Stories (Continued...)
Leaving on my first trip to Kunark...
New Lands
As the shuttle pulled away from the dock, Iztariani waved to the receding figure of Ganbor. He had come to see her off, as she ventured south to explore the new territories of Kunark for a brief while.
"Now don't forget," the Shaman had told her, as they waited for the shuttles to depart, "to return in time for our next assault against the undead of Unrest."
She had smiled, and agreed "Aye, I will return in time for that. How could I not, when my sword yearns so to slay the undying."
She pushed back her fur cloak and placed one hand lovingly on the hilt of her sword.
Ganbor grinned down at her. "Aye, you have used that blade well since you joined our family of adventurers. I look forward to your return."
Hugging him in farewell, Iztariani turned and stepped onto the shuttle as it slowly lurched into motion.
The shuttle drifted quietly on the surface of the sea, swathed in thick mist, the rain drumming down onto it's upper decking. Iztariani clutched her cloak more closely around her, and peered into the distance, looking for the ship the shuttles were to meet. A faint creaking of taunt ropes and slap of waves against moving sides heralded the approach of the vessel.
Suddenly, a vast looming hull became visible through the mists, great fragile wing-like sails folding away as it smoothly glided to a stop ahead of the shuttles. Iztariani stared at it in awe, her jaw dropping. She had expected to see a ship much like those on which she so often had crossed the Ocean of Tears, or journeyed on between Qeynos and Erudin. But this...!
It was a vast floating palace of a ship, the upper decks glittering with polish brightwork, gaily coloured lanterns lighting its sides. It stretched so far forward and back into the rainy fog, and its great masts reached so high, that she could not get a view of the ship as a whole. Only impressions came to her, of a swallow-like tail, and butterfly-like wings, of vast ribbed sails like the filmy fins of some gigantic yet graceful fish. She craned her neck upwards as the shuttle slowly beat its way around the leviathan, coming to dock at a gangway that stretched up one endless curving side.
She stepped off the shuttle, her slippered feet soundless on the well-polished boards, and ventured slowly up the steeply sloped ramp. Not a soul was in view. As the shuttle faded from view in the gentle rain, the enormous sails spread once more, and the ship smoothly glided into motion, its speed quickly becoming dizzying. Seeking others, Iztariani began cautiously exploring the ship, but only empty corridors and bare staterooms met her search. Not a person could she find, not passengers, nor crew, nor even captain. Seemingly, the strange ship sailed itself.
It seemed she had barely embarked on her search when the rain stopped and the ship began to slow, the docks of Fironia Vie with its famous statue already visible in the distance. She had reached the new lands already, in under a day of travel.
As the majestic ship slowly approached the docks, she looked around the deck and promised herself that the next time she sailed on this ship, she would explore it thoroughly, even if it meant staying on the ship well beyond it's next port of call. Gathering her bags, she disembarked, stepping onto the docks of the rediscovered continent of Kunark for the first time.
New Lands
As the shuttle pulled away from the dock, Iztariani waved to the receding figure of Ganbor. He had come to see her off, as she ventured south to explore the new territories of Kunark for a brief while.
"Now don't forget," the Shaman had told her, as they waited for the shuttles to depart, "to return in time for our next assault against the undead of Unrest."
She had smiled, and agreed "Aye, I will return in time for that. How could I not, when my sword yearns so to slay the undying."
She pushed back her fur cloak and placed one hand lovingly on the hilt of her sword.
Ganbor grinned down at her. "Aye, you have used that blade well since you joined our family of adventurers. I look forward to your return."
Hugging him in farewell, Iztariani turned and stepped onto the shuttle as it slowly lurched into motion.
The shuttle drifted quietly on the surface of the sea, swathed in thick mist, the rain drumming down onto it's upper decking. Iztariani clutched her cloak more closely around her, and peered into the distance, looking for the ship the shuttles were to meet. A faint creaking of taunt ropes and slap of waves against moving sides heralded the approach of the vessel.
Suddenly, a vast looming hull became visible through the mists, great fragile wing-like sails folding away as it smoothly glided to a stop ahead of the shuttles. Iztariani stared at it in awe, her jaw dropping. She had expected to see a ship much like those on which she so often had crossed the Ocean of Tears, or journeyed on between Qeynos and Erudin. But this...!
It was a vast floating palace of a ship, the upper decks glittering with polish brightwork, gaily coloured lanterns lighting its sides. It stretched so far forward and back into the rainy fog, and its great masts reached so high, that she could not get a view of the ship as a whole. Only impressions came to her, of a swallow-like tail, and butterfly-like wings, of vast ribbed sails like the filmy fins of some gigantic yet graceful fish. She craned her neck upwards as the shuttle slowly beat its way around the leviathan, coming to dock at a gangway that stretched up one endless curving side.
She stepped off the shuttle, her slippered feet soundless on the well-polished boards, and ventured slowly up the steeply sloped ramp. Not a soul was in view. As the shuttle faded from view in the gentle rain, the enormous sails spread once more, and the ship smoothly glided into motion, its speed quickly becoming dizzying. Seeking others, Iztariani began cautiously exploring the ship, but only empty corridors and bare staterooms met her search. Not a person could she find, not passengers, nor crew, nor even captain. Seemingly, the strange ship sailed itself.
It seemed she had barely embarked on her search when the rain stopped and the ship began to slow, the docks of Fironia Vie with its famous statue already visible in the distance. She had reached the new lands already, in under a day of travel.
As the majestic ship slowly approached the docks, she looked around the deck and promised herself that the next time she sailed on this ship, she would explore it thoroughly, even if it meant staying on the ship well beyond it's next port of call. Gathering her bags, she disembarked, stepping onto the docks of the rediscovered continent of Kunark for the first time.