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 Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:13 pm
 Notuma. The center of the Earth element. Surrounded by green and brown. This city is based deep in a forest. The center is a cave system, where the new elementals spend their time learning how to control the Earth element.
Surrounding trees have been modified for the adults living in the city who don't hold an office. The trees have been hollowed out enough to allow a fullgrown man to climb the ladder set inside. The tree continues to live. In
the tops of the trees, a system of tree houses make up a major part of the
city.
Transportation from tree to tree is often jumping the various branches, with vine ropes for the more nervous to hold onto. At points, where the branches are too thin or sparse, vines are strung for one to swing across the distance.
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Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:40 am
The two rode along, the giant tree striding through forest. "The first lesson," Selma's new teacher pipped up. "Is control. You're emotions are very dangerous right now, because you don't know how to control your powers yet. Soon you won't have to worry about your emotions interfereing with your powers."
The tree continued to stride as they were walking, listening quietly to the conversation.
"When the plants wilted and you controlled your emotions to stop it. How did that feel?
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:09 pm
Selma found herself distracted away from the sad thoughts of leaving Tali and Nanedin by the amazing sights and experiences around her. For all the ways she imagined that she would be traveling to Notuma, sitting in a walking tree wasn't one of them. Would she have the power to do this someday? The scenery changed from time to time as they traveled, passing a stream, and then an open meadow with a few deer in the middle of it, who acted as though a tree moving in this manner was nothing out of the ordinary.
She was so completely engrossed in her surroundings that she didn't notice her teacher was speaking to her for several seconds. She did, however, manage to catch his question.
"When the plants wilted and you controlled your emotions to stop it. How did that feel?"
Selma turned to look at him, her expression thoughtful and a little sad. After a moment, she spoke quietly.
"I guess I'm not sure what you mean, sir."
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:40 pm
Her new teacher sighed. "Well.. Every elemental can control their powers. Since emotions influence your powers by controling them you can control your powers. But there is a difference between the two. Eventually you will learn to control just your powers."
The teacher turned to look at Selma with a critical eye. "How fast and how well you learn will reflect your status among us. If you are lucky you will be permitted to join the military and aide us. Learn quickly," he admonished.
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:51 pm
Selma listened quietly to what her teacher had to say about controling her powers, nodding to show that she understood. When he spoke about joining the military, however, she widened her eyes a bit in surprise before turning away a moment. When she turned back to look at him, she spoke softly and evenly.
"I will do my best to learn well and quickly. However...I have no interest in being in the military....sir."
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:09 pm
For a moment the man stared at her. Suddenly he bent over laughing. Slowly one of the tree's branches moved to waggle at the man, as if scolding him.
Bit by bit his laughter died down. "Nonsense," the teacher said. "The military has the comfortable life. No chores, no farming, just being served until their sent out. You'll change you mind in time." He waved, dismissing the matter.
"Now, let's try some exercises." Reaching inside his jacket the man pulled out a drawstring packet. Nimbly his fingers undid the ties, pulling it open and taking out a seed.
"Take this and focus on joy. As you do, try to find the edge of your power and your emotions."
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:26 pm
Selma felt herself unnerved by the man's laughter. She blushed as he laughed, but she held her head up high, not retracting her statement. So he thought a desire to avoid the military, despite a less comfortable lifestyle was rediculous did he? If this was the case, and his entire personality was similar, Selma did not hold high hopes for getting along with the man. She would respect him as was required a student to a teacher, but she knew that she might not ever learn to respect his person. When he insisted that she would change her mind, she internally yelled a defiant "No!", but for his benefit, she forced herself to smile at him and concentrate on the task he was asking of her.
She held the seed in her palm, trying to push aside her thoughts of irritation and come up with something joyful. Her brow furrowed slightly as she concentrated. She couldn't think of many joyful things at the moment.... having to leave Tali and Nanedin and all... Tali.... She sighed and smiled slightly, remembering their first "date," when Tali had taken her to the the Earth Garden. She smiled a little wider, when she realized that this memory would serve her purposes of joy. She looked at the seed in her hand once again, trying to focus on it and the memory at the same time. After a moment, she closed her eyes, searching for the power she knew was there, however elusive.
As she sat there, quiety, she met almost a kind of resistance inside her that she had never really explored before. Internally, she kind of poked at it, trying to keep her thoughts on the happy memory.
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:35 pm
For a long moment nothing happened. Slowly a small pale root began to crack open the seed, splitting aside the covers. Faster now the plant began to grow, throwing out thin hair-like roots that entangled Selma's hands.
"Hold that. Find where your power and your emotion meets. Explore your joy."
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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:44 pm
Selma's eyes flew open when he spoke and she felt the roots of the rapidly growing plant winding themselves around her hand and arm. The sight of the plant enveloping her arm, however, startled her, and she lost her concentration, despite her teachers words, the memory and the power fading from her grasp for the moment. She stared in shock at what she had done with her first intentional use of her powers and looked up at her teacher, her mouth slightly agape.
After a few seconds, she looked back down and reached out with her other hand, touching the plant, as if to confirm its existance.
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:51 pm
The teacher nodded. "Good job. Practice every day until you can learn to do grab your energy without having to manipulate your emotions."
Selma learned Focus!
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:45 pm
"I will, sir." Selma said, nodding, and fiddled with the plant in her hand. As she examined it, a small part of her could feel its need for nutrients and water.
"Sir....? What shall I do with it?" she asked, indicating the plant wrapped around her hand and arm.
"Won't it die if we don't plant it soon?"
((>.> what does learning focus mean exactly? Where does it come into play? ))
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 10:39 pm
"Toss it to the side, it'll dig into the soil. We always use fairly resistant plants to teach the first lesson." her teacher said carelessly. A few branches rubbed together nearby as the tree began to slow down.
Ahead the forest spread out. Huge trees, massive enough to fit three or four stories in them spread out their limbs, casting a soft shadow over the forest floor. Natural looking holes in the trunks created windows and doors into the trees. The ground slowly sloped upwards to a form a large mound that the forest was centered on.
Gently the tree let them down. Selma's teacher grinned at it. "Thanks Arthur. I'll see you around!" The tree simply moved off into the forest, blending in. "Come on, I'll show you to the students tree."
((Focus: Adds 2 damage to all attacks for d5 duration.))
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Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:52 am
Selma let her fingers run over the leaves once more, before disentangling the plant from her arm and letting it drop to the side as her teacher instructed. As soon as she had let go of the plant, her attention was immediately drawn to the changing scenery and the increasing size of the trees.
Soon, they had arrived at their destination and she opened her eyes a bit wider in surprise as her teacher said goodbye to the tree and called it by name. Feeling like she would be rude if she didn't say anything, she gave a halfhearted wave and spoke softly, her voice a bit confused.
"Bye....Arthur...."
She turned when her teacher addressed her and followed after him, watching Arthur as he moved into the forest.
"Student's tree?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:04 am
The man nodded. "You'll be the only one in there for now, but the students all live in one tree. It's easier to keep an eye on them there than having them run all over the place."
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Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 3:13 pm
"I'm to be alone?" Selma asked, a hint of concern in her voice. She had never truely been alone before. Even though she had her own room. her matron and/or classmates were always near-by....
"There's no other students right now...at all?" Suddenly the big grove of trees seemed a bit intimidating to the new Earth Elemental.
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