Having settled issues in Kitor, Astarov and Lexmarcus returned to the borderland Rhugandy cassir where their brother Stavas waited with the imperial tribute caravan. They were joined by their brothers, Leonardo and Frulimon, who had a young girl in tow. She is their 16 year old cousin Erianda, who has been accepted into the Imperial College of Magic. The Imal decreed that the Rhugandy brothers must escort their cousin to Glamour and turn her over to the Lunar scholars. Erianda was not happy about this, and seemed intent on causing trouble.

The caravan set off down a road that runs south through the hills of Jhor to the city of Osthens. Along the way the caravan stopped at the cassir of Bogdan Hamash, a House Rhugandy sirdar. They were greeted by Sirdar Bogdan and their uncle Burian, Sirdar of Jaunyn. The two sirdars add their share of the imperial tribute to the caravan, which Astarov noticed was somewhat lacking. The two sirdars also had a private axe to grind. They claimed that uncle Tomas Rhugandy, Sirdar of Arampult, had gone mad and brought disgrace to House Rhugandy by worshipping a peasant caste god - Turos. They felt that the man should be stripped of his lands immediately, and his holdings redistributed. They had taken this complaint to Imal Aidontas, but were ignored. Burian and Bogdan urged the Rhugandy heirs to see the light of reason and support their cause with the Imal. Astarov upbraided the sirdars for being “closed minded” and not contributing enough to the emperor’s gift. The Rhugandy brothers decided to see things for themselves, and did not commit themselves to any specific course of action. Burian and Bogdan were not pleased.

The caravan arrived at Osthens after three days, and was met by the much maligned Sirdar Tomas Rhugandy. He offered rich tribute to the caravan from his prosperous fief, Arampult. The man was fairly bursting with virile manhood and optimistic enthusiasm. Erianda was immediately smitten. The Rhugandy brothers were annoyed. Sirdar Tomas urged the party to visit the Cleft of Turos, and made no effort to hide the fact that he is a devotee of Turos the Father – a peasant god.  He claimed to have found a secret Karmanoi aspect of the “Great God”, and now leads his villagers in worship as the living incarnation of Turos. He had been harassed by various visirs (and other offended Carmanians) frequently for his beliefs, and plans to bring his revelations to the Magi in Brinnus as soon as possible.  He urged the party to get the blessings of the Emperor for his new cult, because the time is coming when the Great God will rise again from the earth, and oppose Evil as He did in the Age of Myth.  Tomas felt vindicated by a new prophesy of the Oracle, and was inordinately happy because of this.

The Oracle spoke as follows:

Twice the forest to break her streets, once to mark the rise, once to mark the fall. 
Once reborn of Earth to sing; once reborn of Sky to mourn. 
Who shall envy the Victorious Ones when the King of Winter sits upon Oronin's Throne
and Darkness swallows the land of Five Mountains home?

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