The People of the Forest

[Dunaden]

The People of the Forest

Travelers in the Forest|Taiga by Ville Assinen​

Prologue

​

Fear had always ruled Kardaz's life. He had always been a coward but he had hid it well. His greatest fear had always been that others would find out what a coward he is, and that fear had forced him to do things when others were watching, that he would never have dared do on his own. Growing up he had run faster and competed harder against the other boys in the tribe because he feared the punishment he would receive from his father if he failed or came in last. He became a stealthy hunter because he feared making any noise that might attract predators or give away his position to enemy tribesmen. But in its own way, his cowardice had helped him become what he is today, the High Chief of the Merya tribes, also called the western Mordvin tribes; the Merya, the Yaroslavl, the Uglich, the Bezichy, and the Torzhok.

​

It begun almost 20 years ago....



750 AD - The taiga outside the villages of the Merya Tribe

Five young men moved through the dark forest in single file. The largest man broke trail through the early autumn snow blanketing the forest floor, the rest following in his footsteps. They were seeking the lair of the king of the forest.

When the old High Chief had died, the tribes came together to elect a new High Chief. The old chief had outlived his sons and had no grandsons, so the seat was thrown open for all able bodied men of the five tribes of Merya.

Each of the five tribes had provided a candidate, and they had all been sent on a hunt to find the spirit of Otso the Great Bear, to demonstrate their prowess in the hunt and put their fitness to rule to the judgment of the gods. Kardaz was chosen by the Merya tribe based on his skill in the competitions and his success at hunting, fishing, and trapping as well as his apparent calm in emergencies, not realizing the calm was more being rooted in terror rather than calmly assessing a problem.

As the hunting party moved through the forest, Kardaz had lagged behind, not wanting to be the first to stumble on the forest spirit. A hand signal up ahead had indicated they had found their prey and the hunters surged forward, none noticing Karzad trailing behind. Ahma of the Bezichy had been the first into the clearing and bravely charged the beast with his spear, only to see it violently swatted aside, and then he was caught in a crushing embrace, his shouts of defiance cut off as the king of the forest's jaws closed on his skull.

Viryas of the Torzhok and Kako of the Uglich rushed in, attacking from two sides. The bear hurtled the body of Ahma into Viryas and then spun and charged Kako. Kako's spear drove into the bear’s chest, holding it back for a second before the haft splintered and the bear was upon him, one swipe of its paw crushing his skull and tearing away his scalp. As Viryas crawled out from under Ahma’s corpse, Nuyat of the Yaroslavl and finally Kardaz entered the clearing. Kardaz froze for a second taking in the carnage, then turned to see Nuyat looking at him. Kardaz shifted his spear and then forced himself to advance into the clearing, “Stay together” he said, planning to keep Nuyat between him and the bear as long as possible.

The bear hadn’t noticed them yet as it continued to maul the dying Kako. Viryas staggered to his feet and then began casting about, looking for the spear that he had dropped when the corpse had struck him. The bear finally noticed Nuyat and Kardaz and moved toward them, but their two spear points jabbed at his nose and eyes causing the bear to retreat. The snapping of a twig as Viryas pulled his spear from the underbrush drew everyone’s attention, and the bear charged Viryas. Nuyat and Kardaz gave chase, yelling out warnings, but they didn’t have the bear’s speed. The bear hit Viryas before he could set his spear and caught his shoulder in its jaws and began flinging him about like a child’s doll. But Nuyat’s spear driven into his haunch caused the bear to release Viryas and his body flew into a nearby pine tree and he fell to the ground stunned.

The bear spun about so quickly Nuyat’s spear was torn from his grasp. The bear sprang at his tormentor and bore the Yaroslavl warrior to the ground, its claws ripping into his belly. The jaws followed and began tearing out Nuyat’s stomach and intestines. Kardaz scrambled backwards, looking on in horror, making no move to come to Nuyat’s aid as he screamed in agony. He stood there for a few moments rooted in terror. He thought about running away, but feared that as soon as he moved the bear would see him and run him down. His only chance to survive was to kill it while it was focused on eating the other man alive. He wished he had his bow, but the diviners had insisted that the candidates only carry spears, so the bear spirit could see them up close in order to judge them. Growing up he had excelled at in spear throwing competitions, but had never used the skill much against live targets that might attack him if he missed. He preferred being a trapper, setting snares and deadfalls, where the prey was usually already dead when you returned to check your traps.

But his fear of death now overruled his fear of failure. There was no time to waste or think about it anymore. He took 3 running steps toward the bear and launched the spear. It flew straight and true and pierced the bear’s side behind its left shoulder and drove straight through the ribs and into the heart. Kardaz stumbled forward a few more steps and then fell to his knees in the snow. The dead bear collapsed onto Nuyat’s body. Nuyat had stopped screaming, but Kardaz wasn’t sure if he wanted to see if he was dead or alive.

Then a weak voice called out, “Nice throw.” Kardaz turned and saw Viryas struggling to pull himself up with his good arm, the other hang limp at his side, soaked in blood from the wound in his shoulder.

“I missed what happened after I saw you two charging the guardian, then it tossed me away. But I woke up in time to see you kill it.”

Kardaz ran over to him and helped him up by his good arm. “We need to check on Nuyat.”

He helped Viryas over to the bodies and they saw the wreck that had been made of Nuyat’s torso. He was past saving. Kardaz bound up Viryas' shoulder and then skinned the bear and cut off it's head. Then the two of them made their way back to the tribal gathering.

The shaman and diviners of the five tribes led a peijaiset ceremony to honor the guardian spirit of the forest that had been brought down and thank it for helping them choose their future leader. The guardian's skull was hung from a tree at the edge of the clearing and gifts and offerings were placed around it. The bodies of the three fallen warriors were buried at the base of the tree with all honors. And then, before the spirit of Otso, with Viryas’ endorsement, Kardaz was elected the new High Chief of all the Merya tribes.



For the next 20 years Kardaz had ruled the Merya tribes in peace and avoided any full scale wars. There had been raids of course, but his War Chief and Marshal, Vechkas, had lead those while Kardaz had ruled from his longhouse in Merya; dealing with traders coming up the Volga, organizing the hunts, and managing the internal squabbles of the tribes. The raids had been kept small enough to not antagonize their neighbors, while still showing that the Merya tribes were strong, not to be trifled with. So Kardaz had taken a wife and started a family and his people had enjoyed a quiet life of peace and prosperity.

But times were changing and his people were beginning to worry that Kardaz was not the man to lead them as threats grew all around them. The Slavic tribes, mainly the Ilmenians, were raiding more, pushing east, driven by the growing strength of the Christians in the west. The Khazar nomads were attacking their fellow Mordvins in the east, taking land and slaughtering followers of Ukko, Akka and the other Suomenusko gods. To the north, their Finnish neighbors and fellow Suomenusko faithful were under attack by Norse invaders.

The Meryans were beginning to feel that they needed a warrior to lead them in these troubling times. Kardaz needed to take drastic action to address their fears.

 

[Dunaden]

769 - The Lodge

"You what?" the large young man in the bear skin asked.

High Chief Kardaz of Merya was sweating, but not from the heat of the roaring bonfire in the middle of the great Lodge. "I wish to apply for membership in the Followers of Otso." he repeated.

Ihala Karjalainen, a Hero of the Followers of Otso, looked taken aback, then answered, "Sorry, we just don't usually take fledglings so late in life...How old are you?"

"36" Kardaz replied

In Ihala's eyes, that was ancient. Ihala, the only son of the Chief of Karjala, had joined the Followers at the age of 13 and 5 years later he was already a Hero, a prodigy among even the hardened warriors of Otso. He continued hesitantly, " Well, you will have to prove yourself like any other recruit, High Chief. We don't take just anyone, no matter what their rank outside the Lodge."

"What do I need to do to prove myself?" Kardaz asked.

"You need to fight one of our own and prove you have a warrior's spirit."

Karadaz had feared as much. He almost turned and fled, but thought of he and his family being cast out of his tribe, replaced by some over-muscled warrior, like the boy in front of him, because his people didn't think he could protect them. He had to show them he was a warrior. "I'll gladly fight to prove myself." he proclaimed with a false smile.

Ihala thought a bit and then said, "We do have another old man we can try you against. Come back in 5 days and we will have the match."

Kardaz had hoped to get it over with quickly before he could change his mind, but reluctantly agreed to return in 5 days.

***********************************

When he returned five days later, he found a crowd of warriors had gathered to watch the initiation challenge. Ihala was with another man wearing a red scarf. Kardaz recognized the other man, it was Surt Meryavid, a fellow Mordvin and the High Chief of Vologda, his neighbor on the far bank of the Volga River.

Ihala introduced him as "Fledgling Surt" , "He has been Fledgling for 6 years, almost ready to be promoted to a Warrior in the Lodge. He will test your skills and spirit."

Surt stepped forward and elbowed Kardaz in the ribs and laughed "Fresh meat, eh?" But Kardaz was heartened even as the spectators laughed, he recognized false bravado when he saw it. Surt was as much a coward as he was!

A space was cleared in the Lodge and the two men were given wooden staffs and told to fight. Surt handled the staff like he knew how to use it, he had had 6 years to learn how to hide his cowardice and pick up some skills. Vechkas, the Marshal of Merya, had given Kardaz some pointers when he had learned what Kardaz had planned, but that wouldn't erase 36 years of avoiding fights. But Kardaz had one advantage, he knew Surt was a coward, and Surt didn't know that he was too.

He took the most important piece of advice Vechkas had given him to heart, always attack when you had the advantage. So as soon as the signal was given to begin, he immediately charged across the arena and launched a flurry of blows at his opponent. Surt froze in panic for a second and one of the blows made it through his defense and struck a glancing blow to his eye. Unfortunately for Kardaz, it did not land hard enough to end the fight right there. The blow woke Surt up though and he remembered his training. He was easily able to deflect the rest of Kardaz's attacks as he slowly backed away.

Kardaz continued to attack, hoping to sneak another blow through Surt's defense, but it was not to be. Soon his arms began to tire. Surt recognized his exhaustion and began his own attack. Kardaz managed to block most of the blows, but was driven back. And then Surt used some trick one of the other warriors must have taught him and landed a crushing blow on Kardaz's wrist, driving him to his knees. Surt laughed in relief, he had won. Kardaz protested with his own false bravado, " No, I can still fight!"

But Surt tapped his staff down on Kardaz's and the weapon fell from his numbed hand.

The surrounding warriors roared their approval, impressed by Kardaz's aggressiveness and his fighting spirit in wanting to continue even when wounded. Ihala stepped forward and produced the red patterned scarf that marked a Fledging of the order and tied it around Kardaz's neck. He grabbed Kardaz by his good wrist and lifted his arm, "Give a grand welcome to our newest member, Fledgling Kardaz!!".

The crowd cheered again and surged forward, pounding Kardaz on his back and filling his hand with a horn of mead. The celebration continued long into the night.

The next day, the festivities continued, with several members of the Lodge going on a hunt. Kardaz went along and proved his skills from a life time of hunting. Even the boy-Hero Ihala was impressed by Kardaz's skill in the forest. The group returned with enough game to feed the Lodge through another night of celebration. Several members offered to spar with Kardaz and give him some pointers, but he politely declined, using his swollen wrist to avoid any further dangerous bouts. But after a few refusals, he heard a few grumbles about how a true warrior would fight through injury, and he knew he couldn't keep refusing challenges.

Later that night, deep in his cups Kardaz recognized another face he knew. High Chief Uzhara of Mordva was another local Suomenusko Chief, ruling the Mordvin tribes south of the Oka River on the edge of the Steppe. He appeared to have the rank of Warrior among the Followers.

Uzhara came over to the table where Kardaz was drinking with some of his new friends (he had always been a good talker) and challenged the newest recruit to an arm-wrestling match, flexing his right arm to show off his bicep. An arm-wrestling match seemed a much safer contest to Kardaz than the sparring contests others had offered, but in this case his swollen wrist would actually be a legitimate reason to refuse. But looking at the expectant faces watching him around the table, Kardaz decided he must accept the challenge to avoid losing face. Then he had a sudden idea, and responded to Uzhara. "My wrist is still swollen from the mighty blow Fledgling Surt struck," as he paused, he saw the faces of his companions looking disappointed, thinking he would decline another challenge, so he continued," but if you would be willing for us to arm-wrestle left-handed, I will gladly accommodate you."

The men at the table cheered and pounded the table. A space was cleared for Uzhara to sit across from Kardaz and the two men clasped hands. Uzhara looked uncomfortable and shifted his left arm several times to try and get in position. It was as Kardaz had hoped, the High Chief of Mordva had as little experience arm-wrestling left-handed as Kardaz did, he might now have a chance to show a respectable effort before losing. A crowd gathered as the two Chieftains locked hands and the wagering began, the odds going with the Warrior over the new Fledgling. Finally, Hero Ihala came forward, seized their clasped fists, and then signaled for them to begin.

At first , it looked like Uzhara would have an easy victory as he began forcing Kardaz's fist slowly toward the table. But straining every muscle, Kardaz refused to give up, and his fist's descent stopped, and slowly but surely he began to regain ground, pushing their hands back up to vertical and then in a final surge forcing Uzhara's hand to the table with a solid thump, surprising even himself.

Uzhara initially glared at Kardaz as he rubbed his knuckles, but soon Kardaz cajoled him into a better mood, going on about how Uzhara almost had him with his initial show of strength. All the warriors at the table were impressed by his graciousness in victory. And those that had bet on him cheered and brought him more drinks.

After a few more days of celebrations and heavy drinking, which was by far the main activity at the Lodge, Kardaz finally managed to break free from his new brothers and return home to his duties. He was now confident that he could reassure his people that as a member of the Followers of Otso, he would be able to protect them from whatever dangers might lie ahead.

 

[Dunaden]

769 - Merya Tribe

Kardaz returned home sporting his new scarf. He had told no one that he had planned try and join the Followers of Otso except Vechkas, not even his wife and family. He had not wanted anyone else to know, in case his application had been rejected. Now, he strolled slowly through the village greeting everyone he could see, rather than rushing straight back to his longhouse. He wanted as many people as possible to see him marked as one of the Followers of Otso, so the knowledge would spread as fast as possible. That was the whole point of him joining after all.

Eventually he made his way to his own door and went to check on his family. He found his wife alone.

High Chieftess Tundava of Merya was only a year younger than Kardaz, but she still looked good even after bearing three children. She had fulfilled her ambition to marry a ruler 15 years ago when she had married Kardaz, the High Chief of Merya. The fulfillment of the ambition had given her a passion for Kardaz that had lasted 3 years and resulted in 3 children. But the passion had cooled soon after as she realized Kardaz had no ambitions of his own to be more than he already was. Her life with him had basically peaked with their marriage, but it had taken her three years to realize that.

As their marriage bed had grown cool, Kardaz had hinted at taking a concubine or two, but his wife's very descriptive threat of feeding his manhood to the hogs if he brought another woman into their home terrified Kardaz so much, he never broached the subject again. Tundava did her wifely duty on feast days and other special occasions and never cut him off entirely, as there were times she was in the mood herself, so Kardaz took what he could get. But it seemed without that passion, the goddess Akka did not see fit to bless them with more children.

But when Tundava saw that scarf around Kardaz's neck and realized what it meant, she felt that passion stirring again for the first time in 10 years and with it her ambition. She would not only be the wife of a High Chief, but also the wife of a Warrior of the Followers of Otso, or even someday a Hero.

Kardaz did not yet realize that his home life had just changed for the better.

"Hello Tundy, my dear. I'm back and have good new..." Kardaz was cut off as his wife began kissing him with a fire he hadn't felt in a long time. After a moment, he came up for air, and looked around.

"Where are the children?"

"Viryay and Putyayka should be training with Vechkas, unless Viryay has snuck off to spy on the women in the sauna again. Sinyava is out gossiping with her friends since you left her on own by disappearing for a week instead of doing your duty as her guardian. "

"In that case, in seems we have time ." Kardaz said as he dragged Tundava back to their sleep chamber, thinking that joining the warrior society had been a great idea.

.............

The next day he called a meeting of the Tribal Council to go over what had been happening while he had been gone. After the initial greetings and congratulations on becoming a member of the Followers of Otso, he called the meeting to order. The first news he heard was all bad. While he was away, Orunza, the Steward, had allowed a group of smugglers into Merya. The smugglers had made off with several wagon loads of building supplies, delaying several projects throughout the tribal lands and increasing the project costs as the missing supplies needed to be replaced.

Orunza protested, saying it wasn't his fault, his duties had him stretched too thin trying to be a steward to all five tribes to keep an eye on everything going on. Kardaz was trying to run all five of the tribes from Merya and Orunza couldn't be everywhere at once.

To everyone's surprise, Kardaz agreed with him. "You are right, Orunza, having to keep track of everything going on from Yaroslavl to Torzhok may be too much for you to handle. Unfortunately, you are currently the best person I have to do the tallies. I have been thinking on this and have already thought of a solution."

All of the council sat up with interest. Orunza, however, looked worried, chewing on the comment about "currently".

Kardaz continued, "With the increased raids by the Ilmenians to our west, we need a stronger military presence in Torzhok. Rather than having Vechkas face the same difficulty you seem to have, Orunza, by having to constantly run from Yaroslavl to Torzhok, I've decided to set up a base of operations in the Torzhok tribal lands. "

Orunza groaned, "That will take even more of my time, and I'll have to be in Torzhok to supervise any construction."

"No you won't, that will be the responsibility of the new Chief of Torzhok. He will get his tribesmen and his own councilors to strengthen Torzhok's defenses."

That got the attention of all the Council members. The High Chiefs of Merya had held onto the Chiefdoms of all five tribes since the tribes had united for mutual protection close to a hundred years ago.

Kardaz turned to Vechkas, " Do you think you can handle that responsibility, Chief Vechkas ?" he said with a grin at his oldest friend.

Vechkas replied more solemnly, " I do indeed, High Chief Kardaz."

The other Council members gathered around Chief Vechkas congratulating him on his new position. Shkay the Spymaster and Kezhapa the Chancellor enthusiastically, Diviner Kichay more politely, and Orunza somewhat begrudgingly.

Kardaz called the meeting back to order, " We will have a more formal ceremony to recognize the new Chief of Torzhok at a feast later this week. For now back to business."

Kezhapa spoke up, "There is one topic we have been meaning to bring up." He hesitated.

Kardaz asked, " We?"

Vechkas looked embarrassed, "Kezhapa and I.."

Kezhapa stepped in, "We have been discussing the inheritance laws.." Again he hesitated.

Kardaz prompted him , growing irritated, "And..?"

Kezhapa sighed, " The current laws allow only male issue to be considered for election, this restriction led to the circumstances which required the extraordinary lengths the tribes had to go through to find you when the Old Chief died. If both the male and female children, or relatives, of the chief could be considered we would reduce the chance of a similar problem cropping up.... We propose making that change to the inheritance laws.'

Kardaz looked angry, " I have a son, that is not an issue." he said flatly.

Kezhapa looked worried but pressed on, "Yes, Viryay is a fine boy, but the Old Chief had 3 sons, and they all died before he did, with only a granddaughter between them. If ... if anything should happen to your son before you die, we would be once again without an heir, instead of being able to turn to one of your daughters."

Kardaz looked at Vechkas, " This is about Putyayka." Returning to an old argument.

Vechkas looked defiant, " Putyayka is one of the purest warriors I have ever trained, frankly she has an aptitude and commitment, that Viryay... is somewhat lacking."

Kardaz sighed, " She is only 12 years old, how can you say that."

Vechkas continued stubbornly, " I have seen her spirit her whole life."

Kardaz finally nodded, " So have I... Alright we will change the inheritance law.. Unless one of our other councilors has any objection." A quick glance showed no protest.

 

[Dunaden]

770 - Crime and Punishment

Orunza was surprised to find the High Chief waiting for him in his rooms.

"Can I help you with something, my Chief?

"I was wrong about you, Orunza. You are not as incompetent as I thought." Kardaz was nervous, not sure how Orunza would react to what was coming, but he felt better as soon as he saw the two guards appear silently at the doorway as planned.

"Incompetent? I don't understand..."

"About the smugglers."

Orunza blanched.

"You weren't incompetent, Orunza. You were corrupt."

"Kardaz! I swear .. I did nothing!"

"I saw them pay you off with my own eyes ... two nights ago ..at the tavern."

Orunza's further protests died on his lips, and he sagged against his desk.

Kardaz, looked at the two guards who had come in behind Orunza, relieved that the encounter had not turned physical, "Arrest him, I will deal with him later."

**********************

A week later, Karzad convened his court to pass sentence on Orunza. The Tribal Council, including the new Steward Kardaz had found and invited to his court named Paksyut Paksyutid, were present along with the other important men and woman of the five tribes. They were all gathered at the longhouse in the village of the Merya Tribe.

Orunza was brought forward, his head and arms bound to a wooden yoke, with a hobble connecting his ankles. He shuffled forward into the light of the council fire and was knocked to his knees by one of his escorts.

Kardaz stood up from his high seat and addressed Orunza, " Orunza of the Merya tribe, you have been found guilty of theft and corruption and abuse of your office as Steward. Some here have called for your death, claiming the smuggler operations impacted the preparations for winter throughout the tribes, which could have resulted in deaths of innocents, of children and our elders. But while your actions put lives at risk, no one has died due to you actions, so I will not condemn you to death."

Orunza seemed to relax at that news, though the yoke and hobble didn't allow him to get comfortable.

Kardaz continued, "Some wanted to sacrifice you to the ancestors, but I think you soul would be an unworthy sacrifice, and perhaps even anger the gods. Others wanted to cut off your hands to mark you as a thief, but I find that crueler than killing you. "

The crowd began to get restless , hearing all their ideas dismissed. Kardaz held up his hand to still the whispers.

"Orunza, all your goods, lands, and possessions are hereby confiscated, and you are banished from the lands of the five tribes of Merya. You will be escorted to the tribal boundaries and are forbidden to return. Take him away and prepare him for his journey."

Orunza began to protest as the guards started to drag him away, "You can't take everything!! All I took was some coin to look the other way and delay discovery of the theft, I never stole anything! You are stealing from me!"

"Wait!" Kardaz shouted. All eyes turned toward him, the guards turned Orunza so he was facing Kardaz again.

"Very well, I am not a thief. You will be compensated for the goods being taken. You will receive one load of lumber, similar in size to one of the loads the smugglers took." The crowd began to grumble at this generosity as Orunza seemed to be doing calculations in his head. But Kardaz continued, " That load of wood will be delivered to the shores of the Volga at the downstream boundary of our tribal lands and fashioned into a raft. When the spring thaw frees the waters of the Volga from the ice, the prisoner will be bound to the raft and it will be cast into the river, at the mercy of the currents and the gods. Orunza, I'm sure a steward of your caliber will have no problem selling the wood wherever you wash ashore and then you can start a new life. Just don't return here."

Orunza stared at Kardaz in horror and began to cry out , "I'm sorry .. I'm sorry.. you didn't steal.. you owe me nothing.." as the guards dragged him away.

(Note: Orunza would eventually wash up on shore in Cheremisa over 250 miles downstream of Merya, suffering from overexposure and raving about the mercy of currents and gods. The High Chief of Cheremisa decided Orunza had been touched by the gods and made him the court Diviner of Cheremisa.)

................

With that business concluded, Kardaz settled down to deal with any petitioners that wanted to bring matters before the High Chief. He spent the next hour hearing complaints from people claiming to have been cheated in a trade, a trapper accusing another of poaching his trapline, and some drunks claiming a tavern owner was watering down his mead.

As he wrapped up the final petitioner, another man stepped to the Council fire. Kardaz immediately recognized the bearskin cloak signifying a Hero of the Followers of Otso.

“Welcome, brother!” He called out as he moved forward to greet the Hero, hoping to impress his people with his new familiarity with the fabled warrior society.

“Ah, there you are Fledgling Kardaz. I am Chief Ylle of Saaremaa.” Kardaz winced at being called a fledgling in his own hall, but kept his smile on his face.

“Bring our guest food and drink”

“I thank you, but I will not be staying long. I have just come to bring you your first task as a new member of the Order.” Kardaz stopped in shock. Task? He thought. He had joined the followers to placate his people’s fears that he wasn’t a warrior. He enjoyed spending nights at the local Lodge in telling tall tales and drinking heavily, but he had not planned on taking on any of their so called quests.

But here in the middle of his own Lodge, surrounded by his people, he was being put on the spot.

“What do the Followers of Otso require of me,“ he replied theatrically.

“Because of your position in the world, outside of the Lodge, you are uniquely qualified to take on this task. Most Fledgling’s are given simpler tasks, slay some bandit, track down a murderer, or kill some foul beast. But you are the High Chief of the Merya and you have the power to take on bigger tasks.”

Kardaz was not liking the sound of this at all, something more dangerous that hunting down criminals or wild animals.

“The Followers of Otso are a warrior society serving the Suomenusko gods and we must fight against those who would attack our faith, the Tengri, the Christians, the Romuva, and the Slavs.”

Kardaz saw where this was going as a knot of fear grew in his belly. Of all those named, only the Slavs bordered Merya. The Followers of Otso wanted him to start a war.

“The Followers of Otso want your pledge to lead a war of conquest against the High Chief Rodislav of Ilmenia and take the Borovichi lands away from him, and show the world the strength of the Suomenusko peoples.”

The longhouse went quiet, and Kardaz belatedly realized the Hero was done speaking and everyone was waiting his response. If they had been alone, he would have tried to talk the Hero out of this crazy idea, or found some way to decline or avoid making any promises, but here in front of his Councilors and tribe he couldn’t show any signs of cowardice.

“Of course I will lead my people against the enemies of all Suomenusko peoples.”

The crowd cheered and the Hero smiled. And Kardaz thought about 20 years of peace and prosperity, all gone now that the Followers of Otso wanted him to start a war to show who had the stronger gods. Maybe joining this warrior society had not been such a great idea.

 

[Dunaden]

770-771 - The Art of Procrastination

Kardaz stalled as long as he could, throwing out many excuses to avoid starting the war against the Ilmenians. First he had said no one starts a war in the middle of winter, they should wait for the spring.

In the spring, his wife Tundava became pregnant (their love life still energized by his new warrior status) and he said it had been 10 years since she had carried a child, he couldn't abandon her at a time like this and had to make sure she made it through her pregnancy alright. So any thought of war was forestalled for another 9 months as Merya waited on the High Chief's child.

In the end Tundava gave birth to a son, who was named Moksha. Kardaz rejoiced, but realized another son would complicate the inheritance.

In the meantime he had told his steward, Paksyut Paksyutid to work on building up the Legend of Kardaz in hopes of attracting more warriors to help in the upcoming war. They would need more men before they were ready to march.

After that, Kardaz himself become ill, first with a fever, and then when fatigue and pain in his feet, which turned out to be the first signs of gout. His treatment pushed back the war again.

Finally, he even joined another war, to avoid starting his own.

High Chief Parush of Meshchera, his southern neighbor and fellow fledgling in the Followers of Otso asked for help dealing with a peasant revolt. Kardaz eagerly agreed, fighting peasants seemed much safer than fighting Slavic warriors. Kardaz was careful to only agree to help with the peasant revolt. Parush was fighting another war against one of the nomad tribes to the south, and Kardaz wanted no part of those devils.

So Kardaz gathered almost a thousand warriors from the Merya tribes and headed south toward Meshchera. The Meryan tribes first full scale battle in over 20 years did not go well. Karadaz and his men attacked the larger rebel army at Naro-Fominsk. Karadaz had not been worried about their greater numbers, figuring they're just peasants; failing to realize his army was mostly made up of very similar peasants. The attack was beaten back, with Merya losing 200 men and retreating north to Torzhok.

Their defeat made Kardaz even more committed to avoiding another war as long as possible, his troops needed more practice before they were ready to take on the Slavs. It would be over two months before they began advancing much more cautiously into Meshchera. The rebels had captured Naro-Fominsk after their victory and had gone on to capture Mozhaysk. Now, scouts reported that High Chief Parush's army had caught up with the rebels outside of Mozhaysk. The two armies were evenly matched, neither yet having a clear advantage. Kardaz was ecstatic, after their humiliating defeat in Naro-Fominsk, they now had the chance to be big damn heroes. So they raced south to join the battle.

The sudden influx of additional 700 warriors was more than enough to turn a close fight into a clear victory. The rebels were beaten and Kardaz and the Merya were the heroes of the hour. Within a week of the victory all the rebels forces had surrendered or scattered and returned home and the war was over.

Well that war anyway, the High Chief Volodar of Vyatichia was now attacking Meshchera, but Kardaz had not signed on for that and took his troops home.

(Note: Within a year, Vyatichia would complete the subjugation of Meshchera, putting these Suomenusko lands under Slavic rule. Volodar himself would not see that victory as he was killed while slaying a giant, a Meshcheran warrior named Paksyay.)

By the time Kardaz returned to Merya, he was already formulating new excuses to postpone attacking the Ilmenians, mainly revolving around letting his people recuperate and rebuild their strength following the war in Meshchera. But his Diviner Kichay's efforts put paid to that excuse when his lively sermons raised 300 zealots eager to fight in a holy war.

With no excuse about manpower and 300 eager young men camped around his capitol eating him out of house and home, Kardaz gave in and announced in midwinter that Merya was going to war. An envoy was sent to High Chief Rodislav informing him he was now at war with the Merya over Borovichi.

 

[Dunaden]

772-773 The Conquest of Borovichi

Kardaz sent out a call to arms to his vassal, Chief Vechkas of Torzhok, who was standing right next to him, asking him to join him in the conquest of Borovichi. Vechkas readily agreed. So the war banners were raised and the armies moved west to rally with Vechkas' tribesmen in Torzhok. Meanwhile, Paksyut Paksyutid, who had just married Songul Yabuid, the daughter of a Turkish Khagan, was tasked to build up Kardaz's legend and raise more warriors to join the war.

As the troops gathered, Kardaz's son Viryay came of age. He had not been a very promising student, but his education had made him a tough soldier, and after Vechkas, he was the best military leader in Merya. So Kardaz made him a commander. He also arranged Viryay's betrothal to Ordava Okivid, the daughter of Chief Pinyas of Naro-Fominsk and Mozhaysk, who was still grateful for the Merya saving his tribes from the rebels and wiling to form an alliance.

Unfortunately, Chief Pinyas was murdered a month later by Yalgava Yalgavid, the wife of High Chief Parush of Meshchera, ending the alliance before Pinyas could officially join Kardaz's war and send troops. Ordava became an orphan and her father's titles went to High Chief Parush, but as she had strong claims to both tribes, Kardaz didn't break the engagement.

The first Battle of Borovichi took place in late winter, and turned out to be less of a Battle than had been expected. Kardaz led 1,400 from Torzhok north into Borovichi. High Chief Rodislav had just over 1,000 men there but was not ready to face Kardaz, so he lead the bulk of his army east into Veps, and left 200 men to cover his retreat. Rumors circulated that when Rodisav had been taken prisoner a few years earlier, his enemies had cut off his balls, making him a eunuch, and he had lost his courage along with his manhood. The men Rodislav left behind fought a running battle through the forest, losing almost half their number before they broke contact and fled west across the frozen Volkhov River. Kardaz and his men broke off pursuit and lay siege to the Bororvichi Tribe.

Meanwhile in the east, the steward, Paksyut Paksyutid had managed to convince 300 young men of Kardaz's legendary status and called them to muster in Merya before sending them west to join the main army. But these young men got a taste of battle much sooner than expected. High Chief Rodislav and the 850 men of his main army had continued east across Veps and then turned south into Uglich territory, racing toward the Merya tribal lands. Both armies were surprised to find the other when they arrived at Merya. The Merya volunteers were camped haphazardly outside of the Merya Tribe and had not set up a proper military camp. Only the fact that the Ilmenians had not known they were kept it from being a complete slaughter. Even so, only two thirds of the volunteers survived. They fled west toward the safety of the main army at Borovichi. The Ilmenians lost only 22 men. High Chief Rodislav set up a siege camp around Merya.

By late spring Borovichi had fallen and Kardaz's scouts had reported that Ilmenians that had fled west that winter had gathered reinforcements and were heading east through Torzhok to join up with Rodislav. Kardaz headed south in pursuit. Neither Kardaz or the Ilmenian reinforcements knew of the 210 Meryan volunteers entering Torzhok from the east. The volunteers fleeing from one battle ran right into a second when they ran right into an Ilmenian ambush. They were pinned down and taking heavy losses when the cavalry arrived in the form of Kardaz and his main army. The Ilmenian reinforcements were scattered.

Approximately 100 of them fled east and joined up with High Chief Rodislav at Merya, warning him of Kardaz army close behind. Rodislav again fled from battle, breaking off the siege of Merya and heading north into Yaroslavl. But Kardaz was hard on his heels and knew this area like the back of his hand. The Meryan army gained on the fleeing Ilmenians and brought them to battle on the banks of the Volga River outside the Yaroslavl Tribe.

The Ilmenian army put up a fight at first inflicting some heavy casualties, but Rodislav panicked, the line broke, and the slaughter began. Rodislav fled the battlefield, leaving over 200 dead men behind. Kardaz stopped to bury his own 50 dead and burn the enemy bodies, before he turned back west heading toward the Ilmenian tribe at Kholm.

Before winter started, Karzad sent his son Viryay back to Merya. Ordava Okivid was coming of age and needed to be made welcome when she arrived in Merya for the wedding. Viryay would spend the winter in Merya with his new bride and then could rejoin the army in the spring. Ordava had matured into a fearful young women skilled in diplomacy and intrigue which wasn't surprising as she had spent the last few years trapped in the court of the Chief who's wife openly boasted of having murdered Ordava's father for her husband's gain. Ordava burned with an ambition to avenge her father and reclaim her people's lands.

Kardaz expected the both armies to settle into winter camps and resume fighting when the thaw came. But it was mid winter when the Ilmenian army reappeared, trying to free Borovichi. Kardaz broke off his siege of Kholm, leaving the warm siege camp to march north through the dark cold forest. Just after the new year began, The Meryan and Ilmenian armies met outside the tribal village in the second Battle of Borovichi. For the first time, flight wasn't foremost on the Ilmenian mind and the outnumbered Slavic warriors stood their ground. The fight was brutal as the winter sun soon set and a bone chilling cold descended on the battlefield, the snow underfoot turned black in the moonlight from the spilled blood. In the end, the Meryan numbers won the night, but at a heavy cost. Close to five hundred men were killed that night, more than half Meryans. The cold had killed as many as the enemy warriors. But dawn found the Meryans once again holding the field as the surviving Ilmenians had fled at first light.

The Meryans found one man who had been left behind, tending to some wounded enemy warriors. But he wasn't Ilmenian, he was a German and a Christian. The wounded Ilmenians were killed and the German was brought before Kardaz in the Borovichi village longhouse.

Karadaz got up and limped around the German looking him over, his gout had flared back up making him wince with every step. He hadn't seen a Christian in years, not since some traders had come up the Volga one summer.

Nyalku Ngayid, a Nenets Fledgling of the Followers of Otso who had become friends with Kardaz and joined the war against the Slavs spoke up. "We should sacrifice him to Ukko, to give thanks for our victory and ask for a speedy end to the war."

Several of the other warriors in the lodge voiced their agreement. Kardaz was inclined to agree, thinking Ukko may have never received the sacrifice of a German Christian before.

The German appeared to understand their speech as his eyes grew fearful. Struggling to find words in the Mordvin language he protested, "Wait, my name is Dietpold, I can help you, I'm a doctor." but at the blank looks around him, he tried again, "a physician.. a healer."

Kardaz spoke, "We have our own healers and shaman."

The German Dietpold, looked around at the Meryan faces, looking for a way out. Kardaz walked back to his seat and sat down, taking the weight off his foot.

"Find one of the shaman, we'll prepare a sacrifice to Ukko."

Dietpold blurted out desperately, " I can cure your gout... You do have gout? Don't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"I can tell by how you walk and favor your toe, and how elevating it helps relieve some of the pain."

"You can cure it?"

"I can treat it and make the pain go away... for awhile. Your humors are out of balance, causing an inflammation in your foot, I know ways to restore the balance. It may come back later, but can be treated again."

Kardaz considered for a moment and then said, "If you can treat my affliction successfully, you will not be sacrificed and will be given a place in my longhouse as a healer."

Under the watchful eye of several Meryan warriors and shaman, Dietpold performed bloodletting from certain locations on Kardaz's body and applied compresses made from peat moss and other medicinal plants to Kardaz's inflamed foot over the next few days as the army recuperated at Borovichi. Within a few days, Kardaz found the pain had receded and he could walk without limping, so Dietpold was spared and joined the Meryan army as they marched west across the still frozen Volkhov River toward Novgorod, Rodislav's capitol.

In the spring as the siege continued, the Meryans began to here terrible rumors involving the Ilmenian army. With Borovichi captured and Novgorod under siege, Rodislav and his army had been cut off from any resupply all winter and now tales began to spread of cannibalism among the Ilmenian army during the worst of the winter months.

Just before the summer solstice, Novgorod fell to the Meryan warriors and they celebrated Ukon juhla on the shores of Lake Ilmen, a celebration of the god, Ukko, which was mostly singing, dancing, and drinking heavily before jumping over bonfires to gain luck and prosperity for the coming year.

The Slavic temple of Solsty was sacked soon after. But while the Meryans were sieging Solsty, Rodislav's army snuck back to Bororvichi and recaptured the village. More tales spread that Rodislav and his men had eaten the Meryan garrison that had been left to hold Borovichi. Kardaz quickly led his army back across the river, wading and swimming as the river was no longer frozen. Rodislav fled again at their approach and with a quick assault, Borovichi was back in Meryan hands. And there it would stay.

Rodislav soon sent word that he had had enough and surrendered title to the Borovichi lands to Kardaz. Kardaz had completed the task set to him by the Followers of Otso.

 

[Dunaden]

774 - Sons and Daughters, the Future of the Tribe

Kardaz stopped at the Lodge after his victory against High Chief Rodislav to report his success and to celebrate with the Followers of Otso. The celebrations lasted for a week and Kardaz enjoyed the comradery and basked in the praise and respect of the warriors. He even took part in a Flyting challenge against a Nenets man named Nabtiko, the Chief of Kolguyev, an island far to the north in the White Sea.

The two of them traded insults for an hour until Nabitko lost his cool and tried to throttle Kardaz as the crowd laughed in delight, thereby making Kardaz the winner. Kardaz quickly soothed Natiko's ruffled feathers and they were soon drinking together. In the end, the drunken High Chief of Merya was wrapped in furs and dumped in the back of sledge and delivered home.

*******************
He arrived in Merya to find his oldest son married, both his daughters had come of age during the war, and his youngest son was now heir to the Borovichi tribe.

Putyayka had lived up to the promise Vechkas had seen in her. She was physically imposing with broad shoulders and a muscular frame, already a skilled warrior. She was brave and fair-minded with a lust for life and battle, always wanting more, though a bit cynical. She had little interest in men other than as opponents on the battle field or as training partners. But more than that she had learned all Vechkas could teach her of war and had become a brilliant strategist and a master of siege craft.

Sinyava had also grown up well, despite his sporadic guardianship and being the spoiled baby of the family until little Moksha had appeared when she 12. She had still managed to become a charismatic negotiator, a very social person who could talk rings around most others. She did have a tendency to spin fairytales and half truths, but she told well. More worrisome was her tendency to believe any half truths and fairytales told to her. Physically, she was the opposite of her older sister, frail instead of brawny, and useless in a fight.

With the war won and new lands to administer, as wells as his daughters' future to decide, Kardaz went to work with the tribal council to see if they could sort a few things out.

The first order of business revolved around the new lands. The Borovichi covered a vast stretch of forest along the Volkhov River and the northeast shore of Lake Ilmen. But it would be years before it began to produce wealth and men at its full potential. Another issue was the population was still Slavic Ilmenians, which would make them harder to rule. With the addition of Borovichi, Kardaz's governing skills were again stretched thin and he again felt he should delegate the governing of one the tribes to someone else. He again decided to grant a title to one of his Councilors. This time his spymaster would be raised to the nobility and be granted a Chiefdom. Kardaz considered it a good idea to keep the one's spymaster happy. So Shkay, became Shkay Shkayid, Chief of Bezichy. Bezichy was not one of the de jure counties of Merya and was the poorest of the tribes of Merya (well Borovichi was the actually the poorest at the moment, but would not be once it recovered from the effects of the war).

The next order of business was to look into finding husbands for his daughters. Chancellor Kezhapa sent out messages with trades and other couriers to see who would make an offer for Putyayka's hand. He received favorable replies from close to 25 potential suitors, including a couple members of Kardaz's court. Kezhapa sorted through them and determined the 5 candidates that would bring the most prestige to Kardaz and Merya, should Putyayka accept their suit.

Karadaz looked through the list and then came back to Kezhapa, "What is this? You have 3 Tengri nomads and a Slavic boy. I'll not send her to live among homeless scavengers far from the forests she loves. And a Slav?! We just finished a war against the Slavs and we will surely fight more. You want her to raise children to attack her own family.

Kezhapa protested, "The Tengri boys are the sons of Khagans and would bring much prestige. Plus the nomads respect warriors, and would respect your daughter's prowess. All of the envoys spoke of how they could see Putyayka would give them strong sons with true warrior spirits."

"Damn nomads, thinking of my daughter as nothing but a brood mare. Besides, she has barely even ridden a horse, and you want her to spend the rest of her life in a saddle. Forget the Tengri."

Kezhapa considered arguing a case for the Slavic boy, but wisely thought better of it. "Nuyat Cheremisid seems to be the only candidate left. He is a fellow Mordvin and shares our gods. He is close in age to Putyayka, only a couple years younger. And he is heir to the High Chiefdom of Cheremisa. He is said to be a kind soul, a bit bookish and spends most of his time with the shaman and diviners...."

Kardaz was puzzling something out," Cheremisa, why do I know... Diviner!" then he growled, " Orunza!"

Kezhapa spoke hastily, "Yes, that is where Orunza ended up after his banishment. But that has no bearing on the suitability of this marriage offer."

"The boy's father made that liar and thief his Court Diviner, he'll be at the court you propose sending my daughter to."

"From all I've heard, Orunza bears you and your family no ill will, and feels the punishment was justified by his own actions. I've heard he is quite happy with his new circumstances and does it well."

"From what I've heard he's mad, touched in the head."

Kezhapa sighed and muttered, "I've heard that, too."

Suddenly, Kardaz was struck by a happier thought, "If he tries anything, Putyayka will pull him apart with her bare hands. Kezhapa, let High Chief Varaka know we are interested in arranging a betrothal, between Putyayka and his boy."

​

For the next month, Kezhapa was kept busy travelling up and down the river between Merya and Cheremisa first arranging details of the betrothal and dowry and then once that was settled, arranging details of a formal military alliance between the soon to be in laws. Exhausted, he reported back to Kardaz, " It's done, Nuyat will marry Putyayka when he comes of age in two years and we have a military alliance with High Chief Varaka of Cheremisa."

"Well done, Kezhapa. Now I'll go give the good new to Putyayka."

Putyayka did not react at all like Kardaz expected. He couldn't remember that last time he had seen his very large, little girl cry. And they were not tears of joy.

"I don't want to marry some bookish boy in Cheremisa. I have no interest in marrying anyone. I want to be a warrior and Hero. I want to join you in the Followers of Otso. I want to lead armies and crush the enemies of Merya."

Kardaz stared at his daughter, truly seeing her for the first time. Her eyes fierce even through the tears, her strong calloused hands twisting and crushing the goblet in her grasp. Her powerful body, molded by a lifetime of swinging an axe at a training dummy. He tried to picture her as a wife supervising a feast or cooking a meal with a child on her hip.

He reached across the table and covered her hands with his own, stilling them. "I'm sorry, I should have spoken of all this to you sooner. You don't have to marry anyone you don't want to."

"I don't?"

"You don't. And I will speak with Chief Ylle about you joining the Followers of Otso. But in the meantime, would you consider being my Shieldmaiden and a commander of Merya?"

Putyayka's face lit up and not saying a word, she leapt over the table and scooped up Kardaz in a back breaking hug.

Kardaz laughed , once he could breath. "Put me down, I need to talk to Kezhapa, and send him to back to Cheremisa."

**************

Kezhapa, looking completely tired and dejected, said, " Might I make one suggestion, Chief?"

"Yes, What is it?" replied Kardaz.

"Perhaps instead of just breaking the betrothal and losing the alliance, we suggest an alternative to High Chief Varaka."

"What do you mean? What alternative?"

"We suggest Sinyava marry Nuyat, instead of Putyayka. And the alliance and other negotiated terms all stay in effect."

Kardaz face lit up, " That's a brilliant idea, we shall do... wait. Perhaps I should discuss this with Sinyava first."

Kerzhapa quickly agreed, " Yes, you probably should. I'll be in my quarters resting. Let me know what you decide."

Sinyava had no objections to marrying the kindhearted Nuyat, so Kerzhapa once again headed down river to Cheremisa. Three weeks later he returned to report after a little indignation at the breaking of the original betrothal, Kerzhapa was able to smooth High Chief Varaka's ruffled feathers and reach a new betrothal agreement and maintain the alliance.

With Sinyava's future set, Kardaz headed to the Lodge to discuss Putyayka's future with Chief Ylle of Saaremaa. But the discusses did not go as he expected.

"We are actually more interested in recruiting your son. Viryay, I believe." Chief Ylle stated.

"My son? He has the makings of a fine warrior, but my daughter is much more enthusiastic about joining the Followers."

"Your son is a proven warrior and has already led men in combat, not just some girl dreaming of becoming a hero. He is also the heir to the High Chiefdom of Merya."

"The heir.. what does that have to do with it?"

"What else, loot. The Followers of Otso can't support our Lodges and training facilities without wealth. Most of our coin comes from our shares from raids on rich locations we scout out. The Followers don't have enough members to carry out these raids on our own. We need members who command enough warriors to succeed on the raids, the Chiefs and High Chiefs of the various Suomenusko tribes. Then we claim our share from the spoils. So we are more inclined to recruit a future High Chief than a single female warrior, no matter how enthusiastic."

"But many of the members are not Chiefs. Surely you can give my daughter consideration for membership."

Chief Ylle smiled," Of course, she will have a chance to prove herself and join us. But first we would like to secure your son's membership, then we can test your daughter."

Kardaz nodded, not happy, but not wanting to anger Chief Ylle by arguing further, " Very well, I will talk to Viryay about joining the Society."

Chief Ylle slapped Karadz on the back, " That is great to hear. Have the boy talk to Hero Ihala and he will set up the initiation duel."

​

*************

Viryay sought out his sister, Putyayka, to apologize, "I know this is your dream, to join the Followers of Otso and become a Hero. I didn't mean to take your spot. Father says Hero Ylle insisted."

"Don't worry about it, Vir, It is not your fault. Father has said he will speak with Chief Ylle again, once you are initiated. He says they only allow members to have one recruit at a time. So win your duel and clear the way for me."

"Besides," Putyayka said with a grin, "You need the head start and training more than I do. I'll catch up to you soon enough."

Viryay laughed and gave his sister a hug.

So Viryay traveled to the Lodge and won his initiation duel, though he did not emerge unscathed. His right eye was swollen shut for a month. Once he returned, sporting his own Fledgling scarf, Kardaz set out to the Lodge to press Putyayka's case for membership.

****************

Kardaz arrived at the Lodge and was told that Chief Ylle was on a hunting trip and would be back the next day. So Kardaz grabbed a horn of mead and a trencher of food and settled in to wait with the other Warriors gathered in the Lodge.

Several meads later, another Fledgling came crashing over to his table and boasted of his strength and then challenged Kardaz to an arm-wrestling match. Kardaz, fueled by honey-made courage, accepted. The Fledgling was Chief Yapti of Snopa, a Nenets man 10 years younger than Kardaz. The rest of the warriors gathered around, always eager for a contest and began placing bets.

The two men locked arms, Kardaz using his right arm, rather than his left as he did in his now famous match with High Chief Uzhara five years ago. After some initial straining, it was clear the younger man would win. And soon, with heavy thud, he slammed Kardaz's knuckles to the table. He immediately leaped up and resumed his boasting and then began mocking Kardaz's weakness. The crowd began to laugh and jeer with him.

Kardaz, still drunk, began to feel that if he did nothing they would all know of his cowardice. He couldn't let this stand, so he stood up and grabbed a horn of mead from one of the spectators and flung the contents into Yapti's face. "I'll show you who is stronger! Face me in a duel."

The younger man looked shocked for a second, and then, after looking at all the expectant faces around him, he accepted, to the cheers of the crowd. This night keeps getting better the crowd thought. And more wagers were made.

While a space was being cleared for the upcoming duel, fear and adrenaline were clearing some of the alcohol from Kardaz's brain, and he began to think of the predicament he was in. Making the challenge was enough to prove he wasn't a coward, winning or losing didn't matter, Fledglings were expected to lose. That was how they learned. A shield and an axe were thrust in his hands, while Yapti collected a shield and spear.

The two men were herded into the space and the signal given for the fight to begin. The blows were tentative at first and sloppy as the two men circled each other. Kardaz was already sweating from the fear and the alcohol. What he needed to do was get out of here, just lose as quickly and painlessly as possible while putting on a brave face. He caught a strong spear thrust on his shield, but the force of it sent him stumbling back into the surrounding crowd. As some of the laughing spectators shoved him back into the open space, he suddenly had one last clear thought. What am I even doing here? Joining this society was just a bad...

 

[Dunaden]

775 - Kardaz’s Wake

The people of Merya as well as many Followers of Otso gathered together for Kardaz’s funeral services. Kardaz lay in state on raised platform in the middle of the Merya Tribe's longhouse wrapped in his old bearskin robe. The elders of the tribe remembered Kardaz carrying the wounded Viryas and that very bearskin on his return from the epic hunt that had made him High Chief. Viryas had survived his wounds and had been one Kardaz’s closest friends until his death a few years later due to pneumonia. Kardaz’s son Viryay had been named to honor his old friend.

Chief Vechkas of Torzhok had been chosen to give the eulogy for his old friend at the funeral. He stood up before the crowd and began. “First off, I want to put a stop to the ugly rumors and vicious attacks on Kardaz’s reputation. The idea that he was a womanizer and cheated on his wife is laughable. These rumors seemed to be based on the 12 year gap between children in the family and the speculation that Kardaz was spending that time in other women’s beds rather than with his wife. This is far from the truth. All who knew him can attest to his devotion to his wife, a devotion so strong that he declined to take any concubines, even though as the High Chief, he was entitled to and even expected to have many concubines. So let us quash those ugly lies and move on to talk about the man Kardaz truly was."

"As I said he was a devoted husband and a loving father. He raised 3 fine children who have grown into exception adults, Viryay, our new High Chief who will lead us into the future; Putyayka, a magnificent warrior, who will defend us from our enemies; and the beautiful and charming Sinyava, who’s betrothal has already secured a strong alliance with the people of Cheremisa. Sadly, Kardaz won’t have a chance to raise little Moksha and see him become a man. "

"He has not only been a loving father to his own children, he has been a loving father to all the tribes of the Merya. Ever since that fateful day, when he triumphed in the epic hunt to choose the new High Chief of the Merya, he had cared for and protected us, the People of the Forest, from hunger and war. He ruled well for twenty five years, giving us all peace and prosperity. In all that time, we were only drawn into war twice, both times for the glory of the gods, not for personal glory. And both times, Kardaz found victory over our enemies. "

"So in the years to come, we will endeavor to follow the shining example High Chief Kardaz showed us, under the leadership of our new High Chief, Viryay Kardazid, and with the support of the other Chiefs of the Merya, myself, Chief Shkay of Bezichy and of course, in time, young Moksha Kardazid, the Chief of Borovichi.”

The crowd cheered the beautiful speech, and then they all gathered together and shared a last feast with High Chief Kardaz as he lay in state among them. Nyalku Ngayid, one of Kardaz's friends in the Followers of Otso, made it a point to stop by and offer his condolences to his friend's wife, Tundava, and his children as well as offer his hand friendship to the new High Chief. He also promised to help mentor Viryay in the Followers of Otso. Viryay gladly took him up on both offers.

The next morning they carried the body of High Chief Kardaz to its final resting place in the graveyard outside the Merya Tribe. The Diviner Kichay made a karsikko-mark for Kardaz on one of the pine trees surrounding the graveyard. This mark would remind everyone of Kardaz and also remind his ghost, if it awoke and wandered from the graveyard, that it was dead and should look for the path to Tuonela, the spirit realm.



…………………………

Following the funeral, the new High Chief went in search of Putyayka. Viryay found his sister where she always was, in the yard attacking a training dummy with her axe. It took a few seconds to attract her attention, yelling and waving his arms (as he didn’t want to get to close to the swinging axe). She finally turned toward him and he saw her eyes were full of tears.

He came forward and hugged her hard. They stayed that way for a few minutes and then she roughly pushed him away and brushed tears from her eyes. “Did you want something, Vir?”

“Yes, I wanted to let you know …. I am making you my heir. Vechkas and Shkay have agreed that you are the best choice and will back me on this. Moksha is just too young. I’m also making you my designated regent, to rule when I’m away.”

She looked at him, “I never wanted that, I want to just be a warrior and serve the people of Merya.”

Viryay laughed,” And you are and always will be. I’m not going anywhere, but at times like these people need to be reassured that a good plan for the future is in place and they’ll be happy knowing Putyayka Kardazid will be there for them when I am not.

She nodded, “I see that.”

“You are still the Shieldmaiden of Merya and you will be a commander in our armies when any war comes. That is what I truly need from you.”

She smiled, “Thank you, brother.”

“Also, I know father was trying to get you a place in the Followers of Otso. I will talk to the Heroes about you joining, they would be fools to not take a warrior like you.”

Putyayka’s eyes grew cold, “No brother, it was those bastards and their foolish games that got our father killed. I will serve you and the people of Merya, not some foreigners who think of only the Gods and personal glory.”

Viryay started to protest, ”Now wait a minute, the Followers of Otso are protecting all of the peoples of the forests, we Meryans as well as the other Mordvin tribes, and the Finns, the Nenets, the Sami, all the tribes, by training warriors and Heroes that will protect them from those who follow different gods.”

Putyayka sighed, “I don’t doubt the noble purpose of the society, Viryay. But remember, the members in it are still just men, not demi-gods. And they play dangerous games while they wait for their next noble task. I’m just saying I want no part of those games and you should be careful. I don’t want one of those games killing you, too.”

Viryay replied, “I understand. I’ll be careful.”

Then he smiled sheepishly, “And I’m sure I, and all the people of Merya , will sleep better knowing you are dedicating yourself completely to protecting us.”

She laughed, “You’re an idiot, and you’ll be careful around everything… except women.” and with a powerful shove, sent him sprawling to the ground.

Viryay scrambled up, laughing, “Hey now, that is no way to treat your High Chief.”

****************

In the days that followed, Viryay made few changes as he took on the tasks of High Chief with his new wife, High Chieftess Ordava, at his side. The council remained unchanged following the succession, except for Ordava replacing Kichay as Diviner of Merya. Putyayka also began to regularly attend Council meeting as an observer and unofficial advisor. Her presence was accepted by the Council due to the many roles she filled that made it advisable for her to be kept up to date on current affairs, being the heir, designated regent and Marshal Vechkas’ second in command.

The first thing the Council addressed was making the final arrangements for Sinyava's upcoming marriage. Nuyat Cheremisid was coming of age after the new year. So Sinyava, who had been feeling poorly of late, would travel south by boat to Cheremisa and join her betrothed in his father's court.

With that settled, Viryay reviewed the status of their neighbors with the Council. To the east and southeast were their fellow Mordvins ruling Vologda, Mari, and Murom, as well as Cheremisa, their ally, and Mordva further south. Directly south was the growing strength of expansionist Vyatichia, a land ruled by Ilmenian Slavic tribes, but whose eastern lands were still peopled by the subjugated Suomenusko tribes of Meshchera. Vytachia was currently defending against an internal revolt as well as an attack from their neighbor, High Chief Svetozar of Krivichia. To the west of Merya were their recent foe, Ilmenia and the Chief of Ladoga, an Estonian tribe holding lands on the southern shores of both Lake Ladoga and the Gulf of Finland.

To the North was the Finnish High Chiefdom of Veps. They also followed the Suomenusko gods, but they controlled Belo Ozero which traditionally belong to the Merya. And of course, Merya controlled the Bezichy and Torzhok lands, which were traditionally part of Veps. So there was tension between the two tribes beyond their cultural differences. In fact, Viryay was very interested in regaining Belo Ozero and strengthening the Meryan control of trade along the Volga River.

They also discussed rumors of a great Slavic victory far to the south. The Slavic King Vojislav of Serbia had supplanted the ancient Avar dynasty in the Carpathian mountains. This victory would be sure to give the local Slavic tribes renewed confidence and ambitions of their own.

The Suomenusko faith needed some inspiration of their own. Merya's recent conquest of Borovichi had been the only notable victory for the faith in recent years. So as a first step, the High Chieftess Ordava was tasked to bringing the faith to the Slavic peasants in Borovichi. But more importantly, there was an opportunity to strike another blow against the Slavs.

High Chief Rodislav of Ilmenia was dealing with a peasant revolt in Novgorod. With the death of Kardaz, the peace treaty with Ilmenia was now void and Viryay was free to launch a war of conquest for Kholm and finish driving the cannibal Ilmenians west of the Lovat and Volkhov Rivers. So plans were made to march on Kholm immediately.

Viryay sent out a call to arms to all his vassals. Chiefs Vechkas and Shkay promptly accepted, but Moksha's regent, a lowborn man also named Kardaz, refused to join the war with any warriors from Borovichi. He claimed he would need his warriors at home in case the Slavic peasants (and a couple of Moksha's Ilmenian Councilors) decided to rise up and join their old liege. He also said Ordava's initial attempts to convert the population had stirred further unrest.

Just as Viryay was leaving the Merya Tribe to join his army, Ordava informed him she was with child. With a buoyant step, the young High Chief headed off to war.

 

[Dunaden]

777-778 Lost Dreams

Viryay walked up the path to his longhouse after working on the training grounds being constructed in the village. He is hungry and tired after a long day, but inside he finds his two women, his wife Ordava and his concubine Kunegunda, and all his weariness is forgotten. Both women are glowing, pregnant.

They are happily preparing for the harvest festival where Ordvava will be playing the Goddess Akka, the Queen of the Harvest. They stop what they are doing to greet Viryay with warm embraces and welcome him home. Ordava brings him his son, Kubrat, while Kunegunda brings him food and ale. Viryay sits back, all is well with the world... Suddenly everything begins to fade

​

​

"Viryay! Viryay! Wake up, brother!" Putyayka gives him a none too gentle shake. Viryay struggles awake and saw his sister, armed and armored, hovering over him, behind her, though the door of the tent, he sees that dawn is breaking over his camp in the forests of Tikhvine.

"What is it?"

"Aimo has stolen a march on us, we won't be able to avoid a fight this time."

With a curse, pulls himself up, reaching for his weapons, his body stiff from sleeping in his armor. More bad news. When was the last time he had good news? It must have been 6 months ago, when his rival Rodislav was betrayed by his own brother Zbignev, who usurped the High Chiefdom of Ilmenia from him.

"How many men?"

"More than us. About 1,700, including those damn mercenaries."

​

Viryay cursed again. When they had declared the war on High Chief Aimo of Veps based on Viryay's de jure claim on Belo Ozero, all the reports had assured him that Aimo and his vassals could muster a 1,000 men at most, while Viryay and his vassals could raise double that. But things had gone wrong from the start, first his brother's regent had again refused Viryay' call to arms,

reducing Viryay's muster down to 1,800 men, and then had come the disaster at Uglich. High Chief Aimo had stolen a march on Viryay there as well.

***************

5 months earlier

While Viryay's scouts had kept an eye on Aimo's army in Tikhvine, the Meryan troops had gathered at Uglich. By early summer almost 1,400 Meryans had arrived from Uglich, Yaroslavl, and Merya. The levys from Kholm were still marching east, collecting the vassal warriors from Torzhok and Bezichy on the way. Viraya's scouts reported almost 700 Finns were marching toward Uglich from Tikhvine. Viryay was gleeful, when his eastern reinforcements arrived he would have more than double the Finnish numbers and would be defending his home ground. The war could be over before winter. Putyayka was less happy, and his other commander, the former Diviner Kichay, agreed with her.

"Aimo is a Hero of the Followers of Otso, he's a proven warrior and leader. Something is wrong."

​

Viryay trusted their instincts. "But how can he win? His numbers match Shkay's reports and he has no allies to call on. I would have heard if any of the Followers of Otso had joined him for a chance to fight."

"We're missing something."

Two days later, they had had their answer and it had been too late to run.

One of their pickets, a young boy had come running back to camp. "Chief, there is an army coming from the east, strange men carrying long spears with axe heads attached. They are all walking as one, it sounds like a drum beat."

Kichay blanched.

"What is it?"

"Mercenaries. Aimo has hired a company of mercenary pikemen."

Viryay looked at him in disbelief, "Mercenaries, how did he get them here?"

"They must have traveled down the river from Lake Onega and landed in southern Belo Ozero."

Putyayka cut in, "How he got them doesn't matter, they are here already and we need to kill them before Aimo shows up with his 700 men."

Kichay pointed east, "Aimo is already here." The enemy army was pouring out of the trees near the river, High Chief Aimo's personal standard leading a column of about 500 light infantry and archers. The river was on his left and on his right was a column of 1,000 pikemen

​

Putyayka took the center of Merya's 1,100 lightly armored tribesman, 50 more in heavy armor and 200 archers and marched to meet them, Viryay leading the right flank and Kichay on the left. The archers took a heavy toll on Aimo's own tribesmen, but the mercenaries shrugged off the arrows and kept coming, smashing through the Meryan left flank and then pivoting to attack Putyayka in the center. Aimo's center almost broke, then his 700 reinforcements arrived and drove right through his faltering lines and broke Putyayka's center. Merya's 300 reinforcements also arrived and entered the fray, joining with Viryay's surviving flank. But the mercenaries were relentless, smashing into Viryay's men as High Chief Aimo was happy to stand back and let them earn their pay. The Meryan army broke and fled west away from the river, leaving a third of Viryay's army behind to rot.

​

Viryay had been running ever since. Aimo had stayed behind to sack the Uglich tribe and then had followed Viryay west. Viryay had lead his men north into Borrovichi and then cut east, making for Belo Ozero, still trying to win the war. But AImo and his mercenaries plodded along behind them. AImo must has spent gold hoarded from a lifetime of raiding to hire this army and Viryay's best hope was to string out the war until Aimo ran out of coin and the mercenaries left.

The chase continued all summer and into the fall. Viryay staying ahead of the army of Veps , but not far enough to seize control of any of Aimo's lands. It was close to the autumnal equinox when a messenger from Borovichi caught up to Viryay with more devastating news.

High Chieftess Ordava, in her role as Diviner of Merya, had been in Borovichi overseeing efforts to try and convert the Slavic peasants there to the Suomenusko faith. But they had continued to resist the efforts, remaining faithful to their foreign Gods. This came to a head in a small village near Bororvichi when that resistance turned violent and the peasants overwhelmed Ordava's guards and killed the Diviner of Merya and the small contingent of shaman with her.

​

The Regent Kardaz had overreacted and burned the village to the ground, causing unrest throughout Borovichi. Vladimir, the Steward of Bororvichi had escorted Ordava's body back to Merya. He was her only success. The Ilmenian, inspired by Ordava's faith and sacrifice had converted to the Suomenusko faith. But the cynic in Viryay had wondered if that conversion was truly sincere, or was this Vladimir trying to prevent Viryay's wrath from falling on him, the man charged with managing the peasants of his tribe.

​

Soon after that the Meryan army reached Tikhvine.

****************

The Battle of Tikhvine, also known as the Battle in the Trees, as there was no open clearing with the two battle lines drawn up. Instead it was a pine forest, the ground covered in a cushion of rust colored pine needles that made the advance of the two armies almost silent, with only a crackling as pine twigs snapped under foot. High Chief Aimo again had the center of 300 some tribesman advancing directly toward the center of the Meryans camp as Viryay, Vechkas and Putyayka got the Meryan army in order. On Aimo's left were another 500 tribesman circling the camp, to his right were the 900 mercenary pikemen, their pikes held steady, snapping off dead pine branches as they came. Putyayka held the center of the camp with 600 tribesmen while Vechkas and Viryay split their remaining 700 men to the two flanks. Vechkas opposite the Veps tribesmen and Viryay bracing for the mercenaries' assault.

The Meryans again had more archers and they all were hunters, used to shooting through the trees and brush at their targets. They concentrated fire on Aimo's tribesmen in the center and on the right, knowing the arrows would do little against the better armored pikemen. The archery had devastating effect on the Veps tribesmen and after only a brief melee Aimo 's center and left flank disengaged and retreated from the battle, leaving it to the mercenaries to face the entire Meryan army. The pikemen were more than up to the task. Four times the Meryans attempted to throw back the mercenaries, with Viryay's flank taking the brunt of the damage, until there were none left able to continue. Putyayka and Vechkas tried one more assault with some 700 men still standing, and were again driven back by the bristling wall of steel. For every man Merya lost they had taken a man from Veps with them, but the Veps had the numbers and if they played it to the bitter end, only Veps warriors would be standing. It was hopeless, so once again Merya fled the field, still faster than the plodding mercenaries.

Three days of running later, the Meryans leaders walked a few yards away from the main camp for a war council. Viryay's command tent now a spoil of war left behind in Tikhvine. They had all been sleeping under the stars since the retreat.

Marshal Vechkas started, "Unless we can find an answer to that mercenary steel hedgehog, we can not beat them on the battlefield."

Viryay looked to Putyayka, but she had no real answer. " We would need to lure them into a trap, onto some rotten ice, into one of the bogs, or below a potential avalanche. It might work if it was just the southern mercenaries, unfamiliar with the local terrain, but Aimo and his Finns would never fall for any of it."

She looked at her brother," We can't beat them, the only thing that can beat them now is Aimo failing to pay them. All we can do is hope we can draw it out long enough for his coffers to run dry."

Viryay looked at both them, tired and dirty. He turned and looked across at the remains of his army sprawled along the creek, most falling asleep as soon as they stopped moving. He had less than half his original strength. Too many gone. Too many wives losing husbands as he had lost his own wife. It was time to send them home to their families and go home to his own motherless son.

High Chief Viryay turned back to his Marshal and his Commander, " We're done. I'll risk no more Meryan lives hoping Aimo will go broke. I'm going home to see my son."

******************************************************************************************************************************
Author's Note: The dream sequence happened in game, with Viryay's wife and concubine both becoming pregnant within a week of each other. But a game crash forced me to restart from the last autosave, losing both pregnancies as Viryay's family life took a different, darker path.

 

[Dunaden]

779-782 A Little Rest and Recuperation

After his humiating defeat and heartbreak at losing his wife, Viryay needed time to recover. But while Viryay missed his wife, he was never one to be without a woman for long and was soon bedding many of the young women of his court. However one girl caught and held his attention, she is a low born girl named Chinzhay. She is different than the other women he has bedded as she provides more than just an outlet for his lust. She helps him through his grief and offers comfort to Viryay. He begins to spend more and more of his time with her, slowly forgetting most the other women in his court as their time together leads them to fall in love.

Soon he appoints the girl fill the vacancy on the Tribal Council left by his wife as the new Diviner of Merya. By midsummer, Chinzhay is pregnant.

The Council and the tribal elders have no issue with Viryay's dalliances, but they tell him he needs to remarry soon, as he has only one legitimate child, Kubrat. Despite Viryay womanizing, he is not ready to marry as he fears becoming close to someone else and then losing them as he has lost his father, his sister, and his wife.

But the Council and the tribal elders continue to pressure him to marry. And even Chinzhay agrees he needs a wife and acknowledges that she is not suitable as a wife and High Chieftess. They need someone who will bring prestige and alliances to Merya. To put them off, Viryay finally agrees to a long betrothal to 9-year old Nyayka Muromid, one of the five daughters of High Chief Varaka 'Red Cheeks' of Murom. It will be 7 years before the wedding will take place, maybe by then he will be ready for a new woman in his life. More important than securing a future wife, the betrothal paves the way for a military alliance between the two Mordvin rulers.

A messenger arrives from Chief Ahma, a Hero of the Followers of Otso. He reminds Viryay that he had agreed to fight a duel of honor for Followers of Otso against Koit Vaiga, a Kalevan warrior. Viryay had postponed the fight several times as he was in the middle of a war at the time that the duel was first broached. Now with having been at peace for over 6 months, the Followers of Otso were getting impatient. Putyayka tries to dissuade him, saying he doesn't need to risk his life, but Viryay had given his pledge, so he sends word to Chief Ahma to arrange the duel. Viryay and Koit meet in Kalevan. Viryay is victorious, but doesn't emerge unscathed, suffering a leg injury, Koit too survives.

Viryay's new love for Chinzay does not mean he has forsworn other women, and as her pregnancy progresses, Viryay begins to spend more time with Kunegunda. She still hates him for ruining her life and taking her from her son and often curses at him Polish which he doesn't speak, but she does duty and submits to him as his concubine and eventually becomes pregnant.

Soon after this announcement, Chinzay gives birth to her own bastard son who is named Kezhevat. Viryay acknowledges that the boy is his, but refuses to legitimize him and take away from his older son Kubrat's potential inheritance. Also with Kunegunda also potentially carrying a son, that would further weaken his future heir's power base.

The steward of Merya, Paksyut Paksyutid, dies of cancer in the spring leaving behind a wife, Songul, who is also ill, and a young daughter named Virtyava. Songul leaves court and returns to her native steppe to die under the sky. She leaves her daughter with her husband's people, Viryay takes the little girl under his protection and makes a place for her at his fire.

None of the people in Viryay' immediate circle have the skills to take up Paksyut's duties so Viryay is forced to seek further afield for a replacement. Two months later a suitable candidate is found and invited to Merya. Tyushten Tyushten, a large heavily bearded man well schooled in keeping tally, becomes the new steward of Merya.

The summer passes uneventfully until word reaches Merya that Viryay's rival and Kunegunda's former husband, Rodislav of Rusa has died in his brother's dungeons. His son Putiata, Kunegunda's first child, is the new Chief of Rusa, vassal to his uncle High Chief Zbignev of Ilmenia. Kunegunda fears for the boy, all alone, with Rusa ruled by a Regent and his uncle and liege responsible for his father's death.

Less than two months later Kunegunda gives birth to her second son, Tul Kardazid. At the age of 24, Viryay is already the father of 3 sons.

Viryay is not present for the birth. Raiders from Novgorod had crossed the Volkhov River and were pillaging the Borovichi Tribe. Viryay has raised a large band of warriors and marched west to drive them off. He also receives a message from High Chief Aimo 'the sort-tempered' of Veps, who he had made war on just the year before. The High Chief, acting in his role of Hero of the Followers of Otso, has tasked Viryay with challenging the Veteran Nuyanza of Perm to a duel of honor. This is surprising as Viryay is still only a Fledgling. It is possible that Aimo is trying to humiliate Viryay, or even get him killed, by forcing him into a fight he has little chance of winning. As Putyayka said at their father's funeral, the members of the society are only men, and not above feeling hatred and an urge for revenge against their fellow members.

​

The duel will have to wait. Viryay and Putyayka first drive the Novgorod warriors from Borovichi and then launches their own retaliatory raid against Novgorod. The Novgorod Tribes village is pillaged and then the Slavic temple at Soltsy, Chief Stanislav of Novgorod is taught a lesson on the price of raiding in Merya.

Before they turn east for home, Putyayka leads Viryay to an ancient grove in the forest near Soltsy. Massive old growth pines circle an overgrown clearing.

"Why are we here, Putyayka?

"Look closely brother, doesn't this remind you of someplace?"

Viryay obediently looks around scanning the clearing and the surrounding trees. "It's just a clearing in the forest, nothing special..." he starts to say when he notices a pale spot in one of the trees. He moves closer and sees the unmistakable sheen of old bone. An ancient bear skull is embedded in the tree, like the one nailed to the tree at the place of his father's first triumph. The skull had been there so long the bark had grown up around it. Looking at the other pines surrounding the clearing he begins to pick out more skulls. Then he looks at the clearing and sees traces in the undergrowth of old paths laid out leading to specific trees. "This is a holy place of the Gods." he says in a whisper.

"One of the most holy, but it has been sadly neglected and profaned by the Slavic shaman building their temple nearby. We should reclaim this land and rededicate the temple to Ukko the god of the sky and Akka the goddess of fertility."

"That is a worthy goal Putyayka and I will keep it in mind, but right now although we can easily take it, we may not be strong enough to hold it. It is on the wrong side of the river from the rest of our tribal lands and not easily defended. We need to first consolidate all the lands between the rivers, then we will look to expand beyond that."

Viryay and Putyayka place some of the loot they had collected from Novgorod and the Slavic temple as offerings at the base of the tree with the first skull Viryay had noticed and ask for the Gods' blessing. Then they continued home.

Once his men have returned home with the spoils from Novgorod. Viryay travels to the Lodge to meet Chief Nuyanza 'the Moaner" of Votyaki in the duel of honor. As expected the Fledging warrior is soundly beaten by the Veteran, but luckily Viryay escapes the fight with only a black eye, not a more serious injury.

But if High Chief Aimo's goal was to humiliate Viryay, his plan backfires. Chief Nuyanza is impressed and willingly instructs Viryay on where he went wrong in the duel. The two of them soon become friends. Viryay's reputation also grows within the Followers of Otso with his willingness to take on a clearly superior warrior for the sake of honor. The Hero Ihala promotes him to the rank of Warrior in the society, a Fledgling no more.

Even more ironically, High Chief Aimo is killed a month later in his own duel of honor with Kako Ngayid, a kinsman to Viryay's old friend Nyalku Ngayid. Unfortunately, Kako also dies from the wounds he suffered in the duel.

​

High Chief Aimo's death also provides Viryay with the opportunity to redeem himself, the time for rest and recuperation is over.

 

[Dunaden]

782 Taking Candy from Babies

The death of High Chief Aimo has ended the Meryan truce with Veps. Aimo had three surviving sons when he died, all three of the them underage. His oldest boy, Urho, only 7 years old, has become the new High Chief of Veps and the Chief of the Tikhvine and Chlisselbourg tribes, while his younger half-brothers Miemo and Aimo have become his vassal Chiefs of Zaozerye and Belo Ozero, respectively. Viryay wastes little time and renews his de jure claim over the Belo Ozero tribe held by the toddler, Chief Aimo. He sends a declaration of war to the regent of Veps and calls his own vassals to arms.

For a third time, the regent of Borovichi refuses the call to arms in Chief Moksha's name.

By early spring, Belo Ozero is captured and Putyayka's is leading the 1,700 Meryan tribesmen west to relieve the siege of Borovichi which is under attack from a handful of Veps warriors. High Chief Aimo had bled his treasury almost dry with the mercenaries he had hired in the previous war, so his son's regent did not have that option.

After shrugging off a few attacks from Veps and Zaozerye raiders, Putyayka's captures Tikhvine, taking High Chief's Urho's mother, Vanamo, Chiefs Miemo and Aimo's mother Sisko (High Chief Aimo's former concubine), and Urho's niece Tyyne (daughter of his dead elder brother) as hostages.

Soon a parley was arranged and all were gathered together in the captured longhouse of Tikhvine to discuss the terms of the Veps' surrender. Viryay was seated in the High Chief's chair, he had set aside the cushions that had been placed there for Urho. Putyayka stood at his right hand and the three important prisoners were held to his left.

Putyayka was reviewing in her mind the terms that she and Viryay had discussed before the parley. Chief Aimo of Belo Ozero would become Viryay's vassal and the lands of Belo Ozero returned to Merya. The two mothers, Vanamo and Sisko, would be freed to care for their children and young Tyyne Tsuudit would remain in Merya as a ward of Viryay, in truth a hostage toward her uncle's good behavior. Then she glanced over at Viryay and noticed he was not looking at the Finn delegation, instead he appeared to be admiring Sisko's beautiful profile with a hungry look in his eyes as she gazed on her two young sons. Putyayka sighed, it seems plans may be changing.

The Finn delegation walked in led by a dark-haired handsome man with a thick mustache. He was wearing armor, but carrying no weapons. A young boy, who looked scared and angry at the same time, walked with a slight limp in his shadow.

Behind him came two bearded men, lighter-haired. One also wore armor, while the other did not. Following them came two women, each holding a young boy.

The dark-haired man stepped forward and made the introductions, "Greetings, Lord Viryay. I am Päivö, the current regent of Veps, replacing Lady Vanamo following her capture." Indicating the boy at his side, "This is High Chief Urho of Veps." Nodding to his left at the unarmored man with an impressive beard covering his chest, "This Chancellor Hintsa, the regent of Belo Ozero, and his liege, Chief Aimo," indicating the woman holding the larger child, who was struggling to be put down. Turning to his right Päivö continued, "And this is Chancellor Voitto, the regent of Zaozerye, and his lord, Chief Miemo of Zaozerye." The youngest Chief appeared to be asleep in his nurse's arms.

"We are here, Lord Viryay, to hear your demands."

Viryay dragged his eyes away from Sisko and back to Finns, "Our demands are simple, Lord Päivö. Belo Ozero will be returned to High Chiefdom of Merya where it traditionally belongs. Young Aimo will remain Chief as long as he..., and his regent, swear oaths of allegiance to me. And High Chief Urho and I will pledge 10 years of peace between our tribes."

Päivö prompted," And the prisoners?"

Viryay glanced to his left, "Lady Vanamo will be freed to return to Veps and help the High Chief rule." Urho's scowl vanished, and he looked hopefully at his mother.

"Lady Tyyne, will remain in Merya as my ward..."

Päivö protested, "as a hostage you mean."

Viryay continued, "As my ward, and kept in all comfort."

Vanamo cried out and hugged her little granddaughter close, who also started to cry, but she didn't know why.

Chancellor Voitto spoke up, " And my Lord's mother?"

Viryay turned again to study Sisko, and Putyayka waited for what she knew was coming.

"The Lady Sisko will join my court as my concubine, and treated with all honor." Sisko tore her gaze from her children to look at Viryay in shock.

Voitto protested, "My Lord Miemo has need of his mother, you can't deny her to him."

"And what of my future vassal, Chief Aimo? Does he not also need his mother? I must look to my own first, not another High Chief's vassal." Viryay turned to Sisko, "Aimo will be able to visit you at anytime at my court. And Chief Miemo is also welcome to come visit. It will be little different than your life before where you were being forced to remain in Tikhvine where I found you, while your sons were raised in their own tribal lands."

There were further protests, but they had no conviction behind them. In the end, Viryay got all he asked for and the war was over.

 

[Dunaden]

782-786 Raiding, a War and a Curse

For the next three years, Viryay and people of Merya slipped into an older routine, hunting, fishing, and trading. Viryay would lead a couple raids, following the intelligence provided by his fellow members of the Followers of Otso. The first year there was a raid on Rusa. Viryay makes the raid in the winter using his knowledge of fighting in winter to take the Ilmenians in Rusa unawares.

The raid is a success, much gold and women are taken as loot (Ulita and Fevronia). This made things at home very uncomfortable as Kunegunda was very unhappy that he had pillaged her oldest son's lands. But Viryay endured and learned some additional Polish swear words. The boy, Putiata was unharmed, though quite upset.

When he delivers the Followers of Otso their share form the raid on Rusa he is reacquainted with Chief Nuyanza, the Veteran and they become even closer friends as Nuyanza continues to provide good advice and mentors Viryay throughout the year.

The next summer, Viryay led a raid to the northwest against the Ladoga tribe. The Ladoga send out a force to try and drive him from their lands and a battle is fought outside the village. Putyayka shows her prowess on the field of battle, greatly impressing Viryay.

Before Viryay can take Ladoga, word comes to him that raiders from Novgorod have crossed the river into Borovichi. Viryay breaks off the siege and slips back across the Volkhov River and catches the Novgorodians unawares. The defeated raiders flee back home and Viryay uses one of his prisoners Viacheslav to make a battlefield sacrifice to Ukko the god of thunder.

Then he returns to Ladoga to finish the siege. Ladoga falls and the hidden treasure trove uncovered.

Between the raids, Viryay handles the affairs of the tribe. His spymaster, Chief Shkay, has never married and his concubine has only given him a daughter. So Viryay encourages him to marry and even provides a wife, Ulita, one of the captive Ilmenians from Rusa. The other captive Fevronia is given to the Steward Tyushten Tyushten as wife as well.

Chief Shkay's honeymoon is cut short as less than three weeks later he is dead. Some say natural causes, but a few look at his new Ilmenian wife in suspicion. As Shkay had no sons, the Bezichy tribe looks to High Chief Viryay for leadership. He grants the Chiefdom to Chancellor Kezhapa.

To take up Chief Shkay's duties as spymaster, Viryay turns to one person he knows who has a comparable network of informants and has always kept up with the latest gossip throughout the tribes of the Merya, his mother. Tundava Tundavid is named spymaster and joins the Tribal Council.

It is Tundava who calls Viryay's attention to developments in the south. High Chief Svetozar the Evil may have grown too fast and not taken time to thoroughly cow his new vassals. A Meshcheran Chief named Velmayka of Serpukhov is leading a revolt against the High Chief. Most of the other subjugated Meshcherans have joined him in the fight to throw off the Ilmenian rule.

Viryay's first thought, supported by his zealous Chancellor and new Chief of Bezichy, was to join the Meshchera and help their fellow Suomenusko faithful break free of the Slavs. But Velmayka rebuffs all offers of help and gives no opportunity for the Meryans to join the war on his side. He goes even further and claims Viryay's offer is just a ploy to annex Meshcheran lands. His insults backfire as he has now planted the idea in Viryay's mind. What if they were to annex some of the Meshcheran lands? Looking at the maps available, Viryay realizes that if he were to take Kashin from the rebels it would provide access to the Moskva River and tap into one of the western trade routes.

The tribal council gathers to discuss this further.

Tyushten Tyushten, after Tundava brought everyone up to speed on the current rebellion in Krivichi, agrees, "Kashin will provide us direct access to the western trade routes and avoid us having to send goods down river to the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers in Murom before they can go west. Though you're future father-in-law may not like you bypassing his trade posts." Referring to Viryay upcoming marriage to Nyayka Muromid who was almost of age.

Viryay shrugs, "There are still some goods from the south we will still want, the southern trade will not be completely abandoned."

Kezhapa, still trying to avoid a fight with their fellow Suomenusko, "Won't capturing Rzheva from Krivichia be just as effective as Kashin, it also gives us access to the Moskva River trade and it is a more prosperous area. And by attacking High Chief Svetozar directly we could be helping the rebels win their war."

Tyushten nodded," Rzheva is more prosperous."

Vechkas spoke up, "And it is filled with Slav's loyal to Svetozar. We will be taking on similar issues of unrest as we have seen in Borovichi and Kholm. Also, we have a limited time to take advantage of this rebellion, it could end at anytime. If we start a war with High Chief Svetozar and the rebellion ends we will be fighting the full might of Krivichia. If we decide to go after Rzheva, I would suggest holding off and letting the rebellion weaken both sides more."

Putyayka spoke to Kezhapa, "If the rebels fail, then taking Kashin will mean at least some of the Suomenusko have escaped Slavic rule."

Kezhapa nodded slowly, "Yes, I suppose that is true..."

So the Meryans declare war on the rebels, claiming the actual southern border of Merya is the Moskva River, not the northern edge of the forests of Kashin. Viryay sends out his call to arms, Chief Vechkas and Kezhapa accept and again Borovichi refuses.

The rebel armies are in the west attacking the tribes still supporting Svetozar the Evil. So Kashin is barely defended and is soon captured. But Kezhapa, whose zealous nature has earned him the title of the Cleansing Flame, is badly injured in a fall from one of the scaling ladders. His body is already weakened from battling a cancer within and he soon dies of his wounds. He has never married and has no heir, so Bezichy once again returns to Viryay. Superstitious rumors begin to surface saying Bezichy is cursed, two Chiefs dead in less than a year, and both with no heir. Some whisper only a fool would take the Chiefdom.

Viryay wants to dispel the rumors of a curse and asks his friend and Steward Tyushten Tushsten to become Chief of Bezichy. Tyushten accepts. To try and more quickly end the idea of a curse, Viryay grants him the woman Ulita as his concubine, to keep his Ilmenian wife Fevronia company and hopefully speed up the conception of an heir.

Viryay himself also takes a concubine, Sernyava, a Mordvin woman from among the prisoners captured in Kashin. She is sent back to Merya to await his return from the campaign.

With Kashin taken, Viryay leads his army east into the lands of the Pereyaslavl Zalessky tribe. Again, no rebel army tries to stop them and after a two month siege, Pereyaslavl Zalessky is captured.

The bulk Meryan army, some 1,500 men then heads south into lands of the river tribe, the Moskva people. The remaining 1,000 men are left to finish securing Pereyaslavl Zalessky. In Moskva, the Meryans finally meet their first opposition. An army of 1,900 men led by the Chief of Ryazan, coming north from their own successful siege of the Orekhovo-Zuyevo, who had stayed loyal to Svetozar. Viryay engages them in battle while messengers are sent north to call the rest of the army south to join the battle.

The Meryan victory at Moskva is enough to convince Velmayka of Serpukhov to surrender Kashin to Viryay. Besides, it wasn't even his land, it belonged to Chief Orunza of Pereyalavl Zalessky, and Velmayka's sovereignty over Kashin would end when the rebellion ends, whether he wins or not.

 

[Dunaden]

786-787 A Wedding Feast, a Feast for Crows, and the Birth of a Legend

After the war for Kashin, Viryay returns home to find several new developments awaiting him. First, he finds that his latest concubine Sernyava is newly pregnant, which doesn't add up with the brief time Viryay spent with her after the fall of Kashin. But he sets that issue aside for a later discussion.

Much more pressing is the arrival of a delegation from Murom.

The delegation is lead by a burly, bearded Veteran of the Followers of Otso with a grievously scarred visage. He rushes forward and wraps Viryay in a great bear hug and roars, "Greetings, brother!"

Viryay manages to escape the embrace and asks, "You are welcome, brother, have you come to give me a task?"

The great bear of a man roars in laughter, " A task? Yes, I suppose I do." and begins to turn in red in face as another fit of laughter takes hold.

Viryay looks around at the rest of delegation helplessly, and notices a girl looking at him with curiosity. He gives her a smile.

The warrior finally regains his breath, "High Chief Viryay, I am Parush Muromid, the High Chief of Murom, and I don't bring you a task...exactly, more like a taskmaster." He winks. " I bring you a wife!". He turns and beckons to the girl, "This is my sister, Nyayka, your betrothed. I bring her to you for marriage. We would have come as soon as she was of age, but my father took ill and died in the summer, and you were at war, so we waited so Nyayka could properly mourn for our father and you could return safely home victorious." He paused and said with another wink, "and still alive."

Viryay looked at the girl with renewed interest, then back to her brother, and smiled, "I welcome you and Lady Nyayka, and the rest of your party," indicating the other members of the delegation," to my home... well soon to be our home." with another smile at Nyayka.

After the Muromids had a few days to rest and refresh themselves after their journey. Viryay and Nyayka were married in the sacred grove, beneath his father's bear skull. The Court Diviner, Chinzhay, presided over the ceremony joining them together before the gods.

High Chief Parush and his party stayed in Merya for close to a month celebrating the marriage with a great feast, then going on hunts and discussing trade agreements, and finally renewing the formal alliance that had been originally been agreed to between Viryay and the late High Chief Varaka "Red-cheeks" of Murom.

During the celebrations, his concubine gives birth to a child, a girl named Tetyava. Viryay remembers his doubts about the pregnancy and after only a few questions, Sernyava breaks down and confesses that the baby is not Viryay's. Viryay sets her aside, but allows her and her child to remain in Merya. High Chief Parush looks at Sernyava admiringly, "A healthy girl, and I wish my wife was as fertile."

Soon after Parush and his party return south to Murom and Viryay is left considering what is next.

"Rzheva" said Viryay, "Kezhapa, may his spirit find the path to Tuonela, was right, Rzheva is a prosperous land on the banks of the Moskva River. I propose in honor of Kezhapa's memory and to stick it to the Ilmenians, we make war for Rzheva."

Vechkas looked at him, "That is not a bad idea at all, Chief. The rebellion continues and the Meshcherans appear to now have the upper hand, and word has come that Svetozar is also under attack from the west."

"The crows gather as they smell blood on the wind, I think we should join in the feast."

The army of Merya is soon on the march again, and surprisingly Borovichi has accepted the call to arms, Viryay is finally happy with his brother's regency council, perhaps they realize they will soon no longer be a factor, Moksha is fifteen, soon to come of age.

In short order, Rzheva, Toropets and Polotsk all fall to Viryay in quick assault, all three had changed hands repeatedly during the three other wars Svetozar is fighting, and had no defenders left. But the rebellion is finally over, the Meshcheran Chiefs of Serpukhov, Mozhaysk, Pereyalavl Zalessky, Mochkava, and Ryazan have all won their independence. High Chief Svetozar the Evil of Krivichia, a Hero of Perun, now turns his full attention to Merya. But his strength is not what it was, he is still under attack from all sides and most of his family still imprisoned by his former vassals.

In late autumn of the year 787, when the armies of Kirivichia and Merya finally meet in Kashin there are only 950 Ilmenians versus 1,420 Meryans. Svetozar is not there, he and another 300 men were delayed and trapped on the wrong side of the Moskva River. So Putyayka leads the Meryan center of 700 men, with Vechkas on her right, with an additional 500 men. Viryay holds the left with under 200 men as the two armies come together.

Putyayka and Vechkas rolled up their understrength opponents quickly, but on the more evenly matched left Viryay is barely holding his own, counting on his sister and Marshal to come to his aid. Viryay is in the thick of the fighting, laying about with his axe, splintering shields and splitting skulls. Then when another warrior is bearing down on him, Viryay's axe refuses to come free of the chest of the Ilmenian warrior he had just killed, caught on the dead man’s ribs and as he tries to drag it free he just ends up just dragging the body. Abandoning the axe, Viryay did the only thing he could think of and charged the other warrior, diving under the swing of his axe and tackling him to the ground. He pinned the warrior’s axe to the ground with his knee and began pummeling him in the head with his bare fists. After a few moments a couple of his own soldiers pulled him off the man, “Chief, Chief, he’s dead!” Cried one. The other Meryan warrior looking down at the caved-in skull of the dead warrior, voiced awe, “By the Gods, what did you use to crush his skull? A stone?”

Viryay, coming out of his frenzy, looked down at his bloody hands and said, “No, just my fists.” He looked up and saw a wounded young Ilmenian tribesman lying on the ground a few yards away staring at him with horror and fear.

With that victory, Svetozar concedes defeat and withdraws all his claims to lands north of the Moskva River and turns his attention to the wars he is fighting in the west. Rzheva is usurped from Svetozar's vassal, Chief Putiata Demidvich.

Following the battle, the story of Viryay's unarmed fight spreads throughout both armies and beyond. The legend of Viryay ‘Stone Fist’ has begun.

 

[Dunaden]

788-789 The Year of Peace and Prosperity, and a Time of Sorrow

Chief Tyushten of Bezichy is dead without an heir, his only child is a young daughter. The curse of Bezichy is becoming more real, three dead Chiefs in less than 5 years, and Viryay hesitates to offer the Chiefdom to another of his councilors, even he is beginning to believe the curse. Tyushten's wife and concubine come to Merya, and Viryay learns that Fevronia, Tyushten's wife has given birth to a second daughter, just a week after her husband's death.

Also, Ulita, the concubine is also pregnant with another of Tyushten's children. Tyushten had obviously put every effort into making an heir. Viryay, after consulting Chinzhay the Diviner, declares that if the child is boy, he will be the new Chief of Bezichy and the curse will be broken, a son will have inherited from his father. Chinzhay voices her support of Viryay's judgment. Viryay prays to the gods that the child is a boy.

During the long consultation, Chinzhay also becomes pregnant with Viryay's child.

Moksha has finally comes of age, the last child of Kardaz. Putyayka taught him well, he is a skilled tactician, brave and chaste, but he has picked up little social graces, raised among his regency council, the only woman he had has close contact with is his sister Putyayka, and all they talked of was war. One thing Putyayka didn't teach, that Viryay feared he learned from his low born council, and that is envy. Moksha feels the High Chiefdom should be his and Putyayka was unable to teach him to be content with what he has.

Viryay invites his brother to take Chief Tyushten's place on the Council as Steward. Moksha is not very skilled in this area, but Viryay wants to keep him close and show he is as important to Merya as his older siblings.

He also arranges Moksha's marriage to one of his high ranking prisoners, Kati Harjumaa, daughter to the High Chief of Estonia. Another Estonian girl, Ilo Ingeria, daughter to the Chief of Ladoga becomes Viryay's latest concubine.

In the spring, Ulita gives birth to a son, Nuyanza Tyusthen. The boy is named Chief of Bezichy and a regency council is established to rule until he comes of age. High Chief Viryay and Diviner Chinzhay announce that the curse is broken, hoping that it is true.

By summer, Chinzhay gives birth to a daughter, named Sochava, Viryay acknowledges the child is his, but does not legitimize her.

After a fight about Viryay's latest bastard, Nyayka and Viryay make up and Nyayka becomes pregnant herself. To further get back into her good graces and to bless the child, Viryay has the harvest festival dedicated to Nyayka and she will play the part of Akka, the goddess of fertility, and Queen of the Harvest during the festival.

The tribes of Merya have a good harvest of food and furs, and Merya prospers.

Putyayka even receives an offer of marriage. Svetislav, a Serbian Slav, leading a revolt against the Byzantine Empire, has asked for her hand. Putyayka laughs it off, she says he is looking for a general not a wife. She still has no desire to marry and certainly not to a Slav who will most likely be dead within a year. Now if Basilissa Anthousa 'the Usurper" had asked for her hand, Putyayka joked, she might have been more inclined to accept and be willing to fight for her.

The peace and prosperity would continue well into the next year, but it was not without sorrow.

***********************

Viryay was sitting outside on a stool, his back to a tall pine, enjoying the summer evening. He was holding his newest daughter in his lap, while her mother, Kunegunda, hovered nearby. Sangasa was a month old, the second daughter Viryay had received this year. His wife Nyayka had given birth to his first legitimate daughter, who they had named Anava, during the past winter. Anava had been sickly at first, but had recovered, despite his stepfather Dietpold's bungled treatments. Sangasa had no such issues, born strong and healthy.

In the past year, he had gone from having just three sons to now having three daughters as well, including Chinzhay's bastard girl, Sochava, almost a year old now.

A light step on the path from the longhouse made him look up to see his mother, Tundava, coming towards them. Probably wanting to admire her latest grandchild again, he thought. But he noticed she was not beaming as she had for the last month whenever she was around the baby, but looked upset. Viryay stood up and handed Sangasa to Kunegunda, and turned to hear what his spymaster had to say.

"Hello, Mother, you bring news?"

But Tundava wasn't looking at him or the baby, she was looking at Kunegunda with sad, pitying eyes.

"Kunegunda, I.. I have some bad news for you."

Kunegunda went pale and then looked toward the longhouse, "Has something happened to Tul?" her first thought for her 8-year old son.

Tundava shook her head, " No, it is your other son, Putiata, he has been killed." she said gently and reached out to touch Kunegunda's arm.

Kunegunda froze for a few seconds, and then suddenly wheeled around and gave a thunderous slap to the side of Viryay's head, rocking him back on his heels. He had forgotten how strong she was.

"This you're fault!" She screamed, "Your constant raiding of his lands left him open to attack!" Viryay feared she was right. He had raided Rusa just this past spring, following a rumor from the Followers of Otso. The raid had been profitable, yielding gold, a strange metal box he hadn't yet found a way to open, and Putiata's wife, Chieftess Vasilisa of Rusa. He had ransomed the girl back to the boy after first introducing her to her mother-in-law, Kunegunda.

Tundava interrupted, "No, Kunegunda, he wasn't killed in a raid, he was murdered by his uncle, who has already claimed all of your son's lands and titles for himself."

Kunegunda continued to glare at Viryay, breathing hard, "This is still your fault, if you hadn't stolen me away all those years ago, I would have been there to protect him!"

Viryay shook his head, still ringing from the slap, "No, even if you were there, you couldn't have protected Putiata, or even Rodislav, from Zbignev. You would probably be dead as well." he tried to embrace and comfort her, but she pushed him away and punched his chest with her free hand, Sangasa still held in her other arm.

Viryay looked at his tiny daughter, "And if I hadn't taken you from Rodislav, you wouldn't have Tul and Sangasa to comfort you now. Rodislav could not give you any more children. "

Kunegunda turned away and sat down on Viryay's stool, and huddled over her baby girl, crying softly, "Leave me."

Viryay was shocked to see the strong woman he knew so broken by the news. He looked helplessly to his mother. She beckoned silently, and they left Kunegunda to her grief.

 

[Dunaden]

790-792 Changing Times

Chief Vechkas of Torzhok, the War Chief for Merya and his second, Putyayka, Shieldmaiden and commander of Merya, were doing some reorganizing among the other commanders of Merya, Tyushten had been a commander as Chief of Bezichy, no one had promoted into his spot since his death almost 2 years ago. The two years of peace had not made it urgent. Chief Moksha, now that he was was of age and well prepared by his sister and mentor Putyayka, was an easy choice to fill the empty slot.

Kichay, one of Kardaz's old friends and long time commander, was finally retired and named an Elder of the tribes. Vehckas and Putyayka had looked outside the tribes to find a replacement. They wanted a new perspective and new skills to help against foreign warriors. They were still thinking about their defeat at the hands of the late High Chief Aimo's mercenarys. There were two men who had come Merya that they were considering.

The first was a Lithuanian man known as Mindaugas the Trickster, who was a member of the Romuva warrior society. He was an old veteran warrior, a brilliant strategist, quick-witted and hardworking, who was skilled in military areas unfamilar to Vechkas and Putyayka. The old man had been fighting the Slavs and his fellow Romuvans all his life. He had a strong claim some land to the west, but had found no support for pressing that claim among the Lithuanian tribes so had come east to look for allies.

The other candidate was a younger man. Terho Virtanen was an exiled Finnish noble, the former Chief of Satakunda. He had been driven from his lands by invading Norse from Sweden. He had first tried to find refuge within the High Chiefdom of Suomi. But as Terho has claims on the High Chiefdom of Suomi as well as Satakunda, the current High Chief of Suomi, Ahma Itkonen, was not eager to allow a potential rival into his home and indicated that Terho was not welcome in his lands. So Terho came south to Merya and offered his services to High Chief Viryay 'Stone Fist' whose reputation was growing.

Terho was only 23 years old, but already a proven, brawny warrior. He also was a brilliant strategist, skilled in leading light infantry, which made up the bulk of Merya's levys. He was also a devoted follower of Ukko and the other Suomenusko gods and had married a local Meryan girl named Nyal'ka.

The choice was soon settled, but not by Viryay or his Marshal, but by the Gods. Mindaugas the Trickster died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 55 years while they were still debating the decision.

Terho became the next Commander of Merya by default.


Viryay and Putyayka time spent together going over the candidates and discussing future military strategy for the Merya tribes brings them even closer. Viryay also confirms that she remains his heir, even though their brother Moksha has now come of age and traditionally he would have been chosen as Viryay's heir before his sister.

Viryay soon leads his new commanders east across the Volga River to raid Kostroma, the capitol of the High Chief of Vologda, acting on more information from the Followers of Otso. Viryay had been visiting the local Lodge and had been involved in a Flyting against High Chief Parush of Mari.

Viryay wins the war of insults and ends up giving Parush a new nickname that soon catches on. After joking about Parush's prowess in bed (Parush has also fathered six children), Parush is now known as Parush 'the Moaner'. After the Flyting, the two combatants were soon back to more friendly terms and Viryay praised for being a gallant winner. Parush might not have been so quick to make up if he had known his new nickname would stay with him.

As Viryay was leaving, High Chief Nabtiko, one of the Heroes of the order, passed on the information regarding a stockpile of loot in Kostroma.

The raid goes smoothly with little resistance from the Vologdan tribes. Kostroma is pillaged and Viryay seizes the trove as well as the wife and daughter of High Chief Pitsvay of Vologda. Viryay ransoms back the High Chief's wife, Sernyava, but keeps his daughter, Kanyava Meryavid, as a hostage against retaliation by the Vologdan High Chief.

The success of the raid impresses the Followers of Otso and High Chief Ahma "the Whiner" of Suomi promotes Viryay "Stone Fist" to the rank of Veteran in the warrior society. Following the celebration of Viryay's promotion, High Chieftess Nyayka becomes pregnant again.

Viryay is becoming closer to his wife and hovers over her as her pregnancy continues and has maids on hand to attend to her every need. Nyayka responds and becomes more social with Viryay and the other members of the her extended family, including her eldest stepson Kubrat, who is only 8 years younger than her, and soon will be of age; Kezhevat, Viryay's bastard with Chinzhay, who is 11; and 10-year old, Tul, Kunegunda's son. The three girls, including her own daughter, are still in the nursery.

Soon, Viryay has a fourth son, Nyayka gives birth just after the winter solstice. The new year begins with a new Kardaz Kardazid in Merya.

But even as Viryay's family continues to grow, the first members next generation are coming of age. Chief Vechkas' son and heir is the first to become a man. Tylemache Torzhokid is very different than his father. He is no warrior, more skilled in diplomacy, though his uncouth behavior limits his diplomacy to some degree. He is stubborn and lazy, yet ambitious, and there is something off putting about him, sometimes it seems as if he is a completely different person. Viryay arranges his marriage to one of his own concubines, Ilo Ingeria, the daughter of the Chief of Ladoga.

Next to comes of age, is Viryay's own son Kubrat. Superbly trained by Putyayka, Kubrat is a Brilliant Strategist and an inpsired leader of men. He is kind and chaste, showing only politeness to women, with no sign of his father's appetites toward women. He has always lacked his aunt's physical brawn, and remains frail of body. He may never be the warrior that his aunt and father are, but his other skills will do well in leading the tribes in war. With no urgent desire from Kubrat to gain a wife, Viryay holds off on arranging a marriage.

The third person to come of age is their neighbor to the north. High Chief Urho of Veps has come of age. He also is not a warrior, his clubfoot limiting his skills. His talents lay in diplomacy, but his cruelty and the fact that he is a kinslayer limit how far any will trust his word, he sacrificed his own mother to the gods. He is much like Kubrat, chaste, with no interest in women, but his attitude is already well known beyond his household, he is called Urho 'the Chaste' by all.

But of more interest to Viryay, the truce between Viryay and the regency council of Veps has expired and Viryay begins to look north once more.

 

[Dunaden]

793 - 796 Travels with Parush

Any plans High Chief Viryay had for moving north against Veps had to be put on hold. It began with a visit to the Lodge of the Followers of Otso. There Viryay had gotten into a conflict with High Chief Ahma "the Whiner" of Suomi. Ahma did not like the fact that Terho Virtanien had found a home in Merya and risen in favor, now a Commander in the Meryan military. He feared that Viryay might support an attempt by Terho to press his claim for Suomi. It had started with an arm-wrestling match between the two High Chiefs, in which Ahma had prevailed. Ahma had then boasted and postured, saying if Viryay had the temerity to come north in support of Terho's claim, he would be beaten just as badly as he had in arm-wrestling. Viryay had laughed at that stupidity and then had challenged Ahma to a duel to better demonstrate their respective prowess. Surprisingly, the Hero Ahma 'the Whiner' had declined the duel, claiming Viryay had manuevered him into this situation in hopes of assassinating him in a sham duel, and left the Lodge.

A week later, Ahma, abusing his position as a Hero in the Followers of Otso, had ordered Viryay to fight a duel of honor against his own brother-in-law and ally, High Chief Parush of Murom. Just a week earlier, a similar due of honor had resulted death of High Chief Tatva "the Whiner" of Zavarot in a duel with Chief Nabitko "the Grinner" of Kolguyev. Perhaps Ahma was trying to get Viryay killed, sending him against Parush, a reknowned warrior who was anticipated to be the next Veteran to claim a spot at the Heroes' Table in the Followers of Otso.

Viryay accepted the task and headed south to Murom to meet his brother-in-law only to learn that Parush was in Kostroma. High Chief Parush has launched a subjugation war against High Chief Pitsvay of Vologda. He was surprised to see Viryay appear at the siege of Kostroma.

After greeting Viryay with his customary bear hug, he said,""I was just about to send word to you, asking you to honor our alliance and join me in my war." He looked pointedly behind Viryay, "If you anticipated my request, I'm surprised you didn't bring more men. " He said with a laugh.

Viryay explained the reason for his visit,"Hero Ahma of Suomi has sent me here to fight you in a duel of honor"

Parush shook his head, "I have no time for such foolishness right now. The Whiner will have to wait for his duel." Then with a grin, "Though I am curious to fight the Stone Fist."

"So," he continued," Will you?"

Viryay confused," Will I what?"

"Honor our alliance."

Viryay smiled and nodded, "Of course, brother, I would rather fight at your side than fight against you."

Parush laughed in joy,"My father chose well for little Nyayka!"

The two High Chiefs made plans to meet in Galich Mersky, and then Viryay returned west to Merya to raise his personal levys to war.

By the time the Meryan army was gathered, High Chief Parush had already captured Kostroma and marched east into Galich Mersky. Before Viryay crossed the Volga, Galich Mersky was overrun and Parush was in Hlynov.

When Viryay finally caught up with Parush, he was already the High Chief Chief of Vologda and now controlled a swathe of the taiga extending from Cheremisa in the south up to Bjarmia in the north. High Chief Pitsvay, with one army already pillaging his land and a second fresh army crossing his border, had already surrendered the High Chiefdom of Volgoda and accepted High Chief Parush of Murom as his liege.

Parush was disappointed, "We did not get to fight side by side."

Viryay, however, had a soultion, "Join me in a war against the High Chief of Veps, I plan to take Tikhvine from him."

Parush immediately agreed, and they turned west toward Merya and Veps. Viryay stopped by Merya on the way past to inform his Council of the new war. His brother, Moksha, said he could not join in this war. He was going home to meet his new daughter, Upurga Kardazid, Viryay's first niece.

Viryay was hurt that his brother was once again parroting his old Regency council, but with Parush on his side, he certainly didn't need the men. He asked Putyayka to spend time with Moksha and try to win him to over to support the family. Viryay brief trip home also proved very fruitful, first Kunegunda and then Nyayka soon announced that they were now both pregnant.

The war for Tikhvine was swift and brutal, High Chief Urho could not muster even 500 men, while Viryay had over 2,000 men even without his brother and Parush had over 3,000. The Veps' army was easily smashed and Tikhvine taken in an assault. High Chieftess Inyava Kolkidof Veps and her daughter Salme Tsuudit, Urho's only child were captured. High Chief Urho had little choice and surrendered Tikhvine. Viryay returned his family to him and they made a new treaty ensuring peace for 10 years.

**********************************

With the wars over, Viryay invited his brother-in-law back to Merya to see his sister and niece and nephews, including Nyayka's latest child, Andyamo, another son. This gives Viryay six sons, as Kunegunda had also given birth to a son, named Varaka.

They were celebrating the start of the new year with a great feast when a man from one of the outlying villages arrives begging an audience. Viryay allows him to come forward.

"Hail Viryay Stone Fist. I bring terrible news. One of the Lords of the Forest has gone mad and has begun to feed on human flesh. My village is besieged by this maneater and we beg you to come and free this guardian spirit from its madness. It is your duty as Chief of the Merya to protect us from this great bear."

Chief Vechkas spoke up, "Something is definitely wrong, a normal bear would already be hibernating by now. This creature must be terribly afflicted to be out hunting so late in the season."

His Diviner Chinzhay spoke up, "It is your duty, High Chief to free this afflicted spirit. You must hunt this demon down and kill it."

Viryay rose from his chair and addressed everyone gathered for the feast, "I will hunt down this beast and free the guardian spirit from its corrupted flesh."

Hugh Chief Parush leapt to his feet. "I will join you, brother, in this hunt!"

Viryay replied, "No, this is my problem, you are my guest, Parush, I can't have you risk your life against this mad spirit."

Parush shook his shaggy head, "No, this is why the Followers of Otso were created to protect the People of the Forest. I cannot sit back and allow you to face this beast by yourself."

Viryay nodded, "Very well, your companionship and skills will be welcome on the hunt. We will make sacrifice to the gods tonight and start on the hunt at first light."

The two High Chiefs set out the next morning, travelling through the winter snow with the villager who had brought the news. The young man was named Naruchad and led them swiftly through the Forest to his village, two days away. They find the villagers huddled in a the central longhouse. Another man had been taken by the angry spirit while collecting firewood to the east of the village. Parush and Viryay rested that night in the village and then head out the next morning. A short walk east of the village, they found the scene of the last attack. Dried blood stained the snow around an overturned sledge and a scattered pile of fire wood. An axe handle snapped in two is found in the the largest area of churned snow.

Parush studying the signs, looked up. "Your woodsman died well, he went down fighting."

Viryay nodded soberly, "One more to avenge."

The bear's trail was easy to follow, it had dragging a portion of its last victim with it, leaving a bloodstained trail through the forest. The warriors tracked the creature through the dark forest as the winter sun soon set. The blood was still visible, black on the bright snow in the moonlight and they continued on into the night. Their path led across a frozen bog and finally as dawn was starting to light the eastern sky they came to a haunted area in the Forest. The trees were all dead, branches bare of leaves or needles.

"This is an evil place, Parush." Viryay said, tightening his grip on his spear.

The usual jovial High Chief of Murom, was also effected by the dead place. He nodded somberly, "Yes, but I think our journey is almost over." He pointed ahead where a rocky hill rose ahead, a cave dug into the slope. The snow outside the cave was churned to slush and stained with blood. Splintered bones and pieces of clothing littered the area. The two hunters checked the wind and circled to the south to stay downwind and approached the entrance to the cave.

As they drew close they could smell a foul stench, a mix of old blood and rotting flesh, and below that the musty smell of a large animal. Soon they could hear the sound of some large creature breathing evenly. They reached the cave entrance and peered in. The cave was shallow and in the growing light of of day they could see the great mass of the beast. It's fur matted with blood and filth, its chest rising and falling with each breath. The gods must be watching over them. The creature was asleep.

With an quick glance and nod the two hunters moved into the cave and readied their spears. The bear's back was to them, its head turned away from the light coming into the cave. With a quick whispered prayer they leapt forward, Viryay drove his spear into the bear's side trying to reach it's heart while Parush drove his spear into its spine, trying to cripple the beast. This beast surged up and lunged as the two men scrambled back. But the beast was sluggish, Viryay had missed the heart, but pierced its lungs and they were already filling with blood adn Parush's thrust had struck true and beast's rear legs refused to obey its command. As the beast struggled to rise, Viryay struck again, driving his spear into the beast's throat.

Blood shot out around the spear shaft, steaming in the frozen air. The beast tried to rise up and shake off its tormentor but its crippled legs betrayed it. The beast swiped weakly at the spear, but it was already dying and Viryay held on, working the point deeper into its neck. Then with a great shudder, the beast collapsed, dragging Viryay to his knees by the sudden dead weight on the end of his spear.

Viryay stayed on his knees for a few minutes, "Be at peace, guardian." The he looked around and found Parush breathing heavily, but wearing a huge grin. "I was expecting you to beat it to death with your fists. But still, that was impressive spear work."

Viryay smiled weakly,"Well struck, Parush."

Looking at the the bear's diseased pelt, Viryay wanted nothing to do with it, so instead he took his axe and struck off one of its front paws as a trophy to reassure the villagers with proof that the beast was dead. They quickly moved away from the foul cave and didn't make camp until they reached living trees and clean snow.

​

Three days later they are back in Merya. After a spending most of the day in the sauna to sweat the stink of the beast from them they settled down for a last meal together before Parush headed back to Murom.

"There's only one more thing we need to take care of before I leave. " Parush said.

Viryay looked at him puzzled,"What is that?"

"Well you did challenge me to a duel three years ago." Parush answered with his familiar grin.

Viryay looked at him startled, he had forgotten High Chief Ahma's task. "I.. yes I did."

"Well, no time like the present, brother."

It was over quickly, Viryay laying dazed on the ground looking up at the sky, pain shooting up his left leg. Parush stood over him laughing, "I think you'll stay down this time. I may have forgotten to mention, they confirmed my status as Hero in the Followers of Otso six months ago, I just haven't had time to find a good bear pelt. The bear we killed was too nasty to make a decent headress."

"Anyway, just a word of advice, keep your shield tighter to your body next time, the way you were holding it hid my blow to your leg."

Viryay just groaned and lay back, content to see that Parush was holding his ribs as he walked away, the Hero hadn't escaped completely unscathed from their duel. "I'll keep that in mind, my friend."

 

[Dunaden]

797-798 An Unexpected Rival


In the spring of 797, it came to Viryay's attention that he had a rival. This was kind of a surprise at it was news to him. It started with a kidnapping attempt. A group of men had attacked Viryay one night as he had was heading home from a hunt and had taken him prisoner. They were making their way south, when Vechkas and some of Viryay's guards caught up with them and freed Viryay.

After Tundava, his mother and spymaster, spent some time with the kidnappers, she was able identify the man behind it and explain the reasons this Chief Orunza of Pereysalavl Zalessky hated him.

When he heard the reasons, Viryay began to understand how he had gotten a rival. Chief Orunza had once held Kashin as well as Pereysalavl Zalessky, but Viryay had usurped and stolen his lands in Kashin over 10 years ago when he had attacked the rebels in Krivichia. The negotiations to surrender the land had been entirely with the leader of the revolt, and Viryay had never met Chief Orunza. So when the rebels had finally won their war for independence, Orunza had not been happy with the results, instead of being a powerful regional Chieftain with two tribes to call upon, he was a weak chief of one tribe surrounded by enemies.

What's more, when Viryay had captured Kashin, he had taken Orunza's wife, Sernyava, and his young sister, Sanal'ka, as prisoners. Sernyava had been taken as a concubine by Viryay, until Viryay had found out she was cheating on him when she gave birth to another man's child. Sanal'ka had remained in Merya, serving as a cook's helper until quite recently when she had come of age and caught Viryay's eye. He had taken her as one of his concubines for a brief time and then had married her to his bastard son Kezhevat when he had come of age. Viryay hadn't even realized the two woman were related to Chief Orunza.

​

So to forestall any further kidnap attempts or other unpleasantness, Viryay decided to duel his newly discovered rival and put an end to the rivalry for good.

But there was a further complication. The sequence of events had led Viryay to spend a lot of time with his daughter-in-law and former concubine, Sanal'ka, trying to get any information she might have on Chief Orunza. This closeness led to a reawakening of Viryay's attraction to the girl and he ended up bedding her and falling in love. Now his lover and newly pregnant daughter-in-law was begging him to spare her brother's life and dropping strong hints that if he didn't, she would let Kezhevat know who the father of his first child really was. That ended the love affair, but the blackmail still worked.

Viryay needed to try and neutralize Chief Orunza without killing him for the sake of peace in his own family. So he went to war to make Orunza his vassal. If he couldn't kill him, he could at least try to control him.

Viryay calls his vassals to war, Vechkas and Moksha, and the regents of Bezichy and Belo Ozero all answer the call. His brother-in-law, High Chief Parush also joins the war on Viryay's side. Chief Orunza only has his brother, Chief Nuyaksha of Mochkava.

Late in the spring, the only battle of the war was fought outside of Pereysalavl Zalessky. Chief Orunza did not lead his army, instead he sent his wife, Chieftess Aime of Pereysalavl Zalessky. She was met on the battlefield and defeated in personal combat by Putyayka, the Shieldmaiden of Merya.

Putyayka defeated her and took her prisoner and the rest of the tribesmen of Pereysalavl Zalessky lost heart and broke. But Putyayka didn't not escape the fight unharmed and was wounded.

She spent the rest of the campaign laid up in her tent as the Meryan army lay siege to the tribal village of Pereysalavl Zalessky. Moksha took advantage of her injury, starting rumours she was much more seriously hurt than she was, and convinced the other Chiefs to make him Viryay's heir.

The siege did not last long and the village, including Chief Orunza's two sons and his daughter, were soon captured. Orunza was forced to surrender to his rival and swear allegiance as his vassal. Viryay released his two sons, but kept his wife and daughter as hostages.

As soon as Viryay and Putyayka returned to Merya, the other Chiefs saw that Putyayka's wounds were minor and restored her as Viryay's heir.

But Viryay hoped in the long run that his son Kubrat would someday take his place. He was a brillaint strategist, but was lacking in physical skills, so Viryay invited him to join the Followers of Otso to try and toughen him up. Putyayka had misgivings, remembering how their father died, but Viryay was adamant, citing how well he and his brother-in-law Parush had propsered as members of the society. Kubrat wins his initiation duel, and returns home grinning despite a prominent black eye.

About the same time Nyayka announces that she is once again with child. Viryay was confused by the timing, as Nyayka's pregancy seems further along than it should be based on his return from Pereysalavl Zalessky, but did not make a fuss about it.

******************************

The next year passed peacefully.

Viryay's third son, Tul came of age, a brave, hard-working soldier, though a bit shy. Kunegunda doted on her oldest surviving son as well as her other two much younger babies.

After much discussion, Viryay made a decision to move his family and council to Yaroslavl village permanently, to be nearer the river trade along the Volga and the larger population along the river. Merya had grown too small to support his expanding strength as he came to control more of the taiga.

His seventh son, Viryas, was born in their new home to Nyayka,

as well as his eighth. His son Kezhevat's wife Sanal'ka also gave birth to a son whom they named Viryay, but Sanal'ka kept her promise, and Kezhevat has no idea that the baby is his brother, not his son.

Chief Orunza's daughter, Tatka Inzhayid, Viryay's hostage, comes of age. Viryay can't help himself and further antagonizes his rival and newest vassal and takes the girl as his latest concubine over Putyayka's protests and Nyayka's displeasure.

But Viryay scoffs at their concerns and is determined to enjoy this time of peace. He even tries to make peace with his little brother by sending more time with him.

​

edit: fixed screenshots.

 

[Dunaden]

798 - The Three Sorrows of Viryay Stone Fist

The first sorrow arrived in the fall of 797, Tundava Tundavid, the Kardazid matriarch died from a sudden illness at the age of 62. Her second husband, the German court physician, Dietrich, fails to cure her, only Viryay's knowledge of his mother's affection for the Christian keeps him from killing the man.

The three surviving children of Kardaz came together to bury their mother, but even their shared grief doesn't alleviate Moksha's resentment that he has been passed over as heir and he soon returned to Borovichi to brood.

Viryay had lost not only his mother, but also his spymaster and strong support in the tribal council. He couldn't replace his mother but did have to find a new spymaster. The elder Kichay who had served as Court Diviner and commander in the past was called out of retirement and given the position of spymaster.

Soon after, Tul Kardaz, Viryay's oldest son with Kunegunda, wanted to join his father and brother, Kubrat, in the Followers of Otso. Viryay agreed and sponsored the boy. They traveled to the Lodge and Tul handily won his initiation bout, becoming a Fledging warrior in the Followers of Otso.

While watching his son duel, Viryay meets a Khanty Hero in the society named Aymort the Hunter, the Chief of Tara, and they become friends. His new friend tells him that the tribe of Mochkava is ripe , ready for a raid. The tribe is held by Chief Nuyaksha, the brother of Viryay's newest vassal and rival Chief Orunza of Pereysalavl Zalessky.

Viryay has Putyayka organize a raid and allows his son Tul, now a Fledging Warrior, to join him along with his Commander, Terho Virtanien the Finn, known as "Dry-throat" for his constantly having a drink at hand.

The village is sacked and Viryay captures the Chief's wife and daughter. Deciding not to make the same mistakes he made with Chief Orunza, Viryay ransoms back Nuyaksha's 4-year old daughter, Pokshava, and his wife, but keeps the rest of the loot taken in the raid.

On the way back to Merya the raiders are caught in a late winter storm and by the time they reach home, Tul comes down with pneumonia.

Three weeks later, Viryay and Kunegunda's son is dead.

Kunegunda once again blames Viryay for a second son's death, for taking the boy on the raid. She would become even more protective of her remaining children, Sangasa and Varaka, spewing hate for their father into their young ears at every opportunity.

But even as Viryay mourned the loss of his son, more family troubles were coming.

For years, Viryay had tried to befriend and support his little brother, but the thread of envy that reached into his soul would not allow Moksha to be content with what he had. He resented the closeness between Viryay and Putyayka. Putyayka had been his guardian and teacher, yet she liked Viryay more. The two older siblings had always been best friends and trusted confidantes, yet wouldn’t be the same with him. And Viryay still kept Putyayka as his chosen heir, even though Moksha was now a man grown. Moksha felt he should have been named the heir as soon as he had come of age, but Viryay had refused to change his vote. All the rest of the people of Merya understood that Viryay was just waiting for his oldest son, Kubrat to prove himself before changing the status quo, rather than give Moksha any false hope that he would be next High Chief by temporarily making him heir, but Moksha only saw himself being denied his birthright.

But Moksha’s envy and resent continued to grow. When Kubrat came of age, a brilliant strategist, who was now seen as Putyayka’s prize student, surpassing even Moksha, the young Chief of Borovichi brooded. When Kubrat joined the Followers of Otso, Moksha asked why he had not been invited. And then when Tul came of age and was also invited into the Followers of Otso, Moksha's envy became too much to ignore.

During the harvest festival, in front of the gathered tribes, he came armed and armored and stood before Viryay, who presided over the festival even though he was still mourning Tul.

“Brother, I have come for what is mine by right. I am the true High Chief of the Merya and I demand you step aside or I will take it from you by strength of arms.”

Viryay was shocked and speechless.

Putyayka was furious, ”What are you doing, Moksha? Have you lost your mind?”

Moksha stubbornly stood his ground, “No, sister, as the son of the great High Chief Kardaz of Merya, I have the right to challenge for the leadership of all the tribes of Merya.”

Putyayka moved forward, ”You’re being a fool, you don’t have the right to threaten your brother and your Chief. Now put down your axe and forget this nonsense or I’ll take it from you and shove it up…”

Viryay interrupted, having gathered his wits, “Putyayka…He has the right.”

Putyayka turned to Viryay “This is madness, I love him, but he is not worthy of leading the tribes.”

Viryay replied, “Nevertheless, he has the right by law and tradition to make the challenge.”

He turned to his brother, “But I beg you, Moksha, withdraw your challenge. I don’t want to fight you. I love you too, but what Putyayka says is true, you are not the right person to lead the tribes of the Merya.”

Moksha spat, “But you and Putyayka and Kubrat. You are all worthy to lead! Only I am not?!”

“Please Moksha, forget this idea.”

“No! Fight me, or yield the High Chiefdom to me. There are no other options.”

Viryay sighed and then said sorrowfully, “Then we shall fight, it is my duty to my people. We will meet in the sacred grove tomorrow morning. Go and sleep on this, brother. I hope you will reconsider this plan of yours and withdraw the challenge.”

“Never.” Moksha said scornfully, and turned and stalked from the silent gathering.

Viryay’s blow had torn Moksha’s axe from his grip and driven him to his knees on the pine needles covering the floor of the grove. Viryay stood over him, holding his own axe. Putyayka had trained Moksha well, but she and Viryay had had the same teacher and they still sparred with each other regularly, so Viryay knew all she might have taught Moksha. Plus, Viryay had trained further with the Followers of Otso as well as having 15 more years of experience in duels, raids, and battles to draw on than his younger brother. Moksha had not had a chance of defeating him.

“Please, Moksha, let us end this. You are beaten, but I have no desire to kill you. You are my brother. Renounce any claim to the High Chiefdom of Merya and you can go home to Borovichi, home to your daughter, and to your wife. This all will be forgiven and forgotten.”

“Please. Go home and have sons, have more daughters, watch your children play and grow old. Forget this ambition.”

As he spoke he watched emotions play across Moksha’s face, anger, frustration, despair, and then maybe, hope.

Moksha tried to speak, his voice choked with emotion, “I.. I..”

Viryay looked at his axe for a second then cast it aside. “Please, brother, let us have peace.”

Moksha, began shaking his head, and then he suddenly sprang up from the ground, pulling his dagger from his belt and driving it toward Viryay’s heart, screaming “I can’t!!”

Viryay reacted instinctively, he caught his brother’s wrist in his left hand and pushed the blade away as his right fist struck a backhanded blow to the side of Moksha’s head. An audible crunch was heard in the cool morning air as Viryay’s fist connected with Moksha’s temple and Moksha’s struggling body went limp and collapsed to the ground, the sudden weight pulling his knife hand free of Viryay’s grip, leaving Virjay’s hand reaching toward his fallen brother.

Viryay’s stood motionless over the body, breathing hard, then called, ”Moksha?” He fell to his knees and pulled Moksha’s body over and saw the sightless staring eyes. He rocked back in shock letting out a wail of anguish.

He looked out at the silent tribesmen ringing the grove, “I’ve killed him. I have killed my brother.” A whisper ran through the crowd, “Stone Fist”.

Suddenly Putyayka was kneeling in front of him, taking his shoulders in her iron grip and shaking him. “No, no you didn’t, it was his own folly, his envy and lust for power that killed him.”

Viryay looked down at his hands and spoke with dawning horror, “I’m a kinslayer, I’ve killed my own brother, I’ll be cursed by the gods.”

Putyayka shook him harder, tears running down her furious face, “No, he killed himself, with his blindness and stupidity.”

Then Chinzaya, his love and his Diviner spoke, her clear voice carrying across the grove. “Putyayka is right. No man or god can call you a kinslayer. You did everything you could, more than most would, to spare his life. We all saw you drop your axe and offer him peace. We all saw him reject your mercy and choose death.”

The surrounding spectators all voiced their agreement. One voice called out, “We all saw him leap to his death; he just bounced off of you on his way to the ground.” Another voice rang out, ”We all saw you try to save him.”

Viryay Kardazid, the High Chief of Merya, just pulled his little brother’s body close and began to weep.

 

[Dunaden]

799-800 Ilmenian Issues

Moksha had only one child, his daughter Upurga, so the tribesmen of Borovichi chose Viryay's eldest son, Kubrat, as their new Chief. With his new role, Viryay and the other Chief's of Merya decided it is time that the new Chief Kubrat become heir to the High Chieftain of Merya, Putyayka offers no protest and graciously steps aside, proud of her nephew.

It is also time for Kubrat to take a wife, despite his lack of interest in women. Viryay offered him one of his many hostages, Tyyne Tsuudit, the neice to his vassal Chief Aimo of Belo Ozero and to High Chief Urho of Veps. She had grown up in Merya and embraced Mordvin culture, was well groomed, honest and hard-working, with the skills to help manage the people of Borovichi. As with most young women to who had grown up around Viryay, she was for a time one of his concubines, but had borne no children. Kubrat accepted Tyyne as his wife and took his young cousin Upurga under his protection.

Viryay took a new concubine soon after, Talvi Ingieri, the 16-year old daughter of the Chief of Ladoga. He spent much time with his women to try and drown the sorrows of the past year and forget for a time the losses of a mother, a son, and a brother.

But he was not allowed to wallow in his grief for long. To the south, High Chief Svetozar the Evil of Krivichia had launched a war of conquest against Chief Nuyaksha of Mochkava.

Chief Vechkas and Putyayka came to Viryay and told him of Krivichia trying to sieze Mochkava, "We can't let Svetozar the Evil and the Ilmenians regain a foot hold on the north bank of the Moskva River, we need to stop him. We must join our fellow Suomenusko in his fight and drive the Ilmenians back across the river."

But Viryay's son, Kubrat, countered with a better idea, "If we help Nuyaksha drive back Krivichia this time, we will just have to help him again when it happens next time. A better idea is to steal Svetozar's prize and take Mochkava ourselves as a vassal and bring them permanently under our protection. But we would need to act fast, our raids last year against Mochkava have left them weakened and they will not hold out long against the Ilmenians."

Viryay and the Council adopted Kubrat's plan and the Meryans were called to war. Even Chief Orunza, Viryay's rival answered the call, seeing the need to protect his brother from the Slavs.

A small Krivichian scouting party had reached Mochkava first, but they were taken by surprise by the sudden appearance of 1,400 Meryan tribesman and slaughtered.

Their leader, Zaur, was captured, and Viryay and his men were surprised to learn he was an Alan warrior and did not follow the Slavic gods, but worshipped the Everlasting Sky, a Tengri warrior. He was an exile who had fled the coming of the Khazar nomads and taken service with Svetozar.

As expected the fortifications at the Mochkava tribal village and the temple at Mytishchi were still damaged from Merya's earlier raids and fell easily to Viryay's new attack. Chief Nuyaksha quickly accepted the protection of Merya as his new liege, though his hatred of Viryay almost matched his brother's. High Chief Svetozar the Evil was denied a foot hold on the north bank of the Moskva River.

The Meryan warriors were released to return home and Viryay returned to Yaroslavl.

In the spring of 799, Viryay had another scare when his daughter Sangasa took ill. No longer trusting Viryay's good will, the Christian Dietrich, Viryay's old court physician, had fled after failing to save Tundava or Tul from illness, so Viryay turned to a woman some called a witch, Gorislava Pleskov. The young woman knew much of herb craft and tending wounds and soon saw Sangasa well. Gorislava became the new court physician at Yaroslavl.

Along with that good news, Viryay's daughter with Nyayka, Anava was blossoming into a beautiful child. Only 10 years old, but all saw her promise and she became known as Anava the Heavenly. Most attributed this blessing to Nyayka's role of Akkka in the harvest festival when she was pregnant with Anava.

His new court physician soon informs him that two of his concubines are pregnant, Tatka, the daughter of his rival Chief Orunza, and Talvi, the daughter of the Chief of Ladoga. Viryay is pleased, but with two more legitimate children on the way he begins to think about his illegitimate children.

Sorcha can be married to some worthy Chief, but what of his son Kezhevat. He didn't hold enough land to give some to an illegimate son when he already had five legitimate sons to provide for, and possibly two more on the way. After some discussion with Vechkas, he decided to outfit a mercenary company and send Kezhevat out into the world to earn his keep. So the Yaroslavl Band was assembled and put under the command of Kezhevat.

Soon Viryay's two concubines give birth, Tatka gives birth to Virya's eightth (acknowledged) son, Parush, and Talvi gives birth to Viryay's fourth daughter, Asrava. Other families are also growing. His commander Terho "Dry-Throat" has a son, Rieti Virtanen and Kezhevat has a daughter, Slyugan'ka Kezhevatid, (his actual child).

But Viryay and Terho are not there at the births of their children, they are in Borovichi leading an army to drive out Ilmenian raiders from Novgorod. The raiders are driven from the field after Viryay duels the leader of the Ilmenian raiders named Sviatopolk and kills him, claiming his head as a trophy to mount in his longhouse.

More Ilmenian troubles appear in Rzheva where some peasants rise up against the Meryans led by a man named Lev, but the rebellion is swiftly crushed.

Viryay's newest vassal gains infamy during the battle as he sacrifices his own men to the rebels in order to save his own life. He is known ever after as Nuyaksha the Betrayer.

Viryay returns home after the rebellion and awaits to see what the new century will bring.

 

[Dunaden]

800 - A Brief Snapshot of the World

As a new century began, as considered by the Christian calendar, let us look at the world.

While the Mordvin tribes of the Merya and the Murom have grown strong, lead by Viryay Stone Fist of Merya and Parush the Great Bear of Murom, the other three great Mordvin tribes, the Mordva, the Mari, and the Cheremisa are in more precarious postion. The nomads of Khazaria continue to push west, Cheremisa has already lost most of its territory to the horde, while Mordva is surrounded. Mari is further north and not threatened directly by Khazaria, but has a smaller horde under the Khagan of Bilar on its doorstep.

The rest of the Suomenusko tribes have differing concerns. The Meshchera are all but gone, the last two independent tribes are the Tula and the Ryazan, but they are in the path of the Khazarian horde. The other Meshcheran tribes have already been subjugated by the Krivichians, the Meryans, and the Muroms. In the west, the Estonians are holding their own against the Romuvan and Slavic tribes to their south and actually pushing back and consolidating under High Chief Ohevald Harjunaa of Estonia. The Finnish tribes to the north are being pushed back by the Norse from the west and Merya's own efforts against Veps in the south. Further north and east the Sami, the Nenets, the Komi and the Khanty tribes remain undisturbed in the far north, as few seek to gain sovereignty over the taiga and the tundra bordering the Siberian wastes and the White Sea.

The two greatest threats to the Suomenusko tribes are currently the Tengri nomads from the east and the Slavic tribes to the south and west. Khazaria is the immediate threat to the east and they are being forced west by the other steppe tribes beyond them, the Pecheneg, the Cuman, the Kirghiz and the Uyghur.

The Slavic tribes to the west had been making inroads into Suomenusko territory and fighting back against the earlier Tengri hordes, the Avar and Maygar, but their influence may have peaked. Their greatest champions, the Serbians, who had reclaimed Pannonia from the Avars, have just converted to Christianity under Queen Mirjana the Confessor. The Bolghar maintain a firm hold over the former Slavic lands in Bulgaria. Merya's and Murom's growing power have ended Slavic expansion to the east. And the vast Catholic Kingdom of West Francia to the west of the northern Slavic tribes continues to threaten them with conquest or conversion.

The majority of the Catholics are unified under three major crowns, the Kingdoms of West Francia and Aquitaine, both held by the Karling dynasty, controlling western Europe and the Kingdom of Lombardy, controlling most of the Italian peninsula. With the recently converted Slavonia and Serbia to the east.

The British isles are also Catholic but are a disorganized mess of warring petty Kingdoms and other lords. Pictland and Mercia hold the greatest lands, but they lack the strength to bring the rest of their neighbors to heel.

The Iconclast Byzantine Empire still controls Thrace, Greece, Trebizond, and most of Anatolia as well as lands in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia and Mallorca.

Further south are the lands controlled by the Sunni. In the west the Umayyids control all of the Iberian peninsula and a few territories on the Atlantic coast of Africa. Most of the northern African coast is controlled by the Sultans of Ifriqiya. Egypt, Arabia and Persia are all controlled by the Abbasid Empire under Calipha Reshawna the Usurper, who followed the example of the Calipha Rayta the Tormentor who had ruled the Abbasid Empire for the last 20 years.

Further east the Tibetan Empire dominates the roof of the world. And the Rashtrakutans rule the strongest Kingdom in the Indian subcontinent

But in the north, in Scandinavia, a new threat has arisin. 13 years ago, Högne Ulfing managed to unite the Norse tribes under one rule and crowned himself the first King of Sviƥjod. While his death 2 years ago split the Norse people into three separate Kingdoms under his brother, the new King of Sviƥjod, and his two sons, the Kings of Noregr and Denmark, it was too late. The unified Norse had stopped fighting among themselves long enough to turn their eyes outward for loot, land, and glory. The Viking Age has begun.