PathFinder....(Walker)

[DoF Archive]

Date: 9/30/1998 12:21 PM Central Daylight Time
From: WaIkrBoh

PathFinder.

The Green Opal.

Originally held by the druid Marzan DeBurgo. Put up in a tournament after Marzan tried to get it back, and the holder failed to show. Taken in that tournament by another druid, Walker Boh. What would its future entail?
___________________

Walker knew little of any of the Opals. He knew the Blue Opal to be destroyed, and he knew of an effort to safeguard the remaining ones. He had not longed for one at any time until now. He had not challenged for one, had not attended the previous two Opal Quests, but now.... Was it the nature of the Opals that were changing due to this protective effort, or was it something inside him that changed his feelings?

The Opal he wanted most was that which was most appropriate for the druids, those most in harmony with nature, and most able to make use of it. And that Opal was PathFinder. The one that was held once by the other druid most frequent in the realm. The one that the same druid wanted back. The one that...he could not get right now. He had been
hoping for the Opal to be sent to the tournament, where he cold prove his skill in the ring against many others in an attempt to have it for his own. And when it happened, he jumped on the opportunity to register for the Quest.

A week or two passed, and the druid had almost forgot about the time of the quest. Miraculously arriving just as the official was closing attendance, Walker dug in for a hard night. He was called into the ring a few minutes later, and quickly made himself ready to fight. As he did so, he looked around at, what was that? Only one other ring? Only four competitors total? Had the gods that controlled these sorts of things making it easier for him?
Still, there were 3 other people. His first opponent, the big burly anti-environment guy. Walker didn't want to think what would happen to the Opal in his hands. And in the other ring, Kelli, who, in Walker's memory, he never seemed able to beat, and Lem, the Mage-Emeritus who beat him up on the island, but what of his skills here?

Walker had little trouble dispatching the tree-hater, and moved on to face who he didn't want to see: Kelli. The fight seemed only a touch harder than the previous, and though he took a bit of a beating, was able to trade jabs to finish her off. After what seemed like too short of a time for the next fight to take place, Kelli had pounded Lem out of the tournament, and was ready to face Walker again. Again Walker seemed to forget his history, and
grabbed a nice lead early on and hang on to take the tournament win.

After what seemed like much too long, the official returned from the storeroom with his prize. As the official opened it, the Opal glowed very brightly in the ring, much more so than he had expected. The others seemed to have similar reactions, but not nearly on the level of his. Was this because the power knew of its master? He slipped the gaunlet on and made a bow to the crowd, and other pleasantries accompanied with winning. He stayed to
watch the opening of the challenge for another Opal, but decided to call it a night, it already being late for him at this time of year.
_

The next morning, Walker decided to invesigate what the Opal could do. He found himself quickly straining his power trying to do the slightest things with it. The DoF literature said he could command small plants, but he could barely get a blade of grass to tie into a knot. After waiting a few minutes to regain his strength, he then tried to pass the piece of grass through his body. As he focused the Opal's energies on the task, he saw the the
blade of grass slowly de-materializing. In surprise, he ceased using the Opal to stare at the piece of grass more intently, but as he did so found it to become whole once again. He started again, and kept on with the task until all he could see was a faint outline of the blade of grass. He then stuck out his other hand, and pushed the piece of grass straight through his palm.

The rest of the day was spent honing his skills at doing this relatively simple trick. He seemed to forget about its use in commanding plants, but was busy using the technique the DoF people called "camouflage". Was it more than just being able to pass through other organic substances, or was it something more? The more Walker used the Opal, and as the objects he got to pass through himself grew, the question haunted him more and more. What paths
would the Green Opal find for him?
_________________

PathFinder had a new owner. One that liked to see what he could do with it, liked to use up its power as quickly as it was available. How much strain could it take? Would its new owner ever truly learn how exactly to use it? Would he stop playing around by bidding such trifling tasks? What exactly could be expected from him?

And most importantly: could he keep PathFinder safe?