The hunt for companionship (Calleigh)

[Anastasia]

With that, the commune is cast.

Who is paying for the component?

"...interesting," Balyss says once the spell concludes, entire form shedding faint moonlight as she rises.

Mirajane merely nods and smiles, and after a beat, "Do tell us all, though."

"To your first question, I found the location of Gytha. He resides in the Deep Ethereal in a place called Famille. He named it himself, apparently." Balyss says, as the last of the moonlight fades from her.

[Yuthirin]

How much is it?

'Good, good. Anything else?'

[Anastasia]

1,000 gold, Tryll.

"I was informed of ways to control and manipulate destiny. It's complicated," Balyss says, rubbing her forehead, "Selune gave me a glimpse of Her point of view."

[Yuthirin]

'I can read them from your mind, if you are willing.' Tryll offers, 'If they are too complicated for words.'

[Anastasia]

"No, I just need a few moments to collect myself." Balyss leads you to a back room in the Lunatic cathedral, taking a seat there. "The first thing you have to be able to do is to see destiny - see the future. Seers are essential to this. You can't act on destiny if you don't know what it is. Powerful magic or natural talent's a given for it, and you have to understand that law and chaos are always at war over fate. Law seeks to uphold and strengthen it, chaos seeks the opposite. As such, no destiny is ironclad short of great interference, and even then, it can be overthrown like the Child of Lifasa."

[Yuthirin]

Distant tiny shouts of "I just wanna paint you a little!" are ignored.

'Clairsentience, then.  Bother.'

[Anastasia]

"Not your strongest field?" Balyss asks, as Mirajane joins all of you.

"Anyway," Balyss picks right back up, "Secondly is the wisdom to be able to manipulate events towards the destiny you like. The best analogy I can think of is..." A pause to rub her temples, "It's like playing chess with millions of pieces on the board, and they can move in whatever direction they please. So you have to start small, little things and build your way up. Learn how to control small things, twist fate on the micro level. Learn it and slowly grow, be a keen judge of people."

[Yuthirin]

'While the field itself is not barred to me, its greater auspices are. This will require some great forethought, and possibly at least one additional psion like myself. Perhaps Hamogan can aid us.'

A muffled crash from outside, and a splash of something liquid. Laughter.

'The control of destiny is unsurprisingly complex. All players must be taken into account. We will need to plan, and planning isn't my strongest skill. Anything else?'

[Anastasia]

"There's more advanced methods. That's the most direct way. Specialized magic and the ability to impose probabilities and numerology onto destiny," Balyss says, "I think that's something like what Taelfagn does. You learn ways to constantly improve a destiny's chances, ever working so that grander and grander changes are possible. At the highest level we have his machinations, which we've seen directly."

[Yuthirin]

Again the mildly unpleasant sensation of nodding tentacles. 'Numerology as well. Hmm.'

[Anastasia]

"There were nine traitors," Mirajane says, plainly.

"Yes," Balyss agrees, "You can see the obvious handiwork of numerology there. Creation knows the power of numerology, repeats it and justifies it endlessly. Used properly, I think it can be used to guide destiny through that."

[Yuthirin]

'Do we have a numerologist?'

[Anastasia]

"Nope," Elena pops in, "But Muirfinn is friends with one, Glitterosm. You should look him up, call in the favor."

"Thanks, Elena," Balyss says, "Can't help but listen in, huh?"

[Yuthirin]

'Likely not. Thank you, Elena.'

[Anastasia]

"You're welcome!" Elena vanishes then.

"Ahem," Balyss coughs into her hand, "So there you go."