"Perhaps they will find their way in the next life.", the priest says as he mouths a quick prayer to Irori.
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Again the priest calls on his powers to command others. Catching the Duke's attention he bellows "FLEE!"
Waiting to see if his skills are still needed, Mutamba holds his actions for moment.
Mutamba digs deep into his back of bag of heavenly gifts. Raising his hand and pointing to the nearest guard, Mutamba roars, "Lay down your arms!"
"We will do what is needed to correct this matter, Tirion."
"It is a pity another has been able to appoint your path for you, but is it not a legal contract in your country? With the coming of the horde would not do to simply vanish along with the fleeing towns people?"
"I, too, promise to keep your word from other's ears."
"Madame, sucicide is not the answer for you curse yourself to wander in the spirit realm. If this man is a horrid person, Karma will soon find him and repay his deeds in full."
"My lady, that is not at all who we are! That is the work of the horde and their kind. We came to warn of horrors not become them."
"For the those that see themselves as superior to all others it is often a loss till they hit the bottom. I have no doubt see will travel blinding along the road of self-knowledge, little friend. Such is the folly of fictitious titles and non-existant rights of rulership."
Having decided to leave the finery and decadence of the dining hall long before the ensuing arguments Relaxing outside the estate he ponders the petty reasons man will follow the weak and their obsession with material goods. How easy it is to be led astray by pieces of brick and cloth. Better the horde come and burn it all to the ground than be a slave to silk curtains.
"Tha little one is correct, madame. Their combined power is far to great for us not to face it in the same manner. The greater our numbers, the greater our chance for survival of this test is. These places can be rebuilt easier than lost lives can."
"If need be, I have ways to force them to listen to us. But, I do not feel that this should be necessary,friends."
[b]"Thank you, Mr. Norezgar, you have already taken the first step. I will call upon you one day in the future to see how your journey finds you."[/b, says the Mawangi with warm smile upon his face.
"I will be here till Irori directs me to move on. My name is Mutamba Nugutu and I am staying with friends, but will be happy share time with you while I am here."
"It is not a matter of accepting Irori, but of seeking out his hand. The path is rigourous as tempering yourself in both mind and soul is like crafting armor and swords from lead. It may seemeasy when you start, but in the end your flaws will show themselves in time. Seek to meet these flaws early and you will be starting with a much more sufficent metal. You should not seek power for the sake of bringing the end to others as thins will surely corrupt you and again you will be cast from lead."
"Simply look within. His favor resides there as he is you and you he. He need not win his favor, but awaken to the fact you Irori."
"That is exactly what I am saying, brother. You have all the universe inside you. Just as you stand before me here and I before, so do the stars in the heavens stand before us. All is Irori. That ox, that tree, that rock, even that loaf of bread which you hold. Evil and good are but opposite sides of the same coin. The left side of your face to the right. One is not possible without the other and one becomes the other if not taken in measure." "Is risk not an inherent part of faith, brother. Have your wishes been granted by any god? The answer is no. The gods are not here to entertain your every desire, but to give you strength in times of strife and the road to travel. They set forth laws they themselves must abide by. Death is inevitable. We do not live forever and eventually no matter how hard we struggle to fight it off we must all accept its embrace. Being that death is a natural condition, we should embrace it as we eating and breathing. By keeping it with us every day we can be free of it." "A man is climbing a mountain and falls. In his last moments cries out for a hand fromm heaven to catch him before impact. The Irori would be violating their laws to do this. But, this does not mean that he is not there or given you the tools to avoid this particular fate. It simplymeans that it was your time to exit this wheel and prepare for the turn of the next. Do not hold this with fear."
"To search within is not to simply let the world trample upon you. There are many times that one must take up many different toolsin order to discover who they are. Some men find this in battle others in the library. Look in your soul right now. Is there being capable of standing before band of savages with determination and resolute acceptance of what is to come? If not, then run. Run from yourself, but you will run your whole life. From the time you lay your head down at night to the time that you rise with the rooster you will be running, always afraid and never at ease with the world or yourself." "You must stand before those who would waylay you from your path! You are not a road to be trampled upon! NO! You are a piece of Irori himself. Take that with you as you depart this placeand know that if yo are to meet with an adversary, be it many or few, that you will prevail if you give up your grasp on the desire to only win."
"You are responsible for freeing yourself. Irori has provided each of us with the ability to throw off the shackles and bonds of this world. It is up to the individual to find himself. One may be given all the gifts of heaven and easily squander them in the ignorance of self-serving selfishess. Look inside yourself and you find that these gifts rest in each an' everyone of you. True freedom is self-knowledge. What are you capable of? I am sure it is far more than you might imagine. What does it matter if a horde were on its way for if you know who you are? Cast off all desire. Cast of the bonds of the material world. Even as you cling to what you believe is most important it slips from your grasp. The harder you fight to hold on to money, land or even your life the quicker you are ushered toward there loss. Now then, who among you truly understands? Who among you thinks that these are not merely the ramblings of a foreign fool? The answer matters not, as I am on the path and it is up to you to strike out upon your own. Irori is not a genie who grants wishes, but a guide who opens the world and what lies beyond. Cast off this life and take up your new, more aware one."
Mutamba rest in the sunshine just outside the shop speaking with those curious enough to stop and talk. You can hear his powerful voice professing the glories of self-sacrafice and inner peace.
Mutamba let's his frieds do the talking as he feels he is as strange a site in this country as any fey creature.
Mutmaba smiles at the dialog between his friends and attends to his prayers and gathering his few belongings.
"Good for you for not taking what is not your's to take,Bofus. I know that can be hard for someone of your skills, haha. You are a better man for it. So there seemsto be no love lost being between the two, eh? May be I should preach near where they are staying...In times like these, people are searching for help. Could be that she will come to us if we supply her needs. Tirion could you also accompany us? It seems that the smaller folk are well received here and you are also well known." With that the priest moves out toward the area near Iromel's coach to set up his area.
"Indeed. This is not such a bad thing and I will help them see that is may actually be a gift of Irori helping them cast off the chains of bondage brought on by material needs. I have little and care for little what is the loss of a roof when Irori provides me with trees to sleep under? Fine clothes are only a prison that bars us from being in contact with ourselves. I will return to the people bring them the words of Irori in a hope they can take them with them."
"Sounds as though they could be linked to tha horde, eh?", Mutamba says to his companions.
"That sounds fair enough. Irori has given me the gifts to make this an easy affair. I will move ahead and double back so as to engage the man in a conversation you continue to follow closely and do what it is you do." With that, the jungle cat like grace again makes itself known as he moves get ahead of the man.
Taking up a position directly along the man's path, Mutamba launches in a sermon of knowing oneself in times of great strife the power of his words filling the air like the roar of a panther. Catching the man's eyes with his own, Mutamba continues to issue forth his powerful words.
"Both make a fine case. In these times the rule of law is most important. We will stop this man as it ultimately will enforce that law. Let us catch him one he is out of ear shot and we are sure no one is following us, Bofus."
"What do you think, Bofus? Should we stop him now or see where he is heading? We are not in the right wo be stopping free men for our own curiousity on this one, I believe."
"Indeed little friend. I will ensure things go as they should. I have prepared some gifts to get us out harm's way if necessary. Come,Bofus, we have work to do." With that the monk slips of quietly to the side once he has deemed it safe to do so.
Rising with the dawn, Mutamba goes through a series of prayers and the dance like forms of his fighting art. Moving with extreme grace and acrobatics the priest puts on a beautiful show of what the human form is capable of. Gathtering his few possessions, the lightly dressed monk moves about the throng spreading the word of Irori and aiding families secure their goods.
"I will take the first watch, Tirion. Before the two of you are heading off to bed, please allow me to lay Irori's gifts upon you."
"Captain,my hands and feet are weapons enough and yes I will do what I can to lay that simple soul to rest. Irori will see him through. This is something I will do by myself as you an' yours have much to do." Taking the poor farmers body to nice spot, the priest sets about preparing him for the afterlife. Setting the corpse upon a pyre, Mutmaba sets the body a flame. "You shall return to the earth from which you came, my friend. Let your soul range free to return again, reborn and ready to live anew with the lessons you have learned." Bowing his head and completing the ritual, Mutamba returns to his friends. "I have set durgin on his journey. The rest is up to him now."
"I will do what is best." is the only reply the monk can give to the captain's request.
"I am bound by the desire to be any one place, Captain. Irori guides me where I need to beand there it is I will stay till I have learned the lesson he has placed before me. If you need me to speak to your people or give aid and comfort, I am at your disposal." says the Mwangi with a bow.
"I am agreeing with Tirion. We do not have the lesiure of wiating any longer. The horde will be upon us soon and we have little time to spare."
"Haha, no,no. It seems whe one adds too many boys to a project it is often counter productive. Plus, it is not wise to split a force too much."
"You are most acrobatic my little, gnomish friend!" Looking to see if there is anything he can assist with.
"Did you see that!He just disabled the ferry. He is on to us. We must deal with him quickly."
"What do you think, little man? Do we proceed or wait for this man to leave. Seems strange he continues to not stay with his people."
"This man slipped beyond our world, little friend. I pray Irori finds him free of the monster who controlled him."
Calling on deeper powers,Mutamba lays his hands upon the man's cooling body and releases a jolt of divine energy.
Seeing that Tirion is in need of his assistance, Mutamba scrambles to his side, "The farmer looks in a bad way, my friend. I will do what I can, but do not hold your breath." Kneeling beside the man, the Mwangi priest calls on his innate ability to stave off death's cold embrace.
Mutamba again rides out the attempt on his life with a spinning set of cartwheels and hand springs. Melding the tribal dance of his people with the fighting arts of his mentor,the Mwangi flows through a set of acrobatic moves launching punches, kicks, and foot sweeps in rapid succession.
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