"A task can be almost anything that you think will interest your student and help him grow." Davanna leaned against the wall and smiled at her apprentice, "One of the most important things is to talk to your student. Find out what they've done, what they like to do, even what they don't like to do. Many of the best tasks come from that conversation."

 

Renmur nodded, "So you don't send someone out to hunt if they hate it?"

 

Davanna chuckled, "Find out why they hate it. Are they just not very good at it yet, or do they have reasons not to hunt? Some dreamers are convinced that `mares are living creatures with as much right to be here as we have. Some are just clumsy and not used to using their blades.

 

"With a clumsy student you can make the task to come hunting with you and learn to blade well enough to collapse Bogroms without getting collapsed themselves. With the one who has moral objections, you make the task something more thoughtful."

 

"Like why they think Emps and Bogs are living things?" asked Renmur.

 

Davanna nodded, "You could work something out on those lines. Write me up a task you could use in that situation."

 

Renmur grinned. He'd known that was coming; Davanna always wanted him to turn his ideas into quests. He evoked Quest and stood for a moment looking at the blank parchment in front of him. As always, there was a second or two of panic that nothing would occur to him, but he quickly passed that and began to scribble.

 

As he'd been trained, he paused to scan over the finished task and make sure it said what he intended to say. He nodded decisively and handed the result to his Master.

 

Davanna unrolled the little scroll and read: Find evidence to support your belief that `mares are living creatures. Emps and Bogs whisper to us all the time. Find out what they're saying. Do they all say different things, or just the same phrases over and over? Does this suggest intelligence or just some sort of automatic response?

 

She allowed the scroll to refurl and nodded, "That's good if the student thinks lesser mares are intelligent. But some people believe pond scum is alive and has a right to stay that way, even if it's not intelligent."

 

Renmur grimaced, "I've run into dreamers I'd describe as pond scum. I'm not sure they have much right to live, and they're certainly not very intelligent."

 

"Had another run-in with the Calenturi?" Davanna inquired.

 

"Oh yeah, they're really pushing for a fight," Renmur replied, "I think they're behind this Aspirant Guild that's suddenly sprung up to challenge us. It's just too convenient that Terwin leaves Calenture one dream and 3 dreams later is one of the founding Rulers of a new Aspirant that has its greedy eyes on us."

 

Davanna nodded thoughtfully, "Undoubtedly you're right. But we're strong and they still only have their 10 founding members. It'll be some time before they're ready to Declare War on us."

 

"I'm still going to keep an eye on them," Renmur told her, "There've been a couple of other powerful Cals hanging out with Terwin lately. It could be just old friends chatting, but it still makes me suspicious. It'd be pretty easy to demote them from Calenture and initiate them into the Aspirant just before Terwin Declares War on us."

 

"And so we'd be facing a much stronger Aspirant than we expected," Davanna nodded again, "It's very possible. We should certainly keep an eye on Terwin's comings and goings. And definitely keep checking the territories in our Sphere of Influence. We want our Spirit Defenders as strong as possible when Terwin and his gang come after us."

 

Renmur nodded and said, "Doesn't look like we're going to get many customers for tasks just now, I think I'll do a little tour of our borders. That font in the Lagoon was giving me some really nice chakrams the other Dream."

 

"Good idea," Davanna replied. "We're going to need lots of good weapons somedream soon!"

 

Renmur saluted and began casting his protective arts, "Good dreams, milady. I'll keep an eye out for some good chaks for you."

 

"Safe paths, Ren," Davanna waved, then turned and passed through the portal to the house of the Gathering of the Entranced.

 

One of the oldest and most respected members of the Gathering, Davanna had always refused ranks within the house. She preferred to remain a Teacher and Mentor and devote her dreams to teaching and training up new Teachers. Even though she wore only an initiate's crest, everyone knew that the Ruling Circle of the house respected her opinions and often accepted her suggestions.

 

As she paced the corridors of the house, she pondered their position. It was always a worry when an Aspirant Guild formed to try to take over a house. The Gathering was strong and it seemed so far that the Aspirant was weak. But Ren was right, she thought to herself, it's very likely Terwin still has HC behind him.

 

At that moment, in a little-frequented sanctuary, Terwin was meeting with several other Dreamers.

 

"How's recruiting, Ter?" asked one who wore the crest of a Ruler of House Calenture.

 

Terwin lounged in the window embrasure and grinned, "We've attracted some promising new dreamers. They like the idea of a new regime in a house. And a few Freespirits with grudges against some of the current Gathering members have asked about joining us.

 

"But they won't be more than cannon fodder. Our real strength is going to come from loyal Calenturi who've agreed to assist in removing the old regime and establishing a Gathering that will be a good ally for HC."

 

"You'll have your members," Ferdan, the Ruler, promised. "We've some ambitious youngsters who want rank but won't get it soon at home. They're willing to take a chance on a new house. And if you play them well, they should stay loyal to the old house that gave them their chance."

 

"And if their ambitions cause problems, I'm the one who gets to deal with them, not you," Terwin finished.

 

Ferdan grinned cheerfully, "You wanted to be a Ruler, Ter. A lot of Ruling is about dealing with ambitious underlings."

 

Terwin shot a suspicious glance across the room, but nodded. Instead of commenting on Ferdan's statement, he asked, "How are you doing with whittling down their territory? Especially if I have to take a bunch of younger dreamers in, I'd as soon their Spirit Defenders are as weak as possible."

 

"We're going out tonight to try and detach an area from them," Ferdan replied. "About 10 of our people have agreed to stay late and attack the Heartstone. We should be able to reduce its affinity with them enough to detach the room entirely from their protection."

 

"Great! That'll help us a lot next week," Terwin said, "Although once we take over the House, we'll want your help to get back most of their present lands. We'll need the strength then to defend ourselves. Be a real pain to have taken the house and then have them able to snatch it back from us!"

 

"Once they don't have a house to hide in, we'll keep Argenor and his little crew far too busy to bother you very much," promised the third member of the party.

 

Terwin raised an eyebrow and commented, "That sounds pretty personal, Nola. You don't like Argenor much?"

 

The other Calenturi Ruler glowered at him, "No, I don't. And the reasons are personal, so don't even ask. I'll be very happy to see Argenor and Davanna homeless."

 

If there was a trace of mockery in Terwin's bow, it did not show on his face as he said, "Very well, I won't ask.

 

"Do you want us to help with the Heartstone?"

 

Ferdan shook his head, "No, that would make the connection between us a bit too open. They probably suspect already, but we may as well not confirm it for them just yet."

 

Terwin nodded and stood up from the window ledge, "My Concealment is about to run out, so I'll be heading back to Thresh. You never know when good recruits might come along."