Post by Ben on Jun 23, 2007 18:22:15 GMT -5
(( Based off my fave. book 
))
The South [1] was a harsh place to be born, a harsh place to live, and an un-forgiving place overall. Between the beaches and the mountains there was nothing but Desert. Wind swept dunes punctuated by a small oasis here and there. It had been the Sandtiger [2] who had begun the process of turning the sand to grass. Nestled within a canyon within the lower ranges of the mountains was a village, with plentiful water and lush slopes of green grass and of all things small trees bearing fruit. The people of this village had taken the Sandtiger’s words and created a paradise within the south. Water had been dredged up from a well and allowed to travel down the canyon to the village and over the years the greenery had sprouted and the village thrived. This was only the goal for the young Sword-Dancer [3] out upon the Desert.
The Punja [4], the great desert of the South, this barren place around him was the only thing he could see before him. With the broad dark blue ocean at his back he had nowhere else to go. His short sandy blonde hair was ruffled by the wind and his sharp brown eyes studied the sands. He could feel the heat of the sands beneath his sandals and the heat of the sun beating down on his back. The weight of his water skins and Jivatma strapped to his back was enough to remind him what he was here for. He was no older than eighteen, young yes, but getting older.
It had been at this age that the most legendary Sword-Dancer, the Sandtiger had begun his sword-dance training at Alimat within the sands of the Punja. The Sandtiger had won his freedom from slavery at the hands of the Salset, a nomadic tribe that moved from oasis to oasis. He had slain a Sand tiger of the desert sands and thus earned his name and his freedom. The Sandtiger had eventually repudiated his honor for the sake of Delilah, his beloved and fellow sword-singer from the North. Bascha [5], as Del had been called by Tiger, had loved him until the end of his days and then she had taken up his work at the rebuilt Alimat, to teach sword-dancing. Alimat was only one of the stops on this young man’s way to freedom and honor.
He patted the stallion that stood beside him. The old horse had seen many days in this desert, his name? Simply the Stud [6]. The Stud wasn’t as fierce and spirited as he had been in his younger years. The young boy patted the stallion again and took the reins to the bit-less bridle and started off into the distant horizon. The stud followed behind the boy, plodding along without much protest.
After an hour of walking with no shade in sight the boy paused and pulled his Crimson dyed leather burnous [7] off of the stud’s back and slid into it, pulling the hood up over his head and wrapping it around himself. Besides the burnous, he wore a soft, sleeveless linen tunic that reached down to the middle of his upper leg and leather dhoti [8] that fell down around his ankles and of course his sandals. He un-slung one of his water skins and unstopered [is it even a word?] it to take a drink.
Several days later I stopped to rest in the shade of an out cropping of rock. It was mid day and it had been a week since the stud and I had last seen an oasis. It had been a good thing I had stopped to fill my water skins or I would have died a few days ago. As it were I could go a few more days before I was forced to have to stop again and find water. I had seen few people and even they were better equipped for handling the desert than I. The smaller nomadic groups I had encountered had given me little in the way of help, a water skin and a small hand out of any leftover food was all that was given and I was sent on my way. I was ready for giving up and just returning to the sea where I knew there was a boat waiting for me, to take me back to Skandi [9] and my mother and sister who waited there for their freedom.
(( [1] The southern continent is primarily desert and mountains. The Northern continent is across the ocean and has a more temperate climate. [ I'LL ADD A MAP EVENTUALLY ]
[2] The Sandtiger – Left in the desert to die as a babe Tiger was picked up by the Salset and raised for manual labor for the tribe. He won his freedom by slaying a Sand Tiger that had been killing the tribe’s children and therefore won his freedom. He was sent off and later trained to be a top level Sword-Dancer, dancing to settle debts and fights between tribes.
[3] There are two types of Sword-Dancers. One is Sword-Dancer, used for the dancers in the South, The other is Sword-Singer used for dancers in the North.
[4] The Punja is the name for the desert on the Southern continent.
[5] Bascha is another name for a northern Sword-Dancer, which was Tiger’s affectionate name for Delilah [Del].
[6] The Stud was Tiger’s old mount before he died. Eventually the horse fell into [my character’s] the boy’s hands.
[7] A Burnous [Burnoose] is a hooded cloak worn by the Southerners to keep their skin from being sun burned. Most often it reaches down to their ankles, but shorter versions are seen from time to time mostly among Tanzeneers or leaders of the nomadic tribes.
[8] A dhoti is no more than a simple one piece loin cloth also worn by Southerners. They fit tightly about the waist but are left loose and baggy from thereon down, normally reaching down to the ankles. They are commonly seen on Sword-Dancers who can fight in them comfortably.
[9] Skandi is a small island from the remains of a larger island. Within the caldera are two tiny cinder cone volcanoes. There is Skandi, Skandi the City [commonly called The City [and there are no other cities on the isle]] and Ankitra, house of the last remaining Sessta household.
IF you WANT/NEED more info, PM me please ^_^))
))The South [1] was a harsh place to be born, a harsh place to live, and an un-forgiving place overall. Between the beaches and the mountains there was nothing but Desert. Wind swept dunes punctuated by a small oasis here and there. It had been the Sandtiger [2] who had begun the process of turning the sand to grass. Nestled within a canyon within the lower ranges of the mountains was a village, with plentiful water and lush slopes of green grass and of all things small trees bearing fruit. The people of this village had taken the Sandtiger’s words and created a paradise within the south. Water had been dredged up from a well and allowed to travel down the canyon to the village and over the years the greenery had sprouted and the village thrived. This was only the goal for the young Sword-Dancer [3] out upon the Desert.
The Punja [4], the great desert of the South, this barren place around him was the only thing he could see before him. With the broad dark blue ocean at his back he had nowhere else to go. His short sandy blonde hair was ruffled by the wind and his sharp brown eyes studied the sands. He could feel the heat of the sands beneath his sandals and the heat of the sun beating down on his back. The weight of his water skins and Jivatma strapped to his back was enough to remind him what he was here for. He was no older than eighteen, young yes, but getting older.
It had been at this age that the most legendary Sword-Dancer, the Sandtiger had begun his sword-dance training at Alimat within the sands of the Punja. The Sandtiger had won his freedom from slavery at the hands of the Salset, a nomadic tribe that moved from oasis to oasis. He had slain a Sand tiger of the desert sands and thus earned his name and his freedom. The Sandtiger had eventually repudiated his honor for the sake of Delilah, his beloved and fellow sword-singer from the North. Bascha [5], as Del had been called by Tiger, had loved him until the end of his days and then she had taken up his work at the rebuilt Alimat, to teach sword-dancing. Alimat was only one of the stops on this young man’s way to freedom and honor.
He patted the stallion that stood beside him. The old horse had seen many days in this desert, his name? Simply the Stud [6]. The Stud wasn’t as fierce and spirited as he had been in his younger years. The young boy patted the stallion again and took the reins to the bit-less bridle and started off into the distant horizon. The stud followed behind the boy, plodding along without much protest.
After an hour of walking with no shade in sight the boy paused and pulled his Crimson dyed leather burnous [7] off of the stud’s back and slid into it, pulling the hood up over his head and wrapping it around himself. Besides the burnous, he wore a soft, sleeveless linen tunic that reached down to the middle of his upper leg and leather dhoti [8] that fell down around his ankles and of course his sandals. He un-slung one of his water skins and unstopered [is it even a word?] it to take a drink.
Several days later I stopped to rest in the shade of an out cropping of rock. It was mid day and it had been a week since the stud and I had last seen an oasis. It had been a good thing I had stopped to fill my water skins or I would have died a few days ago. As it were I could go a few more days before I was forced to have to stop again and find water. I had seen few people and even they were better equipped for handling the desert than I. The smaller nomadic groups I had encountered had given me little in the way of help, a water skin and a small hand out of any leftover food was all that was given and I was sent on my way. I was ready for giving up and just returning to the sea where I knew there was a boat waiting for me, to take me back to Skandi [9] and my mother and sister who waited there for their freedom.
(( [1] The southern continent is primarily desert and mountains. The Northern continent is across the ocean and has a more temperate climate. [ I'LL ADD A MAP EVENTUALLY ]
[2] The Sandtiger – Left in the desert to die as a babe Tiger was picked up by the Salset and raised for manual labor for the tribe. He won his freedom by slaying a Sand Tiger that had been killing the tribe’s children and therefore won his freedom. He was sent off and later trained to be a top level Sword-Dancer, dancing to settle debts and fights between tribes.
[3] There are two types of Sword-Dancers. One is Sword-Dancer, used for the dancers in the South, The other is Sword-Singer used for dancers in the North.
[4] The Punja is the name for the desert on the Southern continent.
[5] Bascha is another name for a northern Sword-Dancer, which was Tiger’s affectionate name for Delilah [Del].
[6] The Stud was Tiger’s old mount before he died. Eventually the horse fell into [my character’s] the boy’s hands.
[7] A Burnous [Burnoose] is a hooded cloak worn by the Southerners to keep their skin from being sun burned. Most often it reaches down to their ankles, but shorter versions are seen from time to time mostly among Tanzeneers or leaders of the nomadic tribes.
[8] A dhoti is no more than a simple one piece loin cloth also worn by Southerners. They fit tightly about the waist but are left loose and baggy from thereon down, normally reaching down to the ankles. They are commonly seen on Sword-Dancers who can fight in them comfortably.
[9] Skandi is a small island from the remains of a larger island. Within the caldera are two tiny cinder cone volcanoes. There is Skandi, Skandi the City [commonly called The City [and there are no other cities on the isle]] and Ankitra, house of the last remaining Sessta household.
IF you WANT/NEED more info, PM me please ^_^))