Ba'Yeduk, Grandmother of the Gha'z, Priestess of Negheru the mother of the Ghenids, rode up the road with her Warband to the gates of Incaras. With her on the horse was her mistress, Ioehni the Hnanue (Returned) - a cub of just 2 years, barely reaching her knee - with the power and knowledge of a great Cra-Oang ( WarQueen) of 500 years ago in the service of the human Pkoah (Sorcerer) called Bihigan. Ioehni held the chains to her daughters and granddaughters, and great, and great great granddaughters and as one of the Hnanue possessed great power as a returned ghost (D'ua). "We will unite the Tribes and Clans and destroy this place and take it as our own." said Ioehni.
"As Negheru wills, so it will be." replied Ba'yeduk. "The city is a good defense from outside, but city dwellers are weak and soft." She gazed up the cliffsides of red-brown granite, at the bits of wall and battlement visible above.
"The city built with wealth stolen from us and our allies!" answers Ioehni hotly "There were many strong fighters that came from here in the great war. Do not think them so weak. It was a dagger in our side and I will have revenge! Even the strong can not stand against what I will bring and we will feast on their bones!"
Ba'Yeduk looked down on the bare skins walking and riding up or down the road- humans, elfs, gnomes, a feline Bahku in a chain shirt and metal bracers, a pair of centaurs pulling a loaded wagon, a cluster of reptilian Octnon and a few guard of various kinds (mostly humans) in white cloak and white bleached leather armor. They looked soft and weak to her. Few with scars. Rounded with fat and well fed, dressed in silks, good cloth and armor with few signs of heavy wear. She snorted. Her own war band was just 6 - tall, as is normal for Ghenids, standing 6 to 7 ft, gaunt, battle scarred with armor patched and mismatched. Grey starting show at muzzles and brows in their green-brown, dark brown and tawny and black spotted or short striped coats. Four good sisters of the clan, solid coated with few spots and two chained males, one that pleased her as a conquest from another clan, for his skills in combat and the nest. The sun was setting as they reached the gate, bathing everything in a bloody red light which caused her to smile. As instructed by the whispers of Shadows, the clan grandmother of the city, Lnukh stood at the gate to greet the arrivals and bring them past the coin collecting Aediilies and city guard. Lnukh, near 7 foot tall, her darker fur showing black spots and mane dyed red, brushed and slicked with oil, stood in battered leathers, a long coat and twin shortswords beside a buckskin horse. Looking close one could see her grey painted over with black.
They rode into the city's evening crowd at the great market - sellers of foods, drinks, animals, goods of all sorts. Scores of young, children of human and Fae, chased and tussled, shouted, tossed mud and muck or tagged obediently beside elders. The group of Octnon hurried away northeast. The centaurs west. Ba'Yeduk saw maybe half the city dwellers had weapons visible. A watchful Troll guard here. Bravos and duelers eyed them as they passed. Lnukh pointed out the guild halls, the fighting orders, temples and churches and weapon smiths and armorers as they rode down winding streets to the far side of the city- Monster Town and The Old Fort where they were not so strange to see and the Ghenid Conclave kept a large house for business and the rule of the clans in the city. Ba'yeduk's shifting glances and sideways looks saw a few faces peeking from dark alleyways here and there, noticed eyes following them. "DuGh’Kru, ruler of the Clans of Incaras, has prepared a feast with the other grandmothers to greet you and honor Negheru. After, we will meet the clan in the Undercity." said Lnukh as they passed through one of the many archways under the brick and cement aqueducts near the North side and monster town.
"No, bring the clan up to us. We will show them our plan." said Ioehni. Lnukh gave a look at the young cub, who returned a cold gaze from eyes showing a faint yellow glow. "Sister of Our Goddess, you let this cub…' Lnukh began. Ioehni made a small motion of her paw and Lnukh fell heavily from her horse, landing with a grunt.
"I am Ioehni, Cra-Oang of Bihigan, Hnanue, returned from the dead. I hold 10,000 chains and the armies of the dead await my command. I rule all the clan in the living lands now. Ba'Yeduk will do my will here. Do you obey?"
Lnukh looked back and forth between the two as she rose. "I am the grandmother of the clan here." she said. Ioehni whispered something and a shadow in the shape of a ghenid appeared beside Ba'Yeduk's horse. The shadow bowed and turned to the Grandmother of the city. Another appeared beside her, seeming to tower above her. It spoke in a hissing whisper. " Ioehni commands the clan chains, as the clan S'ua, and Ghenua, the eldest grandmothers have agreed. You will obey her by our command and the chains of all the clan upon you!"
The shadow seemed to clench a fist. Lnukh grunted as if struck again and gasped "I obey Ioehni and Ba'yeduk! " Ba'Yeduk spurred her horse forward and spit on the bent figure of Lnukh while invoking the rite of Chains, witnessed by the shadow figures and the war band, who glared at any to stopped to gawk at the ghenids.. Grinning she said, "You are decadent and weak sister. We will make you strong."
The Clan house, a large building of the Incaras red stone and brick, houses the leading grandmothers. It is lit with torches and the rich smells of food and Crua meet Ba'yeduk and her party as they enter, watching the guards at the outer door. Lnukh guides them down the wood floored hall to the great hall, a large dining room with a blazing fire in the hearth, roasting meat and vegetables. The floor is a moasaic of geometric patterns in colored tiles. Striding into the room with Ioehni behind her and the war band at back and sides, Ba’Yeduk pauses to look over the room. Immediately before her is a bowed thin old grandmother with orange brown fur mottled with black. " Mnu and Ghid wait and serve the Mother." she whispers, rising and stepping away. At her side an old male, an amulet of the Shav-Asavu hounds of Negheru. "Mother advised , sister" He says with a nod and follows Mnu. To the right is a door to an open terrace. Two older females turn from talking to look at Ba'Yeduk and her party. On the left a raised dias featuring a throne chair padded and worked with bone, on which sits like a waiting vulture, a grey muzzled Ghenid of middle height and grizzled coat. The throne is flanked by armed and armored guards and at the foot is a tall, muscled and scarred warrior with earrings, bracers inlaid with gems and patterns of bronze, Eehava - grandmother of the R'Gnau clan. Behind the throne are 3 chairs one with a short (6ft), round bodied fat old female dressed in a colorful silken robe of green and red flowers and silver threaded sash bearing 2 daggers. She seems to be dozing. One with a withered and ancient looking grandmother with sharp eyes, plain leather armor and a great sword over her shoulder. The last chair is empty, but standing around it are a old female and 2 males with blonde manes
The grizzled female on the throne speaks. "Welcome Sisiter of Negheru! I, DuGh’Kru Grandmother of the Ghenid Conclave and ruler of the tribe of Incaras are honored by this visit. We have prepared a feast for you." She rises and steps down from the dias on which the throne sits and indicats the tables set with food and drink.
"I do not come to visit." Started Be'yaduk loudy. "I come at command of The Mother and in the shackle of Hnanue Ioehni, Cra-Oang of the legions of the S'ua. This is now her tribe and her city."
"The hell it is bitch! Take her band and her cub!" says the grey muzzle.
The guards and several others around the room move forward and draw weapons. Be'Yeduk's band also draws and leaps forward, while she starts a chant and is suddenly armored in a mass of writhing chains. Mnu and her male strike down a guard from behind. The fight is fast. Two of the band are down with most of the guard. Eehava faces Ba'yeduk, grinning and blocking the priestess' blows. “That all you got old one?” says Eehava. A snarling incantation spat at the guards between strike and counter stroke - Be'Yaduk uses the voice of the demon Goddess to command the opposition to drop weapons, which is answered with many metallic clanks as blade, mace and axe hit the floor. Eehava shakes it off with a chuckle and springs forward to land a thrusting attack. Ba'yeduk first falls back and then lunges into Eehava's advance barking words of power. Her jaws gapping impossibly wide and clamp onto Eehava's side as she tries to twist away. Chains shoot from Ba'Yeduk's hands knocking weapons aside. Hissing, the warrior drops and rolls, ripping the Priestess's fangs from her and hurling her across the room.
DuGh’Kru reached mentally pulling the ritual chains binding the clans to her, filling them with her will to kill the attackers. The fat one awoke and merely watched. One of the city grandmothers was down with her guard, attacked by the ancient one and the two with her. Mnu and her male stood over several beaten guards. Blondie, still armed, and her disarmed boys were trading blows with Ba'Yeduk's guard while Ioehni held herself back and whispered something into her paws. Ba'yeduk lept at the ancient grandmother, again using the gift of the Crushing Bite and the Ghost Chains which the thin old one managed to avoid. Her great sword sliding off the the shifting chains covering Ba'Yeduk. Ioehni made a gesture and pointed to DuGh'kru. A black rip appeared behind her with a sharp tearing noise and a huge withered skeletal paw shot out to grab her, pulling her back and dissappearing into the darkness that vanished as if it had never been. At the same time Ba'Yeduk cast another spell, her taloned hand shooting out while she snapped on the other side at the lithe wizened opponent. The fire glowing in her paw hit the old one's leather, flaring bright and engulfing her. Howling she dropped her sword and fell, rolling on the floor, but the fire only grew brighter as her voice faltered. One of her clan reached out, then fell back, her arms burned severely.
Ioehni skipped to the dias, grabbing a roasted bird leg from a table platter. She pulled herself onto the throne and said " This is my tribe and all are now in my shackle, living and the dead eternal. You will serve me for my chains and your grandmothers grandmothers chains as the legions of the eternal ghosts follow me!" She made a chant and commanded the shadows appear and make the ancestors' will known. The remaining Ghenids each saw their familiar shadow, a ghost from the underworld that helped and watched them, as it appeared. And each felt the pull and command of the dead ancestors commanding obedience. They turned and bent, lowering themselves to Ioehni. The blonde crawled to her in a gesture of submission. Ioehni laughed harshly " Now we will destroy this place that blocks the Demon Queen Negheru's will!" The blonde maned one leapt up with a long dagger, and a gurgling cry as Eehava's sword thrust from her chest. Ioehni caught and held her face as she fell forward gasping, off the sword. "Living or dead, you will serve."
