King Keos of the Eighth fled north after the Ogre attack, and found the Ninth hiding deep inside caves.
After planning their escape, they came to realise the Allied Tribes were fighting the Ogres, to protect them, and were winning.
Keos summoned his troops to battle, encouraging Groël to do likewise. Thus the Eighth and the Ninth, for the first time in their combined history, shared the spoils of victory over their hated foe.
Hogar's Keepsake
Groël was delighted by the return of their Tribal heritage, a locket with hidden secret inside. It was this that allowed him to pinpoint their ancient homelands.
Introduction
King Groël and his people represent the ultra survivalists, persecuted unmercifully by the Great Ogre, they evaded total eradication of their Tribe, if only just.
Like their forefathers, they had survived in the hostile wastelands of northwestern Siberia, but recently the Great Ogre had begun to hone in on their homeland. The Ninth retreated south, headed for safety, and met the Eighth fleeing
north, also trying to escape the Ogres pursuit.
At this point, Kay feels something is wrong, and sets to search for the Eighth. She arrives on a reconnaissance mission, and ends up in the middle of an advancing Ogre Army. Others rally in support of her, and soon the final
battles of Book Two begin to play out.
Groël is a wise leader, seeing the allied Tribes winning the battle, he and his few people throw in their lot to support the Allies, and destroy the Ogres at the end of Book Two.
Inter-Tribal Contact
The Ninth are the most distrusting of Tribes, mainly living an arboreal lifestyle to avoid detection by the Great Ogre's 'eyes'. However, they admire the deeds of others such as Kay, and Da Phai Nai in Book Three, who looks for
the when no other does.
At the urging of King Keos of the Eighth, he agrees to send a small delegation to live on the Island and interact with other Tribes. The feedback he receives is positive, and allows him to send others, especially learned elders
to mix with those at the University. Due to their reports, he goes himself, and belatedly, becomes a fairly regular visitor.
However, what really moves him to align more openly with the Allies, is the fun of the Olympiad, where his Tribe win several trophies, are presented with medals, and are toasted by their rivals.
