Post by bhagavat on Nov 18, 2009 21:56:06 GMT -5
The games had begun. The whole tribe was surrounding the games circle, dancing, singing, hooting and yelling in excitement to the beat of the war drummers. The Ghostbear tribe was very strong as far as Uthgart tribes went. Large in numbers and blessed with strong warriors. Dharmas felt the building energy as did everyone as he beat his drums and raised his voice in song with his fellow tribe war drummers. The tribe shaman, Jkek, dancing and raised his voice above everyone's, leading the building chants and raising frantic energy, driving everyone wild.
Two warrior stood within the circle, standing toe to toe, trying to use their strength to overpower the others balance and send him sprawling onto the ground. They were both strong and the match had been going on for many minutes. Dharmas looked up at the match while he beat his drum, feeling the energy build. "One will fall soon" He said to himself. A feeling that seemed to come from the music, for Dharmas, it seemed the music led the battle.... the test.. the game within the circle as it led the dancers, hoots and laughter coming from all around.
Jkek let out more of a shriek as one the warriors in the circle proved to be the strongest, throwing his fellow warrior off his balance into the dirt. The drums slowed some as the frantic pace of the circling dancers dramatically slowed to a stop. The warrior raised his arms to the sky and bellowing triumphantly yelled, "TEMPUS!". The new simple cant began, the others of the tribe matched his repeated call to their Lord of Battles, Tempus.
Dharmas and the rest of the war drummers began to match the building tempo of the new chant, beating them harder and faster, and faster, the whole tribe again headed for another climax of raw energy. A strange energy entered his heart as Dharmas quickened his tempo. A smoldering rage burned within him, building as the energy of the chant and music built and suddenly he found himself standing, drum forgotten on the ground in front of him, screaming out to Tempus, arms raised in challenge.
The warrior who had started the victory chant, stopped and looked at him, as did everyone else in the tribe. Knowing he had been chosen, he walked into the circle to join in a test of strength with the strongest warrior of the tribe, the son of the tribes Chieftain and soon to be Chieftain, Grealic Ghostbear. Dharmas was overcome with powerful emotions of honor and power as he faced off with Graelic.
Dharmas was no small man. Standing well over six feet, but the powerful warrior in front of him stood a good spear head length above him still. The man hadn't been bested since he had grown into manhood. The pair faced off, standing wide stepped, arms out, like e bear. Using powerful pushes and swipes of their hands to try and knock each other down. Dharmas landed the first push, flexing his powerful arms and sending the soon to be Chieftain back on his heels. The drumming had begun again as well as the singing and dancing of the tribe. The two combatants pushed and knocked each other back for many moments before one was finally knocked back and fell to the ground. Dharmas wasn't sure how, but he found himself sitting on the ground facing the large and powerful man that had beat him. It had been a good show of strength though and there was no shame felt.
The shaman let out a signaling hoot and walked into the circle of games. The drumming continued but quieted and great deal and the tribe circled around to hear his words. The Shaman walked up to the champion of the games and handed him a long wooden pipe, smoking with some burning weed in it. The soon to be Chieftain accepted the gift and began to bring it to his lips, but then noted Dharmas standing. The tribal warrior saw an image of a ghostlike great bear standing as his fellow warrior stood. Seeing the gift for what it was, he approached Dharmas and handed the pipe to him, nodding to him in respect.
Accepting the gift, Dharmas raised the pipe to his lips and inhaled, puffing on the red and gold weed inside it. Blue smoke wafted around his head and his eyes glazed over after a few minutes. He sank to his knees, head down and had a vision.
He was a bear cub, watching as his family walked ahead of him. Scanning the areas ahead, his mother, looked back at him and he felt the love she had for him overcome him. Then a sound from behind grabbed Dharmas the cubs attention. Sniffing the air as he turned to look he knew what came for them. The creature smelled of strange spices and steel. He knew this creature held no fear for their kind. He also knew that if he didn't act, harm would befall his beloved family. He turned toward his mother and watched her pass over a far hill with the rest of his family, and then turned back to face the coming challenge.
The thing walked on two legs, so Dharmas the cub stood on his back legs. The strange being came upon him then and studied him, looking at him in a curious fashion, but with no fear. A large boot was pressed into Dharmas, knocking him back onto his rear and Dharmas sat their looking at the being. He saw a human, tall and powerful, lift a flaming sword with both hands and yell out a challenge.
Suddenly Dharmas stood back in the circle, with the tribal shaman and elders about. They all looked at him sensing the importance of what had happened to him. The Shaman and elders guided him off to their tents to talk as the rest of the tribe began calming down and getting ready for their beds.
"What did you see young Dharmas?" The shaman asked him, with the elders huddled around in the shaman's tent.
"A vision Jkek. A vision of the ghostbear, leaving me behind to be found by the great warrior." Dharmas replied. The visions meaning had been clear to him.
"Then a gift and demand has been made by the Lord of Battles young one. You must leave Ghostbear behind and follow the path set before you. The Lord of Battles offers you great honor with such a gift, but he has demanded a sacrifice as well. You will go and find the will of the Lord of Battles. Go and find honor and strength and if Tempus sees fit to return you to us, we shall meet again."
With a strong shove the shaman grabbed some of the holy bear furs he kept and thrust them into Dharmas's hands. Another shove and he was out into the night, running under the stars and moon.
Two warrior stood within the circle, standing toe to toe, trying to use their strength to overpower the others balance and send him sprawling onto the ground. They were both strong and the match had been going on for many minutes. Dharmas looked up at the match while he beat his drum, feeling the energy build. "One will fall soon" He said to himself. A feeling that seemed to come from the music, for Dharmas, it seemed the music led the battle.... the test.. the game within the circle as it led the dancers, hoots and laughter coming from all around.
Jkek let out more of a shriek as one the warriors in the circle proved to be the strongest, throwing his fellow warrior off his balance into the dirt. The drums slowed some as the frantic pace of the circling dancers dramatically slowed to a stop. The warrior raised his arms to the sky and bellowing triumphantly yelled, "TEMPUS!". The new simple cant began, the others of the tribe matched his repeated call to their Lord of Battles, Tempus.
Dharmas and the rest of the war drummers began to match the building tempo of the new chant, beating them harder and faster, and faster, the whole tribe again headed for another climax of raw energy. A strange energy entered his heart as Dharmas quickened his tempo. A smoldering rage burned within him, building as the energy of the chant and music built and suddenly he found himself standing, drum forgotten on the ground in front of him, screaming out to Tempus, arms raised in challenge.
The warrior who had started the victory chant, stopped and looked at him, as did everyone else in the tribe. Knowing he had been chosen, he walked into the circle to join in a test of strength with the strongest warrior of the tribe, the son of the tribes Chieftain and soon to be Chieftain, Grealic Ghostbear. Dharmas was overcome with powerful emotions of honor and power as he faced off with Graelic.
Dharmas was no small man. Standing well over six feet, but the powerful warrior in front of him stood a good spear head length above him still. The man hadn't been bested since he had grown into manhood. The pair faced off, standing wide stepped, arms out, like e bear. Using powerful pushes and swipes of their hands to try and knock each other down. Dharmas landed the first push, flexing his powerful arms and sending the soon to be Chieftain back on his heels. The drumming had begun again as well as the singing and dancing of the tribe. The two combatants pushed and knocked each other back for many moments before one was finally knocked back and fell to the ground. Dharmas wasn't sure how, but he found himself sitting on the ground facing the large and powerful man that had beat him. It had been a good show of strength though and there was no shame felt.
The shaman let out a signaling hoot and walked into the circle of games. The drumming continued but quieted and great deal and the tribe circled around to hear his words. The Shaman walked up to the champion of the games and handed him a long wooden pipe, smoking with some burning weed in it. The soon to be Chieftain accepted the gift and began to bring it to his lips, but then noted Dharmas standing. The tribal warrior saw an image of a ghostlike great bear standing as his fellow warrior stood. Seeing the gift for what it was, he approached Dharmas and handed the pipe to him, nodding to him in respect.
Accepting the gift, Dharmas raised the pipe to his lips and inhaled, puffing on the red and gold weed inside it. Blue smoke wafted around his head and his eyes glazed over after a few minutes. He sank to his knees, head down and had a vision.
He was a bear cub, watching as his family walked ahead of him. Scanning the areas ahead, his mother, looked back at him and he felt the love she had for him overcome him. Then a sound from behind grabbed Dharmas the cubs attention. Sniffing the air as he turned to look he knew what came for them. The creature smelled of strange spices and steel. He knew this creature held no fear for their kind. He also knew that if he didn't act, harm would befall his beloved family. He turned toward his mother and watched her pass over a far hill with the rest of his family, and then turned back to face the coming challenge.
The thing walked on two legs, so Dharmas the cub stood on his back legs. The strange being came upon him then and studied him, looking at him in a curious fashion, but with no fear. A large boot was pressed into Dharmas, knocking him back onto his rear and Dharmas sat their looking at the being. He saw a human, tall and powerful, lift a flaming sword with both hands and yell out a challenge.
Suddenly Dharmas stood back in the circle, with the tribal shaman and elders about. They all looked at him sensing the importance of what had happened to him. The Shaman and elders guided him off to their tents to talk as the rest of the tribe began calming down and getting ready for their beds.
"What did you see young Dharmas?" The shaman asked him, with the elders huddled around in the shaman's tent.
"A vision Jkek. A vision of the ghostbear, leaving me behind to be found by the great warrior." Dharmas replied. The visions meaning had been clear to him.
"Then a gift and demand has been made by the Lord of Battles young one. You must leave Ghostbear behind and follow the path set before you. The Lord of Battles offers you great honor with such a gift, but he has demanded a sacrifice as well. You will go and find the will of the Lord of Battles. Go and find honor and strength and if Tempus sees fit to return you to us, we shall meet again."
With a strong shove the shaman grabbed some of the holy bear furs he kept and thrust them into Dharmas's hands. Another shove and he was out into the night, running under the stars and moon.
