The Karavan and the Fyros

Relations have never been excellent between the Karavan and the doubting Fyros. This proud people found it difficult to adopt any Law without wanting to know everything about the reasoning behind it. They questioned every commandment and even the existence of Jena. The Karavan consequently had to constantly keep them in line using sanctions which more often than not backfired. Any prohibition only had the effect of arousing Fyros curiosity further. The Karavan responded by lowering the payment of raw materials offered in the name of Jena and limiting access to their technology.

In spite of what the Karavan portrayed as manifestations of Jena's wrath – the Fire of Coriolis, the loss of Karavia, and ultimately, the Great Swarming – nothing would quash the Fyros thirst for knowledge, especially when they came upon an entity to counter Karavan castigation.

When the Fyros came into contact with the Kamis under Arispotle, the Karavan, realizing they were in danger of losing all influence over the Fyros, thereon were obliged to make extra efforts to contain their exasperation. The Fyros consequently found themselves in the comfortable position of being able to take advantage of both Kami magic and Karavan technology to further their own quest for knowledge. The Karavan could but tolerate this state of affairs or risk losing them completely as they had done with the Zoraï.

The Karavan being powerless to save hundreds of thousands of homins from massacre during the Great Swarming, had the effect of further widening the gulf of incredulity. Moreover, in the light of the new relationship with the Zoraï, the Fyros have since taken a clear stance in favor of the Kamis.

Cube of knowledge sealed in 2525

The Karavan and the tribes

Numerous tribes have sworn allegiance to the Karavan, the most active being the Kuild. The Kuild tribe was first established in the old lands by the Karavan themselves to ensure Jena's Law was not violated. The Kuild was reformed in 2483 after the kitin war when homins resurfaced from their Prime Root sanctuary in the newfound lands.

Members are chosen on the strength of their faith in Jena. Nowadays their camp lies in the Nexus and their official role is to represent the Karavan in the Prime Roots, and keep an eye on homin comings and goings there. They are then the eyes and ears of the Karavan.

Other fervent pro-Karavan tribes include : the Black Circle, found all over Atys with their base camp located in Witherings; the Masters of the Goo and the Antikami based in the Witherings; the Smugglers and the Silt Sculptors living in tryker islands; the Matisian Border Guards, Darkening Sap, Sap Slaves and the Slash and Burn all found in Verdant Heights. A Karavan ambassador is posted in each one of these tribes.

There are other pro-Karavan tribes, but they're less close to the Jena's disciples than the above tribes.

The Karavan struggles against the proliferation of pro-Kami tribes by sending in faithful homins to battle against them. The most hostile of these enemy tribes include: the Company of the Eternal Tree, found all over Atys; the Tutors in the Witherings; the Ancient Dryads, Ecowarriors and Sacred Sap situated in Verdant Heights; the Recoverers in the Nexus; and the Sap Gleaners and Cockroaches who reside in the Prime Roots.

Karavan Story 1

The Eternal Apprentice

Gregari was an apprentice crafter with as much promise as any of moving up through the ranks to mastery and acquiring respect. Only, though he had an inquisitive mind, Gregari's natural fiber was predisposed to idleness, fatigue would wash over him like a deluge whenever great effort was called of him. Thus incapable of moving on, Gregari remained the eternal apprentice. However, the knowledge he had acquired after umpteen wanderings made him a useful aid for his master's new hands. Indeed many an apprentice spent time in Gregari's genial company before moving on to more serious duties.

Linia was one of those apprentices. She was at first intrigued by Gregari's blasé temperament more common to little Trykers than noble Matis.

“Surely you can't go on living the life of a novice, Gregi,” said Linia one day as they were gathering some raw materials in the forest for their master. “Honestly, where's your get-up-and-go?”

“Got up and went, little sister!” drawled Gregari with a wink.

“You'll never make anything of yourself…”

“Ain't my fault I can't conclude…”

“It's because you lack staying power!”

“Nah, what I lack is a way to get rich quick. Tell you what, you find the recipe and I'll find the ingredients, ha, ha, ha!...” Gregari chortled as just at that moment an enormous clap of thunder ripped open the sky.

“Sounds like Jena doesn't agree!” guffawed Linia.

“Cor blimey, she don't!” seconded Gregari as the rain came pelting down and they made for a hollow in the side of a hill with their frightened mektoub packer. There was another crack of thunder and Linia reached out just in time to try to steady the frightened mektoub while Gregari leaned against a mound contemplating the sky…

“Give us a hand, Gregi!!” she called.

“Don't panic, little sister,” returned Gregari coming back to himself and coolly grabbed the reins and tied the mektoub to a tree leaving it bucking wildly… “There, he'll get over it once he's spent!”

There came another crashing whiplash and the mektoub spent the last of its feral force with a mighty back kick square on the side of the hollow. Where the animal had kicked a plaque of clay cracked and crumbled away leaving a hole the size of a homin's head! Gregari poked his into the blackness, and as his eyes became gradually used to the darkness his sight swept over a thousand flower heads shedding their light from the bed of a vast cavern. Enchanted by the discovery, he proceeded in prying open the hole further making it big enough to slip through.

“Look, Linia, this must have been an entrance sealed up long ago, see?! There are stairs leading down into the cavern,” he exclaimed to the younger apprentice in a new hushed and excited voice.

“But, Gregari, you know what this is?!”

“A way to get rich quick, baby!” returned Gregari with kindled ardor. “Look at those materials, there for the taking!”

“But it's forbidden to enter the Prime Roots!”

“Only if you get caught! Come on, today's our lucky day!”

“Looks spooky to me…”

“Well if you ain't coming, stay here and keep a look out.”

“Be quick!”

Without further ado Gregari climbed down the dark stairway to embrace the wonderful display of rare materials in the Prime Root cavern.

A week later back in Davae, Gregari was clad head to foot in the finest clothes an apprentice was ever seen to wear. On being questioned by his master as to his turnaround of fortune, Gregari said he'd come into some inheritance, with which he was determined to make something of himself.

Some time after, this time in Natae, Gregari and Linia were sharing a fabulous meal of mektoub trunk soup, torbak steak with tender baked cactus flesh, when there was a knock at the door. Gregari's new maid showed in a certain Zinovitch Kidditch, a noble Matis Master crafter.

“Sire,” he said “I am known to your master who tells me you have left his company to break out alone. He tells me too that you desire rank and a solid occupation. Sir, I stand before you with all I own, the clothes I wear and my title of Master of the Crafts. Fortune has turned against me, I must recover one hundred thousand dappers for which I would sell my title along with the accompanying secret stanzas of my profession…”

Zinovitch set a delay of a week after which he would take his offer to the capital of Yrkanis where he was sure to find a taker.

“I've only thirty thousand dappers left,” said Gregari to Linia once Zinovitch had been shown out the door.

“And I five thousand…” returned Linia.

“Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

“I'm thinking it unwise, what if we bump into the Karavan on the way back?”

“Rubbish, I know a way back where the Karavan never go!”

“Besides, that hole gives me the creeps, all those little lights like beady eyes watching!...”

“All you have to do is haul the stuff up to the surface on a rope and stash it in the saddle packs, you can hardly call that breaking the law, can you? We'll share out the booty so we can both buy our fair share of the crafter's stanzas, right?! Just imagine folk's faces when we roll into Davae and put in a bid for the our master's premises!...”

So it was agreed. The two apprentices took a pair of mektoubs, rode out undercover of the night and by first morning light were at their hollow where the gaping hole was camouflaged as they'd left it but a month earlier.

“Come look, Linia, have you ever seen such beauty?” said Gregari gazing from the top of the stair across the expanse of the twinkling cavern.

“Jena forgive us our trespasses!...

“Poah!...” exclaimed Gregari with a nonchalant wave of the hand and skipped down the stairs. He then set to work bailing out sackfuls of fabulous material which he attached to the end of some rope for Linia to heave up to the surface. He swept away another bunch of precious flowers and looking back at the uncovered patch he could hardly believe his eyes...

“Amber! I've found amber!! And texts inside!” he cried out ecstatically as he climbed up the stairs cut into the dead tendril to the gaping entrance. “Linia, d'you hear me, little sister?! I've found amber!!” But their was no reply.

“Linia?!” Still there was no reply.

As he approached the opening at the top of the stairs, Gregari caught sight of some master crafter boots and a voice he knew then drummed on his ears and pounded in his heart.

“Your number's up, Gregari!…”

“The Kuild!” uttered Gregari to himself as the true identity of the ruined Master Zinovitch Kidditch dawned on him. Then he saw two pairs of black boots that flanked those of Linia.

“What you see is nothing but trickery, come out before the wonders blind you for good! The Karavan can cure you…”

“Gregi, come out, it's dangerous, the Karavan said they won't hurt us, they have come to save us from the doom,” cried Linia. Alas, the next thing she heard were footsteps echoing away deep into the cave followed by an appalling scream of horror and a monstrous roar, then the dead silence fell. Gregari was never seen again.

“He was blinded by the illusion of the wonders, Linia,” explained Zinovitch. “It is the way of the Prime Roots to entice weaker victims into the depths where death lies waiting, it is the punishment for breaking the Law. You are lucky, you have not been corrupted too deeply, you will receive the treatment to rid the illusion from your mind.”

Linia followed the treatment and thereafter in her gratitude to the Karavan for saving her, became a full member of the Kuild and a fervent servant of the disciples of Jena.