to call the Black Ravener to slay an enemy’s family, they need to light black candles and burn three crows’ feathers when the new moon sets … and so on. Or what have you. Someone like yourself, who has the chance to … peek Outside a little bit … can probably profit from doing your own research. Seek out correspondences that work for you and create a rite that uses them. They do not have to be physical objects, but they must be “right”; they must not only remind you of the One you seek, but have personal associations to you also.
“As a King, I have the means to do this directly: to peer out into the Outside and … sort through the Ones I see, in search of those who have enough in common with me to meet and communicate. If I can get you to the Peruvian Redoubt, there is a room there that acts as a mediation chamber – a place where you could do the same thing, supposedly. Until then, we use the old techniques, thus the kit. But my ability to see directly is why I don’t have a lot of different material in my kit, just the stuff I use to speak to the Worldsoul.
“Hmm. Back to summoning. Once you have chosen your correspondences, you need to call. As I said before, repetition is a common technique – and so is enchantment: investing personal energy into the calling, and into the objects or designs used in your ritual. Ponics, yes – “ Carl pauses, looks up at you. ” Has anyone ever taught you the difference between ordinary and excised Power? It might have been called ‘temporary’ and ‘permanent’ sacrifice. Yes/no?”
Carl nods. “It’s pretty much what it says. Each of our bodies carries a certain amount of energy; normally, when we send it out or cast a spell, we use some of it up, but over a few hours it replenishes itself. That’s what we might call ‘temporary Power use’. It is possible, however, to literally cut the energy out of oneself. Energy used in that way – permanent Power use – does not replenish. You have not only used up the energy, but the ability to store that energy too.
“Of course, we are living things, we change and grow. Spellcasters who exercise their ponic structures eventually increase their capacity, but it’s a long process. We use excised Power so rarely that I haven’t done a lot of tests on the process. I have a suspicion that part of what happens involves a sacrifice of lifeforce also – but I don’t know for sure.
“In any case, we were talking about calling the Outsiders. You catch their attention by naming them, the more completely the better; you draw them in by giving them a beacon, usually a representation of that Name invested with your power. Excised Power is immensely more useful – it can even be used to make effects permanent – but of course one cannot afford to cut one’s energy away very much or very often.
“Lastly, you reward them for coming, and bribe them to stay. Again, what you give them depends upon the nature of the Outsider, but the usual reward is either something symbolic, that represents wealth or something you value – or it is a living sacrifice. Lifeforce is currency, it’s energy to them; they almost all value it. And the easiest way of offering it is in an offering of blood.
“So – a quiet place, your Outsider comes, and you have Its fee waiting. Sometimes it’s a bowl of brandy, or wine, or something else that can be consumed; sometimes it is a bowl of blood, preferably your own, or – in some cases – a living creature held in place for the Other to consume. I prefer not to kill animals; thus the little vials. Wine, water, brandy – that’s the one marked ‘spirits’ – and aqua vitae, which is a concoction I invented, which contains a lot of lifeforce invested in solution in the drink.
“Make sense to you?” He tips his head to one side.
“That’s pretty much it for the kit, except for these.” He lifts the charms in one hand. “These are useful to tell you what you are facing. You impress a small amount of your own Power into them, and they become sensitive in different ways for about ten minutes. Or they’ll activate by themselves if you’re in the presence of something really powerful.
“This one,” a circle crossed by a wavy line, “glows blue in the presence of certain kinds of … ponic predation, you might say. If it glows, you’re facing a predator, something that steals or eats the energy of its opponents – and has recently done so.
“This one,” a bimetallic triangle, “glows a sort of greenish hue, if you are facing something whose energy comes from outside of the Earth. Pretty much a guarantee with an Outsider – but summoning can be done on Earthly forces also, and it’s nice to know which is which.
“And this one,” Carl handles it carefully, reverence in his tone, “can be used to make contact with the local form of the Worldsoul. I think I’ll keep it. Not only is it a … potential weak link, bringing it into an Outsider’s control, but … using it will change you, Jack, and I suspect you don’t want that. Do you?”
“And this last one,” a tangled knot of metal on a string, “we call a ‘shifter’. While you wear it, it will change your signature slightly, so that those who have your signature, Inside or Outside, will not easily find you. One cannot wear them for very long; more than a few hours starts to cause damage to your own personal ponic structure; but in a pinch they offer a quick way to hide from magical searchers.”
Carl pats the box lid.
“So there you have it, the lightning brief.
Chalk, to draw symbols, in various colors to match associations if there are any;
Candles, for summoning rituals, many colors, likewise;
Matches, to light the candles;
Bowls for offerings;
Rods for gestures, rites, and stirring ingredients; the wooden ones are of various significant woods, but I do not think you need care just now;
Silver wire, for wards and sigils, and for weaving containers;
Copper wire, likewise;
Silk cord, for spirit traps;
Thread, to hang things and for ritual knots;
The charms I described already;
Knives and scissors, for cutting and rituals;
Silk, linen and cotton cloth, likewise;
A slate, for drawing symbols;
A square of enchanted iron, likewise;
Silver paint for the symbols;
And four vials of offerings, as already described.
“Hmm, I seem to be missing holy water and a cross. Ah well. Those are more useful for Occult work than for speaking with the Outside.
“Questions?”
REDLAND JACK
{When Carl asks him about whether he's heard of the difference between 'ordinary' and 'excised' powers, he contemplates for a moment, before shaking his head, saying, "It sounds familiar, but maybe only as a term. I don't think I've heard it explained before."}
Redland has been taking notes (in a somewhat shaky hand) as Carl talks.
{If Carl notices things like this, he would recall that it has been quite a long time since Jack has done this}
Redland reflects on Carl's final question. "Hmmmm. Well, you know that I'm always happy to talk to everyone. It is probably true, however, that, relative to the Outsiders, there are probably a ton of people who are more qualified to speak to the Worldsoul than I.
"That being said, it would probably be a good idea for me, at least once, to talk to the Worldsoul (or at least, one of it's local manifestations). The more perspective I can gain on, er, communicating with 'weird' things, the better. And since, at least in my opinion, a lot of what I'm trying to accomplish is on behalf of the world, I'd like to get a sense of," he makes a kind of confused gesture, "how the Worldsoul feels (or thinks) about what I'm doing... uh, if that makes sense, which I'm not sure it does."
CARL
Carl smiles. “It makes quite a bit of sense, given what you know. What you perhaps don’t know is that the Worldsoul, in its current state, is not one thing, one person, but a hundred, a thousand, a million. Most of the world is still asleep; where it has awakened, it sees only locally, and has grown up ‘wild’, learning from its surrounds and the things that happen there. That is one of the great dangers of opening holes into the Outside. Sufficiently large or powerful Outsiders tend to contaminate the places where they come, like an infection; and the infant world can be irreparably harmed by them, without any intent or action at all.
“But, yes, if you like, we can conduct a rite to bring up my version of the Worldsoul’s voice. It may have nothing to say, here; or we may get the Russian Land, which is merely one of those local forms I spoke of. Do you want to try that, given the risks?”
REDLAND JACK
"Let me make sure I understand. When you distinguish between the Worldsoul and the Russian Land, that means that they are two different (to some extent) entities. If we had pursued the 'One God' plan, the Worldsoul would have become a single entity, but it still would have had distinct local manifestations? As opposed to now, where the Worldsoul is not, essentially, a unity?"
He seems like he's about to let you answer the questions when he suddenly continues.
"Oh, and when you say risks, are you referring to the risk that I'll contaminate the Worldsoul (or vice-versa) with, uh, 'Outsiderness' or something else?"
CARL
"As to the first point, yes, that's about it. While the Worldsoul is an entity as a whole, she is rarely awake enough to speak and act as such; the local manifestations are more likely to arise. But when I refered to 'risks', I meant the risks to you, my friend, not to Her. Usually they are minimal; but the Sofia, as I call Her, is willful. She acts as She wills; and sometimes reaches into people and changes them. Of course, as I said, we may get the Rodina instead -- and that is an individual I do not know.
"I would say that if I conduct the ceremony, the risk to the world from your Outside connection is pretty small."
REDLAND JACK
Redland thinks for a moment. "Hmmm. I guess my tolerance for risk has expanded in recent months... or I simply fail to appreciate the extent of the risks I am taking. Either way, I think that it's something that I should probably do. I'll trust in the Worldsoul to recognize that I am a (er, mostly) good guy and, thus, won't mess me up too badly.
"Say, will you just use that last device, or will you utilize some of the other paraphernalia?"
CARL
"If I do it, we will use various materials, including the candles. The advantage of the Seal is that it is self-contained; but the Seal's use is personal. If you use it, the contact will be yours. Whether it is yours alone will be up to Her to say."
REDLAND JACK
"Ah. I think I understand. So what you're proposing will be something a little more along the lines of a 'standard' summoning ritual. Since I am tainted with the imprint of Outsiders (including a powerful one), it would be best if I had an intermediary in my dealings with the Worldsoul. The charm would disallow that, so we'll instead attempt to summon up the Worldsoul in such a manner that you act as a sort of buffer. Since we're performing a standard summoning, we are best served to go through all of the forms that you have just discussed."
CARL
Carl smiles. "Well, it won't quite use everything -- but I think you'll recognize a lot of the elements.
"I do have a question for you, one that matters. When we do the invocation, I intend to be inside the circle. What about you?"
REDLAND JACK
"Hmmm. I'll counter with a couple of questions. While I can certainly see why a person might want to be inside the circle when summoning an Outsider, why would you want to be inside the circle when talking to the Worldsoul?... Since I assume the answer to that would be that the Worldsoul can still be dangerous (especially a local manifestation), I'd follow with: While I can see the benefit of being inside the circle, what would be the benefit of being outside it?"
CARL
"Only that if you don't like what you call up, or are afraid of it, you have that ward between you. Personally, I am not afraid of invoking Her in whatever aspect arises -- but I do have something of a privileged position." He shrugs.
REDLAND JACK
"I generally like to be trusting, but since it doesn't sound like there is any particular benefit to not being in the circle, and since I'm trying to be smarter about listening to you and Dale regarding this summoning stuff, I suppose I'll go ahead and play it safe-ish."
CARL
“Splendid,” Carl replies. “I wish we were back at that nice little meadow Dale showed me; it would, as he said, have been an appropriate spot. Still, any place that touches the Land should – “
Carl stops, abruptly. His eyes widen, looking at you – through you – again, rather like before, and he remains absolutely motionless for about ten seconds, lost to the world; then he blinks and looks down, around, grabbing abruptly for a pencil and his notebook.
“A thought, Jack—a very interesting thought –“ he murmurs absently, scrawling a few phrases on the first blank spot he finds, before looking up. His face has a sudden expression of almost feral excitement. “Need to think this through,” he blurts, body infused with eagerness, “but maybe it’s a,” he spreads his hands, fingers widespread, “the web, the leys, we can…” another gesture, like stretching taffy, and he stops. “ This is frustrating,” he frowns. “I don’t know how to explain. The image is not clear enough – but there is an, an implication....” Carl makes an annoyed noise.
“Never mind. I’ll think some more about it, maybe it’ll make more sense.
“I’m sorry, Jack, I shouldn’t muddy the waters.” Still a bit disjointed. “We have one thing to do, yes? The rest is … research. Can happen after.” He shakes his head again.
“I should not let myself get distracted.”
REDLAND JACK
Redland appears unsure himself. "Er, if you've got something important, I don't want to interrupt your train of thought. I can just take a seat and rest my eyes for a bit if you want finish up what you're doing..."
CARL
“No, no --! It’s all right.” Carl waves the thought away. “Things come together in my head – sometimes they’re insightful, other times, oh, merely hopeful,” he replies, speaking rapidly. “Very vivid, but not always clear, do you see? In this case –
“Similarity,” he counts on his fingers. “And contagion. And the Portal leys, configuring the Dead Spots. And the notion that they can be used to travel. And the notion of, oh, consulates. And beachheads. And a suitable place, and a rising Negotiator at that place, and the Sword of Solomon.
“It all connects, but the *mechanism* of that connection is not conclusive. I need to, to try things. To pin down the missing pieces. Otherwise it will nag me forever.” He shakes his head, rueful, the intensity fading now.
“That particular vision, tying them all together, may not come again. I’ll have to work for hours, or weeks, to piece it back together the slow way; but at least when I’m done, I’ll know how to walk from A to Z, instead of leaping there without a path.”
REDLAND JACK
"Fair enough. When you're trying to do something new, sometimes all the hard work in the world can't match a flash of intuition. It sounds like the flash is gone, but at least it's left a bit of an imprint..."
He trails off.
"In which case, I guess all that remains is to summon up the land and see what happens."
CARL
Carl grins. “True!” he says. “And it’s not as though the one has anything to do with the other.
“All right then, we seem to have a bit of time. Did you want to do this right now? And did you want the others to stand witness?”
REDLAND JACK
"I suppose there's no time like the present. Kind of feels like the right place for it, too."
He continues, uncertainly. "Uh, as a general rule, I'd prefer the others didn't stand witness, if that's okay..."
CARL
Raised eyebrows. “I know you prefer that, Jack. Isn’t that what got us all wound up, back there at the meadow?” Carl grins again. “I don’t know what it is with you and secrets; are you simply shy?”
REDLAND JACK
Redland shifts uncomfortably, as though, perhaps, Carl is close to the mark.
"This is going to sound stupid, but..."
He considers for a moment.
"I know a lot of people don't approve of me or the things that I do. To a large extent, it's not a big deal. It's been that way most of my life... it's just something that you deal with, you know, and I certainly don't let it deter me. It does wear me down a bit, though... sometimes more than others..."
He trails off briefly.
"Anyhow, when I 'sneak off' to do things, it's a combination of," waves his hand, "that, and the fact that when I'm looking to talk to Outsiders, I'm aware that it is dangerous and ... disturbing. I don't want others to have to face the danger or just the severe unpleasantness if they don't have to.
"Now, that being said, I'd be okay with Dale witnessing, if you think it'd be helpful. Oh, and for this particular summoning, I'd also be alright with Rebecca."
