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Key
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 Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 11:30 pm Post subject: Chapter 3: A Contest of Wills |
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The Story So Far: You are Lewellyn, the son of the Merfolk King, though you yourself have the legendary form of a Maker, with two arms and two legs, instead of a merman. To avoid the notice of the Emperor who might see you as a threat to his rule, you’ve been raised on a remote island, surrounded by merfolk and mermaids and taught by a giant turtle. Now the mermaid Lalomea has brought the Ram King, another Maker like you, to your island. Lalomea and the Ram King tell you that your father is preparing to sacrifice the Ram King’s people, the Sheepheads, in order to keep you safe from the Emperor. They ask you to call your father and convince him to help the Sheepheads instead of betraying them.
Last Decision: Wait for Father to come, and watch from a distance to see how Father treats Lodevar.
Horchow is right. You need to make a decision on your own. But it’s too confusing to decide right now.
“I’ll watch from the shore when Father comes,” you say to Lalomea. “That’ll help me decide.”
Lalomea looks alarmed. “No, no, Lodevar wants us all to be together – ”
“It’s all right. I won’t be far. But that way I’ll be able to see what Father’s like when I’m not there.” You quickly swim to shore and start walking up out of the water.
“Lewellyn, wait!” calls Lalomea. But you call back, “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. Thanks Horchow!”
You run up the path out of the lagoon and back to the beach. You hide in an arwal bush by the shore; it’s a bit constraining if you have to get in and out in a hurry, but its thick leaves will cover you but still allow you to peer out to the sea.
So then you wait, and watch. Lalomea comes back and Lodevar gets upset, probably because you’re not there, you think. Then, strangely, another creature rises from the ocean where Lodevar is and walks onto shore. It’s got a torso like yours, but horns and a goat’s bottom half. You’ve never seen one before, but you know it from Horchow’s descriptions: it’s a goatfoot, a satyr. This one is old and looks lame or crippled; he walks a drunken zigzag into the forest and you don’t see him again.
It’s a long time before anything else happens, and in the cool shade of the arwal bush you almost fall asleep despite the excitement of the morning. But then the moment that you’ve been waiting for – and dreading – comes.
The whales first, two dozen royal heralds: a few hundred yards out, they breach and smash back into the sea, sending sprays of water and huge waves rolling toward the shore, announcing Father’s arrival to all who know the language. You begin to get nervous. The whales were always the first sign of Father’s annual visit. When you were little, you thought that the whales were Father.
Then the whales go underneath, making room for the mermaids. The mermaids are supposed to sing songs of praise for Father’s arrival to the surface. But the mermaids don’t come. Instead dozens – no, hundreds – of soldiers rise to the surface, armed and armored, their tridents shaking. There must be hundreds more underneath, you think with awe. You’ve never seen this many before at one time.
And Father himself rises up in their midst, riding a chariot carved from the bones of Leviathan and pulled by two black-and-white whales. He bears his royal sceptre of whalebone and pearls and wears his crown of emerald and silver.
And he is angry.
His face is grim and dark, his body tense. Then he speaks: “Where is my son?”
A flood of emotions goes through you. Delight is one – all this for me, you think. But also fear. Maybe he’s angry that I’m not there. Maybe he’ll be angry if he finds out that I’m hiding.
Lodevar climbs up onto the rocks and says, “Your son is safe.” That’s it. No asking for Father’s pardon, not even a “Your Majesty.”
“Give him to me!” orders Father. You feel a sudden impulse to rush out of hiding, yelling “Here I am!” But you hold still. There’s something here you have to see.
Now they start talking about Lodevar’s people and arguing about whatever Father had done or was planning to do to them. You don’t catch all the words and you can’t follow all the references. But one thing you can tell is that Father is getting angrier and angrier, and Lodevar still doesn’t bow down. Finally, Father issues a final demand: “Surrender, give up my son, and beg for my mercy, and I may give it you. But defy me, and the sea will eat your bones!” The wind picks up and the soldiers shake their tridents. Father seems to grow in his kingly glory. There’s no way that Lodevar can resist this, you think.
But Lodevar still doesn’t back down! He says, “You have been plotting my death since the moment we met. But despite this, even now I have never raised a hand against you. I sought out your daughter only to save her life. I came here not to threaten your son, but to ask for his help. And I ask you now to protect my people – not out of mercy to me, but out of justice, as one King to another, in the sight of the Makers.”
“As one King to another” – that’s it! Even cut off from his people, surrounded by Father’s guards, Lodevar is still a king. That’s how he can stand up to Father.
And Father doesn’t seem to know what to make of it. Finally he seems to grant a compromise: “Lewellyn must go to another island,” he says, “where he will continue to be hidden away. If you wish him no harm, let him go now. In return, I will take you to Freehome, and order my people to protect it from all attacks.”
Leave here? Go to another island?
“What if your son doesn’t want to go?” asks Lodevar.
“He’ll do what I say,” says Father. The quickness of his answer rankles you, although you don’t know why. Shouldn’t any son do what his father asks? Doesn’t everyone do what Father asks anyway? He’s the King.
“And how do I know I can trust you?” asks Lodevar.
“Now you insult me!” Father snaps. “But if you must have an Oath – I swear this by my crown. I can do nothing more.”
Lodevar seems to be considering Father’s offer. Your head is roaring. This day has been amazing. But what do you do next? Leave the island like Father wants? That would get your life back to “normal” on a different island. But is that what you want? But if you don’t agree to leave, what will happen to Lodevar’s people? Will Father still protect them?
What do you do?
Read the posts below, and click "Post Reply" to post a suggestion for the Lewellyn’s next action. Anyone is welcome to post. You can suggest what he would do based on his personality, what you think he should do based on what would be best, or just in general what seems like a good idea to you. Feel free to comment on other’s suggestions, but please be courteous.
You're also welcome to ask questions about Lewellyn's background or about the world of the Wheel.
Last edited by Key on Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:18 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Forthwini
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Lewellyn should do as his father says and go to another island. There he could plan what to do next. Maybe he could escape from the island or something.
But going to that island would save Lodevars people. And I think thats what Lewellyn wants. Going to that island doesnt mean that Lewellyns life would be "normal" and the story would end. There is lots of possibilities after all.
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Muaddib
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 5:23 am Post subject: |
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| Llewellyn should defy his father. Too much of that old man's arrogance.
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ethereal_fauna
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 5:57 am Post subject: |
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Llewellyn seems ill-prepared to defy his father's wishes. However, I don't think he wants to uproot to a new area of isolation, just as he was growing discontent of his isolation here. The conversation on the shoreline isn't over yet, but we shouldn't remain hidden in the bushes. Father entered with all his usual pomp, but did not turn into a cruel force of nature. Step out into the open, and submit your voice. You want father to protect Lodevar's people, and you also want some say in your own life. Don't be defiant, but do be assertive.
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The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Muaddib
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 6:07 am Post subject: |
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| KEEEEEEL HEEEEEEEEM
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Tell father you want to go to Freehome so you won't be isolated.
_________________
 Chapter 5: The Rendezvous 
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The Powers That Be
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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| D-Lotus wrote: | | Tell father you want to go to Freehome so you won't be isolated. |
I think this is exactly what Lewellyn would do. He'd love the opportunity to go to a place where there are lots of other people (plus his sister) who in some ways are more like him than the merfolk.
I don't think he'll defy his father, but I do think he'd ask him to consider Freehome as his new home.
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D-Lotus
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I think we could wait a little bit to see if anything new occurs before coming out and asking. When he comes out, he should stand by lodevar, that way, no foul play can occur...just in case the merking gets any ideas....
_________________
Chapter 5: The Rendezvous
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Chainfire
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| Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| come out of hiding and anounce yourself. ask if you get a say in this.
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Ravenwing
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| Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2005 8:17 am Post subject: |
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While it is obvious that Lewellyn still fears his father, he also does not want to live a life of isolation. I think he should reveal himself, and tell his father he would live on Freehome. I mean if the merking protects that island, Lewellyn would still be safe and all.
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Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.
-Confucius
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Key
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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Poll's up. Happy voting 
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Muaddib
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| Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| I chose the last option....Llewellyn needs to stop being a daddy's boy, and seize the day.
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Araex
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| Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 7:24 am Post subject: |
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| He should try and go to Freehome, to find out more about Lodevar who looks just like you.
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Guyron
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| Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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| On to freedom , or at least a quasy-freedom . So , on to Freehome .
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Ravenwing
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| Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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As hard as the choice is for me, I know that Lewellyn should be given the chance to speak for himself. Telling his father he wants to go to Freehome is that first step he can take. He should continue insisting he wants to go and maybe an agreement be reached at some point. But this shouldn't be an all out rebellion. Lewellyn is still sort of knew to this idea of speaking for himself.
_________________
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Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.
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Mother Goose
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| Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:39 am Post subject: |
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| Asking to go to Freehome is a big step in itself. I don't think Llewelyn has quite enough practice in being independent (especially against his father) to resist another island if Father insists, much as he would like to know more about this stranger who looks like him. He has no real ties to Lodevar - he's just met him, after all!
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Key
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks to everyone who posted and voted. The selected choice is:
Come out of hiding and ask to go to Freehome, and refuse to go to another island even if Father insists on it
I'm locking this topic and will post a new chapter within a week.
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| What do you do? |
| Stay hidden for now |
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7% |
[ 1 ] |
| Come out of hiding and agree to go to another island |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| Come out of hiding and refuse to leave |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| Come out of hiding and ask to go to Freehome, but agree to go to another island if Father insists on it |
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30% |
[ 4 ] |
| Come out of hiding and ask to go to Freehome, and refuse to go to another island even if Father insists on it |
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61% |
[ 8 ] |
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| Total Votes : 13 |
| Who Voted: Alegria, D-Lotus, ethereal_fauna, Mother Goose, Muaddib, Ravenwing, The Powers That Be |
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