Anoki
Anoki, my Amberite character, who was raised in a society like Native Americans is always telling stories to ilustrate points. (He is a shaman/storyteller for his people, so this comes natura for him.) Luckilly, most of the play in the game is by email, so I don't always have to come up with his stories on the spot. Last year, I was reading some Lakota stories and some Buddhist parables when he needed to tell some of these stories, so they came pretty natural. I just wrote this one for a reply today. I wrote it quickly and haven't been reading as much lately, so I don't think it's up to his usual standard, but felt I should share it for the people who read my blog that were in MK's previous game. (Anoki's father was Alexander, my PC in MK's "Methuselah's Children," and this story in particular ties to that background.)

From the email:

"There is a story among the Anishinabeg about how the village fire went out and the Raynay died. It is said that the bird-people were given powers by a sacred pattern of fire. They could fly through the world tree and, with their mind set on what they were looking for, they would always find the branch they were seeking. Noone was sure how the fire gave them that gift. Some would say that the world tree, recognizing the power of the fire, would grow new branches to please the birds, while others argued that the tree guided them to a branch that was already there. Only one person truly understood the fire, Raven, who stole the Serpent's Eye from the beasts countless winters before. Raven was old and his mind was fragile. He had spent so many years tending the sacred fire, that the fire was all he knew. He had tried to teach the others about the sacred fire, but none of them would listen. They were too busy exploring the world tree."

"One day, Raven was gone...and noone noticed. Life went on, and the sky-kingdom was happy. Then, one day, the fire went out. The birds gathered and tried and tried to relight the fire, but noone knew how. The village grew cold without the fire and the birds panicked. They fled through the world tree looking fo help. Raynay, a small bird with golden feathers, was never known for his bravery. So noone expected him to leave, but Raynay, clutching his few belongings, went to the most dangerous place any bird would ever think to go. He flew to the very bottom of the tree to the village of the beasts. Luckilly for the bird people, one of the beasts, a friend of Raven's from the days before the war between beasts and birds, was able to help the bird people. A beast as wise as Raven, a deer with wings offered to help them, but he had not forgotten how Raven had fooled his brother, serpent, years before. This winged deer, Peryton, demanded a great sacrifice for his help, a price so great that no bird would ever think to pay it. Peryton demanded that one of the birds tear off his wings and stay with the beasts. That bird would offer himself as the meal at the next great feast. Raynay, this most selfless bird, made the sacrifice and the village was saved, but at what cost?"