Low-Budget Man
Junior Member
January 1st, 4000 BC
The different tribes looked upon this comet with mixed emotions. Some saw it as a dark omen. While others celebrate it as a sign of the gods. The interpretations of this astrological phenomenon varied wildly.
The comet began its journey in the morning, drawing the attention of the continent quickly. The comet moved slowly and it took several minutes for it to make any distinguishable distance. By nightfall, the comet had crossed halfway across the sky. The comet angrily swam across the milky abyss of the black sky for the rest of the entire night before finally fading away.
Ruanta
January 4th, 4000 BC
Esuzu, Shaman of the North Sky, laid upon a moss-covered stone; a blazing fire nearby for warmth. While the winds howled outside, she was comfortable inside her makeshift cave home. Her walking stick which also doubled as a potential weapon leaned against the cave wall. The cave was neatly tucked away underneath a series inside of the hill near the northern shoreline. The entrance to the cave opened out to the wide black ocean.
Thick angry clouds grumbled in the sky and flickers of lightning could be seen in the distance. Swaddled in thick furs and seal skins, Esuzu watched the furious waves slam into the shore and retreat back into the sea. The moon’s light was obscured by the encroaching storm. The darkness that shrouded the lands turned the ocean, which seems playful at times, into an ominous beast.
For twenty days and twenty nights, Esuzu had ventured out to this cave away from the settlement. And for twenty days and twenty nights, Esuzu watched. She was patient. She maintained her silent vigil without faltering. No one knew what she was doing, but no one asked, for she was a Shaman and given a certain amount of leeway. She still performed her duties and traveled home for rest. But she always returned to her cave like clockwork.
She took her gaze off the water for a moment to reach into her bag to pull out a Hysp fruit. She briefly diverted her attention to gingerly peeling the Hysp fruit, taking care not to stain her fingers with its sticky juices. A flash of green light itched at her peripheral vision.
Esuzu’s head snapped to face the green light. The green light danced erratically upon the waters. It was roughly spherical in shape, but the size was difficult to comprehend due to its distances. With haste, she began to burn bits of Hysp fruit and Hysp bark atop of the fire. The sickly-sweet smell of the fruit and gnarled smell of the bark merged to form an enticing aroma. Smoke slowly filled the cave, and she could feel her physical senses growing more frantic. Ever sense began to feel like a kaleidoscope of sensation.
With concentration, she turned her attention to the green light. The green light seemed to be drifting closer. Slowly, she began chantings the words she’s been taught ever since she was a child. Words that are ingrained in her very soul. She closed her eyes and focused on the words, feeling the power the words bring.
Only Chief Shaman Gorga has been successful in contacting a spirit in the past. But even that was on rare occasions. And he had the help of all the other shamans, including Esuzu, assisting him with his ritual. Past histories have spoken of spirits bestowing powerful boons upon ancient shamans, but that has not occurred in recent memory.
Esuzu opened her eyes and looked over at the water. The spirit had gone. A low growl of anger escaped her. But was quickly cut short when she turned to her side.
A green ethereal fish floated gently around her, breathing in the smoke. Its scales glittered as if it swallowed a thousand stars. Two long whiskers drooped all the way to the ground. A singular eye blazed a fiery green while the other eye was dim blackness. Esuzu’s breath caught in her throat, afraid of scaring the spirit away. She had never come this close before to a spirit and this was the first time the spirit had ever responded to her calls.
An ancient voice sounded from the spirit, but no its mouth didn't move.
“I am Valuum, spirit of the waves. Why do you call to me, child? Your gifts and worship have brought you an audience. Nothing more. Speak swiftly, for your gift is a meager one. “
January 15th, 4000 BC
Two pale purple Naga arrived via a boat to Eloca. The boat, constructed by wood, housed a small structure to provide shelter. The boat looked as if it was about to fall apart any moment. It was a miracle that the two Naga didn’t simply perish at sea.
Half a dozen strange short green creatures were also living on the boat. They stared solemnly at the settlement as the boat drew closer. They wore raggedy clothes and were huddled underneath a single thick blanket. The creatures shivered underneath the light blanket of snow raining down.
All of the creatures looked fearful of the settlement, except one. His eyes glowed a dark purple in contrast with his brethren who had amber eyes. The unique goblin also sprouted a massive white beard with twigs tied to them and a serene peaceful expression rested on his face in contrast to his fellow mates. While telling their ages was difficult, it could roughly be discerned that the bearded goblin was old while the rest were probably adolescents or young adults.
“Greetings,” cried one of the Naga. He had a necklace of smooth stone upon his neck and a tradesman’s smile adorned on his face. His crest looked too large for his head, which served to make him look comical. Both the Naga wore massive fur coats to ward off the weather.
“My name is Mala! I am here to trade!” The Naga gesticulated toward his boat with his hand.
The other Naga was silent, but noticeably larger and bulkier than the first one. The large Naga’s eyes swept over the settlement in a calculating manner. His trident was held loosely in his hand as if he was ready to fight the entire tribe on his own. The larger Naga moved to moor the boat as Mala talked.
“We’ve come from afar in search of treasures for you my brethren! We have much for sale! Trinkets from clever tribes. Information about neighbors! Locations of ruins and powerful places of worship!”
“But most importantly, we are offering you a great deal! Slaves recently captured! They’re called Goblins, and they’re slimy little creatures. But don’t let that fool you, they can have a lot of potential! They’re magical!”
Elohim
January 5th, 4000 BC
A forager stood before Divine King Ba’al. The forager clutched his cap in his hands in nervousness. Filth coated the forager from head to toe. He wore a short sleeved shirt which displayed his lean arms. A massive bandage was wrapped around his left arm.
Huntmaster Davit stood next to the anxious forager with his arms crossed. His favorite well-worn spear was within grabbing distance and leaned against a wall. Huntmaster Davit tapped him on his shoulder and looked pointedly at him.
The forager cleared his voice, then spoke. “My name is Pral, and I went out to gather fruit and berries from the forest. Like I do everyday, nothing too special. Then I saw an area that looked like it was covered in webs. Like a spider’s web. But these webs weren’t small ones like the ones we usually see, but they were massive!”
Pral took out a pouch and pulled out a clump of sticky webbing and displayed it.
“I cut out some of it to bring back. But when I was cutting, I got my foot stuck in some of the material. It took me a few moments to cut it away. While I was busy, a spider came to the tree canopy. I think it was watching me the entire time.”
“It was no ordinary regular sized spider, but it was huge! This one was bigger than me by three or four times. It looked like I could sit on its back and it could carry me around. Thats how big it was. It tried to jump on me but I got free just in time.”
Pral gestured toward the bandage on his arm and then continued his tale. “It scratched me here, but luckily I managed to run away.”
Davit silently took the webbing away from Pral and inspected it. The material was soft but hard at the same time. It also seemed to stick to his fingers. Davit attempted to pull the fiber apart but it held strong. Davit chewed the inside of his mouth as he pondered Pral’s story and the webbing.
January 12th, 4000 BC
Huntmaster Davit counted again. And when he got to fifty-two, he counted again. The same number. Huntmaster Davit looked at the herder Mackler who was also doing a recount. But by the time Davit managed to count them twice, Mackler had finished once. When Mackler finished, a frown crossed his face.
“I don’t know what to tell you Davit.” Mackler scratched the back of his dirty hair with filthy nails. “We’re missing another cow. I don’t know where they keep disappearing off to.”
Davit grunted in disapproval and wandered off to inspect the herd closer. Mackler followed shortly behind. Even when there wasn’t a need for silence, Davit’s footsteps were quiet. Mackler stepped in some cow manure and didn’t even notice. Twice.
“We counted them up yesterday. Fifty-three heads of cattle. A few days before that. Fifty-four. Several days before that. Fifty-five.” Mackler rambled as he followed Davit. His fingers occasionally stretching out to gently pet a friendly cow.
“I’m not the best counter. Numbers get mixed up in my head pretty easily. And they don’t like to stand around to be counted, they like to wander around. But I counted fifty-three heads of cattle two dozen times.”
“And the other herders counted the same. Why the other-”
Davit interrupted Mackler’s ramblings. “Escape?”
“Can’t rule that out Davit. Definitely possible. I’ve lost cattle before. But this doesn’t feel like that. It's too consistent. Happens regularly. Like the sun rises up every day. There’s a…. what do you call it?”
“Pattern.”
“Yeah, a pattern.”
“Also, we’re not seeing anything out of the ordinary. We have herders watching this specific herd every day. I talked to some of the other herders and their herds, and their cattle are fine. Maybe there’s a disease happening. A disease that lets these cattle sprout wings and fly away.”
Davit grunted politely at Mackler’s theory.
However, something drew Davit’s eye. A dull white object was buried in the grass. He crouched down to inspect it closer, careful not to immediately disturb it. After looking at it for a few moments, it became clear what it was. It was an elongated tooth. Sharp. Something from a carnivore.
Davit glanced up at the tree line. A slight chill went through him as he felt certain that he was being watched. And then the feeling was gone.
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