Tir na n'Og - The Codes of Ohma - The factions - The tainted - To be chosen - Triads, Ironlords, & Triumphants
To be chosen
To serve.
To be called by the Fey to become one of their Agents; to follow the call to honor and glory, fighting for the Greater Good. To die a legend, and live forever in song and story, a hero for the ages. It is every Cavalier's dream. It is the secret hope of every Ranger who ever skulked through darkened alleys or roamed the far, wild places in the forests. It is the flame that lights the way of every Mystic who seeks the path of knowledge. So many long for that call. So few ever hear it.
In all the songs, sagas, tales, and poems about the various Triads, the parts that deal with the actual choosing of the Triad are usually either glossed over or highly romanticized. That's because few Triad members will talk about it, for reasons that would be obvious to anyone who had undergone that particular trial. For some, the honor of being Chosen is overshadowed by the horror of how it came about; the memory may be overshadowed by loss, grief, guilt, or other traumas. For others, being Chosen is the crowning achievement of their lives, and to explain it to others sullies the moment, cheapens it, reduces it to coarse boasting.
But in case you were curious, let us peek into the minds of a few Triad members of long ago, and see how it was for them.
To be called by the Fey to become one of their Agents; to follow the call to honor and glory, fighting for the Greater Good. To die a legend, and live forever in song and story, a hero for the ages. It is every Cavalier's dream. It is the secret hope of every Ranger who ever skulked through darkened alleys or roamed the far, wild places in the forests. It is the flame that lights the way of every Mystic who seeks the path of knowledge. So many long for that call. So few ever hear it.
In all the songs, sagas, tales, and poems about the various Triads, the parts that deal with the actual choosing of the Triad are usually either glossed over or highly romanticized. That's because few Triad members will talk about it, for reasons that would be obvious to anyone who had undergone that particular trial. For some, the honor of being Chosen is overshadowed by the horror of how it came about; the memory may be overshadowed by loss, grief, guilt, or other traumas. For others, being Chosen is the crowning achievement of their lives, and to explain it to others sullies the moment, cheapens it, reduces it to coarse boasting.
But in case you were curious, let us peek into the minds of a few Triad members of long ago, and see how it was for them.
Most of us who live in Tir na n'Og have heard the basics; the Fey only choose those whose time has run out, their fate already wound down; the call to join a Triad could come at any time, providing you are close to death; you'll know it's your time when you hear The Music, which everyone seems to agree is that of a flute or pipes, yet which no one can ever describe. There is only one circumstance when the music does not accompany a choosing -- when the Fey who chooses you is already there.
The part about being Chosen that sometimes gets overlooked is that how one responds to the call depends upon the individual and that, always, there is that element of choice. One could, after all, simply choose to die and leave it at that. And some do; Triad service is, by all accounts, brutally hard and calls for the utmost in personal courage, strength, and fortitude. Sometimes death must seem easier.
Of course, some of those Chosen may have had no idea of what was going on, and ignored the call when it came. We have no way of knowing, since none of those who refused the summons have survived more that a few days after experiencing the strangeness that briefly caught their attention.
Those of us born in the land, or long-time residents, know exactly what it means to hear the music. And when we hear it, we know our only chance for life is to heed the call. It is entirely in our own hands; once they have called, the Fey do not interfere, and make no effort to aid their choices.
Unless they want you very badly.
Of course, some of those Chosen may have had no idea of what was going on, and ignored the call when it came. We have no way of knowing, since none of those who refused the summons have survived more that a few days after experiencing the strangeness that briefly caught their attention.
Those of us born in the land, or long-time residents, know exactly what it means to hear the music. And when we hear it, we know our only chance for life is to heed the call. It is entirely in our own hands; once they have called, the Fey do not interfere, and make no effort to aid their choices.
Unless they want you very badly.
And sometimes they do want you very badly. Very badly indeed.
No one understands exactly what criteria the Fey use when choosing their Triads. According to legend and popular wisdom, only the best of the best are chosen. The Fey, eternally vigilant, seem to be aware of those who excel in their chosen fields, and watch over them, waiting for the time when they may be called to service.
Sometimes, however, a particular choice may seem an odd one to those of us without the Fey's wisdom and foresight. We must accept that we can't know everything the Fey know, and that their decisions have a greater purpose, and, therefore, are the right ones -- even if they don't appear to be at first glance.
Sometimes, however, a particular choice may seem an odd one to those of us without the Fey's wisdom and foresight. We must accept that we can't know everything the Fey know, and that their decisions have a greater purpose, and, therefore, are the right ones -- even if they don't appear to be at first glance.
Your fellow Triad members may have been utter strangers to you before you were Chosen. You may have known, but despised, one another. No matter; you become bound to one another in mind, spirit, and purpose, whether you actually like one another or not.
And there have certainly been cases where Triad members disliked one another heartily. Of course, these Triads have an even lower survival rate than is normal, for obvious reasons.
But the bonding process takes time. The first step is to gather all three members in one place, since they may not have all been Chosen at the same time or location. Once you've heard the music, there is only one place to go.
It takes the average person seven days, subjectively speaking, to reach the Temple of Ohma in Tir from virtually anywhere in Tir na n'Og. But remember: if one Fey or Faction has Chosen you, other Factions may have an equal interest in stopping them from having you.
And there have certainly been cases where Triad members disliked one another heartily. Of course, these Triads have an even lower survival rate than is normal, for obvious reasons.
But the bonding process takes time. The first step is to gather all three members in one place, since they may not have all been Chosen at the same time or location. Once you've heard the music, there is only one place to go.
It takes the average person seven days, subjectively speaking, to reach the Temple of Ohma in Tir from virtually anywhere in Tir na n'Og. But remember: if one Fey or Faction has Chosen you, other Factions may have an equal interest in stopping them from having you.
This information is copied from the Triad Game Copyright 1992-2013
