Tezalhat

> Fuck tradition. If customs dictate that my sister should be considered less than human, then our customs are wrong.
>
> Tez to Rantalha, *The Bleeding Stone*

**Tezalhat**, more commonly referred to as **Tez**, is a member of the Stone Tribe, a Bearsign granted the Boon of Endurance, the daughter of Fannalhen and Dennalhir, and sister of Sennalhat and Brinnolhat.

## Appearance

As a member of the Stone Tribe, Tez sports a long dark braid tied at the nape of her neck. A bit taller than her sister, she sports red face paint to symbolize her being a Bearsign.

## Personality

Tez is fierce and loyal, just as likely to call someone out as she is to defend them. While she is angered by Sen's frequent disappearances and drinking habits, she stands up for her without a second thought. Her family is intensely important to her, such that she is always willing to lay her life on the line to protect them. She has held her sister back to prevent her from being shot by Invaders, taken part in a brawl at a memorial service, and battled against a contingent of traitors in the streets of her Tribe's village, all in the name of protecting and defending her family.

Imbued with Endurance, Tez is one of the most capable combatants in the Stone Tribe. She is frequently training with the spear, a habit she developed in her younger years, often using her sister as a sparring partner, despite Sen's more limited capabilities in combat.

She is lesbian, having been shown waking in another woman's bed on one occasion.

## Background

Tez was born in 1530 A.S., four years before her sister. From a young age, she exhibited a curiosity and recognition of the world around her, while still maintaining a cheerful disposition. She was always trusting in her parents, especially her father, to protect her.

Before completing her Trial, she often requested of Sen to train with her, intent on shoring up her skill with a spear, though she was supposedly too busy to do so in the short period following her Trial. Sen recognizes Tez's talent but also that she doesn't necessarily enjoy fighting, except for the possibility that "she's a big sister who likes to be a pain in the ass sometimes."

## History

### *The Bleeding Stone*

Tez is present at Brin's Trial and is proud of him once he successfully completes it, but she shows visible disbelief at Sen's disappearance during it.

The morning after Brin's celebration, she angrily prods Sen with her spear to wake her up from her drunken stupor (a process that took anywhere between twenty minutes to an hour, depending on the perspective). She leads an extremely hungover Sen to the training yard to spar, but fells her sister with one quick strike, admonishing her for disappearing on Brin not once, but twice. When Sen attempts to apologize, Tez merely urges her to apologize to Brin instead.

Tez stands in when Shara and Ran are being questioned when they arrive in the Stone Tribe village, and escorts them to the village's safe house when her father's council convenes to discuss how best to address the Haunted escapees' sudden arrival. Later, when Aritz's Invaders threaten the village in demand of Shara and Ran's return to him, Tez holds Sen back for her protection, and is left as helpless as everyone else when she watched Aritz murder her father and steal away Brin.

At Fannalhen's memorial, she tearfully describes her father as a "chief, a father, a warrior, a confidant, a sage, a mentor, and a friend, all of those just to me." She later joins her mother, Tawa, and Narva in a brawl against Koelhe and Fann, who had been spitefully disrespecting Fannalhen's name and Sen after the eulogies had completed. She was immediately cognizant of the fact that Sen wanted to rescue Brin from the Invaders and did not stop her. Not wanting her sister to embark on that journey alone, but also recognizing Sen would deny her presence, she secretly met with Narva to tell him of Sen's plans, knowing he would jump at the chance to accompany.

The horrors of the previous days weighing on her, Tez indulged herself at the village tavern until she drunkenly stumbled home to find her mother sitting alone by the fire. She listens as her mother informs her that she expelled Koelhe from the village council and was threatened with the possibility of a coup in return. Tez knew not what to do and so wandered back to the tavern to clear her head, only to bump into Fann along the way, who also implied the possibility of a coup.

The next day, she noted a suspicious gathering in a nondescript hut and listened in on it from the outside, immediately realizing it was a discussion of the plans for a coup among Koelhe and her supporters, who also included Fann, Han'e, and Tol'e. Intent on the proceedings, she does not notice Rantalha sneaking up on her until he drags her away to his hut, revealing himself as a co-conspirator with Koelhe. Tez dismisses Rantalha's reasoning for siding with Koelhe, only to be told that she should keep closer watch on the Haunted runaways before she runs out of the hut, unimpeded by Rantalha.

Fearing for her mother's safety, she sprints home in the pouring rain, thankful that she finds her mother at home unharmed. Relaying that she overheard a large number of people speaking of overthrowing their family, Tez readies herself for battle alongside her mother, only to be greeted by Koelhe's forces the moment they step outside, who include Fann, Rantalha, Han'e, and the two Haunted runaways. Backed by a force led by Tawa and Sharrabha, she argues against Koelhe's reasoning until she releases Shara and Ran. Before she can react, however, she watches the plot unfold as an arrow runs through Shara's throat and Ran attempts to stab Dennalhir in the confusion, but is stopped and killed by Tawa. Tez forms up with several loyalists and cuts a swath through the separatists until she catches sight of Fann and engages him in a duel. The two fight to a stalemate but the tide turns when Rantalha begins firing arrows at Tez. The volleys allow Fann to gain an upper hand but Sharrabha manages pin Fann down while Tawa dragged her away. Watching from afar as Koelhe drags Dennalhir inside the Chief's hut, Tez resolves to recruit the Lake Tribe and Arrow Tribe to retake the Stone Tribe and unite the north against the Invaders.

## References

1. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Fourteen
2. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Three
3. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Fourteen
4. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Six
5. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Seven
6. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Sixteen
7. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Three
8. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Memory 3
9. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Fourteen
10. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Memory 1
11. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Memory 3
12. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter One
13. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Three
14. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Four
15. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Six
16. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Seven
17. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Eight
18. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Eleven
19. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Fourteen
20. ↑ *The Bleeding Stone*, Chapter Sixteen