Subject: Re: Approaching a Falling God

Holn and Fa sniff the air and listen carefully to footfalls, the follow Buchek cautiously.

Subject: Re: Approaching a Falling God

Elotai is oblivious to all of this, so he simply carries on.

Subject: The Beast Falls

Buchek bursts from the edge of the grass with Nauhata primed for a fight to the death, just as another squeal is cut abruptly short. The rest of the party coming rapidly on his heels. Emerging into the clearing, they see the beast fallen, lying on its side with the warriors warily approaching it.

The leader is shouting in the barbarian tongue to his people, which Buchek, Holn and Telwyn recognize as orders to stay back.

"Do not approach! We have slain the physical body, but the spirit is still strong and may yet strike! Do not touch or despoil the body, for we do not wish to incur any more of Khoftak's rage!"

With that, the leader calls for his ceremonial axe, and one of the younger fighers at his side runs off towards the ruins of the huts. Just as he turns, he catches sight of the party that has emerged from the grasses and shouts back: "Kubalc! Take heed!"

Kubalc turns from the fallen beast and looks toward the party, not sure yet how to react to their sudden presence at this spiritually sensitive time.

Subject: Re: The Beast Falls

Holn does not trust the dying thing, having seen too often what large predators were capable of when mortally wounded. The mana glows about him, he grips his mace warily.

He strains to see where the leader is going.

Subject: Re: The Beast Falls

Telwyn halts, taking in the scene. The big one with the axe must be the leader; he'll be the one to speak with. The men of the tribes near Armis were often a little anxious when approached by outsiders, but they were usually willing to parlay before attacking if approached with the proper respect. Hopefully these ones weren't too different.

Telwyn carefully and deliberately lowers his bow. He slowly places the arrow back in its quiver and slings his bow, then extends his arms out to his sides, palm open and facing the barbarian leader.

"I see you, warleader," he calls out in the barbarian language, hoping the dialect won't be too different. "We mean no harm or disrespect. We came to offer aid."

Subject: Re: The Beast Falls

Erk will say quietly from the rear, ?Buchek. If any are wounded, you can tell them that I am a healer. If it will help, and they will accept our aid.?

Subject: Re: The Beast Falls

Leaving Nauhata in the ground, Buchek stands. He will wait for the clan leader to aknowledge him before he speaks, however.

Subject: First Meetings

Kubalc hears a strange variant his own language issue forth from the strange man's, and confusion settles on his face. The man looked strange - his ears were not right, and there was something else about him that was not entirely human. Another in the group looked even stranger, a strangely thin swordsman with white hair, again with the same strange ears. What were these men? Were the emissaries of Khoftak somehow, sent to punish or make peace?

He looks to the others in the party, from the metal-clad warrior of the mountain folk, who seemed almost as out of place here as the giant weasel, to the two men of the tribes. The one seemed a mystic of some sort, one of those who could call upon the earth's natural forces, but the other was... he stopped as he saw the markings on Buchek's face. The other was... dead?

Could Khoftak have sent an ancestor spirit from beyond the living world to admonish him? Or perhaps to make truce?

Glancing about, trying to see where this strange band could come from, he looks beyond the grasses to the crest of the high hill, where he sees a girl child riding a beast of burden hitched to a wagon. Surely then, these were not emissaries of the gods... but travelers.

But what of the dead man?

"I see you strange one. I also see the ghost that travels with you. Do not come any closer if you wish to aid us, until we make ritual to appease the god spirit Khoftak. If you despoil this ground, my warriors will sacrifice your blood to the god of hunger to quench his thirst."

Subject: Re: First Meetings

Telwyn nods to the barbarian, then relays the barbarian words to Erk and Elotai. He keeps his distance until the ritual is complete.

Subject: Re: First Meetings

Holn will "wait and see"....

Subject: Re: First Meetings

Erk stays behind, listening to the Telwyn's warning not to interrupt the ritual. Erk knows the importance of such things, so he will stay respectfully silent and grave throughout.

But inside, he is practically bouncing with impatience. There are surely men here needing his aid! It chafes him to delay the comfort Clangeddin can bring them.

How long will this heathen ritual last, anyway?

Subject: Rituals and Greetings

Content to wait, the party watches as a runner is sent to rummage through the remains of the tents and another is sent off into the grass in the direction of the huddled women and children.

The first returns with what appears to be a large, artfully designed axe. The second returns more slowly, leading an old man with a gnarled wooden staff, which appears to be made of a long root instead of any sort of branch or cut wood.

Kubalc bows low to the aging shaman, and then falls to a knee, holding the axe before him. Too far away to hear anything, the group watches the shaman bless the axe and the forehead of Kubalc before rising and following him to the body of the slain weasel.

The old man sings in a powerful, deep voice, raising his hands to the air, and Holn translates for the others.

"Spirit of hunger, we did not wish to bring this fate on your earthly body! Spirit of hunger, please forgive us our trespass against your living temple! Spirit of hunger, we offer our humble apologies and service to you for whatever actions we took that invoked your anger! Spirit of hunger, we expose your heart to the hungry wind so that your spirit may be freed!"

With that, Kubalc raises the axe high above his head and splits the breast of the beast with a loud crack. Several of the men pry open the rib cage as the blood pours out along their legs. Another crawls into the chest cavity with a knife and cuts the heart free, dragging it out onto the blood-stained earth.

The old man stands over the heart and draws a long thin knife from his robe, holding it high in the air.

"Spirit of hunger, I honor the pact made between you and our people. Spirit of Hunger, in accordance with ancient pact, I offer my life in exchange for the lives of my people so that your hunger may be quenched. Spirit of Hunger, I spill my blood to mingle with yours in offer of truce."

As Buchek is translating these last words, the group watches aghast as the shaman brings the thin blade down with lightning speed across his neck and gouts of blood spurt from his body. Folding upon itself, the man's body crumples atop the steaming heart, and a cry of lamentation rises from the assembled warriors.

Erk stares in shock at the act, disbelief ruling out the horror he cannot allow himself to feel. He gasps, and hears the gasps of the others, and feels a chill settle over his shoulders. Telwyn stares agape, as does Elotai. Buchek and Holn remember stories of shamans whose lives were bound to their tribes, but cannot think of any tribes who still practiced this custom in earnest. Kayla lets an involuntary cry escape her lips and fights the nausea rising in her throat.

As the lamentations continue, a young man comes forward. He wears a robe similar to the old man's, but carries also a spear and a deep wound in his left shoulder. He lays the spear beside the old man's body and claims the staff, raising his hands to the air.

"Spirit of Hunger, I renew the pact made by our people! Spirit of Hunger, I live and serve at your pleasure!"

With that, the lamentations become prayers of sorrow and appeasement to the totemic god. As if by cue, the young man drops his arms and the cries fade to simply the sobbing of women and children.

Kubalc looks up at the group sitting a distance away up the hill and motions that they may now approach. Two warriors step to his side with spears held to their sides.

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

Kayla is horrified at the ritual, but tries to remain quiet. She will approach with the rest of the group, but remain silent unless spoken to.

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

Holn admires the ritual, simple and direct. This people had found an initmate relationship with life in their region, and he could see that the compact would continue. He felt kinship with the young man, stepping into his mentor's role, much as Holn himself had.

He puts away his mace, dropping his magical armor, and approaches Kubalc with open palms and bare forearms.

"Hail, Great Chief! We come in peace, and ask for your leave to travel through your lands."

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

Erk says quietly to Buchek, ?Is this the way of your people? To slay themselves to appease their gods??

Subject: Re: First Meetings

Elotai remains quiet, but lowers his bow. He struggles to keep any visible signs of how disturbed he is by the manifestation from showing...

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

Is jake getting our emails?

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

Yes. But until today he might well have been unable to send to the list. That has been fixed now.

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

OOC: I am. Raja has given me a Strobelight account. I sent the following from my Sakeriver account a couple of hours ago, but it doesn't look like anyone received it.

"It is an ancient way. I have heard of it, in stories of heroes such as Cush, or Tamelak, but I did not think that such things had been done for many lifetimes. Perhaps Holn knows more of this."

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

?I find this aspect of the grassland people? deeply unsettling, my friend.? Erk frowns. He knows that the beliefs of others must be respected, and the multitude of gods in the world means a multitude of ways to worship. But the idea of a god requiring suicide is directly opposed to his own beliefs. He has a hard time imagining how such a practice could be encouraged by a god of goodness. He determines in his heart to be very careful while dealing with these people. If they will murder themselves recklessly, who knows what value they place on the life of another?

?Please, if you get a chance, let these people know that I am happy to do what I can to heal the wounded.? No matter what, the value of life must be upheld. Even if it is as small a thing as rendering aid to strangers.

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

As do I. It was to end this practice that Cush stood up to the gods who then protected the Cushat. I had thought that his triumph had put an end to such practices once and for all, many lifetimes ago. Perhaps The Weasle has gone back on his word and abandoned the gods' Covenant With the People.

Subject: Re: Rituals and Greetings

Buchek shoulders Nauhata and begins to walk forward, his left palm over his right breast. "We bring healing for the fallen, Weasel Slayer.

OOC: Matt, does Buchek recognize this group's clan markings, or perhaps recognize any of the individuals from trademeets?

Subject: No turn tonight

Sorry. Swamped under schoolwork. I might be able to get something out tomorrow, but nothing tonight.

Things will ease off pretty soon, though.

~Matt

Subject: snowstorm

Hey guys/gals,

This is Fred, Raja's ex-roommate. He's on the phone right now from Nova Scotia and tells me a massive snowstorm has knocked out the power for what might be the entire week. Unfortunately, that means he will not be able to check his e-mail. As such, he commissioned me to notify you that he is not dead. :)

Thanks,

-Fr?d?ric

Subject: Re: snowstorm

Not dead -- that's good. :)

Not checking his email for a week -- BAD! :(

Subject: I live!

The power came on about half an hour ago. It might not stay for good, but I am hopeful.

Word to the wise: if you ever find yourself living in Canada, for the love of all that is good and pure in this world make sure your house has some sort of backup heating system (wood stove, generator, nuclear plant, I don?t care).

It has been a cold couple of days. I spent most of them in bed.

Raja

Subject: Hiatus

I'm getting my everloving ass kicked at work this week, so I'm going to be incommunicado until at least next Monday. Sorry, but I even have to schedule breathing at the moment, and just typing this email is preventing oxygen from getting to my brain.

I'll catch you all next week.

~Matt

Subject: Words from the Dead

""We bring healing for the fallen, Weasel Slayer."

Kubalc looks warily at the party, and his guards step forward as Buchek begins to approach. Their chieftain waves them aside with his hand, and they step back, still with spears to the ready.

"You bear the markings of the dead... are you a servant of Khoftak come to speak on his behalf? What business do you have in this realm?"

As he speaks, the young shaman approaches, eyeing Buchek suspiciously. He calls out after a moment of thought, less contentious than the warrior and more inquisitive.

"You say you bring healing... what healing can the dead give the living? Or are you an ancestor spirit that has lead these men to our encampment to aid us?"

All assembled are wary of Buchek's movements, as though none of them are sure what he is capable of. Buchek recognizes the markings of the Kubalcat from his youth - their leader is renowned for his prowess in battle, as shown today. He is sure that these men would know of the Cushat, and definitely know the Tossucat - likely why they have become so nomadic.

Holn also recognizes the tribal name, and once again marvels at how the young shaman so easily took the role of his elder. His own teacher had spoken of such ways to him before, but the purity in this transition amazed him.

The rest of the party is suddenly aware of the tension of the moment, each again conspicuously aware of the scar and tattoo adorning Buchek's face.

[ODM: Clara - what is Kayla doing all this time? Has she left the equipment to come down to the clearing? Or is she trying to move the donkeys by herself along the road, hoping for some entrance to the clearing? What's up?]