Vedran Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 Species: humans Long ago in Canada, there was a large tribe, the name of which has been forgotten for ages. It was composed of two peoples, one large and one small. The large people dominated the small people (who were the size of normal humans) for many years. They forced them to build tools, construct buildings, serve as skirmishers in combat against smaller tribes, and generally do stuff nobody wanted to do. At first the small people resisted. They did not like being abused, forced to work. There were many bloody uprisings, but all were put down eventually. The small people continued to work and the large people continued to enjoy the fruits of their labors. After all, they were more numerous and they were stronger. If famine came, the large people would simply use the small people for food. Eventually the small people grew to accept their bondage, many becoming just as evil as their masters. They began to slowly form their own tribal government, separate from the one the large people forced upon them. It started as charismatic figures telling stories in the slave huts in the dead of night, when their masters were out celebrating. Religious stories, differing slightly from those the large people's shamans told. They kept this a secret, and anyone suspected of betraying it was framed for a crime and fed to the large people. After many generations, the stories became radically different than the large people's stories. It painted the small people as equals to the large people, that some sort of pact was made eons ago forcing the small people into servitude, and that the length of time the pact said they were to be in servitude was almost over. For now the large people had grown accustomed to the small people's presence. They saw no threat. They let the small people breed, and the small people's numbers were now twice their masters'. The small people's tribal leaders and shaman leaders organized and finally revealed their well-kept secret. They started a revolution which lasted for many years. Both sides were nearly destroyed in the conflict until their leaders met in desperation and agreed to a cessation of hostilities, for if the war was allowed to continue it would consume both tribes. An exchange was made and both men walked away. The agreement did not settle their disputes, however. While the main war was over, skirmishes occurred for years afterward. The two tribes, Dogoro (for the large people) and Garura (for the small people) separated and tried to restore their people. The Dogoro stayed in their homeland while the Garura moved west into Alberta. The Garura maintained their violent and cannibalistic ways, subjugating many tribes during their migration, careful not to keep them in the same servitude as they were kept in, for it would end eventually, much as theirs did. Instead they tried assimilation, letting the other tribes of many tongues and colors into their own, provided they change their ways. They sent out workers to clear forests and build wooden structures to house their people. War parties were sent to nearby villages that contained a very strange people. Their homes were the same kind of huts as the Garura's own, but they carried strange thunder weapons able to pierce the armor of the Garura with invisible projectiles. These people were very few, however, obviously remnants of whatever tribe they were a part of, or maybe a demonic war party. They were quickly subjugated although at the cost of many Garuran lives. Instead of assimilating this culture or destroying them, the leader at that time recognized the value of their technology and struck a deal with the leader of the strange tribe. The meeting was very awkward and took a long time due to the language barrier. They often had to resort to drawings. In exchange for letting the strange people survive, the Garura leader demanded the secret of the other tribe's technology. The other man accepted and within a few generations, the Garura had made many more of the weapons (although crude) and adopted the strange tribe's language, which was called English. They also adapted many elements of their culture, including names. Most warriors in the tribe now carried what were called muskets. They malfunctioned often, resulting in injury to the user, but the shamans explained this away as consequences for sins they had committed, or if the soldier was valuable, as a test from the gods. Years later, they had found members of an even more advanced tribe. This one numbered only two, and was housed in a small cave in the forest. They were hostile. One of them carried a strange weapon (a WW1-era rifle). This was immediately brought to their leader, or "Grand Chief" as he styled himself. But more interesting was the strange device on a table in the cave with many buttons and dials, which they moved to the capital, named after their tribe. They turned the knobs and dials and pressed the buttons and muttered to each other but nothing happened until after about an hour when a voice came from the device. The Garura did not know what to do, so they summoned their leader and their greatest shamans and secured the building. The leader and shamans were not stupid, they simply did not understand how to operate the device. After a few minutes of experimentation, they were able to speak into the radio. "I am the Great Chief Neville Chamberlain, chief of all the tribes under Garura. I stand here in my great lodge with my wisest shamans. I have heard voices from the heavens, and I demand an audience with them!" he said in a booming voice. There was silence in the room for some time. Finally one of the shamans held down the SPEAK button and gestured to the Great Chief. The message was repeated, and they all backed away from the radio, awaiting a response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maelstrom Vortex Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 ooc: Sanctioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtleknifewielder Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 (edited) When the Mando'ade managed to translate this message (English, while not a commonly spoken languge, was a well-documented one), they were a bit confused. Voices from the heavens? "Uh, to whom are we speaking, again?" one radio operator finally asked, tentatively... Edited February 14, 2009 by Subtleknifewielder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 "I am the Great Chief Neville Chamberlain," said the large dark-skinned man, his tattooed face wrinkling as he furrowed his brow in confusion. Perhaps the voices were not from the heavens. How else could they not know? They must be from a distant land. "My warriors found a strange metal device in a cave, and after dispatching the demonic warriors that guarded it, brought it to me. I am the leader of my people. Who are you?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maelstrom Vortex Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 (edited) Another voice popped up on the band, the language was again broken down by linguists and eventually one of them replied. "Triangulations indicate you are in our hemisphere. Please identify yourselves. We are the Storm Dragon Empire. We are peaceful. The dimensions of our domain will shortly follow this message...." The dimensions for the state of Kentucky and Illinois were given. Edited February 15, 2009 by Maelstrom Vortex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Dragons? The shamans looked at each other with worried looks in their eyes. They would have to be careful about how they handled this. If word got out about contact with dragons, they would have to rewrite some of their holy works. They had never anticipated the possibility of living, breathing dragons. And they would have to make sure the chief understood the delicacy of the situation, or all would be lost. For he was only the strongest of all the warriors. The shamans were the real rulers. They controlled the minds of the people, and if the chief was not cooperative with them, they would have to find one that was. Chamberlain spoke again. "We are the Garura, many tribes under one name. Five hundred thousands of my people make their home in this place. How can you be speaking to us if dragons are gone from this world?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maelstrom Vortex Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Dragons? The shamans looked at each other with worried looks in their eyes. They would have to be careful about how they handled this. If word got out about contact with dragons, they would have to rewrite some of their holy works. They had never anticipated the possibility of living, breathing dragons. And they would have to make sure the chief understood the delicacy of the situation, or all would be lost. For he was only the strongest of all the warriors. The shamans were the real rulers. They controlled the minds of the people, and if the chief was not cooperative with them, they would have to find one that was.Chamberlain spoke again. "We are the Garura, many tribes under one name. Five hundred thousands of my people make their home in this place. How can you be speaking to us if dragons are gone from this world?" "We were not gone. We were hidden in our mountain homes. Secreted away from all of time's intrusions. We came out to eat and kept intruders out. Only of late, we have sought to grow our people into a nation as others have done before us. We take their example.. and with tools we will build our society. We are not the huge beasts of legend that you are likely accustomed to. We evolved naturally. We are approximately 9 feet tall in build, have quidpartite jaws, frog-like feet, armored legs and skeletons, necessarily massive muscle and wing structures. OUr wings are also feathered, not scaled. We also spit poison versus fire. It is a pleasure to meet you organized tribes of Garura. It is good to know we are not alone in North America with only hostile human tribes. Ones to the east of us. They call themselves the Rebel Virginians. They seem intent on killing us. Will there be peace between our peoples?" The translator/radioman inquired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Chamberlain was about to reply, but was interrupted by one of his shamans. He turned to hear the man. "Great Chief, we must not be hasty," he said. "We still know not which land they come from, or if their intentions are truly peaceful. Even with our thunder weapons, or yours," he gestured to the rifle the chief possessed, "we would not survive a war with their tribe." "What do I do?" asked the chief. "Speak with them," said another shaman. "Seek from them knowledge. For while the gods have told us much and given us many bounties, much of the world is still obscure to us. See what they will tell you." He then added, "But these dragons may deceive, so take nothing to be the truth until we have consulted the gods." Just in case the dragon said anything inconvenient for the chief to know. The chief nodded. He reached for the SPEAK button again. "There will be peace between our tribes, dragon, so long as you do not offend us or the gods. We would know more about this world from you, and of the other tribes you have encountered. Then I will share with you the history of my people..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maelstrom Vortex Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 The Dragons pretty much would talk about the Rebel Virginians being saber rattling humanoids on the east coast, about Wampire in Austrlaia, the werewolves in Spain... and many of the other groups they've encountered, then they'd ask, "We'd like to know more about your gods and your customs. We would not have any desire to offend you, your people, or your gods. Could you tell us of your culture?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 After consulting with the shamans, the chief told the dragons of the Garura's history. His story began, explaining in vague terms the mythical pact that was made between the gods and the large people from the east, where the sun rose. He told of their servitude and how his people waited for the day they would be free and would be allowed to found their own tribe. When the time came to release the Garura from their bondage, he explained, the large people's leader would have none of it. Chamberlain believed that the large people had become corrupted by demons over time, and this was why they refused to honor their pact with the gods. He told of the great war, how the tribes fought with the aid of divine forces, and eventually the large people, cleansed of their demonic taint, agreed to honor the pact and allowed the Garura to form their own tribe. He described the geography of his domain, the climate and the various tribes they had assimilated. He refused to comment on any other technology they acquired (including the muskets) and when asked about how they got the radio, he would only say that they took it from demonic warriors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vasili Markov Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 A communications operator while doing the routine scan of open frequencies came upon these transmissions and recorded them. The message was immediately taken to the language scientists to translate and they managed to work out the basics of this language, it lacked the subtlety of their own language and it seemed to have everything in the verbal components. They presented the translated message to their leader Markov and he read it. "This is indeed a most interesting tale, These seem to be just the sort of people we are looking for in the northern reaches of the world. You must teach me this language so that I can speak to them. But first translate you will translate a message I have for them so that I can reply to them. " Vasili said while looking out the window of his office into the garden of his house where the children were playing. He turned and took out his writing brush and wrote a short message of greetings and handed it to the scientist that delivered the meeting. "here is my reply" he said "and have one of your people come here and start to teach me this language as soon as you can" with that reply he turned around and went to sit on the bench outside the house and think. ________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________ Later: Another voice came over the radio "Greetings Chief Chamberlain, I greet you as one chief to another. I am Vasili Markov leader of the Federated tribes of Olympia, We have heard your story and it sounds similar to our own, But our story happened in the before time and is only the stuff of legend now. We are impressed with your story and I wish to visit you. May we visit your lands so that we can talk and hunt together? I am sure our tribes have much in common and we will work well together" A second voice came on and began to recite the legend of the before time when the Olympians fought as soldier/slaves for the ones who came before. And how the Olympians rebelled and destroyed the the old ones in a catastrophic war that levelled cities and poisoned the land with a light that burns like the sun and kills for years after it is gone. The tale went on to describe how the Olympians reverted to a tribal existence and why they live as they do now. The second voice then said "Now that you know our legends, we will tell you of our recent history". She described the finding of an intact shelter from the before time and how a tribe lead by Vasili Markov learned how to copy the technology in the shelter to improve the status of their tribe so that they were the leaders of the Olympian people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtleknifewielder Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "I am the Great Chief Neville Chamberlain," said the large dark-skinned man, his tattooed face wrinkling as he furrowed his brow in confusion. Perhaps the voices were not from the heavens. How else could they not know? They must be from a distant land."My warriors found a strange metal device in a cave, and after dispatching the demonic warriors that guarded it, brought it to me. I am the leader of my people. Who are you?" "We are the Mando'ade," the radio operator said. "I am but a lowly servant of our great nation." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff744 Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 A tribe member was walking through a room filled with strange objects the Dogoro had encountered in their raids on other tribes, all the objects in the room were filled with mystery, they had discovered the secrets of some items that had been placed in the room long ago including strange metal objects that had the ability to shoot a piece a metal faster than the eye (a technology they had learned how to copy after some 'encouragement' of a prisoner who turned happened to have designed it). As the member was about to leave the room he heard a voice come from a metal box that they had recently taken from a group of people, the tribesman though somebody had called him at first since the language was the same but soon realized the voice had come from the metal box, he called for the chief. Chief Tommy Douglas entered the room "what is it" "Chief, voices are coming from the metal box" The chief looked at the strange box "I hear nothing" "perhaps they will come again" The people waited and soon sure enough voices began to play again, they heard stories of dragons, and foreign empires, soon a large crowd had gathered and the people began to talk of finding these strange places and of conquest. Eventually the voices went away and the chief called for the fastest messenger they had. "Call for a meeting with the Garura, tell them it is important" The chief then called for the best scouts "you are to explore until the next winter and then return, if you come across more of these metal boxes you are to learn how to use it and then take it, now go" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 Reply to the Olympians: "It will be some time before I hunt again, but I will accept you and your warriors in my home at that time, Chief Markov. The times ahead I feel will be trying for our tribes. It will be good to have friends." "And you, the Mando'ade, I want to know of your people." After he had heard the story of the Mando'ade, Chamberlain was interrupted by a Garura messenger who burst into the room. "Why do you disturb me in my great lodge, little one?" he said to the young man, who immediately knelt and pleaded with his chief. "I sorry, Great Chief, but I have a message from the Dogoro! It is important!" Chamberlain approached the messenger, wrapped his hand around the man's neck and raised him to eye level. "Speak!" The messenger managed to choke out that a Dogoro messenger was waiting for him in the throne room. "Somebody sent a messenger to tell me a messenger is coming?!" exclaimed Chamberlain. "Stupid! Stupid!" shouted Chamberlain as the man fought to maintain his consciousness. Chamberlain dropped him to the floor and went to his great hall, where the Dogoro messenger was waiting for him. "Yes?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff744 Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "sir, my chief wishes to call a meeting between our tribes, he insists that it is important, it has something to do with a speaking metal box" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "My warriors found one of these boxes not long ago." Chamberlain called to one of the plentiful slave-messengers. "Summon my shaman, Arthur Conan Doyle." The messenger ran off, and Chamberlain turned back to the Dogoro man. "I will go to your meeting with my shaman. I will get some horses and you can lead me there." Shortly, the elderly Shaman Doyle arrived, escorted by some Garura warriors. They would look pretty ridiculous to an outsider, with their face paint and muskets. "I am ready, messenger," said the chief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff744 Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "very well, if we hurry it will be a short ride" *enter time skip* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 The Garura followed the messenger. All in all, there were ten of them: the messenger, Great Chief Chamberlain, Shaman Doyle, and seven Garura warriors on horseback. "Are we there yet?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff744 Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 The messenger looked back at the Garura chief and smiled as he rose over a hill, he looked at the city the Dogoro had built "now we are, they should have already noticed us and somebody will come any time now" Several men on horseback rode up to the messenger, they smiled when they look at the small Garura, their size was the butt of many Dogoro jokes and insults. One of the new men finally spoke "come, we will take you to the chief". *small time skip* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 The Great Chief Neville Chamberlain was bigger and stronger than most Garura. He had to be to attain his post. But even he was dwarfed by these Dogoro. They were such large people. He kept his rifle close as the messenger led them to the city until they finally reached the meeting place, where the Dogoro chief Tommy Douglas waited. "Hello, Chief Douglas. I heard you have something important to say." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff744 Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "yes, we have heard the words that came from that metal box, we heard of empires in places we never knew existed, it has excited the blood of my people as we have not seen a real war since the one between our own tribes ended" The chief look at the metal box "we have sent scouts to find these empires so that we may blood our soldiers in a real war, I am proposing something like an alliance between our tribes so that we may bring new treasures back to our homelands as well as taste the new meat we will discover" The chief looked at the metal box again "I also understand you seem to know how to work this box from which words come, perhaps you would show us" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "Then you have heard of them too. I too want to lead my people to battle against these tribes, but I fear some of them would destroy us. Imagine, dragons! An alliance between our people may be the only thing to keep us alive. I will teach you how to use the box." Chamberlain signalled the shaman to come forward. He stepped towards the radio and instructed the Dogoro how to operate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff744 Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "Then you have heard of them too. I too want to lead my people to battle against these tribes, but I fear some of them would destroy us. Imagine, dragons! An alliance between our people may be the only thing to keep us alive. I will teach you how to use the box."Chamberlain signalled the shaman to come forward. He stepped towards the radio and instructed the Dogoro how to operate it. "That is true, at least until we know how to make them fall from the sky, then they will be ours" The chief watched as the shaman showed how to use the metal box "Such a strange object, the people who created this must have been very advanced" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vasili Markov Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 A small float plane landed in a nearby lake and three rangers climbed out and got into an inflatable raft, The were wearing ranger uniforms. They loaded a large stone covered in intricate writing onto the raft and rowed to the shore and lugged the stone to the village where the radio waves had come from. The stone was a copy of the great keystone found at the dig site and contained enough of the ancient languages so that a person could translate the writings on some of the old artefacts in Olympia and Chief Markov though that a copy of it might be of use here. When they got to the outskirts of the village the stopped near a field and put the stone down. One of the rangers went into a field were someone was working and slowly and deliberately said this. "Excuse me, I am from the Olympian tribal federation and we have a gift for Chief Chamberlain From Chief Markov" OOC & Secondary Canon note: The language of the ancients is English for the sake of simplicity and as an adventure hook to give us a common language. Similar stones can be found all over the place, they are quite common. I am halfway thru writing "The legacy of the ancients" storyline now, consider this a teaser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vedran Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 Fortunately, the person the rangers approached was a meditating shaman and not one of the marauding parties of warriors. Unfortunately, for now no one outside higher-ranking warriors and shamans had learned of contact with the other nations around the world. The old man stood and hobbled over to the stranger, looking the cat person over. It was not a tribe they had encountered before. "I am Francis Crick," he said in an oddly civilized, educated tone. It was different from the simpler speech favored by the chief and his warriors. "I am the village shaman for Manchester. Am I to understand that you have brought tribute? We have not encountered your federation before. Where are you from?" --- "Yes," replied Chamberlain to Douglas. "My warriors took it from demons, and this too," he gestured to his rifle. "What are you thinking to do with the dragon tribe?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.