Tamuz Mhorr Sept 

Description
The Tamuz Mhorr Sept is part of the Tamuz Tribe. The tribe pays homage to the "Silver God" Tamuz. Most people in the Septs of the Tamuz tribe have white or silver hair, those that do are said to be blessed by Tamuz. The people of the tribe consider themselves to truly be blessed for their God is unlike so many others, in that he walks  among them. 

The Tamuz Mhorr Sept comes from the veldt lands in the south. The Sept is nomadic and travels with the migration of Mhorr gazelle in this region. The Mhorr gazelle make up the primary source of food for the tribe along with providing materials for almost every other thing they use in their daily lives.

Leadership and Organization
The Sept is lead by Chieftain Elki the hereditary leader. The Tamuz Mhorr follow their food across the veldt and it is his job to say when the Sept pulls up camp and moves on. He also leads the warriors in raids on the sept's enemies . When Elki was younger he was part of the War Party of Tamuz himself. 

The Sept has two shaman, Red Cloud, and  Tegris. Red Cloud is the older of the two shaman. He has gone on many vision quests and is well versed on reading the visions of others.  He is Chieftain Elki's most trusted advisor and best friend. Red Cloud is wise and knows the secrets of herbs and medicine. Tegris is barley a man, but the powers of vision and sight are powerful in him. Of the two he is the more powerful Shaman, yet not as wise. His power comes from potent witchcraft, and protective wards. He lends council to Chieftain Elki but more often courts the younger warriors, and the sons of Chieftain Elki. 

Spirituality and Taboo's
The Tamuz Mhorr Sept has a number of Taboo's that its members are raised from birth to follow. These were said to be handed down by the Lord Tamuz himself. The Sept believes that by following these taboo's they will join Tamuz in "Silver Grass", a land where they will hunt the great beasts of the field waiting for the day Tamuz storms the "Land of Stone Creeks" (civilization) to free its people of slavery. 

• The Forbidden Place: On the south eastern edge of the veldt there is a mound of stone with a doorway worked into it. It is forbidden to enter this mound. 
• Acceptance and Rejection: The Sept shall accept any healthy person into the Sept. They must follow the rites and rituals of the tribe for acceptance upon admittance. The Sept shall reject any that is not of good health or who has wyld taints and pox's. The Sept shall reject any native or outsider that will not follow the rites and rituals of the Sept. [See rite and rituals section]
• Killing the White: No tribesmen may kill or eat an animal that is albino. For this many tribesmen had trouble eating meat offered by none tribesmen. These animals belong to Tamuz and therefore are sacred. 
• No Slaves: The tribe is prohibited from taking slaves. They are also sworn not to let themselves be taken as slaves or to let their fellow tribesmen be taken as a slave. 
• No Other Gods: Tamuz rejects the worship of his people to the other gods.  

The Tribes recognize other gods for what they are but they do not worship them, for it is forbidden. The world does not work on its own, it is pushed along by gods and spirits that are tasked to this purpose. To worship these lesser spirits would not only be an insult to Tamuz who has forbidden it, but also to the spirit being worshiped, for that is not its purpose. Though these spirits are rarely ever seen, all tribesmen trust Tamuz that they are there. Shaman often report seeing the world in a different light while on vision quests. They say they can see all the little gods and spirits when they make that journey. 

Rite and Rituals
Rites and Rituals are part of the everyday life for the Tamuz Tribes. Every night they tell stories in honor of Tamuz. To outsiders this would not seem like a ritual but to the Tamuz it is an obligation to  honor their god nightly. Outside of this there are rituals for cleaning the meat for the tribe and rituals for marriage.

 One rite that is part of every mans life is the Rite of Becoming. This is the single most important rite of a mans life, for it a measure of his morality, valor and holiness. This rite also marks the transition between being a whelp to becoming a man of the tribe. The rite involves the ritual scaring and tattooing of the mans body. This scaring is done with a red hot "V" shaped blade that when applied by skilled shaman creates a scaled look on the skin of the man to be. The ritual scarring starts on the back of the neck and runs down the mans back to his right shoulder blade. At the shoulder blade the pattern turns and goes down his right arm ending at his wrist. From the wrist is continues down the back and right side, ending at the ankle.  If this is completed the ritual is finished for the night. The man being tested may stop this painful ritual at any time, though the farther he allows it to go the more worth he is said to have. 

If the man wishes to further prove himself the ritual may continue the next night The man is brought before the shaman where they use a stinging, mildly toxic ink made from berries and blood to color the scars. This is also very painful and may be called off at any time., again the further it is allowed to progress the more worth he is said to have. At first the dark ink does not show in the scars, but after the ritual coloring is finished or called off, the man is given a bowl of medicine from the shaman that will induce a vision. When the effect of this medicine has wore off  the youth is now a man, and the type of man he is and will be is clear for all to see. 

The color of the scars is a "telling" feature of the ritual, in that if the scars turn black, then the man is destine to be a Shaman. If the scars turn red then the man is destine to be a warrior. In the rare instance that the scars are a mixture of the two, it is a sign of greatness. These colored scars are called "symtah". A man is judged by not only by the color of the scars but also by how much of the body is scarred. Most men do not get much more then their shoulders marked by the symtah. Few get their entire right side marked and colored. 

Red Cloud has his entire arm and back covered in black symtah. Tegris has his neck and shoulder blade marked with black symtah. Chieftain Elki has his symtah running from the back of his neck down too the back of his knee. Only one tribesmen has been marked with red and black symtah in two a generations Athos was covered from neck to ankle in symtah. The Symtah are pitch black at the center of each mark and fade to blood red at the tips. Great things are expected of this man.  Tamuz also has these scars covering his back and both sides, though his symtah are colored in silver. 

Athos the Hero
[ background notes for a Player Character]

One morning the Sept was preparing to  move out for new hunting grounds you noticed that your young friend 'Dawn Flower' was no where to be found. The Sept was on the south east edge of your hunting grounds. You knew that the Forbidden Place was of great interest to Dawn Flower, so you made your way toward the mound in search of her. When you got to the mound you heard crying coming from a small tunnel that had formed from falling rocks next to the doorway. You called out and Dawn Flower answered in return. She had crawled in and gotten her foot stuck. Disregarding your tribal taboo's you forced open the ancient door and found the girl inside. You released her and pushed her from this place. You however stayed, you felt a calling in your soul and ventured further back into the mound. 

You came to another archway inside the mound itself. This arch was made of gold trimmed marble and beyond it lay an impossibly large slab of gold. Resting on this slab was a lily skinned women of great beauty. She was wrapped in the finest silks and a look of peace covered he face. Behind her resting on hooks on the wall was a single weapon untouched by time much as she seemed to be. Around her neck was a simple torque of gold. When you touched her to test if this was real she crumbled into dust. Wanting to leave you heard a voice call to you to take what was yours, the torque and the axe. 

Lifting the axe from the wall you feel a rush of power wash over your body. Quick flashes of another life time flood your mind but are quickly ripped from you. The chamber had become illuminated though you could not find the source. 

Walking out of the mound with torque and axe in hand you meet the gaze of Dawn Flower in the last lights of the day,  she looks terrified and turns to run. You catch her with a speed and grace you had never known before. She cowered before you until you backed off of her, only to watch her sprint for the Sept's last camp. The Sept was gone but that didn't stop her run. You then notice that you are ablaze with the ghost fire of a raging storm. Not wishing to cause her more problems you follow her at a distance making sure that she is safe from the hunters of the night. While you follow her your ghost fire calms and subsides. By the next morning the two of you wonder into the Sept's new camp a few minutes apart. A few minutes is all she seemed to need. After hearing about your breaking of taboo and the ghost fire that surrounded you, Tegris declares you an outcast.  Elki not wishing to gain disfavor with Tamuz enforces this ruling and your life with the Tamuz Mhorr Sept seems to be over.

Weeks later while you are sitting down to a meal of some great beast you bested, a man strolls into your camp. He is tall and lean, wearing silver pelts fit for a king of the wilds. He had a savage majesty about him and you knew at once this is Tamuz himself. Not wishing to offend your lord further you humble yourself before him. He chuckles and tells you to stand before him as a man. He explains to you that you are an ancient hero reborn, and have done nothing wrong. The two of you walk for days together, until you come upon the camp of the Tamuz Mhorr Sept. Tamuz enforces his will on to the Sept, and tells them that you are the greatest of the warriors their Sept had ever given him. That you should forever be welcome in their homes. Tamuz then imparts some wisdom upon you before he made his leave. He says that you should see the world of men, see how their wickedness has brought slavery to king and serf alike. Vision quest in the 5 corners of the world, free a nation, destroy a tyrant and prove yourself worthy to called his Ghost Fire General. With a glint in his eyes he said he would be watching. With that he departed leaving you with more questions then answers.