Prelude: Homecoming

[Trogdor]

Raven raises an eyebrow, inwardly please to see that there is some limit to what the white man's magic can do. "Hunts is right," he says simply. "If it would be too difficult to bring along the horses, we can do without them. They will not be harmed by several days of rest. Weve been riding them hard of late."

"I say we should rest today and leave at first light in the morning."

[Bitom]

Everyone agrees on the course of action and goes to their rest. First light comes at the usual time and sees all of the shamans gathered to greet the sun. All but Listening Raven, who is instead seated in near where the last fire was burning the night before, reading her white man's book. She does not participate in the Shaman's morning rituals at all, but seems to haveher own, if reading can be considered a ritual.

[Vardaen]

Hunts is collected, he has taken most of the gear off the horses tha the might need in the city. This doesn't include camping gear, but perhaps items, liek food, water, and red willow tobacco. He has his weapons with him of course, and checks his rifle and bow. "I am ready." He has already said good morning to the children and good bye to the horses.

[Trogdor]

Raven has little to gather. He trades his saddlebags for a shoulder bag, lightening it by removing gear meant mainly for the open trail. He also stocks up on various mystical materials, and makes one last round through the village prior to turning in to see if his shamanic skills are needed.

In the morning he attends to his prayers with the other shamans, and afterwards allows himself a light meal. Then he bids farewell to his horse, entreating it to behave for the local tribe until his return.

[Bitom]

Listening Raven has the two of you hold hands, and joins hands with you and the young warrior who was attacked by the enemy. The magic is much less remarkable than one would expect. Listening raven closes her eyes and speaks a few strange words, then there is a falling sensation in the pit of your stomach, like dropping off to sleep. Then, you are in a chamber in the NAN council building that seems to have been designed just to receive visitors in this manner. The assistant leads you directly to the elders office, which is built and furnished in the white man's style, as this was once an administrative building for the railroad. project.

Wandering Lynx is an old man. It is said that he was one of the shamans who participated in the great ghost dance which brought the magic back to the world and created the Native American Nation. This cannot be proven, as none of the people involved admit to being part of the ritual. This seems to be a pact among them, and none have broken it except the rituals leader, Howling Coyote, who has not been seen since the formation of the Council. At least four tribes claim the enigmatic figure as a member, but nobody knows for sure who he was before, and those who know him aren't talking.

Wandering Lynx raises his eyes from his paperwork and smiles as you enter. "Listening raven. The children had a good time, I hope? Who are these men you bring back?"

[Trogdor]

"I am called Iya Kagi Taka," Raven says with a sign of deference to the elderly shaman. "It is an honor to meet you, teacher." He then steps aside to make room for his brother to approach the great shaman.

[Vardaen]

The brother does step up, his traditonal dress marks him as a Lakota Souix, and he speaks in that language forgoing the white man's tongue whenever possible. "My brother calls me Wanasa pi es Omna, Hunts By Scent. We are here to speak of important matters." The injun folds his arms over his chest and gives the old man a look of respect.

[Bitom]

OOC

Everyone is speaking Lakota until otherwise stated. I just use English names because I'm too lazy to look up Laskota translations

The young warrior makes his introductions as well. He is known as Two Dogs, and immediatly defers to the other people in the room. He is by far the least experienced, and is only here to tell his part of the story, and he knows it.

The old man nods and reaches down to scratch the animal sitting behind the desk beside him. It is one of the Cats which gives the old man his name, and looks to be as old as him. As it begins to get attention, the cat jumps up on the desk and curls up on the elder's paperwork. there was a time that this would have been odd, but that time came and went before any but the old man were born. Now almost every Shaman has a totem animal that accompanies him wherever he goes. "I assumed you had some important news. It is not often that I am visited by warriors such as yourselves. Do not stand on formality. Sit, and tell what I need to know." He is looking at the younger Shaman as he says this, clearly believing him the leader of the brothers.

Listening Raven stands off to the side and adds nothing to the conversation.

[Trogdor]

OOC

I just used the Lakota translation because V gave it to me.

"Thank you, teacher," Raven replies as he takes a seat. "We come with troubling news. A darkness as come and attacked our village. We don't know where it came from, where it's gone, or even what it is. But it left our village deserted of all but a few horses."

"We discovered this just a couple of days ago when Hunts and I were returning home..." Raven proceeds to give Wandering Lynx a concise explanation of the past few days and what they've learned so far.

"And so we've come here," the shaman concludes, "both to tell you what we've discovered and to see if you can help us learn more."

OOC

FWIW, I believe that Raven is the elder brother.

[Vardaen]

The younger brother nods to his brothers story and fills in only a few blanks when dealing with the tracks, and possible theories on where or when people in the camp moved. He lets his brother tell most of the tale and is silent otherwise.