Bowl of Winds: Report by an Unknown Bard

[Elgee]

Since there have been several unsuccessful attempts to RP out the Bowl of Winds story, we have decided to follow a different route. Please find below a report by an unknown Bard about the events that transpired in and around Ebou Dar, and how the Dark One's hold over the weather was broken.

 

When the time for the Dragon to announce himself came close, the Dark One stretched forth his hand to touch the world, holding the world in a bitter winter. When Jaron al’Tanin battled with the Forsaken at the Eye of the World, he shook loose the Dark One’s hold on the seasons, but only for a short reprieve. After a short while, as events progressed around the world, the Dark One reached out from within the bore and stalled the seasons again. This time, rather than bitter winter, the hot sun of summer beat mercilessly down on the world.

 

Crops shrivelled and died as the land began to dry. Even far in the north, near the Blight Border where winters are so harsh that even the trees break from the cold, autumn refused to come. The high valleys in the mountains were still cool, but only just. As the long summer dragged on, people high and low began to realize that it could not be a natural summer. Some simply made a sign against evil, while others sought solutions.

 

One of the latter, a Brown sister in the White Tower, Claire Sedai, searched through the Tower’s archives for potential tools that might help them break free from the unnaturally long summer. After months of searching, she found a reference to a ter’angreal that could be used to control the weather. The records showed that the ter’angreal, called the Bowl of the Winds, had been studied well in the Tower for years. It was listed as being collected from the Seafolk. Unfortunately, the ter’angreal had disappeared almost four hundred years earlier. Around the time of its disappearance, the sister studying it burnt herself out, and was allowed to leave the Tower. No one noticed, or connected the two disappearances. The woman was believed to have gone to ground in Ebou Dar.

 

Claire Sedai brought her concerns to the Amyrlin, Shevara, who agreed with Claire’s conclusions. After some planning, a delegation of sisters was put together, including many native daughters of Ebou Dar and several of the few Seafolk sisters in the Tower. The hope was that native Ebou Dari women would be better able to ferret out the hidden Ter’angreal, and that the Seafolk sisters would have some insight to why the Seafolk had originally kept the Ter’angreal.

 

After an uneventful trip to Ebou Dar, by river boat from Tar Valon and sea going ship from Tear, the sisters arrived to find themselves divided on the means of achieving their goal. Some of the sisters wanted to approach the sitting monarch, while others wanted to approach the hidden group of Tower outcasts known as the Kin, believing that they might know where to find the Bowl. A third, much smaller group, wished to approach the Seafolk whose ships sat at anchor in the harbor.

 

The sister heading the mission decided that all three options had the potential to succeed, though approaching the Queen would reveal too much at that time, so she allowed the group to split into two smaller groups. One to approach the Seafolk and the other the Kin.

 

The sisters who approached the Seafolk had among them the young Seafolk Aes Sedai who were able to convince the Sailmistress that they meant no harm. The Aes Sedai found out that they were in fact dealing with a clan Wave Mistress, and so were able to bargain for the entire Seafolk people and the entire White Tower. After much haggling, a deal was made that allowed the Seafolk to share what they knew of the Bowl. In exchange for this, the White Tower agreed to allow any Seafolk women with the ability to channel to go their own way. This seemed an innocuous request by the Wave Mistress, since it was well known that very few of their women had the ability and those that did were fairly weak. They were surprised but complacent when the Wave Mistress called for her Windfinder and they discovered that the woman could channel. There was a hurried consultation between Windfinder and Wave Mistress, after which the Windfinder informed the Aes Sedai that only a Windfinder possessed the degree of expertise needed to operate the Bowl of Winds. In exchange for that expertise, the Aes Sedai would have to agree to send 20 Aes Sedai to teach Seafolk women who could channel, for a year each. It was only during this bargaining that they discovered the extent of their error: almost all Windfinders could channel.

 

At the same time, the sisters seeking the Kin hunted rumors in the Rahad, until they found one of the sashed wise women. They were lucky enough to have found the leader of the Kin, the Eldest, who, mistaking the full extent of the White Tower's knowledge of them, revealed the true extent of the Kin. She also admitted that the burnt out researcher did bring several items of Power with her, not just the Bowl. After much debate, the sisters and the Eldest forged an agreement that would allow the Kin to continue existing, but in a more formal relationship with the Tower. Those who wished to do so could return and try again for the shawl, while those who wished to stay could do so without fear of repercussions. The Eldest agreed to the terms, and arranged to meet the sisters at the cache the following day, along with the ruling council of the Kin, the Knitting Circle.

 

When they met at the cache, the sisters sent to the Seafolk brought the Wave Mistress, her Windfinder and several of the strongest Seafolk channelers, and all the women began digging through the collection. Unknown to the majority of the delegation, a few of the sisters were Black Ajah. They stole extra angreal from the cache for themselves, knowing that their reports on the mission had triggered a planned attack from the Shadow when the Bowl is used.

 

The Red sister on the mission sought to oppose using the Bowl right away, and especially opposed allowing the Seafolk to be part of the weaving, but being the only one in opposition she was silenced. The strongest women from all three groups of channelers were called to serve in the circle, including one of the Black sisters. The Aes Sedai began the circle, teaching the Seafolk about linking, and then allowed the Seafolk Windfinder to take control. She directed the weaves, until the Bowl began to weave for itself using both saidar and saidin.

 

As soon as the Windfinder announced the deed done, the circle broke and they were attacked. Dreadlords and Darkfriends spring from gateways and launched attacks. The two Black sisters broke from the group, taking the Bowl with them, but found themselves the target of friendly fire from the dreadlords. One was killed and they lost the Bowl. Despite being exhausted, the sisters, Seafolk, and Kin formed small circles and began battling back. Many of the Dreadlords and Darkfriends were killed, but the Light’s side took many losses too, especially among the Kin.

 

In the end, the Bowl was secured, the remaining Black sister was captured, and the groups Travelled to a safe location. From there the Aes Sedai prepared to return home to the Tower, while the Seafolk returned to Ebou Dar with the Bowl. The Kin regrouped and started planning their future, knowing now that the Tower has always known about them, and that their rules for hiding have always been useless.

 

 

* Based on the writings of Claire and Phelix

[Elgee]

Important notice to the White Tower:

 

Our story arc now includes the fact that during negotiations, it was agreed that 20 Aes Sedai will be sent to the Seafolk as teachers. Each of these Aes Sedai will have to serve as teachers for a year. Should you wish to have your character become 1 of these, please email an outline of your ideas to dmwhitetowerstaff@gmail.com