<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn77/proberge82/OolargWarrior-1.jpg">Bodzil Foxe</a></span></span></span><br/>In southern Malik, lies the peaceful Amur province.  The Amurian ideology is much more liberal than the rest of the Oolarger desiring peace with the rest of Evolin. They pray to the Gods for friendships with the Humans, Elves and the Dwarves. They look upon the mighty Dragons who inhabit the islands west of their own not as pets to be conquered but as glorious beasts to be worshiped and respected. They believe the Dragon to be a superior beast to the Oolarger with far superior intelligence. They silently despise the attitude of malaise directed against the dragons and the Dwarves by the northern tribes. The Amur are represented at Mt. Prishtina, but often neglect the edicts from Cekakula. The Amur perceive the council decisions as optional, feeling no obligation to listen to the Tribal council.<br/><br/>The Amur are semi-nomadic like most Oolarger and engage more frequently in agrarian pursuits due to the vast stretches of wide-open countryside. They utilize the brocci, a beast of burden extensively for plowing fields and pulling carts and wagons. The brocci are an integral part of the Amur culture. Instead of having semi-permanent lodgings in the mountains, they use temporary lodgings, similar to Native American Teepees, which are disassembled and dragged to new homes where they are erected for use.<br/><br/>The Amur live in a communal environment like the other tribes. Older men in the tribe are often called grandfather and old women, grandmother. They believe in the good of the tribe. Each tribe has a Sachem or tribal elder who makes decisions for the group. He attains his position either by appointment by his predecessor or by defeating the current Sachem in a hand-to-hand contest. If the challenger should fail in his fight for the Sachem, he is cast out of the tribe for a period of six months. At the end of this time, he is permitted to re-enter the tribe on good terms. If he should challenge the Sachem a second time and fail, he is put to death.<br/><br/>Hunting, trapping and fishing are avid pursuits with small fishing craft employed along the southern coast of Malik. A dugout or hide-and-stick-crafted canoe are used in the channel south of the island.<br/><br/>There are ruins of a once mighty castle in the southern plains of Amur. The ruins are known as<span style="font-style: italic">Bajhami Fortress</span>. Most of the castle is covered in earth, grass and other plants. Legend has it that the Oolarg fought a "last stand" battle at this location and the tribes were scattered. Their enemy left the land and never returned. The eight tribes dispersed, leaving the ruins of their great city in Amur. Rumors are that the grounds are haunted by disturbed spirits.<br/><br/>The tribal council dispatched the Hero of the people and leader of the<span style="font-style: italic">"Dragon Riders of Malik"</span>himself, Bodzil Foxe to investigate an anomaly at Bajhami fortress.  Bodzil was accompanied by five centurions and all six rode there dragons. "Steady, precious Kwatoko," Bodzil telepathically chided his red dragon.  Her name, Kwatoko meant bird with big beak in their native Oolarger tongue.  The six riders slowly descended towards the ruins.  A few plant-encased spires pointed upward towards the heavens.  However, most of the rubble was barely recognizable of having once been a massive fortress of stone.<br/><br/>"Look for the entrance over there," Bodzil, pointed to the right near the base of the tallest spire.  The group moved in that direction, pulling their bastard swords from their scabbards.  Bodzil's sword would be called a zweihänder on earth because it measures almost two meters in length (6').  Although he traditionally wields the weapon in two hands, he can wield it with one.<br/><br/>After several hours of searching the ruins, the centurions could not locate anything out of the ordinary.  In fact, they dismissed the myth that the Bajhami fortress was haunted.  It was late when they finished their search and decided to make camp amongst the ruins.<br/><br/>Bodzil stared out across the plains, watching the stars in the sky and thinking about his one true love, Meda Yazzie.  He slowly drifted to sleep, the warm air of southern Malik caressing his flesh.<br/><br/>He woke with a start after having been asleep for what seemed like only a few minutes.  Something felt strange.  At first, he could not put his finger on it.  After several seconds, he realized the connection between him and Kwatoko had been severed.  An overwhelming sense of fear gripped him. 'Is Kwatoko dead?' was the first thought that came to his mind.  He sat up and looked around.  Malik had changed.  Mountains stood on the horizon where previously the horizon stretched on forever.  The air felt cooler, sending shivers down his spine.  The stars had changed! 'How is that even possible!?'<br/><br/>After struggling to his feet, the 79 inch Bodzil Foxe took in his surroundings.  The ruins at Bajhami Fortress had been replaced by very different ruins.  The plant-covered spires were gone.  In their place was a foreign structure Bodzil had never seen before.  At least four wide steps ascended the structure in front of him.  Very tall walls possibly two to three meters in height stood at the top of the steps angled to the left and right.  There appeared to be a higher structure in the middle of this plot.  Bodzil found that many bodies splayed around the grounds.  The grounds consisted of a sand-dominated mixture rather than the nutrient enriched brown soil of the Amurian plain.  Only patches of grass could be seen where previously lush grasses existed.<br/><br/>'Where am I?  How did I get here?  Where is Kwatoko?  Where is Meda?' These thoughts filled Bodzil's mind.  Fear and panic gripped him.  He drew his sword, not knowing who or what was near him.