Yaro Moyo

African bandit warlord. Known as the 'Lion of Tanzania'. Late 30's. Large build, distinctive facial scar. Always accompanied by a large lion.

Yaro Moyo served as a child soldier for the Central Powers during the Weltkrieg. Aiding the Germans in control of the region, he learned much of guerrilla warfare during these times, as well as small unit tactics. When much of Tanzania was occupied briefly by British forces during the war, many locals took them up on their offer to help in the war effort against Germany in exchange for eventual freedom. Since Germany did win the war, this did not pan out, and in consequence many locals were killed. Although Yaro remained loyal, his brother did not, and was executed when Germany reestablished control over the region. His younger sister was also killed, not for any involvement in the war, but in an act of reprisal against the natives en masse. Yaro had tried to intervene at the time to secure their safety, and even was assisted by a few German soldiers who knew of his loyalty, but the chain of command was against them. In his grief he wandered for months alone through the countryside, and had many encounters with what he describes as the spirit world. It was at this time he both found the lion that acts as his animal companion, and discovered the ability to channel the lions roar to stun his enemies.

Conflicted at this time due to his past involvement with the people who killed his family members, Yaro eventually decided to try and take action against them when Hermann Goering was put in charge of Deutsche Mittelafrika. This shift in leadership signaled a distinct change in policy, and the reprisals and repression against natives was increased. Convinced by this point that even though some Germans were decent, the only way to help his people was to fight for their independence, Yaro undertook training a group of like minded young men with the knowledge he acquired from the war, and conducts hit and run strikes on colonial forces in the area.

Killed on March 24th, 1935.

Quotes: Slowly advancing, you see a figure standing amidst the buildings, calmly pouring water from a large jug into a bowl upon the ground. Next to the man is a massive lion, drinking civilly from the bowl, jostling its golden mane from side to side as it finishes. The man regards you as he stands back up to his full height, easily over six feet, and speaks to you with a rolling voice as you halt your approach. “So, you come, emissaries of his majesty, the Kaiser.” The man sneers as he says this last word, his scarred face grimacing and his hands clenching momentarily. The lion at his side looks at you warily, but remains still. “You are good fighters me thinks, good enough to kill soldiers who are hungry and full of loyalty. But loyalty feeds no man. You come here now to kill Yaro Moyo in his solitude. It is expected. I care not to live, or to die, but at least to die on the field of battle.” The blaze of light from the sun reflects menacingly off the lions eyes. “But you are not men of the army, you are not all Germans. What then, I wonder, do you fight for? Perhaps you too have a love for the battle like I do, perhaps we all cloak our love in virtuous words?” The man inclines slightly to stroke the back of the lions head. “The lion is a proud creature, built for fighting, but he has no goal. There is no end to the conflict, it is an impossible one, it is an endless conflict. So is mine. I wanted to help free Africa from all foreign invaders, but especially the Germans. But I see now the fight is impossible. Perhaps a day come when lions will be content, and Africa will be free.” The man is quiet for a moment, and stares into the sky slightly above you when he continues. “Once I lay dying, a bullet hit my neck, and I was alone. I prayed to the god I no longer see in Africa. The sun got dark, but it was still day, and out of the dark this lion came to me. He looked at me, deep into me, and then I saw deep into me too. I found a place within me that was not there before. I saw this same lion in me, looking in me, looking at him.” The lion stands onto all four of its legs, as the man takes a single step forward. “I live and die like all men do, but I live and die as Yaro Moyo – the Lion of Tanzania!”

Finally the broken form of Yaro Moyo lies before you. He spasms as he coughs up a generous amount of blood, and his eyes are almost milky as he rolls his head to look at you. “It is as I thought. The lion was not a match for the eagle of Germany.” He sighs as he continues. “When I was a boy, my people even then were ruled by the Germans. When their war came, I joined them with many others, to fight against the British who came here looking to take the land from the Germans. I fought hard, and learned all that I could.” He wheezes for a moment. “Then the British drove the Germans far back, and began to promise eventual freedom to any who would fight with them. I knew it was untrue, but many of my people took this offer. Even my younger brother.” Yaro smiles slightly. “I was 16, and he was 14. And we fought for different ideas of freedom. In the end, I think he was much braver than I. When the war ended, Germany retook this land, and began to punish anyone who had fought for the British. I tried to save my brother, Germans who fought alongside me tried to save him, but it was no use. I was beside myself in grief. Nothing I could do saved him, and I watched when they shot him. But still I remained loyal.” Now, Yaro no longer smiles. “Then the Germans began to take revenge against more people. British volunteers who could not be located were to be killed by proxy, and innocent lives were taken in reprisal. My sister...” Yaro clenches his fists. “My sister was taken because she loved a man who joined the British, a man who escaped at the end of the war. My sister! My family was broken. My faith was broken. I had spent my youth fighting, for this! Only to be betrayed by those I fought for. So I ran away into the wild. I ran and hid, and hunted, and fought, and killed. And I became this Lion you see before you.” You are amazed to see his Lion appear as if from nowhere by his side, apparently unharmed, as it lays down by the broken form of its master. “Then I knew... finally I knew what I wanted to fight for. What I needed to fight for. The more impossible, the more worthy the battle. There was no way to lose, because all that was left was ashes, ashes except for the dream of freedom. This dream lived here, alone, on this mountain. The dream of a future where young men like me didn't have to fight for foreign wars, didn't have to watch their families destroyed out of hand by foreign overlords. Luckily” he struggles to speak “luckily... the dream... cannot be killed by... the hands... of man...” His strength draining, his life ebbing away, Yaro Moyo becomes quiet. “There are good people, but they are not the ones who gain power. Who... is it... you fight for?” With that, the man before you passes away, and the form of his lion becomes shadow and indistinct. The sun finally begins to set, blazoned and festooned in a rich blood red light shot through the whole earth, as small stars wink into being in the sky above you.

Appears in Session 1, Session 2