Burrowing ahead

[Corwin]

"Better how?" Seira inquires. "It lasts the day and it protects from hostile scrying and divination. Coupled with Nondetection for backup, it has yet to be casually broken by anything short of direct divine power, and those will types of defenses always suffer from our enemies having more powerful deific abilities so it's one arms race I'm not eager to leap into. If you're talking about a mass version, we could just as easily add it to the Victory Arch for a paltry sum. Perhaps we even will, to conserve spell energy. Did you have a better idea?"

[Anastasia]

"Not immediately, but we should be able to have something better," Kascha says, "We need to be better, Seira." She nods to herself, "We HAVE to be better!"

[Corwin]

"Take it on as a project, if you like," Seira agrees. "We do have to keep on trying more all the time, yes, though I prefer to focus my efforts on other things. Like this quest, as it happens. Are you ready to go?"

[Anastasia]

"I'm ready," Kascha says, "I'll take us there. You've never been to 210, have you?"

[Corwin]

"I haven't been to the Abyss since I ascended, no," Seira agrees. "Ah-- my bad, can you wait a moment? I'm afraid I forgot something in the shuffle, so just wait with Donald for a bit?"

Smiling apologetically at Kascha, Seira appears next to Ranbar after ensuring she's not in the middle of something private.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 57 > [d100=57]

Ranbar's writing in her room. She looks up, "Seira?" she asks, "What aid do you require?"

[Corwin]

"You wanted to chat before all the recent shake up, and so here I am," Seira responds, toning down her normally excitable demeanor. "What's on your mind, Ranbar?"

[Anastasia]

"Oh. Well, I have so much to do - new spells, new faith, new everything," she explains, "You're so much better at all of those than I am."

[Corwin]

"If you think so, you're probably right," Seira allows, tapping her lips on thought. "Part of that is superior experience, which you'll gain as you go on. But another part is arrogance. Maybe that's not quite the right word, but if you're confident in yourself and your success beyond anything a reasonable observer might expect, you'll find the right path and succeed."

She grins, gesturing at herself with her thumb. "Do the impossible! Abandon conventional reason and common sense if they're holding you back! So I have more experience? That doesn't matter! If I thought like that I'd never feel confident enough in going around fixing Lathander's mistakes or planning to take on Shar or any number of things that we've managed time and again. If you're going to emulate me, you should emulate that aspect of me as well!"

[Anastasia]

"So...be as arrogant as a dragon?" Ranbar questions back. "No offense meant."

[Corwin]

Seira rolls her eyes. "Don't go labeling it, because that's a subconscious sign to stop! If you only go as far as dragons, how will you reach prismatic wonders? Out of them all, only one succeeded mostly on his own, and he still needed Aurora's help to manage it. Don't limit yourself by your expectations of reality, or what you think is expected of you by your peers!"

[Anastasia]

"But..." Ranbar manages weakly, "You're a dragon deity, aren't you?"

[Corwin]

"Is that all I am, Ranbar?" Seira asks, her tone of voice patient. "Have I been either of those things when I freed the children of Androlynne? The miracle of hope in restoring Garl Glittergold, was either of those aspects as important to it as my mind and my will?"

[Anastasia]

"Of course not!" Ranbar protests, "I just mean, that is..." she pauses, "Should I talk about what I am like that? It's still so much for me,. and you're so strong and confident that sometimes I can't keep up."

[Corwin]

"You should do you," Seira tells her. "If you want to emulate me, I'm flattered. If you want to find a different way to be reckless and succeed against the odds, I'll be cheering you on. It's up to you to find the way that works best, which is why I've been holding back from pushing you all the way across to divinity. You've got a toe in the water for now, but you aren't fully involved in the greater conflicts just yet. Once you figure out the path forward, however...."