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by The Welfarist Wardenate of Pakitsk. . 20 reads.

The Gracious Host

Long ago, in the days of might and monsters, there lived a man, the head of a well-known clan among the Pakotski. He was lucky, for his camp sat near a river, allowing him and his clan to live with little difficulty, and they had no end of food and drink. However, he had not always lived there, for once the river was dry and the land around it barren. This is the story of how that deserted land became the home of the clan Pârkōv, the same great line whose son now rules us as Grand Ataman.

Now, the Pârkōv clan lived in very sparse lands. They did not have many livestock to their name, and they rarely caught any game to fill their bellies. Perhaps their ancestor had provoked the wrath of Ademar; perhaps the land itself took offense to their presence; perhaps they were merely unlucky. Nevertheless, it was no family of clenched hands that pitched camp under the Pârkōv banner; when guests came, they gave freely and generously. It came to pass one especially cold day that the clan head, Avēlôs Pârkōv, was standing outside his tent, watching the shepherd boy drive his flock, and as he lifted his eyes from this sight he saw a rider approach from the distance, riding a snow-white horse and clutching the reins tightly.

Avēlôs ran to meet the man, and as he drew near, he saw that the stranger was all wrapped in his cloak, with no clan crest visible on his visage. Holding his hand up to take the reins, Avēlôs said, "Hail, stranger! Come and rest a while! Have a bite of goat's meat, and perhaps some water, and sleep until tomorrow, when the day may be warmer." The stranger nodded under his wrappings, and handed the reins to Avēlôs. When they reached the camp, Avēlôs took the man into one of the tents, lit up a fire, and spoke again. "If you will remain here, I will go and fetch a small morsel, and a drink to chase away the cold." He ran to his wife in the main tent, crying "Fetch the finest mare's milk, and warm it, for our guest will soon freeze! I will go and slaughter a choice sheep, and cook it for our guest."

Avēlôs chose the finest of his sheep and, though it pained him to lose his best ram, slaughtered it, setting aside the finest cuts for his guest and sacrificing the rest to Ademar. He took the mutton and the milk, and brought it to his guest, waiting on the stranger as though he was a servant boy. Bringing a bedroll to his tent, Avēlôs prepared his guest's sleep and spent the night himself on a bed of straw. When the dawn broke, he took his guest to the campfire, and asked if there was any request he could provide for the stranger. In a deep, booming voice, the guest responded, "There is nothing more, Avēlôs of clan Pârkōv, that can be done. You have been generous, and you performed your duty as the host. I have taken note; for I am a messenger of Ademar, sent by Him to test your famed hospitality. He is pleased by your graciousness, and He offers you a reward. Mount you the white stallion that I have brought, and lead your clan onward; for the Vûlakis Õmnàtskì has reinvigorated the land, and a river now flows where once was barren. In this land will you live, and your descendants, until the Õmnàtsk should come and wipe all away."

At this, the stranger disappeared, and Avēlôs Pârkōv did as the messenger of Ademar commanded. He found the land green, and the riverbanks well-filled, and commanded that this should be the home of clan Pârkōv thereafter, as it is even today, and to this day the white stallion is found on the Grand Ataman's crest, and its descendants in his camp.

The Welfarist Wardenate of Pakitsk

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