Oriah

Lady Oriah is the daughter of Khazullo, Funtal of Fio Fadali. Her hand in marriage was pledged, unwillingly, to Sesketera, ruler of the city-state of Ghol-Tabras, causing her to flee; however, she was recaptured and the two were married against her will. Unable to leave Sesketera's palace, she became an agent of the Free Alliance of Southern Magnamund, passing information about Sesketera to the Freedom Guild, helping them retake Shadaki City in MS 5092. However, her own freedom was not secured, and she was later planned to be sacrificed by Sesketera to release the Heart of Agarash. These plans were foiled by Grand Master and Blazer, and she took refuge aboard the Starstrider as the two Kai Grand Masters investigated the plans of the Naarvakim.

Depending on the actions of the player in The Dusk of Eternal Night, there are hints of a romantic interest between herself and Grand Master.

Appearance

An illustration of Oriah is available at Voyage of the Moonstone: §150.

Oriah is described as a beautiful young woman, with long black hair and smooth olive skin. She is perceived to be as intelligent as she is beautiful.

Biography

Attempted escape

Oriah is the daughter of Khazullo, Funtal of Fio Fadali. Born into nobility, she became friends with Jaraza, future Zakhan of Vassagonia, from a young age. Her father, a rich, powerful and very ambitious man, pledged his daughter's hand in marriage to Sesketera, ruler of the city-state of Ghol-Tabras, to form a powerful alliance. However, Sesketera was cruel and brutal, and Oriah faced a life little better than a slave if the marriage took place. Oriah, unwilling to go ahead with the marriage, fled Fio Fadali and sought refuge in Barakeesh.

In MS 5083, during the events of Voyage of the Moonstone, Fernant, the Sommerlund envoy to Vassagonia, was enlisted by the Kai on a secret mission, their orders being to transport Grand Master from Barakeesh to Elzian. Around the same time, agents of Khazullo and Sesketera had found Oriah, who was now looking to flee Barakeesh. Fernant had met Oriah and, moved by her plight, agreed to take her on the same trip, dropping her off at Bisutan where her friends would subsequently help her reach Kakush.

Grand Master travelled from Sommerlund to Barakeesh by sea, on The Pride of Sommerlund, piloted by Captain Raker. After a month's travel, they arrived in Barakeesh to resupply and rest. Here, Grand Master met Oriah in Fernant's house, and discovered his plans to transport Oriah. At first, Captain Raker was unhappy, as a beautiful woman would have been a distraction, but Fernant offered 20 Gold Crowns for the passage, which smoothed over the tension.

During the trip, while fishing for Trarta (a delicacy) to supplant the boat's supplies, a Bautarian shipwreck was discovered. Oriah, with the captain's permission, explored the wreck for treasure, and proved to be a strong diver and swimmer.

The next morning, off the coast of Cape Kabar, The Pride of Sommerlund was attacked by ships bearing the emblem of Ghol-Tabras — Sesketera's realm. The mere mention of Sesketera's name caused Oriah to fall faint with shock. Grand Master helped fend off an Otokh and the pirates, forcing them to flee, but the attack was deadly, with half the crew either killed or badly-wounded, and a gaping hole punched through the port side of the ship. Additionally, Fernant died protecting Oriah from a raider, who blamed herself for the attack. Grand Master also discovered that one of the men they killed was Dar-Isun, the brother of Sesketera.

With the ship in bad condition, Grand Master and Oriah decided to resume their journey on foot, together with three marines on the ship: Ernan, Sligh and Oswin. They stole, with Grand Master's reluctance, five fine horses to avoid needing to walk all the way to Bisutan. They stopped to rest at the town of Kilij, where they discovered, to their horrors, a slave-market. Oriah's beauty attracted the attention of the slave traders, who attempted to capture her. Grand Master fought off the slave traders successfully, but Oriah was kidnapped by an itikar, a giant bird, transporting her far beyond the hills, with no way to rescue her. Grand Master, however, felt that their paths were destined to cross again.

Marriage to Sesketera

Oriah was purchased from the slave traders by Sesketera, and transported to his realm of Ghol-Tabras. During the events of The Buccaneers of Shadaki, she encountered Grand Master again in her chambers, while Grand Master was attempting to escape Ghol-Tabras' jail. Oriah helped Grand Master escape, but as she bade him goodbye with a kiss, they were spotted by Sesketera, causing her to faint. Grand Master successfully fought off Sesketera and evaded him and his guards, escaping Ghol-Tabras.

For twenty years, Oriah remained a captive of Sesketera, trapped in a loveless marriage. She still refused to marry him, until Sesketera took her friends hostage. Then, every time she refused his affection, he killed one of her friends. She was also forced to bear him heirs. Sesketera suffered from several bouts of rage, and in one case, he beat her, killing their newborn child in the process. He blamed Oriah for this tragic event, and sent her firstborn child (named Isun, after Sesketera's slain brother) away in secret as punishment.

During this time, she acted as a mole for the Free Alliance of Southern Magnamund, collecting information for them. Her work helped the Freedom Guild conquer Shadaki City in MS 5102.

Attempted sacrifice

In MS 5103, during the events of The Dusk of Eternal Night, Sesketera revealed himself to be a Naarvakim leader: a member of a cult devoted to the revival of Agarash the Damned. In the Crypt of Agarash, Oriah was taken to the heart of the Crypt, to be sacrificed and take the place of the Heart of Agarash. Khazullo delusionally-believed his daughter loved Sesketera, and this love would have provided the Nuoman Balance the ability to exchange her with the Heart, thinking she would be reborn as a loving wife for Sesketera; Oriah, however, defiantly rebutted him. Sesketera then agreed to speak the names of the Gods of Light to allow the exchange to happen.

Grand Master, on a quest to investigate and stop the Naarvakim, arrived in time to stop this ritual, slaying Sesketera. Sesketera, on his deathbed, declared everything he did was for Oriah, who rejected him one last time, saying she had lost her friends, children and life, and despite dreaming of this moment, she now felt nothing. Oriah then turned her attention to her father, threatening him with Sesketera's Spear, but was stopped by Grand Master, who needed Khazullo alive. Oriah and Khazullo argued: Khazullo calling her ungrateful for the riches he gave her, and Sesketera, who loved her but would have protected her from a cruel world; Oriah, for trading him like any other slave, and being willing to sacrifice her. However, Khazullo was buying time for his Demon Stone to summon the spirit of a Zadakar Demon Master into his body. Grand Master exorcised it (if the player had the required skills) or defeated the Zadakar Demon Master. However, Grand Master was unable to obtain more information from Khazullo, as he was silenced by a fellow Naarvakim member with a crossbow.

Flight to safety

Grand Master, Blazer and Oriah escaped the Crypt of Agarash, and returned on board the Starstrider, where the Kai Grand Masters conversed with Grey Star and remotely with Lord Rimoah, while Oriah rested from her ordeal. Grand Master may, depending on the player's choices, talk with Oriah once or twice: The first time, she will reveal more information about her life, including her fears about her first son's fate; and in the second, she will talk about her future. The first time, if Grand Master possesses Astrology, they will discover that her fate could fall under the influence of Shen'tu, the Star of Deception, because of the love of her son: Grand Master believes that someone may take advantage of her love of her son to deceive her. The second time, she expresses a desire to help the wise Zakhan Jaraza, an old friend and ally of the Freelands in Barakeesh. Additionally, if Grand Master talks to her twice, and received a Turquoise Pearl (either by revealing, through Astrology, the fate of her son, or by asking her to move on), she will express a hint of romantic interest in Grand Master, which may be reciprocated.

As the Starstrider headed towards Naaros, to halt the ritual to open the Gate of Doom, the Starstrider was attacked by the Naarvakim once again. After Grey Star's teleportation ritual failed, taking only himself and Blazer, Oriah was teleported, alongside the rest, by Acraban. Grand Master was then delivered to the Night Spire as the rest escaped, Grand Master sharing an embrace with Oriah before they departed. Their escape was successful, and she and Acraban arrived safely on the Isle of Lorn, on a battered Starstrider. Here, she again met Grand Master, who was successful in their defence against the Vaag, and elevated to Kai Supreme Master by the god Kai.

In the gamebooks

Voyage of the Moonstone and The Buccaneers of Shadaki

Oriah is first encountered in Voyage of the Moonstone, as a passenger on the same ship as Grand Master. The ship is attacked by forces of Sesketera, forcing the party to travel on foot, where she is captured in Kilij. She then meets Grand Master in the next book, The Buccaneers of Shadaki, where she reveals she was bought by Sesketera after he capture. She helps Grand Master escape prison, but the two are forced to part.

Dead in the Deep

An illusion of Oriah may be encountered in The Dusk of Eternal Night, in the Temple of Karaushnitt. The Temple, which contains Steel Hand's Kai Weapon, is enchanted by the power of temptation. If the player has encountered Oriah before, an illusion of Oriah appears, filling the player with guilt over abandoning her in Kilij or Ghol-Tabras. She also then tempts the player, suggesting that the player had feelings for her. The player must then undergo a roll of death (prevented by Agonera, or Kai-screen at Sun Thane or higher).

If the player is unsuccessful, the player is snared into shame, and the illusion of Oriah mocks everything the player has achieved. The player drops their Kai Weapon, and the illusion offers the player forgiveness and release, in exchange for the player's soul, and the player becomes a servant of Karaushnitt. If the player is successful, then they recover their will, and the player is given the option to recover Steel Hand's Kai Weapon.

If the player has not played through neither Voyage of the Moonstone nor The Buccaneers of Shadaki, they are instead tempted by vanity, where an enchantment attempts to portray their achievements as glorious, to the extent that they should be the ruler of the New Order of the Kai, over their teacher, Lone Wolf. The outcomes are functionally equal as the Oriah path, but the failure condition involves the player entering the water of the temple as their heart gives way to their sense of glory, and the power of Karaushnitt ensnares them this way.

The Dusk of Eternal Night

Oriah is next encountered in The Dusk of Eternal Night, as a prisoner of Sesketera, planning to sacrifice her to retrieve the Heart of Agarash. Grand Master and Blazer thwart the plot and rescue her, and she travels aboard the Starstrider to safety. Here, the player can speak with Oriah. If they speak with Oriah once, but be concerned about her, rather than her quest, she will be thankful, and express concerns about her son's fate after he was hidden away in secret by Sesketera. If Grand Master possesses Astrology to discern his fate, or asks Oriah to be realistic and move on (i.e. assume her son is dead), she will be grateful for the truth, and give Grand Master a Turquoise Pearl.

This Turquoise Pearl mysteriously helps Grand Master when the Starstrider comes under attack by the Naarvakim flying fortress. Possessing a Turquoise Pearl opens up the option for the Starstrider to be defended using the Illusion Crystal that may be obtained earlier on in the story from Scaldar's Spirit; this option is unavailable without a Turquoise Pearl. Additionally, if the Starstrider was not given the power of Jigidanak or Kurzazuk, this results in death without a Turquoise Pearl; with a Turquoise Pearl, this results in the same outcome as if there was no Turquoise Pearl, but with Jigidanak or Kurzazuk.

The Starstrider later comes under attack, and Grand Master is deposited at Naaros while the crew attempts to escape the Naarvakim attacking them. It is later revealed at the end of the adventure that they survived, and Grand Master (now a Kai Supreme Master) sees her aboard the Starstrider.

Possible future plans

This section is speculative, and may not reflect final content.

In a Facebook post by Holmgard Press, talking about the final draft of Light of the Kai, Oriah appears in the text, suggesting there are plans for her to return in this book. Although most of the text is obscured by a map, the text that is readable, when zoomed-in, reads:

World-power. Lady Oriah will
the Korlinium Seeds to Grand
they have three at disposal to
the Durncrags and at the Kai
(If one of the Kai Supreme
he can do it now and recover
your Supreme Masters except

for the Rings of Judgement in the Danarg, turn to 2 (in "Part One" of this [indistinct] of Light of the Kai).