In the fourth cycle of Jena Year 2551, the disastrous consequences of the drought in the Burning Desert came to a climax. At the beginning of the cycle, the desert tribes were protesting outside the Fyros cities, and frahar were swarming over two of the desert regions. By the end of the cycle, the tribes had all gone home, and the frahar problem had been mostly solved.
This didn't happen easily or quickly though. After the events of the second cycle, most of the Akenak resigned in protest. And with nobody to take action anymore, the problems only worsened during the third cycle. It was only after foreign intervention and the election of a new Akenak that the problems started getting resolved.
The tribes were one by one negotiated with until they could be convinced to withdraw their forces. The frahar however were a bigger problem. A detailed investigation had to be launched to find why they were multiplying so quickly, before a large expedition could finally put a stop to it.
The events of the second cycle had left the desert tribes protesting outside the Fyros towns Dyron and Thesos, and aggressive frahar camping at the oasis. In the third cycle, the situation escalated further as some of these tribes moved to blockade the gates of Pyr itself.
And still the Senate refused a military action. Ofcourse this didn't stop some citizens of the desert from attempting to remove the tribes by force themselves. But they only obtained temporary successes, the tribes always returning with reinforcements. Thought after the first skirmishes they did move further away from Pyr.
In the last months of the third cycle, the Matis chamber of Nobles, perhaps feeling regret over their earlier actions, invited the tribes of the desert to move to Virginia Falls in Hidden Source to last out the drought there. The three tribes that were blockading Thesos at the time accepted this invitation and made camp in Hidden Source for the rest of the drought, clearing Thesos of tribal blockade.
Dyron and Pyr remained under siege, however.
Because all attention was focussed on these tribes, nobody noticed the frahar...
I was running through the Frahar towers the other day, before the region became so overwhelmed, and I observed some Frahar as they were building a totem. That was a strange sight, you can believe me!
Since when can these animals process wood?
Why? Because no one believes me!
*imploring tone*
I have seem him! Believe me!
A huge Frahar as big as a mighty Kincher!
*gives a discouraging sigh*
But all think I'm crazy...
It was only a few hundred meters from here that it marched past.
Well, it was dark. But its enormous eyes flashed at me! Then I immediately took flight. But that's understandable... or not?
I will never forget the sight ...
*stares at the ground and starts shaking*
The Fraaah... *hic* rrrr...
they are *hic* back-shhtabbing beashhtieshh *hic*
They block entire roadshh, you *hic* know.
There ishhn't any getting through! *hic*
It'shh mushh better to shhtay here... in the baaar.
*hic* Baaarkeeep!
Ha! These damned Frahar! One can hardly move. The Akenak better belive that the Fraiders are behind this.
*spits*
A punitive expedition to the beasts down there in the gorge and the situation is clarified, believe you me! Then finally it will be quiet here and we can pursue our work without being robbed by these creatures!
Yes! Robbed! You heard me! My mektoubs were stolen right under my nose - along with all the wood I was transporting.
*waves hand in angry gesture*
And nobody does anything about it!
Patriots. Pah! All Cowards!
Want to learn more about Frahar? Then you have come to the right man!
Frahar are only slightly more intelligent than ordinary animals. Some even say that a Shooki is more intelligent, but I beg to differ.
Frahar normally live in herds of 5 to 10 and are excellent hunters. It is worthwhile to observe them in the hunt, for they are indeed very clever and take advantage of weaknesses of their victims selectively. They have learned to deal with primitive tools and have weak magic skills in which they have developed a special talent for fire and use it in the hunt.
We know that they not only do they eat flesh, but they also take vegetable food. How accurate is the composition we have unfortunately not yet able to explore, as the Frahar proceed quite aggressively against curious observers.
What? You are not interested in what I have to say? You want to know why they multiply so suddenly?
*points and turns indignantly away*
My colleague over there investigated the mating behavior, ask him!.
*mumbles to himself *
This cannot be! Why...? But that has yet...!
*jumps in fright*
Don't do that again! Sneaking up on a scientist...Tsk!
*shakes head vigorously*
Oh, you want to know something about Frahar? I can tell you a lot!
I have specialized in the mating behavior of all sorts of animals and the Frahar have made amazing progress lately, do not you think? Well, the females cannot ordinarily be seen. Many homins believe, that the male and the female simply cannot be distinguished apart, as is the case with most animals. But the Frahar females differ significantly from the males. They are smaller and have a lighter coat. As far as I can tell, they are nearly blind, for they are kept from their pack under the surface in dark caves where they care for their offspring.
The hunting pack that is seen usually at the surface consists only of males. Once they have mated with the females they return to the surface while the females care for the young. Their offspring, once matured, venture to the surface and join another clan.
This new generation here is adopted in an astonishing way ! it appears that the clan or the pack is getting stronger. Recently, one could observe how the groups are getting larger and they seem to have organised themselves better and have become more adept at using tools.
There must be some current conditions that are taking its effect on the Frahar allowing them to multiply as massively as hey have. I think that there is an oversupply of food in the areas of the clan or such a development could not occur. But, so far, we have seen no evidence for this theory.
Perhaps it is worth examining the regions of the Frahar for more accurate information. There are a couple of hermits who may have seen more. I would leave but it is too dangerous for me to leave the Academy.
But now please let me continue working. The yubos show a very unusual technique of pairing which I wish to study further.
The damned Frahar keep us very busy.
Not only are they are becoming more, they also seem to be ordered to move.
Have you ever seen these creatures behave like this? I have not!
I think I must move from here. The water here is not drinkable. I do not know what is going on. The only things that drink from it now are the Frahars. All the other animals avoid it and the last time I tasted it I felt really strange.
Poisons do you think? Well I do not know who would want to poison it. Moreover, no one comes over here really.
*lifts head from meditation*
The so-called primitive people are smarter than most homin are willing to believe. They are creations, though their culture may seem alien and abnormal to us, of Ma-Duk and we should not interfere in the divine, least we draw the ire of punishment from the Kami.
*falls back into trance*
*giggles in a high tone*
Frahar? What are Frahar?
Oh, you mean those hairy Homins running around everywhere?
*makes a sweeping gesture*
They are quite dear, but who do not mind a bit. They even eat mainly plants or bark or something of that nature... Or at least they get it from the ground... far below,.. faaaaaar.
*gives a wild-eyed look at the formations of the Frahar Towers*
Then they stand up there and dance at the top. This can be seen every night. See? Just up here.
*giggles shrilly*
And then they jump and sail down to the ground. Where they land hundreds of small white hairy homins immediately crawled out of the ground to pay homage to great gliders.
*grins and spreads his arms and looks expectantly at the ground as if witnessing many small Frahar immediately popping out of the ground*
Here one cannot become rich because people are so spoiled. The raw materials here just are not good enough. But the region is overflowing with them! I can forage only a small fraction of it and you would hardly notice. Yes, here it is always lonely. Nobody else is buildings things from here.
These damn Frahar! If the increase continues they will overrun us! We do have our hands full keeping the roads clear here, but there are just so many...
*Sighs from exhaustion*
Sometimes I do think that we would be better to withdraw from the region and focus on the border with Oflovak's oasis. Especially since we hardly have any water...
Fortunately, our supplies have been supplemented with water from the Aeden Aqueous. But I do not know how long the supplies will last. With the Frahar multiplying so quickly, the water is now undrinkable!
*Stands tall*
But we do not give up! We must not give up! The Empire needs us!