A change To The Plans ~

[Cyc]

Cyc squats down next to Dog, rubbing the short-hairs neck, and pointing into the valley.

"Look at all these people. Coming and going. Wandering aimlessly. Independantly. What do you think they're looking for, Dog? What do they need to bring them together? A meeting place? Someplace to advance their own concerns? A place to eat and learn and train and play? Yah. I think so."

Cyc stands and crosses over a pathway. From that vantage point, he begins to plan and starts to draw in the dirt with a stick. He looks up again, shaking his head. Erasing what he just drew. He re-draws, looks at Dog.

"Come. Let's build a road."

 

[Cyc]

And you know how it goes. One road led to another, and pretty soon Cyc had created a network of roads laid out in a pattern that could support a community. He had beaten down the roads with small tree limb, stumped at the end with two smaller limbs serving as handles. The more of this he did, the more people walked on the roads, which was fine. Unintentional help from others, all according to plan. He had lined the roads with small rocks, making them appear more defined. And of course had made roads to the river, the creek, the hot steam pools by the hills, etc.

Occasionally, some of the more communally-challenged people would actually try to set up an abode ON the road, and Cyc would have to redirect their efforts elsewhere. But for the most part, even Dog seemed pleased with the roads.

Cyc couldn't stop thinking about the two grown men he had seen out by the river, arguing. The first would yell at the top of his deep voice, shouting his claims of truth. The second would wait until he was done, and immeditely start shouting his counterpoints, also in a husky voice. When the second had finished, the first would again start in with shouting his points. Both men were passionately involved in this arguement. And both were well informed, as neither needed to pause in their point making. And they would just do this continually. Interesting at first, but now seems a little disturbing.

Cyc shook his head and shrugged it off. Something else was sure to grab his attention soon. He whistled at Dog, who came running. Then he threw the animal a piece of jerky.

 

[civplayah]

Civplayah was amazed at the road network and wanted to meet Cyc. But, as he was tracking Cyc, he too saw the two men arguing. Civplayah couldn't stand arguing, so he tried to resolve their problems with his wisdom. At first they seemed to ignore him, but then they made their move.

~​

Civplayah limped off to his sanctuary-like mudhut with a broken arm and a hyper-extended leg.​

 

[Cyc]

Cyc was busy leveling a piece of road, eye-balling it, then continuing on, leveling more roadway. He had collected a lot of dust in his hair and clothing. But he keep moving, adding detail to what could have been a finished product.

Unseen by Cyc or Dog, an old woman walked right up to them. She pulled from her non-descript coat a dead fish. Looked like a carp. She raised the fish above Cyc and brought it down on his head. Dust flew everywhere. Cyc wound up on his butt and Dog started choking on the dust, or was he laughing at Cyc. He had that look in his eyes and a slight smile.

"Hey, working man. There was someone looking for you." Cyc looked up at the old woman, as he waved the dust away. He'd seen her before. She wasn't the type to keep time. She didn't count score. "He lives over there." Pointing towards a distant mudhut with the fish.

Cyc began to rise, "Ok, but why'd ya..." But the old woman raised the fish above Cyc's head again as she widened her eyes and perched her lips. Cyc sat back down and put up his hand. The old woman spun and walked away, her coat flying around her. Cyc looked at Dog, who was still choking, or laughing. Dog had watery eyes.

Shaking his head, Cyc moved down the road to the mudhut. Once there, he started to examine the path from the road to the mudhut. Well.. he could make a few adjustments here and there before he knocked on the wood door. He'd just trim this up here...., and take these rocks...., "Hey! Come into my house."

Cyc looked up and saw the man in the mudhut through a small window. He was motioning Cyc to enter with his arm.

 

[civplayah]

"Hello, great builder." Civplayah had reserved a seat for him, with a bowl of nuts on it. Cyc liked nuts. Civplayah had even constructed a sitting device for Cyc. He was confused, this man was treating him like he was a god! "I have an important request. If you teach me how to build roads, I will offer anything you want or need. What do you say?"

 

[Cyc]

Cyc was listening to the man, but had removed the bowl of nuts from the sitting device and had started crunching a handful while he tested the ("chair", is that what the man called it?) Twisting and turning, trying to get comfortable on this oddly shaped piece of wood, Cyc almost fell to the floor taking the bowl of nuts with him. But he miraculously saved himself and the bowl, which he placed back on the chair before he turned back to the man.

Holding out his hand Cyc replied, "Greetings, my name is Cyc. I'll be happy to teach you the art of road building. Anything I want or need, heh? You'll have to let me think about that one."And popped a few more nuts into his mouth.

 

[civplayah]

"If you don't like the chair, you may sit on the floor. Although the chair is near semi-holy, it is sprinkled with laurel leaves." Civplayah seemed pleased that the man was even in his house. Civplayah's face got serious.
"Do you know of any families that will accept a man? He doesn't have a home, but he's been searching for a roomate. Guru Shudu ho Jana, that's his name if I recall correctly. I would take him in, but my house is too small."
"What's wrong with him? Why won't anyone accept him?" Cyc was puzzled.
"Well, his teachings are disturbing to some. Some non-pagans believe that he's not a Guru, but a witch, sent down by a god to wreak havoc."
"No thanks!" Another man was now in the house.
"Pleeeeease?" Guru ho Jana pleaded.
"I'll think about that, too."
"But during my wind-listening class, the wind said I'd have good luck today. You'll come around!" The Guru's laugh was as disturbing as his teachings, and while he lauged, the other men watched in repulsion.

 

[Cyc]

"Guru Shudu, why don't you go down the road and sk the old woman there if you can stay with her? She seems like a nice woman, but watch out for the fish," Cyc said with a smile.

Shudu turned his head so Cyc could see the right side of his face. Cyc and civplayah looked with interest at what seemed to be a reddish imprint of fish scales on the Guru's cheek. The smile disappered from Cyc's face, "Eeew! Never mind."

Cyc turned to civplayah. "Ok, I know what I want in return for teaching you to build road. You must be the Guru's caretaker. Find him a home, or put him up here. I can help with the extra food. You might even learn some mystical teachings."

And then to Shudu, "See, you luck did change for the better." And with that, Cyc returned to the chair and attempted to get comfortable again.

 

[civplayah]

Civplayah knew that he must make a shelter for the Guru. After all, Cyc kept his part of the deal. Civplayah knew how to build houses very well, and began to build a house for the Guru. He even taught the Guru how to build it, too and they went to work. After day one, they had gathered enough materials. The Guru slept in civplayah's house, but during the day, the house was too busy. When dawn came and woke them up, they got started on building again.

 

[Bowsling]

When Bowsling and Cemyr were walking down the magnificent road built by Cyc, just chatting happily about the progress of the capital and how hard they had worked today, they came across two men attempting to build a house.
"Would you like some help with that" Bowsling asked as part of the frame collapsed, sending up a huge cloud of dust.
"I would be in your debt forever. Please do." came a dull voice the was civplayah's.
"On the condition that the tree over there is burned." requested Cemyr, pointing to the walnut tree at the edge of a moor.
Seeing the confused looks on the faces of Civplayah and Guru Shudu, Bowsling quickly stepped in.
"He has severe walnutaphobia. that is a walnut tree. use logic"
suddenly their faces flickered to being very comprehensive, while Bowsling started a fire with some nearby wood. As he walked over to set the tree on fire, he dropped the burning log, and the grass underfoot started a raging fire...

 

[Cyc]

Cyc saw the smoke from the fire and went running towards it. There he saw men running and jumping up and down, pointing and shouting orders at one another.

"Whoa Dog. This should be interesting. Today we not only have human drama, but comedy as well." Cyc knelt next to Dog and pulled out some beef jerky, which he shared. "This time of year the grass is too green to be much of a theeat by fire. Plus the cattle have eaten enough of it to keep it at a moderate level. To top it off, these roads will help a lot in containing any fires that pop up. Let's watch."

The two continued to watch as the men at the fire continued to run around, bumping into each other, apologizing, and then pointing some more. One of the nearby cows exploded, sending cow parts and fresh grass flying. When the fire died down, Cyc stood with a stick in his hand that looked amazingly like a cow bone. "All in a days work, my friend. Here, go fetch this stick", he said to Dog, as he threw the stick towards the woods.

 

[civplayah]

"Hey, Cyc, look, I built this road all by myself!" Civplayah pointed to a surprisingly long road, right next to Cyc's. Cyc nodded. "Very good. Lets go have some walnuts at your hut, shall we?"
"WALNUTS?!"
"Quiet, Cemyr!"
So, the men went to talking at civplayah's hut. "Say, what do you think this town will look like in the future?" asked Cyc.
"Very, very different. Probably too many people here, maybe even one hundred!"
Cyc sighed. "Well, for now, I'm happy with this. Once Shudu dies, and everyone has homes, and people are smarter, this city just won't be this city anymore."
Civplayah nodded. "I finished the Guru's house!" he said in a lighter tone. "Let's give him some walnuts."
So the men walked down the road to find Guru, who was looking at what appeared to be a moving pickle. "Guru, wanna see your house?" civplayah tempted.
"Yes, sir! Woohoo! I have a home!" Civplayah chuckled.

 

[Cyc]

(ooc) Once Shudu dies? civplayah, please do me a favor and don't write in parts for Cyc anymore.

 

[civplayah]

Sorry, forgot. Would you like me to rewrite that section?

 

[Cyc]

Sorry, forgot. Would you like me to rewrite that section?

[ooc] No, rewriting is not necessary. I don't understand what you have Cyc doing, but if you can complete the thought without involving Cyc, go ahead.

 

[civplayah]

OCC: So let's say they don't go to civplayah's hut, they just go to Guru's new house. Would that work?

 

[Cyc]

What part of "please do me a favor and don't write in parts for Cyc anymore" didn't you understand?