Happy, yet tired; as much in spirit as in body; Hoskar drinks in the congratulations of friends and family, not to mention drinking in Kumiss in moderation.

Maybe he catches a hint of Amara's eyeing of the wealth he had brought back by the grace of the Great Rhino, or maybe this had been on his mind all along. So much still to do. I need time to speak with the spirit of Skullbush: renew an acquaintance and hone my cookery, I think. Not to mention a try to read a scroll. And then there's these rhinos. A blessing, but also a decision and a burden: we can't trail them around with us, so how best to pass on their care to benefit the Wandering Rangers. Owning to hold onto things isn't the god's way: must consider what we all need in trade for the tasks we have ahead.

His musing tails off, realising Melock has asked for help working things out in the cave; so, as the Raven brave sets to leave, he adds: Can't say I like it down there much. Won't be touching anything. But I'll come along when I can if you need everyone's ideas. I at least want to get that map set in my memory.

The fires struggle against the day, with both Haratt and the camp sprite doing the best to keep the overhang warm and cozy. It doesn't really matter as everyones previous sadness has been lifted by the arrival of the new Rhino, which as the braves drink, are being daubed in runes and colourful hand prints and fed bundles of Rhino grass collected earlier in the day by the three young Rhino youths and Ohanzee.

Stories both old and new are told and laughter fills the rocky, smoke filled space, as far above the sky fills with stars.

Alone, Salen paces the cliff edge all his senses alert. As he comes to the Southern end of the ravine the Condor Brave can hear from a cave below the haunting sound of Melock's Ocarina as he summons his spirit guide and begins his weeks tuition.

Starlight twinkles on the pool and there deep beneath it's cool water is a silvery flash as something large darts from one side to the other.

Salen smiles.

Singing starts and it is a song about Vinga, taught recently by Zonta to Amara,  both womens' voices ringing out loud and true...

It's a good night and even when someone turns to offer Fireborn a swig of Kumiss or asks Mina to play her drum it does nothing to dampen the feelings of togetherness that binds the living.

And over it all can be heard the shrill shriek of Copperman's steam pipe and his thin voice crying out

"Drinky?"

With Weayaya and Talutah's help Skullbush is summoned and an accord made where she gladly imparts her knowledge of cooking to those in need.

She proves to be friendly, warm and with a sense of humour not often met with the spirits that inhabit the depths of the Wastes.

Those not taking part see those that do huddle amongst a stand of bushes and after a while vanish to the sound of drums and chanting.

Not long after the ravine is filled with mouth watering smells of cooked delicacies....

Throughout the night there's the sounds of scrabbling from the South Western wall of the ravine, as Melock is put through his paces, and later across the largest rocks out amongst the boulder fields. Webs glisten in the morning as the ancient spider spirit's kin begin to arrive, protecting the ravine and killing all that dare encroach on her territory with ill intent towards those that inhabit the ravine.

Through out the week Weayaya holds court on the ledge outside one of the smaller overhangs, demonstrating her knowledge and imparting her healing skills.

She's joined by Ohanzee, Iye, Maska, Kimimela and whoever else wished to learn.

At the hottest part of each day Salen and Ohanzee vanish up the western exit to visit Oglod. The Lizard spirit entertains them in his hidden sun lit cave, imparting skills of survival and plant lore to his followers. More often than not both braves stumble back, red eyed, giggling and hallucinating.

In a reclusive space amongst the boulder field Zonta can be found putting Amara through her paces. Javelins fly at extraordinary speeds and distances, sometimes thrown stationary, other times on the run.

The Vingan Rune Lord, despite her years, has amazing stamina and a strong throwing arm.

Over the week during both day and night the Rangers search the tomb looking for clues, more equipment and anything else of interest.

The coffin and secret door remain firmly closed, with whatever magic used by the Mostali preventing anyone from tampering with either.

Close examination of the murals on the coffin shows what must be Igneous mash and his companions leaving the Tower on the banks of a river carrying something precious in a box. Above the tower is a black feather. The procession of Mostali eventually arrive at the tomb where Igneous Mash is buried in a ceremony. The Box placed with him. It is evident that much magic is cast.

The magic seems to have come from the tower.

Nothing else is discovered in the tomb. It seems that apart from the secret door everything has been discovered that can be.

After Amara left to join Melock in the Mostali tomb Ohanzee continued his discussions with Huuruahu....

Looking about the spirit world version of the ravine, for that is what it surely is at the moment Ohanzee takes in the abundance of life, the frogs trying to stay still and unseen below the water or in the weeds that clump at it's edge, fish darting after insects or leaping from the water after a mouthful and at the same time trying not to become a mouthful. And then there are those insects, dragonflies hawking over the surface chasing smaller insects.

"There is so much life here." he remarks "And with the success of the Rangers there will be such life through the land again. It will be good to know the spirits that we will need to deal with, that we should welcome."

"They will each have a place in the mended land" he looks down at the leeches crawling on his legs "To me some like these creatures are a pain, but to others, to fish and frogs they are food and in turn those creatures feed bigger ones. Each has it's place and it's guardian spirit."

He looks back at Huuruahu "The insects, the dragonflies, mayflies, beetles and the like. Do they have a greater spirit to speak for them, is it a single spirit or does each type have one, what are their names and how best to address them?"

He smiles "A spirit for bees would be good to know, it is so rare to find such sweetness as they can produce."


Ohanzee lends his voice to the singing and his drum to the beat to help in the summoning of Ehawee. Whilst cooking is a woman's work he is nontheless interested, after all sometimes there may not be a woman around. His interest extends though to Ehawee's children too and during a quiet time when the pots are simmering and there is little to do but talk he asks her "Ehawee your chldren are at home in the darkness and in the air. One would make a fine familiar then for a follower of Raven and Orlanth such as me. May I have your approval in catching one and summoning into it a spirit to awaken the child?"


Ohanzee giggles as he lays back on the warm rock watching the quite obviously female half human half lizard visions floating above him. The correct half is human and as they float above him performing enticing acts the strangest notion comes to him. Oglod, have you heard of a plant that creates a lot of gas inside the one who eats it? I've heard stories of such a thing, it was called The South Wind herb by one teller and Thunder Fruit by another."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:39, Sun 27 July 2014.

As the Bright Treasure falls below and Darkness once more fills the Ravine Ohanzee leads the sept and any who want to join in singing the names of thse who have fallen, remembering them as Dowenhowee told him how. This is followed by prayers of thanks to Raven for hiding the sept from their enemies in the long treck to the ravine.


Between songs and food, drinks and laughs Ohanzee asks the eldars "Healing the land is not enough, the peoples of Prax shuld be reunited and whilst the proof of the Ranger's activities is obvious it may not be enough to bring together some of the tribes and clans."

"I have been thinking on this and on what Amara has said about the lance, about finding it and returning it. If the Rangers were to find other such items, items sacred to other clans and tribes and return them to their Khan's." he nods at the thought "That and the greening of the land together should convince even the most doubting that the time has come to reunite."

"Have you any tales of such items, tales of hat they were and where they were lost, anything to start a journey?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:14, Sun 27 July 2014.

After offering thanks to Huuruahu for his information and assistance and gifting him with a prayer Ohanzee leaves the pool with various thoughts on his mind. First and formost of these is at the moment that they are likely in as good a place as exists outside of the Zola Fel for summoning Frog Woman and his mind is litterally abuzz with thoughts on how the chance that they can do this might be improved.

Intrigue he thinks to himself as he ries to scrape the leeches from his legs with less deftness than the older women, Intrigue and show, they are the keys to a good shaman and I may not be that yet, but what better than to practice here so that I can impress the Raven shaman when we arive at the tribe.

"Use what you've got and make do where you need to." he mutters as he puts together the beginnings of a plan. It is cold, that doesn't help, but it's worth a go he thinks looking about for remains of the impala that rained down on the area when Big Mouth went KABOOM. He zeros in on the locations by the flies and carrion beetles that he hopes are already being attracted. gathers up what he can find adding to it a fish or two that he catches with a well placed casting of distruption. The latter he slits open to reveal it's guts but otherwise leaves whole and then places everything in large leaves and wraps it up sothat it can be carried cleanly. He takes the whole lot over to the far side of the newly created extension to the pond placing it a little way from the edge.

If need be he makes a fire near carrying a flame from the camp spirit to start it in order to create enough heat to carry the smell of the matter in the air and attract the flies and other carrion insects.

Leaving that to work he washes himself so as not to carry anything from the offal and then collects small boulders and stones clearing a space as he does so and building a shape at the edge of the old pond and the extension. It is roughly round but at one point instead of the edges meeting to for the circle they come in towards the centre to meet about half way in so that the thing could look like a lilly leaf.

He ropes in any who want to help, explaining that he's going to try to summon Frog Woman who is a powerful spirit according to Huuruahu. He gets the youngsters to catch frogs cautioning them to treat them well and keep them safe.

Once everything is ready and all those who want to join in are in attendance (Possibly next day) then Ohanzee instructs all present with the authority of one who knows exactly what he's doing even though he's making it up. "The youngsters need to hop around the edge of the leaf making croaking sounds and gifting a prayer to Frog Woman. The older ones can squat in the leaf in a circle around the bundle with flies and release the trapped frogs towards the middle with the offering of a prayer to Frog Woman and the gift of food for the frogs. It is important that the prayers are said before releasin the frogs so that the link with Frog Woman prevents them from getting scared and confused."

"As this is going on I will be calling her and with luck she will hear us even though I am not a shaman yet."

Taking a seat with his drum where the cleft in the leaf nears the centre Ohanzee begins his frog song.

Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Hear our call.
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Come to us all
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Food is here
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Your children eat
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Flies a treat
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
It ain't no joke
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Here's a place to soak
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Hear our call.
Ribbit Croak Ribbit Croak
Frog Woman, Frog Woman
Come to us all

Happy but still focussed, Hoskar finds himself well-fed from his time with Skullbush, learning skills for the pot. Woman's work, some say, but when we need a meal or to show hospitality to seal a deal, it's vital.
He needs all the confidence he can get when it comes to figuring out the scroll they found on Sage Consequins, as well. Laced with new ideas, it's tough reading. From time to time, he can be found scratching little pictures in the dirt; vaguely like the bodies of people, or just their faces; then scuffing them out with his foot and starting again.
The light of understanding seems to be dawning on him when Ohanzee mentions a ceremony to Frog Woman. Good idea: another friend well-chosen by Raven, it seems. Putting his studies aside awhile, he follows Ohanzee's lead to help in the ceremony.

"Each has their own spirit, but there is one that rules them all....A darkness spirit, She lives far to the North, but with strong magic she can be summoned."

Here the crane looks about the Ravine

"Though I would advise you not to try here as she does not like either Oglod nor Grandmother Spider."

"You and your friends are destined for greatness Ohanzee raven. But beware of over stretching yourself. You are young. Grow your powers, strengthen the support from your people, do not rush...Talk to your shaman and he will aid you in Summoning the Insect spirit."

Then bowing to both women and brave the spirit takes off, exploding into a hundred feathery shards of light.....



"You are most welcome Ohanzee Raven, reach up into my branches and remove one of my sleeping children. You are bound by me to take good care of her and all my children from now on."

And there above the assembled nomads are a half dozen bats, sleeping deep with the nearest skull bush.




Oglod has a think about this and replies

"Thunder Fruit you say? Aye they can be found during Earth Season, below the sand. A bloating Mushroom, brown with orange markings on it's underside. The South Wind? A lichen found on the Southern sides of boulders, similar in colour, Brown with orange specks. All year round though more potent in Sea Season than others."

As the drum and chanting finishes, the noise rolling across the still waters, there is a disturbance out in the pool, a small ripple at first, followed by more and more.

Slowly a large amphibian head rises, just two eyes, watching....

The three women listen carefully to Ohanzee before replying.

"Ohanzee each Tribe and Clan has their own stories and to know them all would be impossible.  You would need to ask and likely they would not say what is important for them, thinking that you wanted to steal their secrets.

What you want are the Severn Great Treasures of Prax."

And they are right for having in their possession these great Treasures would certainly win favour with all the Nations.

”Thank you Ehawee.” he replies and then as he reaches up towards the cluster, about to take the largest one in the middle he notices that there is one on the edge slightly. It is smaller than the rest, a runt perhaps like him and like him it is a little apart from the others. Not much, maybe just the width of a blade of grass away, but nonetheless not huddled tightly with its fellows as they all are.

”Hello there little lady. You will miss your sisters and they you a little less than any of the others would I think.” he says gently plucking her from the branch. Then turning to Ehawee again he says ”From this time on your children are my charges.” as he cradles the little bat in his hands holding its wings closed so that it does not flutter and damage them and gently stroking the back of its head to calm it.



Ohanzee is quite frankly astonished that the ceremony worked, he had even planned ahead how he would explain away the fact that it had not worked, what with Rhino Gouge so far from the Zola Fel and her home, and Ohanzee not being a full shaman yet, he could go on.

What he had not planned on was Frog Woman actually coming so now he sits in silence for a moment his mouth agape like a frog’s when it is about to shoot it’s tongue out for a fly.

Recovering his composure in what he hopes was quick enough to go unnoticed by the Sept and Rangers he finally ventures ”Oh great and wise Frog Woman we thank you for gracing us with your presence and visiting this pond.”

“Welcome to the pool of Rhino Gouge” he pauses ever so briefly as a thought comes to him amphibian, lizard, are they so different, especially when it comes to spirit versions? He smiles ”Rhino Gouge, the home of the mighty and wise Oglod great father of lizards, and quite the ladies man.”

“Those gathered here, my Sept and Rangers alike wished to introduce ourselves, thank you for allowing us to do so and to pay homage to you.”

”Of course! Why didn’t I think of that!” Ohanzee exclaims nodding at the suggestion in that exaggerated way that firewater brings on. Then turning to Harratt he asks ”Talking of treasures, the griffin feather that Fireborn carried, can you make out what the nature of the magic on it is?”

The air about the pool sparkles as a gateway is formed between this world and the next and ever so slowly the Amphibian Spirit begins to move closer to where the humans are gathered.

As it's head rises out of the water, it can be seen that the spirit is, apart from it's frog head, womanly in figure. A strange but oddly alluring sight.

But before she can answer Ohanzee there's a flash of silver deep within the pool and the water explodes about the Frog spirit, showering all those watching and soaking them to their skin.

Once the spray has cleared, there is where the spirit had been standing a great commotion in the water. It boils and froths as if a battle is taking place below the surface.

Haratt produces said feather and holds it so that it catches the firelight. It's as long as his arm, golden and beautiful.

The Sun Hawk seems to be talking to someone in a low whisper

"It is the property of Sun Hawk, only one versed in Truth and honesty may benefit from it's secret."

Ohanzee is shocked by the reaction of the spirit in the water. He hadn’t thought much about her, taking for granted that there wouldn’t be a problem. After all he had never experienced her though he had heard of her that was about it. She hadn’t worried about Huuruahu entering her domain and feeding on the inhabitants.

Salen knew most about her but he had been very cagey on the subject giving no more information than was asked for and even that was terse, as though he was hiding something. And he had given no warning that this might occur, so how was I to know!

Having followed Ohanzee's lead, and thought it a good idea too, Hoskar can only flinch away; being familiar with neither Frog Woman nor the spirit of the pool. She didn't worry about me when I dived in thinking Amara was in trouble. She didn't bother the braves thrown in by the Mostali trap. She seems to like Salen. She surely must have seen a frog before. What the...?

Ohanzee's axe glows brightly as the two spirits fight within the pool and after a bright ultra violet flash from deep within the water everything goes quiet.

A bubble rises and pops.

Then the crickets start and a bird tweets...

"Maybe it's a woman thing." Ohanzee quietly voices a thought as he realises that perhaps the spirit within the pool did not like the presence of another perhaps more alluring female spirit, jealousy.

His hand still rests on the axe and he stares into the water wondering what the result of the fight was.

After a moment of silent meditaion Ohanzee announces "Well I don't know what was about but until I do I shall stay away from the pool in case I have upset the spirit there. It is over now and Frog Woman has returned to her home, combat broken by a gift."

Once he has woken up, Melock heads to the tomb one last time and ensures all the traps are active and locks the main entrance. When he's done, he rejoins the others under the overhang, "Just to let you all know, I've locked the tomb up and the key is in my pack"