Anarea 1-off D: Breaking the Law 7 to 26 Aval 2000
Scenario 13C. (X)
Versions A & C in Black
Version B in Green
The news is (see separate Scenario: "The Rumourmonger") that there are rumblings in the Jungle. A Mabula Grand Palaver is being hosted by Jo'Bul, Crocodile King of Mabul'Adib, the main tribal leader in the city in the heart of the Jungle. A Grand Palaver is usually called to agree a common response to some crisis or threat amongst the Chieftains of the many tribes, the High Priests of the various local Deities and the Medicine Men of the different Animal Cults. Unusually, foreign representatives have also been invited, including the leading merchants who trade with the Jungle Forts and ambassadors of the Empire, Kuntax, the Southern Cities, and even the Kingdom of the North and Kyr. Something is definitely up, but it is not clear (in Valdran at least) exactly what. The rumours say that there has been an upsurge in tribal conflict (even worse than the usual raiding), that the Giant Spiders have got out of hand and people are disappearing into their mysterious Gossamer Kingdom and/or that Mount Ichil (the second highest mountain in the World, after Mt. Anar) has gone up in a volcanic eruption and lava streams are sweeping into the Jungle.
The Drums have been beating out the call to attend the Grand Palaver across the Jungle ever since it was called, and the delegates are now gathering for the debate.
To the East of the Great Ocean, beyond the Sea of Serpents, lies the Jungle, stretching from Dwarf Bay in the North to the Bay of CASPIS in the South. In the midst of the Jungle lies the Mabula Basin: a dense, steamy rain forest. The Basin is ringed by jungle-covered uplands, beyond which huge and virtually impassable mountain ranges reach up into the clouds, the highest point of which is Mount Ichil (32,512 ft). The foothills of the mountains are covered with evergreen forest.
Through the Basin runs the great River Mabula. At the mouth of the river the mangrove swamps, which lie all along the coast of the Sea of Serpents, extend inland in a huge delta, and then line the river all through the Basin. The river is navigable, but only by canoe, due to the many cataracts. In the very heart of the Jungle the Mabula splits in two, at the confluence of tributaries flowing in from North and South. Here lies Mabul'Adib, the great (and, indeed, only) city of the Jungle. As its name ("Built-on-Mabula") suggests, the city stands on stilts in the middle of the wide confluence of the rivers, and so is easy to defend.
The Grand Palaver is being held in the Crocodile Palace, the King's palace complex of buildings on stilts at the furthest point upriver of the city. In the midst of the Palace is the infamous Crocodile Pool, where he keeps his prize specimens, which are well-fed on those unfortunates who incur his displeasure.
Chaotic signs and portents have been on the increase in the Jungle since 1 Aval 2000. The Shamen have nearly all been reporting that these signify and portend the forthcoming End of the World. Most of the Totem Animals have warned that this will be a Very Bad Thing. The most notable exceptions being the Lion, Who says that it will be as glorious as falling asleep in the sun on a rock, and the Boar, Who seems to delight in the prospect of the World falling apart and urges His followers to snout about in the scraps.
Version B only: Chaotic incidents have been on the increase in the Jungle for the past three years, ever since the arrival of the White Shaman, Na'Maja. But since 1 Aval 2000 the boundaries between the Jungle, the Dream Kingdoms and the Dark Jungle have been breaking down, and Mount Ichil has been shining with strange lights and spitting out odd bits of Chaos like a volcanic eruption. It is these events that have prompted the foretellings of Doom by the Totems. Jo'Bul's invitations to the Grand Palaver expressly include Na'Maja, although he does not know where he may be and he has not yet turned up.
Ander of Gytrasan, Master of the Imperial Games (L) (see separate Character Specification and spreadsheet): Has experience of Jungle Expeditions. This is known to the other Noble Champions, who might therefore consider enlisting his support for such a trip. Although Ander is a loyal SARAN Paladin and ally of the Aven Emperors, and he has been initiated into The Order of the Sun Diamond in recognition of his and his family's loyal support, he is not the most fanatically Lawful of Noble Champions, and his loyalty is as much to the Valdrean Empire as to the Triumph of Law. As Law-cloned into Decus of Aven, he represents the element of doubt in the Emperor. He may therefore be open to persuasion by Decus of Mastrin (if he becomes rightful Emperor) to join the Questers. However, he will be unwilling to betray the secrets of The Order, as he has sworn an oath of secrecy about it. Alternatively, Narsus VI may suggest he should seek to join the Questers as a spy, or may encourage him to do so if he has already been approached by them. Ander will then need to decide where his true loyalty lies. In such a situation, the DM will rule whether control of him is passed to the N Player.
Delegates to the Grand Palaver include:
Jo'Bul, Crocodile King of Mabul'Adib (N); a Cultist of KAROK, Crocodile God. His Spirit Guide is the Crocodile, Who warned that the River was about to dry up for good and prey disappear, and that even crocodiles cannot go for ever without sustenance. Jo'Bul has never been one to ignore the Totems, and he also saw the opportunity to enhance his own status by calling a Grand Palaver to debate the threat and decide what is to be done about it. He would of course have to be careful to avoid assassination when so many of his rival Chiefs were gathered together, but if one or two of the others should happen to end up in the Crocodile Pool, he would shed no tears.
Iss'Tar, Snake Queen of Mabul'Adib (C); rival tribal leader in Mabul'Adib; will oppose whatever Jo'Bul or Un'Gora propose.
Un'Gora, Spider Queen of Mabul'Adib (L); rival tribal leader in Mabul'Adib; a Seeress who foresees that the Web of the World is both unravelling and being wound up into a ball of silk. Urges that action is taken to spin it back together.
Re'Sula, High Priestess of SARA, Lion Goddess (L); urges that the prophecies are fated to happen and that the Grand Palaver should not have the hubris to challenge them.
Cho'Kan, High Priest of G'NARF, THE GREAT BOAR (C); advises that the people should follow their Totems into their respective Dream Kingdoms as the Ways open. The old World is falling apart, and they should embrace the new.
Mo'Kor, Monkey King of the Kambo Basin (C); suggests everyone should have a banana to keep their energy up for all the screeching at each other.
Mippax, Governor of Port Daruo (N); a Kuntacian merchant-politician, who has been advised of the Wisdom of KOROS (See separate Scenario) and is doing his best to broker a deal between the squabbling Cults to work together to find a solution.
The Questers may have some initial difficulty following the proceedings at the Grand Palaver. For a start, everyone is speaking 'Bula rather than Valdrean. Even if they Cast a Communicate / Speak with People Spell, there will still be cultural differences. The Mabula are a shamanistic people and the Gods speak to them via the personae of the Totem Animals. There is no central authority, and the different tribes follow the ways of different Totem Animals.
However, it will soon become apparent that the Grand Palaver is never going to agree on anything, and will in all likelihood still be arguing and attempting to assassinate each other as the Law overwhelms them.
Some information may still be gleaned from the debates or talking to the delegates. It is noticeable that out here in the Jungle Chaotic incidents are on the increase, which is perhaps not what one might expect in a World which is supposedly becoming more Lawful, and was certainly not the case back in the Valdrean Empire. There is also talk of the Ways opening into the Dream Kingdoms of the various Totem Animals, or into the mysterious Dark Jungle, and one being able simply to step through them like some kind of Teleportal. Some of the Shamen of the various tribes have ChaosMaster abilities, though they are unlikely to be described as such.
Version B only: The White Shaman, Na'Maja, first arrived in the Jungle three years ago. He recruited followers as he journeyed through, attracting them by the force of his personality and the promise of a better land. He claimed to follow no Totem Animal and preached the virtues of self-reliance and Chaos. As he preached Chaos, he was most closely attributed to the Snake (though only by Her rivals). His activities and those of his followers are widely believed to have caused the massive upsurge in Chaotic incidents. He was last seen heading upriver from Mabul'Adib (on the right fork; South and then East) last year with a small group of followers and others he had picked up along the way, claiming they were heading for his Promised Land. Mount Ichil is in that general direction, so some may blame him for its recent explosion.
Back to Scenario 12B: On the Trail of Namaja: Into the Jungle
Go to Scenario 14: Tripping into Chaos
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