Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[sackhead]

My position on the foxes is clear but prehaps we should set a date for the clan to depart this place so we do not wait here to long but still have enough time to regain our strength"

[Silcugar]

LESSER KHAN, Dula Goldcarp: "A fine idea, fellow Master, but for another time. I will bring what we've discussed to the young Khan. Thank you for your time."

With a quick nod, Dula leaves the yurt with her personal guard. The first meeting of the clan ring is complete.

The Gods Watch...
((Forgive the patchwork order of actions as I develop a more concrete pattern of play. Now is time for you to initiate public actions of your own machinations, whether it be with NPC groups, individual conversations, or general management of your duties. I may throw out some interaction for specific members... Bevy events are resolved during this time behind the scenes.))

SACRED GROUNDS
^{|MOREAU, ARA|}

Moreau leads Ara to a hastily sanctified hollowed ground, set up by his bevy days prior.

"Masters," a godi intones, "the gods remain aloof of our strife. But we remain hopeful that Magm the Horse will guide their path to us, as He did so long ago." She leaves you to your prayers...

Spirit and Intuition guide your prayers...

Wise to seek me first of the spirits. But I will not show myself to you, not yet.

The voice comes from within, but so, so distant...

The gods hide for different reasons... Some are ashamed of your cowardice, your impiety... Some confused by these stars... Some test you, and others still are held back by stronger forces. But the bottom line: This land has its own gods. They are strange and foreign. We do not know if they are friend or foe, they are contorted and without proper form.

I offer you this information that you cannot act on. But here is my advice: Once you have recouped, resume your nomadic ways, so that the Wheel may turn once more, and pave a path for Us to explore alongside you. As for my children... They are attuned with Us, this much is obvious. But their dependence on us, maybe not so obvious. The longer you stay, the more they die, the sooner you pack up, the more quickly they will be restored.

In the time between, I suggest you pick your poisons well...

The voice echos away as the chattering of insects and clanfolk return to your ears.

[Chevaleresse]

The newly risen Lesser Khan travels about the encampment, spreading the news to those that hadn't heard yet. "Fear not, Dula and I bear no ill will toward one another," she tells the people, regardless of her certainty about the ex-Khan's feelings toward herself. "These are dark times, but as long as we keep our faith in the gods and our trust in each other, we will come out greater than before." She attempts to build support for herself by initially leaning on the foundation her predecessor had built, while attempting to soothe hostilities between the disparate groups of the tribe. She listens carefully to how the more outspoken clan members reply, gauging their feelings about the clan ring.

[NRDL]

Nix, after dealing with certain issues, decided to unwind, the only way he knew how.  Gathering as many of the clan's warriors together as could feasibly be done on short notice, Nix began to lead them in organised hand to hand combat drills, then separated them into small sparring groups, joining in to test his own skill and evaluate the skill of a promising young warrior.

[Roboson]

Moreau, after returning from receiving guidance in the woods returned to his seers and told them to watch for new gods and spirits of this land. We've come to a land much like our own. Our land had its god's and its spirits, its no surprise this one has its own as well. We will learn of them what we can. As he was discussing this with his seers and godi, he noticed the lesser Khan Layleth Sunchaser about talking to the people. Moreau went and told the Khan of the vision that he and Ara had been given in the woods.

After that Moreau went to help his seers establish communication with the Gods, both known and unknown.

[sackhead]

Kron gathers his men and after a short discussion the set out on patrols around the clans stores

[AbstractTraitorHero]

Ara organizes her belongings.

[Chevaleresse]

"Thank you for informing me of this, Moreau. I will be sure to keep the advice of Cauda's in mind. I must say, I find this business of settling in one place uncomfortable, unnatural even; I am glad that my feelings seem to have been correct." Layleth continues her tour after speaking with Moreau.

[Dwarmin]

Telling tales by the firelight...ancient tradition. During that nights feast (meager as it was) Tyra told a story to those gathered, an old one, but a true one.

She decided the old morals could be the best ones. Tyra wanted to convince people to pull together...surely, to pull apart would profit only the wolves, as she was about to tell.

"...In a far away land, a long time ago, there lived three animals in an ancient, withered tree-this is the Story of the Raven, a Rabbit and a Raccoon.

It was a dry and harsh land they lived in, with little shade, food, or water-and by necessity they came into agreement to share what they could, and not struggle among each other. The Raven made her nest at the top of the tree, the Rabbit made her home in a burrow at it's base, while the Raccoon lived in a hole in the tree's trunk in between. For a time, their small beastly clan was at peace, and they all bore their own offspring-the Raven ever watching for foes, the Rabbit finding the best places for water, and the Raccoon bringing back choice bits of food. Even in such a inhospitable land, they ate well, did not go thirsty and were safe from danger. Because they worked together.

Eventually, however, Raccoon began to grow restless at her place in the world. Her home was not the most comfortable, nor the most secure. Having to share her food between three growing families was always a burden. She devised by cunning means to remove the others, so that she would have the tree only to herself...she was not so much selfish for herself, as out of love for her own kits and the desire to provide for them. For love is a truer path to damnation then hate, more often than not.

She afterwards went to the Raven's lofty perch, and said to him. "My friend, we are in danger. Rabbit is digging too deep and too greedily-I think she intends to knock down the tree! Surely we will both perish, but her home is already in the ground, after all...surely, we must do something."

The Raven agreed, and took off on into the blood-red sky. She would spend many hours, then, watching closely and with great suspicion.

Feeling clever, Raccoon then went to Rabbit and said "Have you seen how Raven is acting? He may own the sky, but he does not own us! I fear he may attack us soon. After all, he is a lot quicker than either of us. We need to be very careful."

Rabbit agreed, and dug deeper into her burrow-she was far too afraid to show herself with Raven acting so aggressively...

...

After a few days, Raccoon woke from a doze, to see if her plan had worked. She searched the tree and found that Raven and her nestlings had taken wing, though without food or water they quickly perished in the cruel land. Rabbit was also dead-so afraid, she and her children had starved in her burrow rather than risk coming out.

Raccoon was satisfied for a time...but, eventually, she grew thirsty. Despite her efforts, she could only find a small, foul tasting puddle. Too late, she lamented. "I wish Rabbit was here...she could always find the sweetest sources of fresh water..." She had to search twice as long for half as much, and still had to gather food thereafter.

So thirsty and exhausted she was, she did not see the red-eyed Wolf who snapped her up that very night! Surely, at that last moment, she regretted then not having Raven's kind and watchful eyes to look for danger. It was as true then and there, as it is here and now-no one can live alone.

In that far away land, there now stands an empty tree.

Only Wolves and Ghosts live there now.

...

Thus the moral be-we need our Clan. It takes Raven's Bravery, Rabbit's Wisdom, and Raccoon's Cunning- everyone can bring their own unique gifts. When you think of your brothers and sisters tonight, be kind to them and do not raise dissent-hold no selfishness in your heart toward your clanmates. We are all one family, and we must all pull the Great Wheel together.

That is my tale. The Clan Ring may speak now, and any of the rest of you-if you wish too. Almost as important as the story is what you think of how it was told." She said, chasing her long story with a draught of water. In truth, she was surprised she had gotten it all out without having to pause! A dry throat often defeated the best tale teller.

[AbstractTraitorHero]

Ara smile's faintly perhaps remembering something a story or a tale from before.
Always liked that story.

[Silcugar]

CLAN (CAMPED)
^{|CLAN RING|}

Layleth Sunchaser find that most clanfolk, when approached by the Lesser Khan, express that they are quite happy with all goings on... though you can see that they suffer silently. Practically everyone had some grievance, and when a clan has a problem, the Clan Ring is expected to act swiftly to resolve it. The particularly bold speak freely, without fear of reprisal, or perhaps blind to it.

An elderly woman pokes you sharply as she scolds you, "The Khan is a spoiled child, and you are only an extension of his weakness!"

A haughty magician grits his teeth as you approach him. "The Battleborn got us into this mess, and now they're everywhere. They'll kill the rest of us in our sleep if it suits them. The respectable Truthseekers and Wanderers are at the mercy of the Masters of War and Justice. They would sooner inflict fear than inspire respect!"

You even happen upon a man unafraid of declaring impiety. His face covered in ash, a sign of mourning. It's thick and cracked, he's worn the mask for quite some time. "The gods have abandoned us. We should seek new ones."

Nix Breathtaker runs into a more visceral form of subterfuge: Violent screams, those of men out to kill, overwhelm the din of combat drilling. A real fight ignited in the ranks of training soldiers! As Nix approaches, he sees an unconscious and heavily bloodied Battleborn laid out flat. Several older, more experienced Battleborn have restrained four men, three Truthseekers and one Wanderer. "They overwhelmed our brother before we could do anything, Master!" one Battleborn yells. Other Battleborn reach slowly for their real weapons, which invites the Wanderers and Truthseekers in the crowd to do the same. "Let us dole out justice!" one Battleborn declares.

Kron Breakspear sees a nimble warrior approach him rapidly while on patrol. Out of breath the man reports, "There is... a brother has been assaulted... the soldiers at the training grounds..."

Moreau Wildwalker focuses on contacting the disparate gods... but makes little progress. Their presence can be felt, but ever so slightly. If this is a test, the conditions remain unclear. Your meditation is broken when a godi is alarmed by a foreign presence.

A man, face thick with ash, dagger in hand, walks slowly towards the circle. "Stop!" a godi commands, "This is sacred ground, meant for seers alone!" This does nothing to sway the ashen faced man, who continues his lumbering approach...

Leon Roguehide, most of his tasks complete, watches over a group of fishermen as they set upon the task of adapting their methods for the ocean. Things go smoothly until one fisherman drags some strange creature from the water, mistaking it for sealeaves. The abominable thing leaps from his hand, floundering about the bricks of the quay. "I don't think that thing is edible..." one clanfolk mumbles as the others slowly back away. Two of your Munes knock their arrows, waiting on your command to kill the creature.

Ara Fox and a smattering of clanfolk listened closely to the Master of Tales, Tyra Firescar, do what she does best. More and more clanfolk showed up for comfort, for togetherness, and to glean what wisdom they could. In these harshest of times, when kinstrife runs amok, the gods keep silent, and chaos consumes, the Ancestors and their tales alone remain as an eternal beacon of what once was, and what can be once again.

A young woman, a Wanderer, approaches the Master of Tales. "Master. I have an idea, if I may be so bold. The stars are gone from us... or changed somehow. I cannot find my patron constellation, and our old calendar is useless. Perhaps... It is time to begin a new era in the Tales, a new calendar to track our exile." This drew no great clamor, only the eyes of the weary to the present Masters.

[NRDL]

"Everyone STAND DOWN", Nix yells.

"If there is to be spilled blood, it will be with our hands.  We do not turn our weapons on our own."

Walking to the restrained four troublemakers, Nix speaks:

"What possible reason have you for attacking your brother?"

[Chevaleresse]

The Lesser Khan listens to the scolding with a stoic expression. She hadn't expected this to be easy, after all; respect might have been justified, given her position, but she had really done nothing to earn it yet. Setting about to solve the issues she can, Layleth seeks out the two Battleborn ring members. She encounters the altercation at the training grounds fairly quickly, having headed there first. She elects to let the men justify themselves to the Master of War before she takes up her business with them.

[Silcugar]

TRAINING GROUNDS
^{|NIX, LAYLETH|}

The Wanderer and one of the Truthseekers look away, silent. The second Truthseeker shows more bravado, staring you down without responding. The third, however, is boldest of all.

"The Battleborn were goading the Wanderer into a fight. He was easily bested again and again, taunted by that sheep-shearer! He even had the gall to talk down to the Wanderer, and besmirch his clan's honor. When he extended these insults to the Truthseekers... That's when I knew something must be done.

"On my order, the three of us beat him down to restore the Wanderer's honor, and our own."

Several Battleborn scoffed crudely at this accusation. One broad man in particular asserted his own opinion. "These are soft men, Master. They are not used to our sparring methods. See how easily taunted they were? It's a disgrace... even a weakness. Now that we're fighting together, we need to thicken their skins!" A hollering cheer from the Battleborn encouraged the man to blurt out further justification. "Maybe we should flay the weak ones, and wrap the others in their skins, eh?" The Battleborns rowdiness continued to grow with each jab at the 'weak links,' and further incensed the Truthseekers and Wanderers of the crowd.

[NRDL]

"Your honour?  Men have honour.  Cowards fight in packs."

Wordlessly, Nix gestured for the third, boldest Truthseeker to be let up.

"Reclaim your honour as a man.  Defeat me, with your hands, and your hands alone.  Refuse and my men will feed you your skin.  I will not offer this chance again."

Nix readies himself for the fight, waits for the Truthseeker to make the first move.