Haudenosaunee Imperium: Tagnaguya

(First Story) Haudenosaunee Imperium: Deganawatha here



Haudenosaunee Imperium: Tagnaguya
Part: One




447 Great Peace, Ganana' ge Hagwadi, Dijutu' weha
(October, 1768 A.D.)


Tagnaguya of the Wordmaker Clan of the Onondaga, one of the five nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy sat in the back of his mother's trading cart reading over a binding he had taken with him from home. It was the story of Deganawida the Great Peace Maker, and his evil brother, the creature called Flint. And the formation of the Confederation, the Great Peace brought to the land by the Wyandot Deganawida. The Confederation that had been gifted again and again by the Great Spirit, and now stood as the master of all it's rivals.

"Tagnaguya!" His mother's voice called out from the prairie grass behind him. "Help your sister to unload the maze. Then fill the cart with hide." Genesse of the Wordmaker Clan was one of the most trusted traders of the Confederacy. She was personal friends with a Cree Chief she had known since they had both been small chldren. Many of the Cree near by would do business with her and no others. Tagnuaguy folded his binding placing it on his seat with a stone over it, to stop the wind from stealing it away. His long black hair was tide into a bun reaching the nape of his neck, clad in thick leather with a fur pelt around his shoulders for extra warmth and high-moccasins that came up near his knees he was ready for the unholy cold of the prairie winter.

His twin sister Onatah was dressed much the same. But her hair hung down freely. She gave him an irritated look as she approached the cart. She stopped to a moment to scratch the nose of Kella the tuttu that pulled the family's cart. The animal had been pawing at her nose but always had a hard time reaching her snout.

"You could help with the trade you know." She said as the siblings reached for the first large clay pot filled with maze from their village. "Chief Kiche-Menashen likes you. Just being there could help us get more, for the Confederacy"

"What do you know? You just stand there and look at their cloths. Or disappear into the Cree village for hours at a time. You're the one mother wants to have take over when she can no longer work." Tagnaguya snapped back. They both grunted as they moved the pottery over to the Cree settlement's boarders.

"Please, I'm not going to do that. And it's not my fault if I find the Cree peoples interesting. They have so many stories. One of their elders has been all over the Cree lands. He and his wife tell me stories of the miles and miles of nothing but flat land and skies. And far off to the west where the earth bulges so high that it blocks the clouds and holds winter at its top even in the hottest days of the year. They tell me of the long hair of the Sioux and the ways of the Niitsítapi. And the days of following the herds of bizhiki as they roam the flats." Onatah let out a sigh, she had a strange far off dreamy look on her face. After a moment she came back, just as they turned to bring the second pot. "At least I'm interested in things. All you ever do is read your bindings. Stories can't take you anywhere real."

"I do more than that." Tagnaguya spat.

"Oh yeah... when you sneak out each moon. I know you don't have a girl you're going to. I've asked every girl in Buckaloon. You could have some of them if you want. Osha likes you, she watches you practice with the other warriors. So-"

"Stop talking about this." Tagnaguya said quietly as he reached to the maze.

"But I just-" Onatah started.

"I said stop." Taganaguya locked eyes with his sister. She looked down and away from him. A moment of sadness on her face.

"I'm sorry."

They didn't speak for the rest of the day, not even on the long trip back home as they held the ropes that guided Kella along the paths. Onatah had been right, he wasn't going to met a girl. He also wasn't going to meet a man. What he and the others who gathered were meeting for was far more important than anything like that. Far more important than his sister would ever think of even in her deepest fantasies of far off lands.

Each moon, when the night's light bathed the earth they would meet. Men and women from all five nations, six if one included the Algonquin. They dressed or painted their faces to not give away their true identities. Not until time was right. Not until they had their chance to correct the mistakes of the past.



The mistakes of his grandfather.
 
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447 Great Peace, Ganana' ge Hagwadi, Dijutu' weha
(October, 1768 A.D.)

His knees aching his eyes growing heavy Tagnaguya saw the first of the Haudenosaunee villages come into view through the thick brush that was their home. As Connewango, a village of the Seneca on the far western edge of the Confederation had the gateway of it's walls tightly shut. A warrior stood upon the wall, two other's clad in Skin-stone on his flanks. All three pointed Skin-stone arrows towards the family. The tuttu guided by the tired young man, with his mother and sister asleep in the cart, laying upon the furs and hides.

"Identify yourself." The warrior standing in the centre called down.

"You know my face. And the faces of my sister and mother, Hiawa. I am tired and wish to rest." Tagnaguya called back annoyed with the Seneca man.

"Identify!" Hiawa called back down.

With a sigh, and a glance back to his sleeping family Tagnaguya called out. "I am Tagnaguya of the Wordmaker Clan. With me are my sister Onatah and mother Genesse. We come with furs and hide from the Cree, for what we have traded maize. We ask to enter Connewango and seek rest and food for our journey home to Buckaloon."

The thee men did not respond, rather one dropped from sight and moments later the gates swung open giving access to the village. For a boarder village it was a good size. Many people from other tribes and nations came here to trade with the Confederation. Trade was exploding. Other's had adopted the tuttu for its ability to drag a cart, some had even taken to drawing words in the same manner as Deganawatha had set down.

His grandfather may have supported the monster Theyanoguin. But no one could deny the effect he had on their world. Tagnaguya felt like vomiting at the thought of giving his grandfather praise. Pushing the thought from his mind he guided the cart towards a small Longhouse. It was large enough for only a few families. The local housing for the Wordmaker Clan. After waking his mother and sister, Tagnaguya tied Kella to a post with two other tuttus, and freed her from the heavy cart.

He turned taking his binding from the cart. Looking up to the cooling night sky he could see the full nearly moon already pulling up from the tree line. He was happy to know where to go from Connewango. All he would need would be to find away to convince his mother and sister to stay for a second night.

The Clan of the Medicine Wheel. His real Clan, would meet under the full moon's light. Soon, they will act. Soon, they will be free again.
 
THE HAUDENOSAUNEE IMPERIUM



KEY:

Blue: Haudenosaunee Confederacy Propper
Purple: Lands taken in the Penacook War
Yellow: Occupied Algonquinia (Taken in the Great Algonquin War)
Green: Lands incorporated during and after the Wyandot War
 

447 Great Peace, Ganana' ge Hagwadi, Dijutu' weha
(October, 1768 A.D.)

With the light of the moon guiding him Tagnaguya strode quickly though the forest's thick under growth. Kella was sadly ill, Genesse had told her children that the tuttu had gotten into some bad berries. They would have to lay and wait in Connewango for a few extra days. Tagnaguya smiled to himself cleaning his hands again on his clothing. His eyes searched around for other black shapes cutting into the moon like. Anything could be a friend, or foe, or hungry animal. His hand instinctively found his tomahawk letting his fingers rest on its wooden hilt. Just its presence gave him a feeling of comfort. Though his mind should have remained on the road before him. With one misplaced step a noise cut across the still night air alerting anything near to his actions.

A raven's caw came from his left. Responding with two short caws then a tick of his tongue Tagnaguya relaxed. Another form dressed in leather stained black by ash step into the light. Only the man's eyes could be truly seen, hanging the the blackness like two stunning moons they bore into Tagnaguya.

"Welcome brother." The man's voice said softly as if in a whisper. He walked forward showing his palm and forearm raised before him. Tagnaguya did the same, pressing his palm and forearm to the other man's.

"I would be no place else brother." He replied in a hushed voice.

The man before him looked into Tagnaguya's eyes. "We have met." He said with what Tagnaguya assumed to be a smile.

"Yes, I have been to this meeting place before. I do much travelling and have met many of our clansmen." The young Onondaga said as the two men made way to the clearing. The two men did not again speak until they reached a small field cleared of trees. Other figures men and women sat around the rim with a stone placed in it's centre. One man raised above his head an ornamental stick, dressed in blue with eagle feathers. All others went silent.

"Brothers and sisters of the Clan of the Medicine Wheel, we gather under the light of sister moon. We, the Haudenosaunee, the people of the Great Longhouse. We, the free." The man's voice was deep and trembling like the sound of the bizhiki running over the land. "I am hear, to tell you that we have conferred with the elders of our Clan. The Great Spirit smilies upon us. The snake that takes the title "Karahkwa"," The venom in the man's voice oozed of the word now given to the leader of the Confederacy. "has fallen ill. His time among the living shall soon pass. May his spirit be given unto Flint as he deserves."

The man's captive audience spoke nothing. Finally, after looking from one to the next he cleared his throat beginning again. "His son. The next to take the title is a dimwit. He cares more for himself and for pleasure than of knowledge, skill or leadership. He has know son, no heir, no one for the name Karahkwa to be passed to. His brothers have died in battle and his father the last of his mother's reched spawn. If we act now we maybe able to free our people. Return us to the Great Peace set down by Deganawida. Return the land to the people." He jutted his arm and the speaking stick to his left. "We vote."

The was no discussion. No further debate. They would act. Ever man and woman in the Clan of the Medicine Wheel, from the Great Salt Waters was now duty bound.


They would act.
 
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katchen

Banned
OTTL the Haudenaausee Imperium had reached all the way to the Mississippi and encompassed the Innini, driving the Lakota before them west into the Great Plains. ITTL, hopefully it won't take terribly long for the Hudenausee to reach all the way to the Chilliwack. Because if the Europeans are not a factor, the Azteca are, and the Azteca are terrible.
 

447 Great Peace, Ganana' ge Hagwadi, Dijutu' weha
(October, 1768 A.D.)

Tagnaguya stood again guiding the tuttu and the attached cart into the gates of Onondaga. It's large pale stone walls towering over the landscape that gave birth to the capital of the Great Confederacy. "The City of Fire", was the nickname given to the capital, the sacred flame the was the heart of the great Longhouse rested here in the centre of the Haudenosaunee world. The ground long since pounded into hard earth made the perfect road as the cart rolled slowly beyond the massive wooden doors.

With in the city roadways had also been walked into existence by the population, leaving patches of grass and tress seemingly scattered at random. Though they made for a good escape from the heat of the sun if you could find the right trees. The family moved along the pathways towards the centre of the city, passing over a stone bridge that ran atop the city's main water supply. In the past people would have gone to the near by lake and streams, but today the streams were all redirected to flow through into the city, branching off into pools for drinking. Other water was directed around the city for cleaning and farming.

"Oh this is new." Genesse said suddenly.

"What is?" Her two children asked at the same moment. Looking back at their mother from the head of the cart. At that moment Tagnaguya felt a strange bump as the cart shook slightly. Looking down he saw they were walking on, somewhat smooth, large flat stones that had been buried into the earth close together. They made nearly a perfect surface with only an occasional crack or misplacement.

"Interesting." He said sliding a foot along the stone. They were a paler colour than the stones that made up the city walls Looking up examining the grounds before them Tagnaguya could see that the whole of the city centre was now covered with these stones. The old wooden buildings now looked strange rising out of the smooth grey surface of the stones. Then, as they made their way to the trade centre to drop their goods, Tahnaguya caught a quick glimpse of the structure that stood as a symbol of hope, freedom and unity. But in recent generations it had also come to stand for fear, betrayal, greed and corruption. Part of his heart started to glow looking at the building, but he had a growing to spit at the ground it stood on.

"Watch what you're doing." Onatah called out as the cart wheel bounced over a small risen ledge. The car wobbled but then steadied with out losing it's goods.

"Sorry, sorry." He said coming back into the real world. The final leg of the journey was over at last, as the large wooden store house came into view. It was massive, one of the largest buildings in the whole Confederacy. The centre of trade and distribution of goods for all the villages and nations in the great peace. It did not take long to finish unloading their trade into the centre leaving the three members of the Wordmaker Clan standing alone in the near by streets.

"It is still nearly a half day until we get back to Buckaloon. Do you children wish to stay over night?"

"Yes." The twins said as one again, though it was still only mid day. They glanced at one another smiling.

"Alright then, I will meet you at the local Longhouse later. Be careful here you two. And with that their mother hugged both her children and led Kella away. Before he could say anything to his sister, Onatah hugged her brother.

"I'm off." She let go and ran off away from the city centre.

"Where are you going?" Tagnaguya called out as his sister ran into the crowd.

"To find someone! I will see you at the Longhouse!" She called back. And with that she vanished into the masses. Tagnaguya shrugged and started walking towards the Great Longhouse in the heart of the city. He arrived to find a crowd of on lookers surrounding the building all talking or staring forward as if waiting for something. A the young Onondaga merged into the crowd the doors opened and a group of men began to pour our lining the walls looking out to the crowd.

"What's going on?" Tagnaguya asked a woman near to him. But as she opened her mouth to answer a voice from one of the men called out in a booming Kanien'gehaga accent. "The Karahkwa is dead!" An odd feeling ran through the assembled peoples. Looking through Tagnaguya could see the man who was speaking raise the arm of a large but young Kanien'gehaga. "The Karahkwa lives!"

"The Karahkwa lives! The Karahkwa lives! The Karahkwa lives!" Tagnaguya stayed silent. And was glad to see that only some of the crowd took up the chant, many, most stayed quite, simply looking at the young man that was now their leader.
 

447 Great Peace, Ganana' ge Hagwadi, Dijutu' weha
(October, 1768 A.D.)

Tagnaguya was still in shock, his mind numb and swimming in a thoughtless trance. He knew the actions and ideas that drove the Karahkwa. He knew that traditions he followed like the rise and fall of the moon and sun. The man would go hunting, as a celebration of his assent. He was hot headed, and as bright as wet mud, as were the collection of warriors he kept around him. They would go into the occupied lands, perhaps even Wendake as an insult to the Wyandot.

That was where Tagnaguya's legs were taking him under the the guiding lights of the near full moon. It had been days since he left Onondaga, he hadn't informed his mother or sister of his plans they would worry. They always worried, it would be fine. He would be torn up one side by his mother, and down the other by his sister on his return. But if everything went as to plan, that wouldn't matter. Nothing would matter, if he did return. He could see the lights of one of the occupied villages shining out from between the thick forests. He avoided the settlements when ever possible. He wanted no record of his face any where near the region. Finally he saw the stream making the boarder between the two nations. The Wyandot had patrols who walked the boarders. They had organized new means of defence since their defeat in the last war. It was a known fact that for all, but the best of warriors, to cross the stream would mean death.

Tagnaguya leaped to the northern bank grabbing onto a low hanging tree branch saving himself from falling back into the water. As he pulled himself up to the far bank Tagnaguya heard voices breaking beyond the trees. He stood now in enemy territory, where he could lose his head at any given moment, or taken away to die like his traitor of a Grandfather. Fighting his better instincts he pushed into the woods towards the approaching men.

"I'm about to die." The thought came from no where, and was not welcome.

He could not understand the Wyandot tongue, though many of their words had the same feeling to the ear. He sat waiting in the bush for the men to near, he lifted his Tomahawk from his side, holding it out away from him self. He stood open in the moonlight as the men approached. He dropped his tomahawk to the earthen path as the Wyandots' gaze fell on him. There were four Wyandot warriors before him and in a single motion all had arrows in their bows pointing at his chest."

"I am-" His eyes widened as he fell to the ground hitting the earth. Arrows flying past where he had stood seconds before. "Please! I need your help!" He rolled onto his back as another arrow cut into the path. Then moving sitting up falling back to a tree. "Please!" His eyes fell to his tomahawk, maybe he could reach it. Defend himself. His eyes went up falling on another tomahawk, in the hands of a Wyandot swinging down towards his head. "I am Tagnaguya of the Wordmaker Clan of the Onondaga! I need your assistance!" His eyes closed, his face crunched in the effort. He waited for the killing strike to meet him. But it never came.

Slowly he opened an eye. Three of the men had fallen back and one, the man with the tomahawk now sat before him. His weapon resting on the ground at his side.

"Tagnaguya of the Wordmaker clan. I am Domagaya of the Fox Clan. I am in debt to your clan, for the honour of my mother." The man spoke in perfect Onondaga. He seemed to be the same age as Tagnaguya's mother, his face calm, even happy. "What help can I be to the blood of Deganawatha?"
 
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