Malani apologia

[Nick Brooke]

Is anyone having fun playing as members or associates of the Malani Tribe? I tend to casually calumniate them because I’m a Lismelder, but of course that means I have no idea who most of them are.

If so, would you care to fill me in with juicy factoids and intrigues related to Scary Queen Amalda (now dead, thank goodness), Voilor Blue Fox (“Argrath’s asshole friend,” according to my Black Spear), and of course Sarostip Cold-Eye (“a poet-warrior in the classic sense,” ibid.)? All contributions gratefully received.

Also, was Mad-Blood Malan’s insanity hereditary, and were there any ensuing Lunar complications during the Occupation?

[Jeff]

Over current history, Sarostip Cold-Eye likely casts the greatest shadow over the tribe. A member of the High Council, leader of the Humakt Regiment and member of the Household of Death, and killer of Prince Temertain, he's like a demigod character from the Mahabharata ("my sworn cousin is king of a tribe and a thousand warriors come with her"). He could easily have been king, but instead walked the edge of the sword, earning great respect (and fear).

His cousin Amalda is king in her own right, but worshipful of Sarostip. The tribe surrendered to Fazzur Wideread as Starbrow's Rebellion collapsed and she remained loyal to her father's oath. As a result, the tribe was neutral during the Lunar Occupation, not aiding the empire but not opposing it either. The tribe received two clans from the Colymar after Starbrow's Rebellion, which is a source of bad blood between the tribes, exacerbated by the long running feud between the Varmanid and Orleving clans. That's probably exactly what the clever Gordius Silverus intended. 

[Rodney Dangerduck]

We've mainly been on the other side, as a primarily Colymar / Taraling group of PCs.  The Malani have been significant though.

1. One of our PCs, a Humakti with a complex backstory involving fleeing Boldhome, was adopted by the Malani.  She still visits the Malani for many of the High Holy Days.
2. In an early adventure, we entered their territory and were gracelessly allowed to continue by a haughty band of Humakti who were very dismissive of our capabilities, especially my small female Vinga worshipper.  Grrr...
3. During Kallyr's Wake, the corrupt evil Mayor of Boldhome charged our Humakti with the murder of his son.  The facts are unclear(b).  Sarostip stepped in and offered single combat to prove her innocence.  Unsurprisingly, she was found innocent.
4. Much later, Valior's clan raided and captured a few border steads of the Taralings.  Cattle were stolen, no biggie.  Six Taralings slain, a biggie.  Seviros, the Taraling clan chief(a), was slow and ineffective to respond, and by the time Leika sent forces the contested steads were well guarded by dozens of Sarostip's elite Humakti.  She wisely decided on jaw-jaw, not war-war.
5. My foul mouthed PC ranted about "those asshole <CENSORED> Malani", eventually drawing a strong rebuke from our Humakti.  I then settled for harassing the occupiers by dropping cow-pies from hippogriff.  That was very cathartic!
6. Our cooler headed PCs negotiated.  Sarostip was honorable enough to pay weregild.  He kept the steads. 
7. My PC, and our Issaries, flew off to talk with some friends at the Cinsina tribe(c) in an attempt to break up their alliance with the Malani.  No luck.
8. So, it's kind of a limbo.  A very peaceful non-deadly Donbass situation.
9. After the Battle of Sword Hill, we noticed Argrath in discussions with Leika and Valior, presumably about this.
10. Sarostip, to our Humakti, has recently said some complimentary things about my Vingan, which have been passed on.  Kind of like Harry and Ron communicating via Hermoine.  My PC is starting to like, or at least respect, Sarostip.

 

(a) Our Wind Lord leader PC will likely become Taraling Clan chief shortly.

(b) A definite he said / she said me too story.

(c) I befriended them by "killing" a Telmori and Dire Wolf, single handed, on the Great Hunt.  Though actually, there's a story there, she took pity on the wounded Telmori and let it live...  Apple Lane cows are also getting some Red Cow genetic material, the old fashioned way.