Dialogue[]
| “ | Your female elders can contain their worried whispering no longer. They suspected it earlier. Now even the dullest man can plainly see: Ayvtu, blessed with Elmal’s gift of fire from an early age, carries a child in her womb. Because she is unmarried, the elders say her condition will attract the mockery of rival clans. Several remark that she has been taking unexplained solitary trips away from the clan of late. When asked who the father is, Ayvtu’s eyes blaze. “I will duel anyone who repeats that question. If I lose, I will answer it. But if I win, I cannot vouch for the mercy of my blade.” | ” |
— Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind | ||
Consequences[]
As usual, choosing to call on spirits leads to a secondary choice of whether to perform the long and taxing version of the ritual or not. A long ritual is likely to attract Ayvtu's attention, and thus fail; a short ritual isn't guaranteed to succeed either. Still, the spirits can indeed identify the father as a bandit who has already left the area... and when Ayvtu hears this, her rage will cause a fire that destroys some of your clan goods.
You can order a warrior to duel Ayvtu, and will be able to choose which noble challenges her. If Ayvtu's opponent loses, she will indeed kill them, and she is likely to be a fearsome fighter at this point in her life. Neither Beren nor Yatakan will agree to duel her; Yatakan would prefer to fight by her side, and Beren—aside from having the Ram-like notion that it is none of his business or yours--would prefer to keep on living.
Promising to raid the first clan that mocks her will, obviously, please Ayvtu. It is also a good option to raise the clan's mood, and a successful raid will uphold your reputation with other clans. Of course, a failed one will lead to even more mockery. Raising clan mood is not guaranteed; if your clan values tradition then mood may go down instead.
Sending Ayvtu away will, of course, remove her from your clan and potentially your circle. Although Yatakan threatens to go with her, in the end she persuades him that the clan cannot afford to lose both of them at once. You may eventually hear news of Ayvtu, who has married into a distant Rider clan and now serves on their circle; she is doing well but is justifiably angry with her former clan.
A feast can actually lower clan mood, as it gives the people extra time to think about their problems.
Treating this as a private matter is essentially choosing to do nothing. Clan mood will suffer, and the mockery of other clans will increase.
If Ayvtu remains in the clan, she will defer to the midwives and become unavailable for missions for a bit. Eventually she will give birth to a child, Aniga, who shares her fire magic; this birth will grant you a point of clan magic.
Notes[]
The text of the event changes slightly if Ayvtu is your chief. Both Yatakan and Beren the Tall have unique advice if they are on the circle (and unique reasons for refusing to duel Ayvtu, should you try to suggest that).
This event is not mutually exclusive with Fire Children: Yatakan's Rage; if Yatakan is alive as of this event, his can still trigger in the future.
Advice[]
- "I do not need a husband to raise a child." — Ayvtu
- "Ayvtu and Yatakan taught me everything I know." — Beren the Tall
- "If Ayvtu goes, so do I."— Yatakan
- "Wheels treat unwed mothers harshly. I am glad I live here now." — the Former Wheel
- "Her fury will grant her an edge in combat that I for one would not want to trifle with." - Warrior
- "In the Golden City, banishment would be the most lenient of punishments for pregnancy outside marriage. The woman might be enslaved, or even put to death."
- "Let's not get caught up in solar-time nonsense."
- "Ridicule will undermine our dealings with other clans."
- "The Wheels will definitely mock us for this. I say to blazes with them."
- "If Elmal was offended by her behavior, he would have withdrawn his fire powers."
- "Banishment means death for weaker folk. Ayvtu will be able to defend herself. Even when she is heavy with child."
- "This is our fault. We selfishly refused to let her marry out of the clan."
- "The people are split, with the older women on one side and the youn bravos on the other."
Beren and Yatakan also have unique reactions to being told to duel Ayvtu:
- "First, it is none of our business. Second, I do not wish to die today." — Beren (asked first)
- "Not only will I not fight Ayvtu, who is like a sister to me. I might well slay any fool who lays a hand on her!" — Yatakan
- "What Yatakan says goes double for me." — Beren (asked after Yatakan)