Post by SombUnto on Jan 6, 2006 21:12:48 GMT -5
The Tales of SombUnto
Chapter 1
I am born of the Shombe clan called Shumaza and our chief is named Muzuna. Yakubu the Gamba, Hualib the Gamba, Ole tUbi the Nanala, and I SombUnto the N’anga are all Shombe, but Runako and Komasa are Mbanta and not of this clan.
Today was a very strange day. While I was out herding cattle this morning with Runako, Komasa, Yakubu, Ole tUbi, and Hualib, we noticed an oryx staring up at the sky. Following its gaze, we saw something flying that looked like a boman, which is a vampiric bat, flying towards us. These are not good to have around cattle so we scared it off with a few thrown rocks. When we looked back to see where the oryx was, it was nowhere to be found.
When we get back inside the kraal, Fumo –the village N’anga- tells us to take five clay jars to the villages' Mganga, Msiba. We got to her hut around dusk without any trouble, but I find her to be a peculiar person. She tells us that our naming ceremony is coming and then she teaches our uninformed little minds about the history of Nyambe. I knew most of what she spoke of but I listened nevertheless. One thing I did not know was that good magic is called Ashe and bad magic is called Dimba.
On our way back to the village, we encountered the oryx again. It lead us off the path, around a hill, then back towards the trail. By the trail, there were a couple Ingogo, which are cowardly descendents of Kosan orcs, prepared to ambush anyone that passes by on the trail. Armed with only a few rocks I had picked up along the trail, I threw them at the creatures however my aim was not that precise. After putting these beasts to a permanent rest, we searched their fowl bodies and found two gold earrings. By telling from their design, they were obviously of Shombe make. We then get back to the kraal exhausted and get a good nights sleep.
In the morning as we step out of the yurt that we share, we noticed that all the people of the village appear to be shunning us. It must have something to do with the naming ceremony that Msiba had spoken of but I could not be completely certain. Fumo then approaches us and tells us to do ritual dances but was not specific for how long. Not wanting to upset anyone, we proceed to do these dances for the next three hours until a warrior hands all of us heavy spears and tells us to practice. Another couple of hours latter, someone tells us to stop and then a young boy hands us a bowl and we are told to drink from it. The liquid in the bowl smelled and tasted of alcohol. I was grateful for the break but I could tell it wasn’t over yet. Sure enough, the boy tells us that we need to see Fumo.
When we reach Fumo, he leads us to the village elders and they then proceed to test us on our knowledge of the oral traditions that we have learned. They also ask us about stories that we have learned until dark. We were then left alone until Fumo came back and told us that we are to see Muzuna. Yuma, who is leader of the warrior’s society, approaches Muzuna and tells him “They're ready”. Fumo then summons apparitions and then one possesses him. Possessed Fumo then looks around and says to us “You are about to embark on a great journey tomorrow, come back to Shumaza or not at all. The oryx will lead you to your names.” Then the spirit leaves Fumo’s body and disappears. Muzuna then tells us that we are to retrieve the tail of a blue lion. After that, Msiba approached us and we received from her some magical fetishes for our journey ahead. We were then allowed to get a well-deserved good night's sleep.
In the morning, we began our journey immediately with everyone wishing us good luck. On the first day we came across some angry baboons in acacia trees, but luckily they were just trying to scare us away and weren't looking for any bloodshed. Two days later, we came across the oryx! The terrain was getting more rugged as we went on so we eventually weren't able to keep up with the oryx but we were able to follow its tracks. Suddenly the tracks stopped and there was a cliff in front of us. After searching the cliff for a while we eventually found a cleft in the cliff that eventually lead us to a cave in the cliff. After warily going through the first passage, it emptied into a small room that smelled repulsive. We soon found out why. There were three Ingogo who threw their own poop at us. I just can't believe how anything could live like that! But we made quick work of them thanks to the spears that we were given back in Shumaza.
To one side of the cave, we could hear the roaring of a waterfall close by. I volunteered to search ahead. I found that there was a stone bridge across an underground river that was being made from the waterfall. Across the bridge I could see another room that was lit by an unseen light. I could see that there were some cages and in the smaller ones were very odd fuzzy green coconut that were flying inside their cages, they didn't appear to have any eyes. In the largest cage was the largest lion I had ever see! Not only that, but it was blue. I decided that it was safe for the others to come forward so I motioned them forward. Once we were all in the room, the lion spoke to us! It said, "Kill my tormentor and I shall help you gain your names." Just then we heard footsteps coming from an adjacent passage. Acting quickly, we all sought the nearest hiding spot and speared him as he entered the room. He hadn't heard us at all. He was still clutching the book he had been reading while was walking down the hall when he died. It was an Ngoloko mchawi wizard.
Tuning to the lion, we thanked it for warning us about the approaching Ngloko, but instead it was he who thanked us. It asked to be released and in return, it reached behind him with his teeth and bit off its tail and handed it to us. I was quite shocked. But I suppose that was better than having us kill him and having to take the tail from him.
I will always remember the blue lion and the oryx that lead us to him.
Chapter 1
I am born of the Shombe clan called Shumaza and our chief is named Muzuna. Yakubu the Gamba, Hualib the Gamba, Ole tUbi the Nanala, and I SombUnto the N’anga are all Shombe, but Runako and Komasa are Mbanta and not of this clan.
Today was a very strange day. While I was out herding cattle this morning with Runako, Komasa, Yakubu, Ole tUbi, and Hualib, we noticed an oryx staring up at the sky. Following its gaze, we saw something flying that looked like a boman, which is a vampiric bat, flying towards us. These are not good to have around cattle so we scared it off with a few thrown rocks. When we looked back to see where the oryx was, it was nowhere to be found.
When we get back inside the kraal, Fumo –the village N’anga- tells us to take five clay jars to the villages' Mganga, Msiba. We got to her hut around dusk without any trouble, but I find her to be a peculiar person. She tells us that our naming ceremony is coming and then she teaches our uninformed little minds about the history of Nyambe. I knew most of what she spoke of but I listened nevertheless. One thing I did not know was that good magic is called Ashe and bad magic is called Dimba.
On our way back to the village, we encountered the oryx again. It lead us off the path, around a hill, then back towards the trail. By the trail, there were a couple Ingogo, which are cowardly descendents of Kosan orcs, prepared to ambush anyone that passes by on the trail. Armed with only a few rocks I had picked up along the trail, I threw them at the creatures however my aim was not that precise. After putting these beasts to a permanent rest, we searched their fowl bodies and found two gold earrings. By telling from their design, they were obviously of Shombe make. We then get back to the kraal exhausted and get a good nights sleep.
In the morning as we step out of the yurt that we share, we noticed that all the people of the village appear to be shunning us. It must have something to do with the naming ceremony that Msiba had spoken of but I could not be completely certain. Fumo then approaches us and tells us to do ritual dances but was not specific for how long. Not wanting to upset anyone, we proceed to do these dances for the next three hours until a warrior hands all of us heavy spears and tells us to practice. Another couple of hours latter, someone tells us to stop and then a young boy hands us a bowl and we are told to drink from it. The liquid in the bowl smelled and tasted of alcohol. I was grateful for the break but I could tell it wasn’t over yet. Sure enough, the boy tells us that we need to see Fumo.
When we reach Fumo, he leads us to the village elders and they then proceed to test us on our knowledge of the oral traditions that we have learned. They also ask us about stories that we have learned until dark. We were then left alone until Fumo came back and told us that we are to see Muzuna. Yuma, who is leader of the warrior’s society, approaches Muzuna and tells him “They're ready”. Fumo then summons apparitions and then one possesses him. Possessed Fumo then looks around and says to us “You are about to embark on a great journey tomorrow, come back to Shumaza or not at all. The oryx will lead you to your names.” Then the spirit leaves Fumo’s body and disappears. Muzuna then tells us that we are to retrieve the tail of a blue lion. After that, Msiba approached us and we received from her some magical fetishes for our journey ahead. We were then allowed to get a well-deserved good night's sleep.
In the morning, we began our journey immediately with everyone wishing us good luck. On the first day we came across some angry baboons in acacia trees, but luckily they were just trying to scare us away and weren't looking for any bloodshed. Two days later, we came across the oryx! The terrain was getting more rugged as we went on so we eventually weren't able to keep up with the oryx but we were able to follow its tracks. Suddenly the tracks stopped and there was a cliff in front of us. After searching the cliff for a while we eventually found a cleft in the cliff that eventually lead us to a cave in the cliff. After warily going through the first passage, it emptied into a small room that smelled repulsive. We soon found out why. There were three Ingogo who threw their own poop at us. I just can't believe how anything could live like that! But we made quick work of them thanks to the spears that we were given back in Shumaza.
To one side of the cave, we could hear the roaring of a waterfall close by. I volunteered to search ahead. I found that there was a stone bridge across an underground river that was being made from the waterfall. Across the bridge I could see another room that was lit by an unseen light. I could see that there were some cages and in the smaller ones were very odd fuzzy green coconut that were flying inside their cages, they didn't appear to have any eyes. In the largest cage was the largest lion I had ever see! Not only that, but it was blue. I decided that it was safe for the others to come forward so I motioned them forward. Once we were all in the room, the lion spoke to us! It said, "Kill my tormentor and I shall help you gain your names." Just then we heard footsteps coming from an adjacent passage. Acting quickly, we all sought the nearest hiding spot and speared him as he entered the room. He hadn't heard us at all. He was still clutching the book he had been reading while was walking down the hall when he died. It was an Ngoloko mchawi wizard.
Tuning to the lion, we thanked it for warning us about the approaching Ngloko, but instead it was he who thanked us. It asked to be released and in return, it reached behind him with his teeth and bit off its tail and handed it to us. I was quite shocked. But I suppose that was better than having us kill him and having to take the tail from him.
I will always remember the blue lion and the oryx that lead us to him.