Tbn Ta

**Tbn Ta**, also known as TybEn Ta, was a Ypari philosopher, poet, author, and political activist who lived in the Second Era. Despite the age of his works, they are still largely influential in Ypari culture and politics.

# Personal Life

## Early Life

The early life of Ta is mostly unknown due his becoming prominent as he grew older. Historians have pieced together little bits of Ta's childhood from short recollections he included in several of his works.

Ta was likely born around E.2 80 in the Yparisland town of Syp to Kas Man parents. Despite his mostly friendly attitude, Ta retained some of his parents' prejudice against those of the Sar Man caste. This can be seen in one of his earlier, yet not well known works, *The Price of a Man*, where Ta describes his discomfort and inability to socialize with those of the lower class.

As he reached young adulthood, Ta's wealthy parents sent him to study at a nearby academy, the Mar Syn Academy of Poetic Arts, later renamed to Marsynius. Ta remained at the institution for five years and was declared a "Master Poet" (the highest title a student can reach at the academy). He left the university in his early twenties and traveled south to the city of Mym.

## Ta in Mym

Arriving in Mym with few possessions, Ta immediately began searching for work. He recollects these first days in the city in his poem, *Ta in Mym:*

> Despite my being a man at this time, I grew worried for my own well-being. Gone were the days of my childhood. No longer could I rely upon dear father and mother. The infancy I once felt has wilted away like a dying rose. Now I am a man. Now I am Ta in Mym.
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After nearly a week of searching, Ta was hired by a local nobleman as a scribe. During the day, Ta would keep track of shipments of goods to the mainland. By night, he would work on his first great piece: a novella detailing the life of a man who acquires a magical genie who grants his every wish. In E.2 105, Ta's first work, *Myk's Genie*, was complete and began to circulate around the island and the mainland.

## The Ban of Ypari Literature

*Myk's Genie* made little impact on the mainland, yet soon became a hit with the locals. Many Ypari who had begun to dread the recent foreign colonization saw this book as a metaphor for their struggles. When news of this reached the mainland, the Romasti nobles grew outraged. In E.2 111, King Occani of Andella forbade the circulation of any literature by Ypari authors, the Goldenrod Proscribe.

After the implementation of Occani's decree, Ta's funds soon dried up. Pressure from his nobleman employer and the local colonial government caused Ta to grow nervous. The success of *Myk's Genie* led to his writing of a second book; but, this fear caused him to scrap the entire piece. Ta's inability to write sent him into a state of depression and he soon fell out of the public spotlight.

## Pyrta's Island

Ta ceased working for the nobleman and disappeared into the countryside. In later accounts, Ta stated he found refuge on the Pyrta's Island, living with a grape farmer and working in the vineyard. Ta grew incredibly fond of the simple lifestyle of these Sar Man people and his views on caste began to shift. The necessity to interact with those of the lower class allowed him to experience a completely different lifestyle from his own. Around this time, he began work on his second official novella: *The Farmer*.

Full of vivid imagery of the countryside and farmer lifestyle, this book seemed to be a biography of the farmer Ta worked for. Still fearing for his work, Ta published his piece in secret and had it circulated around the island's more rural towns before spreading it to the cities. The novella became an instant success with those of the Sar Man class as it described the many struggles of their lives, especially when dealing with caste differences and with the new colonizers.

Ta's book quickly spread to the coastal cities where it soon infuriated the colonial government. A bounty was soon placed on the author and he again returned to hiding.

## The Bloody Revolt

Growing angry with his inability to spread his works, Ta soon became an advocate for Ypari independence. This opinion was greatly dissimilar to those of his own Kas Man caste who often benefited from trade with the mainland companies. Ta seemed to be identifying himself more as a Sar Man an this became apparent in his next piece.

In E.2 118, Ta published a short pamphlet on the topic of Ypari independence. *The Beige Isle and Her Needs* was a brief discussion of the injustice performed by the Andellan government in their banning of Ypari literature as well as the disenfranchising of those of the lower class. Circulation of the piece began almost immediately and soon, the Ypari people were openly discussing their grievances with one another. In the cities, anger with the colonizers grew and soon riots began. Finally, in E.2 120, the floodgate had been broken and the Bloody Revolt of the Yellow Island occurred.

Ta soon became the icon of Ypari freedom and this placed a high bounty on his head. As the revolt grew more violent, Ta received message of the damage from a friend in the port city of Sambyl.

> The piles of the deceased cause my worry to grow more and more, dear friend. I do believe we are fighting a righteous cause; yet, the cost is not going unnoticed. Today I lost my neighbor and tomorrow, I fear I will lose another. You are a hero to these people; but, your heroic deed is not going unpunished.
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When shipments of troops and weapons reached the island colony, the revolt was quickly smashed. Several hundred Ypari were either killed or wounded and the Andellan military presence grew much greater in the port cities. Just as Ta feared the worst, however, news reached him of negotiations between Ypari nobles and the Andellan government. The ban on Ypari literature would be lifted in exchange for a stronger military presence. Ta encouraged the nobles to agree; yet, hoped they would refuse the new militants. In the end, he grew pleased with the negotiations outcome anyhow and soon rushed to print several more pieces.

## Relative Peace

Following the Bloody Revolt, which ceased in E.2 121, the island was relatively peaceful. Ta found little to complain about and noticed the increased military presence was "honestly, quite laughable." To him, it seemed as though the Andellan government believed the Ypari people were weak and easily defeated. Despite his happiness with the current affairs of the island colony, Ta found it difficult to shake his disgust with a foreign government controlling his homeland.

A five year span following the Bloody Revolt saw a large sum of published pieces by Ta, ending in E.2 126. The author began to focus more on philosophy rather than symbolism hidden within stories. Ta began to discuss "Guaranteed Rights", a concept discussed by the many philosophers and advocates of the independence movements in Jeleria. Throughout the five year span, Ta proceeded to publish seven notable pieces and several minor ones. The following list describes the seven:

* E.2 121 - *A Proud People*
* E.2 122 - *Disgust in Ladosia*
* E.2 122 - *The Yellow Island*
* E.2 123 - *Liberty, Gift or Right?*
* E.2 124 - *Occani*
* E.2 125 - *In a Realm of Shadowy Figures*
* E.2 126 - *Begone, A Human Sickness!*

*Occani* was Ta's first piece to become widely circulated on the mainland. Growing discontent within the Kingdom of Andella allowed the novel to spread like wildfire. King Occani was expected to soon pass his throne onto his son, the heavily disliked Prince Petir. In an unprecedented course of action, likely due to the immense pressure of his angry people, Occani opted to pass the crown onto his young son, Prince Erik. When news of this shift of power reached the island nation, Ta grew aware of his growing power in the world of politics.