After another visit of the kurii we decided to make a progress in the search of information about the Priest Kings. One of the thieves' boys - Endy - did know about a temple that mysteriously led right into a PK's nest. For the kurii it would be unreachable, as they can't travel too far by ship and also wouldn't be able to cross the Northern Forests.
We went on the long travel - my boy River, the thief-thrall Endy and a strange white-haired guy called Kohlbrandr. We found the temple and the nest, but it was empty - neither Priest Kings ((sidenote: Did anyone ever try to play a PK? That would be an interesting change in Gorean RP!)) nor Initiates or other human helpers were to find. But at least this way we were able to explore the nest without... distraction.
The others were full of awe at the technology which to them of course must have seemed like the power and magic of Gods:
We didn't find much usefull for the kurii, so the thrall Endy just took one of the magical crystals with him - must be some teleporter device, but of course the others won't understand that. But I think the kurii will know. However once outside the nest it lost it's power, so it just hovers in the air, turning around and looking pretty.
Soon we will go on the dangerous passage to the camp of the kurii to deliver to them the mysterious crystal and the information.
Matteus Weatherwax: "Tal, greetings and Salutations."
Franziskus Ninetails beams as he enters the docks "Ah, I've suspected right. There you are, Endy. Tal, boy!"
Matteus Weatherwax: "Ah this is the man you were speaking of Franzi?"
Kolbrandr nods, "Very well," he quips casually, not particularly bothered by the potential wait, but more curious as to the situation. He nods as he sees the two figures approaching- one whom he recognizes from the tavern and the docks not so long ago, and the other whom he seems to remember, but cannot place him. "Tal," he says, not remembering the taller man's name, and not knowing the other's.
Endymion Avalira: "Greetings Master", Endy Says to the strange Master that he does not know
Endymion Avalira sees the harbor Master and quickly addes "Greetings Harbor Master"
Franziskus Ninetails's glance wanders to the pale young man he seen the day before at the thieves' camp "Tal. I'm Franziskus, the Harbour Master. I've seen you at the camp. You are one of the thieves?"
Franziskus Ninetails looks over to the ship, his gaze meeting the captains angry eyes, waiting impatiently for them.
Matteus Weatherwax smiled down to the boy Endy and grins at him and then looks back up to the soft complected male and says then: "I am Matteus, Great Jarl of the Hrimgar Northern Expanse." Matteus was an imposing figure but seemed to be of a jovial nature.
Franziskus Ninetails points to the blond boy to his side "And this is River, my lil sunshine"
River Airy says softly "Tal, Jarl"
Kolbrandr tilts his head, "Some might say that..." he replies to the harbour master rather cryptically. "I am Kolbrandr... travl'r of the lands. I take what I can, and trade where I cannot," he says. "I've heard ye make fine mead- had a sampl'ng last night," he quips. He nods in turn to the taller man. "Aye... I've seen ye at the tavern before,"... and the docks, but he wasn't going to bring that up.
Endymion Avalira whispers carefully to the harbor Master "Is that the father of Odin people talk about? The great Jarl?" his voice betraying a slight awe
Franziskus Ninetails looks a bit confused down to the thief-thrall "Father of Odin?" - Suddenly he beams "Oh, you mean 'High Jarl'? No, that's the title of the leader, Endy"
Endymion Avalira blushes, still not understanding the Northern ways, and says quietly "Yes Master"
Franziskus Ninetails catches another angry look from the captain, so nods to him before he turns back to the others "Well, we should lift anchor before the Captain binds the one or other slave to an oar!". He looks at Endy and winks
Kolbrandr quirks a brow toward the harbourmaster, since he was the one whom they had sought out. "What 'xactly be all this about?" he mumurs, pursing his lips slightly in confusion, wondering where they were traveling to. He didn't like being left out of the loop, and his curiousity ate at him like a hunger. Maybe there would be something worth stealing on this trip...
Endymion Avalira: "Master, if... we are going on a mission and to avoid initiates, may myself and your boy have permission to stand" Endy lowers his eyes at his forwardness in asking the Master such a question
Franziskus Ninetails nods to Endy "Aye, you may stand and keep your eyes open. As I see you have your bow with you... just in case". He smiles
{Matt had to leave at this point}
Endymion Avalira: "Thank you Master"
Franziskus Ninetails still not sure if the white-haired one, calling himself Kol, is one to trust or not, shrugs his considerations away. If necessary a nice deep cut at his throat would silence him anyways.
Franziskus Ninetails: Well, lets go. Endy, you tell the captain the course
Endymion Avalira takes the map scroll oout of his bag and boards the ship to give it to the captain
River Airy: joins his master on the ship
River Airy kneels to the side waiting for the ship to set sail
Franziskus Ninetails whispers with the captain and commands him that he and his men have an eye on the white haired stranger. Then goes under deck to have a talk with Matt about the further plans and to inform him about what he knows from the slaveboy so far
Kolbrandr adjusts the sharp glinting blades around his back, making sure they are ready should they be needed to strike. With still no knowledge of where they were travelling, it was ever-more important to be wary. Thoughts of fabulous foreign silks and jewels danced in his eyes as he looked out to the cool, open blue water. He avoided casting any skeptical looks toward the others, as they were still strangers and did not want to further arouse their suspicion.
{after several hands (weeks) of sailing (or maybe just a second of TP) and rowing, around the Northern Cap and then up the river Vosk the ship finally reached the Town of Herlit.}
Franziskus Ninetails hums a melody he knows from Earth, his lips froming strange words, not Gorean "I am saiiiiling.... I am saiiiiiiliiiing...."
Endymion Avalira thanks the captain politly for their swift journey
Franziskus Ninetails as they finally anchor looks around the empty docks before he sets a foot on land
River Airy: looks around and thinks it looks like a viking village that he read about in books on earth
Endymion Avalira looks around scanning the surroundings trying to remember where in terror he had run away from, then spots a familiar land mark "This way Masters, brother"
River Airy follows behind his master
Kolbrandr deboards the boat, following behind the others, looking around and seeing something akin to civilization. That was nice. Plenty of houses to thieve from, and not a soul in sight to report it. His eyes strained to peer at the surrounding area. He moves quickly, following after the darker skinned boy, casting a curious glance as they reach the mouth of a cave. "Loh..." he remarks, wondering what might be inside.
Franziskus Ninetails as they reach the cave "So this is where you found those crystals, Endy?"
Endymion Avalira thinks hard... "..... in a way Master, I am not sure where the light took me... but this is where the light resides."
Kolbrandr hears the harbourmaster's words and his eyes light up. Crystals were a valuable commodity, if ever there was one. He could surely make a killing in the South with them. If there were crystals inside he would be aiming for them.
Endymion Avalira trying not to show fear in front of the others he tries to keep the tremor out of his voice as he says "Master wishes to go ahead?"
River Airy hangs back behind his master and peers into the darkness.
Franziskus Ninetails nods, then recognizes the little water fountain {Holy water for soul-cleaning *smile*}. He steps closer and dips a finger into the water-surface, nods and finally splashes water from it with both hands into his face to clean it from sweat and the salt of the sea.
Endymion Avalira takes a deep breathe "This way Master, stay close brother"
Kolbrandr looks toward the slaves, wondering at their hesitation and decides to begin entering the place. He had every intention of acquiring some gemstones or crystals if they lay within. He hadn't found any such thing in the Northern Expanse thus far.
Franziskus Ninetails shakes the water out of his hair and face. Refreshed he answers full of energy "Let's go!"
Franziskus Ninetails: hmmm, what a strange place
Franziskus Ninetails: it somehow reminds me of Tidra... just... hm... brighter then the temple there
River Airy: its really quite beautiful my master
Endymion Avalira pauses for a moment and whispers to the fellow thief "There is gold behind the waterfall"
Endymion Avalira quickly fills his bag with food in case they are captured
River Airy: where is the jarl my master
Franziskus Ninetails beams "Oh look! They even provide us with dinner. What hospitality!". He reaches for some pieces of bread, stuffs some in his pouch and reaches some to his boy also
)Endymion Avalira chuckles
Franziskus Ninetails: Ah, there you are
Franziskus Ninetails takes the last two breads and tosses them to the blond thief
Kolbrandr looks around the place in astonishment, he had expected a dark cavern, but instead found a gushing waterfall. However, beautiful as it might be, there were no crystals to be seen. The dissapointing on his face was likely visible. As the slave murmurs something to him, the thief slips behind the waterfall, catching sight of something and slipping it away for safekeeping before returning to join the others.
Endymion Avalira chuckles hearing the fellow thiefs legs now chuckling with his movements suspecting why he has been delayed, and is glad he remembered to take is bag with him
River Airy pauses just behind his master and whispers, "what place is this my mster?"
Endymion Avalira whipers "remember you way back from here... when I escaped the strange place of the crystals and lights this library is where I appeared"
Franziskus Ninetails whispers over his shoulders to his boy "The temple of Sardar it seems, my boy. The Goreans pilger to this place once in their lifetime"
Endymion Avalira: "Take care, the path gets dangerous from here
River Airy: my master, it is dark
Endymion Avalira tries to keep the fear out of his voice "tread carefully, and keep to the walls"
River Airy: my master, i dont want to go in there
Franziskus Ninetails: Do you want to go back to the ship, my lil sunshine?
River Airy nods
Franziskus Ninetails nods "Will you find the way?""
River Airy: i think so, my master
Franziskus Ninetails: Then go back to the ship
[... River had to log for sleep]
River Airy: i will warn the captain to be ready to leave in a hurry
Endymion Avalira shouts: "Do not touch the buttons, they are booby trapped
Franziskus Ninetails lets his boy down to his feet again, then reaches to his quivas and takes one. He squats down to stuff the knife into his boy's legwarmers "Just in case....", he smiles
River Airy smiles "I will be fine, my master. You take care"
Franziskus Ninetails ruffles his boy's hair and releases him to return to the ship. Then grabs one of the torches to follow the others
Endymion Avalira calls back to the Master "Be careful of the bridge Master"
Endymion Avalira waits patiently suspecting that his fellow brother may still be rearrnaging his silks in the dark
Franziskus Ninetails as he finally crossed the bridge whipes the sweat from his face. "Whew! That is quite dangerous to get up here. I'm glad I've sent River back to the ship!"
Endymion Avalira looks to the harbor Master in concern "He has been injured?"
Kolbrandr eyes the harbour master and the thief slave as their numbers seem to dwindle gradually. It would be easier to steal something valuable with fewer witnesses and less to compete over it. Anyway, though he might've enjoyed company, he was more the solitary type- travelling in groups for him was not idea. He listened to their concern over the axe-weilding man's boy, but did not participate in the conversation, feeling no need.
Franziskus Ninetails shakes his head "Just tired. He had some... uhm... hard days. I worried that he wouldn't be able to make the path up here so I sent him back to the ship to warn the captain that we might have to leave in a hurry"
Endymion Avalira: "A good and wise plan Master"
Endymion Avalira grins to the fellow thief and harbor Master "Look in the box!"
Endymion Avalira acting like any true thief begins filling his bag quickly
Franziskus Ninetails looks around the richly ornamented hall, his eyes searching for anything useful for the kurii
Franziskus Ninetails takes a short look into the box "What's in there?"
Kolbrandr snaps his head toward the box and opening one of the pockets lining his clothing, he likewise begins to pile on the gold, just enough that it shouldn't weight him down unduly. This was more like what he had been searching for... A profitable journey indeed. If nothing else, at least he had stocked up on gold.
Endymion Avalira grins "riches enough to pay of the debts for your rebuilding Master"
Franziskus Ninetails: My rebuilding?
Endymion Avalira: "The villagers said your home was badly damaged by fire Master"
Kolbrandr looks around the temple, trying not to display his awe at the eerie beauty of the place. He didn't like it when his emotions betrayed him by being in full display. It was preferable to simply seek out the expensive items and steal them. His nimble fingers traced over a coin in his pocket, and he grinned to himself a little at the familiar weight of currency.
Endymion Avalira kneels before the altar, looking over his shoulder he calls out "Down here, you see a light - just raise your hand to it" fearfully he reaches out and once more grasps
Franziskus Ninetails smiles nonchalant and ignores the gold, no reason for him to tell thieves - even if they are sworn to the same homestone - that he saved enough gems from the beach of Tidra, hiding in his chambers treasures that would even make an Ubar envious; though however knowing that you can't eat gold or jewels, and other goods - bread and bosk to eat, salt to cure the meat, furs to keep warm at night - are more important then any riches of Gor
Franziskus Ninetails so just answers "Oh, the damages are repaired and paid for. So do not worry"
Kolbrandr spies the book that sits propped up in the middle of the altar, wondering what it says. Coming from a rather small village, he was perhaps a little embarassed at his inability to read fluently. Then again, it was more commonly a skill of the scribes. He could make out a few letters, sometimes even a word or two... But he would rely on the slaves of the camp to write for him should he need it. He continues to follow after the others cautiously. He had accumulated a good helping of gold and he did not see reason to lose it... or his life, unnecessarily.
Franziskus Ninetails does as the slave and the thief did before him. Seeing them suddenly vanish. More intrigued and fascinated then scared he gets teleported to a secret room, in his mind somehow adoring the PKs for their technical equipment
Franziskus Ninetails: "This.... is... fascinating"
Franziskus Ninetails looks around, cautiously
Franziskus Ninetails: Is it here you got the crystals?
Endymion Avalira: "Yes Master, one of these" Endy carefully touches one
Franziskus Ninetails points at the green crystals hovering 'magically' over the floor... at least it would seem so to an innocent Gorean, but of course in his Earthian knowledge and his contact to the PKs he knows, that they have the technology to influence gravity
Franziskus Ninetails frowns as the boy touches one of the crystals and vanish before his eyes
Endymion Avalira calls out "Master, over here!"
Kolbrandr seems confused at the unfamiliar location. He had seen quite some grand halls and temples in his travels. He had even see some lavish taverns, but he had never seen anything quite like this. The floors were immaculate and bizarrely patterned. Everything was made from largely foreign materials that he couldn't even hope to describe, and had certainly never seen before in his life. There did not seem to be anything organic in sight. At the same time, there did not appear to be anything worth taking or of obvious value.
Franziskus Ninetails whispers to the boy "What's this? A cage? Hmmmm... I wonder whom they prison up in here. You know that we are in a PK's nest, boy?"
Endymion Avalira strokes the bars of the cage, a memory for a moment sparking in is mind... terror... loss... home gone.... confusion and as quickly as it came the memory drifts away
Endymion Avalira: "A pk nest.... that would explain it maybe, Master" Endy wonders having heard that pk claimed people from earth, and being told that he speaks with the barbarians accent if perhaps this is how he came to be on Gor
Endymion Avalira shivers in voluntery, then turning to the Masters "There is a map on the far wall, Masters"
Franziskus Ninetails studies the map together with the others
Franziskus Ninetails: Hmmmm, up there are the Hrimgar Mountains
Franziskus Ninetails points up to the North
Endymion Avalira: "Near the top, ' Hrimgar Mountains'... they know of us, I cannot see our village though"
Kolbrandr follows after the others, wondering at the familiarity with which the harbor master treats the thief slave, but deciding for the time not to comment on it. The workings of Hrimgar were new to him, and though he had heard of the man who ran the dockyard, he did not know him in the least. Then again, the bizarre nature of the place we were in was far too distracting to waste time thinking about such things. As he approaches the oversized map he takes a look at it. The more he travelled, the better he became with maps, though his literary skills were still not the best. He preferred to pick landmarks as he travelled about, and navigate based upon those.
Franziskus Ninetails: You see Helmustport and the bay there?
Franziskus Ninetails: somewhere there must be Hrimgar
Endymion Avalira hovers a hand over some of the buttons wondering whether to press one
Franziskus Ninetails looks fascnitated at the futuristic instruments, knowing some from his travels on the PKs spaceships, but sure it must be like magic to the Goreans. So he stays in the background... silently... looking for anything that could be helpful to the kurii
Franziskus Ninetails suddenly smiles "What would the kurii give if they could be here! But there's no way for them over the ocean, and they wouldn't be able to cross the fNorthern Forests. And even if...."
Franziskus Ninetails: "... I think the PKs would have their methods to prevent the beasts from entering here"
Franziskus Ninetails looks around again "Although... I haven't seen anyone here. You would expect at least some human helpers or anything?"
Endymion Avalira shouts: "The temple was empty when I came last... a plague perhaps?"
[Franzi falls down 2 levels]
Franziskus Ninetails shouts: I FALLEN!
[and helps himself with some rope-arrows]
Endymion Avalira calls out "Master?"
Franziskus Ninetails wipes the sweat from his face after climbing up the whole way
[In the meantime Endy jumping down to help]
Franziskus Ninetails looks over the rim "What are you doing now down there, thrall???"
Endymion Avalira looks up "Master had fallen... I came down with rope and a grapple to help....."
Franziskus Ninetails loops up the rope he had used on an arrow to get up again and attaches it on one of his belts
Franziskus Ninetails draws his bow and shakes it, waving with it over the rim to the boy "I have my own, thank you!"
Franziskus Ninetails draws his bow from his shoulders
Endymion Avalira unhooks his grapple muttering
Franziskus Ninetails chuckles and shakes his head, shrugging to the still suspicious white hairded thief, mumbling "Slaves!"
Franziskus Ninetails shrugs
Kolbrandr nods in agreement, offering a slight eye roll in bemusement as he watches the slave return by way of rope and grapple hook. He had filled his pockets with gold, and nothing here pertained to him... Unless there was valuable information, but the cryptic behaviour of the slave and harbour master only served to confuse him further.
[After Endy climbed up again]
Franziskus Ninetails: Well, I don't know what we could take with us to deliver it to the kurii
Franziskus Ninetails: And if it's true and a plague killed the PKs, then...
Franziskus Ninetails takes a deep breath before he continues "... we better not tell the kurii. I don't mind, if they fight the initiates. But without the protection of the PKs, we are delivered helplessly to the kurii and their technology"
Franziskus Ninetails sighs, recognizing that he's more or less talking to himself as the Goreans won't have the slightest idea what he's talking about
Franziskus Ninetails: Maybe they left and went to another place? A secret one?
Endymion Avalira shrugs, the desision of the free being none of his business, and pleasure being taken in a bag full of treasure to pleaase the Mistress"
[Franzi touches an electric-sphere in his curiousity and gets electrified]
Franziskus Ninetails shouts: OUCH!!!!!!!
Endymion Avalira shouts: Maybe they left if a plague killed the initiates Master?"
Franziskus Ninetails shakes his hand and blows fresh air on it, then points over his shoulder, grimacing "Don't touch this!"
Franziskus Ninetails once again looks around "So, how do we get out of here?"
Endymion Avalira strains and climbs yet another rope
Endymion Avalira: This is the one that freed me Master
Franziskus Ninetails: freed you?
[Endy vanishes before his eyes]
Franziskus Ninetails sighs
Franziskus Ninetails: what did he touch NOW?
[Franzi and Kol touch another crystal. Suddenly they are outside the hills]
Franziskus Ninetails: Oh, we are out!
Franziskus Ninetails looks around in surprise
Franziskus Ninetails: But where is the thrall?
Franziskus Ninetails shouts: ENDY!!!!!!!!
Franziskus Ninetails shouts: ENDY!!!!!!!!!!!
Franziskus Ninetails shouts: ENDY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Franziskus Ninetails shouts: ENDY!!!!!
Kolbrandr tilts his head. It still sounded like gibberish to him... Hrimgar was not so far away from his tundra-filled hometown that he should be rendered incapable of understanding what they spoke of.”then again, the caste system was far less complicated, and there had been few to no slaves where he grew up. His people would not have been capable of affording or feeding them. He laughs heartily as the harbor master injures his hand. 'Would make a terrible thief..'he sniggers quietly to the slave beside him. He follows after them as they grapple another rope, seeking the exit. He likewise looks startled as they return to the brush.
[Suddenly Endy appears too between the bushes]
Endymion Avalira shudders at the wrenching the crystal make
Franziskus Ninetails: Ah, there you are! Where have you been, thrall!?!
Franziskus Ninetails: Well, I think as we are out already, we should return to the ship. I definitely will not crawl through that dark cave and climb over that bridge again today
Endymion Avalira lowers his head in shame.... "I found a new crystal Master, a blue one to go with the green"
Franziskus Ninetails beams "Ohhhhh! Let me see? Does it beam... I mean... uhm... does it do that magic too?"
Endymion Avalira: I am not sure Master, when I touch it nothing happens, but is floats and spins on its own
Endymion Avalira: .... maybe the Kurii would be interested in it... but not be able to figure it out and be a danger to the Gods
Franziskus Ninetails rubs his chin "Well, we will deliver it to the kurii. Maybe they know what to do with it"
Kolbrandr watches the others, seeming eager enough to head back. His pockets were quite full of gold and he would need somewhere safe to store it prior to trading. The talk of crystals, though intriguing, is merely something he keeps in the back of his mind.
Franziskus Ninetails: It's getting dark already...." - He looks quizzically at Kol and then the slave - "We should return to the ship. It's a long passage. I think the harbour was there in the Southeast!" - Points west
[Return to the ship]
Franziskus Ninetails nods to the captain that they are ready to set sails
Kolbrandr seems a bit thrown off from the peculiar adventure... and travelling by boat was not exactly his preferred method. He looks out at the glassy water, and shudder at the thought of dock eels... Or worse yet.. Being sea sick. He was really going to have to get over his hatred of the seas one day... He watches as the boat begins to set sail.. Confused but not altogether unhappy, given that he now sports quite a bit of new wealth.
Franziskus Ninetails yawns and streatches, smacking his lips and then yawns again. "Well, you will find me under deck. I will join my boy in the furs. It will be a long travel home to Hrimgar!"
Endymion Avalira: "Yes Master" Endy looks for a moment at the Master and his boy and the thief, then curls up an a corner to sleep "Good night Masters, good night brother"
Franziskus Ninetails: Good night, Kol. Good night, Endy!
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i hate work
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