Post by Pround Canadian on Jul 8, 2009 22:17:07 GMT -5
Note:
Hello!
I finally settled down to write one of my rare stories. I have been toying with the original idea for a while (about a few months) and it is only recently that I have decided to sit down and write this. I have no idea where this will go, but in my head, I am seriously going to give it a shot and strive as much as possible to get as much as possible done.
Having made little to no writing on these boards (which seem to be focused on RP and well... writing) or anywhere else (except for the occasional school project), I would like you to take note that my writing might be inferior to the average found by writers here and that my first language is french. Your constructive criticism and comments are welcomed and would actually encourage me to continue this.
With that in mind, on with the show!
Prologue
Posted all around the Empire are the following adverts:
“Requesting all able-bodied men and women of the empire,
The empire has finally sponsored a new expedition to the eastern seas aboard the newly built boat, The Colossus! This boat, built by the finest craftsman the empire could offer, is considered a juggernaut in the world of maritime exploration! Capable of withstanding any storm and protected by our best soldiers in case of attacks, the Colossus shall succeed where many has failed!
Fortunately, we require more brave and capable souls to lend their strength to the expedition! Many jobs are still available aboard, ranging from on-board cook to deckhand! This is a perfect place to prove yourself! Incredible salary!
Please contact Cpt. Whitemane aboard the Colossus, on dock 34 of the Ashpoint Dockyards, available during daytime hours from Monday to Friday. Please bring any documents that might help you prove any experience in the field you wish to apply in.
Chapter 1
Kisan made his way down the Ashpoint dockyards. The streets were crowded and many people were hurrying left and right. Most of them were workers, loading and unloading the many boats. Close proximity to all these strangers and the engulfing rays of the afternoon sun made him feel uncomfortable. The air was dry and suffocating. So he tried to step back to the shadows and try to find another passage to his destination. He made his way across a dozen more men before finding an opening leading to an empty alley.
Once into the cool shade, he stopped to take a breath of fresh air. He calmly walked down the alley, which turned left, right and went upwards, following a steep staircase. Eventually, it led him to a small terrace. The terrace overlooked the most part of the massive Ashpoint dockyard, which served as the Empire’s principal point of operation for its military and economic operations.
The Empire consists of two major continents. Up north rests the continent of Dart’Stran, home of the native Goblins, Harpies and Dormachians, a race of bear-men. The Human Empire was, after much warring, able to establish an outpost on the southern shore and negotiate a truce with the surrounding civilization.
To the south-east lays the Cairnovian continent, occupied entirely by the Human Empire, which is divided into 15 provinces. The Emperor rules over his people from the capital of Idac, located on the south-western part of the island. Meanwhile, Ashpoint, located on the eastern shore, serves as the Empire’s biggest economic capitol.
Kisan sighed in relief, finally enjoying a moment’s calm. The ship below him was bustling with the most activity. The gargantuan vessel, aptly named Colossus, was being readied for the long expedition to come. The entrance to the boat was guarded by a pair of soldiers, both of them clad in plate armour covering their whole body from head to toe. The plate was made of shining steel with the crest of The Empire – a lion on his rear legs roaring fiercely and an eagle taking flight standing back-to-back – engraved on the soldier’s left shoulder guard. The guardsman wore an extra layer of chainmail under the plate, to protect any bare spots left between the plates. To protect the head, the soldiers wore a matching full-face helmet with a visor to allow seeing. The helmet was round and behind it was, like traditional knights, a long red mane, made of feather, which went from the top of the head to the bottom of the neck. Both men wielded a sword and a shield. The sword seemed thick and heavy while the shields were, for their part, massive. Each individual shield carried the soldier’s family crest. To complete the set, each soldier wore a long red cape, which flayed wildly in the wind.
“Poor them,” thought Kisan. “Having to spend a warm day like this under that much armour...”
Entering and leaving the boat were more of these soldiers, sometimes coming alone or in troops of ten led by a captain shouting orders. Many dockhands were loading the huge ship with all sorts of supplies, from weapons to food. The Colossus seemed to be preparing itself for a long military expedition. Following the newfound prosperity in the Cairnovian Empire, the Emperor ordered the construction of the finest vessel ever built in order to chart the eastern seas, left to this day unexplored. None of the many expeditions to these waters were successful, with most of its participants mysteriously gone with only the floating wreckage of the ships left behind.
During the recent months, many posters were left throughout the The Empire, offering jobs aboard the Colossus, ranging from cook to deckhand. Even if the myths attached to the Eastern Sea were plenty, the money gained from these jobs was undreamt of and the Empire promised safety aboard The Colossus, which should be resistant to any storm and protected by The Empire’s finest. These two incentives were enough to convince people to forget the many stories and give it one more shot.
Kisan smiled as he observed the ship. In his early twenties, he was lucky enough to get the job of dish washer, paying well over 20 gold pieces per week, which was well over the usual fortune he had while helping his family with the farm.
He looked once again at the beautiful view of the dockyards. He wouldn’t be seeing it again for some while. He painfully turned away, making sure to memorize every single precious detail concerning his beautiful city, pinnacle of trade in The Empire. He made his way across the main road, being bumped and shoved by the constantly moving crowd. As he stepped out into the dock he looked back.
“At least...” he thought. “Judging by the size of this boat and its crew, I won’t be alone during the year and a half The Empire set forth for the trip.”
He didn’t know if he should take that as a good thing or not.
He turned to face the vessel once again, the pair of guards peering at him from the entrance. He stepped forward and pulled out a signed authorization he had gotten earlier indicating his status in the crew. The guards grunted in approval.
“Euhm... Hot under there?” Kisan asked, trying to add his personal touch of comedy in their situation.
The guards didn’t say anything and met Kisan’s half-smile with a cold stare – or so it seemed, for none of their features were visible underneath the helmet. Kisan blushed, apologized and walked away. His attempt to make friends on his first day failed so far.
He turned his back to the duo and placed his first step on The Colossus.
The size of the ship was breath-taking. It had four masts, each equiped with a near-identical sail. The fabric – majestically caught in the wind – was pure white. On each was sown the crest of the Empire. The vessel proudly displayed the pinnacle of the Empire’s finest craftsmanship. On both sides was engraved the ship’s name in imperial golden letters while the wood was made out of oak and carved perfectly to make the massive hull. The borders and the railing were painted light blue.
The deck of the ship was full of workers, loading crates of food and supplies. Kisan tried to spot Captain Richard Whitemane- the man who was in charge of everything here- amidst the crowd. Finally, he spotted a table on the stern. Maps and charts were scattered across its surface. A group of five men were assembled around it, discussing matters which Kisan could not hear over the ruckus caused by the activity around the boat. He recognized one of them as Captain Richard, who he gave his application to, a few days earlier.
He approached the group and took out his signed application for display. Richard Whitemane turned his head towards him, his long grizzled silvery hair flaying wildly in the wind which recently took force.
“Who may you be?” He barked in a raspy voice.
“Kisan Tearnor, kitchen hand,” answered Kisan, faltering slightly.
“Let me see that,” demanded the captain, taking the slip from
Kisan. He examined it thoroughly before nodding.
“Welcome aboard... Kisan Tearnor. Tell the boy where his lodgings are.”
Following his orders, another man standing next to Whitemane took a scroll from the table and began looking through it, repeating Kisan’s name to himself all along. Finally, he found what he wanted and assigned the new kitchen hand to room 40.
Kisan nodded, and made his way down below to his new room.
After lots of searching and getting lost in this new environment, Kisan finally found room 40. He pulled out a key he had received from Whiteman earlier and unlocked the door. As he stepped inside, he was surprised to find no one. Two pairs on bunk beds were arranged on the northern and southern walls. The door occupied the eastern wall and a simple wardrobe to store clothing and personal possessions rested near the western wall. For lighting, a simple oil lamp was set on top of the wardrobe, which was empty. The rest of the room was empty, it decoration left to the creativity of its occupants.
Kisan wondered if he would have to share the room with other people, which seemed to be the case due to the four beds. It was unclear who exactly would be his roommates. He assumed they would show up eventually – the expedition was due to start in three days, leaving plenty of time for more people to arrive.
Kisan sat on the upper bed of the first bunk, observing the room. This is where he will spend most of his days on The Colossus.
Here and the kitchen.
He was unsure if he was going to enjoy the trip. He went mostly for the money, which he was in dire need of. His poor clothing reflected that. A dark thought crept into his mind.
“What if anything goes wrong?” He asked himself.
The thought was natural. They were attempting the impossible and defying the unknown. He tried to push the question away from his thoughts, but it always came back. Eventually, he decided to go change his ideas and take one last look at the splendour of Ashpoint and his native land.
Hello!
I finally settled down to write one of my rare stories. I have been toying with the original idea for a while (about a few months) and it is only recently that I have decided to sit down and write this. I have no idea where this will go, but in my head, I am seriously going to give it a shot and strive as much as possible to get as much as possible done.
Having made little to no writing on these boards (which seem to be focused on RP and well... writing) or anywhere else (except for the occasional school project), I would like you to take note that my writing might be inferior to the average found by writers here and that my first language is french. Your constructive criticism and comments are welcomed and would actually encourage me to continue this.
With that in mind, on with the show!
Prologue
Posted all around the Empire are the following adverts:
“Requesting all able-bodied men and women of the empire,
The empire has finally sponsored a new expedition to the eastern seas aboard the newly built boat, The Colossus! This boat, built by the finest craftsman the empire could offer, is considered a juggernaut in the world of maritime exploration! Capable of withstanding any storm and protected by our best soldiers in case of attacks, the Colossus shall succeed where many has failed!
Fortunately, we require more brave and capable souls to lend their strength to the expedition! Many jobs are still available aboard, ranging from on-board cook to deckhand! This is a perfect place to prove yourself! Incredible salary!
Please contact Cpt. Whitemane aboard the Colossus, on dock 34 of the Ashpoint Dockyards, available during daytime hours from Monday to Friday. Please bring any documents that might help you prove any experience in the field you wish to apply in.
Captain Richard Whitemane
Chapter 1
Kisan made his way down the Ashpoint dockyards. The streets were crowded and many people were hurrying left and right. Most of them were workers, loading and unloading the many boats. Close proximity to all these strangers and the engulfing rays of the afternoon sun made him feel uncomfortable. The air was dry and suffocating. So he tried to step back to the shadows and try to find another passage to his destination. He made his way across a dozen more men before finding an opening leading to an empty alley.
Once into the cool shade, he stopped to take a breath of fresh air. He calmly walked down the alley, which turned left, right and went upwards, following a steep staircase. Eventually, it led him to a small terrace. The terrace overlooked the most part of the massive Ashpoint dockyard, which served as the Empire’s principal point of operation for its military and economic operations.
The Empire consists of two major continents. Up north rests the continent of Dart’Stran, home of the native Goblins, Harpies and Dormachians, a race of bear-men. The Human Empire was, after much warring, able to establish an outpost on the southern shore and negotiate a truce with the surrounding civilization.
To the south-east lays the Cairnovian continent, occupied entirely by the Human Empire, which is divided into 15 provinces. The Emperor rules over his people from the capital of Idac, located on the south-western part of the island. Meanwhile, Ashpoint, located on the eastern shore, serves as the Empire’s biggest economic capitol.
Kisan sighed in relief, finally enjoying a moment’s calm. The ship below him was bustling with the most activity. The gargantuan vessel, aptly named Colossus, was being readied for the long expedition to come. The entrance to the boat was guarded by a pair of soldiers, both of them clad in plate armour covering their whole body from head to toe. The plate was made of shining steel with the crest of The Empire – a lion on his rear legs roaring fiercely and an eagle taking flight standing back-to-back – engraved on the soldier’s left shoulder guard. The guardsman wore an extra layer of chainmail under the plate, to protect any bare spots left between the plates. To protect the head, the soldiers wore a matching full-face helmet with a visor to allow seeing. The helmet was round and behind it was, like traditional knights, a long red mane, made of feather, which went from the top of the head to the bottom of the neck. Both men wielded a sword and a shield. The sword seemed thick and heavy while the shields were, for their part, massive. Each individual shield carried the soldier’s family crest. To complete the set, each soldier wore a long red cape, which flayed wildly in the wind.
“Poor them,” thought Kisan. “Having to spend a warm day like this under that much armour...”
Entering and leaving the boat were more of these soldiers, sometimes coming alone or in troops of ten led by a captain shouting orders. Many dockhands were loading the huge ship with all sorts of supplies, from weapons to food. The Colossus seemed to be preparing itself for a long military expedition. Following the newfound prosperity in the Cairnovian Empire, the Emperor ordered the construction of the finest vessel ever built in order to chart the eastern seas, left to this day unexplored. None of the many expeditions to these waters were successful, with most of its participants mysteriously gone with only the floating wreckage of the ships left behind.
During the recent months, many posters were left throughout the The Empire, offering jobs aboard the Colossus, ranging from cook to deckhand. Even if the myths attached to the Eastern Sea were plenty, the money gained from these jobs was undreamt of and the Empire promised safety aboard The Colossus, which should be resistant to any storm and protected by The Empire’s finest. These two incentives were enough to convince people to forget the many stories and give it one more shot.
Kisan smiled as he observed the ship. In his early twenties, he was lucky enough to get the job of dish washer, paying well over 20 gold pieces per week, which was well over the usual fortune he had while helping his family with the farm.
He looked once again at the beautiful view of the dockyards. He wouldn’t be seeing it again for some while. He painfully turned away, making sure to memorize every single precious detail concerning his beautiful city, pinnacle of trade in The Empire. He made his way across the main road, being bumped and shoved by the constantly moving crowd. As he stepped out into the dock he looked back.
“At least...” he thought. “Judging by the size of this boat and its crew, I won’t be alone during the year and a half The Empire set forth for the trip.”
He didn’t know if he should take that as a good thing or not.
He turned to face the vessel once again, the pair of guards peering at him from the entrance. He stepped forward and pulled out a signed authorization he had gotten earlier indicating his status in the crew. The guards grunted in approval.
“Euhm... Hot under there?” Kisan asked, trying to add his personal touch of comedy in their situation.
The guards didn’t say anything and met Kisan’s half-smile with a cold stare – or so it seemed, for none of their features were visible underneath the helmet. Kisan blushed, apologized and walked away. His attempt to make friends on his first day failed so far.
He turned his back to the duo and placed his first step on The Colossus.
The size of the ship was breath-taking. It had four masts, each equiped with a near-identical sail. The fabric – majestically caught in the wind – was pure white. On each was sown the crest of the Empire. The vessel proudly displayed the pinnacle of the Empire’s finest craftsmanship. On both sides was engraved the ship’s name in imperial golden letters while the wood was made out of oak and carved perfectly to make the massive hull. The borders and the railing were painted light blue.
The deck of the ship was full of workers, loading crates of food and supplies. Kisan tried to spot Captain Richard Whitemane- the man who was in charge of everything here- amidst the crowd. Finally, he spotted a table on the stern. Maps and charts were scattered across its surface. A group of five men were assembled around it, discussing matters which Kisan could not hear over the ruckus caused by the activity around the boat. He recognized one of them as Captain Richard, who he gave his application to, a few days earlier.
He approached the group and took out his signed application for display. Richard Whitemane turned his head towards him, his long grizzled silvery hair flaying wildly in the wind which recently took force.
“Who may you be?” He barked in a raspy voice.
“Kisan Tearnor, kitchen hand,” answered Kisan, faltering slightly.
“Let me see that,” demanded the captain, taking the slip from
Kisan. He examined it thoroughly before nodding.
“Welcome aboard... Kisan Tearnor. Tell the boy where his lodgings are.”
Following his orders, another man standing next to Whitemane took a scroll from the table and began looking through it, repeating Kisan’s name to himself all along. Finally, he found what he wanted and assigned the new kitchen hand to room 40.
Kisan nodded, and made his way down below to his new room.
After lots of searching and getting lost in this new environment, Kisan finally found room 40. He pulled out a key he had received from Whiteman earlier and unlocked the door. As he stepped inside, he was surprised to find no one. Two pairs on bunk beds were arranged on the northern and southern walls. The door occupied the eastern wall and a simple wardrobe to store clothing and personal possessions rested near the western wall. For lighting, a simple oil lamp was set on top of the wardrobe, which was empty. The rest of the room was empty, it decoration left to the creativity of its occupants.
Kisan wondered if he would have to share the room with other people, which seemed to be the case due to the four beds. It was unclear who exactly would be his roommates. He assumed they would show up eventually – the expedition was due to start in three days, leaving plenty of time for more people to arrive.
Kisan sat on the upper bed of the first bunk, observing the room. This is where he will spend most of his days on The Colossus.
Here and the kitchen.
He was unsure if he was going to enjoy the trip. He went mostly for the money, which he was in dire need of. His poor clothing reflected that. A dark thought crept into his mind.
“What if anything goes wrong?” He asked himself.
The thought was natural. They were attempting the impossible and defying the unknown. He tried to push the question away from his thoughts, but it always came back. Eventually, he decided to go change his ideas and take one last look at the splendour of Ashpoint and his native land.
