[HQ Ignorance] Scene 65: The Free City of Khorst

[Lev Lafayette]

Can I just say, what a wonderfully evocative
introduction from our new player!

--- Jacqueline Brasfield <amphigori at gmail.com> wrote:

> The raven-haired slave raised her chin defiantly as
> the slaveowner prodded
> one of her tawny sholders. "Fit and strong, no doubt
> this one would be able
> to scrub the barnacles from the hull of your ship,
> goodsir! Or you there old
> bandylegs - you wouldn't suffer to have someone
> toiling on your behalf!"
> 
> As the slavemaster continued his bellowing the slave
> lowered her head and
> looked left, then right. Her shoulders hunched
> forward as she did so, a
> somewhat predatory (if utterly unconscious) gesture.
> Her spirit wasn't
> broken. Yet. While many of the other slaves stared
> forward with big, round,
> apathetic eyes, she actively sought to look at the
> people milling about.
> 
> There!
> A man gawking pointedly at her, pulling on the
> sleeve of his companion while
> chattering excitedly caught her attention. She
> glanced at the slaveowner and
> waited until she was satisfied his attentions were
> fully elsewhere before
> fixing her eyes on the sleeve-tugging man. With some
> effort she attempted to
> shift her weight and stand to face him, but the
> tangle of chains and
> shackles sent her crashing back down to the wooden
> platform with a
> remarkably loud clatter and clang of metal. The
> commotion caused the
> slaveowner's head to turn sharply, and he was most
> displeased with what he
> saw. "A moment, goodsir, I beg you." Rage darkened
> his piggish eyes as he
> stormed over toward the girl. He grabbed a fistfull
> of chain between his
> saussage-like fingers and tugged the girl sharply
> toward him. "Know your
> place, slave. Should I suffer your impudence one
> more time you'll be fit for
> naught other than fish food." He released the chain
> abruptly then struck a
> blow against her face, leaving a bright, red patch
> against her cheek before
> striding back to his customer. "A thousand
> apologies, goodsir, now ... where
> were we?"
> 
> Defeated, the slave hung her head once more. Strands
> of black hair covered
> her face and hid most of her red, burning cheek. But
> it did not hide the
> twin flecks of blue that once again sought out the
> man who had stared at
> her. And this time, when their eyes met she did not
> move. She simply stared
> back at him with eyes filled with longing and
> desire.
> On Mon, May 19, 2008 at 11:59 PM, Lev Lafayette
> <lev_lafayette at yahoo.com.au>
> wrote:
> 
> > Scene 65: The Free City of Khorst
> >
> > Under the skillful direction of the Godlearner
> Rikku,
> > "The Acindina" hugs the coastline towards the
> beacon
> > that marks out the harbour city of Khorst. His
> mind is
> > full of the knowledge that this region was once a
> > Godlearner stronghold in the second age which he
> > visited many times, with many great cities like
> > Eelnor, the great base of the Godlearner navy and
> the
> > island-city of Veakmal, a haven for sailors like
> > himself and of course Thanor, the provincial
> capital,
> > famed for the Villbane College, dedicated in the
> > studies of the pagan deities even if they did call
> it
> > the "City of Tricksters". Ha! Even the most
> trivial
> > mental gymnastics were beyond them!
> >
> > It was also the lands where the Godlearner's
> engaged
> > in the disasterious 'Goddess switch', an example
> of
> > their ability, albeit with catastrophic effects.
> By
> > HeroQuesting they first introduced the grain
> goddesses
> > of Wenelia and Slontos togther in the same story,
> > turning them into sisters, and then traded
> husbands.
> > First, the crops failed. Then in 930 ST, the
> Closing
> > effected trade and travel. Finally, in 1050 ST the
> > regional Goddess Slontos rolled over, and much of
> the
> > landscape fell beneath the waves. Still, the
> knowledge
> > gained was still worth the results, Rikku mused.
> The
> > Gods can be changed, and they can be manipulated
> by
> > human powers.
> >
> > He looked around the rest of his party with only a
> > modicum of contempt. Icthya was playing with
> fishes
> > again, a rather charming and delightful act of
> > child-like behaviour. The Mostal was with the
> > engineers down below. Well, at least they realised
> > they were machines, he mused. On board, Karala and
> > Knarl were in conversation about the latter's
> planned
> > departure, and the ever pious King Anzhur was
> engaged
> > in a fine theological discussion with Jareena the
> > Healer.
> >
> > Taking the boat within the harbour and finding
> portage
> > was simple enough. It was a fairly busy place,
> quite
> > clearly a popular trading location. The harbour
> and
> > mooring fee was particularly exhorbitant, with
> only
> > King Anzhur and the Mostal Kalen carrying any
> > particular quantity of funds. Rikku couldn't
> resist
> > the opportunity to throw in a couple of golden
> > Godlearner coins from the second age into the mix.
> > Apparently the fee also came with an armed escort
> out
> > beyond the reach of the pirates, although -
> according
> > to the harbourmaster - such activity had increased
> > significantly with the raids of the Wolf Pirates
> in
> > recent years. Now apparently there were new
> forces;
> > waetargi and the mermen were systematically
> attacking
> > ships. The elder sea races were rising, and it
> seemed
> > that they wanted to remove land-based creatures
> from
> > their territory.
> >
> > Khorst was a friendly, surprisingly well-organised
> > city, operated by a syndicate of merchant guilds.
> > Whilst the holy mantra of supply and demand and
> free
> > trade were rich here, it did not necessarily apply
> > this to human cargo. Whilst travelling among the
> main
> > market street as the various hawkers attempted to
> sell
> > their wares, the Fellowship could not help but
> notice
> > a slave auction, managed by a less than savoury
> > character. Legitimate captives from pirate ships,
> the
> > slaveowner claimed. "They declared war on the fine
> > people of Khorst, and thus they pay the
> consequences".
> >
> > Riku stopped suddenly and stared at an Esrolian
> woman.
> > Her build was muscular, her skin olive and her
> > piercing blue eyes stood out from a mop of black
> hair.
> > But it was not the physical features that had
> > attracted Riku's attention. Through the Godlearner
> > secret of Runesight, he could see the Power within
> > her. Water, Movement and Infinity! The signs of an
> a
> > person who has the magics to open sea! Not only
> that,
> > but Air *and* Water? This is a person who breathe
> > beneath the waves as well as she could above them.
> > Riku grabbed King Anzhur by the sleeve. "We must
> buy her!"
> >
> >
> >
> >
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