Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: andsol@arcadien.owlnet.rice.edu (Andrew J. Solberg) Subject: Cheyenne: [GM]: Insurrection Message-ID: <1992Jun28.041019.6744@rice.edu> Keywords: Great Mother, Cheyenne Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1992 04:10:19 GMT A'aa paces along the time-worn flagstones that line the ancient sunken bath. He knows that ages ago this room was a place of luxury; the wealthiest and most influential of a long-dead culture came here to soak away their troubles in warm water and lye. Appointed in rich marbles and onyx, the bath was kept spotlessly neat by a squadron of slaves, for the clients come here to become cleaner instead of more filthy! Or so said the proprietors of a forgotten era. A'aa smirks beneath his elephant-like trunk. The proprietors, he muses, would not approve of the bath's current state of cleanliness. And they would CERTAINLY not approve of its lone occupant. A'aa is worried. Usually, Great Mother's tremendous gelatinous bulk is in constant, fluid motion. When she is happy or resting, great waves of flesh lap against the bath's sides in a constant, soothing rhythm. When she is anxious or angry, great forms rise from her bulk and clash together, often ripping each other to shreds in a pantomime of battle. A'aa rests on his greatsword, peers down at the burbling pool of flesh. Today, Mother displays no signs of activity at all. There is some outgassing, and a certain amount of rippling, but nothing to indicate that Mother is the ancient, sentient being that represents the heart of the Low City. A'aa scratches his huge, grey head and flaps his ears. Most peculiar, he thinks. Most peculiar indeed. A'aa picks up his patrol again. A Loxorian warrior, A'aa is bred for two things: invincibility at battle, and tremendous patience. Mother has promised A'aa that there will be battle soon, and he is grateful; it has been ages since he trampled foes beneath his mighty feet and gored them with his sword and tusks. But he can wait -- wait until beloved Mother gives the orders, wait until the enemy comes. He can wait forever if need be. Meanwhile, Great Mother dreams and holds conference with herself.... ****************************************************************************** And now, we take a rare look at Great Mother herself. How strange, how peculiar that we, simple weak humans that we are, should be poking and prodding at SHE, timeless and potent beauty, who once ruled us, and tolerated us, much as a king might be amused by an ant farm. Penetrate the outer layers! for SHE is not mere flesh alone. She is One, and Many, and All, all at once. Her mind is a hive. Here, there, little bees, each unique, each performing this task or that function. Which is in command? No queen bee here. All comprise the whole, plus something else -- there is an Overmind, a glue, that binds their purpose together. It does not *think*, per se, it *feels*. And it *feels* EVIL. **************************************************************************** The mind swarms. There is a Colloquium: a rare meeting of personae. Great Mother has absorbed many peoples into her self, since she first divided in pain and agony from the Core; they work like clockwork within her and run her body; they comprise her thoughts, her feelings, her direction. Each personality is a piece of the overall mosaic that is Great Mother herself. Usually, Great Mother has no decision-making problems. All pieces of her work together; all perform to attain her ultimate goals. But occasionally, there is a division, a quandary. Hence, the Colluquium: an internal discussion. It absorbs her utterly. Listen: ...obsessionmuststop!considerourdilemma;therisk!howcanwejeopardize theselfness/wholeness/uswithsuchaharebrainedscheme.... ....imustagree;ournumberonepriorityshouldbeoursecrecy... ....fools!arewethentoskulkinourholeandhideourhead(s)whileourdesires remainunfulfilled?arewerabbits,orarewethetrueruler(s)ofthiscity?!..... ....donotmistakecautionforfear!howisitthatwehavesurvivedthislon g,anyway?notthroughovertactions;wethriveuponsubtlety,notanimalinstinct!... IE! CHTHO-CHGOG ATH-SHOTOK MU'U'U CK'CLLLSHTAM MYU! AOU! ...................... ...iagree;divisivenesswillservenopurpose//howtoproceed?..... ...howcanweignorecheyennenow?didwenotmarryourselvestoherplanfromtheb eginning?...... ....yes,letushearfromcheyenneherselfwhyitisthatwemustplacesuchh ighstakesonthelineforsuchapointlessendeavor..... But Cheyenne will not answer. She is reaching out through the tenuous strands of Great Mother's reach, seeking for any news of her brother's progress. Unlike Loxorians, Cheyenne cannot -- will not! -- wait forever. **************************************************************************** ADMIN: It is the influence of Cheyenne's strong personality that has driven Mother to this scheme to snare Kron. Other personalities also have a great deal of pull. Chief amongst them (prior to Cheyenne's absorbtion) was Sandar Tol, a powerful wizard who sought immortality. He has it now. Sandar is one of the few personalities who was absorbed voluntarily. In times of stress, he may assume partial control of Mother's actions. He is fanatically determined to preserve Mother's secret, and will act ruthlessly to destroy intruders. -- Andrew Solberg |"Moving faster than a speeding bullet isn't andsol@owlnet.rice.edu | much use if you and it are headed straight Phone:713-529-8627 | for each other." John Brunner bridge-sleep-eat-sex-bridge-sleep-eat-sex-bridge-sleep-I'M STUCK!!!!