The Iron Ring

The game of Aksha

1 CE

Tamar bets his life in a game of Aksha against king Jaya and loses.

The Confusion

2

Tamar is awoken by his mentor Rajaswami. He soon realizes that none of his courtiers remember Jaya´s visit.

Leaving Sundari

3

Tamar, bound by his dharma or honor, leaves his realm to find king Jaya in Mahapura.

The Snake and the Monkey

4

Tamar and Rajaswami encounter a snake strangling a monkey. The monkey, Hashkat, is the king of the monkeys. The snake, Shesha, is the snake prince. Tamar and Shesha end up wrestling. Tamar saves Shesha´s life. In return, he is gifted a small ruby called the fire flower.

The Gopi Village

5

After wrestling with Shesha he finds himself washed downstream to a gopi village. Tamar is helped by a kind gopi named Miri which he immediately falls in love with.

The Choosing

6

While in the gopi village Tamar learners about the Choosing. During the Choosing, a gopi takes a wreath of flowers and places it on the man she wishes to marry. Tamar wishes to stay for the choosing because he has fallen in love with Miri and believes she will pick him. But Rajaswami reminds him that Miri is of a lower caste. Because of this Tamar decides to leave before dawn.

Garuda

7

As Tamar and Rajaswami continue their journey they are joined by Miri and Hashkat. When their path is blocked by thorns they decide to burn a path. This angers Garuda, a bird living in the thorns. Garuda happens to be Jaya´s messenger sent to retrieve the fire flower. Garuda joins the group.

Kana

8

Attracted by the smoke caused by the burning thorns, general Kana, and his soldiers confront Tamar. Kana sees the group as a threat and against the honor code attacks them. Being outnumbered the group struggles. Luckily they are saved by Ashwara

Ashwara

9

Ashwara is the exiled prince of Ranapura. His cousin, Nahusha, has taken his place and rules with fear and cruelty. Ashwara has been trying to gain support from other kingdoms to recapture the throne. Tamar and the group decide to help.

Adi-Kavi

10

Adi Kavi was a royal crier that meditates and contemplates. One day he sat down to meditate and an ant colony decided to build their home around him. The group meets him as he is emerging from the ant mound.

King Bala

11

King Bala is a king that Ashwara is trying to convince to join his movement. But Bala says that Nahusha approached him already and he has decided to stay neutral. The group learns that Nahusha has captured one of Hashkat´s monkey's names Akka.

Arvati and Soma-Nandi

12

While rescuing Akka the group frees a war elephant. The grateful elephant, Avati, goes off to join her herd.
Later Rajaswami falls into a tiger pit. Tamar helps him out but gets stuck in the pit with the tiger. The tiger convinces Tamar to help her out. The grateful tiger, Soma-Nandi goes off to find her partner.

The Battle of Rahapura

13

The group eventually end up at Ranapura with all of Ashwara´s allies. But Nahusha planned a surprise attack and Bala joined his forces so they are outnumbered.

Ashwara´s death

14

During the battle, against honor, one of Nahusha´s generals attacks Ashwara. Ashwara it fatally wounded and dies.

The Chandala

15

Tamar is captured by Nahusha. Because Tamar refuses to respect Nahusha he is sent to a cremation ground where he works with chandalas, the lowest caste. This means that he also becomes a chandala. But during his time there he meets another chandala who teaches him valuable lessons about life, caste, and honor.

Miri´s Death

16

At the burning grounds, Tamar is visited by Rajaswami. But with him, he brings a body. Miri.

Miri´s plan

17

Rajaswami quickly explains that Miri is not dead, she is meditating. During her time at Nahusha´s palace, she has come up with a plan to recapture the throne.

the Battle of Rahapura pt.2

18

Tamar regroups the remainder of the original army. Along with Ashwara´s brothers, they rush into battle. Because of weeks of work and planning lead by Miri along with help from various creatures including the elephant and the tiger, they win and regain control over Rahapura

Continuing the Journey

19

After the battle, the group continues on their journey to King Jaya's kingdom of Mahapura.

The Rakshasa

20

While camping in a cave the group meets a traveler seeking warmth. However, the traveler soon reveals that he is a rakshasa who is trying to steal the fire flower. But because of Garuda´s efforts, they ward off the demon.

King Jaya

21

The group eventually make it to King Jaya's palace with the fire flower. But when they walk into the throne room they find the chandala from the burning ground on the throne. In an epic conclusion to the story, Jaya explains that he has been many people throughout the story and that he came to Tamar because he knew that he could stop Nahusha from extending his kingdom. He also explains that the fire flower has the power to control life and death. Jaya then destroys the ruby.