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Three thousand miles Downhill to the west was the sea. Beaches, cities, highways, and a horse and wagon culture. Humans, mostly, though as a traveler I could tell that some time in the past, Orcs, dwarves, and elves had interbred with the natives. So far back that their histories were barely fairy tales and folklore. | Three thousand miles Downhill to the west was the sea. Beaches, cities, highways, and a horse and wagon culture. Humans, mostly, though as a traveler I could tell that some time in the past, Orcs, dwarves, and elves had interbred with the natives. So far back that their histories were barely fairy tales and folklore. | ||
− | I had spent a month in the region known as | + | I had spent a month in the region known as Hinterhigh. East of it was five hundred miles of some of the ruggedest, most beautiful wilderness I'd run across this side of chaos. At the far end was a thousand mile long edge cutting into the sea that only dropped below sixteen thousand when it reached down to a lower lands on the north and south. The region was rich with wildlife and game. |
Below the eight thousand mark was large spread out community of people who live in trade off the mountain hunters, gatherers, artisans, adventurers. Its as peaceful a place I was looking for and I found it, for the most part. They had a tavern of course, with rooms available. Paka would sit on my lap while I played the harp or the flute. I tuned instruments if they were brought me and i taught songs other liked. | Below the eight thousand mark was large spread out community of people who live in trade off the mountain hunters, gatherers, artisans, adventurers. Its as peaceful a place I was looking for and I found it, for the most part. They had a tavern of course, with rooms available. Paka would sit on my lap while I played the harp or the flute. I tuned instruments if they were brought me and i taught songs other liked. | ||
− | In the Village I might as well call | + | In the Village I might as well call Hinterhigh since the people there didn't call it anything, I was told that there was a band of desperate men in the hills. Had been for decades. Some kind of defunct warband turned brigands. They told me that those who chose to live in the deep woods occasionally had to deal with them. Sometimes they raided Hinterhigh. They told me to just cooperate with them and I wouldn't be too badly hurt. They didn't understand me when that made me laugh. At least when I went into the mountain I'd have something to look forward to. |
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A few week into the mountains I found a nice vista. Good water; a fast moving stream, deep and wide, with a bulge before a flat somewhat wooded area. High rocky hills protecting from the cold breezes, heavy woodlands. Plentiful game. The views were spectacular. I set up my camp and did a few day trips. It was perfect. A great place to winter. Easy reach of the Wall of the World. Lot of nice rocks around for day climbs. | A few week into the mountains I found a nice vista. Good water; a fast moving stream, deep and wide, with a bulge before a flat somewhat wooded area. High rocky hills protecting from the cold breezes, heavy woodlands. Plentiful game. The views were spectacular. I set up my camp and did a few day trips. It was perfect. A great place to winter. Easy reach of the Wall of the World. Lot of nice rocks around for day climbs. | ||
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There is something about the people who come up hill. Resilient, self-reliant. Friendly when they need to be. Most had left the downhill world for good reasons. Its impolite to ask. Because its impoite to ask what drove them to the mountains, they never asked me where I came from and what brought me here. That kind of anonymity is a blessing to one like me. | There is something about the people who come up hill. Resilient, self-reliant. Friendly when they need to be. Most had left the downhill world for good reasons. Its impolite to ask. Because its impoite to ask what drove them to the mountains, they never asked me where I came from and what brought me here. That kind of anonymity is a blessing to one like me. | ||
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=='''Brigands'''== | =='''Brigands'''== | ||
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These people had raided my vale, harassed and killed my people, and had abused woman and girls. There was something in me that felt violated. Assaulted in my possessions and in my people. Insulted in my person. | These people had raided my vale, harassed and killed my people, and had abused woman and girls. There was something in me that felt violated. Assaulted in my possessions and in my people. Insulted in my person. | ||
− | One insults a Lord of Amber, even a minor one, at their peril. One insults a Lord of Chaos, and a Hendrake at that, to their utter | + | One insults a Lord of Amber, even a minor one, at their peril. One insults a Lord of Chaos, and a Hendrake at that, to their utter disaster. |
Flying to the ground a mile away I shed the avian form and took my bearded form again.. I'd let my look go native. Gather the mules and their furs and meats and horns, we walked into greet my visitors. | Flying to the ground a mile away I shed the avian form and took my bearded form again.. I'd let my look go native. Gather the mules and their furs and meats and horns, we walked into greet my visitors. | ||
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Within moments a few came to walk me in. They made mock of my age and the limp I effected. They grabbed the riens of my mules and I thought to stop them but it occurred to me that they were unlikely to harm them. There was plenty of meat around without butchering mule. | Within moments a few came to walk me in. They made mock of my age and the limp I effected. They grabbed the riens of my mules and I thought to stop them but it occurred to me that they were unlikely to harm them. There was plenty of meat around without butchering mule. | ||
− | As I was brought to the hetman of this gang of ruffians the people of the Vale watched me in silence and fear. I could hear someone in my cabin being abused.. I silently cast my sense into the room and found two ruffians and one of the young girls that lived in the vale.. The one inhorsed went to sleep as I cast Personal Paralysis. Having someone frozen on top of one is better then having them die. The other however got the full Lorgus powered Cardiac arrest that made his heart erupt | + | As I was brought to the hetman of this gang of ruffians the people of the Vale watched me in silence and fear. I could hear someone in my cabin being abused.. I silently cast my sense into the room and found two ruffians and one of the young girls that lived in the vale.. The one inhorsed went to sleep as the sleep spell as I cast Personal Paralysis. Having someone frozen on top of one is better then having them die. The other however got the full Lorgus powered Cardiac arrest that made his heart erupt like a paint filled balloon. |
The Hetman looked up at me, | The Hetman looked up at me, | ||
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Once the people were assembled the hetman stood and put his hand on by shoulder, a sword in his other hand. He slapped my back to start me. Some part of him may have wondered at the shoulders that did not feel frail. | Once the people were assembled the hetman stood and put his hand on by shoulder, a sword in his other hand. He slapped my back to start me. Some part of him may have wondered at the shoulders that did not feel frail. | ||
− | “People of Veksvale. I know, i've never liked that name. But it seems we have guests | + | “People of Veksvale. I know, i've never liked that name. But it seems we have guests. I intend to make them welcome.” |
− | Twisting my arm up and over the hand on my shoulder, turning, striking the hetman and twisting his head sideways with a horrifically crunching sound. Stepping away as the body falls like a cut marionette. Gripping his | + | Twisting my arm up and over the hand on my shoulder, turning, striking the hetman and twisting his head sideways with a horrifically crunching sound. Stepping away as the body falls like a cut marionette. Gripping his broad sword in the left hand, drawing it from the sheath as he fell away. . |
Stepping to the nearest brigand, the iron knife shifting to its Bowie knife form and dragging the broadsword against his cheek, sheering the top of his head clean off above the teeth. | Stepping to the nearest brigand, the iron knife shifting to its Bowie knife form and dragging the broadsword against his cheek, sheering the top of his head clean off above the teeth. | ||
− | Several steps more ended the brigands who had been on either side of the hetman, his boon companions, his lieutenants | + | Several steps more ended the brigands who had been on either side of the hetman, his boon companions, his lieutenants. |
− | Only a few moments had passed, | + | Only a few moments had passed, enough for the brigands to know death had come for them... They broke and ran. |
And the saying told in realms from Amber to Chaos was apparently true in this world too. Run, and you just die tired. | And the saying told in realms from Amber to Chaos was apparently true in this world too. Run, and you just die tired. | ||
− | I hunted them. They made no attempt to hide their trails and it probably didn't occur to them they needed. It wouldn't have mattered. I could track them by sign or Sigil | + | I hunted them. They made no attempt to hide their trails and it probably didn't occur to them they needed. It wouldn't have mattered. I could track them by sign or Sigil. |
− | When I returned I found them cleaning the vale and stacking the dead. They had wandered down my trails and collected remains. They were building a bonfire. A merry blaze it would be. | + | When I returned I had remembered to I found them cleaning the vale and stacking the dead. They had wandered down my trails and collected remains. They were building a bonfire. A merry blaze it would be. |
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+ | As the fire burned the people of Veksvale finally asked me what I was? I tried telling them I was just a soldier, and one without a country. They were not convinced but they made me realize that while I had come here a stranger, a traveler, I had made a home for these people. So this scattering of homesteads needed a center. | ||
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=='''Fort Vek'''== | =='''Fort Vek'''== | ||
− | I told them to start collecting | + | I told them to start collecting. Rocks. Any size. They did. They would come to the fire and drop rocks in the various piles. Small ones, medium ones, big ones. Then one day i started sorting them out, moving them to places around. A wall would do for the most part. Nothing more then four feet. Crenelations up to five. |
I pulled the logs from my cabin and replaced the bottom three feet with stone. i cheated a bit ''smooth stoning'' them to fit air tight. We scooted out a few good sized stones and I showed them how to chisel split them. Over the next year we built 12 stone foundations and low walls for homes. Made stone smoke houses. | I pulled the logs from my cabin and replaced the bottom three feet with stone. i cheated a bit ''smooth stoning'' them to fit air tight. We scooted out a few good sized stones and I showed them how to chisel split them. Over the next year we built 12 stone foundations and low walls for homes. Made stone smoke houses. | ||
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=='''Dowser'''== | =='''Dowser'''== | ||
− | After Veksvale had been in place for 4 years a pair of | + | After Veksvale had been in place for 4 years a pair of visitor arrived that would change the place once again. One was a world weary warrior and the other was his son, a young boy. I believed he was a deserter but up here you don't ask such things. The fathers name was Cudgel. The Boy was Dowser. |
They arrived as many do this high in the mountains; prepared for a hard life of self-sufficiency. Those who come here, especially those who bring kin, have left behind any connections below. Family, rank, status, most even their names, are left in whatever place they abandoned. When they come here they usually claim nothing below. | They arrived as many do this high in the mountains; prepared for a hard life of self-sufficiency. Those who come here, especially those who bring kin, have left behind any connections below. Family, rank, status, most even their names, are left in whatever place they abandoned. When they come here they usually claim nothing below. | ||
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Cudgel and Dowser were no different. | Cudgel and Dowser were no different. | ||
− | + | *''Speaking about Magic'' | |
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I've spoken very little about the magic of this world because it plays almost no part in the history of this place. True acts of magic are considered ridiculous once the witnesses age out. One would have to be an experienced sorcerer, like myself, and study the histories carefully to find examples where magic fudged the fates a bit. This Journal is not meant for the natives and you who read it are likely to have a more worldly view of magic and understand how it is viewed differently in different realms. | I've spoken very little about the magic of this world because it plays almost no part in the history of this place. True acts of magic are considered ridiculous once the witnesses age out. One would have to be an experienced sorcerer, like myself, and study the histories carefully to find examples where magic fudged the fates a bit. This Journal is not meant for the natives and you who read it are likely to have a more worldly view of magic and understand how it is viewed differently in different realms. | ||
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Downhill magic and its powers are fairy tales. Things parents use to frighten naughty children. The great tales of the stage and the oratory of actors. The guy down the street does not do magic! When such knacks get too obvious they shy away. Nervous. Worried. This world does not have a "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" kind of paranoia but they don't like such people around. | Downhill magic and its powers are fairy tales. Things parents use to frighten naughty children. The great tales of the stage and the oratory of actors. The guy down the street does not do magic! When such knacks get too obvious they shy away. Nervous. Worried. This world does not have a "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" kind of paranoia but they don't like such people around. | ||
− | + | *That brings us to Dowser. | |
Whatever family they left behind had decided the boy's power was too obvious to ignore. Too far from the ordinary. | Whatever family they left behind had decided the boy's power was too obvious to ignore. Too far from the ordinary. | ||
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In time he could detect leaks in barrels, and locations for wells. When he caused a dry well to fill, they began to get scared of him. | In time he could detect leaks in barrels, and locations for wells. When he caused a dry well to fill, they began to get scared of him. | ||
− | After a long series of desperate escapes they found | + | After a long series of desperate escapes they found there way Uphill. In Hinterhigh they were certainly more accommodating to the boy. Being able to find a good place to sink a well to pure water is a useful talent even in a water rich region like Hinterhigh. But since there was some concern about pursuit they sent them further uphill to Veksvale and told them to ask for me. |
I made them welcome as i usually did. His father told me harrowing tales of his strange son. I watched Cudgel clench his fist and pound the table and it rocked as only a few strong men can make it move. The fathers strength caught my eye as unusual. I was curious and inspected the boy. I immediately knew why his knack for water was so strong. | I made them welcome as i usually did. His father told me harrowing tales of his strange son. I watched Cudgel clench his fist and pound the table and it rocked as only a few strong men can make it move. The fathers strength caught my eye as unusual. I was curious and inspected the boy. I immediately knew why his knack for water was so strong. | ||
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As time went on Dowser found sites for wells near enough to homes that it wasn't too arduous to build around them and cover the well from the elements. | As time went on Dowser found sites for wells near enough to homes that it wasn't too arduous to build around them and cover the well from the elements. | ||
− | The population of Veksvale by then was around five hundred, give or take a few hundred | + | The population of Veksvale by then was around five hundred, give or take a few hundred nomads. Roughly, 50 farms and homesteads |