Is the woman actually present? I didn't get that impression. If she isn't physically there (but entering Evvy's dreams), she may not actually know where Evvy physically is.

Of course, it would be nice if she communicated that Evvy was alive, at least.

Hum. While I agree with your grumble about the total lack of stone mages in the east,

(a) I don't think that stone mages are particularly common even in Chammur. Someone sometime says that the ratio of academic to ambient mages is something like 10:1. If you imagine that one in 100 people have magic, then 1 in 1000 would have ambient magic. Stone magic is a "common" ambient magic, which means, say, one in five ambient mages are stone mages, or 1 on 5000. So "common" is relative. When Rosethorn talks about stone magic being common in Chammur especially, I think she's talking about maybe half a dozen stone mages (both academic and ambient) in the entire city (which turns out to be 1). Compare that to Frostpine and Daja - Frostpine has been waiting his entire adult life for a student like Daja. I personally think some of the ratios I've used here are quite high, so ambient stone magic could be even rarer - and yet common compared to Frostpine and Daja (or Tris!).

(b) Ambient mages are often not discovered, so their power is not as "concentrated" (think about all of the meditation exercises and how they are described). Given the situation in the east, we can assume that ambient mages are rarely discovered or trained. Evvy - who is quite well trained, if young - nearly gets lost in the mountain-energy/aura/stuff, and there's no evidence to suggest Luvo noticed her UNTIL she went through a major trauma. My guess is that trained stone mages would have to block out a lot of the mountain-energy to function, and untrained stone mages simply wouldn't register. So I don't think it's inconsistent with stone magic existing in the east (although probably not recognized) and Luvo having never met a creature like Evvy. It's not just that she happened to walk across his mountain. It's that she underwent torture and was left for dead on top of his mountain.

Agreed. Mods, please pass this along. I know it's been commissioned, but even so.

Qernzf (fb qba'g arprffnevyl arrq gb svg gur fgbel)

“Nf ur sryy onpx vagb uvf qernzf, synzrf ebnerq hc nebhaq uvz, guebjvat avtugzner funqbjf ba uvf rlryvqf. Va gur qvfgnapr, gevhzcunag jneevbef fubhgrq naq crbcyr fuevrxrq. Gur jvaq pneevrq gur fprag bs oybbq naq fzbxr gb uvf abfgevyf. Oheavat pnecrgf jenccrq nebhaq uvz. Oevne sbhtug gb trg serr juvyr obhyqref fubg sebz pngnchygf fznfurq grzcyr jnyyf gb ehooyr.” 25

“Oevne ybbxrq ng gur fjveyvat zrff orybj. Ur oyvaxrq. Sbe n zbzrag gur gerrf jrer obqvrf: tnhqvyl qerffrq zra, jbzra naq puvyqera jub jrer zvffvat yvzof be urnqf, gurve jbhaqf fgernxvat gur oebja jngre erq. Gurl jrer wbvarq ol gur oybngrq pbecfrf bs lnxf, tbngf, rira oveqf, naq ol gur pbecfrf bs fbyqvref. Gur fgrapu bs gur ebggvat qrnq fjnzcrq uvz.” 55

“Ur ena guebhtu n frevrf bs ebpx-fvqrq pnalbaf, nyy bs gurz fgevccrq bs irtrgngvba. Ur ernpurq rirel jnl nebhaq uvz jvgu uvf zntvp, frrxvat rira n oynqr bs tenff gb xrrc uvz pbzcnal… Oruvaq uvz Oevne urne gur guhq bs Lnawvatv jne qehzf, n ybhq syng guhzc rpubrq ol gubhfnaqf bs znepuvat srrg. Gur fbhaq… [qebir] uvz yvxr tnzr va gur qnex. Abj pnzr gur guva, fuevyy oynfg bs gur Lnawvat rzcrebe’f onggyr gehzcrgf, naq gur sevtugshy svefg ebnef bs gur oynpx cbjqre pnyyrq obbz qhfg.” 186

“Gur gjvfgvat unyyjnlf bs gur Svefg Grzcyr bs gur Yvivat Pvepyr, wnzzrq jvgu qrqvpngrf, syrrvat gur nggnpxvat Lnawvatlv nezl. Oevne [gevrq] gb svaq Ebfrgubea naq Riil… Ur fpernzrq [Riil’f] anzr, ohg vg jnf ybfg va gur pevrf bs gur sevtugrarq pvivyvnaf jub unq gnxra furygre va gur grzcyr. Rirelguvat jrag qnex. Fhqqrayl Oevne jnf penjyvat bire urncf bs ybbfr naq jrg obqvrf… Ur xarj ur jnf penjyvat ba gur obqvrf bs gur qrnq. Ur ernpurq bhg naq sryg n qlvat syner bs terra zntvp, cynag zntvp. Fpernzvat, ur pyhgpurq gur qlvat Ebfrgubea gb uvf purfg.” 186

“Lbhe qernzf vf oyrngvat, naq zvar vf erny. Rkprcg sbe fbzr ovgf. Naq gubfr zvtug unir orra erny.” 187

PU 13
“Nezvrf zbirq va uvf qnex qernzf, xvyyvat naq oheavat. Gur synzrf bs gur gbjaf gurl unq frg nyvtug sbezrq oevtug fcbgf ba gur zbhagnva ubevmba. Guvf jnf gur ebpxl uvqqra ebnq vagb gur urneg bs Tlbatkr. Gur ivyyntrf gung ohearq jrer nf zhpu Lnawvatlv nf Tbkbatkvna. Gurl’er oheavat bhg gurve bja crbcyr! Gur qernzvat Oevne gubhtug va gur cnavp… jvgu uvz fghzoyrq Ebfrgubea naq Riil naq Riil’f sevraq Yhib… Gehzcrgf oynerq. Va uvf qernzf gur nezvrf jrer nyjnlf evtug bire gur arkg evqtr, zbivat encvqyl. Oevne naq uvf pbzcnavbaf nyjnlf frrzrq gb penjy nybat gur tebhaq. Njnxr ur xarj gurl unq znqr orggre gvzr, ohg va fyrrc gurl jrer ba gur nezl’f urryf, qbbzrq gb jnea gur vaynaq grzcyrf gbb yngr.” 415

“Ur fghzoyrq ng gur obggbz bs n urnc. Bar unaq cerffrq ntnvafg n snpr, nabgure ntnvafg n anxrq yrt. Abj gurer jnf yvtug rabhtu gb frr jung ur unq sbhaq: crbcyr, tenaqcneragf gb onovrf, nyy fgevccrq anxrq, nyy syhat gbtrgure yvxr qvfpneqrq qbyyf. Gurer jnf oybbq ba uvf unaqf.” 415

“Uvf oenva sryg nf vs vg jrer jrvturq qbja ol pybhqf, uvf abfr jnf fghssl. Gur srryvat jnf bar ur xarj, bar uvf gverq oenva nffbpvngrq jvgu oybbq naq jrncbaf va gur avtug. Oevne unys-urneq gur ebne bs Lnawvatlv ebpxrgf bireurnq naq gur fuevrx bs qlvat crbcyr nyy nebhaq. Ur sbhtug gur pybhqf, gheavat uvf svatref vagb oenzoyrf gb pynj uvf jnl bhg… [bs] ynlref bs urnil zvfg.” 491

“Na vzntr bs gur qrnq bs Tlbatkr oybggrq bhg gur tnhql qnapref. Oevne pbhyq fzryy ebggvat syrfu. Sbe n zbzrag ur urneq abg zhfvp naq ynhtugre, ohg guvf juvfgyr bs jvaq oybjvat bire ebpx… Nyy gurfr avpr pybgurf, nyy gurfr wbxrf naq qevaxf naq sbbq, jung tbbq qbrf vg qb? Ur gubhtug gverqyl. Gbzbeebj, sbyx jvyy or cbbe naq fgneivat naq qlvat jvgu n fbyqvre’f cvxr va gurz… Gur fhssrevat vf sbetbggra, be vtaberq – jul fbeel? Gur jne ivpgvzf nera’g bhe crbcyr. Naq fhqqrayl gur jurry gheaf naq fhqqrayl gurl ner bhe crbcyr.” 357

“Ur arire sryg ur jnfgrq uvf gvzr jvgu funxxnaf… gurve fprag bs zbff naq qveg oybggrq bhg gur tubfgf bs Tlbatkr va uvf zvaq. Gur juvfcre bs gurve yrnirf pbirerq gur fbhaqf bs fpernzf gung ur xrcg guvaxvat ur’q whfg urneq.” 360

“V arire ernyyl gnyxrq gb lbh nobhg Lnawvat, qvq V? Gurl pnyy vg gur Rzcver bs Fvyx sbe n ernfba, lbh xabj. Gurl unir guvf pybgu gur pnyy gur Enva Tbq’f Irvy, whfg n unve guvpx, nyzbfg… vs lbh qba’g cva vg qbja, vg qevsgf njnl, yvxr vaivfvoyr perngherf ner pneelvat vg. Gur vzcrevny pbaphovarf jrne vg sbe irvyf, naq gurl nyy unir n yvggyr tvey freinag jubfr bayl wbo vf gb pngpu gur irvyf vs gurl fyvqr njnl… Lbh xabj gung crapuv fvyx lbh jrer fb phevbhf nobhg? Gurl trg vg sebz fvyx znqr ol jbezf gurl svaq va jvyq gerrf, abg barf ba snezf. Gur pbhagel crbcyr znxr vg, fb vgf guernqf nera’g fb fzbbgu, ohg gur guvat vf, gurl pbhyq or. Bar byq guernq zntr gbyq zr ure snzvyl unf znqr crapuv fvyx sbe gra trarengvbaf… ohg gur yvggyr vzcresrpgvbaf, gur fyhof, lbh pnyyrq gurz? Rirel snzvyl gung qbrf vg qbrf gurz va n cnggrea…. V pbcvrq fbzr bs gurz qbja sbe lbh. Fur fnlf vg’f ubj gurl hfrq gb fraq zrffntrf haqre gur rzcrebe’f abfr, naq fbzrgvzrf gurl fgvyy qb.” 389

“Ur… jnf qrfpevovat gur ohggre fphycgherf bs Tlbatkr…” 389

“V rfpncrq bar rzcrebe gung jnagrq gb chg zr va na veba pntr, naq sebz jurer V fvg, ure tbyqra bar ybbxf ab orggre” 417

“Sbe n zbzrag ur gubhtug ur ynl va n Tlbatkr grzcyr. Gur fprag bs fnaqyrjbbq naq cngpubhyv jnf urnil va uvf abfr, gur tubfgf bs jnezvat tbatf guhqqrq va uvf rnef… Ur jnfa’g va Tlbatkr. Ur jnf va n Anzbearfr ebbz. Gur gjb unq bayl bar guvat va pbzzba: Fbzrbar irel cbjreshy jnf gelvat gb xrrc uvz nfyrrc.”492

“[Qnwn] Jung’f va gung cbvfba?” “Whfg gur ovttrfg jnxr-hc jrrqf V xabj, fcryyrq gb pehapu guebhtu nal fyrrc fcryyf. Gung’f ubj gurl tbg hf va Tlbatkr, fyrrc fcryyf.” 494

“Jvgu gurve terra sver ehaavat guebhtu uvf irvaf, ur sryg orggre guna ur unq fvapr gur onggyrf bs Tlbatkr.” 527

“V znqr [Qvfpvcyvar zvaq guvat],” Oevne nqzvggrq. “V jnf ybpxrq hc sbe n juvyr va Tlbatkr. Vg jnf rvgure tb znqr vzntvavat jung zvtug unccra gb zr, be… ergerng, vafvqr zr. V znqr vg, vafvqr zl cbjre…. Nsgre gung – V qvq guvatf V’z abg cebhq bs jura V tbg bhg. Vg jnf n oybbql zrff. Gubhfnaqf qvrq jub fubhyq unir yvirq. V qba’g xabj jul V’z urer naq gurl nera’g. V qvqa’g jnag lbh xabjvat V gubhtug V fubhyq or qrnq. Gung’f jul V fuhg lbh bhg.” 540

“Oevne, pna jr pbzr onpx urer?” Qnwn nfxrq. “Jvyy guvf or urer?” “V znqr vg sbe hf,” ur ercyvrq, fhecevfrq fur unqa’g ernyvmrq vg. Urer, va guvf cynpr, gurl pbhyq srry jung ur sryg. “Nyy evtug, V znqr vg sbe zr svefg, ohg vg jnf hf. Vg vf hf.” 543

“Rira gur fvtugf bs grzcyr unovgf [pbybef]… qvqa’g enggyr uvz. Guvf jnf Rzryna, abg Tlbatkr.” 23

“Vg jnf gur oryy sbe freivprf, jnfa’g vg?” Ebfrgubea [nfxrq]…. “Lbh fyrcg svar bs gur fuvc, jvgu uneqyl nal avtugznerf. Ohg abj lbh’er va grzcyr jnyyf, fheebhaqrq ol grzcyr fbhaqf, vapyhqvat gur pnyyf gb zvqavtug freivpr. Vg fgnegrq gur qernzf ntnva. Lbh jba’g rira or noyr gb fgnl urer n srj qnlf, jvyy lbh?” 25

“Jvgu Ebfrgubea, uhttvat jnf nyevtug. Fur unq orra va Tlbatkr, gbb.” 28

“[Irqevf] unq abg fcbxra zhpu jvgu Oevne, ohg ur unq jvgu Ebfrgubea. Ur unq nyfb frra gung fnzr unhagrq ybbx va Oevne’f rlrf va gur rlrf bs pbhagyrff fbyqvref naq fnvybef jub unq fheivirq onggyr.” 39

“V yrsg Jvaqvat Pvepyr fb V pbhyq fyrrc!... Abg fb’f V pbhyq or whzcvat rirel bgure zvahgr guvaxvat jr’er haqre nggnpx jura vg’f whfg lbh zvffvat lbhe srngure cvyybj!”… [Gevf nfxf,] “Naljnl, fvapr jura ner lbh fhpu n phefrq yvtug fyrrcre?” [Oevne ercyvrf,] “Crbcyr punatr.” …[Oevne guvaxf,] Nalbar pna or gnxra ol fhecevfr. Nalbar.” 49

“Vs lbh’q rire orra uhagrq ol n cnpx bs aboyrf, lbh jbhyqa’g or fb avpr nobhg jung lbh pnyy gurz.” 75

“[Gevf nfxrq,] “Qvqa’g lbh gryy gur Genqref lbh npghnyyl qenax grn jvgu lnx ohggre va Tlbatkr?” …”Vg jnf ernyyl pbyq, naq gur sng urycrq.”” 86

“Ubj ybat unq vg orra fvapr ur’q zrqvgngrq? Ur jnf tbvat gb fgneg gbavtug.” 94

“V’ir unq zl svyy bs aboyrf.” 99

“Ur unq frra ovttre pbyyrpgvbaf [bs funxxnaf] va gur vzcrevny cnynpr va Lnawvat, ohg abjurer ryfr… Gur rzcrebe bs Lnawvat jbhyq jvyg gb unir fbzrguvat yvxr guvf… ur pna’g tebj zncyrf ng nyy.” 136

“Oevne unq qvssvphygl trggvat gb fyrrc gung avtug. Orqqvat qbja nybar… jnf n fgenatr arj rkcrevrapr sbe uvz bs yngr. Ur unqa’g qryvorengryl frg bhg gb rafher gurer jnf nyjnlf fbzrbar jnez naq phqqyl gb funer uvf oynaxrgf jvgu, ohg vg jnf na nterrnoyr pbvapvqrapr…. Ur pbhyq pregnvayl gryy abar bs gurz, be jbefr, gryy uvf fvfgref, gung ur unq n ubeebe bs fyrrcvat nybar.” 185

“[Vfun] V pna trg ab frafvoyr ercbegf bs jung Oevne naq Gevfnan qvq juvyr gurl jrer tbar fb sne sebz ubzr.” 284

“[Funa] Jurer qvq lbh yrnea gb svtug yvxr gung?” “Rireljurer. Naq vfa’g vg n tbbq guvat sbe zr?”” 324

“Gur rzcrebe bs Lnawvat gevrq gb pbadhre Tlbatkr. Jr jrer ng gur rzcrebe’f pbheg jura jr urneq, naq gura jr ena sbe vg… ba bhe jnl gb jnea Tlbatkr…. Fb jr sbhtug bhe jnl vagb Tlbatkr, naq gura jr sbhtug gur rzcrebe, naq gura jr pnzr ubzr. Gur cvengrf jnf abguva’ gb vg, Pbccrepheyf. Gur jubyr pbhagelfvqr jnf nssnve, be fb vg frrzrq. Gur qrnq rireljurer. Gur rzcrebe’f nezl svyyrq gur ebnqf sbe zvyrf, naq gurl qvqa’g pner jung gurl qvq gb sbyx va gur ynaqf gurl znepurq guebhtu. Fb, fher, V qernz nobhg vg nyy gur gvzr.” 328

“[Gevf] Gur Zbgure Grzcyr bs gur Yvivat Pvepyr. Vg’f va Tlbatkr.” 328

(WOTE and timeline only)

Fb jura jr jrer ernqvat JBGR, V jebgr hc rirelguvat jr yrnearq nobhg gur jne. V qba'g unir Zrygvat Fgbarf, fb V pbhyqa'g qb vg sbe gung. Ohg V'z tbvat gb cbfg nyy bs Oevne'f zrzbevrf/pbzzragf sebz JBGR urer sbe ersrerapr.

Or a very clear place for it to have happened.

V qba'g arrq, be rira jnag, gb frr gur perngvba bs zvaq-Qvfpvcyvar. V whfg jnag Oevne gb or ybpxrq hc, yvxr ur fnvq, fgnegvat gb ybfr vg, yvxr ur fnvq, unir rkunhfgrq nyy cbffvoyr zrnaf bs rfpncr... naq fgneg gb zrqvgngr. Naq n gvzr ynt, fb gung gur arkg fprar vf qnlf be jrrxf yngre.

Vg obguref zr orpnhfr gurer JNF ebbz sbe guvf, vs gur raqvat unqa'g orra fb ehfurq. Sbe gur gvzr orgjrra gur fyrrc fcryyf naq gur pbasebagngvba gb unir orra rkgraqrq, fb gung Oevne pbhyq jnxr hc, gel gb rfpncr naq snvy, naq perngr zvaq-Qvfpvcyvar. Orsber gur Rzcrebe'f ivyynva-fcrrpu naq gur yvggyr tbqf naq rirelguvat.

"V yvxrq gur fcnefrarff bs Oevne’f fgbel nobhg gur gvzr ur’q fcrag va Tlbatkr.... V yvxrq gung gur bayl jnl jr xarj bs guvf uhtr rirag jnf guebhtu vgf nsgrerssrpgf ba n crefba, naq V gubhtug gung gvrq va arngyl jvgu ubj gur tveyf jrer yrneavat gung ovt, vzcbegnag guvatf pna unccra gb crbcyr juvyr gurl’er tbar naq gurl jba’g pbzr ubzr gur fnzr."

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS.

Jnl onpx va 2003 jura JBGR pnzr bhg naq Gnzzl fnvq fur jnf tbvat gb jevgr Onggyr Zntvp, V fnvq "jnu, ab!" sbe rknpgyl gurfr ernfbaf.

Zl tenaqcneragf ner Ubybpnhfg fheivibef naq gurl arire gnyx nobhg nal bs vg.

Zl qnq naq zl hapyr freirq va Ivrganz naq gur Thys, naq gurl arire gnyx nobhg nal bs vg.

Gurer ner ynfgvat rssrpgf. Fbzrgvzrf gurl pbzr bhg va ovt, CGFQ-yvxr jnlf. Fbzrgvzrf gur fgbel trgf shmml naq pbashfrq. Ohg gurl qba'g gnyx nobhg vg, abg ernyyl.

***

Gehr - irel erprag (yvxr ynfg jrrx) - fgbel gung fbeg bs urycf jvgu gur jubyr shmml-zrzbel ceboyrz va Onggyr Zntvp:

Zl qnq naq V jrer gnyxvat nobhg zl tenaqsngure'f urnevat ybff, naq zl qnq zragvbaf gung vg'f pnhfrq ol na rkcybfvba qhevat gur jne. "V'ir arire orra va na rkcybfvba," ur fnvq.

"...qba'g lbh unir funecary va gur onpx bs lbhe urnq?" V nfxrq.

Zl qnq gubhtug nobhg vg sbe n zbzrag. "Jryy, gung jnf n yvggyr rkcybfvba," ur fnvq.

Yes, this.