Land of Fog

The Conflict

Prelude

The Mistwalkers were dealing with a religious matter pertaining to their involvement with the mists. The Current Mother(High Priestess) of the Clan, Anya, had a difficult time reconciling their place in the MIsts and the Great Butterfly Azu's ability to protect them from the darkness beyond.

This had led to a multiday argument with the Father(Chief) of the Clan where the shrine that held the eternal flame of Azu was allowed to dim. Leading to a loss of their control over the mists in the valley. While this was predominantly unnoticed by the Mistwalkers themselves, it was noticed by all who used the pass to travel between the east and west halves of the Country.

The pass was occluded by dense fog, as the rest of the valley had. The Mistwalkers were the ones held responsible for keeping the passage open, so long as no one strayed on their territory. Or went to find them. To the Mistwalkers they had their hands full with trying to breath life back into the flame, Anya more than ashamed at her inattention to the the little spark of divinity granted to them.

This had been going on for weeks while the clan struggled to increase the fire. Countless prayers, and attempted communions with the goddess proved fruitless. While the Clan was unable to tend to the flame, the pass stayed closed, causing a major delay in trade and military movement across the region.

The Government, growing concerned and angry, waited patiently until they could not anymore. They knew little of the Mistwalkers beyond that they held the pass open, and that they were insectile winged people. They knew nothing of their culture, their aptitudes, if they could use magic, nothing that would help them in any kind of military movement. They didn't even know the terrain except for when the Tears fell.

On Year 921, Season of Heat D20. The States of Huron sent an envoy to see what had happened. A horn was blared at the entrance of the valley, as well as caster proficient in a Domain of Water. The caster was able to cut a path through the mist for short distances.

While noble, this proved to be a fatal endeavor. The caster as well as the lone envoy were lost to the mist, the Mistwalkers when questioned, never even saw the two men. They were hopelessly turned around, unfamiliar with the area, ignorant of the dangers that lurked in the fog, even more ignorant of the whereabouts of the village.

After ten days of waiting for the envoy to return, the Huronians had had enough. Marching a Garrison to gates of the Valley.

Deployment

The Huronians had enlisted the services of the Sage of Huron to assist the Garrison with clearing the mists. This Sage had become a notable figure for their unusual talent for a Domain of Air, as well as a greater Talent in fire. A perfect fit for the foggy, geyser filled land of the Mistwalkers.

The Sage was able to clear wide swathes of the valley to expose, not only the village eventually, but numerous flame filled beacons that the mistwalkers used to control the fog. Small encampments, as well as wonderful geologic structures that they had never seen before.

It wasn't long before the Garrison had found the Village and demanded to know why they were keeping the pass closed. The mistwalkers were unaccustomed to the common tongue and knew very little of it, and were clumsy in their explanation. This led to even more distrust from the humans toward the Fae people.

Unfortunately, as Mother Anya had attempted to show them the Shrine that held the divine fire, and the magic involved in sustaining it. They mistook the raised hand she had and the growing orange light in her palm to be an attack. She fell to the ground, dead before she knew what had happened.

Battlefield

Now, to say this was a battlefield would be a misinterpretation of what transpired at this point. The Family stunned, quickly grew angry and penultimately furious. The warriors of Clan were said to have their wings burst into flame, their hands cloaked in an inferno so hot it burned the mists away.

The Garrison was not prepared to fight magic like this, especially not Children of the Sun. The fight lasted only until their rage was spent, their fury leaving only ash in metal shells of armor. The Sage was able to survive simply by siding with the Mistwalkers in the battle. He had seen the overreaction as it happened, and condemned his countrymen to the murder of the Clan's Mother.

A few others survived as well, being sent on their way back to Huron. Though, this was only done after the Chief heartbroken saw something important. The bloody stain made on the shrine by Anya's hand as she fell, burned. The Flame in the shrine used her blood as fuel, drawing it into itself. The only thing the Mistwalkers had not tried, a sacrifice.

Outcome

The Pass was reopened after Anya's blood had rekindled the Shrine's flame, thus opening the beacons to respond to the will of the Clan. This had reopened the trade routes between the eastern and western halves of the country, restimulating the economy. A benefit to the Humans, though a grim reminder to the Mistwalkers.

Aftermath

The Huronians were forced to acknowledge the might of the Clan of the Wide Eyes, as well as note that a great many of them were beings of heat and warmth. Fire, quite literally, being a core facet to their culture and souls. A truce was made to never lash out against the clan once more, a fully armed Garrison reduced to ash in only a few moments. What would they do to an army, given the provocation by being backed against a wall?

The other lasting effect was this; the Mistwalkers have a deep distrust of humans. They have harbored this mentality ever since the skirmish, and are leery of any and all who wander through their mists. Even in the permitted areas of the Valley, the hot springs as well as the actually pass, they are watched. Followed to ensure that they leave, not to wander.

The last effect is quite simply this. The Misterwalkers never allowed the flame to dim again. They refuse to sacrifice one of their own to the flame, no matter how much they love and revere their goddess. A slight cultural shift has happened, where multiple Mothers are now residing in the Clan, each taking turns watching the flame, tending it. So to ensure that no one person is solely responsible for needing to maintain it. Lest the repeat the lapse in concentration that started the skirmish.

Conflict Type

Skirmish

Start Date

Year of 921 Season of Heat. D41

Ending Date

Year of 921 Season of Heat. D67

by Thereasonwhy