Shakar

The first days of the travel, consisted of chasing shadows. You saw signs of your pursuers, but never caught one. You know that there are more than one. In fact you found traces of their camps (mostly by scent). You know that when you split up, so did your pursuers. Although you can’t find him/her you are absolutely certain that one followed you all the way to Azariah’s.

Other than your shadow no one bothered you on the trip. Hell who would bother a Tiger any ways.

It is apparent that there is a scarcity of food, the demon managed to destroy much of the harvest. The Tribes seem to be taking what is left. As you moved further east you are aware that the blockade from the war is causing prices to rise in the towns as goods and food become more scarce. Taxes are also on the rise, the poor have gotten poorer and the rich, richer. In some of the lower class Inns the poor are complaining about the war and are questioning the need of it, in some cases these are the same people who clamored for war in the first place. However, the upper class and the nobility are still behind the war effort, although some believe that the powers arrayed against them will prevail.

You have heard that the Church of Chal has issued a decree asking for more help in the war against the Heretic. The Alms have responded and many in the East and North are sending Troops. The Alms in the far west are remaining neutral for the most part although some have responded to the pressure of the Church. It is expected that the majority of the forces will arrive in the nest 30 - 40 days and the war will begin in earnest once again. Furthermore the Fist of Chal seems to be moving most of its forces to the conflict as well.

Even five of Saip’s Alms are lending aid to the church (Almajar, Amaziah, Sahar, Azricaj and Carmeliraj). The rest of his Alm’s are moving forces towards the expected fighting fronts, the river A’mari’a’avami, the bay of Var’ Naic and the west group of his Alms.

On the journey you also discover that bandits are becoming more bold as there are fewer troops in the areas to suppress them. However, the lands immediately around Eral’s lands are devoid of bandits as the Tribes seem to have chased them off.

On your travel’s you had the opportunity to make contact with your network of contacts, however, since I don’t know who you would have approached you were too busy wenching and missed them all completely. (Hint post more specifically). Therefore T’j will not make have any of their services at this time.

Alm Azariah makes you welcome and takes your news and digests it for a few days. Ji’al is doing well, but feels like a prisoner and wants to be reunited with T’j. Azariah acknowledges that Alm Hah’fiaj is sending an honor guard to get his daughter. Azariah agrees to let Ji’al go to T’j when the honor guard arrives. Azariah wonders out loud what the cover story is, and asks what story he is to corroborate, and if you have none he will suggest using Alm Rafimen as the scape goat as this can be used as an excuse in the next few months. His conversation implies that T’j continue to ally with him and vote as he does, or Ji’al’s father will know the real story. “Please remind T’j the price of my support.”

T’j

Courier’s are sent with letters, inviting the following Alms to meet near on Eral’s lands near the border of Shal’aj and Sepiam. The date for the meeting was to be the 25th. I assume the letters indicated that T’j was going to assume control of Eral’s lands and was going to assume control of the Tribesmen.

Meeting with the White Lion Tribe.

You make contact with Saer on the 19th and you are introduced to the White Lion Tribe on that evening around the their sacred standing stones. Apparently each Tribe has its own standing stones. Saer (Lincoln) can fill you in on the culture and significance of these stones if he wants to. That evening is begun with a long and impassioned speech by Saer. The Tribes listen but seem to make comments during the testing. Saer informs you that he was describing why he believes you are the foretold Orzan and was linking your deeds and heritage to the prophecies of the tribes. The next day involved a number of tests designed to ascertain if you have the four virtues in abundance. The four virtues that the tribes hold above all others are: compassion, courage, cunning and combat skills. All members of the tribes whether male or female are expected to possess these virtues.

The first day your combat skills are rigorously tested by ever increasing difficulty. Apparently the Tribes are satisfied by your combat skills.

The second day tested your cunning in a variety of situations, games, leadership tests, dispute settlement ECT...

The third day was a test of your compassion, although you only realized after the day was over that the tests were being held through the day.

The final test of courage, involved a day long ritual in which the Pamori cleansed your body and soul to prepare for a meeting with the Ashani. The final piece of the ceremony involved drinking a scared concoction that put you into a deep trance like state and then the Pamori linked you with the Ashani in the standing stones. This was a soul stripping journey that exposed all your fears. You also confronted your worst nightmares (magnified 100 fold).

The next day you were given conditional approval and given the title of Orzan. The White Lion tribe pledged to follow your lead and actions provided that you strive to return their lands to them. You were given an Hoenir guard of twenty warriors (male and female) who were to accompany you at all times along with one of the Pamori). You get the sense that they are there to judge you as well as protect you. Five of them also speak the Pir’em language.

You received word from the Alms Shal’aj, Sepiam and Asalam.

Shal’aj agrees to meet you because he believes that you are a force of good, because you were able to banish the demon when neither the church or the shadowmages were able to. For that reason he will meet with you.

Sepiam refuses to meet with you. He sends you a curt note:

To the pretender T’j

You steal the miracle of Chal who destroyed the demon. You are a fraud and an enemy of the Holy Empire. You have brought the scourge of the broken lands here to raid, pillage and destroy. You also seek to wrest the Eral’s lands from it’s rightful heir, my son. My wife is the daughter of the late Alm Eral and our child is the only living male heir. Give up you claim and send the tribes back or you will suffer the wrath of Chal.

Asalam agrees to met with you. He recognizes your strength and knows that neither can fight more than one front and he does not want an enemy in the rear when the forces of the Church are arrayed against them.

However, prior to meeting with these Alms you receive a delegation of present Alm Eral (the late Eral’s elderly/frail father). Knows that you have control of the country side but he has control of the towns, roads and fortresses. Does not relish the idea of being forced out at whim and thus will not easily give up his title of Alm. Demands to know what your intentions are and/or what your negotiation intentions are.

Meeting with the Alms Shal’aj and Asalam.

Both Alms came in person to listen to your case (not sure what you intended to say to them so I am going assume a little here). Like your offer of peace vs war. What to know what benefit they will reap for supporting you. They have several demands.

1 The heretic needs to be recognized and supported.

2 Must be willing to fight against the Church with all of his resources.

3 Must be willing to join the struggle in increasing the southern Alm’s influence/position in the Empire

4 Tribes must stay under T’j’s control, and must trade for food and other items rather than raiding.

5 Must recognize Emajal to the Pajmal council.

6 Demand as good faith that the existing Alm Eral and his servants/ staff are treated well and are assumed into your household as a good faith gesture to show that they won’t be treated poorly as allies.

If these things are accomplished them they agree to ally with you depending upon what you offer to them as compensation or reward for their support.

Your learn that all the Alms are mobilizing new troops some against the tribes as defense for their lands (Alms Shal’aj, Sepiam, Hah’fiaj, Asalam, Epal and Hamaji).

Saer

The White Lion Tribe welcomed you into their circle when you arrived and there was a feast held in your honor that evening. During that the evenings smoke you stated your purpose and your rational for T’j being the Orzan. As is the custom everyone listened patiently until you were done. The elders were then given the opportunity to speak, the chief Naelal after which the Jarazine Cire spoke. The cautioned the White Lion Tribe to be careful in rushing to trust this young Jarazine. He showed that not all the parts of the prophecy are fulfilled and in fact there is some doubt as to the claims of some of them. He said that the four lines.

Fire will be his to command The black sun flown in the sand His song will bring us peace His voice the Ashani release.

Have not been realized.

The claim of the T’j’s victory over the false Orzan is only speculation, as for the bounded beast no one has seen this beast. As for the Tiger that has not been demonstrated. And so he sowed the seeds of doubt.

After some others had spoken the another warrior (Kahalr of the Condor clan) from the Thunder Tribe stood up and said that he had met T’j before in the broken lands and was witness to him binding the Ancients Blue Serpent in one of ruins of the Ancients. And so the crowd conceded the that T’j may have truly bound the beast.

Lastly Shaili the eldest of the Pamori stood up and spoke. He said that T’j certainly fulfills some of the criteria to be considered to be the Orzan. Enough to be placed under the tests of courage, cunning, compassion and combat. If he was a candidate to be the Orzan he would undergo and survive all these tests and only then could he be judged.

Shaili also said that the Jarazine Saer who brought T’j to them would also be tested by the Ashani on the last day of testing to determine if his motives are pure and unbiased.

T’j was able to undergo and meet all of these tests to the satisfaction of all. Your testing involved a similar ritual to T’j in which you spent the day purifying you body and soul. Lastly Pamori gave you sacred drink and you were linked with the Ashani. Your soul was laid bare before them and you were asked a thousand probing questions, some seemed innocuous others or great importance and some seemed trivial. After the questioning was complete one voice spoke to you and said. “You have found the signs and not created them, you have sought just to find and not to use, and you believe rather than hope and so we find you worthy to speak on behalf of the man you claim to be Orzan.” With that they released you and the Pamori echoed back the words of the Ashani to the people of the White Lion Tribe.

The judgement of the all was that T’j was strong enough to be the Orzan, but that not all was certain and until the other signs have been revealed the Tribe would continue to assess him and his actions. As a result he was given an honor guard of 20 warriors and the Pamori Urail to watch over him, protect him and assess him. Several were able to speak the language of the Empire. 16 are of the White Lion Tribe, 1 of the Four stones Tribe, 1 of the Black hearts and Kahalr of the Thunder Tribe.

Reactions of the various notables

Naelal - he is enthusiastic and believes strongly that T’j is the Orzan. He will help as he can and will urge the Orzan to fight for the land.

Pamori

Urail - He desires to drive the Empire away from the their lands, but is skeptical of T’j and believes that he has not fulfilled enough of the prophecies to be the true one.

Shaili - Understands that this may not be the Orzan but is willing to let the prophecies develop. Knows that the Shawnal are not strong enough to drive the Empire away and knows they will need allies and cooperation to live here again. At best T’j is the Orzan at worst he will be a tool in the quest to serve the Ashani again.

Rozaro - is cautiously optimistic that T’j is the Orzan. However, her true desire is to be near the

Ashani and speak with them.

Jarazine

Cire - is not convinced and has worked to put thorns in Saer’s way. He believes that the timing is not right and the tribes too weak and that T’j will not be malleable enough.

Contacts among the Jarazine

1. Jolarmar- you mentor. He is a white haired gentle man who inspires devotion and discipline. He encouraged you to follow you intuition and instincts at all times. He has some influence in the Hall of the Jarazine (Borathr). Currently residing at Borathr.

2. Amuari - Your sister, she is two years older than you are and in many ways you want to be like her, she is resourceful, dynamic and uses her knowledge to interpret her intuition. Currently living with the Two Spears Tribe.

3. Kodalr - A fellow initiate and class mate. The two of you spent much time together, he has similar views to you. He has an almost perfect memory and is an expert in the Shawnal lore and law. With the Silver Eel Tribe.

4. Odorn- a man in his 40s who lives with the White Peaks Tribe. He doe not share your youthful optimism and surety that the Orzan will come in his lifetime. You saved him from the clutches of Gorass (a six legged carnivorous lizard) which was over 8 feet long. Feels that you saved him for a purpose, but feels foolish to believe in fate.

5. Arcor - he is 2 years older, but was a fellow student, who often bullied you, until one day you popped him one. Ever since he has been your friend and was the one who instilled your sense of adventure through numerous pranks and mishaps while living at Borathr. Currently with the Grey Coyote Tribe.