Outlander Resurgence

**Background**: The War of Leaves began about 5 generations ago (sometimes called the last generation before the Fall by the Teryxian Ostrakonomists either 148 B.F. or 0 A.F.). The Scholar-Priests declared war on Banyan and the War raged for two generations before the Teryxians at home began tiring of the long, hard fight on Banyan. They did not seem to be making any progress.

After officially ending the War of Leaves, a group of Teryxians remained, called the Teryxian Outlanders (they originally hated this name, but have come to embrace it within the last generation). The Outlanders were able to hunt down Banyari sacred sites more efficiently and utilize terror tactics more efficiently since the Teryxian government was no longer involved in the fight. And so towards the end of the 3rd generation after the Fall, in 3 A.F. 10, the Outlanders led by Aquetzali the Blue (or the Burner according to the Banyari), discovered the site of the Worulthing Hearthwood Tree and burned it to the ground. Since the Burning, the Outlanders have seen an increase in resources and recruits from Quill, but have never again mimicked the success of Aquetzali.

Aquetzali's son, Aztlan, took over the Outlander effort in 5 A.F. 3 determined to find the Hearthwood Tree of the Verthod in order to destroy the Banyari "Resistance." He had been the commander of a squad called WEED (the Worulthing Encounter, Elimation, and Destruction squad) during the Burning, and he personally trained his twin children, Itzel and Coatzl, to be elite commanders, and believed success to be his destiny as his children were not only elite warriors and leaders, but Skyborn. He gave them command of the WEED Commandos with the task of hunting and eliminating any Worulthings remaining as they were a blight on his success.

After one cycle leading WEED (5 A.F. 5, Itzel began to feel the pull of the green light of compassion and told her brother that they were on a mission contrary to the Overlight. Although Coatzl was always the more warlike, and felt the pull of the red light of Might, he often defaulted to Itzel's decisions and considered her the "brains and heart," while he was the "eyes and muscle." They arranged for peace talks with the Banyari.

When their father got wind of this, he became enraged and led his most elite unit (the Prime Teryxian Outlanders, or P.T.O.s) to stop these talks. When he arrived, Itzel, Coatzl and most of WEED fought alongside the Banyari. The Teryxians on both sides were nearly wiped out, and Aztlan retreated with the weakened fighting force that remained.

Upon returning to his camp. Aztlan officially disowned his children and ordered their death if seen in an Outlander Camp or on Quill (although he has no power on Quill). With the elite Outlander squadrons nearly destroyed, Outlander morale was low, and Aztlan knew he could not fight again, and so he has not ordered any large-scale attacks for the last 3 cycles. He has been lying low, recovering, gathering resources, and planning.

During this time, the Green Twins (as they are now called by the Teryxian Outlanders) have been serving as a sort of personal spy force for Lang Mangor, the Head Gok (General) of the Banyari Army. Lang paired them up with a Haarkeen, Einaq, and Worulthing, Boman, who had earned commendations during the fighting prior to "The Calm." Their main task has been to stymie the Outlander rebuilding effort, although he has never called for the death of Outlanders. Lang plans to send the Teryxians to Quill, or make peace with them at long last by proving to them that their efforts are hopeless and that they have been abandoned by Quill.

After three cycles, many Banyari fear that 5 A.F. 9 may be a cycle of renewed effort, as the 10th cycle is often considered the luckiest cycle in Teryxian culture, and the Teryxians will want to be ready to act in 5 A.F. 10.