Game Log 10

## Why Men Rule but Women are in Charge -or- Being Mooned by the Lunars

(day 1)

Mankar was fuming as Mantis spoke with the elementals. "One week! No, less than a week! Do I have to physically beat up every single one of those fools for them to get the message!?" His very large, very strong hands were clenching over and over as if preparing to do that very thing.

Aud tried to calm him with a hand on his arm. "Perhaps it's not everyone just a few misguided people."

"Well, they'll listen to guidance after I beat some sense into them! Nothing to support a good argument like a collection of bruises and broken bones!"

Astra rolled her eyes at this comment but, privately, agreed that this might be the best tactic with some of the harder-headed members of their stead.

With a few minutes, the heroes and dragonewts had returned to their home.

The stead appeared unharmed but there was something off about it. The village had a rhythm, a pattern they knew as they had lived there all their lives. And that rhythm was off... even the normally oblivious Ryala had a wrinkle between her eyes as she looked around. "Fields aren't being tended right now. And the door to the Issaries' house is open."

Just then one of the older hunters sauntered toward them from the forest. He was one of the less popular men though a decent hunter, and not often chosen by the women of the stead. "Hey, it's the 'heroes' back! Come to see what Tekol is making of the place, eh?" He went on chatting without noticing the sour expressions on the faces of the others. "This is great! We can come and go as we please, do what we want. We can hunt for food, so we don't need women to run anything, just stay at home and do what they're told."

Mankar, barely not growling, said, "Tekol, eh? Well you can tell him that we are back and we are NOT happy with his 'reforms'. As of right now, all the old rules are back in place even if I have to beat every one of morons!"

"Hey, you can't just come back and do..." Before he could finish the sentence, Mankar had punched him hard enough to break bone, followed by a kick that would be the envy of any mule. The sound of his thighbone snapping was clearly carried to the edges of the village.

"What was that?"

"I-I'll get right on that." He looked pleadingly at Aud who sighed and patched him up enough to be functional if not completely healed.

Then, as if summoned, Tekol swaggered out from the Issaries building wearing finer clothing than he had ever owned and sporting jewelry that they didn't recognize. He was dragging the Eurmal follower by the chain he normally wore.

Barely restraining his anger, Mankar said, "I assume you have a reason for this? Taking things, insulting the women, and all that. Tell me now and then I'll beat the hell out of you."

Astra raised her eyebrows, "Shouldn't that be 'or'?"

Ryala cocked her head to one side, puzzled. "No, that sounded right to me."

Tekol smirked, "I'm the oldest of the Firstborn, so it makes sense, right? You five can go off having fun and I'll run things here. Besides levying a 'tax' makes sense. All good rulers do it, so I should as well."

Mankar seemed stunned about the brazenness of it all. "Okay, time for your beating." He cocked back his fist, not even bothering with a weapon.

"Wait! I challenge you!"

"You can do that while I'm punching you."

"The Yinkin/Orlanth challenge, fool! Three days from now, we will do it and then you will acknowledge my supremacy!"

The big man blinked and then grinned widely. "You remember that the last test is the test of violence, right? I can't help it if you're feeble, can I?"

Tekol's pupils shrank. "I'm a Yinkin initiate, you wouldn't dare?"

"Fools who challenge me to a test of violence deserve what they get! Now get out of my sight and don't return until three new suns have risen!"

He tried to walk away in a dignified fashion but a scowl from Ryala caused him to scurry off.

Gnelessi came out from the center of the stead and said quietly. "This cannot continue. The men need to leave the stead." She looked at Mankar and Mantis. "ALL the men."

"As much as I'd like to disagree with you, I have to bow to your wisdom on this." He cupped his hands in front of his mouth and in a voice that would do credit to a bull elephant, shouted, "ALL MEN! OUT OF THE STEAD! NOW!"

Very, very soon, the men had cleared out; some annoyed, others abashed. Gnelessi raised her hands and intoned, "Oh Asrelia, hear my plea! Renew your wards, restore the purity, banish those who break your rules! We women will be the whole of the law until satisfied!"

A spiritual explosion radiated from the center of the village, invisible but powerful in effect. Mankar himself was forced to take two steps back so that he would be outside the boundary of the proper stead. He scowled at the men that caused this problem and they had the good sense not to meet his gaze.

He looked at her across the barrier. "So, priestess, is this how it has to be? I remember you saying that the old spell couldn't be recast again now that the time had come."

She smiled knowingly. "It's not the old spell. At least not THAT old spell. This is one is more of a lesson and is very ancient. We women recast it as necessary."

"How long will it last?"

"As long as needed but it usually resolves itself in three days, if not sooner."

"Good. We have IMPORTANT things to do and all these distractions do little but waste time."

"You would be surprised how important these distractions are, youngster."

He nodded respectfully and then went off to yell at the men outside the barrier.

On the first day (and most days after that), Mankar relieved his stress by pounding Lunar bronze into fine armor for his comrades.

Astra holed up in the Lankhar Mhy templed and read books.

Mantis got his elemental friends to start a fine wall, a few paces at a time.

Aud tended to people and livestock that needed her healing touch.

Ryala claimed the Empty Chair on the theory that a) Mankar wasn't able to reach from where he was and b) his butt had grown far too large to sit in it anyway.

And, before the day was done, a holly grew from a sprout to a mighty tree. Ryala chopped it down and fashioned a gate to the stead per the guidance of Astra and the elderly priestess.

(day 2)

On the second day, the men hunted a huge pile of meat and pronounced, "We have hunted these animals and provided for the village! We are necessary so let us enter!"

The women responded, "We have no need for that meat. We have made a tasty stew of vegetables and grain we have grown with our own hands!"

"This is more than we can eat. Surely you want some?"

"We, too, have more stew than we can eat. Let us share it, then."

The two sides traded what they had and were thereby satisfied. Though, since there was far too much meat to eat in a short time, the most satisfied were the dragonewts by the river.

In the evening, the Eurmal follower told a tale, hoping to enlighten the men camped outside. Or at least to get a drink or two of ale.

(day 3)

The women herded animals and, in that way, reminded the men that they, too, had a supply of meat. The looks on their faces indicated they weren't yet satisfied.

After thinking about this and pondering life without women, the men offered partnership and respect to them women, thus ending the problems.

The Asrelia priestess nodded. "Only two days... maybe they aren't as foolish as I feared.

(day 4)

Tekol sneered as he stood in the clearing. "Are you ready to lose?"

Mankar snorted. "Since we know the results of the violence challenge, why not just do that one first and not waste everyone's time?" He looked like he was REALLY ready for the violence challenge.

"N-no! We do them in order. First is the dance!"

The Yinkin follower had obviously practiced. His movements were graceful and expressive; bold and vigorous. But, in the end, he lost to the simple directness of Mankar's dance.

Next came the wooing challenge. In his hubris, Tekol chose Aud to be the target to convince to walk along the riverbanks. His words were sweet as honey... convincing and with the ring of sincerity. His eyes drew one in, promising love or at least passion. The healer seemed uncomfortable being so near him but even she felt the pull of his charisma. In the end, though she chose Mankar who simply said, "I will never knowingly do you harm and will always stand with you."

The third challenge was the challenge of song. Tekol, badly needing a victory, sang a love ballad that was clearly superior to the war chant that Mankar produced.

The fourth challenge was of gifts. Mankar presented a sword. "It's enchanted to strike true and with an edge can pierce even good armor." He pounded his chest which was covered by a splendid new breastplate of bronze. "I recommend you use something very, very powerful for the violence challenge which is the next, yes?"

Tekol cleared his throat and announced, "My gift is a alynx for each of you! They are strong and wily, all!" He bowed toward the judges, "Whose gifts are better I wonder?"

Mankar held up his hand. "No need. I concede on this challenge. For how can the gift of a mere thing compare to bravery and loyalty?"

Though he won, Tekol didn't seem pleased with his victory.

Mankar seemed to grow even larger as he growled, "Now... to the violence!"

For the first time, Tekol seemed to truly understand how he had miscalculated. He pulled out his new sword and shouted, "Wait, don't kill..."

Not even bothering to pull his weapon, Mankar kicked his opponent in a place men guard most. Tekol was literally lifted three feet off the ground. He landed in a heap but he was still breathing and, miraculously, still conscious.

"Ah, that was satisfying! I wish I didn't have to pull my punch then but rules are rules." He bent over the yinkin cultist. "THAT was for touching my sister when I was gone amongst all your other crimes." He looked at the judges, not saying anything else.

He was unanimously declared the winner.

(day 5)

Mantis put down the scroll he was reading. He and Astra were researching ways to increase the variety of food in the stead. While they had done well for several years, it only took a bad winter, or a plague, or a fire to make the rest of their efforts moot.

"In the end, I think inviting some new 'goddesses' into our stead is best. Both the oat and apple goddesses provide blessings and crops that grow well and are good for preserving for the winter months."

Astra nodded. "It couldn't hurt. Neither the citizens of Apple Lane or the villagers with the oat festival looked overly thin to me." She remembered the 'appearances' of the people at the oat goddess festival and blushed. "At any rate, eh?" A baleful red light flooded the village. They looked up to see a full red moon on the horizon, bloated like a tick after sucking its fill of blood. Stunned, she whispered, "No! The Reaching Moon cult must be spreading its influence over there. Wherever the light touches will fall under the influence of the empire!"

"Let's get the others and go to the moot." After the heroes had gathered, Mantis informed them of what he had learned. "The elementals can't go all the way there but they say the problem is in Boldhome."

Mankar grimaced. "Of all places to pick. The Lunars have no shame or decency!" He brooded for a moment. "Is there any way to find out more information?"

Mantis nodded. "I'm going to the spirit realm entirely and investigate. Please guard my body while I'm 'gone'." He lay down in a convenient spot and closed his eyes. After a few minutes, he jumped up with a manic look in his eyes. "Ah! Ahahahahaha!" He ran into someone's house and the rest found him stuffing sausages in his mouth. "Oh, it's so good!" he mumbled between bites.

Ryala scratched her head. "Well, this is interesting."

Before they could react, he jumped out the window into the storage house where the community supplies were stored. He had already drawn a mug of ale and was greedily slurping it down getting more on his clothes than in his mouth in the end. "Ah!"

Astra pondered. "It seems like his companion spirit desires physical sensations not found in the spirit realm."

Aud gasped. "Oh no! Does that mean...?" Sure enough, her worst fears were realized as 'Mantis' once again ran off, this time toward a cluster of women preparing dinner. He tore of his clothes with surprisingly facility for a spirit supposed unused to a body.

"Hey, hey, pretty things! Let's do it in the road!"

Some time later, Mantis awoke from his spirit journey to find himself naked, dirty, and tied up. He reeked of alcohol and ill-wishes. Being clever, he immediately realized had happened and just muttered, "Sorry."

Mankar grinned while untying the man, "So, what did you find out?"

"I followed the screams of spirits from Boldhome. They are sacrificing people... dozens, maybe more! The spirits told me that rebels against the Empire are being used to 'light the fuse'. The priest there wielded an upside-down candle made to trap spirits of all sorts and it imprisoned me and the earth elemental that came with me. I managed to attack his candle with my mind so I could return."

"Grim news, my friend. According to Astra, if they complete their rituals, the shrine will be dedicated to the Red Moon and the foul light will stretch even further, all the time." He sighed, "Nothing else to do about it tonight, though. Rest well and we'll talk in the morning."

The sleep they deserved, however, was interrupted for Mankar and Ryala.

They dreamed of twin hills, round and full.

They dreamed of a passage between them.

They dreamed of a pillar emblazoned with the name 'Argath'.

They dreamed of a large woman who came from the passage on a sledge drawn by eyeless men wearing bloody bandages around their head.

They dreamed of a column of sartarite slaves being led to their doom.

And, lastly, they dreamed of themselves. Not as they were now, but older, wiser and more powerful. With strength of arms and potent magics, they descended on slaveholders and slew them, root and branch, leaving no survivors to wail against their fate.