I01 — Drama Llama Ding Dong

1627, Storm Season

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Season, Week, Day

Events
The Praxians had spend a cosy if damp Storm Season with the Straw Weaver clan, with the exception of Nala who was still in the Paps, and Maalira who was serving at the Chalana Arroy Temple in New Pavis. Nala was approaching the camp, and was mistaken for a horse-rider by the scouts. Thanks to some alarm raising by those who were in the camp still, and some good guesswork by those who did not hear, nobody tried to ride her down. Instead they went and formed a protective cordon because of the large numbers of High Llama riders coming in at speed. Nala tried to join the line to help, and was ordered back surprisingly rudely by the man in charge, Gradoor. He said that only bison riders should be there, and called her pretty. Nala decided to go off and see the chief, or at least his wife Jala.

Toras and Suuraki also moved out to see what the problem was. Toras took up a flanking position off to the side of both of the lines. Suuraki had noted that these High Llama riders looked very related to him, and one of them was his chief, so he made sure not to look like he was in any danger.

Many of the llama riders dismounted and danced their way towards the bison lines, although the warriors remained alert, with one drifting over to cover Toras. Everyone was at least invited to dance. Finally the Blue Llama people were invited in to see Gallaf Hairhide. There was some boasting of deeds between Gallaf and Mirrip, Killer of Cowards, and then the Blue Llamas said that as one of theirs had married out, they wanted two warriors in return. Gallaf said words to the effect that even his guests, Suuraki’s friends, could defeat the Blue Llamas, let alone the bisons themselves, and it was ON. Competitions of every sort began.

First, the Blue Llamas demanded that Valseena prove herself with calling cattle; her ability to call the herd beasts meant that she did as well as the woman set against her. This started proceedings with a tie, and the competitions continued approximately equal. Nala and Waharon competed at hunting, which was done by releasing many small animals and going after them while mounted, with bows. A few people noted that one of the Blue Llamas had used magic but hidden the fact. The magic use itself was not a problem within the rules, but pretending it had not happened was. They wisely ignored it, not making an incident.

There were several more rounds, including an emergency run to fetch Xenofos when it turned out that the Blue Llamas were too good at wrestling. For a while they thought that it would have to be finished by a shaman-off, but after some desperate thought, lances were called for and pegs in the ground and targets on trees were killed. With the shaman v shaman match so narrowly averted, the Blue Llama clan might not even have cared who won. It was, however, the Bisons. The Blue Llamas claimed a single warrior for their own, and later negotiations made this come out as a modest number of bisons.