blastoidstalker
The Geographer
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 529
The Babylonians
We were trailing a herd of Aurochs when we met them.
We were five, I, The Blastoid was the leader, Jogo, Rhoro, Taegal and Gaiyut “the tracker” were the other hunters. Gaiut had come up with the idea and we had used it several times now to varying success. Gaiut, Jogo and Haig had the frightening part, running at the beasts with flaming branches forcing them to panic and scamper as a herd towards a steep ravine. When the panic beasts tumbled into the ravine, it was time for Taegal and I to lever some rocks off the cliff face causing a landslide that would engulf and kill some of the beasts.
It was a successful hunt. Rhoro sat astride one dead beast, skinning the carcass. Jogo and Gaiut were cutting and Taegal and I were burning and herbing the meat for transport. The sun was hot here far from the ocean. I heard a screech from above and looked up to see an eagle soaring far above, circling for prey.
And then in a second there was a faint thump and the eagle exploded in a chaos of feathers and flesh and its corpse fell suddenly to earth. I signaled to the party to stop there skinning and to move to the lip of the ravine.
It was then that we saw them, several hundred strangely dressed men marching in caravan. They were dressed in light tunic, loosely draped and sand and turquoise in color. They were olive colored skin their hair was oily and black, and trimmed to a sharp pointed beard on their faces. One was laughing at another and raced away from the others to the corpse of the eagle. He raised it up in his fist and his companions laughed and spoke in a foreign tongue. One of them raised a huge curved wooden stick tied together by a string, he placed a piece of wood in the stick and releasing the string let the piece of wood hurl into the air, this time soaring to strike a vulture and bring it down. We stared in silent utter astonishment at the power of this weapon that these men held.
Orders were given, Rhoro and Jogo went back to finish the business with the meat. Gaiut and Taegal were sent to carefully track these wanderers and I raced back to the main band to tell of what I have seen.
I found Prochon in the Huntmaster's tent, where he was chewing on an overcooked shank of auroch. He motioned for me to sit and offered a piece of meat. I told him the events of the day and asked him leave to meet these strangers.
“Go, and take 50 men, for protection.”
Gaiut had come back from the tracking and told us there location. We made sure that we came loudly and with no ill intention. We came within range of their camp, put down our weapons and walked over them as a sign of peace. They looked at us warily and brought us to the largest tend at the center of the encampment. Inside the tent laying back on cushions and snoring loudly was what I guess was there leader. He was in the same garb as the others but his was stained yellow from what smelled like some type of fermented beverage. His guards prodded him until he became awake and he startled to see me before him.
“Who are you?” His eyes tried vainly to focus on my face.
“ I am The Blastoid” a wanderer from the city of Arete. We are exploring this land and saw your war band from afar. We come in peace and wish to know more about your people.”
“Prowess, ummm, uhh burp. Yes we are good with our bows.” Now his eyes seemed to focus more and he started to study my garb and appearance, much more like a warrior sizing up an opponent. “From Arete, huh, never heard of it. I am the Grant and I am the leader of these bowmen. I am a warrior in the charge of our leader chief Lincoln of Babylon.”
“Well met, The Grant”
“The Blastoid, huh, doesn’t it make you sound more important when you put a the in front of your name? I think so”
“I have seen the beautiful weapons your warrior use to kill from afar, what is it called.”
“It is the longbow, and we are the keepers of its secrets, bring word back to your leaders that we are a peaceful people, but any who cross it will fall quickly from its wraith.
“I stand warned.”
And we went on for hours, more of his bitter mead was brought and we drunk and talked. I had to excuse myself every few hours from the tent, but in reality to retch the alcohol up so I could stay sober and not lose my guard. If nothing else the man could drink! Though we spoke it became obvious that both of us were too guarded to let our secrets out, I learned little of his home except its name and there abhorrence of slavery. And he was not able to glean from me the location of our city or the existence of the Spanish. As dawn broke the next day I retrieved my men, who had spent the night drinking and singing with the longbowman to return to Prochon with our first impressions of these strange people.
We were trailing a herd of Aurochs when we met them.
We were five, I, The Blastoid was the leader, Jogo, Rhoro, Taegal and Gaiyut “the tracker” were the other hunters. Gaiut had come up with the idea and we had used it several times now to varying success. Gaiut, Jogo and Haig had the frightening part, running at the beasts with flaming branches forcing them to panic and scamper as a herd towards a steep ravine. When the panic beasts tumbled into the ravine, it was time for Taegal and I to lever some rocks off the cliff face causing a landslide that would engulf and kill some of the beasts.
It was a successful hunt. Rhoro sat astride one dead beast, skinning the carcass. Jogo and Gaiut were cutting and Taegal and I were burning and herbing the meat for transport. The sun was hot here far from the ocean. I heard a screech from above and looked up to see an eagle soaring far above, circling for prey.
And then in a second there was a faint thump and the eagle exploded in a chaos of feathers and flesh and its corpse fell suddenly to earth. I signaled to the party to stop there skinning and to move to the lip of the ravine.
It was then that we saw them, several hundred strangely dressed men marching in caravan. They were dressed in light tunic, loosely draped and sand and turquoise in color. They were olive colored skin their hair was oily and black, and trimmed to a sharp pointed beard on their faces. One was laughing at another and raced away from the others to the corpse of the eagle. He raised it up in his fist and his companions laughed and spoke in a foreign tongue. One of them raised a huge curved wooden stick tied together by a string, he placed a piece of wood in the stick and releasing the string let the piece of wood hurl into the air, this time soaring to strike a vulture and bring it down. We stared in silent utter astonishment at the power of this weapon that these men held.
Orders were given, Rhoro and Jogo went back to finish the business with the meat. Gaiut and Taegal were sent to carefully track these wanderers and I raced back to the main band to tell of what I have seen.
I found Prochon in the Huntmaster's tent, where he was chewing on an overcooked shank of auroch. He motioned for me to sit and offered a piece of meat. I told him the events of the day and asked him leave to meet these strangers.
“Go, and take 50 men, for protection.”
Gaiut had come back from the tracking and told us there location. We made sure that we came loudly and with no ill intention. We came within range of their camp, put down our weapons and walked over them as a sign of peace. They looked at us warily and brought us to the largest tend at the center of the encampment. Inside the tent laying back on cushions and snoring loudly was what I guess was there leader. He was in the same garb as the others but his was stained yellow from what smelled like some type of fermented beverage. His guards prodded him until he became awake and he startled to see me before him.
“Who are you?” His eyes tried vainly to focus on my face.
“ I am The Blastoid” a wanderer from the city of Arete. We are exploring this land and saw your war band from afar. We come in peace and wish to know more about your people.”
“Prowess, ummm, uhh burp. Yes we are good with our bows.” Now his eyes seemed to focus more and he started to study my garb and appearance, much more like a warrior sizing up an opponent. “From Arete, huh, never heard of it. I am the Grant and I am the leader of these bowmen. I am a warrior in the charge of our leader chief Lincoln of Babylon.”
“Well met, The Grant”
“The Blastoid, huh, doesn’t it make you sound more important when you put a the in front of your name? I think so”
“I have seen the beautiful weapons your warrior use to kill from afar, what is it called.”
“It is the longbow, and we are the keepers of its secrets, bring word back to your leaders that we are a peaceful people, but any who cross it will fall quickly from its wraith.
“I stand warned.”
And we went on for hours, more of his bitter mead was brought and we drunk and talked. I had to excuse myself every few hours from the tent, but in reality to retch the alcohol up so I could stay sober and not lose my guard. If nothing else the man could drink! Though we spoke it became obvious that both of us were too guarded to let our secrets out, I learned little of his home except its name and there abhorrence of slavery. And he was not able to glean from me the location of our city or the existence of the Spanish. As dawn broke the next day I retrieved my men, who had spent the night drinking and singing with the longbowman to return to Prochon with our first impressions of these strange people.
It has been fun reading your accounts and participating in them with you. I hope this continues for the length of this great adventure 
