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Theikha 

First mention (by name): 1.55 R 
First appearance: 8.42 
Species: Gnoll
Status: Alive
  1. Shaman Theikha
Total mentions
420 mentions
First mentioned in chapter
Last mentioned in chapter

Mentions

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Chapter
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1.55 R  “If you insist, Gazi Pathseeker, I shall tell Honored Krshia I am too weak to stop you. And my Chieftain, embarrassing as it is. Then I shall go and tell Shaman Theikha of Gaarh Marsh, Chieftain Xherw of Plain’s Eye, and the tribe of Az’muzarre how weak I am. Loudly. You stand a legend on foreign ground, Adventurer Pathseeker. We have our own.”
8.42  “At last we gather. So again, twenty years ago I stood here. So, now. Let the cities of Drakes remember who we are. Now is the time to plan our future. To gather our strength for great deed and necessity. I will not speak long. I give this to Gaarh Marsh’s wise Theikha. We shall speak of our enemy soon enough.”
8.42  Chieftain Xherw frowned a bit, as did some Chieftains who thought Az’muzarre made much, acting as the war-leader of any presumed host. However, the universally respected Honored Theikha, [Shaman] of Gaarh Marsh, was more diplomatic in word.
8.42  Now was the moment she had waited twenty years for. She saw Akrisa trembling, and Cetrule silently placing a hand on his partner’s shoulder. She nodded as the three Silverfangs waited. Theikha looked around, eyes knowing.
8.42  Voices rose in surprise, murmurs of agreement—silenced as Theikha, frowning, looked at Chieftain Reizet.
8.42  Theikha began, but a third candidate rose. And this one neither Krshia nor Reizet expected.
8.42  “I am from a new tribe. Forgiveness, Shaman Theikha, I did not know how this gathering worked. I am Chieftain Werri of the Woven Bladegrass Tribe, and I bring forth a discussion fit to change all tribes. I bring to you our gift, and an offering to be decided on.”
8.42  Theikha didn’t waste time. Now Krshia’s fur prickled. They could, of course, always be heard after the Raskghar, but Mrsha was in danger and each deliberation could take ages or a short time depending on how long they argued. There was protocol for that.
8.42  Some Chieftains had risen, taken a look at Iraz, who was pointedly staring at Akrisa, and sat back down. Even Theikha seemed surprised.
8.42  The other tribes were sitting. And the greatest tribes, even Weatherfur, had yet to move. Theikha nodded. She sensed it too.
8.42  A new tribe had just beaten two old ones in presenting its gift and case first. Theikha let the murmurs run for a good minute. She lifted her paw.
8.42  That remark was amazingly snippy and it came from Reizet herself. Werri turned and the look the two warrior-Chieftains gave was like lightning bolts meeting in midair. Then Werri bowed deeply, and, in this setting, it was the most insulting thing she could have done. Az’muzarre’s warrior and [Shaman] growled, and Theikha stirred. But Werri continued.
8.42  The growling from Reizet’s throat was followed by Theikha’s warning. Werri nodded. She turned and shouted to the others.
8.42  Iraz’s neck whirled around. Then he leapt to his feet. Chieftain Werri grinned. Theikha had to actually bar the way of the Steelfur’s Chieftain as he descended, pointing a finger at her.
8.42  Dead silence. Krshia’s mind spun with the implications. Xherw was on his feet. Werri waited, as even Theikha’s head turned with a look of consternation. Right before the roar of voices, even bodies surging down to argue with her in the center.
8.42  The vote was fast and simple. It still took nearly two hours, mainly to calm down the angry Chieftains. The debate had mostly been one of hot blood, but as Theikha patiently reminded the others, they could revisit the issue of new lands given to them by the Antinium.
8.42  Dead silence. Gnolls stared down at Krshia. She saw some look up. Feshi, with eyes alight with wonder. Some were approving, like Gaarh Marsh’s [Chieftain] and Theikha herself, smiling as she glanced at the book. Krshia’s back straightened—
8.42  Shaman Ulcre rose slowly. He looked at Theikha, who was disapproving. The [Shaman] bowed.
8.42  “And I do not mean to interrupt, Shaman Theikha, but to prevent misunderstandings—I have often heard the claim Gnolls can learn magic. Certainly, we sent an apprentice forty years back to learn magic and Wistram insulted them. But I have never once seen a Gnoll who truly cast magic as [Mages] do. Only those who mistook a [Shaman]’s magic for a [Mage]’s, or who lied.”
8.42  Until the shouting. The argument at the entrance to the Meeting of Chieftains. Shaman Theikha’s head rose and Chieftain Reizet bounded to her feet. Yet she did not throw out the intruder. She looked down, eyes alight. Then shouted down.
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