Pius Fidelus: The Oque

[Zweanslord]

Turn 6.1, Group 24, Forneus

The Oque listen to Forneus, though he does hear some arguments again. "Forest fire? Bad.." "Beasts learn?" But the talks change when Forneus explains that jolt is part air as well. "Tell more." Yet for now, Forneus is busy with Stapt and hands the bow to Stapt. Stapt moves three of his paws up to hold the big thing. He then steps to one side and to the other as he is having some difficulties with the balance issue. Eventually, he spreads his three legs that are still standing out, tries to burden the weight with two paws and uses the third to pull the string back and shoot the arrow from the bow. "Stapt use thing!" He says as he pulls the string back, pulling with obvious effort. He pulls back and back, until he can find no more strength to hold on and the string slips form his paw. The arrow shoots forward, flying through the air and hitting.. a bush.

Meanwhile, Stapt had let gone of the strong and collapsed to the ground from the imbalance that was caused. With the bow on top of him, he tries to get out from under it. With either help from Forneus or other Oque, he manages to get under it. "Wow! Weird! Good!" It said and then suddenly realises that the arrow came flying back to the bow. "Again?" If Forneus agrees, this time Stapt recruits three other Oque to hold up the bow, while he and another Oque pull back the string and the arrow. He tries to aim at the tree Forneus shot at earlier and again says: "Use!" After which he and the other Oque pulling let go and the arrow seers through the air. It does not hit the tree, but the five Oque do find it quite an eventful thing. After this one, they try to give the bow back to Forneus.

"Wow. Thing wow. Want jolt like thing. Forneus make thing?" It asks, basically stating that it is amazed by the bow, wants to have a jolt as effective as it and wonders if Forneus made the bow. If Forneus replies that he did make the thing, Stapt will ask another question. "Make thing for Oque?"

[chrono]

Forneus

wrap-up

Forneus leaves, but before that he tells the Oque that he will be back to check out their progress. In the mean time they should try to learn more about fire and air and when Forneus returns he will make them a bow just like his.

[TheStagesmith]

6.8

Kirkael materializes in the forest (having first added a few feet of height to his avatar; he now stands around eleven feet tall) with his hammer slung casually over one shoulder, looking around for any of the creatures that the other beings told him of. He stands quietly, and if any Oque approach, he stays silent and relatively still. If they speak, he will respond:
"Greetings, small creatures. I am Kirkael. I am Light. Listen closely, because I'm not in the mood for repeating myself. I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams. Power to do as you please, power to protect yourselves and to make sure that your enemies never trouble you. You have perhaps seen other being such as myself with power; their gifts are insignificant compared with what I can offer you. I ask only one simple thing before I give you this power: that you show me deference. What say you, small creatures?"

If any of the Oque show interest at his proposal, he will imperiously (but not brutishly) prod them to show some sign of deference to him (since it wouldn't seem that they are capable of bowing/kneeling). If they do, he will begin querying them as to their abilities, what they can do, and begin asking them to demonstrate, so that he can begin to see how he can help these pitiful things to a semblence of order.

On the other hand, if any Oque attack him or become aggressive, he will return in kind. "Fools! You shall rue the day that you ever dared to defy me!" Having said this, he will smash the closest one as hard as possible with his hammer, trying to startle them with its flash ability. He will then run, laughing in a sinister manner that floats through the trees as he goes. He will then dematerialize at a safe distance.

If they are reluctant but not aggressive... well, I'll RP that bridge when I cross it.

Spoiler

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So sorry if the turn ends soon and this is a last minute post (I got confused about turns and how they worked ). If so, I can easily incorporate this into the next turn.

[harmonictempest]

Ardannis, Turn 6.6, Group 31

Ardannis swings down from the trees exactly 33 days after leaving, the meeting between the Niddog and the Karksh having left him in a great mood, though he is still made serious by the situation here. Greeting the village and Yvst, he inquires to how things have been going.

[Thelonius]

Tek

Tek arrives with Ardannis.

He composes a story about the evil Oque, hurting others out of jealousy and rage. Then he tells of heroism of Ardannis, who tried to reason with them, faced with more then 20, and Mandark, who saved one of the Oque by sacrificing himself. He ends this story with a warning to be on guard and ready, if the evil Oque come to hurt good Oque.

Tek speaks with Ardannis: The Oque who attacked you have tasted victory. At this point it’s useless to reason with them, they think they are winning. We need them to suffer some defeat, to break their spirit.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 6.6, Group 31, Ardannis and Tek

When Ardannis comes back to the group with Tek, he notices that they have moved. They have taken up another place and when he asks about it, he gets the reply that it was to make sure the Other Oque did not found them. Tek, in the mean time, notices that there are symbols made on some pieces of wood which lay around the camp. He notices some of those symbols warped in pieces of wood lay around further off the camp as well. Ardannis, in the mean time, notices that when Yvst approaches them, the Oque of this group look up to him. When he says to another Oque to get some food for their guests, the Oque rushes off to do as Yvst says.

"Ardannis and Tek." Said Yvst to both of them, apparently recognising Tek despite never actually having seen Tek. "The situation has been going well. Oque have moved to the camps so that the Other Oque will not find us. Yvst has taken up contact with the Earlier Groups as well, so they are warned of the danger. The Earlier Groups have taken up a location close by here. Oque are trying to think up of what Oque should do. Other Oque too strong to attack. Oque do know where Other Oque are and what Other Oque are doing. Other Oque are looking for Oque, but Oque have been smart and moved."

With that said, Tek has a chance to tell his story and most Oque gather around to listen. They are impressed by the story and assume it to be the truth. One Oque speaks up: "Mandak saved Wster! Mandak is good. Ardannis brought Wster here, Ardannis good!" The Oque are glad to hear that and they do tell that they will be on their guard now to Tek and Ardannis.

End of Turn 6

Within Group 31, Yvst seems to have been accepted as leader. He sent a message towards Group 32 and Group 30, to gather and beware of the danger. Now, they are several days travel from Group 31 and Group 30 took Group 29 with it. Contact between Group 29, 30, 31 and 32 is flourishing, with groups of 3-6 Oque usually moving about to deliver messages and lore. The story of Tek spreads around and something else does as well. Yvst seems to be accepted as leader of not just Group 31, but becomes accepted as Group of 29, 30, 31 and 32 as a whole. This causes him to travel to each of the groups more, giving advice, directing and questioning the Oque about what is going on. He also sets up a tournament of Threes, in which he will not participate. This seems to be a success, and the winners of each are set up against each other. Yvst, meanwhile, studies the Oque during this tournament and eventually selects leaders for each of the individual groups. They are Brast, Ftunckt, Qxaft and Ghinpd, for group 29, 30, 31 and 32 respectively.

Meanwhile, in group 19, 20 and 33, a similar development occurs. In each of the groups, one starts to claim leadership. There are those who oppose this leadership and this leads to a fight in each of the groups over the leadership. This result is that the strongest of the Oque, or the one most cunning in battle, becomes the leader. Between the leaders of each of the groups there was a similar fight, and the strongest, the one from Group 33, becomes the leader of the trio of groups. The groups have already realised they needed to stick together, so they stay close and do accept the leadership, even if their leader takes some commands from the leader of another group as well. The leadership is not very stable, though, since a successful match against the leader can make another Oque the leader.

In group 22, the Oque have been trying to find Group 31, but have been incredibly unsuccessful, not even finding a glimpse of the other group. This has led to pent up anger, which has been directed at the one shouting constantly what they needed to do. Several Oque did not accept it any more and challenged him so they could do it instead. They all failed, however, and the Oque that once guided by words alone, now has the reigns over the group tightly. Coincidentally, he is also the best jolt wielder in the group.

In group 13, things have been going slightly differently. Inspired by the stories of Ark, some of the Oque have felt the need to take responsibility for their fellow Oque. They do not command them, but instead feel some sense of duty to protect their fellow Oque. Three of the Oque, mates, have taken up the task to dedicate their lives to protecting their fellow Oque, and, incidentally, their newborn children as well. Using their jolt powers, they feel capable and just in doing so. They wish to become the type of heroes Ark has spoken of. With their starting dedication to protect their fellow Oque, the other Oque have started to look up to them and usually heed their advice if appropriate.

In Group 7 and 8, the Oque have missed the presence of Tumine for a while. Yet the guidance she has given, as well as Ikeklos, for the short time he has been around, has inspired them to continue their lives on. Both Tumine and Ikeklos are still very well known and stories have begun to emerge about them, especially Tumine. Both groups have decided to strengthen the contact and regularly, groups of Oque move back and forth over the stream to have contact. They also notice that some fruits and plants are more abundant growing at one group as the other, so occasionally they bring fruits and plants to the other group for them to enjoy. These trips have been usually guided by those most proficient with rafts and they have begun to take a central role in their groups as well, since they can lead Oque over the stream to places they can get food from. Reftsk, Tumfst and Minfte are the best rafters and have taken up this position in Group 7 and 8 together.

The other groups have grown bigger as well, and when there are times when more important decisions need to be made, the smarter elders of the group are usually asked what to do. Exception is Group 5, where a single Oque managed to be listened to. In general, the Oque have started to realise the importance of numbers more, so split ups in new groups have hardly been present. Usually, Oque who do not agree with the others in a group instead decide to go to another group where they join.

Turn 7.x, Group 21, Kirkael

Spoiler

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Yes, I am moving you to turn 7, you can specify the tenth. Also, since you specified no group, you are getting a random one..

{table=head]Huts|Light|Jolt
Yes|No|Yes[/table]

When Kirkael finds some of the Oque, they do not speak to him. Instead, they speak to the other Oque. "Help!" "Danger!" "Flee!" "Beast!" And they spurt away, obviously scared of Kirkael, which they consider to be a beast. Anything he said is drowned out by the the shouts of the Oque, who run away and up to some trees in the distance. They climb up the trees and when Kirkael moves there, he can see that there are crude roofs made of warped wood in the trees, with a rare floor. Most of the Oque try to stay there, looking scared at the strange beast they are looking at. When he does speak up, the Oque listen, scared, and one asks a question that needs answering before they will continue to think about his offer. "Kirkael beast?" Some others add more questions. "How Kirkael speak?" "What deference?" "What power?"

[harmonictempest]

Ardannis, Turn 6.6, Group 31 (wrap-up)

Ardannis is glad to see that the Oque have moved and been successful in avoiding the Other Oque. You have done well, Oque. Sadly, you have an enemy, and one who is stronger than you, who will not listen to your words. What can you do? Killing them is a possibility - BUT, it is one you should avoide as much as possible. It would be much more pleasant to find a way to make them listen, or if they will not listen, to leave you alone.

I have taught you much about travel - how to find your way in the forest, to find food, to mark places to easily return to them later. You have traveled much, and learned what happiness it can bring. But now, you have traveled and found an enemy, and so it is time for the other side of my teaching, which is trickery. We have learned games, and practiced spotting the weaknesses of different beasts to know how to best avoid them, and now it is time for your practice to become useful. We can trick these Other Oque, and keep them from hurting you without killing them. I will teach you tricks to trap the Other Oque if they come too near this camp, so that they cannot charge in and jolt you all.

Mandak is unhurt, and will be back soon. He has power in Protection, and will be able to further help you keep safe from these Other Oque. When the Other Oque attacked him, though, he spent much of his power protecting Wster against all of them at once, and will have to wait some short time before he can come.

I believe these ideas will work against the Other Oque without Oque having to kill Other Oque. Killing beasts who cannot think or speak is all right when needed, but to kill other beings is bad, very very bad. Other Oque are bad for killing your Oque.

Now, let us build...traps!

Ardannis spends some time teaching them how to build snares and pitfalls - braiding nets out of bark and sloping the sides of pits inwards to make it difficult to climb out. As best he can, he adapts the basic designs he's come up with to the Oque's physical capabilities. The two most common designs he teachs they just call Net Snares and Pits. Net Snares usually consist of a noose or other trip line on the ground that triggers a net to catch up one or more Oque, holding them in a bundle so that they can't fire their jolts. Pits are small covered pits in the ground whose sides slope inward and are difficult to get out of quickly. Ardannis shows them how to surround their camp with these, and how to subtly mark where they are, or how to set them up in a pattern that the Oque know, so that These Oque can, with some little care, run through the area around their camp with ease, while anyone not knowing the traps' locations would quickly blunder into one.

Ardannis replies to Tek:
You're absolutely right. If we have enough time to set up these traps, perhaps any attacking Oque will be frustrated enough to listen. If not, once I have finished work on some more distracting miracles, we may be able to talk to these group 22 Oque without them being able to find us, which should make them more or less *have* to listen to us. Other than that, I have few other ideas, other than to wait for Mandak's arrival once he has recovered.

Spoiler

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I assume Ardannis shouldn't respond to the symbols, as Tek was the only one who noticed them.

Also, it sounds like they just moved once - if their tactics have relied on moving more often from place to place, then...well, let me know, 'cause this post will need an overhaul.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 6.6, Group 31, Ardannis

When Ardannis tries to teach the Oque about traps and tells them of killing Oque, the Oque look confused. Why would they want to kill the other group? Just avoid them, which they all think is incredibly easy. When Ardannis tries to teach about his traps, he stumbles upon a major problem. The Oque are not that competent in braiding with bark or digging. In general, the Oque do not even see a good reason why they would do that and so after Ardannis leaves, they do not continue with the practise. Also, while they have only moved in the time between then and now, Ardannis eventually learns that their intention is to move on again. This seems to have more of their attention, as well as trying to figure out some other stuff. Perhaps he should try later, when they have more interest and time.

[pseudovere]

Sedha

Sedha appears out of the bushes near the Oque who she had visited before, seeing as they were the only ones she knew who were not running away from her.

"Greetings Oque. Sedha return. Sedha wanted answer questions, but no have time. Had to show many others besides Oque. Now Sedha have time. Sedha will answer questions about creature she show Oque."

After answering questions until she can't hold their interest anymore, or after several hours of questions, Sedha switches to a more serious topic. She was quite surprised about what she had read about the Oque being a threat to the immortals. They seemed rather harmless to her. But still, the topic needed addressing.

"There are many others thinkers like Oque. However, there are also many others like Sedha. Look different from Sedha, but still have power like Sedha. Many of them visit other Oque. Bring bad things. Make some other Oque act like Beasts. Make some Oque want hurt other Oque. Have you ever met Oque like that?"

[Thelonius]

Tek, Turn 7.3

Tek arrives as usual, Primary Avatar, wearing Mask of Benevolence. He is a little more careful now, when traveling.

Tek speaks to the leaders of all groups to give them advice on leadership. He doesn’t wish any more “revolutions” to happen at this time so he cautions them: “Be firm and do what you believe is right, but at least listen to others as well. If they think you value their opinion, they will stand by you.”

Tek promotes the value of determination and courage, on par with intelligence. He tells Oque: “Even if Oque doesn’t know something, but works hard to learn and faces unknown with bravery, he is worthy of respect.”

Tek advises Oque on their survival tactics. “You need to know, if the bad Oque are coming in advance. There always should be Oque watching if bad Oque are coming. If he sees them he should be able to run fast and warn others. And at your camp, an Oque should be present, who could run fast to another camp and ask for help.” Tek helps Oque to train if they want to become Sentry/Messengers. Tek also tries to promote some discipline with Oque, in case of attack. He talks with leaders and other Oque, to make sure they know, what they should be doing if Sentry alerts them to incoming attack.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 7.?, Group 3, Sedha

When the Oque, they seem to wonder where these beings are, how they can talk, how they knew of the Oque and why this Karksh wanted to be brought over the world dead. Sedha explains where they are, which basically amounts to "There, very far." and "Under water.", because anything else these Oque will probably not understand. When they are told of under water, they look odd at Sedha again. But htey keep thinking about it, wondering how the Karksh groups look, how it is "under water", how you can stay under water and so on. When Sedha explains most of it and notices the Oque eventually have no more questions to ask, she tells of the Oque Beasts. The Oque look odd at her. Sedha just keeps telling odd things. But these Oque do not know of any Beast like Oque at all. They do ask about others like Sedha. What others, and what do they do? This is all asked very slow, since the linguistic skill of these Oque is not very good, but seems to have improved slightly since her first visit.

Turn 7.3, Groups ?, Tek

[Assuming you visit groups 29, 30, 31 & 32?]

When Tek comes, the Oque look odd at him. He has the strangest face or thing on his face and despite his voice, there are several Oque that find his face uncomfortable to look at. When Tek visits the various leaders, Yvst, Brast, Ftunckt, Qxaft and Ghinpd, they listen very carefully to the advice about leadership, especially Yvst. They take it in and will process it and ask questions about it, but Yvst has an additional question. "What is the best method to pick an Oque for leader?" With this he does not mean how the group would select a leader, but how he should select a (next) leader.

When Tek starts to tell of survival tactics, most Oque do not seem afraid of the Other Oque. They feel perfectly save and they do tell of their method of communication. A group of three or six would go to another group to tell the news. A single Oque would be insane, since a predator could easily take that Oque down on the side the Oque was not looking.

[El_Frenchie]

Ark 7.2-7.3, Group 13

((7.2))

Ark's primary avatar, Ades, comes to the same group once more. He is happy to learn of the growing sense of responsibility that grew in this group of Oque. He asks the trio's names and congratulates them.

He then goes right back to his storytelling, he continues telling stories of responsibility to the children but will also now encourage progress. This means that he will give stories that stimulate curiosity and assertiveness. For example, a story of an Oque climbing up a very tall tree everyday to eat tasty leaves he likes. Ades explains how the Oque gets quite tired climbing the tall tree everytime, but he thinks it is worth it. He doesn't want to eat anything else, and everytime he is hungry during the day, he climbs up the trunk.

"One day, even though he is not hungry, he climbs up. He falls because he feels heavy and he is too tired to hold onto the tree anymore. He lands hard and it hurts all over. One of the Oque that are in charge (responsibility) walks up to him, watches and then climbs the tree. Going to the top, he bends the tip of the tree with one leg, bending until it cracks and falls down gently to the ground. Then there's a whole bunch for the Oque to eat: Not just for himself."

Ades hopes to encourage problem-solving, communal skills, responsibility and caution through his tales.

((7.3))

Ades will try to find the place where he first met the Oque, where he had used his power "pollen" on a tree and see whether he can find the grove of saplings.

If he does, he will lead the older Oque to it and show them what happened in this time. If he doesn't, he will simply go back to the group if he doesn't believe he can find it and read them some more stories.

[Thelonius]

The Oque groups are still rather small, so leader is someone who knows everyone personally. Then it is best that the leader would select a successor and groom him for leadership. “The leader should choose the successor in advance. He could then teach him how to be a good leader. The successor could help the leader, until he retires. Then other Oque would get used to successor, and leadership will pass on smoothly.” Tek also gives some advice like:

“If other Oque feel that your successor isn’t smart or strong enough to become leader, you can announce a challenge, which he can undertake to prove himself.”

“You need to be careful, not to choose someone, just because you like him, and not because of his abilities. If such Oque becomes leader without proper skills, it would end badly for him and all Oque.”

Spoiler

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Shoot. I forgot to wear Mask of Benevolence, when I first met these groups of Oque. I’ll remember to post numbers of the groups Tek visits from now on.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 7.2, Group 13, Ark

The trio's names are Uvst, Pktarb and Mevstk. They, however, do not understand what this congratulating is or why you would do it. They are glad, however, that Ark is there to bring more stories and so, for the time Ark stays, they come to listen to the tales Ark brings. With one of his new stories, they did not get how an Oque could make a tree bend, but it was still a nice story, so they listening with joy. While Ark tries to encourage several things during his tales, the effect is far from directly visible. The only effect that does seem visible is that the Oque try to talk more like Ark after such a story.
When Ark goes looking for where he was at a previous time, he looks around and around and finds that the place must be days away in travel. If he is willing to do that, he will eventually, with much time seeking and travelling, be able to find it. However, there is no grove of saplings. The wind spread the pollen as well, not all seeds grow to saplings and there are different saplings around, not forming a grove, but probably not from the miracle either. If Ark still wishes to show it, he finds a reluctance from the Oque to leave the group or travel for days again like that and the majority simply does not remember being there.

Turn 7.3, Group 29, 30, 31 or 32, Tek

As Tek explains, Yvst agrees with him and tells him that he was actually planning to teach his successor. However, how to select such a successor? "How can Yvst see if Oque has the proper skills for becoming a leader? What should Yvst pay attention to? Skills like jolt, hut making and creating light? Does Tek mean those skills?" Yvst asks, finding the response Tek gave to not be satisfactory.

[harmonictempest]

Ardannis, Turn 7.3, Groups 29-32 (same as Tek)

Ardannis returns with Tek, but slightly chastened from his last attempt at teaching traps, restrains himself to less exuberant direction this time. As in his earlier visits, he simply lives with each group for a few days, interacting with their various members. Remembering their requests from the more peaceful time before group 22 turned violent, he does in fact teach them two new games that can be played with more Oque: Searching Beast and Hungry Beast (um...hide'n'seek and Tag ) Both allow many Oque to play, and a chance for every Oque to play the Beast. If the same Oque win each time, he allows them to choose the next "beast" at random. If addition to being fun, these games will teach the Oque how to hide/run from beasts, as well as on the off chance that they find themselves dealing with Other Oque.

As for improving the signs for paths that they have found so useful, he affirms that they can in fact be made more varied, allowing them to get more information from each sign, such as how long ago it was made, who made it, and exactly what type of food, danger, or location it points to. He is able to advise them on the best types of materials and methods for making signs and subtly marking trails that other Oque are unlikely to notice, but the actual symbols elude him. After very little thought, he explains to Tek what he is trying to accomplish and asks for his help.

Spoiler

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I'm imagining a 4th grader going "oh yeah, you an write on them instead of making pictures! You can write all kindsa stuff - your name, the time you made da sign, where it points. It's real easy, you just, uh, just....uh....Tek?

[SithLackey]

Mandak, 7.6, Group 31
Mandak materializes in a larger form than he had used before, roughly 1.5m tall. He makes his way towards the group, saying little until he is really in the camp. "Greetings, I am Mandak, for those of you who do not know me. I have come to you to teach how to avoid the Bad Oque, and how to protect yourselves. What have you been doing so far?"

[Zweanslord]

Turn 7.3, Groups 29-32, Ardannis

When Ardannis teaches the two new games, the Oque seem to like it a lot and play it often enough when they have nothing else to do and want to play. Especially children seem to like the games and can often be found darting around the camps of the Oque. However, Ardannis notices that while some Oque can hide themselves from other Oque, their practises of hiding have many flaws if they would apply it to beasts, since they still snap twigs, move the bushes and the like.

The improvement of symbols seem intruiging to the Oque, however Ardannis' lessons about the material and methods for making signs seems to be too complex for the Oque. Not because they would not understand it, for they are intelligent enough, but because their knowledge about working with materials is very lacking. When Tek is called to help with the symbols making, a fair amount of Oque follow Ardannis towards Tek to hear what they can do to improve their singal making.

Turn 7.6, Group 31, Mandak

When Mandak appears, a decent size of the group jumps up in the trees, startled by the new being coming to them. However, Wster quickly shouts out it is Mandak and some other Oque have recognised him from Wster's description as well. A number of Oque come down again, which leaves the majority on the ground to look at Mandak. When he tells about avoiding the Bad Oque, or as they call them, the Other Oque, Mandak finds the Oque without much worry. "Oque know where Other Oque are. Other Oque will not find Oque. Oque move if Other Oque too close. Besides that, Oque have been doing what Oque do." "Ardannis taught fun new games! Searching Beast and Hungry Beast! Mandak play?" Asks a somewhat smaller Oque, obviously a relatively young Oque.

[El_Frenchie]

Turn 7.2, Group 13, Ark

The trio's names are Uvst, Pktarb and Mevstk. They, however, do not understand what this congratulating is or why you would do it.

Ark explains congratulating is a method to encourage a behaviour, to promote or make it happen more often. In this case, he is congratulating them because he wishes Uvst Pktarb and Mevstk to not let go of this behaviour. He tells them they should congratulate the others when they think they have done something beneficial to the group and it would still be beneficial to do it again.

Spoiler

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Dex: 3

He then explains the branch process, climbing up a decently sized tree (not big enough that Ark might hurt himself seriously falling) and climbs upwards. He shows the Oque how they cannot bend the trunk. Then as he climbs more and more, he repeats the process until at the very top, the tip seems to bend under the strength exerted. If he is able, he will crack the top bit of the tree.

Ark then shows the Oque something. Going to a child tree that he knows will grow taller, he takes a stick and traces an "X" on the ground the tree is standing. Taking small bits of rocks, he fills the "X" shape and then puts some more gravel in a pile where the X stands. He accumulates the rocks until the whole trunk of the sapling is covered in a mountain of pebbles.

Mysterious as always, he tells them Akam will make sense out of it for them, intriguing them for the next step to take. Otherwise, until the end of 7.2, Ark will use story-telling to emphasize once more responsibility.

[harmonictempest]

Ardannis, Turn 7.4, Groups 29-32

Ardannis is glad they take to the games, and offers a few pointers on how they still make noises and move the brush. When they are quickly confused by his talk of noise ((I assume?)), he gives up explaining it, saying that it is best to be still while hiding so that the bushes do not move for a beast to see you.

He cooperates with whatever teaching Tek offers.

Before he leaves, he speaks again with Yvst. Another group of different beings that I know have decided to travel. I described them to your Oque before - the Niddog. I guided them to visit the Karksh, whom I also described, since you had said visitors that were different beings would be too complicated. However, I must ask you again. Their route to go home will bring them fairly near to Oque lands, and a visit to any Oque would be not far out of their way. They are curious and eager, and have requested several times that I let them visit you, hoping you would not be scared of them. They will look strange to you, and they speak in a manner you cannot hear, just as they cannot hear your speech, but they are curious and harmless travelers. It might be nice to make friends with them - I do not think you need fear their jealousy, as with the Other Oque (capitalization here is important, as he refers to group 22, not all other Oque). If you are still uncertain, though, I will respect that, and either lead them to another group of Oque if I can find one that wishes to meet them, or simply lead them home. Traveling is long and hard still in this world - I do not think another group of different beings will travel so near in your lifetime. He speaks without trying to persuade, simply laying the facts in front of Yvst so that he can make an informed decision.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 7.2, Group 13, Ark

The Oque look as Ark climbs up the tree, while some still converse about the strange congratulations thing. When Ark returns with the top and has shown that the top does bend, they look pleased. "How Oque bend whole tree? Or Oque bend small tree?" One younger Oque asks, referring to the story Ark told. When Ark marks a sapling with with many pebbles and rocks, the Oque do not in the least understand why Ark is doing that. When Ark tells of Akam, he gets a "Who Akam?" When Ark returns back to storytelling, the Oque are more pleased and listen with joy.

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Honestly, I don't get what you are trying to do with the pebbles either. Also, remember that this is a group without huts, meaning they are nomads and they do not stick around any place for a long time, usually on the move. You might wish to pay them a visit later this turn or early next turn to guide them back to the sapling and then explain things, before the travelling time becomes even longer.

Turn 7.4, Groups 29-32, Ardannis

When Ardannis indeed talks about noise, he quickly confuses the Oque. When the Oque are explained about staying still so the bushes do not move, they agree and try to stay still.

When Ardannis approaches Yvst, Yvst listens closely. When Ardannis is done, Yvst speaks up to him. "Yvst does not know how smart it is for the Niddog to come here. The Niddog, as Ardannis described them, will likely scare the Oque, as the Oque will think of the Niddog as beasts. Since the Niddog speak in a way the Oque can not hear, most will not belief the Niddog to be able to speak. Even if the Niddog would come, what good would that be for the Oque and the Niddog? Yvst does not see the use of the Oque meeting with the Niddog while the Oque and the Niddog can not speak with each other. Even if the Oque and the Niddog could, what then? And now with the Other Oque, with Oque being bad, it would scare the Oque to see there being other smart beings, who might turn bad too if Oque did something bad. It would be very bad if Other Oque attack the Niddog. Ardannis, Yvst does not think it is smart to bring the Niddog here. Not with the Other Oque and the fear it might give the Oque."

[El_Frenchie]

Ark 7.2, group 13

"Akam is a friend. You will see."

Ark doesn't seem to have anymore plans for this part of the turn except telling some more stories. He gathers the Oque around before leaving and gives them a description of his friend Akam, tall as a tree but gentle and trustworthy.

However, before leaving, he asks the Oque about Quax, asking what it does and why it is transmitted into their children.

Ark 7.3, group 13

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Akam

*AP*

Strength: 3
Toughness: 3
Celerity: 1
Dexterity: 1
Hardness: 1
Monomorphism: 1
Regeneration: 1

Skills:

Farming 1

This skill encompasses the avatar's ability to care for or assist plants, their growth and health: The overall process of nursing them.

Akam appears as taller than Ark, around 10 feet tall. In the area in which the Oque have been traveling the most, Akam chooses a wide area where he starts his work for the rest of 7.3. Unrooting small saplings and planting them in rows, taking seeds from flowers and installing them in rows of roses and the like. He will use his huge hands as a receptacle for water and will water the plants and nurse them regardless of whether any Oque are there.

If the group does happen to pass through, he will greet them and announce he will have lots of food for them here soon. He will show himself to be similar to Ark in his stories if they would stop to listen.

[Thelonius]

Turn 7.4

Tek answers to Ysst:

“You ask the hardest question of all. You can’t make your choice based on a single skill. Leader with strong jolt might be good if you are fighting enemies, but what if you are faced with constant rains? Then a leader with Huts skill would be better. And if you are faced with famine, then a Leader with Light would be better suited to lead you to the place with food.

Knowledge can be gained, skills mastered, so look for the strength of spirit - determination to learn, courage to lead, open mind to use right skills for right situation, wisdom to know your limits and accept wisdom of others.”

Tek considers what can be done to help with Symbol making. He uses his skill (Natural Paints – 2) to search for some painting materials in the area.

[TheStagesmith]

7.3

Such simpleness... well, hopefully these creatures would be a little easier to work with than the Zygon, whom he suspected had already had bad interactions with Immortals. "No, I'm not a 'beast,' as you say," says Kirkael, "I am Kirkael, the Light. I am here to lead you to great things. I can help you gain power to make you safe from the beasts." He looks at the one who asked about his capacity for speech. In truth, Kirkael doesn't know much about his own origins, but that won't stop him from pretending to: "I speak the same way you do. I am not one of your kind, I am a higher being. But I can understand you, and you can understand me. That is important; it shows that you are worthy of my attention. I will not harm you so long as you do not try to harm me. Now I have told you of myself. To help you, I must know of you, as well. What sort of creatures are you, and how do you live?"

For as long as the Oque will tolerate him, Kirkael will question them about themselves. He is curious about everything, from day-to-day life to how the Oque see themselves in the big scheme of things - not that he expects them to be that intelligent. If he finds out about their abilities, he will grow excited and begin grilling them with regards to that subject, gently prodding them to give him a demonstration of what they can do with Quax. Whenever the topic of predators comes up, he will dismiss their concerns with the statement that no predator is a match for the Searing Light of Kirkael.
On the topic of other Oque, Kirkael is highly interested in their relations with other groups, how they interact.

[Zweanslord]

OOC

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After this post, I will go to bed and by the time I get back on the computer, the turn will have ended (in about 9-10 hours). Please wrap up what you are doing for turn 7. You can already post for turn 8 in this thread only. Some Immortals are being prayed to at the start of turn 8. For the short version of that, see the bottom of this post.

Turn 7.2, Group 13, Ark

When Ark asks about Quax, Uvst and Pktarb are busy with other Oque, amongst which are some that are ill. Mevstk is the one giving the response. "Quax makes Jolt. Quax flows within Oque. Oque are made out of Quax." However, the validity of the last question can, in turn, be questioned. The Oque reason pretty much that if they make Quax, they must be made out of Quax.

Turn 7.6, Group 13

"Look what Pktarb found. Weird plants. Plants so.. so.." "Straight." Adds Mevst to the words of Uvst. The Oque look at the plants in rows and are baffled. What is this? They have never seen anything like it. All kinds of wild tales go around. Some say it were the Niddog, others say it was the Sume, the strange creatures Ark described. Again others say that it is from something else, another creature.. the Plantbeing! This leads to scary tales in the night, while others tell tales of something greater, something unexplainable. It is.. a sign.

Turn 7.4, Yvst & Tek

When Tek tells Yvst about how to look, to look at Oque willing to learn, lead and think that it will use the right skills, Yvst finds it rather vague. How do you see that? He will ask Tek for some pointers on this, but will then leave Tek to go out and think about it. Meanwhile, Tek goes out to search painting materials and may or may not find anything.

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I don't know much about natural painting materials in forest, so think of something yourself to find and describe that.

Turn 7.3, Group 21, Kirkael

Kirkael's conversation continued and eventually some Oque left to search for food. In the time that passed, becoming days, the Oque slowly start to accept Kirkael's presence, though look scared if he tries to climb trees and will avoid him more if he does. Some ignore him, some avoid him, but there are likewise a number of interested Oque. Kirkael notices that their speech is very primitive, with sentences only amounting to two to three words most of the time. In the time he stays with the Oque, he learns that they are deaf, like fruits and plants, build huts and can fire jolts. When asked about other groups, the Oque tell that they have not seen other groups, though they most likely mean recently. Kirkael also notices the somewhat older Oque being more careful around him and keeping an eye on him, as if they feel responsible for the group in some way.

End of Turn 7

In groups 29, 30, 31 and 32, the leading Oque heed to Tek's advice. Their leadership abilities improve, and instead of just saying where they go to next when they move or solve some minor conflicts and offer some advice, their position grows stronger. They now offer more advice, resolve more problems and take more responsibility on their shoulders, but also offer more guidance and leadership. The leadership is contested regularly, however, but after Yvst offers advice it seems that Brast, Ftunckt, Qxaft and Ghinpd are more than capable of handling such things and are regarded by the Oque in their groups as strong in more way than one. Fewer have dared to oppose them since Yvst's advice.

Yvst himself has been busy selecting a successor. Using some of Tek's advice, he mostly still uses his own intuition. And so, Fzangt is following him around eventually. Meanwhile, Brast and Ftunckt have started to look out for partners to have children with. Brast goes through the mating rituals first and is often seen caring of his mates and children in the time after that. From the birth of his own child, he starts to train it to succeed him. Ftunckt has two eyespheres as children by the end of the turn, while Qxaft still has no partners, striking as too intimidating to the group. Ghinpd on the other hand does find partners and is eating his fill at the moment.

In group 7 and 8, Reftsk, Tumfst and Minfte were the best rafters. They have mated and have had children by now and unfortunately Reftsk has died by this time due to an accident. Tumfst and Minfte do guide the Oque in the villages, but they notice that due to Tumine's absence, there has been less stimulation to be curious about the water. To improve this, they have made it obligatory to learn about rafting, which has driven some Oque away to other groups. Those who have stayed are faring well under their leadership though, and they have started to train their children to help with their own tasks. Ikeklos, meanwhile, starts to become part of stories, slowly turning into just a memory if he does not return.

Due to Forneus' presence, the Oque in group 24 have trained their jolt powers better and now have a similar strength with jolt as the other groups who have gotten better with them earlier. While fire is forgotten, the amazing bow Forneus had was not. As time passes, it has become part of stories. Stapt has taken the lead of the group, with force, along with two other Oque.

Within Group 3, there rests uneasiness. They have a strange artefact, able to turn sound into Oque signals, and strange stories from Sedha, who firmly believes in them. They have started to doubt things and look at the world in a semi-curious, semi-scared state. What is it that the world offers them? How do the things work? Is Sedha right? What is it with the Karksh? A separation between the Oque in the group has started. One part wishes to seek out what the world is like, wanting to find out things with Sedha, want answers. Another part wishes it to be like old, without questions, without this stupid babbling and they do not believe any of it. Another part is just scared about it all.

The strength of those bearing responsibility in Group 13 is obviously more than just body or jolt. As time passes and they take care of the other Oque, three other Oque have joined their fold and have made it their task to watch over the group. Together, they wish to unite their strengths to protect the Oque. However, Uvst, Pktarb and Mevstk seek to have children and start their mating rituals, leaving them more protective of each other than of the other Oque during that time.

As all the groups continue to grow and the Oque prefer to stick together, those who do not have clear leaders continue to trust on the experience of their elders. They have survived the longest and thus must know best.

Start of Turn 8

The sky has been darker than usual. Some of the Oque have been worried, but others do not fear the rain to come. Yet, when the dark clouds come rolling over the lands, thunder and wind follows in their wake. Lightning clashes between the clouds and everlasting rain is thrown at the land downwards. The rain continues for days, until days become more days and the Oque see no end to the wind and rain. Pools become flooded, streams become wider and lightning strikes. Trees come crashing down and live becomes much less bearable. Food, eventually, becomes much more scarce. Almost all groups suffer from this problem and find that even when moving, food is difficult to find.

When food eventually becomes more and more scarce and the winds of the giant and lasting storm become more and more powerful, with rain continuing to come down, the Oque feel in great danger. What is the reason of these storms? The groups which have not met the Immortals yet and which are stupid do not even give this thought, just considering this as a great danger. Those who have had influence, however, consider many alternative options and many more call out with pleas.

The storm lasts from 8.0 until 8.4.

All groups basically have trouble with these two problems: Lack of food and need for shelter. Those with huts are more protected, but their huts are of a very bad quality, consisting out of poor, easily leaked through roofs in trees.

Group 3 has several Oque calling for the help of Sedha, wishing to know what is going on, or, even better, wishing for help. They travel around a lot, but food is scarce and protection from the harsh weather is not present. Sedha can hear these prayers and finds them to come from around a dozen Oque.

Group 7&8 suffer from the worst problems of all. Their camps are set up next to a stream, which has flooded with all the downpour. Many call for aid from Tumine, who hears dozens of prayers in hear head. Some believe that they have done something wrong and have angered Tumine greatly, which has made her do this. Those who do believe that plead for Tumine to stop, but when they find she does not, they start to fear her. Several Oque have been caught by the stream, and despite their ability to turn water into ice and make emergency rafts, many still die. Either from collisions with rocks or from being unable to safely reach the shore by the much faster waves of the stream. A small number of Oque have send prayers to Ikeklos, who can hear their pleas for help through him.

Group 13 has separate opinions about the storm, and the greatest imagination and diversion of thoughts. Some believe Ark to be responsible, while others belief it to be a sign of greater powers. Some believe that there is a sky species that is doing this to them, while others believe they have done something to effect the weather. Others believe that others beings are to blame, while even others come up with the wildest stories. This, however, still causes many to wish for help. Since Ark is considered to be Story Teller, only a small amount of Oque thinks of praying for aid from him. A few more pray for him simply for advice, and Ark can hear the several kinds of prayers for help, determining that indeed, not everybody of the group is calling for his aid through means of prayer. Though Ark can hear the prayers of Uvst, Pktarb and Mevstk clearly, especially their prayers that wish for the well being of their unborn children as each of the Oque suffer from the lack of food and harsh conditions.

Group 19, 20 and 33 have decided to stuck together and they do know who is making this storm happen. The Immortals. Their hate grows worse and they often slander the Immortals. They stick together, though often there are fights over the food. Several times, leadership shifts due to fights, but no Oque is willing to move away from their groups, for they only have each other.

Group 22 has forsaken their search for the Other Oque, at least for now. Their focus re-shifts to food and survival, which keeps them completely occupied.

Group 29, 30, 31 and 32 have a lot of troubles as well. With so many close, food has been more than difficult to find. The harsh conditions has made living bad as well and the uses of huts and light see their use now. With light, the Oque can still see when it is dark, and the huts are often made. However, due to lack of food they feel the need to move on as well. In these groups, dozens of prayers go up towards Ardannis, pleading for his guidance or help. The prayers of the leaders and their mates also go up to Tek, while a handful of prayers goes up to Mandak. The Oque are in trouble, and the Immortals can hear it clearly. Tek and Ardannis also note that Ghinpd, Ftunckt and their mates worry about their unborn children and eyespheres respectively. Ftunckt is the leader of group 30, while Ghinpd is the leader of group 32.

Prayers

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There are too many Immortals to pm about prayers, so here is the short version. All prayers are cries for help.
Sedha gets prayers from Group 3.
Tumine gets prayers from Group 7&8.
Ikeklos gets a few prayers from Group 7.
Ark gets prayers from Group 13.
Ardannis gets prayers from Group 29, 30, 31 and 32.
Tek gets prayers from the leaders and their mates from Group 29, 30, 31 and 32.
Mandak gets a handful of prayers from Group 31.

[El_Frenchie]

Ark 8.0

During Akam's travel of the territory too find a good spot to farm, he had seem quite a few landscapes. Knowing this, Ark -right before the beginning of the storm- manifests himself at 10 feet tall near his group, where he will find the Oque that prayed. He will stay a distance away before speaking, out of sight.

"You have prayed to Ark. To me, the storyteller. Let me help you."

He then approaches cautiously the group of Oque, his large voice only slightly covered up by the sound of the storm.

"The storm is not my doing. Storm happen. But the Oque should remember what to do in a storm. I will show you."

He then proceeds to leading the Oque to any cave he could have seen in rock formations in his travel. He will allow the Oque to climb on him so that they may move faster. Otherwise he will lead them there normally.

If they cannot find their way through the storm after a while or find a cave, he will stop and reach out to the top of trees. Using his knowledge of nests he will ask the Oque to help him gather leaves on the ground. He will then begin the weaving, using branches that he plants in the ground and bends to the top, making a dome of sorts, and then, leaves and generally tree materials at hand to start weaving around the structure something similar to an upside down nest with greens tightly woven in each other's layers. He will also break small saplings or trees around and use the fluid, the resin, to stick the structures less solid parts into place. In the end the structure won't be large enough for himself, but the top part of the dome is roughly 6.6 feet (2 meters) tall, and the total diameter of the shape is 16.6 feet (5 meters) wide.
There is a small entrance managed for it on one side, Oque-sized.

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Now that I wrote this much about it, I feel like using this concept so much... ah well.

((Ark doesn't leave at the end of 8.0, he will stay up until 8.3, or whenever the Oque seem out of harm's way.))

[SithLackey]

Mandak, Turn 7 Wrap-up Although I don't think it ends for at least a couple of hours...
Mandak is slightly taken aback by the youngling's request. He ponders a moment, and then responds. "Very well. If you insist that you have no troubles avoiding the Other Oque, then I will play your 'games'." That last word has a peculiar emphasis on it that the Oque are unlikely to pick up on, but it's still there. He does indeed play their games, although the only advantage he is likely to have is the fact that he never tires. In a few days, when he has seen that they are indeed doing fine, and noted with regret that they have an anatomy not conducive to digging, he thanks them for their hospitality, and leaves.

[pseudovere]

Sedha turn 8-10 autopilot

Sedha will immediately appear as soon as she hears the Oque's cries for help, and aid the Oque in whatever way she can during the storm and for a short time after, in any way that they ask her too, assuming that she is capable of doing so, including but not limited to:

healing wounded
keep watch/ fend off predators
helping gather food/ find new food sources
assuming that the majority of the group is willing and it is feasible, lead them to an area outside the effect of the storm, but still within the forested area on the map, where they have more food available

If at any time it seems that her aid is inadequate, she will leave the Oque, and travel to any other Oque colony she can find, observing the group from the shadows, fleeing and hiding if attacked, using her Gown of Darkness to help shake off any pursuers, but only if mundane means of fleeing and hiding prove insufficient. She brings news of any method they are using to survive, and attempts to teach it to Group 3. If she is unable to do so, and the group she observed didn't seem violent, she leads Group 3 to the other group, and has them ask for assistance. If the Oque of the other group turn violent towards Group 3, she will use herself as a distraction allowing the other Oque to escape, using her miracles to conceal Group 3, although she will never harm the other group. If necessary, she will allow her avatar to die to protect Group 3.

Supposing she survives the encounter, she will spend up to 8.6 traveling and observing different Oque tribes, learning what other Oque are capable of (she currently knows nothing of Quax) and seeing what other immortals have done for the Oque.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 7+, Group 31, Mandak

The Oque who played with Mandak go to bed happily at the end of the day, obviously having enjoyed the games with Mandak. During Mandak's presence, he finds a degree of hospitality, but when he leaves, he is asked what this "thanking" is. The Oque who had fun with him are curious about him and wonder if he will be back again. Wster is amongst these Oque and he is glad to have his saviour around. When the storm breaks lose in Turn 8, Mandak can identify the Oque calling for his help as the ones he played with, including Wster.

Turn 8.0, Group 13, Ark

When Akam appears, the Oque seem scared at first, but then realise it is the figure that Ark told of. When it claims to be Ark, they ask for him to explain. When he explains that Ark is not making this storm, they believe him. After a bit of small talk and explanation, the Oque re willing to follow him. They find no caves, but instead Akam starts his work on the upside down nest. While the idea is good, and he can make some pointers, he finds out that his hands will not do the weaving appropriately, that some of the structure seems to be made clumsily and some of the architectural methods of making such a large up side down nest elude him. Luckily, he is able to make the Oque understand his concept, who work on building such an improved hut. Using their skill with warping wood, they also incorporate leaves now and start to work on the dome.

With Akam's help, the Oque are able to gather the right materials and have made their dome like huts from branches, leaves and fluids, warping them together in a tighter structure. The Oque, with the help of Akam, make several of these and are greatly thankful for the shelter that it provides. However, this does not resolve the food scarcity and Akam soon finds out that the Oque have to move again to find more food, which means they have to abandon their shelters and make new ones again. As the storm has gained a lot in strength, the building of these new shelters have been much more difficult and the pressure of having to find food continues. They ask Akam for help. Akam, in the mean time, notices that the Oque are trying to attribute this storm to something, some being that is sending this storm towards them. He hears the many different stories, which have begun to gain more strength amongst the Oque, where a bad Stormbeing seems to gain the most strength now.

Turn 8+, Group 3, Sedha

When Sedha appears, the Oque of Group 3 quickly move towards her. They are very glad with all of Sedha's help, and during hte time she is with the Oque, she has many chances to apply them. She, however, too notices that food sources are scarce and occasionally finds other predators around them, which she either fends off or notices so the Oque do not go there. She also has to apply her healing skill several times, due to accidents or when an oque ate something bad for it. When Sedha suggests that they move to another area, the Oque seem reluctant at first, but due to the storm, this reluctance quickly fades away.

Sedha is able to lead the Oque to another area, an area without other Oque and thus inherit without the danger of other Oque attacking them. The oque will not notice this at the start, but eventually they will start to wander where Sedha brought them. In a sense, they start to cling closer together in this strange new area. However, the storm still rages on. Sedha decides to lead the Oque to l19, so that while they actually go deeper in the storm at first, it also means that they will have to endure the storm for less time as it will have passed them sooner. The Oque are thankful for this, and, in the new area, food seems much more abundant. The Oque continue to travel around, since while food, in general, has less abundance of food, especially now with the storm raging, the Oque do not have to share this with other Oque or with other species, meaning that they can find a lot more, solving their food problems. However, the need for shelter is still unresolved.

When Sedha goes out to other Oque groups to spy on them and see how they are doing and what they are doing, she eventually finds a group that has roofs in the trees. These are very primitive, crude roofs, but they provide at least some shelter. However, she sees that teaching such a thing to her group would likely last too long to really be effective during this storm. It would also take up time from the other group, which in turn would decrease the effectiveness.

Eventually, the storm passes for the Oque of her group. They are greatly thankful of Sedha, who led them to a new area. They seem a lot happier and move around in the new area with plenty of food available to them. There are still beasts to worry about, but the Oque use Sedha's gift to hear them early on. While Sedha was unable to provide them with shelter, she was able to resolve their food issues and has helped a lot to allow the group to endure the time. Having fended of several beasts, pointed out several food places and healing their injured, helping them where possible, the Oque see her as some sort of guardian angel, though they do not express it in those words. They seem to have gotten better linguistic capabilities and converse with each other more, telling of Sedha and thinking about what lies around them.

Before, there was uneasiness. The group was split in three, with a part being scared, a part wishing it to be like old and another part curious. This has changed during The Storm. While there are still those who are more curious, those who wish it to stay like old have abandoned that point of view. If Sedha were not there, Oque would have died due to lack of food. They still had a bad time during The Storm, but Sedha had been there continuously for them. Grateful, Sedha can hear how they say "Sedha is good", even ringing in the back of her mind. The group seems dedicated to her, more open to what she has to say, though still there are enough Oque scared of what is to come in this part fo the forest.

After the storm, Sedha goes to spy on the other groups of Oque. She explores most of the groups, and even gets attacked by Oque one time, but manages to get away from them. They attacked her with strange blue globs of light, which stung. She also finds groups that can imbue rocks with light, but also finds finds groups with roofs again. She even finds some groups that have huts, light and have several symbols around their groups.

[El_Frenchie]

Ark 8.0-8.4

Akam explains how Ark is an immortal. It is a power, like Quax. But it speaks. It thinks. Like the Oque. Akam and Ades have Ark inside them. Not Quax, but Ark. They are both made of Ark, Ark is really rare. Ark works by giving them lots of power over a specific thing. Ark's power is over Birth, Children of Oque, plants, animals, beasts.

When the Oque try to attribute a reason behind the storm, Akam intervenes:

"A storm is only a passing thing. It begins, then it ends. Like Oque, born, then die. You will always find the sun after them. If a being was behind it, he could hold a storm there. But this storm cannot last. Time wins over every storm."

As they create the nests and they become more proficient at it, the food supply in the area lessens. The Oque eat fast and soon they need to move for a new food supply. It was to be a trying time for this race and Akam decides that food is the only thing that will keep them going. In order to do this, he tells them they can later use the shelters they built, but for now, food is most important, especially for the younger Oque and the expecting ones.

And so they move, Akam generally scouting ahead himself and going around obstacles or danger. If any beast tries to make a meal out of the Oque, Akam will defend them with his avatar life. ((The Oque's of group 13 are moving to l19))

"Remember, Oque are responsible for Oque. Stay together, work together. If you are tired, tell the others and I will come and carry you until you feel better. If any of you get lost for some reason, always go towards the wind and follow my footprints." (I guess a 15 foot tall creature's footprints are obvious enough for that.)

As they move along the storm and against the wind, Akam generally protects as well he can the Oque and will try to keep away from the other groups by staying to places that are not occupied. When, finally, he is able to see the edge of the cloud formation, Akam will tell the Oque they can settle. He will dig up irrigation canals to help drain the area and will ask the Oque to start breaking up wood to build huts. Once he is done with the irrigation, he will help them make huts once more for shelter.

[Zweanslord]

Turn 8.0-8.4, Group 13, Ark

The Oque are impressed about Ark, and start referring to Akam as that, Akam. They seem a bit less happy when they hear it gives Akam and Ades power over their children, but they continue to listen. When Akam explains about the storm, the Oque continue their theories and stories, though none seem definite, since most of the energy is going towards finding food.

When Akam suggest they move further away, they seem reluctant at first, but eventually follow Akam. Akam defends the Oque as they move, beating a few starved beasts. Sometimes, he carries a child, other times he helps them with finding food. The help of Akam is greatly appreciated by the Oque, which reflects itself in many Oque telling of Akam as: "Akam is good." Which he can hear in his mind ring as well.

This is only strengthened when the Oque move to another area, with much more food available to them. The area as a whole has less food available in this harsh time than the other area, but there are no other Oque around that are taking up food, so the Oque will be able to deal well enough with their food supplies. They still have to move around, but they try to recreate the shelters they made before and spend a lot of time and effort in it, enhancing their skills at warping wood and leaves as well as their skills at building huts. They stick to the round more now, since it is easier to build there. In this way, Akam is able to provide for both their need for food, as well as their need for shelter. The Oque are very happy with him. Unfortunately, the storm does take its toll. Out of Uvst, Pktarb and Mevstk, Uvst was no longer a part of the group, having fallen to his death during an accident.

Turn 8.5+, Group 13, Ark

When the storm finally starts to recede after many, many days, the Oque start to tell stories about it. The stories about what happened are many. The Great Storm, a being of the sky that was beaten by the great sun being. Another type of flying being, which had attacked the air and made it flow like the streams and shoot out light. A great battle between powerful Oque that caused The Storm. The land which had been angry at the Oque and had send The Storm. Beings which did not want the Oque to become responsible had gone to strike down with light. One elaborate story was about there being a Great Being, the Sun, which only lasted a single day and then had a child, but it was defeated by a being, The Storm, which had taken the power from The Sun, as it had been able to shoot light from it. A Sun child had wandered through the world (which was a forest), until a responsible Oque came to help the Sun child. It took one of the lights that had fallen down from The Storm and went to defeat The Storm. With the aid of the Sun child, the Oque was able to defeat The Storm, but not before The Storm killed the Sun child. Responsible as he was, the Oque took the responsibility for The Sun and now carried it along the sky each day. Yet, The Storm was not completely beaten and left behind in its wake several clouds which could cloud The Sun.
Many of these stories were told in the Oque new huts, which were on the ground. They liked to seek shelter if the weather was bad and tell these kind of stories to each other. Trast was one of the most proficient story telling Oque, and quite responsible towards others too.