[09:40p] › WaylandSmith changes topic to: ROG: Remnant of Gor, RP required. The location is to the east of the Karian Marshes just where the main estuary of the Vosk starts to flatten and widen. A makeshift landing constructed quite recently juts into the river.
[09:40p] Topic is: ROG: Remnant of Gor, RP required. The location is to the east of the Karian Marshes just where the main estuary of the Vosk starts to flatten and widen. A makeshift landing constructed quite recently juts into the river.
WaylandSmith The trail along the tributary of the Vosk was harsh, hardly a trail at all in fact. Wayland and his bosk laboured along water logged ground, strewn with boulders and fallen trees. The going was slow but then again they were not in a hurry.
[10:02p]
WaylandSmith A change in the sound of the surroundings announced their approach to junction of the Vosk with the tributary they had been following - the ground was a little rockier but the smith preferred this over the need to step down from his cab and aid Big Jim in pulling the heavy cart through soft ground. The jolting of every stone could be felt like blow to the body and he rolled with every one of them to reduce the cumulative effect of discomfort.
[10:06p]
WaylandSmith at last they pulled out from the underbrush and low trees to the junction proper and much to his delight Wayland saw a flat bottomed ship tied to a makeshift landing. The landing had been constructed recently, the trees cut for the purpose still green, bark still clad the poles thrust into the soft clay edge of the Vosk. Clearly this was not meant to be a permanent structure...
[10:14p]
WaylandSmith Even more remarkable was the device that lay on the flat bottomed ship - it was as large as a small ship in its own right, made of gleaming metal smoothed to a gleaming reflection that made it appear almost like a mirror. It looked oblong with the front narrowing to a point and what the smith presumed to be the rear widening to almost the width of the flatbottom.
[10:14p]
WaylandSmith : By the Priest Kings what is that thing?
[10:24p]
WaylandSmith Curiosity regarding anything metal pulled at the smith and he desired nothing more than rush over and examine the strange device. The sight of the steaming bosk sweating in the damp and unpleasant environment made Wayland revise his priorities. First he manouvred the cart closer to the landing, jumped from the cab and liberated Big Jim from his position. Using a brush he wiped the sweat of the large animal even taking the time to brush its bristly nose.
[10:24p]
WaylandSmith : BIG Jim: Moo
[10:25p]
WaylandSmith The animal acknowledged its master's care, insofar as this could be conceived it seemed to relay a certain amount of gratitude. Next however it turned to the more serious business of grazing some of the fresh grass that sprouted near the confluence of the Vosk and the tributary river.
[10:40p]
WaylandSmith Having taking care of what he owned, he forbore to tie down Big Jim. First there was noone around and second the area around the landing was ripe with sufficient grass to satisfy the appetite of even his big bull. Stepping onto a gangplank that consisted of a series of freshly cut sapling, no thicker than his fist and tied with twine the remarkable object - his hands already reached out to touch the metallic surface.
[10:45p]
WaylandSmith his hands extended to touch the metallic surface. It exuded a tactility that he knew he would be no more able to resist than the skin of a naked, panting kajira that finished the dance of the seven veils in front of him. In his eagerness he did not mind his footing on the treacherous gangplank. The bark of the young sapling, still encrusted with wet lichen provided no purchase for his steel tipped boots and he felt himself slide, wet leather and metal slipped...
[10:52p]
WaylandSmith Throwing his arms back in a vain bid to stabilise himself lest he plunge unceremoniously into the Vosk, it was his clumsy eagerness that saved his life. Because at that very same moment a creature sprang from behind the cover of the object, propelling itself through the air with a claw slashing the air where just a fraction of an ehn before the smith had stood. A double range of teeth, flanked by shiny fangs snapped mere inches from Wayland's throat and the sheer bulk of the creature bowled him over.
[10:57p]
WaylandSmith In the chaos of the tussle the stocky smith rolled backward with the huge furry creature raking his chest, his shirt was ripped and paralel rows of crimson blood drained down the front of his chest. The creature’s furry arms enveloped him as they rolled onto the shore, with scent of blood tickling its nostrils it roared in expectation of its victory over the human.
[11:03p]
WaylandSmith Wayland was not sure which way was up or down, all he knew is that his own 250 pound frame was being held down by a creature that might weigh twice as much if not more. For a moment they tossed and turned but the creature had had the benefit of surprise - Wayland found himself flat on his back with a collosal weight pressing him into sodden ground, with one hand he managed to clasp the wrist of the collosal being whereas the other was pinned to his chest with scant space for movement.
[11:15p]
WaylandSmith a fetid breath suffocated the smith, bile rose from his stomach as he desperately sought to supress the urge to vomit. The creature bent its head to rip out his throat if not swallow his head hole, once again he was a mere instant from death struggling vainly to free himself from dead weight on top of him. Roaring in the anticipation of victory the greater pressed its greater bulk harder onto the near helpless body of the man.
[11:32p]
WaylandSmith Wayland's wrist was pressed harder against his chest but a small almost insignificant item found itself trapped between it and smith's ribs: the small knife from the inn. The smith had toyed with it during the voyage to this place, unthinkingly slipping it into the inside pocket of his now torn doublet. With strength drawn from desperation and the fierce desire to live he struggled to slip a finger, then another around the hilt of the little knife. He had at most a few hort of space now...
