The crowd is beginning to disperse as everyone has a busy day ahead of them, though for once both braves are without chores. They know that unless they decide on something to do it won't be long before someone collars them and sets them to work.

The coming Fire Season was a time for the youths of the Clan to ride out, cause trouble, raid other Tribes and search for adventure.

OOC: I'm just waiting for Henal to chime in. You guys can head off with Sitting Deer for some fun, or we can skip through the week's spell learning and then get you off looking for the others. Henal I need a spell from you and the choice for your final Rune.

Henal looks at Sitting Deer. "Words travel fast. Maybe time to go and hunt before we get stuck doing something boring".

Sitting Deer smiles "Come with me, we're sure to come across something. My younger brother saw bush turkey out there yesterday and tracks of wild pig. There'll be plenty of time as no one has raided us for a week now."

OOC:What would you guys like to do? A bit of hunting and perhaps something else? Or get on the road to find the others?

The remainder of the day is spent helping Sitting Deer and several others with guarding part of the herd and hunting.

Early the next morning finds a small group of young braves gathered in before the Shamans' compound, a collection of yurts and tents behind a corral of dried thorn bushes.

There's no one else to be seen nor heard, apart from the occasional shape of someone going about their early morning business, partly hidden by the mist that has rolled over from the nearby remnants of the Serpent that had been summoned by their Khan Nausyas during the Rainman ceremony several weeks earlier.

Thanks to the mist and early morning gloom it is quite spooky and no one present seems eager to enter the compound.

Tarnessh swallowed in hesitation, but knew that he couldn't let his friends and peers see him appear to be frightened or weak. He took the first step into the compound. "Come on! We're supposed to work with them, so how can we stay scared of them?" He boasted

This is all it takes, and following Tarnessh's lead the Braves tramp into the corral, though they keep the Sun Hawk brave between them and the yurts.

It's whilst they mill about that the shamans appear, popping out of the mist in a flutter of Black feathers, a ray of piercing sunshine, a loud thunder clap and finally in typical Condor fashion by just appearing behind someone and blowing in their ear.

Nothing is said, just firm hands leading each of their charges out into the mist.

Both Henal and Tarnessh find themselves alone with their Shaman, just the pressure of their firm grip on either elbow or shoulder guiding them to their destination.

Suddenly and separately they find themselves walking out of the mist.

In the case of Tarnessh he is atop a high Mesa, Bright Treasure already high in the sky beating down with it's midday fierceness. Of the mist and his shaman there is no sign, but behind him is a high sided conical tent, covered in the Runes of Sky, Fire and Truth. From it's top spirals a long plume of smoke and from it's opening comes the sound of a flute playing.....

Meanwhile Henal finds himself nearly knocked of his feet by a gust of wind, which is a lucky thing, for his feet teeter on the edge of a mighty cliff, clouds far below him hiding the ground. Cloud Walker has vanished, though behind is a crude wooden hut, made from great logs, obviously felled from the forest that grows nearly to the edge of the cliff. It looks dark and impenetrable, in contrast to the open door of the hut, from which shines the light of an inviting fire and the smell of Bison stew.

Henal looks around before starting to slowly walk towards the hut.

Arriving at the open entrance to the hut Henal can see Cloud Walker sitting inside before a roaring fire, from the ceiling hangs a jumble of fetishes, gewgaws and oddities that the young brave can't make out.

The shaman has on his lap a fine bronze sword, from it's shape and size one obviously stolen from the settlers up near Pavis.

"Come on then sit yer arse down....You can stir the stew" and he points to a clay pot filled with bubbling rabbit stew, sat on the coals of the fire.

"So, a sharpening charm is what yer want young Henal?"

"To make my blade as sharp as the hawk's beak" Henal replies as he sits down and starts to stir the stew.

Cloud Walker nods at this, pleased with the answer, putting out his hand to accept Henal's own sword and allowing the brave to continue looking after the stew.

What follows is an intense week of meditation, training and rather excessive drinking. Henal spends equal time practising his new charm, which had been drawn out of the spirit world and placed in his head, and doing long and sometimes laborious chores.

Each evening would be spent sitting on the edge of the great spirit cliff, legs dangling into the abyss, sharing some strong oasis beer and chewing the fat, literally.

"Thunderbird has chosen you...And the others, for some greater purpose. I think to unite the Clans, though I am naturally suspicious of Raven's motives and for that matter Sun Hawk's interference and general smartarseness."

Condor doesn't even get a mention, but why would he?

"You had visions during your initiation did you not?"
This message was last updated by the player at 10:01, Thu 21 Aug 2014.

Tarrnesh entered the conical tent, unsure of what he would find inside or where he was. He assumed it must be the vision tests that he had heard spirit-seers experienced.

The tent is filled with dense smoke and music. Strangely enough it doesn't hurt to breath and Tarnessh is able to locate the offending fire and Smokey Jojo sitting next to it. He's the source of the music, playing a long bone flute some six feet in length. The Sun Hawk brave has no idea what animal could possibly provide a bone that long...

Eventually the Shaman stops his beautiful melody, the smoke clearing to a barely noticeable fog.

"So you wish to learn a charm? One that throws up a barrier of blinding light I seem to remember."

Tarnessh can see that from the ceiling hangs scores of gourds, small, fat, thin and huge. They move slightly, agitated by the hot thermals from the fire.

The flute has vanished, replaced with a long skewer affixed to which is a dressed bird of some kind. It gets placed on two supports and Smokey Jojo indicates that Tarnessh should turn it.

"You had visions during your initiation did you not?"

Tarrnesh nodded. "Yes, sir, of course." He said, while turning the skewered bird on the spit.

"Is there anything that you would like to share? Sometimes, even with Sun Hawk's clear sight visions can be cloudy or conflicting."

"I remember seeing a series of towers, a man in copper armour fighting off a horde of trolls and darkness in the Big Rubble, and then an army of us Praxians marching from Tada's High Tumulous. Then Sun Hawk told me to seek the Truth and help to unite all of our people." Tarrnesh said haltingly, trying hard to remember the fragments he could still recall from months ago.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:28, Sat 30 Aug 2014.

In reply to Cloud walker (msg # 19):

Henal replies slowly "Yes, I had visions. I felt like I was looking down at the land like a bird soaring through the air".

"Then I saw the clans riding against chaos, coming from all of the plains to fight".

Cloud Walker nods, his face serious "And this chaos did it manifest in any particular form?"

"Towers?" asks Smokey Jojo as if this does not surprise him "Do you remember anything about them in particular? The others also saw a Copperman. This could be the guardian that they talk of. Though this is Pavis you talk of. Mmm. One of the 17 foes of Waha was known to have a magical axe and he was killed by Trolls within the city many generations ago. I would say that it is he you saw, overwhelmed by Darkness. I have not heard that he had copper armour. This is indeed interesting.

Balastor was his name.

The other each mentioned Tada in some form or the other and obviously have some connection with him. He was not of our people, but he saved Eiritha so he must be remembered for that."

"You know would know far better then I, sir." Tarrnesh said. He was somewhat overwhelmed by the prospect that the vision presented him. He didn't doubt the spirit, because to doubt the Sun Hawk would be madness, but he had not expected anything like this destiny or responsibility to fall on him. Of course, he couldn't outwardly act like he was afraid, especially if he was to be a Shaman of Sun Hawk, who were supposed to simply accept the Truth at all times.

"But what does it mean? What should I do?" He asked.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:03, Mon 01 Sept 2014.

"These visions are a puzzle, with Sun Hawk giving you the truth of things. But like all puzzles, sometimes you must gather all the information together and then they become clear. Your friends had their own dreams. Share your's with them and perhaps then you will see" replies the shaman.

OOC: okay folks as mentioned I will be bringing us altogether this week, thanks for your patience. It's daily posting and if you're worried about being unable to post try not to leave your character in an awkward position so other players are waiting for you. Have fun.

OOC: Sounds good to me. I think it ended in a good spot for Tarrnesh, at least.

Henal replies "We assembled and chased the headhunters back into the Tunnelled Hills, driving them into the ground. In our ranks seemed to be a man in copper armour".

OOC: Should be ready now. Just needed to try and catch up a bit.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:00, Tue 02 Sept 2014.