fandomhigh | Folklore and Fact: Mystical Artifacts, Week 7 [Thurs/2nd Period]

Sakura's expression this morning, as she waited for her students to arrive, was inscrutable, although she did have yet another ice cream sundae on hand. On the display screens were three different versions of a symbol that several students in the class would likely already recognize.

"This week's class, like last week's, also has roots in the medieval era, although the stories surrounding our object of focus are more specific to Jewish, Islamic, and Christian tradition," she said. Glancing toward Evie, Dawn, and the Winchesters, she added, "
I'm sure some of you are familiar with the Seal of Solomon. It's found in many accounts, including the Thousand and One Nights, and notably the Arabic tale of the demon Sakhr -- which is very similar to the ancient Greek account of Polycrates, as told by Herodotus."

"Various stories said the Seal possessed different powers," Sakura continued as she moved around the table to open this week's lockbox. "Some say it gave him the power to speak with animals, and others say that Solomon could use the signet ring bearing the Seal to command demons or djinni."

She withdrew a brass and iron ring, set with jewels and intricately carved with symbols, from the box and held it up for a moment before placing it on the scanning platform so the students could see its enlarged image on the display screens. "We haven't attempted to use it to do the latter, but the probability is very high, as representations of the Seal have been known to possess that power." She paused. "As I'm sure some of you know. Some traditions of alchemy also use the Seal as a symbol of transmutation, and forms of the Seal are part of several national flags from the Middle Eastern region -- the symbolism is so widespread that many people don't realize what kind of power it has. That's another reason Precious artifacts such as this can go unnoticed for so long."

Sakura paused, then continued, "But symbols can be very powerful, of course, and the Seal is no exception. The people who were after this ring when we obtained it would have used it to command an army of animals . . . and probably demons as well, if we hadn't gotten to the Pipes of Hamelin before they did."

She shut down the display screens and turned to face the class. "So these are your questions for discussion today. Solomon was, according to legend, a king of unparalleled wisdom and power. What would you do if you possessed an object that gave you the powers of this signet ring? Use it for good or evil? For your own gain, to help others, or some of both? How would you use that power?"

Sakura was secretly hoping for less-than-serious responses today. She could use the entertainment value -- it was really too cold to be eating this much ice cream.

[OOC: Class Info Post. Apologies again for not posting this last night. OCD is up!]

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What would you do if you possessed an object that gave you the powers of this signet ring? Use it for good or evil? For your own gain, to help others, or some of both? How would you use that power?

Dean didn't even have to think about this one. "I'd use it to stop demons attacking people," he said. "And to go after the demon that killed my Mom."

Phoebe's eyes filled with tears, but her voice was steady. "I'd use it to protect innocents and my family against the demons that come after us or others."

"I'd use it to ~~command my demon army in the future~~ stop demons from hurting innocents," Wyatt said.

"I'd use it to protect people as best I could... It would probably be a slippery slope but, if I had the opportunity I should at least try. I can already talk to animals so..." She shrugged.

Tori knew her answer right away. "I'd use it to help people, definitely. And certainly not for my own gain." That how it had been when she'd had her powers and that's how it would always be.

"How much could it be sold for...?" Valentine mused.

"Give it someone who'd make better use of it than I would" Stark said softly. He was fairly certain things would just go horribly wrong if he had something like that in his hands. "But that's easy to say, maybe not so easy to do. I don't know."

Billy looked at the ring and felt queasy. Probably best no one he knew, including him, got their hands on that kind of power.

Carmela looks thoughtful.

"If it could command animals?" she says. "I'd make all the dogs that seem to converge on our house at all hours go away. They kind of annoy my Mama with the constant howling."

"I'd use it to talk to animals, but also to command the demons to stop attacking people," Dawn said after some thought, "and if the command sticks, I'd probably destroy the ring, so I didn't get tempted to do something stupid, and so that someone else couldn't steal it and do bad things."

"I'd break my family's curse, and then make the thing self-destruct," Kyo replied firmly. And he meant it too!

Well...he'd kill all the rats off before destroying it.

"Ooooo." Evie stared at the ring, thinking. "I should perhaps say use it to stop demons, but .... I should also like to speak with animals very much." She tilted her head. "Not for my own gain, of course, but one can have a few harmless conversations before being totally responsible, can't one?"

"I don't know," Z said. "I got a question kind of like this last week, and I think my answer still is 'I shouldn't have that kind of power.'"

"I'd probably use it for the same thing as Dean," Sam said. "I'd find the demon that killed my mom, and destroy it, so that we could have like, normal lives."

Folklore and Fact: Mystical Artifacts, Week 7 [Thurs/2nd Period]

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